Category: Soup

Homecoming Soup

October 11, 2010

My husband Randy has traveled for work ever since I have known him.  When we first met, his trips were few and far between and I was grateful for that.  When we moved to London, work trips were much more common which I was also grateful for because I got to go along to places like Paris, Tallinn, Stockholm, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Tel Aviv.  These days he is traveling more than ever before and I’m not grateful at all.  Just in the last six months he has gone to New York 5 times, Dallas, Atlanta, London and Dublin, San Francisco 3 times, Cannes and Paris, Chicago, Cincinnati, and D.C.   Over the summer, he traveled for 9 weeks in a row.

Having him gone is hard on our family.  The boys don’t understand why Daddy is on an airplane again.  Running the household and caring for the boys falls squarely on my shoulders.  I miss him when he is gone.  I try to keep busy with friends and family but it does get lonely.  The travel is hard on him too.  I think in the very beginning it seemed exciting to him.  Going to interesting cities, meeting interesting people, sleeping in a different hotel room each time – 10 years ago that was all cool.  Now it’s a lot of jet lag, sleepless nights in strange beds, delays in airports, and unhealthy food.

Randy is lucky in that he is going to dynamic cities with terrific restaurants.  But the fact remains that eating out all the time is not very healthy.  Just as I crave steamed broccoli and salad whenever I come home from vacation, Randy craves my food.  Clean, healthy, low in fat, and seasonal.  I am always happy to cook for him but never more so than when we are reunited after a long trip.  I usually don’t put that much effort into cooking when he is gone and I am happy to get back to the dinners we enjoy together and the time spent in front of the stove.

I came up with this soup after a trip the farmers market revealed that we are once again in fresh bean season.  I treasure this very fleeting time in the produce world.  There are several farmers that have beans in their pods at their stalls, but my very favorite one sells boxes of fresh beans already shelled.  What are they?  These are the beans that most of the year we all buy dried – or even canned.  Here they are fresh.  Actually, the ones that I like best, the cranberry bean, is very hard to find dried and basically impossible to find canned.  The fresh ones still need to be cooked, but there is not pre-soak required and they cook up in about 20 minutes instead of the 1-2 hours required by most dried beans.

In addition to the convenience and less time on the stove, the flavor and texture is unlike any dried bean you will ever encounter.  They are incredibly plump with a delectable creaminess and a subtle earthy flavor.  I often find beans to just be starchy but that word doesn’t even come to mind with the fresh beauties.  We only have them in our markets for a month or so, but each year I buy a lot of them and store them in my freezer.  They can be added to things like soup or stew without even being thawed which makes them incredibly useful.  If you aren’t able to get your hands on some of these beauties, feel free to your favorite canned or dried bean for this simple, rustic, and hearty homecoming soup.

One Year Ago:  Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Arugula
Two Years Ago:  Quick Olive and Cheese Bread

Cranberry Bean Soup with Farro and Fresh Tomatoes
Dana Treat Original
Serves 4

If you are going to use dried beans, I would cook them first and add them as directed in the recipe below.  If you are going to use canned beans, I would add them about 10 minutes before you are going to serve the soup so they don’t get too mushy.  A cannelini or other white bean would make a fine substitute.  I like my soup very thick but if you like yours brothier, add another cup or so of water.

Olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium carrots, cut in half lengthwise and sliced
1 large celery stalk, diced
12 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves
½ tsp. smoked paprika
½ pint of cherry tomates, halved if large
1 bay leaf
1 cup farro
10 ounces fresh cranberry beans
5 cups water
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped parsley

Place a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan, then add the onions and a large pinch of salt.  Sauté until slightly softened, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic, carrots, and celery.  Sauté for about 6 minutes, until the carrots have lost their crunch, then sprinkle in the sage, thyme, and smoked paprika.  Stir for two minutes, then stir in the tomatoes.  Add the farro and cranberry beans.  Give it a good stir, then pour in the water.  Add another pinch of salt, a few grinds of pepper, and the bay leaf and turn up the heat to high until the mixture boils.

Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the beans are soft and the farro is cooked through but still retains a bite, about 20 minutes.  Stir in the parsley.  Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper to taste.


Category: Dana Treat Original,Soup,Super Healthy,Vegan
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Soup for a Hangover

September 14, 2010

(Note:  After I wrote about a corn pudding in my post about the Chard Tart, I got some email asking when I would be sharing that recipe.  It’s up now at Amazon Fresh.  Go check it out – it’s a new favorite!  Depending on when you read this, you may have to scroll down a bit on that page.)

Sometimes I have these moments when writing posts for my blog when I wonder, “Am I revealing too much here?”  A while ago, I wrote a post which included a story about drinking too much.  And here I am again with a suggestion for good food to eat when you have a hangover.  My last post was about the mixed emotions I have about my kids growing up and now a recipe that came after a night of overindulging.  Is that weird?

I know a lot of wonderful women, some mothers and some not, who love their beer/wine/cocktails.  I’m guessing if you stop by here often and have come to know a little about who I am, the fact that I love a good glass of wine or three will not be surprising to you.  Because I am vegetarian, because I really sincerely like healthy food, because I am in shape, and because I have a dedicated yoga practice, some people might assume that all I drink is vitamin water and freshly brewed tea.  But that is not the case.

Last Sunday night, I probably would have been fine if I had alternated vitamin water or freshly brewed tea with the I-lost-count-of-how-many-bottles of wine we had at our dinner party.  But I did not and I woke up feeling, um, not great.  I have kids who are really good sleepers but if there is one thing I can count on, it is that if I need them to sleep in a bit, they will wake up earlier than usual.  And then, they will need to be entertained.  And fed.  The nerve.

In this particular instance, Randy was worse off than I was, so I took the boys out of the house and attempted to run them in the rain.  This is a pretty standard activity for a weekend day but in this case, I was also trying to insure that they would take a nap.  As I revealed in my last drinking post, I tend to feel worse as the day wears on.  Last Monday was no exception.  I took comfort in the fact that I didn’t have to cook that night and could just lie still for a few hours while the boys napped.

But I happened to pick up my already much-loved copy of Plenty while on my back and without searching found this recipe for Tomato, Semolina, and Cilantro Soup.  Like most people, what I want to eat when I have a hangover is a huge plate of greasy eggs and hashbrowns.  With a side of Tabasco.  At the same time, when I have a hangover, I feel -well, puffy.  I want grease but I need something really healthy and light.  In this instance, because I felt particularly bad, I wanted something comforting.  I also wanted something to show for myself after wasting a perfectly good holiday (Labor Day) doing basically nothing.

I had everything on hand for this soup and it came together beautifully.  Now, to keep it from essentially tasting like savory Cream of Wheat (not that there is anything wrong with that), I added some texture with some small cooked pasta that I had in my refrigerator.  I prefer something to chew on in my soup so I loved the noodles in there.  I also thought chickpeas would be a great addition but opted to keep it simple and close to the original recipe.  The soup thickens as it sits so you will want to thin it with some water if you make it in advance.  I would also recommend seasoning repeatedly throughout the process because it needs a lot of salt.  After eating this soup and a salad for dinner and a good night’s sleep, I felt like a new person the next day.

One Year Ago: Nectarine and Mascarpone Tart in Gingersnap Crust
Two Years Ago: Chantarelle and Corn Risotto with Fresh Thyme and Basil

Tomato, Semolina, and Cilantro Soup
Adapted from Plenty
Serves 4-6

Olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely chopped
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 tsp. ground cumin
1½ tsp. sweet paprika
2 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
½ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 pound fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
6 cups water, plus more for thinning if necessary
1½ tbsp. sugar
1 cup semolina
1 cup cooked pasta
Juice of 1 lemon
Greek yogurt (for garnish)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Put a medium soup pot over medium heat.  Add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom and then add the onion and celery along with a good pinch of salt.  Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the coriander, cumin, paprika, thyme, and half the cilantro.  Sauté until the onion is golden and soft and the mixture is very fragrant, about another 5 minutes.  Add the tomato paste, another pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper, and the tomatoes; cook for another minute.  Pour in the water and sprinkle in the sugar and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 20 minutes.

