Potato Celeriac Leek Soup with Chorizo

After what’s beginning to seem like weeks of heavy Thanksgiving leftovers, I decided it was time for a light meal. I wish I could be one of those people who can be satisfied with a light cleansing soup of just boiled vegetables, but I’m not. Call me greedy. Call me anemic. Either way I need protein and iron, even if it’s just a small amount to round out a meal.

Today was farmer’s market day and I picked up some lovely winter vegetables – leeks, celeriac (celery root), beets, potatoes, cabbage and a stalk of Brussels sprouts. I also stopped by the local meat stall and bought a pound of fresh chorizo made from naturally raised pork.

The following is a very satisfying, flavorful and low-fat soup. Perfect for a light post-feast meal. I only used one sausage in this recipe both to keep it light and also to keep the flavor focused on the soup. The chorizo adds the perfect amount of spice to complement the celeriac’s sweetness, and browning brings a needed crisp texture to this otherwise smooth soup.

Potato Celeriac Leek Soup with Chorizo – serves 2

1 T butter
3 small or 2 large leeks, tops removed, cleaned and chopped
3 small or 2 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 medium celeriac, peeled and chopped
3 C chicken or vegetable stock
1/4- 1/2 t smoked salt
1 fresh chorizo sausage
1 T sour cream
1 T chopped scallion

In a large stockpot, melt butter and add leeks. Cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add chicken stock, potatoes and celeriac. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are fork-tender.

Meanwhile slice chorizo into discs. Heat a skillet over a medium flame and add chorizo slices. Brown either side, then cover for 5 minutes.

Transfer soup to a heat resistant blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

Garnish with a spoonful of sour cream and a sprinkle of chopped scallion. Top with cooked chorizo.

Ingredient origins: Butter – Maine; Organic leeks, celeriac, potatoes, scallions – Massachusetts; Organic chicken stock – Oregon; Smoked sea salt – Maine; Fresh chorizo – New Hampshire; Sour cream – Dallas (normally I buy sour cream from Vermont since there are such fantastic dairies, but this was the only one I could find the day before Thanksgiving)

Pasta with Maine Smoked Salmon, Arugula and Pine Nuts

This is a hearty, nutritious pasta dish that can be made in under a half hour. Pine nuts contain vitamins A, E and K, niacin and folic acid. Arugula also offers vitamins A, K and folic acid along with calcium, iron, zinc and potassium and salmon offers omega-3. The sweetness of the pine nuts compliments the smoked salmon’s briny tang, and the Mornay sauce mellows the arugula’s pungency. I didn’t take pictures of the process because I thought it was too simple to post here – it’s not like the pasta is homemade. But it turned out to be really good and so I decided to share it.

Like anything else, I prefer to use all natural smoked salmon made without coloring. I’ve had pretty good luck with Ducktrap River from Maine – good flavor, not too oily and never stringy or tough – but I’m sure there’s an equally good smoked salmon purveyor near you. Enjoy.

Important: If you make this, be sure the check the country of origin on your pine nuts.  “Pine nut-associated cacogeusia” is a disorder came to light last winter that causes some people to experience a metallic taste in their mouth for up to two weeks after eating some pine nuts. The problem appears to be associated with pine nuts sourced from China. From what I understand, pine nuts from Italy have not caused the disorder. Just be warned. If you’re not into risking it, a good substitute in this recipe would be chopped walnuts.

Pasta with Maine Smoked Salmon, Arugula and Pine Nuts – serves 4-6

1/2 lb dry short pasta
3 C arugula, chopped
1 t olive oil
6 ounces smoked salmon, cut into small squares
1/4 C raw pine nuts
1 1/2 C Mornay Sauce (recipe follows)

Start by cooking the pasta for 1 – 2 minutes less than directed (it will continue to cook as it steams the arugula). Drain, rinse, and pour into a large casserole dish with a lid. Drizzle with a little olive oil, add the arugula and gently toss. Cover to allow the arugula to lightly steam with the hot pasta.

Meanwhile, make the Mornay sauce (recipe below).

Toss the salmon and pine nuts with the pasta, add the sauce and toss to coat.

Mornay Sauce – about 1 1/2 cups

1 T butter
1 T flour
1 C milk
1-2 T grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese
salt to taste

In a small saucepan, melt butter. When it begins to foam, stir in the flour. Allow to cook, stirring with a wire whisk for about 2 minutes. Stir in milk and allow to thicken, then stir in the cheese. Season with salt.

Ingredient Origins: Pasta – Iowa, Organic arugula – Maine,Olive oil – Italy, Smoked Salmon – Maine, Butter – Maine, Flour – Vermont, Organic milk – Vermont, Pecorino Romano cheese – Italy, Pine nuts – Italy

Roasted Pumpkin and White Bean Soup with Cornbread

This dish is inspired by the Three Sisters, a term referring to the farming practice of companion planting, which was employed by the Native Americans of the Northeastern United States to grow maize, beans and squash. The three plants were grown in a mound in order to allow for optimal nutrient distribution to the plants and soil – the bean plant produces nitrogen in the soil which the corn needs to grow. The practice also provides an ideal physical structure – the bean vines climb the corn stalk and the large squash leaves provide ground cover which keeps the soil moist and the weeds at bay, so everyone wins.

