YELLOW SQUASH SOUP

Posted in Soups, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

I generally dislike negativism, although admittedly I am not a very optimistic person. I try to hide it well, though, and keep my assessment of everything that ~~will~~ might go wrong to myself. HOWEVER, the weather lately has pushed me to a dangerous edge, so I shall pout, whine, complain and be generally unpleasant to fellow human beings. We have rain, then thunderstorms, then more rain. When there’s no rain, we have cloudy skies. The temperature rarely reaches 75 F, but when that happens I am expected to be cheerful, walk around smiling. Not happening. Given the bizarre meteorological situation I’m stuck with, I am blogging on soup. Soup. Hot and soothing. In May. I know, pitiful.

YELLOW SQUASH SOUP WITH TARRAGON AND LEMON
(slightly modified from Fer’s site Chucrute com Salsicha)

2 large yellow squash, cut in chunks
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup heavy cream
dash of nutmeg
fresh chives for decoration

Heat the olive oil and butter in a pan, add the shallots and saute until translucent. Add the pieces of squash and cook for 7 to 10 minutes in medium heat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the tarragon, chicken stock, and lemon juice. Mix well, cover the pan and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Off the heat, add the heavy cream and nutmeg, transfer the mixture to a blender and process until smooth. Alternatively, you can reserve some of the pieces of squash to add later, for texture.

Serve right away with chives (or fresh tarragon) on top.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: For those who don’t know, Fer is a Brazilian food blogger who’s been living in the US probably as long or even longer than me. She was also my number one inspiration to start the Bewitching Kitchen, so it feels special to blog about a recipe from her site… Fer shared a post about this soup not too long ago, but my intention was to make it in the fall, when the weather would be more appropriate for it. However, the universe conspired against me. We are at the end of the month of May. I’ve been unable to wear shorts or flip-flops. End of May. I had to bring a jacket from storage on more than one occasion. I wore boots three times this month. So there you have it, Yellow Squash Soup for lunch. At least I can testify that it’s delicious! This soup will be a regular appearance at our kitchen, and in my next time – when October comes – I intend to use coconut milk instead of heavy cream, just because I think it will be awesome that way too. If you are faced with adverse meteorological conditions, make this soup, it is bright yellow like the sun that should be shinning outside.

Note added after publication…. because I have great friends, I share with you a better cartoon sent to me by the one and only Gary… yeap, that summarizes it all much better

ONE YEAR AGO: Grilled Chicken with Tamarind and Coconut Glaze

TWO YEARS AGO: Chicken-Apricot Skewers

THREE YEARS AGO: Asparagus Quiche

FOUR YEARS AGO: Two-stage Pea and Prosciutto Risotto

FIVE YEARS AGO: Mellow Bakers: Corn Bread

15May2015

POACHED WHITE ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON AND PISTACHIOS

Posted in Cookbook Reviews, Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

I have a cookbook recommendation for you: Rose Water and Orange Blossoms, by Maureen Abood, who runs a gorgeous food blog I’ve been following for a while. As I browsed through my Kindle version, I was surprised by the number of recipes I bookmarked, a feature I love in the Kindle reader, actually. Makes it so easy to go back to favorites. So I did that A LOT. I also love when a cookbook mixes just the right amount of prose. Don’t make each recipe a reason to pour your soul out and tell me all about your childhood and that of your close friends, but give me enough to dream about, to make me understand why that recipe is special for you, special enough that you chose to include in your cookbook. Maureen does just that. The first recipe I made from her cookbook is simple yet very elegant. Poached white asparagus with pistachios. She used pistachio oil to drizzle the dish, I decided to go with my recent acquisition, a blood orange-infused olive oil. I am quite fond of its color, a soft reddish tone, and I think the taste matched the white asparagus very well.

POACHED WHITE ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON AND PISTACHIO OIL
(from the cookbook Rose Water and Orange Blossoms)
reprinted with permission from Maureen Abood

Makes 4 servings

1 pound / 450 g white asparagus
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons shelled roasted, salted pistachios
4 teaspoons pistachio oil (I used blood orange infused olive oil)
Fine sea salt, to finish

Trim the asparagus by snapping the ends off at their natural break. Peel them from just beneath the tip to the end with a vegetable peeler. Cover the asparagus with water in a large sauté pan. Squeeze the lemon into the pan and add the teaspoon of salt.

Cover the pan and bring the water to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until a spear can be easily cut with a knife and fork. Drain and set the asparagus aside to cool. Remove the thin papery skin on each pistachio to reveal the bright green nut underneath by rubbing the skin off of each nut between your fingers and thumb. Coarsely chop the pistachios.

