h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just some recipes I'm putting online... with a cookbook in the works, I'd like to put my favorites together.

Cream of Tomato Soup
from America's Test Kitchen
Serves 4

Make sure to use canned whole tomatoes packed in juice. Use the packing juice as well as the liquid that falls from the tomatoes when they are seeded to obtain 3 cups of juice.

2 (28 oz) cans of whole tomatoes packed in juice, drained, 3 cups reserved
1.5 tb dark brown sugar
4 tb unsalted butter
4 large shallots, minced (1/2 cup)
1 tb tomato paste
Pinch of allspice
2 tb all-purpose flour
1.75 cups homemade chicken stock, or low-sodium canned chick broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tb brandy or dry sherry
Salt and cayenne pepper

1) Adjust oven rack to upper-middle posiiton and heat oven to 450°. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil. With fingers, carefully open whole tomatoes over strainer set in bowl and push out seeds, allowing juices to fall through strainer into bowl. Spread seeded tomatoes in single layer over foil. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Bake until all liquidhas evaporated and tomatoes begin to color, about 30- minutes. Let tomatoes cool slightly, then peel them off foil, transfer to small bowl and set aside.

2) Heat butter over medium heat in large saucepan until foaming. Add shallots, tomato paste, and allspice. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened, 7 to 10 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly combined, 30 seconds. Gradually add chicken stick, whisking constantly to combine; stir in reserved tomato juice and roasted tomatoes. Cover, increase heat to medium, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors, about 10 minutes.

3) Pour mixture through strainer and into medium bowl, rinse out saucepan. Transfer tomatoes and solids in strainer to blender; add 1 cup strained liquid and puree until smooth. Place pureed mixture and remaining strained liquid in saucepan. Add cream and warm over low heat until hot, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in brandy and season with salt and cayenne. Serve immediately. (Soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Warm over low heat until hot, do not boil.)

Catfish Court Bouillion (Pronounced koo-bi-yawn)
Serves 4

Salt & pepper
Celery
1 28 oz. can tomatoes
2 16 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 catfish - cleaned
Lots of garlic cloves, crushed
1 chopped onion
Tabasco to taste
Cook all ingredients together in large pot. Fish will cook quickly - carefully remove bones.
Serve with garlic bread.

I think you could use catfish filets instead of a whole catfish. While you wouldn't get the rich flavor of a catfish cooked off the bone, it'd be easier to prepare the soup. Try throwing in shrimp or pieces of chicken for variety.

Pumpkin Bread
My grandmother's recipe

3 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup oil
1 16 oz. can pumpkin
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
3 1/2 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda

Mix all dry ingredients together (except for sugar), and set aside. Mix sugar, eggs, oil, pumpkin together, then add dry ingredients slowly to the mixture.

You'll need either 4 1 lb. coffee cans, or 2 loaf pans. Pour the batter into the containers, and bake at 325 for 55 minutes. In my oven, it took 1 hour and 15 minutes.

I replaced the pumpkin with 16 oz. of sweet potato (baked in the oven) and it came out just scrumptious. Nice crust on the top, and good flavor too. I also left out the nutmeg, and never noticed a thing.