Asian Mushroom Chowder with Bacon Dry Jack Biscuits

As you might remember, I was given a variety of Asian mushrooms for my birthday. For dinner tonight, I used some of them to make a chowder. I used shiitake, maitake, and bunashimeii  mushrooms. It has chicken stock, a little milk, and it is flavored with rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf.

To go with the chowder, I made some biscuits with bacon and the Spring Hill Dry Jack

These went really well together. This was a meal that emphasized umami. Mushrooms, bacon, and aged cheese are high in it.

Recipes

Asian Mushroom Chowder

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
1 cup chopped maitake mushrooms
1 cup bunashimeii mushrooms
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 cups chicken stock
2 small bay leaves
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, sauté until tender. Add garlic, cook for 2 minutes. Add stock, bay, rosemary, and thyme. Simmer 20 minutes.

Sift cornstarch. Whisk into milk. Add mushrooms and milk. Bring back to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

Bacon Dry Jack Biscuits

1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
pinch salt
1/4 cup shortening
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup bacon bits
1/4 cup grated dry jack cheese

Pre-heat oven to 450 F.

Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles course crumbs. Stir in bacon and cheese, Add milk, mix until everything is just moistened. Turn onto a lightly floured board. Knead until dough just hangs together, two or three strokes. Pat or roll into a rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. Cut into six pieces. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden brown.

Happy eating!

Chicken Noodle Soup and Buttermilk Dry Jack Biscuits

Monday was a little wet and drizzly. So, it was a perfect day for soup. I had some cooked chicken left over from Gaslight Gathering, and some  three color rotelle, which would work just fine for the noodles. I added some diced carrot and white radish. I flavored it with a little thyme, oregano, and basil.

I always like a little bread with soup to help sop up the juices.  I decided to make biscuits. I thought the dry jack from Springhill Cheese would add a great flavor. I still had buttermilk that needed used up.

These biscuits came out light and fluffy, with a rich, deep flavor from the cheese and buttermilk.

Recipes

Chicken and Rotelle Soup

6 cups chicken stock
1 cup diced cooked chicken
3/4 cup diced carrots
3/4 cup diced white radishes
1 cup tri-color rotelle noodles
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried time
salt and pepper to taste

In a large sauce pan, heat stock over medium heat. When it comes to a simmer, add carrots, radishes, and dried herbs. Let simmer gently until vegetables are tender. Add noodles, increase heat until liquid comes to a boil. When noodles are al dente, stir in chicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Buttermilk Dry Jack Biscuits

1 cup all purpose flour
3/8 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup grated dry jack cheese
1/4 cup butter, cold, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt

Pre-heat oven to 450 F.

In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cream of tarter, and baking soda.

Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in dry jack cheese.

Add buttermilk, stir until dough comes together.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly, adding flour as necessary, until dough is  not sticky.

Pat or roll out to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into six biscuits.

Place biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 - 12 minutes, or until biscuits are firm and golden brown.

Happy Eating!

Chicken Sausage and Napa Cabbage Soup with Lebni -Cheddar Biscuits

The spouse is fighting a bit of a head cold. I thought soup, salad, and hot biscuits might help her feel better. I spent the day making stock. For the soup, I added green onion, carrot, chicken sausage, and Napa cabbage. The sausage I used was Hillshire Farm Gourmet Creations Chicken Apple with Gouda Cheese. I've used these twice before, once grilled, another time in upscale beans and weenies. Okay, so I really like these sausages, and the spouse is really good at finding them on sale.

 

For the salad, I used fresh arugula, with julienned baby turnips and baby candy cane beets. I made a date vinegar, sesame oil, and zatar vinaigrette.

 

The biscuits are made with lebni, a Middle Eastern yogurt cheese, and shredded cheddar. It produced a wonderfully tender biscuit, with a bit of the yogurt tang. I was very happy with results. I like to use shaped cookie cutters, to add a bit of whimsy.

 

Recipes

Chicken Sausage and Napa Cabbage Soup

1 quart chicken stock

1 lb. chicken sausage, sliced into 3/4 inch slices

1 cup diced carrots

2 large green onions, sliced thin

3/4 small head Napa cabbage, shredded

salt to taste

 

In a large stock pot, heat stock over medium low heat to a low simmer. Add carrots and onions. Let simmer until carrots are tender. Add sausage, simmer another 15 minutes. Add salt to taste. Add cabbage, simmer two minutes. Serve.

 

Date Vinegar, Sesame Oil, and Zatar

1/4 cup date vinegar

2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. zatar

1/4 tsp. course sea salt

 

Whisk together all ingredients.

 

Lebni - Cheddar Biscuits

2 cups flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

1/4 tsp. course sea salt

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup lebni

4 tbsp. milk

1 cup shredded cheddar

 

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, stir together flour baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles course crumbs. Make a well in the center, add lebni, milk, and cheddar. Stir in until flour mix is just moistened. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead 10 strokes, re-flouring board as necessary to prevent dough from sticking. Roll out to 3/4 inch thick. Cut out biscuits, place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. Makes about 15 biscuits.

 

Happy Eating!