I’ve been playing around with butternut squash this winter, and last night’s batch of soup was particularly tasty, so I thought I would share it with everyone. Buon Appetito!
Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Apple and Cumin
by Michael Miles
1 large butternut squash (yield about 4 cups)
2 apples (I prefer Honey Crisp or Gala)
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, sliced
Olive oil
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
6 whole cloves
1 tsp fresh thyme (about 6 sprigs)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 carrots, sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400F. Slice the squash lengthwise and remove seeds. Place pulp down on baking sheet. Place whole apples on baking sheet and roast in oven until done (about an hour.) Separate squash pulp from skin and remove apple cores.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a stock pot and sauté onion and garlic until fragrant and slightly brown. Lower heat and add vegetable stock. Bring to simmer, then add cloves, thyme, cumin, carrots and celery. Cook for 45 minutes.
Add the squash and apple. Simmer another 15 minutes. If necessary (and it probably will be) add water to reduce the thickness.
Remove cloves and thyme stems. If you want to save yourself the hassle of finding six cloves, place them in a tea ball or cooking bag beforehand. Transfer the soup to a blender in small batches and purée until smooth. Return to stock pot and season with salt and pepper before serving.
It gets cold in Chicago, and the harbors freeze. That’s not so good if you enjoy sailing. While it helps to long for April 1st, when the boats will start to return to their slips, attending a boat show in January helps a lot. Yesterday my friend Michael and I went to Strictly Sail at Navy Pier – where among other cool things – Beneteau’s new First 30 made its Chicago debut. Perfect for getting one’s mind off of gray skies and old snow.
Beneteau has always done a fabulous job of walking the line between performance and comfort, and the second generation of the First 30 is no different. Designed by famed naval architecture firm Juan Yacht Design, the First 30 retains the distinctive Beneteau profile while incorporating substantial racing improvements, like a bulb keel, a new tiller design linked to dual rudders, and specially designed mast and sails to maximize power (no backstay on this baby.)
I’m not going to get into a review of the boat, since I haven’t sailed one and – I’m sad to think – I surely won’t have the opportunity for quite a while. Needless to say, from the photos, it’s easy to see the relative comfort built into the cabin. This is definitely not a J/30, which makes cocktail hour at the end of the day a bit more comfortable (now you know what kind of sailor I am.) But in the right hands, the boat is not going to provide any handicap on the water. So for any of you out there who feel compelled to reward me with lavish gifts, this is definitely the big daddy.
Of course, there was more: three yachts from the Beneteau series – a 37, 40 and 50 – all stunning and outfitted to the nines. The 50 actually comes with the Dock & Go system, a new 360 degree, joystick-controlled trolling motor that requires almost no skill to professionally maneuver your yacht. Perfect for the bond trader that doesn’t know how to sail.
Other highlights included a new J/111 – the latest in a series of impressive racing boats, a beautiful one-class daysailer from C.W. Hood (which was just voted Boat of the Year), and lots of cool gear (I totally fell in love with these really lightweight water shoes from Zeko footwear.) Not a bad way to spend a few hours.
Now it’s just a matter of getting through the next eight weeks, until the boat yards come to life and the harbors start to fill again. I’ve joined a crew that will be running in the Chicago-Mac race this summer, so stayed tuned for news and updates. It promises to be a really fun time.
It’s Monday, and that means a tasty dish of red beans and rice for lunch or dinner. I thought I would share my recipe for those who want to enjoy a bit of Cajun deliciousness.
The trick to cooking a good pot of beans is to be patient – cook ‘em low and slow. I start the process on Sunday morning, then all I have to do is reheat them on Monday. Besides, they just get better over time.
Red Beans and Rice
by Michael Miles
Serves 12
3 qts. water
2 lbs. dried small red beans
1 lbs. smoked andouille sausage
1 lbs. tasso, diced
2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 cup celery, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 T worchestershire sauce
Seasoning:
3 bay leaves
3 T salt
2 t dried thyme
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t white pepper
1/2 t black pepper
Place the beans in an 8-quart stock pot and cover with water. Let soak overnight.
