Chicken and Lamb Soupy Stew with Hawaij

First of all, I appreciate the kind responses to my last post. Thank you. The past couple of months have brought about chances to plunge into new opportunities and it feels really good. Skate skiing is a blast, I’m starting a new venture on an awesome local board, Bob’s training to be a volunteer firefighter and we found a definite benefit of no kids at home is no school nights.

I know there will continue to be peaks and valleys in life, and this is just life. A gracious community, whether virtual or in person, can see you through the journey with compassion, humor and a friendly hand. And food.

Fortunately, food can be shared in many ways. A community I’m inspired by and enjoy cooking with is Tasting Jerusalem. We are scattered around the world and share so much. We kicked off this year with the Yemenite spice mix called hawaij (also spelled hawayij or hawaish) as our first ingredient to explore in 2016.

Hawaij was a new spice blend for me. You know me, spice mixes and condiments are my thing, so any opportunity to learn about a different one is a thrill. I dug through my boxes of cookbooks (new shelves in the kitchen just for cookbooks coming soon!) to pull out a few books by authorities on Middle Eastern cooking that I thought would be helpful to learn about hawaij.

So here we go – everything we ever wanted to know about hawaij!

In Sephardic Cooking, Copeland Marks says hawaij is the spice mix that gives Yemenite cooking its identity. He also shares a tip for keeping it fresh - store a bay leaf with the spice mix. I will. I love learning these little tidbits!

Janna Gur makes Yemenite Calf Leg Soup in The Book of New Israeli Food and hawaij is what spices it up. Calf leg soup is definitely something for me to aspire to.

Like most spice blends such as ras el hanout, dukkah and za’atar, there are different proportions and variations in the spices used. I found that hawaij traditionally includes cumin, black pepper, coriander, cardamom and turmeric. I also saw caraway, saffron, nutmeg or cloves included in some.

For my mix, I used the foundation of traditional spices and then added caraway seeds. Like other spice blends, it was quick to mix up. I was drinking coffee while grinding up the spices, and there was such an enticing aroma I dropped a big pinch in my cup. It jazzed it up quite nicely, sort of like an enhanced Turkish coffee.

So, what to make with my new spice blend?

I’ve cooked a lot from The Foods of Israel Today by Joan Nathan and when I saw her Yemenite Chicken and Beef Soupy Stew I knew I’d found my recipe. Who can resist soupy stew on a snowy day?

This hearty dish begins with simmering marrow bones and beef together to create a flavorful broth. The marrow is silky smooth and just melts. Luscious. I used lamb in place of beef since we have lots of lamb cuts in the freezer right now (no calf legs yet).

Garlic, onions, tomatoes, parsley and fresh dill enhanced the broth and then I added the chicken. I kept it easy and just plunked the whole chicken into the pot rather than cutting it into parts. Since you’ll be pulling the meat off the bones and adding it back to the pot, it didn’t seem necessary to cut the bird up.

Towards the end of cooking, add the potatoes, zucchini (I swapped in green beans) and a generous spoonful of hawaij. A big squeeze of lemon and scoop of zhoug complete it and brighten up this rich stew. Hawaij is aromatic and delicious with a warm, peppery flavor that nicely complements the richness of the lamb and beef marrow. Joan Nathan suggests serving the stew over rice – even heartier! As with most stews, I found it was even tastier the next day. This is a marvelous dish to slurp and share.

And hey, have you been following Food52’s Piglet Tournament of Cookbooks? If not, please go check it out – another terrific community. Love, love, love the collection this year. I’m disappointed that A Girl and Her Greens was already knocked out but I have my fingers crossed for Gjelina. I ordered all of the books for the store and now my big decision is which one(s) will end up in my kitchen (my kitchen that no longer has super ugly counters – hooray for warm, wonderful butcher block wood!).

So in closing, as always, it’s about food and friends. This is what comforts and sustains me, and ultimately inspires and challenges me.

Hawaij

1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cardamom

Combine all the spices in a mortar, grab your pestle and pound away until well mixed. Store in a sealed jar and sprinkle liberally.