Next, add the semolina to the simmering soup in a slow steady stream as you whisk vigorously.  Keep on cooking for 10 minutes whisking occasionally to avoid lumps.  Add the pasta and squeeze in the lemon juice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Before serving, add more water if the soup is too thick for your liking.  Ladle into bowls and spoon yogurt on top.  Garnish with the remaining cilantro.


Category: Quick and Easy,Soup,Vegan
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Fresh Pea Soup with Pea Jelly

July 12, 2010

Because I have so much food to share and because I haven’t posted many recipes lately, I am kicking off a week of posting everyday.  I also happen to have a husband out of town and a week with no food event in sight, so I have a few spare minutes to write and share.  If I don’t set the goal for myself, it will never happen.  So I hope you’re hungry!

Let’s start with pea soup, shall we?  My brother Michael is dating a young woman who I really like.  She happens to be a terrific photographer and she sold a photo to a magazine.  (Thankfully, she is not a food photographer – otherwise I would feel really embarrassed around her.)  She wanted to celebrate and offered to take him out to dinner.  She is a vegetarian and, rather than watching her suffer through yet another pasta or risotto in a restaurant, he suggested they come to my house.  Cute, right?  I was touched and planned a special menu.

I’ve been eying the recipe for these little pea squares ever since I bought Maria Elia’s The Modern Vegetarian.  If you want to make a special meal to impress, this is a terrific book to explore. Vegetarian cookbooks often fall into predictable patterns.  You will see a ratatouille, recipes using polenta, tians, pasta dishes.  Not this one.  How about Watermelon Curry with Black Beans and Paneer?  Or Fresh Borlotti Bean Cassoulet?  Every recipe is interesting and different.  Not a lot of quick and easy, but really special food.

High on my list of all time favorite foods in the entire world is fresh English peas – also called shelling peas.  One of my earliest food memories is opening up one of the pods and delighting in the peas’ green sweetness.  I have to tell you that is still how I like them best.  Just fresh, raw, and straight out of the pod.  I do occasionally use them in small batches barely cooked. An example would be added to a risotto or a spring vegetable stew at the last minute, just enough to soften them the slightest bit.  But I would never use them in a soup for several reasons.  (You may be nodding your head and saying, “Yes, let’s get on with it Dana”, in which case skip ahead.)

They are expensive for the yield.  The cheapest I ever see these guys is about $3 a pound and sometimes as high as $6.  A pound of English peas includes the pods so you need to buy 2-3 pounds to get 1 pound of actual peas.  Not cost effective for soup.

They take a lot of time to prepare. For something that takes less than a minute to cook, they are a lot of work to shell.  It is easy and meditative work to do, but still.

They aren’t as tasty as frozen. Now don’t cry blasphemy!  A fresh and perfect pea is about as good as it gets.  But so many of them are not perfect.  They have grown too big so the sugar has turned to starch and your gorgeous pea tastes a little like cardboard.  Those guys in the freezer section are flash frozen right after picking so they are almost all sweet.

I always have bags of peas in my freezer and they are definitely what work best in this soup. Ivermectin for sale   I’ve made other versions of fresh pea soup before and really it’s hard to go wrong.  You add a bit of onion, some stock and some herbs, but otherwise you just allow the pure flavor of peas to come through.  This recipe has the ingenious idea to hold back some of the peas until just before pureeing so the soup doesn’t go all split pea color on you.  It stays nice and green.  Love little ideas like that.

