Potato Cheddar Soup with Fresh Dill

POTATO CHEDDAR SOUP WITH FRESH DILL

Soul-Nourishing Food: Jamaican Rice & Peas

Jamaican Rice & Peas

I've been working on this recipe for a while now, and I think it's finally ready to share. Adapted from The Real Jerk cookbook by Lily & Ed Pottinger, this version of Jamaican Rice & Peas is made with brown rice.

Brown rice is a natural cleanser for your body, and contains more nutrients and fibre than regular white rice. The cleaner we keep our bodies, the better they serve us on our journeys.

This recipe even carries my Jamaican husband's stamp of approval!

Jamaican Rice & Peas

4 cups water
1 19 oz can red kidney beans
1 400 ml can coconut milk
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 green onions, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper
3 cups uncooked, organic brown rice

Soak rice in cool water, changing water a few times until the rice is clean.

In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring water to boil. Add all ingredients except for the Scotch bonnet pepper and rice. Boil for 5 minutes. Add Scotch bonnet pepper and rice, and cook for 1 hour, covered, on lowest heat. After 1 hour, remove Scotch bonnet pepper and fluff rice with a fork.

Enjoy!

Aromatic Cream of Root Vegetable & Lentil Soup

Aromatic Cream of Root Vegetable & Lentil Soup

This weekend has blessed us with warm, sunny days - a rare pleasure for early November. I somehow managed to keep myself inside long enough to develop this incredible soup - modified from a recipe from the Holiday 2008 issue of Food & Drink - and I must say, it is absolutely fabulous.

I'll admit that I'm not a fan of parsnips, so was a little unsure of how they'd taste in this recipe. Mom used to cook parsnips to accompany roasts, but I never ate them as I didn't find their strong aroma very appealing. However, the sweetness of the sweet potato and cinnamon in this soup seem to welcome the sharpness of the parsnip, resulting in a wonderful balance. The addition of the lentils adds a dense creaminess and a hearty dose of protein.

Aromatic Cream of Root Vegetable & Lentil Soup

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
2 tbsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. celery seed
1/2 tsp. chili pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
2 c. sweet potato, peeled & chopped
2 c. Yukon Gold or red potato, peeled & chopped
1 1/2 c. parsnip, peeled & chopped
1 c. split red lentils
7-8 c. chicken or vegetable broth
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

In a large pot, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes; add garlic and spices (except bay leaf), stirring to toast for a minute.

Add sweet potato, potato and parsnip; stir. Add broth, lentils and bay leaf, stirring well. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cover. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very soft.

Discard bay leaf. Working in batches, puree soup in a blender or food processor until very smooth. Add more broth to loosen, if necessary. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

Reheat gently; do not boil. Ladle into soup bowls and enjoy.

Roasted Squash and Apple Puree

Pepper Squash

Sundays are sometimes a little melancholy, as they were comforting days at home when Dad watched football while Mom prepared a roast beef, pork or chicken dinner that perfumed the house all afternoon. As a kid, the side dishes were my favourite part of the meal. Freshly whipped potatoes, turnip mashed with butter and brown sugar, and little baby peas were frequent guests at our Sunday table.

In the spirit of old-fashioned Sunday dinners, I recently created this sweet and savoury side dish and served it for our Thanksgiving meal, to great accolades.

I was looking for something a little different for our holiday meal, and knowing we all love roasted squash as well as apple sauce, I decided I'd try to combine those flavours together. To our delight, it turned out beautifully. I made it a day in advance, and we had to hold ourselves back from devouring it.

I used pepper squash, but you could also use butternut or buttercup squash. I wouldn't recommend trying it with spaghetti squash, though. For the apples, I used Cortlands but you can also use Macintosh or any other good baking apple that will get soft when cooked. The first time I made this, I used a very hard apple (Fuji) which took longer to cook and a little more effort to puree, but it still tasted incredible.

Roasted Squash and Apple Puree

1 winter squash (pepper, butternut or buttercup), seeded, peeled and cubed
2 large apples, chopped
1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. brown sugar
2 1/2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. cream
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

To prepare squash:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil and rub with 1 tsp. olive oil.

