Dare I say I’ve gone strawberry crazy?

I am quite happy to inform folks that I have bushels of strawberries in my possession. I excitedly contemplated all the delicious things to make: wine, jam, ice cream, scones, lemonade… As I thought, I realized I was quickly eating through my stash. So sweet in their natural state, I started thinking, Applying them to a dish would be sacrilegious! (They do much better in my belly unadulterated.)

The more sensible part of me methodically began pulling stems and lining the berries on a baking sheet to freeze, then bag for a future use (as there was no way all could be eaten before spoiling). As I lined a cookie sheet with strawberries I realized how nicely uniform so many of them were. In fact, they appeared to be a perfect little army dressed for strawberry battle in some distant fruit land– perhaps protecting Strawberry Shortcake (the cartoon or the dessert)? Each berry was outfitted with a gnome-like cap. (How adorable.)

As I admired my infantry, the Giant of Terror in the Land of Berries approached. Oooo, strawberries! D exclaimed as his colossal hand reached into my helpless army patch and snatched up soldiers. One after another he ate my freshly stemmed friends. “Stop eating my strawberry army!”

“Uhhhh… Your what?”

“Nothing… They’re just my strawberry army. You can’t eat them, eat these.” I shoved over the random piling of discarded strawberries sprawled on the counter, not perfect enough to join my forces.

So now sits a bag of berries marked “not for giants” awaiting recipes in the freezer. If I can rein myself in they will be saved for a blistery day in late December. While I ponder future berry times I’ll whip up an occasional strawberry smoothie: 2 parts frozen berries, 1 part heavy cream. It is the purest and sweetest milk shake I ever had.

Strawberry Smoothie
Serves 2
1.5 cups fresh frozen strawberries
3/4 cup heavy cream (or whole milk)

Method: Place ll ingredients in a blender and blitz until smooth. Add more heavy cream to thin out if necessary.

If you can still find some fresh berries this late in the season a favorite application was in salad. You may add or subtract from any of these ingredients.

Strawberry Salad
Serves 4-6
1 head romaine, or similar crisp lettuce, washed and separated
1 handful arugula, washed
1 bulb kohlrabi*, sliced into matchstick size cuttings
1 bunch fresh herbs (thyme, basil, parsley work well), loosely chopped
1 cup sugar snap peas, washed and stemmed
4 ounces goat cheese or fresh ricotta, crumbled
1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
mustard vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Method: Toss all prepped ingredients and serve with dressing on the side.
*Kohlrabi is an odd looking vegetable, but worth a try (it’s very high in vitamin C). The flavor is similar to cabbage, but crossed with the crispness of a perfect apple. It is a great addition raw to coleslaw or salad. Just cut off the stalk and slice (I don’t even peel mine).

Mustard Vinaigrette
This dressing will keep so make enough and store in a small glass container. Season to preferred acidic taste.
1 part whole grain mustard (Dijon makes an excellent one)
1 part lemon juice
1 part olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin

Method: Add all ingredients to a jar and shake just before applying to salad. (This dressing is great over fish like halibut or salmon.)

NOTE: This strawberry salad recipe was entered into Healthy Cooking’s recipe event, because hey, what’s more healthy than fresh ingredients? No substitutes needed!

I love winter. Silly to say now, as we all, myself included, embrace the spring with an unrelenting hold, despite the mild rainy interruptions. Maybe it is easier to say, as it is on its way out, but I love the crisp smell of decay in the air as winter begins. I love hot chocolate, sledding, snowmen, sweaters, ice formations, and enormous fireplaces to snuggle up next to with a cup of broth. I love the first taste of root vegetables– sweeter on the east coast than the west coast because the bitter cold and vegetable’s death allows the sugars to concentrate more (take that west coast weather!). Perhaps it is because mine and D’s birthdays both fall in the dead of winter, or the stews, roasts and braises that beckon friends over and keep them long into the night because no one dares go outside.

