Lentil Soup

Mmmm lentil soup quick, perfect for dinner.  Once again I utilized my pressure cooker and we had soup in less then 10 minutes.  The recipe called for Dijon style mustard, but we adore the newest sweet and spicy mustard from Trader Joe's so I used it.  Amazing flavor the night I made it; however, the next day it had lost it's umph.  So this is an eat it all on the day made meal.

Quick Lentil  Soup

from Lorne J. Sass

Cooking Under Pressure

adapted

2 cups of dried lentils, picked over and rinsed
1 bay leaf
2 large cloves of garlic cloves minced
1 large onion coarsely chopped
1T oil
6 cups filtered water
1/2 bag frozen spinach
3T sweet and spicy mustard
1/2 cup finely minced fresh parsley
1/2t sea salt or to taste

~ combine the lentils, bay leaf, garlic, onion, oil, water and spinach in the cooker
~ lock the lid in place
~ high heat bring to high pressure and maintain for 8 minutes
~ use quick release to release pressure
~ remove lid
~ remove bay leaf
~ stir in mustard, parsley and salt

Creamy Corn Soup minus the cream

Ha, Ha, Ha, emergency warnings of freezing temperatures.  Beware of the arctic chill announced all of the "weather people".  We covered our garden plants anticipating the worst and typical to our area rich blue sunny skies with a slight cool breeze.  Blast those "weather anti-predictors" my youngest had high hopes of snow falling.  So, we celebrated with a mini fiesta.

Creamy Corn Soup minus the cream

from The Moosewood Collection

Sunday's at Moosewood Restaurant

adapted

1 cup chopped sweet onion
1 minced garlic clove
2T safflower oil
1t ground coriander seeds
1t ground cumin seeds
1 minced jalpeno chili seeded
1 1/2 cup chopped fresh organic tomatoes
2 cups diced organic potatoes
1 organic chopped green bell pepper
2 cups of organic  vegetable stock
2 1/2 cup cut organic corn (fresh or frozen - Trader Joe's frozen is perfect)
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

~ heat soup pot over low heat and add oil
~ saute onions and garlic for about 10 minutes - until onions are very soft
~ add coriander, cumin and chiles
~ saute 2 minutes
~ add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they are juicy
~ add potato and bell pepper
~ add stock and cover and simmer until potatoes are tender - 10 minutes
~ puree half of the soup with an immersion blender
~ add corn and heat thoroughly
~ season with salt and pepper to taste

Italian White Bean Soup

Brrrr, frosty weather calls for soup.  Too cold and too lazy to go to the store.  I feel like Old Mother Hubbard sans the dog.

The Grass Roots Cookbook - a unique collection of 301 of America's best back home hand me down recipes by Jean Anderson was my book pick.  Really what a fabulous title.  This particular recipe hails from Mrs. Charles A Volpi of Napa County, California.  No broth or stock needed just be sure to save the bean cooking liquid.  This starchy goodness becomes the base for the soup.

Hearty soup perfect for our blast of freezing nights.  We all gave it thumbs up and look forward to warmer times.

Italian White Bean Soup

from Jean Andersen's

The Grass Roots Cookbook - A Unique Collection of 301 of America's Best Back-Home Hand-Me-Down Recipes

adapted

2 cups of great northern beans washed and picked through

7 cups of water

1T safflower oil

~ put all in pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 25 minutes

~ slow release steam

~ drain the beans and reserve the liquid

1T olive oil

1T unsalted butter

1 large branch of fresh sage or 1 1/2t crumbled leaf sage

2 large garlic cloves peeled and bruised

1 medium yellow sweet onion chopped

36 sweet pear tomatoes

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup any small pasta (Mrs. Volpi used ditalini)
reggiano parmesan

~ heat oil and butter in a large kettle over medium heat

~ add sage, garlic and onion

~ saute slowly stirring about 10 minutes or until the onion is limp and golden ( do not allow to brown)

~ remove sage branch

~ add tomatoes and turn heat to lowest setting and cook until tomatoes pop

~ add 2 heaping ladlefuls of beans and bean cooking liquid into the tomato mixture

~ bring to a boil and add salt and pepper 

~ mash additional beans with potato masher and add to soup

~ cook pasta and serve along side of soup
~ top with grated reggiano parmesan

from our garden: sage

Butternut Squash Soup with Creme Fraiche

 

Cold weather equals soup on the kettle in our house.  I do not know why I have this obsession with butternut squash soup, but here we go again...Last minute Larry here did not realize the homemade creme fraiche needs to be made a day in advance so we did without.  Sweet, smooth, creamy and easy describes this soup.