Divide the asparagus among four individual salad plates, or pile them, all facing the same direction, on a platter. Sprinkle the pistachios across the center of the asparagus crosswise, forming a line. Drizzle everything with pistachio oil, and finish with the sea salt.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: White asparagus will always make me think of a trip to Germany many years ago. We were living in Paris at the time, and went for a little scientific mission to a couple of cities in Germany. We arrived at the peak of asparagus season and one restaurant in particular had pretty much all dishes centered on them. I still remember a gratin of white asparagus and ham that blew my mind, it was superb! Until I got Maureen’s book, I confess to butchering my share of white asparagus when trying to cook them at home. It never occurred to me that these pale white creatures need to be treated differently from their siblings, the ones allowed to grow under full sun. Maureen gives two simple tips for success: peel them all the way from the bottom to the region right below the tips. And cook them gently but for a longer time. I was amazed at the difference these two little modifications brought to my culinary life.

Now, back to Maureen’s book. So many dishes I want to cook from it, it’s not even funny… Doesn’t “Flower Water Syrup” make you go in a dreamy daze? Many of her recipes are simple but join unexpected flavors, leaving you with that feeling of “why didn’t I think of that?” For instance, Warm Dates with Almonds and Lime Zest… I just know it will be an amazing recipe. Or… Tahini Avocado? Za’atar Roasted Tomatoes? It all sounds perfect. And to me, nothing is better than a great kibbeh, I love it. She shares her classic version of Baked Kibbeh, and one particular recipe I had a few times in Brazil and find spectacular: Yoghurt-Poached Kibbeh. You may think it is strange, but trust me, it is the best kind. I guess I was lucky to grow up in São Paulo where we have many great Lebanese restaurants, some pretty close to the university where I studied. Still on the kibbeh front, Maureen offers several variations that were unknown to me: Fried Kibbeh with Mint Butter, Vegan Tomato Kibbeh, and Potato & Spinach Kibbeh. But I will tell you what will be my next recipe for sure: Whipped Hummus with Minced Lamb. One little tip she gives in that recipe is worth my weight in chickpeas. But I share no more. You will have to invite her book to join your collection, and that will be a very wise move. Go for it with a simple click here.

Maureen, thank you for allowing me to publish your recipe, and best of luck with your cookbook!

ONE YEAR AGO: Dan Lepard’s Saffron Bloomer

TWO YEARS AGO: Fesenjan & The New Persian Kitchen

THREE YEARS AGO: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Beets

FOUR YEARS AGO: Pasta Puttanesca

FIVE YEARS AGO: Miche Point-a-Calliere

26Mar2015

ARE YOU AFRAID OF CELERY ROOT?

Posted in Soups, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

If I had to choose a word to define my childhood and even teenage years, fear would be it. To name a few of my fears: darkness, sleeping alone, mirrors, clowns, dolls, sleepovers, odd numbers (don’t ask), heights, cockroaches. There were many more, but let’s keep it simple, shall we? Glad to report that just as my pickiness to eat, those fears are a thing of the past. Except heights and cockroaches. The former I still try to work on, cockroaches are out of question. I am talking about the tropical kind, with their scary dimensions and uncanny ability to fly across a room. I shiver just to think about them. Growing up, I don’t remember ever seeing celery root in our home, but being the easily scared self I was, I bet I would be afraid of it too. It does look like a large potato under the spell of black magic. Something that belongs in the setting of Hansel and Gretel’s tale (which as a matter of fact gave me nightmares for months after reading it as a child).

But, don’t let celery root (aka celeriac) looks prevent you from enjoying it. Under that harsh appearance, lies a beautiful white entity, with a flavor vaguely reminiscent of celery, but much more complex. Yes, it is a bit hard to peel, and if you are not careful a finger or two could be hurt in the process, but keep calm, peel on, and make soup before the weather gets too hot. Too hot. What a silly statement. Sorry, sometimes I make no sense.

CELERIAC AND PARSNIP SOUP WITH TOASTED COCONUT
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium celery rib, diced
1 shallot, minced
1 large celeriac, peeled and cut in chunks
3 to 4 medium-sized parsnips, peeled and cut in chunks
salt and black pepper
dash of nutmeg
4 cups water
lemon juice to taste

Heat the olive oil in a pan large enough to accommodate all ingredients. Sautee the shallot with the celery until fragrant and shallots become translucent. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the pieces of parsnips and celeriac, saute for a few minutes, moving them around.