Admittedly, I also love the spring. That first warm rain and pop of bud on the trees, the first inkling of cherry blossoms and that initial push through frost from the ground. It’s the promise of harvest all over again, springing to green.

D and I spent the winter eating from our CSA’s winter share. Pretty much root vegetables for the past 4 months– most not posted. Although I think D is convinced it was less of a winter share of mixed vegetables and more of a beet share. Needless to say we were both overjoyed at the first glimpse of green as we took a walk through the greenmarket a few weeks ago, even if it was just broccoli rabe, asparagus and scallions mixed with some cellar-over carrots and potatoes, it was pure heaven. In the past two weeks I have purchased over six bundles of asparagus, broccoli rabe and scallions and threw in one bunch of spinach I spied last week.

I once heard a chef say something to the effect that Nature got it right: when we eat by seasons we’re sure to get sick of something, but you don’t have to worry– by the time you’re tired of it, the next season comes around. When I tried to explain this to D he seemed less than pleased: “All I’m saying is you better work on your canning and preserving skills.” (Might D be a little bitter the tomatoes I canned over the summer only lasted until January?)

The above salad is the first real green salad of this year. I say real, because while I’m sure we have had a salad in a restaurant over the winter, they were few and far between and hardly compared to the freshness of this baby. You know that’s true from D’s response: “I never thought I would be so happy to eat a salad.” (Remember that one come mid-summer when D refuses to eat another salad.) We added broiled salmon on top and a few boquerones, or white Spanish anchovies and a parsley-sour cream pesto. You can add whatever protein you have, or just eat this as a side.

First Spring Greens Salad
Serving Size= 2. Active time= 15 minutes.
1 pound salmon fillet
6 boquerones (optional)
1 bunch arugula
6 radish
1 spring onion or 2 scallions
1 carrot

Parsley “Pesto”
1 large handful parsley
juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic (optional)
2 Tablespoons sour cream
2 Tablespoons olive oil

1) Preheat broiler and sprinkle salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Broil 4-6 minutes, depending on thickness, until slightly blackened for medium-rare.
2) While salmon is broiling, wash and chop the arugula, radish, spring onion and carrot and distribute amongst two bowls.
3) Place parsley, lemon juice, sour cream and olive oil in a blender and puree until thick and evenly chopped.
4) Once salmon is finished, lay over salad, top with boquerones and add a few dollops of the parsley pesto over everything.

For months D and I have been eating our way through beets. About eight pounds every three weeks for four months. As D proclaimed time and again, “there are only so many beets a person can take.” That person is obviously not me. Still, it is true there are only so many pounds of beets a single person can consume when her partner in eating has sworn them off. After a recent Passover dinner I managed to squeeze a variation of this salad on the menu. D sleeps content knowing the beets are exorcised from the refrigerator.

While I know these storage babies would keep another few months in the fridge, I also know once Community Supported Agriculture season hits us June 5, we’ll be finding a home for more blushing beauties. (Note to D: Prepare yourself.)

Over the months, to hide the offensive vegetable from D, I was able to work them into pizza, gnocchi, ravioli (beet-blue cheese filling tucked into whole wheat orange zested pasta), chocolate cake, soups (of course a borscht as well) and even pickled them for holiday gifts handed off to D’s father, who shares my love of beets. I contemplated ice cream most recently, but bowed out of that thought when all the fresh mint began hitting my senses.

Over months of experimentation, the above salad was one application where I managed to get D to enjoy his beets without sausage, pesto or chocolate poured on top. It is a favorite dish of mine because it doesn’t involve a multi-step process with the beets, just roast, slice and chill.

This salad is a colorful reminder that Spring is here, a bounty of vegetables await us, but we can make do with our storage supplies until Mother Nature decides to kick in. I think it is best with a little crumbled cheese, feta or goat, tossed into it. For Passover I made due without the cheese, substituting a tahini-citrus dressing for creaminess, also good. A number of herbs work equally well depending on taste, what is around or what you are serving this with: cilantro, purslane, parsely, celery tops or basil.