Cut squash in half vertically and scrape out seeds and strings. Place cut side down on cutting board, and cut both halves in half again. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut off the peel (if using a pepper squash, cut the grooves off rather than trying to cut around them). Once peeled, slice each piece in thirds lengthwise, then chop the slices into cubes.

Place cubed squash on baking sheet and top with 1 tbsp. olive oil, 1/4 tsp. kosher salt and a good amount of freshly ground black pepper. Using your hands, toss well to coat the squash, then spread evenly on the baking sheet. Place in oven and cook 40-45 minutes (or until very soft), tossing well every 10 minutes. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, add 1 tbsp. butter and 1 tbsp. brown sugar, tossing well.

To prepare apples:

While squash is roasting, peel, core and chop the apples. Heat a saute pan and melt 1 1/2 tbsp. butter, 1 tbsp. brown sugar and a pinch of salt. Add apples and toss well in the butter mixture. Saute over medium heat for about 12-15 minutes, or until very soft. Set aside.

To make puree:

Place roasted squash and cooked apples in food processor or blender (or, if very soft, you can use a potato masher and whip well). Puree until creamy, adding cream one tablespoon at a time until smooth and silky. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To Serve:

Serve as a tasty, nutritious side dish with meat, poultry or fish. This dish can be made a day or two before serving, and reheated for 25-30 minutes in a 350 degree oven when needed.

African Peanut Soup

*Note: Recipe revised Nov. 21/09 to include 1/2 c split red lentils - a wonderful texture improvement plus added protein and nutrients.

Tomato soup has always been comfort food to me. When I was little, Mom used to make me tomato soup when I came home from school for lunch. She'd also give me a few crackers to crumble into the soup, and I can still feel the crunch of them as my fingers mushed them into my palms, their dusty bits adding a salty crunch to every mouthful of the tangy, sweet liquid. The very thought of it takes me right back to loving, happy memories of sitting with Mom on our couch, my feet dangling off the edge, eating from a TV tray and watching The Flintstones.

I was inspired to learn how to make this soup after ordering Moroccan Tomato soup a number of times at a local lunch spot. Their version was quite rich, so I looked at a variety of recipes and, after making some adaptations, I came up with a version that is healthy and hearty. You can add chunks of chicken breast to this soup, but be sure to remove them before pureeing. For vegetarians, the lentils and peanut butter provide good sources of protein.

This recipe is truly an homage to childhood lunch times with Mom. Imagine tomato soup and peanut butter all in the same mouthful...what better tribute to childhood could one ask for?

African Peanut Soup

2 medium onions, chopped
2 large red peppers, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, mashed
1-2 tbsp. vegetable oil
28 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
8 c. vegetable broth (or a mixture of vegetable and chicken broths)
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you like it hot)
1/2 c. uncooked basmati rice
1/2 c. red split lentils
2/3 c. crunchy peanut butter
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
Cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

In a large soup pot, saute onions, peppers and garlic in oil, salt & pepper until onions become translucent, stirring frequently.

Add the tomatoes and juice, broth, peppers and red pepper flakes, and rice. Simmer, partially covered, over low heat for 30 minutes. Add half the peanut butter, whisking until smooth. Remove from heat and bring to room temperature.

Puree half the soup in a blender or food processor. Add the pureed mixture to the rest of the soup and mix well. Reheat soup and add remainder of peanut butter, whisking until smooth. Adjust flavour with salt and pepper, if necessary.

To Serve:

Ladle soup into bowls and top with chopped cilantro.

Rutabaga Soup

Rutabaga

What a wonderful time of year to celebrate the harvest by making great soups.

After enjoying a fabulous hike along the Bruce Trail this past weekend, we picked up some wonderful local vegetables and headed to the kitchen to turn them into soups - Rutabaga, African Peanut, and Lentil (recipes for the latter two to be posted in coming days). Our freezer is now happily packed with healthy and delicious treats to last us a while.

This recipe came from my brother, and I have to confess, at first I didn't think I'd really enjoy soup made from rutabaga. How pleasantly surprised I was to savour this interesting flavour combination, made perfectly complete by a drizzle of maple syrup on the top of each serving! Everyone who tries this soup says they are surprised that it's actually delicious.