Chicken and Lamb Soupy Stew
Serves 6-8
Adapted from The Foods of Israel Today by Joan Nathan

8 cups of water
½ pound lamb, cubed
4 or 5 small beef marrow bones
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
1 cup canned tomatoes, diced
¼ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
¼ cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
1 whole chicken, 3-4 lbs
2 large carrots, left whole
4 celery stalks
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ pound green beans, snipped and broken in half if long
3 small yellow potatoes, diced
1 tablespoon hawaij, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
Rice for serving (optional)
Zhoug for serving (not optional)

Bring the water, lamb and marrow bones to a boil in a large soup pot and skim the foam off the top. Lower the heat and add the garlic, onion, tomatoes, parsley and dill.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the chicken. You can cut into parts or just plunk it in whole like I did. Bring back to a boil, add the carrots, celery and cumin and then lower the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked.

Carefully remove the marrow bones and chicken from the pot. Pull the chicken from the bones and cut or shred into bite sized pieces. Return the chicken to the pot.

Gently mash the cooked carrots, celery, onion and garlic into the broth. Add the green beans, potatoes, hawaij, salt and pepper to taste and simmer another 10 minutes or so, until the veggies are cooked. Pour the lemon juice over the top and mix in.

If preparing ahead of time, wait to add the green beans, potatoes, hawaij and lemon juice and cook this step when ready to eat.

To serve, ladle the soupy stew into bowls (over rice if serving) and have zhoug and more hawaij on the table.

Pumpkin White Bean Soup for Alyssa’s Baby Celebration

We are celebrating with soup today! This is how much I love soup … I’m bringing it to a party, a party in honor of my friend, Alyssa. Alyssa is the creator of Everyday Maven and is welcoming her second baby in January. I am delighted to gather with a wonderful community of food bloggers to share recipes and good wishes for her.

I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with Alyssa both in Seattle and here in the Valley. She is vibrant and beautiful and creates incredibly delicious, healthy food. My family has enjoyed quite a few of her recipes (I’ve made her chocolate mug cake more times than I can count!) and I appreciate her step-by-step instructions and attention to detail in every recipe.

Knowing that Alyssa will be a busy mom to two sweet boys soon, we all wanted to share dishes that are quick and easy to prepare and will nourish her family well. With the arrival of the snowy days here, I have been making more soups and they are marvelous lunches for me to bring in to the store - I fill a thermos with steaming soup and lunch is ready to go. With her baby arriving in January, I want Alyssa to be able to prepare a filling, warm lunch to sustain her and her family on those damp, chilly days of Seattle winter. Plus, she can make a double batch and pop some in the freezer.

This Pumpkin White Bean soup is one I have made often over the years. It is hearty and simple to make, especially since it uses pantry staples that are easily kept on hand. Beans, pumpkin puree and tomatoes form the base of the soup. The original recipe calls for using black beans, but one time I had only white beans and I found they worked even better since I prefer the color of the soup more.

Onions and garlic are softened in olive oil, and then the beans, pumpkin and tomatoes are added and simmered in chicken stock. I also include carrots sometimes for extra veggies and to enhance the orange hue. A quick puree with an immersion blender creates a smooth, luscious texture. Cumin seasons the soup while a splash of sherry vinegar brightens it. Earthy, creamy and warm, this soup is full of flavor and should help energize a lovely mom with two little ones. Congratulations to you, Alyssa!

A huge thank you to Faith of An Edible Mosaic and Liz of  The Lemon Bowl for hosting this celebration! Please be sure to check out all the talented cooks below celebrating Alyssa and her expanding family today.

Pumpkin White Bean Soup
Serves 6-8
Adapted from New Kosher Cuisine for All Seasons
by Ivy Feuerstadt and Melinda Strauss

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ pound carrots, sliced (you don’t have to peel)
1 28 ounce can tomato puree
1 28 ounce can unsweetened pumpkin puree
2 15 ounce cans white cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
32 ounces chicken stock
2 tablespoons red wine
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
Fresh green herb for serving, such as parsley

In a large soup pot, warm the olive oil over medium low heat and saute the onion and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the carrots, tomato puree, pumpkin puree, beans, chicken stock, red wine and cumin and stir. Increase the heat to high until the soup just starts to bubble, then lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes to infuse the flavors and soften the carrots.

Remove the soup from the heat and puree it with an immersion blender until smooth, being very careful not to splatter any hot soup. Stir in the sherry and salt and pepper the soup to your taste. Garnish with a sprinkle of green herbs when serving.

This soup easily doubles and freezes well.