Beet and Orange Herb Salad
Serving Size= 4 persons. Cook time= 1.5 hours. Active time= 15 minutes.
4 good sized beets (a little smaller than a fist), golden or red
2-3 navel oranges (grapefruit, clementines or tangerines would work too)
1/4 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese
1/2 cup packed mint, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh ground cardamom
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil

1) Preheat oven to 350 F. Scrub beets under running water, remove greens, reserve for another use. Place beets on a pan over a large sheet of tinfoil. Sprinkle beets with olive oil, salt and pepper. Wrap the beets in foil, bake 45 minutes, turn, bake another 45 minutes or until a fork punctures both sides easily. Remove from oven, unwrap and let cool 5 minutes. Using two paper towels, work the the skins off the beets by pushing and sliding the paper towels around, starting at the tops and working around the beets. Slice beets into bite size pieces, about 1 inch long by 1/2 inch thick. Refrigerate while prepping the remaining ingredients.
2) Slice top and bottoms off oranges. Lay oranges flat then work around the orange slicing off the skin. Slice into bite size pieces, about the same size as the beets. Place in serving dish.
3) Add cheese, mint, cardamom, salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil to oranges. Toss to incorporate. Add beets and toss briefly to just incorporate trying not to let too much of the beets bleed into the oranges or cheese. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
NOTE: Try a variety of other herbs. Instead of cheese, add 2 tablespoons tahini. Add croutons to make the dish a light dinner or lunch.

(Don’t forget! You have until Friday to enter the Cool Beans Giveaway! Leave a bean-related comment in the post for your chance to win a 3-pack of Cool Beans. Beans are a delicious and healthy snack! Deadline is 3PM, March 7)

Is it too early to think about summer? Too early to write dreamily about foodstuffs like fresh corn? Let us take a moment out of our hectic lives, meetings, winter gloom, and think about sweet July corn (non-GM, of course). Close your eyes and meditate: Ohmmmmm Cornnnnn.

The above soup, was in fact, made this past summer. It is a corn chowder, and while I speak of other chowders, I thought it was appropriate to post. While the bitter winds of winter blast through us, we can take a deep breath and think of summertime corn (D’s favorite).

Most people think clam chowders are the only true variety [an aside: New England is the true chowder!]. A chowder is traditionally a salt pork based soup. Meaning? Bring on the bacon! Traditionally, it is also a thickened soup base, whether it’s by crushed crackers and milk, flour, or another means, is your decision.

I make this corn chowder every summer when it is available for bargain prices (we’re talking farmstand, 12 ears for $2.00 prices). I eat it cold, though when it is fresh and slightly warm it is hard to resist. On a cold day like today, it would make a soothing warm soup.

So while I dream of summer, maybe I’ll have to purchase some frozen corn and make a batch of this soup. I suggest you do the same. With it’s vibrant colors we can wash the winter away.

Note: I thicken this soup base with buttermilk. While I despised, caught, and promptly disposed of my mothers attempts to pass buttermilk off as regular milk as a child, (a warning to all you mothers hiding foods from your children! I still can’t drink the stuff) it makes a wonderful soup base. The slightly sour nature cuts the sweet corn perfectly. You can find another version of this soup with seafood here.

