Soups, sides, and starters

Tomato Zucchini Three Cheese Bake

You don't need a precise recipe for this off-the-hook dish. It's as simple as this:

Slice off 2 - 3 small zucchinis. Slice 1 - 2 ripe red tomatoes. In a pan, saute the zucchini with a little salt and pepper and a clove or two of minced garlic with a little oil. Then toss in your sliced tomatoes. They only need to be cooked for a minute or so. Top with a generous portion of cheeses. I used mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano.

Once the cheese is on top, run it under the broiler just until the cheese melts and becomes lightly browned. If you have an oven safe pan, this makes it a snap to assemble and cook. Once you've pulled it out of the oven, top the dish with a little fresh basil chiffonade (if you don't have fresh, I wouldn't recommend substituting the dried herb. Just omit it.) Then serve warm with whatever you like!

An especially superb dish for the spring and summer, when tomatoes and zucchinis are in season.

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French Onion Soup

3 large Spanish onions

1 bunch green onions/scallions

1 package fresh baby bella mushrooms

1 ½ quarts good quality beef stock, or base (like Minor's)

1 ½ quarts good quality chicken stock, or base (like Minor's)

12 ounces dry white wine, like chardonnay

½ cup olive oil

salt, pepper, parsley, garlic salt, to taste

round loaf of Italian bread

olive oil

mozzarella or provolone cheese

Make beef and chicken base according to package directions. Pour stocks into large stockpot. Add wine and let simmer to burn off the alcohol. Slice (not mince) Spanish onions into small strips and sauté  in olive oil until very crispy and caramelized and somewhat blackened. Add to pot. Slice scallion heads and greens, and slice the package of mushrooms, and sauté briefly in a little oil. Add these to pot. Season soup to taste.

Slice 4 or more slices of bread from loaf, about ¼ to ½ inch thick each. Coat with olive oil on each side and season with salt, a dash of garlic powder, and parsley. Run under the broiler until both sides of slices are nicely toasted and crispy. Remove from heat and reserve.

Slice cheese into thin strips. Place soup bowls on a flat cookie sheet and spoon four or five ladles of hot soup into each bowl. Top with one crouton and cover with lots of cheese. Put cookie sheet and bowls in oven and turn on broiler to low. Rotate bowls periodically so cheese melts but does not burn. Soup is ready when cheese is melted and lightly browned. Remove carefully from the oven and place each soup bowl on table on a trivet or plate.

Bon appétit!   :D