Alyssa's Baby Celebration:

Breakfast

Fried Egg Topped Curried Sweet Potatoes from A Beautiful Bite

Chocolate Orange Protein Smoothie from The Lemon Bowl

Spaghetti Squash Hash from Eats Well With Others

Lunch

Hearty Garbanzo Soup from Sweet Life Bake

Pumpkin White Bean Soup from Blue Kale Road

Dinner

Slow Cooker Red Wine Pot Roast from Jeanette’s Healthy Living

Slow Cooker Beef and Bacon Stew from Girlichef

Lemon Pepper Chicken with Arugula from Virtually Homemade

Roast Chicken Ratatouille from An Edible Mosaic

Arugula Chimichurri over Roasted or Grilled Salmon from Karista’s Kitchen

Snack

Spiced Honey Nut and Seed Snack Mix from Fake Food Free

Charred Brussel Sprout, Bacon, and Toasted Sesame Guacamole from Baker by Nature

Quick and Easy Cucumber Bites, Three Ways from Hip Foodie Mom

Carrot Soup with Greens

The leaves are beginning to blush, there’s a chill in the air and we’re closing our windows at night.  Summer has waved good-bye. Normally, I wish for summer to linger on a bit, but after the glorious sunny months we just enjoyed I am happy to welcome fall. The changing seasons have brought changes for our family, too.

This past week was filled with emotion and excitement. We took our son, Sam, to University of Oregon where he is starting his freshman year.  Let me just say, the process of letting go is not easy, yet I know Sam is ready for this new chapter. I’m missing him like crazy and at the same time know he’s in for so much fun and learning. I’ve loved every phase of parenting and this new stage holds many yet-to-be-discovered joys.

Still, comfort food was in order and a warm, simple bowl of soup felt right. I’m starting to stock our freezer with jars of soup for the cold nights ahead here in the valley. At the market, carrots are still available and when I grabbed a couple of bunches recently I had soup ideas dancing around in my mind. Some baby greens also snuck into my bag, so with these ingredients in tow I headed home to make soup.

Soon I had a pot of carrots simmering away in chicken broth with onions and red chiles. After a quick puree, I added a splash of lime juice, some fresh basil and a mix of baby kale, chard and bok choy. The greens wilted quickly and I ladled the finished soup into bowls. I swirled a dollop of coconut cream into each bowl, its creaminess balancing the spicy kick of chiles nicely.

Snuggled up by the fire with autumn unfolding all around, I sip my soup and hear about Sam’s new life in Oregon. It’s all good.

Carrot Soup with Greens
Makes just over 2 quarts

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 1/2 pounds carrots, washed and cut into 1/2 inch slices (I don’t bother to peel them)
3 small red chiles, minced
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 limes, juiced
2 tablespoons fresh basil, minced
8 ounces greens, such as a mix of baby kale, chard and bok choy, chopped if leaves are large
Coconut cream to dollop (optional)

In a large soup pot, warm the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until they are soft and beginning to brown, stirring a few times. Add the carrots, chiles, stock and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for about 8-10 minutes, until the carrots are soft. Remove from the heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup in the pot until smooth.  Return the pot to the heat and add the lime juice, basil and greens. Cook over medium high heat for about 2 minutes, just until the greens are wilted. Serve hot with a dollop of coconut cream.

The soup can be made ahead of time through the blending step. At that point, cool and then chill the soup. When close to serving, reheat the soup and proceed with adding the lime juice, basil and greens.

Sam's Gazpacho

Our April showers have happily brought us May flowers. Buds are bursting into bloom everywhere, and Bob has successfully foiled our mischievous chickens from hopping up on the coop roof, so I can once again plant flowers there.

May also brings us a little closer to Sam’s high school graduation. As I was digging through a box in the closet the other day, I came upon a cookbook that his second grade class had made featuring their favorite soups. I stopped what I was doing and plopped down on the floor to page through it, memories of helping him choose a soup for this project rushing back. Second grade. How have the past ten years gone by so quickly?

Sam’s contribution to this collection was gazpacho and it remains a favorite of his. With graduation and birthday celebrations on the horizon, I have been thinking about festive meals to make and gazpacho will be a terrific addition to one of these celebratory menus.

Gazpacho is a refreshingly chilled soup that is full of flavor and texture. With the hot summer days to come, it’s also a wonderful choice as the only cooking involves roasting some red peppers, which can easily be done on the barbecue while you’re hanging out in the backyard. I like little flecks of charred pepper in my soup, so after roasting them I remove the seeds but leave much of the blackened skin on. The peppers are pureed and then chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, green onions and parsley are added for a chunky texture. I’ve added some pickled jalapenos for a spicy kick, too, along with lemon and lime juice for a bright finish.