Corn Chowder
6-8 servings. Prep time= 30 minutes. Cook time= 30 minutes.
2 strips bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 onion, cut into thin slices
4 ears of fresh corn (or 1 16oz bag frozen), removed from stalk, keep ears
1 stalk celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 russet potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 carrot sticks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 quart buttermilk
salt/ pepper to taste
fresh parsley (cilantro or chives would be nice too)

1) Prep ingredients. To remove corn kernels from stalk, hold ears vertical, resting one end on a cutting board, holding the top. Use a sharp knife and slice downwards, as close to the stalk as possible. Work your way around the ear until all kernels are removed. You can slice the bottom half, flip the ear and slice the top half to avoid fingers.
2) In a stock pot over medium high heat, fry bacon. Once browned, remove bacon bits and set aside. Add onion and saute 3-5 minutes. Add 3/4 of the corn, the stripped ears, celery, potatoes, carrots and stock. Cover and bring to a boil.
3) Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer, 20 minutes, until vegetables are soft. Turn heat off and stir in remaining corn, buttermilk, bacon and salt and pepper to taste (add salt at the end because the bacon will add a lot of salt). Serve warm or cool in the refrigerator for 2 hours before serving. Top with parsley.

There are few things that remind me of the marvelous gifts of winter. Simply that a little bivalve can bring so much happiness. Or best yet, something that can make me believe I am sitting in front of my very own fireplace, in a cozy cabin, on a precipice overlooking a spraying bay. A bowl of chowder accomplishes all these things and more.

Clam chowder. Not that poor excuse of a chowder– the thin Manhattan tomato-based variety. Thick and creamy New England style, loaded with clams and root vegetables. The bounty of winter in a single bowl.

Clam chowder is a soup that makes me feel like a fisherman. Each time I finish a bowl it’s with an affirmative “arrrr, maty, t’was mighty fine gruel.” I smack the lingering ocean brine from my lips as I sadly realize no parrot sits on my shoulder, and I am simply in my New York City apartment (perhaps I believe I am a pirate?).

Oh you wicked tease clam chowder.

The best chowder I ever ate was along the New Jersey coast. I’m sure the late fall frigid temperatures played a part in its greatness. Or maybe because it was the only eating destination open. Possibly it was the giant yellow whale engraved against the blue hut that sold it. But there were four of us in total, taking a cold road trip to the shore for some R&R on the abandoned coast. That was good chowder.

The above chowder might be just as good. It smells of warm cream and ocean water and sticks to the bones just right on these wintry afternoons. It is not as heavy as other clam chowders you find. To thicken the broth and add some extra flavor, I added a puree of roasted root vegetables along with a scant 2 pints of heavy cream (2 pints is scant when you make a 20-quart pot of chowder). I also used a combination of smaller littleneck clams and larger cherrystones that were removed from their shells and chopped into the soup. I’ve adapted the recipe below to a simpler cherrystone-only version. Additionally, I had leftover lobster stock (frozen from mine and D’s Valentine’s lobster feast) that I used as stock. Any fish stock or a bottle of clam juice will work equally well.

New England Clam Chowder
Serving size= 6-8. Active time= 20 minutes. Inactive time= 30 minutes.
1 dozen cherrystone clams
2 strips bacon, chopped
1 onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb assorted root vegetables (potatoes, rutabaga, parsnips, carrots, turnips all work well), cut into 1 inch pieces
1 sprig thyme
2 8-ounce bottles clam juice (or a fish stock, 8 cups total)
2 cups water
1 pint heavy cream

1) Soak clams in lightly salted water for 30-60 minutes. This helps them spit out trapped sand from their shells.
2) In a 6-quart pot, bring 2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil. Add clams and cover, cook 2 minutes. Stir, cover and cook 2-3 minutes more, until all clams have opened up. Set clams aside and toss any clams that do not open. Strain the cooking liquid and set aside.
3) In the same pot (now without liquid), fry chopped bacon on medium-high heat until crisp. Remove from pot and set aside. Do not drain fat. Add chopped onion, saute 3 minutes. Add garlic, saute 1 minute more. Add chopped root vegetables, thyme sprig, bottled clam juice, retained clam juice cooking liquid and water. Cover, bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, until root vegetables are soft.
4) While warming, remove clams from shells and chop roughly.
5) Once vegetables are soft, add heavy cream and stir to incorporate. Just before serving, stir in clams and bacon, season with salt and pepper and serve.

