This pretty, easy-to-make first-course soup is flavorful and creamy, yet is extremely low fat-it has only one tablespoon of butter and no cream at all (except for an optional sour cream garnish). Pour your favorite beer or a fruity white wine throughout the evening.
Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 14 1/2-ounce cans chicken broth
1 pound asparagus, tough ends discarded, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon dried summer savory
sour cream or plain yogurt (optional)
DIRECTIONS
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually mix in canned chicken broth. Bring mixture to boil. Add asparagus pieces and summer savory and simmer until asparagus is very tender, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly.
Drain asparagus, reserving cooking liquid. Puree asparagus in food processor. With machine running, Gradually add 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Return mixture to saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. (Soup can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Top with dollops of sour cream or yogurt, if desired.
Steamed cauliflower florets, broccoli florets and carrot slices are mixed with olives and tossed with a sun-dried tomato and oregano vinaigrette in this Italian-inspired starter “from the garden.”
Serves 8.
INGREDIENTS
1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
3 large broccoli stalks, cut into florets
3 large carrots, peeled, sliced diagonally
1/2 pound mediterranean olives (such as cracked green sicilian olive or kalamata olives)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
4 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
lemon wedges
DIRECTIONS
Steam cauliflower until just crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Steam broccoli until just crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Steam carrots until just crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Rinse with cold water; drain. Mix cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and olives in large bowl. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover vegetables and chill.)
Place lemon juice in small bowl. Gradually mix in oil. Add tomatoes, oregano and dried red pepper. Pour dressing over vegetables and stir to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon wedges. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature, tossing occasionally.)
Elegance doesn’t come any easier than this treat made with purchased puff pastry.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
1 frozen puff pastry sheet (1/2 17 1/4-ounce package), thawed
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon milk (glaze)
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 10-ounce package frozen raspberries in syrup, thawed
1/2 1-pint basket strawberries, sliced
vanilla frozen yogurt
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out pastry on lightly floured surface to 12-inch square. Cut out two 4×5-inch rectangles and transfer to ungreased cookie sheet (reserve remaining pastry for another use). Brush pastries with glaze. Mix sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom and sprinkle over pastries. Bake until puffed and brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool.
Drain syrup from raspberries into heavy small saucepan. Boil until thickened slightly, about 4 minutes. Combine raspberries and sliced strawberries in small bowl. Add reduced syrup and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cardamom. (Berry mixture can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Split each pastry into 2 layers. Place bottoms on plates. Layer with frozen yogurt, some of berry mixture, then pastry tops. Spoon a few berries atop each pastry and serve.
