Author: Kathy Hunt

Irish potato candy

Philly Irish Potatoes for St. Paddy’s Day

Published by Kathy Hunt

Look up “Irish potato” in Herbst’s Food Lover’s Companion and you’ll find it defined as “a round, white, thin-skinned potato . . . good for boiling, frying and pan-roasting.” Ask for an Irish potato in Philadelphia and in all likelihood you’ll be handed a small, cinnamon-dusted, spud-shaped candy. A Philly original from the early 20th century, this sweet reputedly was created by Irish immigrants for St. Patrick’s Day. In spite of its name there is not a trace of potato in this confection. Its moniker comes from its oblong shape, white center and dusky skin. What’s in an Irish potato? Cream cheese, butter, coconut and lots of powdered sugar. If you don’t like intensely sweet treats, you’ll want to steer clear of this little guy. Even I, the queen of sugar, find some versions too cloying. To boost the sweetness even more, many flavor their Irish potatoes with a generous dose of vanilla extract. Since I have a surplus of Bailey’s Irish Cream on hand, I cut back on the extract and add a tablespoon …

The Scoop on Mushroom Barley Soup

Published by Kathy Hunt

Another week of blustery weather can mean only one thing — more soup simmering on my stovetop. This time it’s my take on an old family recipe for Scotch broth. One of Scotland’s most famous offerings, Scotch broth begins by boiling together chunks of mutton or beef and barley. Eventually, diced root vegetables and parsley are added to the pot. A sprinkling of fresh parsley then finishes it off. Unlike classic Scotch broth, my version replaces the meat with mushrooms, making it less stew-like. In essence, this is a hearty mushroom barley soup. With its vegetable stock base and abundance of barley, root vegetables and mushrooms this soup could be considered a vegetarian-friendly dish. For a bona fide vegan meal, substitute olive oil for the butter. MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP To get the requisite 2 cups cooked barley, you will need to bring 2 cups water, 1/2 cup pearl barley and a pinch of salt to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low and allow the barley to simmer for 40 minutes. …

Warming up Again with Black Bean Soup

Published by Kathy Hunt

After weeks of slipping and sliding across icy sidewalks, trudging through knee-high snowbanks and shivering in spite of four layers of clothes the only positive thing that I can say about winter is that it gives me an excuse to make soup. Why soup? It’s one of the easiest, most versatile dishes around. Put water or stock, vegetables and seasonings in a pot. Add heat and – voila! – in a short time you’ve got a filling, wholesome meal. One of my many favorites is peppery black bean soup. Featuring just enough spices to chase away the cold, this soup will warm you from head to toe. You can quickly turn this into a vegan offering by substituting vegetable for chicken stock. PEPPERY BLACK BEAN SOUP Serves 6 to 8 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large white onion, diced 4 cloves, minced 4 (15-oz) cans black beans 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock 1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes and …

Easy Peasy Popcorn

Published by Kathy Hunt

I know. What could be a simpler savory snack than popcorn? Other than pretzels, nuts and olives, not much. When I want to put out a bowl of popcorn and not have friends react with, “Gee, that’s all I rate? Kernels of dried corn?” I sprinkle some seasonings over top. In an instant the low key movie theater staple becomes gourmet noshings. For the sake of storage space I don’t own an air or oil popper. Instead I just tumble kernels into a frying pan, clamp on a lid, place the pan on the stove top, flip a burner on high and, shaking the pan periodically, let heat do its trick. From there it’s a short trip from hot, bland kernels to such exciting snacks as the following. Note that for 8 cups popped popcorn you’ll need roughly 1/4 cup kernels. All recipes yield 8 cups/servings of flavored popcorn. SMOKED POPCORN 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon chili powder 1/8 teaspoon cayenne 2 tablespoons olive oil …

smoked trout pate

Hooray! Smoked Trout Paté!

Published by Kathy Hunt

Paté. It sounds like such a posh dish. In reality it’s just a spreadable mixture of cooked meat, fat and seasonings. So much for the elegant, French name, huh? Originally, paté meant a baked, meat-filled pastry served hot or cold. It later referred to the chunky filling for this pie. Ultimately, it became known as the aforementioned spread. What do you put in a paté? Among the most popular ingredients are goose liver, pork, veal and beef. Because I stopped eating meat long ago, I make less traditional patés featuring smoked fish, vegetables or mushrooms. I served the following spread on Christmas Eve. Quick to make and equally fast to assemble, smoked trout paté is an easy hors d’oeuvre for the harried host. SMOKED TROUT PATÉ Whenever I forget to grab chives at the market, I substitute 1/4 teaspoon granulated onion for the chopped chives. Without that dash of green the paté will look a bit bland but it will still taste great. Makes 1 1/4 cups 5 ounces cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons good …