Add water, making sure it cover the veggies. Bring to a boil, cook until parsnips and celeriac pieces are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Transfer the veggies with some of the water to a blender or food processor, blend until smooth. You might need to do it in two batches, being careful while processing hot liquids (using a blender keep the lid open and cover the top with a kitchen cloth). Use only enough water to get the consistency you like.

Return the processed soup to the pan on low heat, adjust consistency with the reserved water if needed. Season with nutmeg, add a squeeze of lemon juice, taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve with coconut flakes (unsweetened) sautéed in olive oil or butter, lightly seasoned with salt, or with any other topping you like.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

This was a delicious soup, the lemon juice at the end does that citric magic I am very fond of. If I had a dollar bill for every time I use lemon juice in my cooking, I’d be rich. You can make this soup a bit more luscious adding a touch of cream if you want, or using chicken stock instead of water, but I often like to keep things simple and let the flavor of the veggies take the spotlight. I am not quite sure about the nutmeg. I love nutmeg with cauliflower and in bechamel sauce, but I might omit it in this soup next time. Maybe I used too heavy a hand, I thought the flavor was a bit too strong. Anyway, if you make it, go easy with it and taste it.

Before I say goodbye, here is a small collection of recipes to help you lose any residual fear of celery root… just in case you need it 😉

SWEET AND SOUR CELERIAC SEPHARDIC STYLE, from Tasty Eats

CELERY ROOT, APPLE AND WALNUT SALAD from Cooking and Traveling in Italy and Beyond

CELERY ROOT LETTUCE WRAPS from The Wimpy Vegetarian

CELERY ROOT REMOULADE, from Kitchen Riffs

FRENCH LENTILS WITH CARAMELIZED CELERY ROOT, from Martha Stewart

POACHED EGGS OVER CELERY ROOT LATKES, from Fresh Start

POTATO AND CELERY ROOT ROSTI, from Martha Stewart

I hope you enjoyed this small tour on celeriac possibilities, and if you are a celeriac virgin, you will give it a try in the near future. Nothing to fear, I promise!

**********************************************************************************

ONE YEAR AGO: Prime Rib Roast, Mexican Style

TWO YEARS AGO: Sourdough Bread with Walnuts and Dates

THREE YEARS AGO: Braised Brisket with Bourbon-Apricot Glaze

FOUR YEARS AGO: The Real Vodka Sauce

FIVE YEARS AGO: Pork Tenderloin and Blue Cheese

13Mar2015

SILKY RUTABAGA PUREE

Posted in Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

Many years ago (pre-blogging life) I had an encounter with jicama that left me traumatized. I sliced it very thin and ate it the way Marcela often recommends it, as a refreshing, light alternative to corn tortillas. I intensely disliked it, but through a convoluted set of events, a few days later realized that jicama that was not. I had bought, sliced, and endured a rutabaga. Big oops moment! I stayed away from both veggies for quite a long time, but finally made peace with them. Jicama does a reasonable job as tortilla-wannabe, and as far as rutabaga goes, it kills me that I took so long to finally cook it. I fell in love with this mashed version at the first spoonful. Creamy, smooth, with a unique flavor, perfect to showcase some Boeuf Bourguignon… or any other type of beef stew that might be calling your name. Truth is, if you cannot make winter disappear by snapping your fingers, the alternative is to fight it with comfort food. Like this root veggie puree with a touch of coconut milk. You will love it, I promise!

SILKY RUTABAGA PUREE
(slightly modified from A Calculated Whisk)

3 medium rutabagas, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large yam, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup coconut milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
dash of nutmeg

Place the rutabaga and yam chunks in a saucepan with the salt and water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, until the veggies are very tender when pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Place the rutabaga, yam, olive oil, coconut milk. salt, and pepper in a food processor and process until smooth, add the nutmeg and process briefly. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. If needed, adjust consistency with some of the reserved cooking liquid.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This meal was perfect for a snowy Saturday evening. I cooked the beef stew low and slow for over 4 hours, it was luscious, the red wine mellowed down by the long gentle simmer in the oven. The rutabaga puree, perhaps an unusual side dish for Bourguignon, was quite a nice match not only in taste and texture, but also in its color, bright golden. When we sat down to enjoy our dinner, Phil took a first bite and immediately decided it was worthy of a special bottle of wine, one we bought in France many years ago. That was a great move… Almost made me forget the snow outside. Almost.

Life is good!

ONE YEAR AGO: Bon Bon Chicken: Light and Spectacular!