The other week I mentioned my search for wontons in Chinatown that brought me to the treasured mangosteen. My desire for wonton soup must have been fate to find my true fruit love. But this pull must also mean that these little dumplings are truly blessed and a perfect treat for the Chinese New Year that started this past Thursday.

Where did this sudden desire for wontons come if not from the pull of the mangosteen?

A few weeks ago I was talking with a friend in my Community Supported Agriculture group. Many of the members are currently in a winter share, comprised of storage vegetables like beets, celeriac, carrots and cabbage. It is amazing to have the opportunity to buy local and in season in the winter, but the real challenge is finding unique ways through 25 pounds of 5 or 6 kinds of vegetables! So when this friend mentioned she was making wontons, without asking what she put in them, my mind was working and I knew they were too good to pass up. Off I ran to pick up some no-hassle wonton wrappers.

These days, wonton wrappers are available in many specialty supermarkets in the refrigerated section. I go to Chinatown because they have a larger selection from various producers, as well as shapes (circular or square). For these wonton wrappers, I found a local New York City producer that only uses flour, water and eggs to make the noodle (no MSG or other hard to pronounce additives). In addition, I picked up a young ginger and some scallions to complete the flavor profile I was after.

While most supermarkets carry fresh ginger rhizomes (not roots), young ginger is harder to find, but well worth the effort. The taste is sweeter, less bitter and has less of an astringent bite compared to regular ginger. It is also less fibrous and can be slivered into soups or salads for an extra kick. Young ginger has a smoother skin and a pinkish hue (not to be fooled with the pickled ginger you get with your sushi). Regular ginger (non-powdered) you find in most supermarkets will work in this recipe.

I made these wontons with ground pork, but you can make them vegetarian or with beef just as tasty. For a first time go I think these turned out fabulous. 50 wonton wrappers come in (most) packs so as I made them I assembled them on a cookie sheet to freeze and store for later. Now, whenever D wants some wonton soup he boils these wontons for 10 minutes, adds a little miso paste and dried seawood and voila, instant hearty wonton soup!

This soup is totally no-hassle as long as you have a few key ingredients.

Instead of a chicken stock base (which would be equally delicious) I used organic red miso paste, available at most Asian markets and health stores. Miso paste is made from fermented rice, barley or most often, soybeans. 1-2 teaspoons per cup of water makes a great fast soup base, but you can also use it to pickle vegetables! Red miso paste has a stronger flavor than white (which is used in most miso soup at Japanese restaurants). It is great to have around for fast soups, but also because it seems to last forever. But again, chicken or vegetable stock would taste equally delicious.

When you buy miso paste, don’t forget to pick up some dried (or fresh) seaweed. Experiment with different types, some are better for sushi rolls, others are meant to be re-hydrated in soups or for salads. My local health store carries all sorts of Wikame Eden brand. One package has lasted as long as the miso! If you don’t like seaweed, try bok choi, or stir spinach or even lettuce in there before serving (hey, why not).

As for the wontons, I wanted to use some of my winter storage vegetables so this was a key ingredient. All the recipes I found for wontons contained a basic meat, ginger and garlic trio, most added some soy sauce. Play around and find a flavor combination that works for you.

Wonton Soup
Serving Size= 2. Active time= 5 minutes. Inactive time= 12 minutes.

• 6-8 wontons (see recipe below)
• 4 teaspoons miso paste (available at most Asian or health markets)
• 2 strands dried Wikame seaweed
• 1-2 scallions

1) Bring 4 cups unsalted water to a boil. While the water is coming up to temperature, prepare the bowls.
2) Slice scallion into 1/4 inch slivers and cut seaweed into 1 inch pieces. Divide the scallion and seaweed between the two bowls. Add 2 teaspoons miso paste to each bowl.
3) When water is boiling, remove 1/2 cup of the liquid and set aside. Add wontons to the boiling water, cover, and boil for 8-10 minutes. Divide the 1/2 cup liquid between the two bowls and use a spoon to help break down the miso paste. Make sure the seaweed is covered. Set aside.
4) When the wontons are done, divide them between the bowls and add the boiling water over top. Serve hot.

