Scraps Soup. 100 Days of Recipes: Day 6

Finishing up what was started last night, and a lovely, therapeutic morning puttering in the kitchen. Here's what became of my pot full of scraps:

I think I'll just call it "Scraps Soup", as I doubt it will ever be the same twice, and I think that may be what I like most about it! Because this is intended to be 100 days of recipes, here it is, more or less:

Scraps Soup

In my large stock pot, I tossed leftover scraps of cauliflower stalks, bits of sweet potatoes, onions, fennel bulb,and a few cloves of garlic. I covered it in some open containers of vegetable and chicken stock from the fridge, threw in a handful of crushed thyme leaves (dried out from last year's herb garden), a generous toss of salt, and several grinds of pepper.

That simmered, covered, on a med/low heat for several hours. That's probably not necessary, but I fell asleep watching a movie. Luckily there was enough liquid, and the heat was low enough, that it didn't dry up and burn off. I turned it off and left it to finish this morning, when I put it back on that heat to warm it while I scoured the kitchen for any more scraps. I found two little ends of fresh-but-drying-out turmeric and ginger, so they were grated into the pot along with a bit more salt after tasting. In the fridge, I found the leftovers of a small tin of chopped up mushrooms and truffles*- in they went. I picked up some ramps at my favorite tailgate market yesterday, and added the tender leaves to the pot as well.

As it heated up under cover again, I saute-ed the ramp bottoms with some trumpet mushrooms, also collected at the tailgate, in a bit of olive oil.

Once the goodness in the stock pot was heated again, I went at it with the immersion blender, melding all the good flavors into a velvety, thick soup. 

The result - a soul-warming soup base to hold the seasonal goodness of the ramp/mushroom saute. And plenty in jars, ready to nourish throughout the week!


*I love shopping at Hopey & Company! It's on my daily route, great selection of organic produce, lots of local products, and then the occasional, random find that pops up. The little tin of chopped truffles and mushrooms in oil was one such find - I grabbed it on a whim to top some of the sweet potato toasts at the annual meeting. The finishing flavor on this soup is a nice blend of the ramps, melting into a soft truffle sweetness. 

Soup, Part 1. 100 Days of Recipes: Day 5

I started today's recipe late, so it will finish tomorrow -  here's part 1:

Other than 'Soup' there is no name for this creation as of yet, but by the slow-simmering aroma wafting from the kitchen, I think it will be a good one! The ingredients are mostly the scraps from cooking earlier in the week: cauliflower stalks, bits of sweet potato, fennel bulb, onion, and stock. That's my starting point, tune in tomorrow and see what it becomes!

Recipe for Love and Happiness. 100 Days of Recipes: Day 4

Recipe for Love & Happiness

Easy recipe with long-lasting benefits. Go to a shelter or the pound, and get a dog. Be worthy of that dog, and grateful every day you have, because it's likely you'll have more days than the the dog will have with you. Stir up the unconditional love and joy every day, and if the time comes that you need to help your lovely companion over the Rainbow Bridge, let yourself simmer with that love as long as you can, and know that like every good recipe, the feeling you get in your soul when you create and or enjoy it, will be with you as long as you have memory.  

My sweet Gable. 2001-2017. 

"What we have once enjoyed, we can never lose.
All that we love deeply becomes a part of us."
 - Helen Keller

Baked Polenta with Ramps. 100 Days of Recipes: Day 3

Although I've been too busy to go forage in the woods or at the Tailgates, I'm starting to hear of the annual appearance of ramps, the distinctly delicious wild onion that once was a rare find, and now seems to be almost ubiquitous in markets and restaurants. Even so, it is a great marker of Spring, happily has not yet gotten to being in markets year-round.

And while Spring is coming and flowers and trees are blooming, the weather still has fun surprises in April. Day 1 of this Challenge was sunny and 70 degrees. Yesterday was grey, cooler, and rainy, ending in rolling thunder storms. In the nearby mountains, snow is predicted by the weekend. Welcome to Spring in Asheville! It being on the cooler and more dreary end of our weather scale while I pondered today's recipe, I was thinking comfort foods, and so offer this for Day 3.

100 Day Challenge, Day 3

Baked Polenta with Ramps

1 cup coarsely ground cornmeal
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 Tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped kale leaves & tender stems
1/2 cup ramps, cleaned well and sliced across the leaves & bulbs
1 Tablespoon olive oil
salt & pepper
optional: fresh grated Pecorino Romano

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a 10" cast iron pan, heat olive oil over med/low heat, and saute the kale and ramps until wilted, but not over-cooked, adding just a pinch of salt and pepper while you cook them. Remove the pan from the heat, but leave the greens in the pan. In a small bowl, combine the beaten eggs with the broth and water (you can use all broth or all water if you like). 