Over this past gloriously sunny weekend, Sam finished off the gazpacho and it's still his favorite soup. Where has all the time gone?

Sam's Gazpacho
Serves 6

4 red bell peppers
2 pounds tomatoes (roughly 6 medium)
1 bunch green onions, sliced
1 cup parsley, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 large cucumber, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon pickled jalapenos (or more to taste), diced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Sliced avocado to garnish (optional)

Preheat your broiler or barbecue on high. If using the broiler, place the peppers on a baking sheet and pop them under. If using the barbecue, place the peppers on the grill, lower the heat a bit and close the cover. Check on the peppers every few minutes, and turn them so that they blacken and soften evenly. When they are quite soft, remove from the heat and let cool.

Open the peppers (careful for all the liquid that will pour out) and remove the seeds and stem. Place them in the bowl of a food processor. Roughly chop half of the tomatoes and add them to the peppers. Puree until smooth. Pour into a large mixing bowl. Add the parsley, garlic, cucumber and pickled jalapenos to the food processor and pulse a few times until chunky. Add to the bowl of puree.

Dice the remaining tomatoes and add them to the soup. Stir in the lemon and lime juices, salt and pepper and taste for seasoning. Cover and chill the soup for at least 2 hours or for up to one day. Taste again for seasoning before serving with sliced avocado, if desired.

Orange-Scented Couscous Pudding and Jerusalem’s Burnt Eggplant Soup

Couscous, a staple in Middle Eastern and North African cooking, is Tasting Jerusalem’s ingredient for April. These cute little pearls of durum wheat semolina are commonly served with meat dishes, in soups, in salads or as a side dish.

A recipe I’ve been eyeing in Jerusalem is the Burnt Eggplant and Mograbieh Soup. When this past weekend turned chilly and rainy, I decided it was an ideal time to make soup. Charred eggplant is incredibly appealing to me and it’s amazing in this tomato-based soup. Mograbieh is Lebanese couscous, a larger-sized version than the tiny spheres typically seen. It’s similar to Israeli or giant couscous, which is readily available in Western markets.

Since I just pulled our barbecue out for spring it seemed the perfect place to roast the eggplants. Sue, from Couscous & Conscientiousness, made the same soup and also used a barbecue. Less messy than the oven! Plus, you can’t beat the flavor that a barbecue imparts. I tweaked the recipe just a bit, using white wine in place of broth and increasing the tomatoes because we like things really tomato-ey around here. And before cooking the couscous, I toasted the pearls in melted butter until they turned golden and fragrant. When serving the soup, I kept the couscous on the side so everyone could scoop in the amount they desired.  With its deeply satisfying, smoky flavor and bright pop of dill, this is a soup I’ll be happy to eat quite often!

Beth and Sarene are also hosting a couscous recipe contest this month for Tasting Jerusalem. I decided to move in a sweeter direction with couscous and make a pudding for my boys. A lonely bottle of orange blossom water has been sitting in my cabinet for a while, and pairing this with honey and orange zest seemed a marvelous way to flavor the pudding. Orange blossom water has a truly lovely fragrance, and I’ve discovered it’s quite good in tea, too, so I think I’ll be keeping it within easier reach.

I simmered Israeli couscous with cream and honey, whisked in egg yolks and coconut milk, then added a splash of orange blossom water and a bit of orange zest to finish the pudding. Warm, rich and creamy, with a hint of honey and the delicate scent of orange, this pudding is indulgent for breakfast or dessert. Needless to say, my sons devoured it quickly!

Orange-Scented Couscous Pudding
Serves 4

1/2 cup Israeli (giant) couscous
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons honey, plus extra for serving
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1-14 ounce can whole, unsweetened coconut milk
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon orange blossom water (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon orange zest
Orange slices for serving (optional)

In a medium sized sauce pan, bring the cream, couscous, honey and salt to almost a boil, lower the heat and let simmer for about 7-8 minutes, until couscous is al dente. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and coconut milk until smooth. Slowly pour the coconut-egg mixture into the cream and couscous and stir. Continue cooking, stirring a few times, until the pudding thickens, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the orange blossom water and orange zest.

