​French onion soup looks like it should be a simple dish. Cook onions, add stock, simmer; add bread, melt cheese. Serve. Easy, right? 
Almost. 
The key to all excellent French onion soups centers around how one cooks the onions, a process called caramelizing. Low and slow, deglazing with broth as needed, until a soft product with a deep, brown color that produces a hint of sweetness. I give a tip for those interested in speeding up the process, but it's better if you don't.
This French onion soup recipe uses Gruyere cheese for a mellow, smooth topping on what is surely to be a favorite for frigid winter nights. 

INGREDIENTS
3 large onions, sliced thin (any type of onion will do, but yellow onions make a delicious soup, and are cheaper)
2 oz clarified butter
3 quarts beef stock
4 oz sherry
4 oz Alaska Distillery Bristol Bay Gin (or a similar, less-juniper-y gin) 
A sachet, or tea ball ,containing; 
  3 parsley stems
  1 bay leaf
  ¼ tsp cracked black peppercorns
  ½ tsp thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
1 loaf dry French bread, sliced
½ pound Gruyere cheese
 
PROCEDURE
In soup kettle or dutch oven, cook sliced onions in butter until a deep brown color develops. Add small amounts of broth if necessary to prevent burning. In a hurry (but try not to be)? Add a pinch of sugar at this point to speed caramelizing.
Add sherry and deglaze. Continue to cook until the onions and broth have a slightly-syrupy consistency.
Add remaining broth and sachet of herbs.
Simmer up to 25 minutes and remove sachet. Add the Bristol Bay Gin and stir. 
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in to bowls and top with bread as pictured (above). Add Gruyere cheese and place under a broiler until desired cheese melt is achieved.
Serve carefully, bowls are hot.

​Using tea as a smoking agent for meats is not a new concept. In fact, the Chinese have been doing it this way for centuries, and I find its rich, juicy flavor a winner for not only chicken, but salmon as well. This recipe may look complicated, but it's really not -- just a matter of careful timing and vigilance on the part of the chef. The first step involves steaming the chicken on a rack inside a wok (or a large saucepan if you don't have a wok). The second step brings the "smoking" mixture into the process, allowing the mixture to reach temperature, then turning heat off so the chicken sits and absorb the wonderful flavors of jasmine, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Perfect for a cold winter day.  This recipe serves two, mostly due to space constraints in a wok. It pairs nicely with rice and a fresh salad. 

INGREDIENTS 
2 bone-in chicken breasts, skin left on
2 Tbs Jasmine tea (loose tea)
2 Tbs brown sugar
2 Tbs long-grain rice
Sesame oil

TOOLS 
Heavy aluminum foil
A wok or large saucepan with a rack 

PROCEDURE 
 - In a small bowl, mix loose tea, sugar, and rice. Set aside.
- Place the wok or saucepan on the stove and add 1 ½ - 2 cups water, and turn heat to high. Place rack in the pan or wok and place chicken on top. Cover and steam for about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Tear off a piece of foil and fold and shape until it resembles a circle about 8 inches in diameter. It helps to fold up the sides a little bit to form a rim.
- Drain the pan or wok of initial drippings, and place back on stove. Place the foil creation in the bottom of the pan.    - Add the smoking mixture to the top of the foil, and turn heat to high. Place rack back into pan.
- Rub the chicken pieces with sesame oil.
- When smoke starts to rise from the tea mixture, place the chicken back on the rack and cover.
- Heat on high for 5 minutes, then turn the burner off. Leave chicken covered for about 20 minutes.
- NOTE: Be sure chicken is fully cooked by piercing it with a sharp knife; juices should run clear. At this point you have a succulent and delightful treat, and I usually eat it at this point. 

