Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Tomato Soup and Rice Pudding

My mind holds countless childhood memories of lunches and dinners at my mother's table eating Campbell's Tomato Soup with grilled cheese sandwiches on white bread. The cheese was often the generic brand when it could be afforded, or more times than not it was government-issue free cheese, which had a disturbing after taste. Still, I look back with fondness on those meals, and today the combination of grilled cheese and tomato soup is always comforting.

Last night I had a couple of friends over for dinner, one of whom I felt was especially in need of some comfort and love. The weather outside was extraordinarily cold, which alone is more than enough excuse for a hot bowl of tomato goodness and a sandwich of crispy bread oozing cheesy heaven.

I've long since graduated from canned soups, and I'll be eternally grateful if I never eat government cheese again. Last night I made Grilled Cheese with Onion Jam, Taleggio, and Escarole, and homemade tomato soup, a decidedly more grown up version of a comfort food favorite.

If you don't have a jar of onion jam in the fridge I have to insist that you go out and get one. It's the perfect complement to any grilled cheese sandwich, especially one made with taleggio.

I was already out the office door last night when it struck me that I should follow the comfort food theme into the dessert course. I ran back to my computer and printed out the first rice pudding recipe I saw on Epicurious without even reading it through. When I got home and started to assemble the dessert, one item was conspicuously absent, dairy. No milk, no cream, nada.

I made the recipe as directed, but the moment I pulled it out of the oven I knew I was in trouble. My guests took one look at the steaming pile of dry rice and quickly voiced their fears. I whipped up some cream to serve on top, but this dessert was beyond saving. It was really awful, nothing like the rice pudding I grew up eating at my grandmother's table. Speaking of which, can someone send me grandma's recipe? I need to erase the memory of this disastrous dessert—fast.

Comments

[Amanda]

Here is grandma's recipe for arroz con leche. I spent part of the summer with her learning some recipes and this one she taught me. I'm reading it off the envelope that she helped me write the recipe on. I made this at grandpa's funeral and everyone thought grandma had made it. It takes patience...don't rush this recipe. Here goes....

1 cup of long grain rice
6 cups of water
1 cup of sugar
4 cups of milk
cinnamon sticks

Boil 1 cup of rice with 6 cups of water in a big pot. Boil until water is almost gone and rice is cooked. Lower heat.
Add the 4 cups of milk and sugar. Bring to a boil and then lower heat. It will start to thicken. Grandma says don't add the cinnamon sticks for a bit because they will change the color of the rice. I never know when to add them so just use your judgment. Also...stir often but don't scrape the bottom of the pot because no matter how I've cooked it it sticks to the bottom and if you pull that burnt brown stuff up it looks nasty and tastes...well...burnt. Use whole milk. It gets thicker as it cools too. I think that is about it. Call me if you have questions while making it.

[susan]

Speaking of comfort food, here is an especially delicious recipe from Grandma Lupe. I had to work to get this one by following her around the kitchen in Cozad as I watched her techniques and scrambled to write it down properly.

Pollo Estufado (Stove top Chicken)

This recipe came from my mother-in-law, who got it from her sister, Margaret. It is a dish that demonstrates the Middle Eastern and eventually Spanish influence on Mexican cooking and is very old. The flavors are unique and bold. It is great with rice.

2 slices bread
1-2 tbs olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
½ tsp whole black peppercorns
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2-3 whole cloves
1 tsp salt
3/4 c tomato sauce (fresh or canned)
11/2 c chicken broth
1 can sliced carrots or green beans (may use fresh vegetables, lightly
steamed)
11/2- 2 lbs cut up chicken, cooked and skinned (may grill, saute or
poach--do not overcook)

Slice bread in half and saute lightly in hot olive oil until toasted. Place the bread, garlic, peppercorn, cinnamon, cloves, salt, tomato sauce and chicken broth in food processor and pulse until smooth. Place in the sauce in a saute pan that is large enough to hold the sauce, chicken and veggies. Simmer for about 20 minutes on low, stirring occasionally. The sauce will reduce and thicken slightly. Next add the chicken and vegetables, then simmer another 20 minutes or until hot and at the desired consistency.

Note: I prefer fresh vegetables (green beans, carrots or asparagus) and to grill the chicken with a marinade of garlic and olive oil. If the sauce gets too thick, you may add a small amount of chicken broth.