Let the pudding cool slightly (it will thicken as it cools). It’s best served warm or room temperature with orange slices a drizzle of honey. If you chill the pudding, it will thicken quite a bit so warm it and add a little cream or coconut milk to loosen it.

Burnt Eggplant and Mograbieh Soup
Adapted slightly from Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi
Serves 4

2 large eggplants (about 2 pounds total)
Olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon cumin
1-6 ounce can tomato paste
1 pound Roma tomatoes, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups white wine
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, plus lemon slices to serve
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/3 cup Israeli (giant) couscous or mograbieh
Fresh dill for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat your barbecue on high, then lower to medium. Slice one of the eggplants in half lengthwise and set aside one of the halves. Pierce the whole and remaining half eggplant a few times and place on the barbecue. Close the cover and let cook for about 10 – 15 minutes. When blackened, turn them and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Dice the raw half of eggplant into a small dice. In a large sauce pan or soup pot, drizzle a little olive oil and fry the eggplant over medium heat. Stir a couple of times, so most of the sides brown. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add another drizzle of olive oil and the onions and cook over medium heat the onions are soft. Add the cumin, tomato paste, tomatoes and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the wine, water and lemon juice, bring to a simmer and then lower heat. Let cook for about 15 minutes.

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat and add the couscous. Stir and toast it until it browns. Watch closely, as it will turn dark and burn quickly. Add enough water to cover by 1 inch, a sprinkle of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Cook until just softened, about 8 minutes (depending upon your brand). Drain and set aside.

Remove the cook eggplant flesh and add to the tomato base. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until mostly smooth. Reheat gently and add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with some fried eggplant, dill and a slice of lemon. Serve the couscous in a bowl alongside, allowing everyone to scoop out what they’d like.

Broccoli Apple Soup

I’m basking in warm sunshine (through the window) and a happy post-Thanksgiving glow. I am deeply grateful for our family members who traveled to spend the holiday with us and for our time gathered around the table sharing meals together. It was a warm, festive Thanksgiving weekend indeed. I hope you enjoyed the same!

After indulging in a Thanksgiving feast, I find it’s time for some simple food. Perhaps because it’s eaten from a bowl, allowing you to cup your hands around it and inhale its warm scent, soup provides the ultimate nourishing comfort. Soup is soothing and fills you up without feeling heavy ... very welcome after lots of stuffing and pie.

This Broccoli Apple Soup is beloved in our family and Isaac’s favorite. The original recipe comes from our dear friends, Ralph and Jane, two of the most nurturing, caring people I know. They would cook a pot of soup for you in a heartbeat! I’ve played with the recipe just a bit and it has even been mentioned in the NY Times. This is good soup. I recently discovered through Cook’s Illustrated that adding a handful of fresh spinach to broccoli soup pumps up the broccoli flavor and results in a more vivid green color, so I’ve added some spinach to the recipe, too.

Simple ingredients - broccoli, apples, onions, butter and broth - create a satisfying, hearty, comforting meal. You can use any variety of apples you like, just keep in mind they will affect how sweet or tart your soup becomes. I used Aurora apples this last time, crisp with a nice bit of sweetness, and they were quite good. A swirl of thick yogurt to finish adds tangy flavor and rounds out the earthy sweetness.

It’s getting dark early now (4:30pm!), so I see a lot of soup in the coming months, preferably sipped by a fire with a cozy blanket.

Broccoli Apple Soup
Serves 6-8

1 large head of broccoli
3 large apples (Golden Delicious or Aurora are good)
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, diced
6 cups vegetable broth
A generous handful of fresh spinach leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Thick, plain yogurt to dollop (optional)

Cut the broccoli florets off the stalk and set aside. Cut the stalks into 1-inch pieces. Peel the apples, core and cut into 1-inch pieces.

In a large soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and apple chunks. Saute about 6 minutes. Add the broth and the broccoli stalks. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli florets to the soup and simmer for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat. Toss in a generous handful of fresh spinach and stir.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with a dollop of yogurt.

Pumpkin Soup for Halloween

‘Tis the season for pumpkins! Halloween is a much celebrated holiday in our house. Growing up, I would spend the months leading up to Halloween carefully planning my costume ... a joker playing card kept me coloring for weeks in preparation, R2D2 had my father wiring lights for my blinking white cardboard body (my dad’s white motorcycle helmet provided the perfect top!), and on several Halloweens I chose the classic witch.