Steaming, White, Hot Chocolate

Published by Kathy Hunt

The latest East Coast snowstorm has left me craving a mug of good, steaming hot chocolate. It will come as no surprise that, as a person who grew up eating ‘Stove Top stuffing instead of potatoes,’ I have a long history with  those white, paper packets of instant hot cocoa. Whether in my parents’ kitchen, on camping trips or at sporting events, on cold winter days I imbibed that thin, not-quite-chocolate-flavored and often lukewarm drink. In my early 20’s I learned a valuable lesson from a fellow grad student and friend. If you want rich, toasty hot chocolate, make it from scratch. It doesn’t take much time to do. Plus, the end result tastes so heavenly you’ll never be tempted to rip open a sleeve of instant again.   I often tinker with my hot chocolate recipe, alternating between cocoa powder, semi-sweet morsels or bittersweet chocolate as my flavor base. When I’m in the mood for a wildly sweet, hot treat, I whisk together the following recipe. I think of it as liquid dessert. I …

Whether You Like to Cook or Read a Good Book . . .

Published by Kathy Hunt

I’ve got a few suggestions for you. Being a food writer, avid reader and collector of cookbooks, I come across a wide assortment of food-focused books. Some are good. A few are awful. (Seriously, you don’t test your recipes?) Several end up being so spectacular that I add them to my eclectic collection of favorites. Such is the case with the following books. Great to give or receive, they would be fitting gifts for any foodie. Ard Bia Cookbook by Aoibheann Mac Namara and Aoife Carrigy (Atrium, 2013) Straight from Galway, Ireland comes a lovely, wholesome and tad exotic cookbook from the equally lovely, wholesome and tad exotic Ard Bia restaurant. Fitting for new as well as adventurous cooks, Ard Bia tempts readers with luscious photos, engaging anecdotes and fresh, creative recipes. Among the gems are smoked trout pate with caperberries and preserved lemon salsa, the easy, retro Ard Bia Mess, and chickpea pancake with spinach and feta, romesco sauce and tabouleh. With Ard Bia you’ll cook well and eat healthfully throughout the year. Cook’s …

The Battle with Holiday Baking

Published by Kathy Hunt

Ah, the holidays! Such a sweet yet complicated time. We baking enthusiasts embrace the excuse to churn out batch upon batch of cookies, cakes, breads and pastries. On the flip side, sweets lovers like me have to battle the urge to conquer each and every one of these homemade confections. All week I’ve waged this war. After spending Monday baking 24 dozen cookies with a college friend, I headed home with 12 dozen luscious temptations. All of them begged me to “eat, eat!” Two days later I tested European holiday cookie recipes and then faced six dozen more sweet adversaries. Although I’d love to say that I fought the good fight, well . . .. Amusingly enough, on the very day that I ate a plateful of ginger cookies for my lunch, I learned that Fish Market had made Weight Watcher’s “Good Enough to Read: Best Cookbooks for Giving and Getting” list for 2013. Ironic, huh? As of last night the cookies and I have reached a compromise. They’ll stay tucked in our freezer, nestled …

In This Chowder It’s All about Corn

Published by Kathy Hunt

Wondering what to serve vegan friends this holiday season when everyone else at the table loathes tofu and seitan? Contemplating what to make for unexpected dinner guests? Craving a warm, hearty, one-pot meal? Overwhelmed by all those bags of frozen corn tumbling out of your freezer every time that you open the door? Have I got recipe for you! As its name suggests, Chocked-Full-of-Corn-Chowder brims with plump, yellow kernels of corn as well as chunks of potato and a smidgen of onion, celery and dried parsley. With pureed corn as its thickener and vegetable stock for its base, this wholesome soup will please everyone at your dinner table. Plus, as you might expect, it’s quick and easy to make. CHOCKED-FULL-OF-CORN CHOWDER Serves 6 1/2 tablespoon olive oil 1 small yellow onion, diced 1 stalk celery, diced 1 teaspoon sea salt 3 cups vegetable stock 1 Russet potato, diced 2 (15-ounce) cans whole kernel corn 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels 1/3 teaspoon ground white pepper 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley Baguette, optional, for serving …

Scoop up Mulled Apple Cider Ice Cream

Published by Kathy Hunt

This time of year, along with a surplus of apples, I usually have a refrigerator crammed full of apple cider. In my twenties I could blame this excess on my next-door-neighbors and their prolific orchard. Every fall they’d collect the grubbiest apples, take them to a cider mill and press bushel upon bushel into sweet, murky cider. What they didn’t freeze, they gave away to family, friends, colleagues and me. Although I ended up with more than I could ever consume, this distribution barely put a dent in their cider supply. What did my neighbors do with all that apple cider? They roasted meats and sautéed vegetables in it. They poured it over dry cereal and, of course, drank it. Think of any creative way to use this beverage in your kitchen and, chances are, they did it. Inspired by their resourcefulness, I occasionally cook with cider. As this practice is more rare than regular, I have multiple jugs of cider hiding out in my fridge. When I do dig out a half-gallon container, I …