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Slow and Steady

Its late and I still need a shower before we start Shabbat.   We went on a family outing this morning and so I didn't get a chance to start cooking until 2pm.  Of course, today of all days I choose to cook dishes with long prep times. When will I learn.

We are invited out to lunch tomorrow, so its just tonight's meal that I need to prepare.  One of our friends is coming to visit this weekend, and my oldest is now on vacation.  Our total count is a measly nine.   No complaining, but dinner will likely be short.

I like making Onion soup.  I find it an exercise in patience. First I cut up 5-6 large onions and put them in a non-stick pot with a little oil.  Then I put it on medium heat and stir every few minutes.  After about an hour, this big pile of onions in now a small pile of lightly golden onions.  This is where I loose patience.   If I would just wait a bit, the color should deepen.  I bit in this case is probably another 30 minutes.  I just can't do it.  As soon as I start to see that dark color on a few random bits, I give it another five minutes and call it quits.  Better to have ok soup than to burn the onions.

The other thing I made today was Chicken and Sausage Gumbo.  This looks really nice.  It the first time I've made a roux and then dumped in vegetables to stop its cooking.  Once again, I probably should have waited a few more minutes.  I got a nice peanut color from the roux, but it could have been much darker before it burned.

Shabbat Parshat Pinchas
Dinner - 9

Onion soup (from scratch)
Stir fried chicken
Stir fried vegetables (Zucchini, peppers and carrots)
Corn on the Cob
Rice





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Anonymous said…
You can cheat a bit with the onions and add just a bit of sugar to coax the carmelization process along. BTW have you ever tried making this soup dairy? Using butter in place of the oil turns it into something otherworldly (plus then you can do the whole cheese and crouton thing).
July 18, 2008 at 10:42 AM
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