Add the cornmeal, liquid mixture, salt, and cayenne to the pan, and stir to combine. Cut up the butter and sprinkle over the top of the pan (it will float), and if adding the Pecorino, sprinkle over the top to lightly cover.

Bake, uncovered, for about 45-60 minutes, or until the dish becomes puffy and then feels 'set' in the middle (not soupy/soft). Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes before cutting into wedges to serve.

*disclaimer: I have a habit of wanting to try a new recipe and pouring through cookbooks and perusing online to get ideas. So it was, some years ago, when I came across a basic 'baked polenta' recipe, and on a whim I tried a 'half' quantity recipe as it was just for me, and added some leftover saute-ed veggies, so the amounts on the veg are my approximation, as is the estimated pan size. As long as you can fit it all in the pan, go for it! It's also great with diced sweet potatoes, onions, and mushrooms. And bacon. It's kind of like a cross between a frittata and cornbread dressing. Very comfort-foodie, and if you already have the leftovers, it's almost a one-dish preparation. As much as I love messing up the kitchen for a recipe, stirring everything in one pan and baking it is a nice way to go, too.

Springy Fruity Elixir. 100 Days of Recipes: Day 2

April has somewhat snuck up on me. The winter was weird, so now things are blooming all over the place, it was sunny and 70 yesterday, but because it's still before Mother's Day, and because it's Asheville, there might be snow at the end of the week.

Today I'll take inspiration from my Monthly Planner, and take a moment to remember all those things to toast - good family, good friends, good dogs, mostly good cats, good colleagues, clients, and cohorts, doing work I love, and always a reason to see and find gratitude.

100 Day Challenge, Day 2

Springy Fruity Elixir

A refreshing way to drink water, and avoid sugary sodas or juices. Of course, make what ever variations you like, depending on what you have on hand.

Per serving:

1 can Soda water, or unsweetened lemon or lime seltzer
2-3 strawberries, cleaned and tops removed
3-4 raspberries, rinsed
4-5 mint leaves, thinly sliced
2 basil leaves, thinly sliced
Juice of 1/4 lemon slice (optional, if you don't use a lemon seltzer)

In the bottom of a tumbler, muddle the berries with the mint and basil leaves. Squeeze lemon juice into glass, then pour over soda water. Add ice if desired.

I also do a version of this with non-carbonated water, and make larger batches in a bottle that goes with me to the studio. I like to put sections of citrus orange/grapefruit/lemon in those for added flavor.* The more it chills in the fridge, the more the fruit flavors diffuse into the water, and when you drink it you'll get the occasional fruity/minty/herby treat!

*the best way to cup up your citrus for these bevvies, or for salads, is to supreme them. If you're not familiar with that, you can learn how by watching this video!

Moroccan Style Spice Blend. 100 Day Challenge, Day 1

It's been an ongoing frustration for me that my sweet little recipe blog has fallen into complete disrepair, barely offering ideas, much less recipes, for months at a time. I've been watching other artists embrace the #100DayChallenge, and I've been thinking about joining it - maybe posting some work in progress in the studio, following a kiln load from wet clay to glaze firing. That can be accomplished well within 100 Days, but it might be a nice starting point. Then I happened upon my poor recipe blog, and decided this challenge might just perk up the feed. 

So here we go:

100 Day Challenge, Day 1

Spice Blend for Moroccan Style Seasoning

I use some form of this blend to marinate meats before searing and slow cooking, and for seasoning roasted vegetables. The variations are endless depending on your own tastes and what you may or may not have in the cupboard. 

Mix it up, put it in a jar with a good-fitting lid, and sprinkle liberally on anything that wants a little kick in flavor. If you're seasoning vegetables to roast, this blend is great on sweet potatoes, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and winter squashes. I'll save the Lamb Tagine recipe for another post! 

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Moroccan Spiced Roasted Sweet Potatoes
(with Lamb Tagine over Cauliflower Couscous)

Happy International Women's Day!

I'm wearing red in the Gallery today - our small business did not close to Strike, but we support those who did, and we are all grateful to those who are bringing business to our Village that is owned and operated by six fabulous women and one incredible man who has earned honorary womanhood for today. 

It's also very appropriate that International Women's Day falls in March, which is also my mom's birthday, and if you have my Monthly Planner, you know it's also the month I brag on her and feature her Chicken & Onions recipe, which is one of my all-time favorite dishes of food, ever.

My mom is my first and still favorite role model in life, and I think I must be living my life well as I think about the many, many incredible women that I count as the closest of friends, mentors, clients, collaborators, co-conspirators, and the truest examples of love and of what is good in this world. Much love to you all.