You can however, go one step further by removing the bones from the chicken, slicing, and returning to the wok with sesame or peanut oil, and frying until the chicken is a deep, rich brown. Add a dash of Szechuan pepper and salt to taste. 
~ TFC 

Americans are obsessed with hummus, a spread with options so complex it belies the simplistic nature of its makeup. Anyone with a blender or food processor can whip together a hummus dip with results that will leave guests reaching for the....veggie tray? 
Yep. Hummus is one of those things that make the crunch of fresh vegetables even more appealing, even though hummus can and does make just about any snack food better. From pita chips to celery, hummus is the perfect healthy snack as we approach comfort food season. 
This simple hummus recipe is quick, easy, and will keep for at least a week in a tightly-covered container. If it lasts that long. 
Want some spice? Add cayenne pepper, paprika, or cumin for a bit more flavor. 
Need some ideas for serving hummus, besides the usual vegetable tray or naan flatbread? Try using hummus instead of butter or mayo on sandwich wraps, on toast, or a burger. Yum. It's also awesome on pizza. 

Ingredients:
2 8 oz cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
½ cup tahini (sesame paste, easily found at grocery stores)
¼ cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, or to taste (don't skimp!)
1 TBS cumin
Juice of 1 lemon, or more to taste (add more at the end, if desired)
¼ cup olive oil


Procedure:
Drain beans, reserving the liquid in case you need to thin out the mixture later. 
Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth.
(Are you kidding me? That's It?)
Yep. That's it. 
Go wild and add other flavors such as sweet peas, red pepper, or even beets for a cool color shift, blending main ingredients first, then adding "extras" last.  

~ TFC

​The venerable horseradish has been a staple of gastronomic use for more than 3,000 years, and as a medicinal therapy long before that. The long, white root is known for its ability to spice up meats and seafood, but it also is reportedly an excellent therapy for sore muscles, as a cough syrup, and, um, as an aphrodisiac. 
Globally, the horseradish market is a vibrant one, especially here in the United States where six million gallons are produced annually, enough to season enough sandwiches to wrap the planet 12 times. That's a lot of spice. 
What is horseradish, exactly? A long, tapering root that is is harvested every spring and fall and sold to processors who work their magic; grating the root and releasing volatile oils that distinguish horseradish from all other flavors. The ground horseradish is then mixed with distilled vinegar to stabilize that distinctive burn that can clear out sinuses in a snap; but this is also where formulas can vary -- additions usually include salt, sugar, cream or vegetable oil. 
The Flying Chef recipe is similar to many, but with the addition of gin, which I think provides an unusual bite to the already-spicy horseradish. It's great on grilled red meats. 

Ingredients:
4 Tbs horseradish
1 jigger of gin (1.5 oz) 
1 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped
3 tsp sea salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper

Procedure:
- In a small bowl combine all ingredients except the gin.
- Stirring with a fork, add small amounts of gin until you achieve a desired constancy. It is better to be on the thicker side.
- Cover, refrigerate and give it another stir just before serving atop grilled meats or as a side for sandwiches.

~TFC 

​Let's talk about two very special Alaska things: berries and fish. For centuries, Alaskans have utilized both as mainstays to a healthy diet, even if they didn't know it at the time. Cranberries, crowberries, watermelon berries, salmon berries, and, of course, blueberries. This has been a fantastic year for blueberries, so why not combine this bounty with another Alaska resource; salmon. Reds or kings are best for this recipe. 
Oh, and while I'm at it, I should mention that my salmon came from the good folks at Catch 49, a cool new co-op opportunity that allows the purchase of shares for such wonderful products as wild Alaska salmon. So check them out HERE. 
Ingredients
1/2 fillet of red or king salmon
Large pinch of salt
Large pinch pepper
4 sprigs thyme
2 shallots, thinly sliced
4 TBS butter
2 cups blueberries
2 cups white wine
2 TBS honey
2 TBS white wine vinegar
1 stick cinnamon
1 TBS butter
Procedure
- In a small saucepan, add shallots, wine, vinegar, thyme, cinnamon, and a small pinch of salt. Reduce until the liquid has all but evaporated, approximately 15-20  minutes. Stir occasionally.
- When reduced, add blueberries, half the butter, the honey, and cook until the berries are soft and the sauce turns pink.
- Heat grill to medium and make a foil “boat” to contain the salmon.- Place foil on grill and add remaining butter. When melted, place salmon in the foil boat and spoon blueberry mixture over the salmon, reserving just a bit of sauce for the presentation. 

- Grill for about 10 minutes or until the salmon flakes easily. - Plate salmon and drizzle with the remaining sauce.

~TFC