You only make this soup when corn is fresh and sweet. You also have to cook your corn and make corn stock too at the same time. I make corn stock the easy way because it works out even better my way I think. I put 4-5 ears of pealed corn (depending on size) in a half pan. I add water to almost cover the corn and also add 2 ounces of unsalted butter and about a teaspoon of kosher salt. I then cover the pan with foil. I leave the corn to cook for two hours at 350 degrees in my oven and pull the pan out and leave it on the counter to cool for about an hour or hour and a half. I save the liquid that is now my corn stock. The corn stock is very sweet and has a deep corn flavor. I use this liquid all the time for polenta, it also is the secret ingredient to my delicious corn stuffing and it also is used in this corn soup. BTW the corn also comes out super surgery  sweet and juicy.

This soup is not traditional. It’s very creamy yet there is no added cream and it also seems like sugar has been added but there isn’t any added sugar. You could improve the appearance by doubling the recipe and  straining the soup, adding a swirl of cream and drizzle of oil but I do real cooking and hate to waste if I don’t have to and I also do like the chunks in it. It’s so delicious I can’t change a thing.

Ingredients to prepare two meals of corn soup or 4 small size servings

2 Tablespoons corn butter (the fat left on top of your corn stock, essential for this recipe)

1/4 large sweet onion chopped small

1 rib celery chopped small

1 carrot pealed chopped small

1 large garlic clove minced

1 roasted banana pepper (pealed, seeds removed and chopped small) Any substitute pepper will give this soup a different flavor so your on your own when you forking change a recipe)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup corn stock

2 cups cooked corn off the cob

Directions

in a medium sauce pan add your corn butter,

Corn Butter

onion, celery, carrot (I used a yellow carrot), garlic, banana pepper, salt and pepper.

Cook on medium high heat till cooked about 5 minutes.

Take off flame and add the wine and reduce till dry. Then add the corn stock and corn. Blend till your happy with the texture.

Top with a few scallions or chives if you care to.

It’s forking delicious and that’s The Forking Truth!

Eggs in Forking Hell

Eggs in Forking Hell is great for any time of day! Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch or A light Dinner.

This is eggs in a spicy fresh made heirloom tomato sauce seasoned with a little cilantro and topped with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar and pepper jack cheese. Serve with either corn bread or tortillas.

You can easily make a few substitutions to make this dish Shakshuka a spicy tomato sauce seasoned with cumin, paprika, parsley and feta. Serve with pita bread.

To turn Eggs in Forking Hell into Eggs In Purgatory make your spicy tomato sauce slightly Italian with fresh basil and top with some parmesan cheese then serve with crusty Italian bread.

Ingredients makes 2 servings

1 medium red bell pepper chopped

1/2 medium sweet onion chopped

1 jalapeno chopped

2 garlic cloves minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

non-stick spray to spray fry pan (I don’t use non-stick pans)

4 heirloom tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs.) (cores removed cut into bit size pieces) If you use regular tomatoes you will want to remove the skins

4 eggs (I used extra large)

2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro

2 Tablespoons cheddar and pepper jack cheese shredded

fresh ground sea salt

fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Spray your pan with non stick spray and turn your heat to medium high. Once the pan looks heated add red bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, garlic, kosher salt, cayenne and cover with foil ad cook about 7 minutes till everything is soft.

Now add tomatoes,

cover with foil and cook about 10 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked.

After the tomatoes are no longer raw turn down the heat to medium and add your eggs

and cover with foil. The eggs will be done in about 4 minutes. When eggs are done remove from flame and top the pan with cilantro, sea salt, fresh ground pepper and shredded cheeses.

Eggs in Forking Hell

It’s Forking Great and That’s The Forking Truth

Falafel Inspired Paprika Carrot & Chickpea Baked Vegetarian Balls

I was inspired to put these flavors together when I remembered one of the best lunches I ever had at the now closed Centurion Restaurant that was located in down town Phoenix AZ. My three course $15.00 lunch included this paprika parmesan hummus that went so delicious with carrots. It came with other vegetables but sort of popped with the carrots so I put together similar flavors in a baked vegetarian balls.

Paprika Parmesan Hummus Plate from Centurion Phoenix AZ

A true falafel is fried and made with dried chickpeas so this patty is falafel inspired. I will call it a falafel anyway. This falafel isn’t going to win a prize for crispiest or fluffiest falafel and is more meatball like in texture with flavors are spot on. This is a very easy delicious recipe that anyone can prepare.