Elia calls these Pea Jelly and I think they are sheer genius.  They are very easy to make and look pretty spectacular against this soup, or anything else come to think of it.  Next time, I will make them in a smaller and deeper container so they are even more cube-like for better visual appeal.  So often fancy garnishes disappoint in the taste department but not this one.  It is the pure essense of peas and tarragon – a wonderful combination.  I served the soup with these and then promptly ate every speck of leftover.

One last note.  I’m a bit Goldilocks when it comes to pea soup.  Too cold and the delicate flavor gets totally muted.  Too hot and we go dangerously into split pea soup territory.  I like mine just right, which is to say cool room temperature.

One Year Ago: Vietnamese Tofu Sandwiches

Pea, Basil, and Mint Soup
Adapted from The Modern Vegetarian
Serves 4

If you have an opened bag of really old peas in your freezer, don’t use those.  Do yourself a favor and buy a fresh bag. There is no need to thaw them before using.

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 small yellow or white onion, peeled, finely chopped
18 oz. frozen petit pois peas
2½ cups water
Leaves of half a small bunch of mint
Leaves of a small bunch of basil
Pinch of sugar
1 tsp. salt

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan.  Add the onion and sauté until softened and translucent.  Add two-thirds of the peas, the water, half the mint and basil, the sugar, and the salt.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes or until the peas are tender.

Put the soup in a blender in batches, adding the remaining peas and herbs, and blend to a smooth purée.  Adjust the seasoning to taste.  (DT: I wouldn’t make this soup too far ahead of serving time so it keeps the color.  Just enough to allow it cool is probably good.  Also, it is quite thick.  If you like thinner soup, thin it with water.)

Pea Jelly

You can find agar agar in natural food stores of Whole Foods.

2/3 cup water
Pinch of salt
4 oz. frozen shelled peas
1 tbsp. butter
1 small shallot, finely diced
2 tbsp. chopped tarragon
4 tsp. cream
½ tsp. agar agar powder or 1 tsp. agar agar flakes
Salt and pepper

Bring the water to a boil, add a pinch of salt and cook the peas until tender.  Drain the peas, reserving the cooking liquid.

Heat the butter in a small pan, add the shallot and cook until softened and translucent.  Add the peas, tarragon, and cream and simmer for 4 minutes.

Measure the reserved cooking liquid and make it up to 2/3 cup, if necessary, with water.  Return the cooking liquid to the heat, whisk in the agar agar and simmer for 2 minutes.  Pour the two mixtures into a blender and blend until smooth.  Pass through a sieve and season with salt and pepper.

Pour into a shallow plastic container and let cool before refrigerating.  Refrigerate until set (about 1 hour), then cut into cubes and serve with the soup.


Category: Quick and Easy,Seasonal,Soup
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The Short List

June 13, 2010

Most people who cook have some kind of short list.  Those go-to recipes that require very little thought, contain ingredients you either have on hand or that can be easily procured from any grocery store, and that taste delicious.  Those are precious recipes indeed and I need a few more in my arsenal.

For now, this Jamie Oliver dish is at the top of my short list which, if I haven’t made it clear, is very short.  No matter – I love this recipe.  I always have onions and garlic plus many cans of chickpeas, almost always have celery, and I have rosemary growing in my yard.  Give me half an hour and I will give you something healthy, appealing to most people, satisfying, and very tasty.  It is also a very forgiving dish so you can either eat it right away or allow it to sit for a bit with the flavor only improving.

The method is simple.  The onions and garlic get sautéed together in a bit of olive oil along with the rosemary, which immediately makes your kitchen smell wonderful.  The chickpeas are next in the pot along with the broth and after those have cooked for a bit, half of the chickpeas are scooped out and reserved while the goodness in the pot gets a quick purée with an immersion blender.  After everything is reunited in the pot, in goes the pasta.  As soon it is tender, you are ready for dinner.  Add some fresh herbs on top (which I always seem to have some remnant of in my crisper drawer) and you have a rich and creamy tasting (but very healthy) meal.