Pork and Vegetable Wontons
Serving Size= 50 wontons. Active time= 1 hour.
This was my first time making wontons and I found once I developed a rhythm I could stuff them a little plumper and work a littler faster. I followed a technique similar to the one in this YouTube video, but you can make them by a simple one fold method and not worry about getting fancy.

• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 celeriac, shredded
• 1/4 head of cabbage, shredded
• 4 scallions, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1 pound lean ground pork
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 3-4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons chili flakes (optional, or what you think is best)
• 50 wonton wrappers

1) Peel the celeriac and carrot and use a food processor to shred these and the cabbage. Transfer to a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mix the ingredients with your hands to evenly incorporate.
2) Assemble a cutting board in front of you, the wonton wrappers, a small dish of water and a cookie sheet (if you plan to freeze the wontons).
3) Assemble wontons: Place one wrapper on the cutting board. Dip your fingers in the water and rim the edges with a little water. Place one heaping teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper, fold in half once and push out the air and seal. Finish there, or push the center filling in slightly and fold two corners onto each other to form a sort of hat. Continue until all the wrappers are used, assembling them on a cookie sheet to freeze (eat remaining filling in a small burger!). Once the cookie sheet is filled, cover and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer storage bag for a tasty wonton treat (steamed or boiled) whenever you’re in a pinch for time!
Note:See the YouTube video link above for a step-by-step video of the process (not mine), but it is easier to visualize- sorry, I didn’t have additional un-porked hands to handle the camera!

I know, I know, more soup?! This one is almost entirely leftovers and maybe something you can make with those holiday leftovers of your own.

Soup is a great excuse to get rid of leftovers, as a way to move through vegetables before they go bad, as a quick fix when you don’t want to cook, when sick, for an easy work lunch, and more. It’s just so easy to make a big batch of soup and freeze it away for a cold day.

Our freezer is stockpiled with all sorts of soups: carrot ginger, coconut pumpkin, cauliflower and so many subtle variations of these I often don’t see a reason to post them (like butternut sage, broccoli or carrot parsnip). I recently started labeling the containers with masking tape, marking soup type and date made. It sounds totally neurotic, but when you have two single serving sizes and carrot ginger looks a lot like carrot parsnip, it makes a difference.

The best part of making soup is that it is so cheap to make a filling and delicious meal. I have many friends who purchase soups at stores or restaurants for lunch or dinner and I just have to laugh. I have one friend who calls local restaurants asking each one what kinds of soups they have until he finds one he likes. In the 30-45 minutes it took him to make those calls he could have made his own soup! I know, not everyone thinks he has the time to make soup (really, just 30 minutes), but when you’re dropping $6 or more for a small bowl of soup and know it really only costs about $10 for a 16-serving pot you would laugh too.

I should go into the soup business.

I made the above soup with Thanksgiving leftovers and froze it immediately because I could not eat another bite of turkey. I de-thawed it today for a quick lunch and thought it can just as easily be made with Christmas leftovers. (Especially easy if you served a turkey or chicken and still have the carcass to make a rich stock.) The kale was leftover from another dish, but can just as easily be leftover green beans, broccoli, spinach or Brussels sprouts. The broth looks so creamy because it is enhanced with leftover mashed potatoes. The overall result is a delicious soup that brings holiday cheer back to a bowl.

