Scrumptious Street

Bring on the soup!

My nose was cold.  Really cold.  And, I had to pull out the woolen scarf and gloves from their back-of-the-closet niche.  My light coat was not quite warm enough and my usually fast walking pace clicked up to nearly a jog in order to keep warm.  And there was a wide, beaming, splitting grin on my face.  That snap in the air didn't yet end in tufts of white breath coming from my mouth but soon, very soon.   And I love it.  Why?  SOUP!

Yes, I do make soup all year long; light soup, chilled soup, stew, chili-soup, cream soup, thick rich soup, decadent soup and elegant soup.  But this moment of the year, on the verge of moving into the hearty comfort soups and stews but still using fresh autumnal ingredients is really fun for me and my love of soup.  Ever the experimenter I like challenging myself.  I often start with a premise, like "soups with barley are bland" or "I like creamy soups better than broth-based soups" and then try to blow my own premise apart.  It's so much fun.  This is exactly what I did recently, when I was walking home, daring myself to create.  And yes, these two particular premises are ones that I have voiced often enough.  I made a barley and vegetable soup with a broth base and it ROCKED.  Paraphrasing the words of my favorite author, "Contradictions do not exist. Whenever you think that you are facing a contradiction, check your premises..."  It's so wonderful to create something that challenges my own opinions and challenges even meat-lovers' opinions of what can be scrumptious.

Welcome to my "Barley and Vegetable Soup with Herbs and Lemon."

Ingredients:

Serves 2

1/3 c. pearled barley
3 1/2 - 4 c. vegetable stock
1 bright green bay leaf (optional)
1 very tender celery stalk from the heart, finely chopped
1 fresh carrot, finely chopped
1 small leek, washed, trimmed and sliced
1/2 c. fresh green peas, or frozen
4 fresh sage leaves
1 c. fresh chopped shiitake or cremini mushrooms, caps only
1/2 cup water
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 fresh lemon

Method:
Add the stock to a large saucepan and set on medium-high heat on stovetop.  Add in the barley and bay leaf, if desired, bring to a low boil.  Boil the barley about 40 minutes, until tender but slightly al dente like pasta.  Add remaining ingredients except the lemon.   Stir thoroughly and when the vegetables have all become tender and the barley is fully cooked, about 5-6 mintues, the soup is ready.  Squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon over the soup and stir to incorporate.  Remove from the stovetop and ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with fresh herbs and serve with hearty crusty bread.

South African Butternut Squash Soup (with roasted banana!! and curry!!)

The Republic of South Africa is an endlessly fascinating land.  Its history, culture, people and topography are incredibly diverse and to me, very special.  In the mid 17th century, the Dutch East India company established a trading post in South Africa.  This post was directly in the "Spice Route" and served and replenished sailors between Europe and Asia.  The Dutch contributed their love of meat and desserts, the Dutch's Muslim slaves cooked with delicious spices and slow-cooked methods, the French Hugenots brought with them a passion for wine, the Portguese brought chilis, piri-piri and a way with fish and seafood, the British contributed their pies and puddings, the German settlers brought the craft and love of sausages and the Indian laborers brought their variety of curries and delicacies.   What I like most about cooking in South Africa is that the best "regional" dishes represent a very diverse fusion of flavors, often from at least two continents.  The people have a penchant for that sweet-n-sour combination, but also really have a palate for spices and curries.  Many of the best chefs and home cooks in South Africa are still following those bold traditions today.

A couple of years ago, my mother clipped out an article from her local newspaper and sent it to me in the mail, knowing how much we love South African cooking at Scrumptious Street. (I'm sorry if you followed that link, it's is truly one of the worst websites I have ever seen). She has been sending me newspaper articles for years and I always feel happy and nostalgic opening a letter from her that contains a note and a folded up clipping.  This particular clipping, had a recipe from Executive Chef Grant Cullingworth at Table Bay Hotel, in Cape Town. This soup is RIGHT in the heart of the cooking we love at Scrumptious Street.  I made the soup, and it is spectacular and deemed "our favorite".   Matter of fact, here is a photo I took of Mr. Scrumptious enjoying the soup to the very last drop! Yes,
he is licking the bowl.

I've adapted and embellished a bit over the past two years, but this credit all goes to Chef Cullingworth.  Here is the way I am making the Butternut Squash and Roasted Banana Curried Soup these days.  For those of you at last weekend's NYC Food Blogger's party, I tripled this recipe. 

