Tag Archives: sour cream

Dessert

Two-Layer Blueberry-Pistachio Semifreddo

Don’t be daunted by the long ingredient list and multiple steps in the recipe below. This is quite an easy semifreddo to put together and requires no special tools or ice cream machines. It looks striking, with two distinct layers, one intensely blueberry-colored and flavored, the other creamier and richer in dairy notes. It tastes like summer on a plate, and the surprise element is definitely the pistachios, which have a real affinity for blueberries. I used Sicilian pistachios from Bronte, which are deeply green and very aromatic; but any unsalted pistachios will do. Store any leftover pistachios (or all nuts for that matter) in the freezer to stave off rancidity; the high fat content of nuts makes them turn faster than you’d like.

Serves 8

For the cooked blueberries:

  • 3 cups blueberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in tablespoon cool water

For the dark mousse:

  • ½ cup shelled unsalted pistachios
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ¼ pound cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup heavy cream, chilled

For the swirled mousse:

  • 3 ounces sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 ounces milk
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 12 shelled unsalted pistachios, finely chopped

Make the cooked blueberries: In a 1-quart saucepan, combine the blueberries with the sugar and bring to a light boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until jammy, about 10 minutes. Return to a vigorous boil, stir in the cornstarch slurry while whisking, and cook 30 seconds, or until glossy and the juices are thick. Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.

Make the dark mousse: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the pistachios out on a tray and roast in the preheated oven 8 minutes, or until toasty. Cool and coarsely chop. Set aside.

Place the sour cream and cream cheese in a food processor and add ½ cup of the cooked blueberries. Puree until smooth and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream to soft peaks. Fold in the blueberry-cream cheese mixture until blended, without deflating the cream. Stir in the chopped pistachios and 1 cup of the cooked blueberries.

Line a loaf pan or terrine mold with plastic wrap, allowing excess to hang over the sides. Spoon the dark mousse into the mold and freeze until firm, about 4 hours.

Meanwhile, make the swirled mousse: Combine the condensed milk, milk, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat; cook 3 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves and the mixture bubbles. Place the cream cheese in a medium bowl; gradually add the hot milk mixture, whisking until smooth.

Stir in the yogurt and vanilla. Cool completely. Stir in the remaining cooked blueberries until the mixture looks swirly; don’t overmix, as you want to keep the mousse looking marbled. Pour over the frozen dark mousse in the mold and sprinkle with the finely chopped pistachios.

Freeze until firm, then wrap tightly in the plastic wrap and keep frozen until ready to serve (up to 1 week).

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Soup

Roasted & Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

Spring is almost here—and while I am thrilled about the weather warming up, the longer days, and the return of birds and squirrels and chipmunks, I’m not quite ready to stop enjoying hearty, comforting winter fare quite yet. So today I made this soothing soup with roasted butternut squash, a hint of ginger and nutmeg, and a swirl of sour cream. The flavors are rich and deep, but the soup itself very low in fat and calories, and quite filling.

Be careful with the amount of ginger you use, as it really lends the soup an unmistakable spicy note; too much will take the soup from soothing to jarring!!


Serves 2

For the squash:

  • ½ pound peeled butternut squash, cut into ½-inch cubes
  • 1 large shallot, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 cup water, plus extra as needed
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon minced ginger
  • 2 sage leaves, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To serve:

  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup 2% milk, plus extra as needed
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream

Make the squash: Preheat the oven to 350° (preferably set on convection bake). Toss all the ingredients for the squash on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast in the preheated oven until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes, stirring once in a while. Add a bit of water if the squash is drying out or browning too much before becoming tender.

When the squash is tender, puree the squash, shallot, and ginger (along with any liquid on the baking sheet) until very smooth using a blender or food processor. Slowly pour in the broth and milk. Season with the salt and pepper and puree again.

Transfer to a pot and heat over a medium flame until the soup thickens to the consistency you like and the flavors are blended, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.

To serve: Ladle the soup into 2 bowls. Garnish each with dollops of sour cream and drag a toothpick through each sour cream dollop to swirl a pretty pattern through it. Serve immediately.

butternut-squash-soup

Soup

Chilled Beet Soup with Buttermilk & Dill

Our friend Grazina brought us a container of this shockingly pink soup two weeks ago, on a particularly hot day. It looked like nothing I had ever eaten before, and at first my husband and I could not quite figure out what was in it, other than beets and dairy and dill.

This soup, known in Grazina’s Lithuanian family as “Pink Soup”, is a chilled borscht of sorts. I grew up eating borscht (my Romanian Jewish grandmother made it often) and never really liked it. This soup tasted nothing like the borscht I knew. It is brightly flavored, herbal, and so refreshing. While the ingredient list looks daunting, the actual process is quick and easy: roast some beets; boil some eggs and beet greens (though Grazina uses spinach, and you can too); crush scallions with dill and salt; toss all of the above with buttermilk, sour cream, lemon juice, cucumbers; and enjoy the next day, after the flavors have had a chance to mingle and develop fully.

Serves 4

For the beets:

  • ½ pound beets( 2 medium or 3 small), scrubbed
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the soup:

  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 packed cups finely chopped fresh beet greens or spinach
  • 2 large or 3 medium scallions, white and green parts, very thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup fresh dill leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 1 and ½ teaspoons sea salt, plus extra to taste
  • 1 large or 2 small Kirby cucumbers, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice, plus extra to taste
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • ¾ cup light sour cream

beetsroasted

Make the beets: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the beets on a roasting pan and toss with the salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven until tender when pierced with a knife, about 2 hours. Larger beets may take longer. Cool to room temperature, then peel and cut into ¼-inch dice.

Make the soup: Place the eggs in a small pot. Add cool water to cover. Bring to a boil and shut off the heat. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Let rest 13 minutes to cook through, then drain and cool. Shell and cut into ¼-inch dice.

Place 2 cups of water in the same (empty) pot. Return to a boil. Add the beet greens and boil 3 minutes, or until tender and silky. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking. Squeeze gently dry.

In a mortar, place the scallions, dill, and salt. Crush with a pestle until the scallions and dill release their juice; they will still be chunky, not pasty.

Place the scallion mixture in a large container. Add the cucumbers, lemon juice, buttermilk, sour cream, cooked beet greens, roasted beets, and hard-boiled eggs. Mix well. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Cover the container and chill overnight.

Adjust the seasoning if needed and serve very cold. The flavor should be slightly tart and sweet, and quite savory; if the soup tastes flat, add a drop more lemon juice and some salt until the flavors brighten.

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