Category: Ingredients

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Martha’s Bottom-Crust Apple Pie

Martha’s Bottom-Crust Apple Pie | Bijouxs Little Jewels

The All-American Apple pie, with a just a bit of a flavor twist. This pie is an old-fashioned Bottom-Crust Apple Pie I have been making for years, but the apples are flavored with a Winter Spice Blend. The cinnamon, allspice, anise seeds, black pepper and nutmeg create a one-of-a-kind spice blend that complements the apples. A Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Little Jewels Kitchen – Fall Forward.

Martha’s Bottom-Crust Apple Pie | Bijouxs Little Jewels

MARTHA MY DEAR

I always think of the Beatles song, Martha My Dear, which was composed for Paul’s sheepdog Martha. This recipe comes from a heritage cook from my vast collection, Martha Stewart’s Quick Cook, still a favorite in the Bijouxs Kitchen. There are many great recipes and you can still find used versions of this book on Amazon. This has worked to help me find many out-of-print cookbooks, many times available through thrift shops such as Goodwill.

OLD-FASHIONED BOTTOM CRUST APPLE PIE

This pie recipe is not common, yet omitting the top crust and replacing it with sugar, spices and butter it really allows the apple flavor to come through. Deeper than a tart it has been my go-to apple pie to make with my yearly bounty of over 100+ Anna Apples on my tree again this year. This apple tree variety really likes the coastal influence vs the hot interior valley. Yet, the Anna variety grows fabulous in Southern California, and bears a boatload of fruit. Check your local garden stores, this is one apple variety that bears fruit in warm California weather. More about Anna Apple Trees here.

Martha’s Bottom-Crust Apple Pie | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Martha’s Bottom-Crust Apple Pie | Bijouxs Little Jewels

WINTER SPICE BLEND

The Winter Spice Blend originated at March SF. This is one of my favorite stores to visit when in the beautiful city by the bay. As we all know, cities have changed since the downturn from COVID and other factors. The images from our cities are not dissimilar to the Great Depression, so sad for everyone. Their Winter Spice Blend contained allspice, anise seed, black pepper and nutmeg it remains a favorite, yet it is no longer available via the store.

So, I have tried here to recreate the blend to season this apple pie. The spice blend has a unique peppery finish. It is perfect for fall cooking, so make up a batch. Using a small coffee grinder dedicated to spices makes creating your own spice bends easy, as well, pie. Little Jewel No. 549 in the Recipe Collection.

 

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Poached Chicken and Mushroom Bowl

Poached Chicken and Mushroom Bowl | Bijouxs Little Jewels

A recipe of simple comfort for trying times. Poached Chicken and Mushroom Bowl is a fresh and healthy bowl, another Little Jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen Recipe Collection.

POACHED CHICKEN SOUP

Soups feel both cleansing and comforting. A warm bowl that makes the meal, with perhaps a glass of wine?
This soup starts with a chicken in a pot, nothing fancy. Added to flavor the broth are fresh ginger, onion, garlic and carrot –all are left unpeeled and cooked along with the chicken. In about an hour you have delicately poached chicken and a clear and flavorful broth for the soup and more.

COMFORT BOWL

After removing and shredding the chicken, add it back briefly in the stock, in which you have cooked the mushrooms and scallions. The soup is now created. Prepare your serving bowl by placing a scoop of cooked brown rice, top with shredded chicken. Next add the hot stock along with the mushrooms and green onions.

oached Chicken and Mushrooms Bowl | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Add a tablespoon or so of Bragg Liquid Aminos if you want a bit more umami flavor to the soup. Voilà, Poached Chicken and Mushroom Bowl is served.

 

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Instant Pot Canyon Bistro French Onion Soup

Instant Pot Canyon Bistro French Onion Soup | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Classic French Onion Soup is a perfect candidate for the Instant Pot. The actual soup cooking time is only 5 minutes in the Instant Pot, but the real key is the caramelization of the onions, don’t skip and don’t rush this for a completely authentic French Onion Soup, which is a true little jewel.

CANYON BISTRO’S  FRENCH ONION SOUP

For years I have used Julia Child’s classic recipe for French Onion Soup from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Many times over, with diversions to try other recipes over the years. One diversion was the Canyon Bistro’s French Onion Soup. I sampled the soup at the restaurant back in my LA-life days. The classic white lion’s head bowl was served bubbling and dripping with melted with cheese, really what is not to love?

Perched up at the top of Topanga Canyon, between Malibu and the Palisades, it was a destination restaurant for me.