Halloween has become a special anniversary, too - Bob and I had our first date on this day 25 years ago when we were undergrads together at UCLA. We went to see Fatal Attraction ... quite the first date movie! Walking back from the theater, Bob asked, “So how do you feel about commitment?” and I burst out laughing. He’s kept me happily laughing all these years.

So, with the arrival of Halloween and jack-o-lantern carving, there are many delicious ways to add pumpkins to your holiday celebration. And soup is always a perfect way in my opinion!

I’ve been playing around with this soup recipe for a few autumns. You can use freshly steamed pumpkin puree or canned pumpkin works just fine. Spiced with cardamom and coriander, the soup also has a slight kick from cayenne. Coconut milk makes it creamy, and a surprise ingredient is banana, which adds a bit of sweetness (and provides a terrific way to use those overripe bananas stashed in your freezer).

Perfect to ladle into bowls for your Halloween celebration or to begin your Thanksgiving feast, I enjoy this soup most when cuddled up on the couch with Bob, a warm cup in my hand to sip.

Pumpkin Soup
Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
A pinch of cayenne pepper, or more to taste
2 medium, very ripe bananas, peeled and chopped
2 cups organic, pure pumpkin puree (fresh or 1-15 ounce can)
1-13 ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups unfiltered apple cider
Salt and pepper to taste
Toasted pumpkin seeds, garnish
Chives, garnish
Additional cayenne, garnish

In a large soup pot, warm the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and carrots and stir. Let cook until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the cardamom, coriander, turmeric and cayenne and stir. Let cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the bananas, pumpkin puree, coconut milk, broth and cider. Stir together and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. When ready to serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with pumpkin seeds, snipped chives and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Can be made ahead and rewarmed gently before serving.

White Bean and Vegetable Soup for a Winter Supper

Let me begin by saying I love this soup. Granted, I am a soup lover, but this is one I always look forward to. After a day spent in the snow, a fragrant bowl of White Bean and Vegetable Soup is enticing and draws us back inside. Soup warms you in a deeply satisfying way, much like sinking into a soft, hand-knit sweater does.

What attracts me to this soup in particular is its star ingredient, balsamic vinegar. There are so many ways to love balsamic vinegar (I now have a love affair going with caramelized balsamic vinegar since discovering it in Australia). Here, balsamic vinegar adds incredible richness and flavor to the mélange of white beans, tomatoes and veggies.

It’s a terrific soup for whatever is in the fridge – any diced root vegetables such as rutabagas, Yukon Gold potatoes, sweet potatoes or parsnips can be added. A handful of green beans tossed in with some fresh dill would change up the flavors nicely.

The key here is the combination of balsamic vinegar, tomatoes and red wine which creates a luscious basis for the soup. I don’t usually measure the balsamic vinegar - I tend to start with a few splashes and taste from there to see how it mixes and infuses with the rest of the ingredients.

Light some candles, grate some Parmesan, warm a crusty baguette and you’ll have a lovely winter supper to share with friends.

White Bean and Vegetable Soup
Serves 8

Olive oil
1 onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
4 ribs celery, diced
4 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups cabbage, shredded
1 quart organic vegetable broth
3 15 ounce cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juices
1 6 ounce can tomato paste
1 cup red wine
Balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Crushed red chile peppers (optional)
Shredded Parmesan cheese for serving
Baguette for dipping

In a Dutch oven or large soup pot, warm a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until they start softening, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, celery and carrots and give the vegetables a stir. Cook until they begin softening, about 10 minutes. Add another few tablespoons of olive oil if the mixture seems dry. Toss in the cabbage and continue cooking for a few more minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Stir in the vegetable broth, white beans, tomatoes, tomato paste and red wine. Add a few splashes of balsamic vinegar, a sprinkle of kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook until the broth begins to bubble up a bit, then turn the heat down to low, partially cover the pot and let simmer for about an hour. Check the soup a few times to stir it, taste for salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar and to see if the veggies are softened.

Towards the end of cooking, stir in the parsley and a few shakes of crushed red chile peppers if desired. The soup can be made a day ahead or earlier in the morning and reheated before serving (it improves if given some time to sit).

Serve with Parmesan cheese and additional olive oil and balsamic vinegar for drizzling. Dip crusty hunks of baguette in to the soup and enjoy.

