Time, as it now happens, Marches on, and the beauty of our corner of the world will bring many visitors in the days ahead. One of the early visitors was Joel H., who is part of a Missouri family that loves community gatherings where everybody brings something to eat.
"We usually volunteer to bring an appetizer, but we have run out of ideas. We asked a friend and got this answer: 'Get a toothpick and thread on it a cherry tomato, a chunk of cheese or a mini-mozzarella ball and a leaf of fresh basil.'
"Good idea. Did that. What next?"
Please supply the next good idea for our visitor.
T. Square was up next, sending a request for "the sauce served with chicken fingers at Guthrie's Restaurant in Trenton, Georgia. It is the tastiest I have had."
(Note: There's also a Guthrie's on Signal Mountain.)
(READ MORE: Signal gets second area Guthrie's)
STARTER STARTER
In the conversation mentioned at the outset of this column, a local friend gave Joel H. a favorite appetizer recipe, from the long-ago but still noteworthy "Dinner on the Diner" from the Junior League of Chattanooga. Local Reader described this one as "plenty tasty, though the recipe surprisingly contains no cheese. The only change I made from the recipe as printed is to cut back on the salt."
Mountain City Mushrooms
2 pounds fresh mushrooms
1 cup finely crushed saltine crackers
1 teaspoon salt (the original recipe said 1 1/2)
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon or more chopped parsley
3 green onions, minced
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup butter, cut in pieces
1/2 cup whipping cream
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Clean mushrooms; remove caps and chop stems. Mix cracker crumbs with salt, pepper, parsley, onions and melted butter. Add chopped mushroom stems. Line a buttered dish with whole mushroom caps. Cover with crumb mixture, and dot with remaining butter. Pour cream over all. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.
3-INGREDIENT SOUP
If you're a follower of the Instagram account of local foodie Bob Bires, cook_with_bob, you may have noted his praise of this three-ingredient soup from The New York Times. It helps to have one of Your People commend a recipe. (Keep reading for one more example.)
Roasted Cauliflower and Garlic Soup
This three-ingredient vegan soup isn't a trick: It's as velvety and rich as its creamy, dairy-full counterparts, with a sweetness that lingers and warms. Coax deep, nutty flavors from cauliflower and a whole head of garlic by roasting them until caramelized; next you'll simmer them until nearly falling apart, then blend the mixture until silky-smooth. Gentle and comforting on its own, the soup can also serve as the start to your own creation: You could roast sliced onions or leeks instead of the garlic; stir in Cheddar, Gruyère or Parmesan; or top with fried sage or capers. Accompany with grilled cheese or pumpernickel bread, or a hearty salad with grains or lentils.
2 1/2 pounds cauliflower (1 very large head), cut into 1-inch florets, leaves reserved
1/4cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Salt and pepper
1 head garlic
Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. On a sheet pan, toss the cauliflower florets and leaves with the olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Cut off the top 1/4 inch of the head of garlic to expose the top of the cloves, then place on a piece of foil, cut side up. Sprinkle exposed cloves with salt, then drizzle lightly with oil. Wrap the garlic in the foil, and place on the sheet pan. Roast until the cauliflower is browned and tender and the garlic is soft and fragrant, 30 to 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large pot or Dutch oven, bring 6 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt to a simmer over medium. Reserve about 1 cup cauliflower for the topping, then add the rest to the pot, including any browned bits on the sheet pan. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into the pot. Cover and simmer until the cauliflower is very soft, 7 to 10 minutes.
Off the heat, using an immersion blender (or working in batches in a traditional blender), purée the soup until smooth. If thick, add water to taste. If thin, simmer, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes to reduce slightly. (The soup will also thicken as it cools.) Season to taste with salt.
Serve the soup topped with the reserved roasted cauliflower, a drizzle of olive oil and more black pepper.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
CHEESY ARTICHOKES
The value of an immersion blender in making soup is well known. However, we were recently in the part-time home of a practiced cook, where the fresh ginger and pumpkin soup of his well-stocked kitchen couldn't be pureed or blended. No matter; he simply served a chunky soup which was actually a delightful variant. Like the old days, perhaps, and the ginger and pumpkin maintained their individuality as they combined in the soup pot.
(READ MORE: All about the artichokes)
A couple of weeks ago we borrowed — well, we co-opted — some of the space that rightfully belongs to your letters, as we were out of the country. Here is one more recipe in that category, as it appeared in earlier column from a Fare Exchange reader.
Artichoke Hearts in Lemon Butter
This is an excellent side dish.
2 (15-ounce) cans artichoke hearts, drained and cut in chunks
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup mayonnaise or less
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 cup slivered almonds (optional)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Place artichokes in shallow buttered baking dish. Set aside. In saucepan combine butter, mayonnaise, lemon juice and celery salt, and whip until smooth. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until heated through. Do not let mixture boil.
Pour over artichoke hearts. Sprinkle almonds on top, then the Parmesan.
Bake at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly on top. May be made hours ahead.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
It's good to get feedback on the recipes printed here — for the senders, and for all would-be cooks of that recipe. So I was glad to be in church last week when my friend Connie reported with enthusiasm that Ann Viamonte's Feb. 21 Country Captain recipe was fabulous. I know Connie to be a cook one can trust, so I pass on her recommendation to you.
How about we meet here again next week, and do more of same?
Requests
— Ideas for appetizers
— Guthrie's chicken dipping sauce
To Reach Us
Fare Exchange is a longtime meeting place for people who love to cook and love to eat. We welcome both your recipes and your requests. Be sure to include precise instructions for every recipe you send, and know we cannot test the recipes printed here.
— Mailing address: Jane Henegar, 913 Mount Olive Road, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750
— Email: chattfare@gmail.com
Jane Henegar