French Flageolet Bean and Cabbage Cassoulet with Rosemary

My two rosemary plants are in full bloom, the pantry is stocked with all sorts of beans and I have been craving a hearty cassoulet.  I also had a head of cabbage that needed to be used, thoughts of that with caraway seeds and the flageolet beans were cooked the day before; this is the recipe that developed as I began cutting the cabbage.  A hearty Vegetarian cassoulet!

French Flageolet beans are a small pale green bean. If you can't find these substitute a small white bean such as navy beans or cannelini beans.

French Flageolet Bean and Cabbage Cassoulet with Rosemary

Serves 8

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1 large Onion (about 1 ½ cups diced)

1 large Shallot, minced

2 Celery stalks, sliced (about 1 cup)

2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp whole Caraway Seed 

I head of Cabbage cut in chunks (about 4-6 cups)

2 large Carrots, sliced (about 2 cups)

3 cups cooked French Flageolet Beans

6 small Russet Potatoes, peeled and cut in quarters

6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

Water as needed

2 bay leaves

1 sprig of fresh Rosemary

Salt and Pepper (I do this after cooking, but you can add it during if you prefer)

In a large stock pot, sauté onions, shallot, carrots, celery, and garlic in a bit of vegetable stock for 5 minutes; add cabbage, potatoes, rosemary sprig, caraway seed, bay leaves and 5 cups of vegetable stock to cover. Simmer partially covered about 20 minutes or until cabbage is almost tender. Watch the liquid and if you need more, add water or more vegetable stock. Stir in beans and simmer partially covered another 15-20 minutes until potatoes are cooked through.  The cabbage should melt in your mouth!  

Serve in shallow soup bowls garnished with fresh rosemary, in bloom (if available) and some hearty, crusty whole grain bread to soak up the juices.  Season with salt and pepper.

Focaccia, Flat Bread with Onions and Rosemary

A wonderful recipe for a traditional Italian Focaccia.  I have added fresh rosemary which happens to be blooming now.  The added flowers makes for a pretty presentation.

Flat Bread with Onion Topping
(Focaccia Con Le Cipolle)

Nutritional information available below

1 envelope Active Dry Yeast (2 ¼teaspoons)
1 cup very warm Water
3 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
7 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 teaspoons Sea Salt
1 medium-size Onion, very thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh Rosemary (in flower if possible)
Coarse Sea Salt (optional)

Preheat oven to 400° F.

1.   In a large bowl put ¾ cup of the warm water.  Sprinkle the yeast over the water and let set for 2 minutes.  Add 1 ½ cups of the flour.  Stir with a wooden spoon until mixed.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes.  Shape into a ball.

2.   Dust the inside of a large bowl with flour; press dough into bowl.  Cover with a damp towel.  Let rise in a warm place, 1 ½ to 2 hours, or until doubled in volume. 

Hint: I heat my oven to just under 150° F.   Place the covered bowl in the oven and set the timer for 1 ½ hours.  This works very well on colder days.

3.   Punch down dough.  Add remaining 1 ½ cups of flour, remaining warm water, ¼ cup of the Olive Oil and the 2 teaspoons of Sea Salt.  Mix in using a wooden spoon or your hands.  Knead for 8 minutes or until dough feels smooth and elastic.   Let rise in warm place for about 1 ½ hours or until doubled in volume.

4.   Soak the sliced onion in cold water for 15 minutes; changing water 3 times.  Drain onions and dry with paper towels. 

5.   On a lightly floured surface roll the dough out using a rolling pin to about a 12 by 15 inch rectangle, about ¼ inch thick.  You may also make this in a 14 inch round if you would like to use a pizza stone for baking.  I have a few bricks I place in my oven and the rectangle works better for me.  You may also use a sheet pan to bake this on if you don’t have a baking stone.

6.   Transfer the dough to a wooden pizza peel or a flat sheet pan without a rim; which you have dusted with flour to prevent sticking.  Roughen dough by poling the surface with your fingertips, making small indentations that will hold the Olive Oil.  Spread the onions over, pressing in lightly.  Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of the Olive Oil over.  Sprinkle with a little additional salt if desired, using a coarse salt.

7.   Bake in hot oven (400°) for 15 minutes, if ¼ inch thick, or 5 to 10 minutes longer if thicker.  Sprinkle with fresh Rosemary, cut into 18 pieces and sprinkle with Rosemary flowers if available.  Serve warm; do not refrigerate.

Nutritional Information Provided by NutriMirror

(the optional addition of coarse sea salt is not included in the sodium percentages here)

Thanksgiving 2010, Good Friends, Good Times, Good Food, Good Wine

"Bless our hearts to hear the breaking of the bread the song of the universe."

-Fr. John B. Giuliani

My good  friend Pam and her mother Sue, joined Tony and I along with our friend Rik for a very special Thanksgiving dinner.  Special because we were with some of our favorite people.

Pam helped me out with the cooking and baking.  She brought along some pumpkin for the pumpkin pie and pumpkin custard. Pam used her mother's recipe for the pumpkin pie.  I made a pear and apple tart.  Pam also made the Brussel sprouts, Tony's persimmon salsa and a shitake gravy.

Thanksgiving Day Menu 2010

Roast Turkey with Traditional Bread Stuffing

Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes with Turkey and Shitake Mushroom Gravy

Garden Mesclun Salad with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette

Harvard Beets

Steamed Brussel Sprouts with Black Olive Tapenade

Herb Roasted Sweet Potatoes
 Tiny New Heirloom Potatoes

Artisan Bread with Butter

Fresh Cranberry Orange Sauce

Persimmon Salsa

Pumpkin Pie a la Sue

Pumpkin Custard

Rustic Apple Pear Tart

Cinnamon Dusted Whipped Cream

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Wall in our dining room.

Apple Tart and Pumpkin Pie, Vanilla Haagen Dazs was on hand, too. All were delightful and some cinnamon dusted fresh whipped cream didn't hurt either!

Sweet Potato and Tiny New Potatoes dressed with Olive Oil, Tarragon, Parsley, Rosemary, Thyme and Marjoram ready for the oven. Roasted at 400 degree for 30 minutes and they both were perfect. All the herbs were picked fresh this morning from my garden.

Pam (please excuse my messy kitchen)

waiting, waiting.....

Roast Turkey with spring onions and parsley from the garden.

Herb Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Tiny Heirloom Potatoes with Herbs, and Pam's Shitake Mushroom Gravy.

Table was set with my Mothers' china, Tonys' grandmothers frosted leaf glasses, (which happen to match the china perfectly) and my Oneida floral queen silver-plated flatware.  

The salad was freshly picked earlier from my garden; an assortment of mesclun, herbs, avocado, cucumber and heirloom tomatoes. 

Our friend Rik on the left, my husband Tony center, and Sue (Pam's mother)  on the right.  Sue celebrated her 91st birthday a couple of days earlier. 

 

Let the feasting begin!

Bon Appetite'