Post-Holiday Red Lentil Soup

I’m having a slow start to this week. We’ve just returned home from Washington, DC where my brother, Tim, and sister-in-law, Kristen, hosted an incredible Thanksgiving dinner for us, my parents and my brother, Mike. We all enjoyed a long holiday weekend together with sightseeing, walks in the sunshine, football and good food. Watching my sons with their sweet younger cousins warmed my heart and I’m feeling particularly thankful to have had this time with my family since next summer Tim, Kristen and their children are moving to Hanoi (Tim is in the Foreign Service). Sigh. A bit more difficult to spend time together but we look forward to Thanksgiving in Vietnam sometime.

For now, though, it’s time to transition back to life here. So far today this means pulling sleepy boys out of bed for school, throwing a load of laundry in, picking up our dogs and running to the grocery store. Time to ponder what to make for dinner...

A simple soup is a welcome meal after a holiday weekend of indulgent eating. This red lentil one is quick and easy to pull together with pantry staples (and no pureeing involved). A bowl of warm nourishment. I love opening my tin of Indian spices to inhale the scent of cumin seed, ground coriander and turmeric - all of which flavor this soup. The tomato base creates a fresh, hearty taste, crushed red chile peppers give a spicy kick and a splash of lemon juice pulls it all together (you can also add a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt if you prefer some creaminess).

Stirring a pot of soup is a time for reflection and evokes warm feelings of the past few days for me. I am grateful for time spent with people I love and that we could gather around the table to celebrate a holiday together. I hope your Thanksgiving weekend was enjoyable and shared with loved ones, too.

Red Lentil Soup
Adapted from Pasta & Company in Seattle, WA
Serves 8

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 medium onions, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon crushed red chile peppers (or more to taste)
8 cups water
2 cups red lentils, rinsed and picked over
28 ounces canned (or homemade) tomato puree
6 ounces tomato paste
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
Sour cream or Greek yogurt to dollop (optional)

In a large soup pot, warm the oil over low heat and add the cumin seeds, coriander and turmeric. Stir for a few minutes until fragrant and the seeds darken. Add the onions, garlic and red chile peppers. Increase the heat and sauté until the onions are soft.

Add the water, lentils, tomato puree and paste, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, stir again and simmer uncovered for about 25 minutes. The lentils should be very soft and the soup thickened. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste for seasoning. If the soup is very thick you can add a little more water or lemon juice. Serve warm with sour cream or yogurt.

(This soup can be made a few days ahead and it freezes well.)

Pear, Potato and Cheddar Soup in the Sukkah

Beautiful pears are popping up at the farmers’ markets and filling the produce bins in the stores. I love their varying shades of red, blush pink, yellow and green. It is truly a lovely fall fruit, delicious on its own and pairing well with other flavors, both savory and sweet.

Years ago, I found a recipe in the Seattle Times for Pear, Potato and Cheddar Soup. I loved the thought of a savory pear soup and immediately made it. Pears, Yukon gold potatoes, onions and celery are sautéed in butter, then simmered in broth. After pureeing it all into a smooth mixture, you add cream and cheese. Need I say more? This is a delightful soup and is hands down our favorite to slurp during the fall months.

Pear, Potato and Cheddar soup also makes a regular appearance in our sukkah each year. Tonight begins the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Sukkot is an agricultural holiday, celebrating the harvest. Temporary structures, called sukkahs, are erected to represent the ancient temporary dwellings needed to live in while harvesting the fields. Sukkahs also symbolize the tents that Jews lived in during the forty years of wandering the desert after leaving Egypt.

Every year, we build a sukkah in our backyard using wood to create the sides, and branches cut from our bushes and trees for the roof. We string little lights, move our picnic table in, and live in the sukkah as much as possible for a week. In Seattle, that can be a challenge! Some years, we are quite bundled up while eating outside, other years we are enjoying balmy evenings and savoring the last moments of summer. I am always so thankful if the rain holds off until Sukkot is over! We’ve already had heavy rain and wind this week, but the sun is peeking out now so I’ll keep my fingers crossed. When it’s a clear night, I love to look up and see the stars peeking through the branches. Such a cozy feeling!

No matter what the weather is, Sukkot is always a fun family holiday to share with guests, and a last hurrah for eating outside before winter arrives. This creamy pear soup will warm you while snuggled in a sukkah or sitting around your dining table.

I love this plate!
"The pear is the grandfather of the apple,
its poor relation, a fallen aristocrat."