While this recipe calls for 1 cup of whipping cream, I don't use it because I find that it gets creamy and smooth enough by being pureed. However, it certainly is delicious with cream, if you don't mind the extra calories. I've also reduced the fat and added part olive oil, as the original recipe calls for 1/4 cup butter. You can easily omit the butter and use only olive oil, but the butter adds a nice flavour that we like.

Also, a word on sodium counts in prepared broth. I recommend checking the amount of sodium, and if available, try the low-sodium option and simply adjust the salt yourself. I was shocked by the sodium counts in the various vegetable broths, and was especially disappointed that the organic brands contained 38% of the recommended daily maximum amount of sodium per serving. If you have time and are so inclined, it's definitely worth making your own; otherwise, just choose the prepared options cautiously.

Rutabaga Soup

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
1 c. leeks, sliced and well cleaned
3 c. rutabaga, chopped (about 1 medium)
4 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 c. whipping cream (optional)
2 tbsp. maple syrup
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Saute leeks in olive oil and butter until slightly translucent. Do not brown. Add stock and rutabaga. Bring to boil. Reduce and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until the rutabaga is tender. Bring to room temperature and puree in blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To Serve:

Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle with maple syrup. Savour slowly...

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Hike from Southern Head to Hay's Point, Grand Manan, NB

What an incredible hike today from the lighthouse at Southern Head northwest to Hay's Point, considered "one of the jewels of the island", according to the trails guide. The trail took us close to the cliff tops and provided several breathtaking lookouts over steep cliffs plummeting to the rocky sea below.

Moving slightly inland at times, we were overwhelmed with the deep, sweet scent of woodsy balsam and pine. The guide recommends that the descent to Hay's Point (where you'll find a picnic table perched on the edge of a cliff) is definitely worth it, and they weren't kidding. We stopped there for a thermos of hot soup (recipe below), which we enjoyed while watching a chubby, slippery seal diving off a huge rock in search of food. The trip back up the steep slope was quite a challenge, and we were glad for the brisk breeze to cool us off when we reached the top.

This recipe is from my brother, Mike's, collection. It is a staple in our home, and I make large batches of it in the fall when squash is plentiful. It freezes very well. Today, I made a vegetarian version with good quality vegetable stock, and I was pleasantly surprised that it was just as tasty as the version made with chicken stock.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

1 medium butternut squash
1 c. leeks, cleaned well and sliced (you can also use yellow or vidalia onions)
1/2 c. sliced carrots
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
6 c. vegetable or chicken stock
1 bay leaf
salt
freshly ground pepper

To roast the squash: Preheat oven to 400F. Wash the squash well and cut in half lengthwise, scooping out the seeds. Rub cut sides with olive oil and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper. Place cut side down on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until fork tender. Remove from oven and allow to come to room temperature.

To prepare the soup: In a large pot, heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add leeks and carrots, and saute until leeks are translucent. Don't allow to brown. Add stock, bay leaf and good amount of ground pepper to taste. Bring to boil. Scoop baked squash out of skin and add to soup. Discard skins. Cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and bring to room temperature.

Remove bay leaf. Working in batches, puree soup in a blender or food processor until smooth and creamy. Add more stock if too thick. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.

To Serve:

Heat gently over low-medium heat. Do not boil. Serve in bowls or mugs.

Asian Stirfry with Glazed Tofu & Gingery Peanut Sauce

Mom loved to try new and "exotic" recipes. A favourite pastime growing up was to watch cooking shows together. Amazing pioneers like Julia Child demonstrated how to prepare simple and beautiful food, while Mom sat with pen and paper in hand, quickly jotting down as much as she could so she could try the recipe (or some version of it) later. When my brothers (who are much older than me) started to bring home new recipes from school, she'd delight in them preparing them for us. Many of those recipes became (and remain) staples in our family.

This probably explains why I've always felt at ease trying new recipes. I don't worry much about the results, and instead enjoy the adventure...it's a joy to cook with wild abandon!

So tonight, I pieced together a few recipes and came up with this delicious and healthy meal.

First, let me begin by saying my husband hates tofu. He was not happy to hear my vision for tonight's dinner, but I asked him to trust me. The result? He loved it and went back for seconds. However, I think it's important to say that tofu-haters could easily substitute chicken in this recipe.

