THE VILLAGE VOICE

"The sweet calm sunshine of October, now     Warms the low spot; upon its grassy mold The purple oak-leaf falls; the birchen bough     drops its bright spoil like arrow-heads of gold." ~ William Cullen Bryant ROASTED TOMATO SOUP ~  awesome Autumn fare, perfect while tomatoes are still in abundance (slightly adapted from  Smitten Kitchen ) Soup 3 lbs. plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 2-4 ' unpeeled ' large cloves garlic 1 tsp. finely  chopped  fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 tsp dried 1/4 tsp. (or more to taste) dried crushed red pepper 4 cups organic chicken or vegetable stock Topping 4 slices rye bread (toasted until hard and lightly buttered on one side) 1 Tbsp. grated raw red onion 1 cup (or more) coarsely grated white cheddar Soup : Preheat oven to 400º. Wrap garlic cloves in tight foil packet. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on large baking sheet. Spr...

"Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language." ~Henry James 'BEE ~ UTIFUL ' (Bee kiss ... Japanese Anenome ) _______________ LAYERED COBB SALAD ~ 'Delightful presentation in a glass bowl ... same 1920s true ingredients in a, 'kick-it-up-a-notch', layered look originally adapted from Gourmet (June 2002) ____ DRESSING : 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar juice from 1 fresh lemon (reserve zest) 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 1 clove minced garlic 1/2 tsp. coarse salt 1/2 tsp. sugar 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil SALAD: 3 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (1 1/4 lb.) 2 California avocados 8 cups romaine (cut crosswise into 1/2 inch wide slices ) 6 chopped crisp bacon slices 3 seeded and cut (1/2 inch pieces) fresh tomatoes 3-4 oz. crumbled Roquefort cheese 2 bunches stemmed watercress 2 (forced through sieve) hard-boiled eggs 1/4 cup finely chopped chives ...

SALMON & WILD RICE CHOWDER ~ Perfect fare for a blustery night (adapted from The Gunflint Lodge Cookbook ) 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 finely chopped red onion 1 finely chopped (white part only) leek 1 tsp. minced garlic 1/2 cup diced celery 1 tsp. fresh thyme 2 Tbsp. flour 3 (8-oz) bottles clam juice 1/2 cup roasted tomatoes* 1 cup cooked wild rice 1/2 lb. chunks of bite-sized salmon 1 cup corn 1 cup heavy cream 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil (2 tsp. dried) salt & freshly cracked pepper to taste Melt butter in stockpot. Add onion , leek, garlic, celery and thyme. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender. Stir in flour. Simmer slowly for 3-4 minutes. Whisk in clam juice; cook until thickened. Add roasted tomatoes, cooked wild rice, salmon, corn, and cream, and basil. Simmer 5-10 minutes or until salmon is cooked. Season with salt & pepper to taste. (serves 6) Note : ROASTED TOMATOES: Slice Roma tomatoes lengthwise and brush halves with extra-virgin olive oil. Arrange cu...