Tuscan Kale & Bean Soup
Serving Size= 8 servings. Prep/cook time= 20 minutes. Inactive time= 15 minutes.
3 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 leek or yellow onion
4-6 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons parsley (or combination of aromatics like sage, rosemary, basil, oregano)
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon salt
1 bunch, 2-3 cups packed, Tuscan kale (also called dinosaur kale or any leftover green vegetables)
4 roma tomatoes (optional) (can substitute 1 4 ounce can tomato paste)
1 can kidney beans, washed and drained
1 can butter beans, washed and drained
5 cups chicken or turkey broth and meat (if any is leftover), can substitute low-sodium boxed stock
leftover mashed potatoes (optional) can substitute heavy cream if desired

1) Warm olive oil in a stock pot on the stove top over medium-high heat. Slice onion thinly and add to pot. Saute 3-4 minutes. While warming, smash and chop garlic. Add to pot and saute 2 minutes more. Add dried parsley, bay leaf and salt.
2) Role 3-4 kale leaves at a time into cylinders and slice into 1/4 inch strips. Continue until all kale, including stems, are cut. Add to pot, saute until darkened and slightly wilted, 5 minutes.
3) Roughly chop tomatoes and add to pot along with washed and drained beans. Stir to incorporate.
4) Add broth and mashed potatoes. Stir to break potatoes into broth. Add water if too thick. Cover and bring contents to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Taste and season with salt/ pepper if needed. Serve with good crusty bread.

Want more soup recipes? Check out my most recent article in The Queens Chronicle, Brave the Winter Cold with Soup.

This is a soup for people who think they cannot make soup. It is also the soup for people who think they do not like cauliflower. This time of year, with its super dose of vitamin C, cauliflower is something you want to be eating to keep healthy.

The cauliflower base is so simple and the add-ons are endless. In this soup, I paired the base with a slightly unusual combination of beets and a sprinkle of nutmeg. The result is a surprisingly savory combination that looks fabulously festive. Together, it makes a great meal with some crusty bread, or a beautifully simple holiday starter. The best part is that it is so easy to put together, feeding yourself something healthy becomes one less thing to worry about.

Cauliflower Soup
Serving Size= 4-6 persons. Active time= 10 minutes. Inactive time=50 minutes (with beet)
2 medium-sized beets (optional)
1 head cauliflower
1/4 cup cream
2 teaspoons nutmeg
salt/ pepper to taste
parsley for garnish

1) Wash beets under cold water and slice greens off, leaving 1 inch attached to beet bulb (reserve beet greens for another use). Place whole beets in boiling salted water for 30-40 minutes, until a fork pierces beets easily. Under cold water, push the skin off the beet, if it is ready, it will fall off easily. Set aside.
2) In a medium-sized sauce pot, bring 4 cups fresh salted water to a boil. Wash cauliflower and slice off florets in 2-3 inch pieces. Cut any white stems into 2-3 inch pieces. Add cauliflower and stems to boiling water. Boil 4 minutes, until cauliflower is soft.
3) Use a slotted spoon to transfer cauliflower to a blender, filling the blender 3/4 full (you may have to blend in two rounds). Slowly add cauliflower cooking water to the blender, bringing it to half the level of the cauliflower. Add cream and nutmeg, blend until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4) Transfer to serving bowls. Drizzle with olive oil and add a dash of nutmeg. Slice beet if using and sprinkle over top along with chopped parsley.

When I was younger, I eagerly hacked up pumpkins for Halloween. If I took knife to flesh too early and the dear thing rotted, I would whittle away again. Those pumpkins would remain on our front porch until they deflated into sad puddles of mush (or the raccoons ate them).

Lately, I cannot bring myself to carve pumpkins. Shortly after I began this blog I found the most perfect of pumpkins. Enormous and ideally symmetrical, it sat on our dining room table for months. I could not bare to throw it out. Finally, no joke, in June, I decided it was no longer seasonal to host the pumpkin.

This year, I am proud to say I sliced and diced that little orange globe sooner than I thought I would be able to.

I eyed my little pumpkin, barely larger than a softball for a few weeks contemplating its end. I knew this little guy would only last a few servings. Whatever I made, it had to be good. Because the chill has finally hit the air, I had a craving for soup.