TWO YEARS AGO: Seafood Extravaganza Pasta

THREE YEARS AGO: A Pearfect Drink

FOUR YEARS AGO: Ming Tsai Under Pressure

FIVE YEARS AGO: Paris, Je t’aime

6Feb2015

SILKY GINGERED ZUCCHINI SOUP

Posted in Soups, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

For the last couple of months I became interested in the Paleo nutritional system, as most people who follow it appear to be very fit. It got me curious. It also did not hurt that Dr. Loren Cordain, the man behind the Paleo approach is now part of our extended family: Phil’s sister recently married his uncle-in-law. Small world! Anyway, fully aware of my self-inflicted moratorium on cookbooks in 2015, I did what a sensible food blogger would do and bought some Paleo-oriented publications last November. As you can see, I have an amazing ability to outsmart myself. If you have any interest in the subject, I highly recommend Well Fed2, The Frugal Paleo Cookbook, and Nom Nom Paleo Food for Humans. Don’t worry, the Bewitching won’t turn into a Low-carb, Paleo, Vegan, or “insert any diet system here” blog. There will be bread, pasta, rice, couscous, a lot of meat, and sweets. Omnivore, and loving it! – has always been my motto, and that isn’t changing. But the truth is that one can cook a ton of tasty stuff under the Paleo approach. Plus, it’s all reasonably low in carbohydrates and high in protein, a kind of eating I’ve favored for the past 4 or 5 years. This soup is a perfect example of deliciousness that is low in fat, low in carbs, and keeps me satisfied from lunch until dinner. As you may notice, I included a cheese crisp that would not be blessed by Paleo folks. It would make this version Primal, I suppose. Still hanging around caves, but with a little more pizzazz, sipping the occasional wine from a coconut shell.

SILKY GINGERED ZUCCHINI SOUP OVERVIEW

The secret for this smooth and delicious soup is the use of ginger and coriander as background spices. The soup starts with a simple saute of onion and garlic, then ginger and coriander in powdered form are added, releasing their flavors in the hot oil. Next, zucchini pieces join the party, and the whole thing will be simmered for about one hour in your favorite type of broth (chicken, veggie, or beef). When the zucchini is super tender, the soup is blended and ready to be enjoyed.

You can find the recipe in Melissa’s site with a click here.
It is also in her cookbook Well Fed2.

I’ve made this soup almost as many times as I made Mike’s Creamy Broccoli Soup. Sometimes I used chicken broth, sometimes a mixture of chicken broth and water. A squirt of lemon juice right before serving is a nice touch too. Cheese crisps pair very well with the zucchini. To make them I followed the method that Mike described in his original post for the broccoli soup. On the first photo of this post, I used a Cheddar type cheese, and in the photo below I went with Parmigiano-Reggiano. I like Parmigiano better, because it releases less oil as it bakes, and has that unique sharpness that contrasts very well with the silky soup.

unnamed-5

I confess I was afraid of making the crisps from scratch, due to traumatic experiences of a distant past. At that time I tried making them on a non-stick skillet on the stove top, and ended up with a complete mess, pretty much inedible.

But preparing them in the oven was a totally different experience. First, place parchment paper over a baking sheet (or use Silpat). Then add small amounts of shredded cheese of your choice separated by about 1-inch. They won’t spread too much, but better safe than sorry.

Watch them carefully, because they will go from perfect to burned in a matter of seconds….

Carefully transfer them to a rack, so that they get crisp. You can use them right away, or store for later.

You will find all sorts of uses for these crisps… This beautiful Mexican-Caprese was made by my beloved husband… and embellished by the crisps…

Dressing was avocado oil infused with basil (he used the handy cubes from Dorot), a little lemon juice for good measure.

But back to the zucchini soup: a real winner of a recipe. I normally make a batch in the weekend, and it becomes my lunch for three days in the following week. If I don’t have cheese crisps I top it with toasted almonds, or a diced hard-boiled egg. Simple, and quite nutritious.

Before I leave you, I want to share the best text I’ve seen in a long time concerning healthy-eating. It is a well-written satire on the state of nutritional advice these days. Hilarious, but unfortunately quite close to our reality these days. Enjoy it with a click here. A little quote as a teaser:

“The ONLY way to eat is seasonally, locally and sustainably. If you live in a place where snow falls and kills crops and animals starve you should eat snow and only snow. To do anything else will cause immediate and untimely death”.
(from Sarah Yates, A Little House in the Hills).

🙂

ONE YEAR AGO: Sweet Fifteen!

TWO YEARS AGO: Sesame and Flaxseed Sourdough

THREE YEARS AGO: Green Beans with Miso and Almonds

FOUR YEARS AGO: Saturday Morning Scones

FIVE YEARS AGO: White Bread