Author Archives: cssmith

French Onion Soupppppppppp

November 5, 2013

So, yesterday, Craw was feeling under the weather, so I thought I’d make some soup. I’ve been craving French Onion Soup lately, no clue why, but thought I’d make it. I was so tired that I forgot that he doesn’t like onions. Wife fail. He ended up eating it, so it definitely doesn’t taste like b.o. raw onions, so wife check on that. Boom.

Final Product

French Onion Soup

2 boxes beef broth—reduced sodium
6 yellow onions (small-medium sized)
2 white onions (small-medium sized)
2 tbs butter
2 tbs light butter spread
1 tbs olive oil
1.5 cups white wine (whatever you have in your fridge)
2 dashes Worcester
Grated gruyere cheese
Any type of crusty bread—I used a loaf of French bread, toasted

Heat oven to 400. In a large tall pan—I used my le Creuset big pot, melt the butter, light butter and olive oil. Thinly slice the onions (I used a mandolin), and sauté them in the butter for 10-15 minutes on low-medium heat. The onions should go from taking up half the height of the pan to barely 1.5 inches–they will reduce. They should start to get see thru and a little brown. Babysit them. Usually you would have to sit here for an hour, but the Pioneer Woman (my idol) taught me a handy oven trick. After 10-15 minutes, transfer the pot, with the lid cracked, to the oven. Cook for 25ish, stir and cook for another 25-30. They should go from smelling raw oniony to smelling incredible. Take the dish out and put back on the stove on low-medium heat for another 5-10 minutes, then add the wine and cook for another 10 minutes. Now, add all that beef broth and some Worcester. This should cook together for at least 45 minutes, but the longer the better. When you’re ready to eat it, ladle it into a bowl an put the toasted bread on top and smother with gruyere. Broil it (while watching) until it looks as good as mine!!

Onions on onions on onions

adding wine

reduced down

Cafe Pacific Review-Dallas

October 17, 2013

Café Pacific

So Café Pacific has been a Dallas staple for forever, and we used to go all the time for family birthdays/special occasions, etc. Well, one time they turned me away because I was wearing shorts (they were dressy shorts, and I had heels on), but regardless, I had boycotted them until last weekend. We landed in Dallas for the TX-OU game around 11, and my father in law wanted to grab lunch. I suggested Mia’s because I wanted to grub down, but he countered me with Café Pacific. I wasn’t going to tell him I wasn’t fond of their dress code, after all, he was picking up the tab, so I made a call and made sure that we wouldn’t be turned away for wearing jeans. Jeans are apparently ok at lunchtime. Whatever. So we got there and got a few awkward stares from the ever annoying “ladies who lunch in three piece suits—but who don’t work—so why are you in a three piece power lady suit”. I hate them. Anyways, we sat down and I assumed we would all be drinking so I ordered my usual noon-time bevvy some Sav-B. When Craw and his dad didn’t order drinks, I considered retracting my order-but hey, I just wanted to look cool, so I held strong. And didn’t hesitate to order another…

sav-b and sweet potato strings

We ordered and neither of them ordered an app, so naturally I had a minor fatty panic attack and ordered mussels for the table. They were cooked with coconut milk and Thai spices with garlic and were incredible. I thought I hated all things coconut, but after tasting the mussels at Malai, which I think are cooked with coconut milk, I decided it isn’t too strong of a flavor.

At lunch, Café Pacific has a pick two special, and I chose the Chinese Chicken Salad and a cup of black bean soup. Both were delish, and shit, managed to combine a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with Thai flavored mussels, Mexican flavored soup, and a Chinese salad. I went around the world in less than an hour, and never had to leave my seat. The other two got fish tacos and another combo, but I won. I reverse my ill feelings towards Café P, but think I’ll stick to lunch there. Order the Chinese Chicken Salad—it really is delish.

dark photo-but black bean soup and chicken salad

Easy Halibut

October 17, 2013

Miso-Garlic Halibut

1 lb halibut, cut into two filets
1.5 miso paste (picture below)
1 tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ shallot, thinly sliced
Pepper

Ok, I don’t have a pic of this one, but people have been asking how I like to cook fish. The pic below is a little different from this preparation, but you’ll get the jist. Get two pieces of foil, about 16 inches long. In the middle of each, place your sliced shallots in the same shape as the fish. Lay the halibut on top and drizzle w/ olive oil. Rub the miso paste over the top and add the sliced garlic. Add as much pepper as you’d like—you’ll notice that I don’t call for salt, because Miso paste is suppppper salty. If you want to look like a sumo wrestler tomorrow, be my guest and salt away. Fold the foil into a pouch (tutorial here- http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/how-to-cook/how-to-make-foil-packets). This will steam the fish in the oven and keep it super juicy. Oh ya—right before you close the packet, pour like a tablespoon of white wine (any type) into the packet—it makes it even juicier. Cook in a 425 degree oven for about 8-12 minutes. Check it after 8, and if its super see through, cook a little longer, until flaky. You can sub any thick whitefish for halibut—I just use a lot of halibut because it’s the only fish that they have in Midland that is not previously frozen that I trust. I get it—I’m spoiled. I don’t care.