Rinse the beans and sort, if necessary. Add the water and place over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, onion, celery, garlic, worchestershire sauce and seasoning mix. Cover, bring to a boil and reduce heat until simmering. Let cook one hour, stirring regularly.
Cut the andouille into serving-sized pieces. Add the meat to the pot and increase the temperature to return the pot to a simmer. Reduce the heat to maintain the simmer.
Stir regularly until at the desired consistency. I usually give my pot about 12 hours. You can remove the lid for the last few hours to help reduce the moisture.
Serve over white rice.
Notes:
Tasso is a spicy ham sausage. It can be found at most good butcher shops, or you can order it online from Poche’s Market in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana.
If you get desperate and can’t find tasso, a second choice would be smoked ham hocks. Not as good, but still tasty.
Make sure you get smoked andouille. Some grocery stores sell brat-style andouille make for the grill. That won’t cook up as well.
I’m not a fan of using kidney beans. You might see them in the store and be tempted; to me they give the wrong texture.
Happy New Year, everyone! I’ve taken a couple of weeks of vacation in order to enjoy the holidays and have a bit of minor surgery, but I’m happy to be back. This morning Laura and I started the new year by participating in Project Rescue Chicago’sShelter Shiver, a polar bear plunge into Lake Michigan to raise money for dogs in need of homes. It was a great success; Project Rescue beat its fundraising goal by thirty percent.
I put together a bit of video from the morning. Laura was brave enough to get her feet wet. Even though I couldn’t get in the water, I’m pretty glad I had an excuse – the wind was whipping and everyone was wading amongst the shoreline ice!
And since I was shooting still images when Laura actually stepped in the water, here are a few photos to wrap things up.
I had dinner at Kith & Kin last night, a favorite restaurant of mine in Lincoln Park. And while the food and service are excellent, their mixologists more than keep up. You should definitely put this place on your radar.
In the mood for a martini, I ordered Death’s Door vodka, and told Jackie to “just have the vermouth blow a kiss to the vodka” (h/t Mel Miller, A Face in the Crowd.) She told me that they didn’t keep vermouth at the bar, but used Lillet (a fortified white wine from France) instead. A few shakes and a lemon twist later, perfection.
For those who know me, it’s an appropriate question. And now that winter is just around the corner, I’ve received a shipment of tasty port wines from my favorite source, Prager Winery in St. Helena, California. If you enjoy the fortified grape, you can’t go wrong with any of their selections, and they have quite a few. Yes, the Tawny is spectacular, and I purchased a couple of bottles to enjoy by the fire, or while smoking a Hemingway with friends. But today I’m opening something different: a Petite Sirah port from their Lodi vineyard. As you might imagine, using the Petite Sirah grape creates a port that is full of dark fruits, with just a hint of vanilla. It lacks the complexity and caramelization of a Tawny, but I think that makes it all the more accessible, and flexible. It is aged for two years, and has a beautiful ruby color in the glass.
I’m not on commission, but you definitely want to check out their website. In addition to the Tawny and Petite Sirah ports, they have a traditional Tomas port as well as a couple of white wine ports (great for starting the evening.) Or, if good fortune lands you in the Napa Valley area, drive up to St. Helena and visit: the winery sports this magnificent Daddy Long Legs spider web that has been nurtured over the years. It’s a great winery in a beautiful location.
There’s always someone in the crowd that remarks each Thanksgiving about how we only eat turkey once a year because nobody really likes it. Make fun of me if you wish, but I eat the stuff all the time. And since I didn’t cook this year, I’m seriously jonesing for time in the kitchen and lots of leftovers.
A couple of years ago, Saveur magazine (a favorite of mine) published an article with ways to use your leftover turkey. Happily, they tweeted a link to their website last Friday, with lots of incredible turkey recipes. In addition to comfy-food items like Turkey Tetrazzini and the southern Hot Brown, you must check out the Salvadoran Panes con Pavo.