Pear, Potato and Cheddar Soup
Inspired by a recipe from the Alexis Hotel
Serves 6

4-5 medium ripe pears, cored and cut into small pieces (no need to peel)
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into small pieces (no need to peel)
3 ribs of celery, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup dry white wine (or use extra broth)
5 cups vegetable broth
4 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half
Salt to taste
Croutons for serving (optional, I made some using whole grain raisin bread and they paired nicely)

In a soup pot (I use an 8 quart size), melt the butter and sauté the pears, potatoes, celery, onion and thyme until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the wine and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Slowly mix in the grated cheese, cream or half and half and salt to taste. Stir until smooth and cheese is melted. If soup is too thick, add a little more broth. Heat until warm but do not boil.

Ladle soup into cups, garnish with croutons if using, sip and enjoy!

Celebrating My Husband with Tortilla Soup

As Bob’s birthday was nearing this week, I asked what he would like me to make for dinner to celebrate. He requested a Mexican feast which, given his Southern California roots and love of spicy food, was not a surprise. Happy to oblige! Mexican is a family favorite (tied with sushi) and often is our choice for a festive meal.

I just have to say, Bob is the most rewarding person for me to cook for ... he is my biggest fan, giving me praise and support and honest feedback when I create new recipes, make old favorites or dive into a new cookbook. He endures food crazes I subject the family to (ask him about the fennel phase ...) and enthusiastically sits down to dinner every night. I’m proud to say he has developed a very good palate and savors subtle flavors most others would miss. Anytime I’m talking about food (which is - well, most of the time!) he listens intently and takes a moment to think about each ingredient I toss out so he can picture what I’m proposing.

When I began to ponder starting a food blog, Bob immediately encouraged me to take the leap and jump into food writing. He encourages me to challenge myself, to grow and discover, allowing me to strive to be the best I can. No matter what I say I’d like to do in life, he’s right there to help me figure out how to make it happen. He is truly inspiring and always ready for a new adventure. Needless to say, life is exciting with him!

So, for his birthday dinner, I wanted to dazzle Bob with his favorites. Tortilla soup is a top pick for him and was on the menu along with tacos, pickled tomatillos, salsas, pickled red onions, refried beans and oregano roasted potatoes.

I began making tortilla soup after reading a recipe Amanda Hesser shared in the Food Diary section of the New York Times magazine. While on vacation in Mexico, she and her family stayed in a house with a local cook who prepared a tortilla soup that they enjoyed. I immediately made the recipe and it became a keeper. I’ve since played with it a bit, roasting the tomatoes and increasing the number of chilies and amount of lime juice. Garnished with sliced avocado and crispy fried tortilla strips, it is an earthy, deeply flavored bowl of smoky heat.

Cheers to my husband!

(White sangria, anyone? Mix together a chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, two cups of peach lemonade, fresh raspberries, some sliced peaches, strawberries and limes and you have a pitcher for your fiesta!)

Tortilla Soup
Adapted from a recipe in the New York Times magazine (3/31/02)
By Amanda Hesser
Serves 8

3 dried ancho chilies, stems removed
4 dried guajillo or pasilla chilies, stems removed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for frying
24 corn tortillas, sliced into 1/2 inch strips
2 large onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
10 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 pound roma tomatoes, sliced in half, roasted in the oven until softened and beginning to turn black at the edges (this is an optional step, you can also just chop the fresh tomatoes and use as is)
10 ounces cherry tomatoes
1 quart vegetable broth
3 limes, juice 2 of them and cut the 3rd into wedges for serving
Salt to taste
2 avocadoes, sliced for garnish

Toast the chilies in a saucepan over medium heat (until their skin colors and bubbles, don’t let them burn). Move the chilies to a bowl and cover with warm water (about 2 cups) to rehydrate them.

Pour about a 1/4 inch of vegetable oil into the same saucepan. In batches, fry the tortilla strips until they are crispy and golden. Drain on paper towels.

In a large soup pot (I use an 8 quart), add the 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft. Remove from the heat.

Drain the chilies (save the soaking water!) and roughly chop them. Add the chilies, roasted tomatoes and cherry tomatoes to the onions and garlic and stir. Pour in the vegetable broth and about 3/4 of the fried tortilla strips. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth (being very careful since it’s hot). Warm the soup over low heat. The soup will be thick so you can thin it with the chili soaking water to your liking (I add about 2 cups). Add in the lime juice and salt to taste.

Serve the soup garnished with reserved tortilla strips, sliced avocado and limes.