Ingredients:
Serves 6 - 8

1 butternut squash, cleaned, peeled and diced
2 T. dark brown molasses sugar or dark brown sugar
2 T. honey
4 T. unsalted butter
1 ripe banana, unpeeled
½ medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. medium hot curry powder
½ tsp. ground coriander seeds
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. coconut milk
1 c. chicken or vegetable stock, plus extra
juice of 1 lime
kosher salt and freshly group black pepper to taste
garnish: fresh cilantro, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin oil

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sprinkle diced squash with brown sugar, honey and 2 tablespoons butter and roast in 350-degree oven until caramelized and soft to the touch, about 20 minutes; roast the unpeeled banana in the oven at the same time.

Melt the other 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan on medium-low heat and sweat the onion, celery and carrot for a few minutes until tender and onion is transluscent. Add the garlic, curry powder, coriander, nutmeg and cinnamon and cook slowly for a few more minutes.

Remove the banana from its skin, slice and add it with the butternut and its juices to the pan, along with the coconut milk and chicken (or veggie) broth. Simmer until hot. Remove from heat and ladle the soup into blender in small batches.  Blend the soup in a blender until smooth.  Adjust to consistency desired with more broth, if necessary.  Add fresh cilantro, lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.  Blend again until smooth and if you want a very delicate soup, pass the soup through a chinois or household strainer using a rubber spatula to press the soup through the strainer.

The soup should be served hot, so return to stovetop and gently reheat if necessary.  Pour soup into bowls and garnish with a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil, a few toasted pumpkin seeds and a sprig of fresh cilantro.

Smaaklike ete!

To Roast or Not to Roast (Beets)

I am of the mindset that beets should always be roasted.  They are an incredible ingredient that can take on many variations and absorb myriad flavors while emitting their own.  However, after I roasted my first beet, I never have gone back to boiling them like my mother used to.  Not a criticism on her preparation, but a knowledge about a method that once gained, I could never again shun.  I tried a recipe this weekend that was an incredible beet and chipotle soup from "Cooking with Cafe Pasquale" by Katharine Kagel.  (Great book from one of Sante Fe's premier chefs and her restaurant...)

This recipe was enough to make me pause to consider my hardline philosophy, but not quite alter it.  I loved this soup, it was amazing and fantastic and so full of flavor and depth and vibrant color and intense surprises to the palate.  But, I can't help but wonder if it wouldn't have been even more mind-blowing had the red beets been roasted in the oven instead of simmered.  Granted, they weren't boiled, they were slow-cooked/simmered for an hour in red wine, chicken stock and water so they were anything but bland.  And, all the of cooking liquid was reserved and used as the soup base.  However, the beets didn't produce that plush sugary undertone that roasting creates.  Here's the way the recipe goes...

Ingredients:
Serves 4 to 6

  2 pounds whole beets
  1   1/2 cups chicken stock
  1 cup full-bodied red wine
  6 cups water
  1/4 cup unsalted butter
  1 white onion, coarsely chopped
  1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  1/2 cup sour cream, plus 1/4 cup for garnish
  2 chipotle chiles en adobo
Fresh chives, snipped fine, for garnish

Method:
Trim the leaves from the beets, leaving 1 inch of the stem and the entire root intact. Put the beets, stock, and wine into a large soup pot, and add the water. The liquid should cover the beets by at least 1 inch. Bring to a boil and let simmer, covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Fork-test the beets for tenderness before removing them from the pot.

Remove the beets with a slotted spoon, and reserve the cooking liquid in the soup pot. When the beets have cooled enough to handle, peel them and remove the stems and roots. Cut up a 1/2 cup of 1/2-inch diced beets for garnish and set aside. Coarsely chop the remaining beets and set aside.

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, and when it is melted, add the onion and brown sugar. Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the onions, coarsely chopped beets, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, 1/2 cup sour cream, and chiles en adobo to the beet liquid in the soup pot.

Whirl everything in the container of a blender until smooth, in batches if need be.

The soup can be served hot or cold; if cold, chill it in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 6 hours. Garnish with the reserved beets and 1 tablespoon of sour cream, then garnish with chives.

Just a note: I served this hot.... This soup was loaded with spice and tang so I'm thinking a little more natural sweetness would have been over-the-top.  Any beet lovers out there want to try this recipe and let me know your thoughts? 

P.S.  Yes, it really was a gorgeous shade of magenta.  Matter of fact, I couldn't get my camera to re-produce the color exactly right.  It was truly HOT PINK.