Ingredients to make about 19 meatball sized balls that are about 9 servings set oven to 350 degrees

2 carrots shredded

1 15oz. can garbanzo beans low sodium variety rinsed a few times (because they are very close to fresh made and are better than the dried out old ones from my local grocery store)

1/2 large sweet onion grated

3 garlic cloves grated

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 beaten large eggs

1 Tablespoon tahini

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper (fruity mildly spicy red pepper)

1/2 cup chickpea flour

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tablespoon honey

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

fresh ground sea salt for finishing

fresh ground black pepper for finishing

nonstick spray for your baking sheet

Directions

Using a blender blend up your eggs and slowly add your chickpeas. Once blended then add onions, garlic, tahini, honey and dry spices. Scrape out mixture to a bowl. Hand mix in your carrots, now hand mix in your flours and baking powder. Mix in your parsley. Spray your baking sheet with nonstick spray and shape the mixture into meatball size balls somewhere around a walnut size. Bake about 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

It’s Great and that’s The Forking Truth

Carrot Hummus served with Baked Carrot Falafels

This carrot hummus is very nontraditional. I didn’t use chickpeas and instead used carrots. I kept the flavors close to traditional flavors and used only minimal amounts of oil with the majority of the oil used just topping the hummus.  The curly parsley really accents these flavors really well make sure you go generous with the fresh parsley. This hummus is light and healthy and also is a delicious sandwich spread. I sacrificed a slight extra creamy texture for a healthy light recipe. For me it’s just creamy enough. If you desire more creaminess you can add some soft or clarified butter to this recipe if you want a more creamy texture. (Turkish Bi Tahina Hummus  does have butter in it and is the creamiest hummus I ever tasted) This recipe is very easy to prepare.      Prepare this hummus with easy baked Carrot Falafels Recipe to follow.

Ingredients for about 12 servings

1 lb. 10oz. carrots pealed and diced

3 garlic cloves chopped

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons honey

1/4 cup water

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup tahini

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika

1/2 lemon (just the fresh juice)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

one bunch fresh parsley for serving

Total of up to 12 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil for serving about one teaspoon per serving

Directions Set your oven to 375 degrees

Take your carrots and put in a flat baking pan with the garlic, 2 T extra virgin olive oil, honey, 1/4 c water and kosher salt.

Cover your pan with foil. place in oven and the carrots should be soft in a half hour.

Take your whole pan including liquid and blend till smooth. Add tahini, water and dry spices and blend till smooth. Serve with extra virgin olive oil and fresh curly parsley.

It’s Great and that’s The Forking Truth

Easy Spinach Risotto Cakes

These risotto cakes are delicious and much easier to prepare than risotto. You cook everything in one pot and only cook the risotto slightly more than half way because the cakes finish in the oven. These risotto cakes are also great for perfect portions since you only use what you need and the extras freeze well for use when you want them.

This recipe makes 24 individual delicious risotto cakes (two muffin pans with about 2 small servings extra)

Ingredients for 26 servings

1 lb. arborio rice

1 large sweet onion chopped small

2 cloves garlic minced

2 hot cherry peppers minced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup dry white wine

4 cups vegetable stock

1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano shredded

3.5 oz sharp provolone shredded

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon rosemary

pinch saffron

nutmeg a few grates fresh

black pepper fresh ground

pinch cayenne

pinch white ground pepper

14 oz. fresh spinach

3 extra large eggs beaten

Cooking spray to spray two 12 serving cup cake pans

Directions set oven to 350 degrees

To your sauce pot on a medium high heat add the rice, onions, garlic, cherry peppers and olive stir about 5 minutes to fry the rice and get the onions translucent. Then add your wine, stock and spices. Turn your heat down to about medium and cook for about 8 minutes. It should look thicker at about 8 minutes. Now add the spinach and it will start melting down into the pot. Add cheese. Determine if seasonings need any adjustment. Lastly add beaten eggs. At this pint mixture will be almost as thick as regular risotto.Pour into sprayed cup cake pans.

In about a half hour they should be done.

You need to let these cool and set. Pop them out when cool and heat to use.

Easy Spinach Risotto Cakes

They come out delicious and creamy in perfect portions. For entertaining a side of marinara and a side of a cheesy parmesan/provolone sauce would be forking cool.

These are Forking Great and That’s The Forking Truth!