So, check out the website, buy the magazine whenever you get the chance (every issue is awesome), and next time you buy a bird, make sure it’s a little bigger than you need!
I went to Hot Doug’s today. It’s a place where they celebrate encased meats. That pretty much says it all: when you chase excellence at that level, you get some amazing results.
I could talk on about the experience, but the description of my food says it all: Wild Rice and Asiago Cheese Bison Sausage with Roasted Yellow Pepper Mayonnaise and Irish Porter Cheese, served with a side of hand-cut fries (the duck fat fries are only available on the weekend.) Oh yeah, I had a delicious bottle of Birch Beer to drink.
Nate Silver was right when he said Michelin made a mistake not giving them a star.
This is going to be a strange review. First, I usually don’t write about a restaurant after visiting only one time. So much can be overlooked, so keep that in mind. Second, q is an enigmatic concept. It’s just… well, different.
Let’s start with the location. q is on the Gold Coast, at Dearborn and Division – a quiet, upscale neighborhood you wouldn’t expect to host a barbeque joint. And the buildout is really nice. And they have an Executive Chef.
Okay, enough with the italics. After being seated in a spacious booth and opening my laptop, a server came by with what we in the South call lagniappe – a bit of something for free. House-made chips and bread & butter pickles made my mouth water. Bread & butters are my favorite pickle, and these were exceptional for having all the flavor without being as sweet as the store-bought variety. The chips had an excellent texture but were lacking just a bit of kick (especially for this genre); I would have enjoyed a dash of paprika or something similar to light up my tongue. However, they steadily disappeared as the meal went forward.
Oh yeah, another important benefit to eating barbeque in a more formal environment: there is a full bar. And they carry Chopin vodka.
A server named Ya-Ya (hope the spelling is correct) came by and chatted. She was friendly, laid-back, and answered all my questions. We talked about favorites and what I might eat. It was decided that the bacon-cheddar hush puppies were a must-try. They rocked. Crispy outside, flaky inside, with flecks of jalapeño and wonderful bacon-cheddar flavor. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL! The tasties were served with a chipotle aioli that was the perfect complement. It had just a hint of sweetness to it. Use the sauce and life will be good.
Being a native of St. Louis, the St. Louis-style ribs were a no-brainer. These are spare ribs and contain a bit more fat than back ribs, but are all the more flavorful for it. I highly recommend them, but some people may be put off by the small layer of fat along the edge, if you’re not expecting that. My half-slab contained about seven bones, which were smoked to the most beautiful pink. They were so tender the meat fell from them while I inhaled their intoxicating aroma. They were served with three sauces: a Carolina-style vinegar sauce, a sweet & smoky sauce, and a sweet & smokey sauce with some heat in it. While all good, do what any self-respecting barbeque eater does, and push them to the side. The meat doesn’t deserve to have sauce put on it.
And yes, those are tasty pickled onions. And the cole slaw is excellent: red and green cabbage with a mix of savory herbs in a creamy dressing. My pet peeve with barbeque joints is the crappy sides they set alongside their food. Why spend so much effort getting the meat right and then slap cole slaw from a bucket on the plate? From what I experienced, you won’t have that problem at q.
It’s only been open a couple of months, but q has its shit together. My service was attentive. Ya-Ya was friendly but didn’t hover over me. The restaurant manager found a good time to ask how everything was going. I was able to talk, eat, and work on my laptop without ever feeling like I was being interrupted. The environment is beautiful. And, as I’ve shared my experience with others over the past week, I’ve discovered there is quite a bit of buzz in the city. This restaurant is not undiscovered.
I’ll be going back, just as soon as I nap off the last meal. I noticed a macaroni & cheese brulée that has my name on it.
Remove cloves and thyme stems. If you want to save yourself the hassle of finding six cloves, place them in a tea ball or cooking bag beforehand. Transfer the soup to a blender in small batches and purée until smooth. Return to stock pot and season with salt and pepper before serving.