Instant Pot Canyon Bistro French Onion Soup | Bijouxs Little Jewels

GROUND THYME

I discovered a reprint of the restaurant recipe online, and I could see what I tasted that had made the soup different. A touch of garlic and ground thyme are both part of the recipe. Ground thyme has NOT been one of my on hand spices, but I now see the value of the ground version of the spice. When added to the soup. it imparts a herbal note, without adding any leaves to the soup. I tried grinding my own, but it was not fine enough. Ground Thyme, what a cooking revelation.

CARMALIZED ONIONS

One important step that cannot be rushed is the caramelization of the onions. The ’sauté’ mode of the Instant Pot works perfectly. It defaults to 30 minutes which is exactly the time it takes to render the onions a dark golden brown. Covering the pot with a tempered glass cover at the beginning of the process softens the onions. Uncover, then it’s on to browning, stirring every couple of minutes. Stay focused on this step and you will be rewarded with golden brown onions, ready for soup.

FRENCH ONION SOUP

The first step after browning the onions is to deglaze the pan with the vermouth, scraping to loosen all the brown bits for the soup. 

Next steps are quick and simple, add the broth, Worcestershire, ground thyme, and white pepper.

Set the pressure lid to ‘seal’ and set pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. It takes a few minutes to come to pressure, then the 5 minute timer will start.  At the end of cooking allow the pressure to release naturally, about 15 minutes. Move the valve to ‘venting’ to check for any remaining steam. 

SOUP’S ON

Preheat the broiler. To serve, ladle hot soup into oven proof bowls leaving about 1/2” from the top. Add 2 slices of toasted baguette and a 2-3 thick slices of Gruyere cheese to each bowl. Place bowls on a sheet pan, broil for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and running down the sides of the bowls.

Instant Pot Canyon Bistro French Onion Soup | Bijouxs Litle Jewels

Carefully remove from the broiler and allow soup to set for a few minutes before serving. It is nice to present the soup bowl on a plate to catch the running cheese.

French Onion Soup, another little jewel from the Bijouxs Kitchen.

 

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Creamy Asparagus Avocado Soup

 

Creamy Asparagus Avocado Soup | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Simple soups–comfort in a bowl at lunch or dinner, always a little jewel.

SIMPLE SOUPS

The beauty of this soup are the fresh green vegetables blended with avocado into a nourishing bowl of rich, green soup. I have been making simple puréed soups for years. The basic technique is to short cook the vegetables, along with some herbs, add a generous amount of stock and simmer. Once the vegetables are tender allow the soup to cool and puree in the blender. Voila, soup is served.

Creamy Asparagus Avocado Soup |Bijouxs Little Jewels

RECIPE COLLECTION

Here are 5 simple soup recipes from my Recipe Collection Membership, they include Celery & Almond Soup, Spinach & Basil Soup, Spicy Thai Carrot, Potato Leek, and Balthazar Creamy Mushroom Soup. With over 500+ recipes to choose from by joining the Collection Membership it’s a great value to add your everyday cooking. Bijouxs Little Jewels from the Kitchen thanks you.

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Salsa Rosa

Salsa Rosa | Bijouxs Little Jewels

I have adapted a salsa recipe from Michael Chiarello’s Casual Cooking, 2002, a favorite Little Jewel.

SALSA ROSA

As a native Angeleno I love salsa of any kind. My adaptation of Salsa Rosa is easy, spicy and all things salsa sould be. The original recipe used roasted bell peppers, but I have substituted small tomatoes on the vine and a Serrano chile- so LA.

Salsa Rosa | Bijouxs Little Jewels

SIMPLE SALSA

Salsas can contain many ingredients but this one is simple; tomatoes, Serrano, chili paste and olive oil, easy! It is hot, so begin with a small amount of chile paste and roasted serrano, increase to your taste.

To make a vinaigrette for pasta (shown here) or fish, use 1 cup Salsa Rosa, 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and blend well. Adjust to taste. The pasta is coated with a sheer yet flavor foward sauce; no heavy tomato sauce here. Also mix salsa into butter for chili butter corn in the cob.

Sslsa Rosa | Bijouxs Little Jewels

Salsa Rosa | Bijouxs Little Jewels

 

NAPA STYLE

I miss Chef Chairello’s cooking and his products at Napa Style. Sadly, he passed in 2023, he will be missed but his recipes live on in his cookbooks and Food Network. Cheers.

 

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