It is no secret I love soup. I like to make it in big batches and store it in single serving containers for a cold day. Soup, yes, that was easy, what flavors will marry pumpkin in a unique and delicious taste? Coconut!

I know, it’s sort of a bizarre jump to make. I was thinking roasted pumpkin and toasted rhymes and well, what is best toasted? Coconut. Naturally. It is also easier to make this jump knowing a can of coconut milk has been sitting idle in the cabinets.

The coconut in this soup is subtle, yet adds that certain unknown that baffles eaters. Just what is it? And why is there cilantro in this soup?! It would make the perfect addition to the Thanksgiving party and best of all it is super easy to make– and fast.

Coconut Pumpkin Soup
Serving size= 6. Active time= 10 minutes. Cook time= 15 minutes.
1 medium cooking pumpkin (other winter squash would work too: acorn, butternut)
1/2 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1/2 teaspoon curry powder (optional)
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1-15oz can coconut milk
salt/ pepper to taste
cilantro for garnish

1) Ready a food processor with a grater attachment. Slice the pumpkin into 1/4s, remove ends. Remove pulp, set aside to toast for a garnish. Use a vegetable peeler to remove skin and grate in food processor. Grate onion and garlic.
2) Heat butter or olive oil in a sauce pot over medium high heat. Once warm, add pumpkin, onion and garlic. Saute 5-7 minutes, until onions sweat and pumpkin darkens in color, stir occasionally. Add curry powder (if using) and salt.*
3) Add chicken or vegetable broth and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes. Using a blender, immersion or standing, puree the soup until a smooth, even texture is reached.
4) Salt and pepper to taste. Add chopped cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds as garnish.
*Note: While onions, garlic and pumpkin are warming, rinse and dry pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle w/ salt and shredded coconut (optional). Toast on medium-high two times in a toaster oven, until slightly browned.

I realize this salad sounds all too simple. It is a variation of the classic Greek Salad that has become all too common in our restaurant going (or home) lives. Just below the “house salad” we now often find the “Greek salad.”

The downfall I find with the Greek salad is it leaves me wanting more. The cucumbers fail to fill me and there are only so many tomatoes I can eat before the acid hits my stomach and turns me the wrong way. I realize many folks have their own versions of this clasic salad, but this is my simple take on it (rather, one of many simple takes on it).

I made this a few weeks ago when I was alone. D often objects to eating salad as a mid-day meal, complaining the energy doesn’t last. I was so captivated by this salad I decided to try it out on D the following day. I knew he would love it, but would it fill him for a day running around?
The result… You bet so. Not only was D satiated until dinner, he even made several exclamations about the flavor combinations (which are really nothing so unique).

The trick is in the bread. Homemade croutons are a must. For this salad I used old sourdough bread cut into “fingers,” brushed with olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt and pepper and toasted until golden. They are great to pick up and munch on between bites, or used to scoop up leftover cheese and olive oil. They work in any salad and act as a tasty filler.

This salad might sadly be the last viewing of fresh local tomatoes. If you hurry, your local market might still have some end-of-season tomatoes left, but they are fading fast.

Greek Adaptation Salad
Serving Size= 2 persons. Prep time= 10 min. Cook time=3 minutes.
2 slices old sourdough bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup green beans, picked and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 ripe tomato, sliced into 8 wedges
1/4 cup crumbled feta
Kalamata olives
Salt/ Pepper
Parsley

1) Brush sourdough with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Slice into 1 inch thick strips and toast until golden.
2) Blanch green beans in boiling water, 30 second to 1 minute, until darkened. Dredge in ice water.
3) Gently toss green beans with sliced tomato, chopped red pepper, crumbled feta, 1-2 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper.
4) Sprinkle with parsley and top with Kalamata olives. Arrange croutons around salad or sprinkled over top.
NOTE: Want to make this even more of a meal? Add 1 can washed and drained butter beans!