NORWEIGAN PEASANT SOUP #123

Some years ago my wife Dottie and I took a trip to Norway which included visiting some o her relatives who lived in Hamar just north of Oslo.  Traveling with us was our daughter Kari, her  husband Jacques, and our grandaughter Ashton.  We had landed in Bergen which is on the oposite coast. Bergen is known for its seafood, fyords and the great musical genius Edvard Grieg.
Oslo is where the king of Nosrway lives, and where the Nobel prize is awarded.  We traveled from Bergen to Oslo arriving about 9:30 PM just as it was getting dark. We took a cab to our bed and breakfast which  had been set up by Kari on the internet.  We met the owner who Dotti noted did not have a Norweigan accent.  He said that he actually grew up in    Minnesota though he had graduated from Moundsview Minnesota.  I was shocked and said :I taught at Moundsview for five years.  He exclaimed "Mr. Ashton"!  Yes, believe it or not, he was a former student!  It is a small world. We spent a couple of days in Oslo and had some good conversations with him.  We then took a train to Hammar.  I know this has  been a long way to get to how I came to eat the following recipe I am giving you. It is a variation of what was served at one of our meals we had with Dotties relatives.
INGREDIENTS:
     1 lb of hamhocks or left over ham roast
     1 lb of yellow or green split peas
     2 medium onions, peeled and sliced
     2 cups 1 inch pieces of potatoes
     2 cups 1/2 inch pieces of rutabaga
     2 cups celery cut into 1/2 inch pieces
     2 lg leeks, cleaned and sliced
     1/2 cup of virgin olive oil
     2 qts water
     1 sprig of thyme
     1 tsp coarse pepper
     1 stick of unsalted butter
     1 tab of Millers (or equiv) Soup base
DIRECTIONS:
     1. place hamhocks into a large fry pan with 1/2 cup of oil and fry about 10 minutes constantly turning
     2. put the 2 qts water, yellow peas, hamhocks, onions, celery, onions, split peas, Millers soup base,             leeks,  butter, into a large soup pot over medium heat and cook about a half an hour stiring
         occasionally
    3. add the rutabaga and potatoes and cook an additional 3/4  hour
    4. remove the ham hocks and cut off all the meat and return only the meat back into the pot
    5. will serve 6 to 8 or more people generously
    
    
         
    

WONDER (BOULLAISSE) ITALIAN STYLE SOUP IN WHITE WINE #(122)

      I love the Italian fish soup in red wine but I also love the fish soup using white wine and saffron.  The followiing recipe is a variation of the first recipe. This white wine recipe is milder and lighter and more in the tradition of the more French Boullabaisse style recipe then the red wine recipe.  I encourge you to try both and decide for yourself which one you like better.  You may find you like them both and may decide to trade off on which one to make
INGREDIENTS:
variety of 1 lb each fish such as halibut, monk, cod, large shrimp, sea scallops, calamari, mussels, middle neck clams, and any other firm fish
2 to 5 lbs fish bones
1 bottle of sparkling white wine such as Riunite Bianco
1 can Contadina tomato paste
1 lg can crushed Contadina tomatoes
2 lg onions peeled and sliced
6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, cut in half and smashed again
1 good pinch saffron
3 tbls basil
1 tbls oregano
1/2 cup fennel seeds
2 tbls Miller or equiv chicken base
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
DIRECTIONS:
1. cut fish into I inch pieces set aside (keep shrimp peeled
    and whole)
2. pour olive oil into large fry pan
3. add fish and shrimp, and shell fish into pan and saute
    about 8 minutes (set aside)
4. pour 1 qt water and 2 tbls Miller chicken base into a
    large sauce pan, add fish bones, and simmer about 1/2 hour and remove    bones and save fish stock
5. add 1/2 cup olive oil to fry pan
6, add sliced onions, garlic and spices and stir well
7. add 2 cans tomato paste to fry pan and stir well
8, add lg can crushed tomatoes and continue stiring
9. add fish, peeled shrimp and fish stock and simmer about 15 minutes
10. pour all into a lg soup pot
11. add 750 ml white wine to pot, mussels and clams and simmer
      on low heat for about 45 minutes
12. serve with crusty Italian or french bread


    

SAVORY ONION PIE, ASHTON STYLE #(121)

The  closest dish to onion pie might be French Onion Soup.  When I was young, hated onions with a passion.  My mother had to swear that there were none even in her chili.  Today I put them in almost every recipe I make.  I  have  said before that every newly married woman can make her mother in law believe that she is a great cook just by frying some onions just a half an hour before her in law arrives.  The smell suggests one is a great cook!  The following recipe also happens not only to smell good but to also taste good.

INGREDIENTS:
     5 medium onions
     4 eggs beaten
      1/3 cup virgin olive oil
     1 cup of milk or cream
     1 tab Millers (or equiv) chicken base
     1 tab dry mustard
     1 tsp garlic powder
     2 cups shredded cheese
DIRECTIONS:
     1. preheat 350 degrees
     2. make a regular pie crust (see ecipe #   )
     3. pour oil into a largr fry pan
     4. add the sliced onions and fry until slightly brown
     5. remove onions and put them into the baked pie crust
     6. mix the dry mustard, garlic powder, milk or cream,    
         and the soup base in a bowl
     7. beat the eggs till incorporated
     8. add mustard mix into the eggs and stir until
         incorpated
     9. pour the mustard, egg mixture over the onions
    10. bake 350 degees for about 45 minutes
    11. remove from oven and sprinkle cheese over the top
    12. return to oven and cook about 20 minutes or until
          nicely brown
    13. this will serve 6 to 8 generously