I change this up a bit from the original recipe by adding some red pepper flakes for a bit of heat, and I also add more pasta and broth.  I always seem to need even more broth as the cooking process happens and you can add even more than that if you want the dish to be more saucy.  I don’t think it is possible to screw up this dish, so do what you like.  You will see my changes in the recipe below.  If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a food processor instead – just be careful with the hot stuff!

What is on your short list?

One Year Ago: Chilled Avocado Soup
Two Years Ago: Ina Garten’s Outrageous Brownies

Pasta e Ceci (Pasta with Chickpeas)
Adapted from Jamie’s Italy
Serves 4

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 stick of celery, trimmed and finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
Olive oil
1 sprig of rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
2 14-oz. cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 cups vegetable stock
5 ounces ditalini or other small pasta (such as orzo)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Small handful of fresh basil or parsley leaves, picked and torn

Place a large skillet over medium heat and then pour in just enough olive oil to coat the bottom.  Add the onion and celery and sauté just until tender, about 6 minutes.  Add the garlic, rosemary, and red pepper flakes.  Sauté for 2 minutes, then add the chickpeas and the stock.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer and allow to cook just until the chickpeas are heated through, about 5 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, remove half of the chickpeas and set them aside.

Purée the soup in the pan with a handheld immersion blender.  Add the reserved whole chickpeas and the pasta, season the soup with salt and pepper, and simmer gently until the chickpeas are very tender and the pasta is cooked, about 10  minutes.  Add more liquid as necessary.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with torn basil or parsley.


Category: Beans,My Favorites,Pasta,Soup,Vegan
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What Randy Doesn’t Like

March 17, 2010

IMG_4912

As I have mentioned here before, we refer to my husband Randy as a “geographical vegetarian”.  In other words, he is a meat-eater who eats veg at home because his wife, the cook in the family, is vegetarian.  I am fortunate to have a husband who is not picky and is an adventurous eater, and who does not subscribe to the theory that all meals have to have a “protein”.  But there are a few things that Randy does not like.  His old list (pre-me) looked like this:

Beets
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage (in spite of the fact that he loves coleslaw and sauerkraut)
Coffee
Lentils
Peas
Split peas
Toffee

Not too bad, huh?  I have since introduced him to the glories thinly sliced brussels sprouts, red lentils, fresh English peas and this soup which has lots of cabbage.  I also helped him realize that he only thought he didn’t like toffee because it rhymes with coffee (read the story here).  He has mostly been converted with the exception of beets and coffee.  (Yes, we live in Seattle.  I know, I know.)

The other night I decided to press my luck and make a split pea soup.  He has always told me that he hates split pea soup, but I got sneaky and used a recipe from my new Clean Food book which stars yellow split peas.  I didn’t try and pull a fast one on him, I told him exactly what it was, but the yellow color made him willing to try it.  I’m happy that I took a chance.  He really liked this soup as did I.  And so did Graham, he ate a whole bowlful without trying to put it in his shoes.  (Name that story reference.)

One Year Ago: Peanut Brittle and Caramel Crunch Ice Cream Pie and Homemade Peanut Brittle
Note: There are a few must-makes on this site.  That ice cream pie is one of them.

Golden Split Pea Soup
Adapted from Clean Food
Serves 8

This soup is very quick to put together but it has to simmer a long time on the stove.  You can easily make it a day ahead and the flavor will improve (like most soups).  It will become quite thick, so thin with water as necessary.  I halved this recipe.

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 stalks celery, diced
4 carrots, diced
2 cups chopped tomatoes
1 potato, peeled and diced
¼ cup mirin
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. powdered mustard
4 cups golden split peas
10 cups water
½ tsp.salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf

In a large soup pot over medium heat, sauté onion over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté for another minute or so.  Add carrots and celery and sauté for 3 minutes, then add the tomatoes, potato, mirin, vinegar, and mustard and stir to combine.  Add the split peas and the rest of the ingredients.  Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat.  Simmer for at least 4 hours, adding water as necessary to thin.  Remove bay leaf before serving.


Category: Soup,Vegan
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