Asian Stirfry with Glazed Tofu & Gingery Peanut Sauce

1/2 package extra-firm tofu
1 package brown rice vermicelli
4 green onions
1 bunch fresh asparagus
1/4 c. fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 package prepared coleslaw mix (vegetables only - no dressing)
6 tbsp. rice vinegar
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
5 tbsp. peanut butter
3 tbsp. soy sauce
3 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. minced, peeled ginger
1 1/2 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. chili flakes

To prepare tofu, remove from package, wrap in a clean tea towel and place a heavy pot on top. Leave for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare sauce as follows: In blender or food processor, mince ginger and garlic. Add rice vinegar, oil, soy sauce, brown sugar and chili flakes, and blend. Add peanut butter and blend until smooth. Add about 1 tbsp. water to thin, if necessary.

Cut tofu in small dice, place in a small bowl and pour some of the sauce over top, mixing well. Allow tofu to marinade while you prepare the vegetables.

Bring a large pot of water to boil and add vermicelli. Cook according to package directions, usually about 5 minutes.

While noodles are cooking, heat non-stick frying pan till quite hot. Add tofu and allow to brown a little on each side. Be careful because it will burn easily. Add onions, asparagus and coleslaw mix, stirring well. Add mint near the end, and save a bit for garnish. Add sauce, reserving some to toss with the noodles and some to serve with the meal. Drain noodles well and toss with some of the sauce.

To Serve:
Place a serving of noodles on a plate or in a pasta bowl. Heap stirfry on top of noodles, and drizzle with the extra sauce (put some sauce in a small bowl on the table so you can add more while eating, if you wish). Garnish with remaining chopped mint. This makes about 4 servings.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

There was something magical about summer time meals when I was a kid, especially Mom's cold suppers. They would most often include her delicious potato salad, crispy yum-yum pickles, sliced baked ham, devilled eggs dusted with paprika, and soft white dinner rolls. Mom would also slice a couple of juicy, ripe tomatoes and cucumbers, and arrange them artfully on a pretty plate. I still have the now-thread-bare red & white gingham tablecloth that she would spread out for cold suppers. She truly defined the artful elegance of simplicity.

Though not a family recipe, this Roasted Sweet Potato salad is an homage to Mom's cold summer suppers. I think this one is appropriate for these golden-tinged end of summer afternoons that bathe my kitchen in a warm orange glow around dinner time. I love the burnished colour and caramelized flavour of the roasted bits of sweet potato in this salad. It's even better the next day, so try to save some to pack for your lunch.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
(Adapted from The Garden-Fresh Vegetable Cookbook by Andrea Chesman)

Vinaigrette:
1 tbsp. chopped ginger
1 clove garlic
1/4 c. lime juice
3 tbsp. vegetable oil (not olive)
1 tbsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. light soy sauce
1 tsp. granulated sugar
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

Salad:
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled & cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
1 red pepper (or 1/2 red and 1/2 orange or yellow), cut in 1/2 inch pieces
4 green onions, sliced diagonally
1/4 c. fresh cilantro or basil, chopped

For vinaigrette, chop ginger and garlic in blender or mini food processor. Add lime juice, oils, soy sauce and sugar. Blend well, adding salt and pepper to taste at the end. Set aside.

For salad, toss sweet potatoes, oil, salt and pepper on a large baking sheet. Roast in a preheated 500F oven for 15 minutes, shaking the pan now and then to prevent sticking.

Transfer sweet potatoes to a large bowl, adding peppers, onions and fresh herbs. Pour vinaigrette over top and toss gently. Cool to room temperature and serve, or refrigerate.

Makes 4-6 servings.

To Serve:
Enjoy this colourful and healthy salad as part of a cold supper, or pack it in a container and take it to work for lunch. At lunch time, take out a beautiful tea towel and spread it over your desk or your lap, open your container and take out a fork that you've brought from home (no plastic forks for this special salad). Savour each bite of this nutritious meal, whilst being the envy of your colleagues. Pour a frosty glass of water, squeeze in a little fresh lime and sip it with your salad. Take your time returning to work, with your tummy satisfied and your soul nourished.