roasted in my toaster oven

cool remove seeds and skin

my massive sage plant that started as a tiny Home Depot twig

prior to blending

Butternut Squash Soup

with Creme Fraiche 

from Maria Helm Sinkskey's

The Vineyard Kitchen

adapted

1 butternut squash (mine was about 5 pounds)

1 medium sweet onion

1T olive oil

1T raw honey

6 fresh sage leaves

salt and freshly ground pepper

4 cups organic chicken stock

1 cup creme fraiche (recipe follows)(make a day in advance)

~ preheat oven 400

~ prick squash with fork

~ place whole on a baking sheet 

~ roast until softened about 45 minutes

~ cool, cut in half, remove seeds 

~ cut into 2 inch slices and remove skin

~ cut slices into cubes

~  peel, trim and coarsely chop onion, reserve 

~ heat pan medium heat

~ add olive oil heat

~ add onion and saute until translucent and begins to brown

~ add honey and cook until it begins to bubble

~ add squash cubes and sage

~ season with salt and pepper

~ add chicken broth

~ add water to cover squash by 1 inch (4 cups for me)

~ bring to a boil and lower heat to simmer

~ cook 45 minutes to 1 hour until squash and onion are very tender

~ cool 15 minutes

~ puree with an immersion blender (the cookbook directs the use of a blender...don't do it .  Hot liquid and blenders do not mix well.  Invest in an immersion blender.  They are not costly and so much fun)

~ season with salt and freshly ground pepper

~ ladle with a dollop of creme fraiche (about 1T per bowl)

Creme Fraiche

1 cups heavy cream
2T buttermilk

~ combined cream and buttermilk in a very clean glass bowl
~ cover with cheese cloth secured by a rubber band or a piece of plastic wrap that has been perforated with a toothpick twenty times or more
~ let the mixture sit at room temperature overnight or for up to 2 days
~ mild - refrigerate after one night
~ tangy - leave out 2 nights
~ transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate

Butternut Squash Soup with Gruyere and Fresh Basil

I would be lying if I wrote, Sensational Soup.  Looks great taste mediocre.  I admit I did not make the pesto; however, it would not have made a difference.

Butternut Squash Soup with Gruyere and Fresh Basil

from Sara Moulton Cooks at Home

adapted

2 medium butternut squash
2T extra virgin olive oil
2 medium leek white parts thinly sliced
1 quart chicken stock
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup grated gruyer cheese
1/8 cup fresh basil

~ preheat oven 375
~ halve the squash lenghtwise and remove seeds
~ place cut side down on oiled baking sheet
~ bake until tender 40-50 minutes
~ when cool scoop out pulp
~ heat oil in soup pot
~ add the leeks and cook stirring often until softened 5 minutes
~ add squash and stock increase heat to high
~ bring to a boil
~ reduce heat to medium-high and simmer stirring often 10 minutes
~ puree soup with hand blender
~ season with salt and freshly ground pepper
~ combine cheese and basil
~ ladle soup in bowls and garnish with cheese mixture

Cauliflower Soup with Caraway and Rye Croutons

 

As a child, three times a year my family drove into Los Angeles for corn rye bread.  The ivy lined freeway signed our destination fast approached and the smells of the bakeries filled my head.  Now, no need to drive anyplace but the local Trader Joes for corn rye.  So when I saw this recipe with rye croutons, I had to make it.  

Cauliflower Soup with Caraway and Rye Croutons

from Sara Moulton Cooks at Home

adapted 

croutons

4 slices of corn rye bread cut into cubes

2T or more olive oil

freshly ground pepper

~ place cubed bread into large plastic bag

~ add olive oil and pepper

~ shake to coat

~ toast in cast iron skillet medium flame until browned turning once

soup

1 medium head cauliflower

3 small organic yukon gold potatoes

2T unsalted butter

1 large sweet yellow onion thinly sliced

2t caraway seeds

1qt chicken broth

2t lemon juice 

 kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

~ bring saucepan of salted water to boil over high heat

~ remove 1 cup of florets from cauliflower and trim into 1/2" pieces

~ add florets and bring back to boil

~ boil rapidly until tender 3 minutes

~ drain and rinse under cold water

~ set aside drain in colander

~ slice the remaining cauliflower and potatoes

~ heat butter in soup pot over medium heat

~ add the onion, dash of salt and caraway seeds

~ cook stirring until the onion has soften 5 minutes

~  stir in sliced cauliflower and potatoes

~ pour in just enough stock to barely cover the cauliflower and season with salt and pepper

~ increase heat to high and bring to boil

~ reduce heat to medium and simmer until cauliflower is tender 20 minutes

~ puree soup with immersion blender 

~ stir in lemon juice 

~ add more salt and pepper if needed

~ plate with florets and croutons

If you have kids, I suggest you make double or triple the croutons.  Mine gobbled them up.  Soup was more flavorful the next day.