red pepper pear parsnip soup
March 7, 2010
It’s a good day. Andrew and I saw 3 Eastern Bluebirds which are quite rare in these parts. I have been hankering to see bluebirds up close since we bought our farm in the county 7 years ago. And today, 3!!! Right on our front terrace. What that has to do with this soup I’m not too sure but this has to be my all-time fav. Bekah’s too. I’ve been waiting for a special day to share it with you and, I guess because of the bluebirds, today is that special day. So here it is. One of the best soups ever.
6 tbsps olive oil
5 sweet peppers, seeded and diced (the original recipe calls for roasted peppers, skinned and diced, but I never do that)
3 shallots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 ripe pears, skinned, seeded, and diced
2 pounds parsnips, peeled and chopped
6 cups veggie stock
sea salt and pepper
1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan. Saute peppers, shallots, garlic and pears over medium-high heat.
2. Add parsnips and stock.
3. Bring to a boil and let simmer until parsnips are tender.
4. Let cool slightly. Puree until smooth.
5. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste.
6. Garnish with fresh herbs and serve immediately.
From the Martha Stewart empire.
miso soup
March 2, 2010
This is from my dear friend Emily McInnes who just started Eye Buy Art – a new online art gallery representing young photographers from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Check it out. It’s fabulous!! (Not only do you learn about food here but have a platform to buy awesome art. Make beauty necessary. Make necessity beautiful.) Anyhow, she loves miso soup and, having experienced it myself, it’s great. Here’s what she has to say about making miso soup de jour:
– boil water (add crushed ginger if you feel like it – oftentimes I’m too lazy)
– add cubed tofu, dark fresh greens, Asian greens, carrot, corn niblets, mushrooms (dried or otherwise) – whatever your heart desires
– OPTIONAL: add vermicelli (thin rice noodles) or any kind of noodle if you want (i.e. dried ramen)
– once the above has been steamed slightly – add in a good dollop of miso, a good 2 hearty scoops for a soup that serves 2
(if your soup is lacking in flavour then it could be that you just didn’t add enough, or the miso you bought is a boring variety?)
– fix this by adding a sweep of tamari or soy-like sauce (I like Bragg’s)
– if you’re feeling experimental you can add a little dash of rice wine vinegar
– cook until miso is dissolved (NB: I read that you shouldn’t let your soup, with miso added, come to a boil. Keep it just under a boil.)
And then:
– add fresh chopped onion on top
– fresh cilantro or parsley is nice
– sprouts (the ones in the photo are from Kind Organics who were at the Brickworks Farmers’ Market on Saturday)
– shredded seaweed (yum!)
– shake some gomashio (sesame seeds – I like black ones) on top
– drizzle a tiny TINY amount of sesame oil on top (optional – it’s strong)
VOILA!
Make up your own soup. I think I’ve never made the same one twice!
potato leek soup
January 16, 2010
I just made this soup on Sunday – a merger between two beautiful potato leek soup recipes. The kids love it and it’s fantastic on a cold winter’s night. Great with a little crostini floating on an ocean of flavour. And the non-vegan boys in the house love it sprinkled with a little crispy crumbled bacon. As with any good soup recipe, you might as well make a huge batch and keep some in the freezer for a rainy day.
10 medium leeks
olive oil
sea salt
8 cups veggie stock
1 stalk celery
a few sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
1 small bunch rosemary
2 cloves garlic
1 pd yellow potatoes
white wine vinegar
sea salt and pepper to taste
a few sprigs parsley
Clean leeks. Cut in half lengthwise and slice thinly. Heat olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot. Add leeks and cook until just tender – they should still be slightly crunchy and bright green. Salt to taste. Add veggie stock along with minced garlic and a bouquet garni made of thyme, celery, bay leaf, rosemary, salt and pepper. Add potatoes, cut into small cubes.
Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Cook until veggies are tender but not falling apart. Puree in a food processor or blender. Season to taste with about 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar and more salt if necessary. Serve hot garnished with a little chopped parsley and a few grinds of the peppermill, and if you wish, with grilled or toasted slices of bread.
v:gourmet 