Roasting the pumpkin before adding it to the soup adds a richness of flavor as the juices condense. For cornbread, I like using corn flour in place of corn meal for a smoother crumb. When I taught colonial cooking, we used a cast iron dutch oven to bake cornbread over an open flame as colonial settlers would have done. The result is a more moist and dense texture than cornbread baked uncovered.

Roasted Pumpkin and White Bean Soup – makes 6-8 servings

1 C dry Great Northern beans
1 t +1 t dried rosemary
1 t salt
1 sugar pumpkin, seeded and roasted (instructions below)
1 T butter, melted
1/2 C red onion, chopped
2 C vegetable or chicken stock
Salt to taste

Start out by soaking the beans overnight.

Drain the water and refill the pot halfway with fresh water. Add the rosemary and salt to the pot and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, cut pumpkin in half. Remove the guts, reserving the seeds to make Roasted Pumpkin Seeds on another day. Brush with butter and place in a deep covered casserole dish or dutch oven. Cover and roast at 350 for 45 minutes. Remove pumpkin from casserole and place cut side up on a baking sheet. Brush again with butter, increase heat to 450 and roast uncovered for an additional 10 minutes. This is to bring out the sweetness. Be careful not to let the pumpkin dry out.

Remove the pumpkin from the oven and brush again with butter to prevent too much water from escaping as it cools. Allow to cool enough to handle without burning your delicate little hands. Scoop the flesh from the pumpkin halves and discard the skin.

Drain the beans. It’s okay if some of the rosemary escapes with the water, it was intended to flavor the beans as they simmered.

Melt the butter in the stockpot. Add the additional teaspoon of dried rosemary and onion. Allow to soften. Add the pumpkin and chicken stock and bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

Puree the pumpkin mixture in the blender until smooth. Combine with the beans, season to taste and serve with the cornbread.

New England Honey Cornbread – makes about 8 pieces

1 C flour
1 C corn flour
1 T baking powder
1/4 t salt
2 T butter, softened almost melted
1/3 C sour cream
1 egg
1/4 C honey
3/4 C milk

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together until well blended. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry mixture until blended. Pour into a greased cast iron dutch oven and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, until a toothpick interted into the center comes out clean.

Ingredient origins: Beans – Georgia, Hormone-free Butter – Maine, Sustainably grown red onion – New Hampshire, Organic chicken stock – Oregon, Rosemary – unknown, Salt – unknown, Flour – Vermont, Corn flour – Oregon, Sour cream – Vermont, Honey – Massachusetts, Organic milk – Vermont

Coconut Curry Brownies (that happen to be Lactose Free)

This idea came to mind the other day when I was trying to think of what to do with some leftover Thai curry paste. We’d had our fill of savory-spicy applications, so I thought using it in something sweet might be interesting. Chocolate takes on spice very well and coconut goes nicely with curry and chocolate, so I decided to develop a brownie recipe using all three.

I also decided to cocofy it, thereby unendairying it. I just made up those words, but what I mean is that in this recipe, typical dairy based baking ingredients are replaced with coconut milk and coconut oil. I chose to do this in order to achieve the rich coconut flavor that complements chocolate so well. The fact that it’s lactose free is a happy and delicious accident.

These turned out to be dense and moist, with a decadent coconut flavor and a mild finish of curry spice. If you’re not into spice in your brownies, you may omit the curry paste. I suppose.

Lactose-Free Coconut Curry Brownies – yields 2-3 dozen, depending on the size of the brownies and the brownie pan.

1 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 C coconut oil, softened
1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk, full fat recommended
1 t Thai red curry paste
2 eggs
1 1/2 C sugar
1 C flour
1 C unsweetened, shredded coconut

In a large bowl, combine the coconut oil, cocoa and coconut milk, carefully folding the cocoa powder in before stirring (this will prevent a cocoa powder sandstorm when you use the electric beater in the next step).

With an electric beater set to medium beat until smooth. Add the sugar, eggs, curry paste and flour, beating on medium until combined. Stir in shredded coconut.

Pour into a greased, 10 x 13 inch rectangular brownie pan or 9 x 9 inch square brownie pan for higher brownies Bake at 350 degrees for 18-25 minutes for the rectangular pan, or 25-30 minutes for the square pan, until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on a rack for at least one hour before cutting into squares.

Ingredient Origins (this time they’re not so local, but at least they’re still keeping with the minimally processed, less than five ingredients, requirement): Equal Exchange cocoa powder – Dominican Republic, by way of the Netherlands, Organic coconut oil – Colombia, Coconut Milk – Thailand, Cage-free organic eggs – New Hampshire, Sugar – unknown, Flour – Vermont, Shredded coconut – Oregon.

Chipotle Chicken Tostadas with Guacamole

I’d never seen a dried chipotle pepper until last week. As much as I enjoy criticizing its overuse in recent years, I’d never actually cooked with chipotle. Since it was available at that moment, I picked some up without a plan. Then, over the weekend our cilantro plant was looking a little heavy for its new pot, so I decided to prune it back and make guacamole.

What’s better than guac and chips? Guacamole and tostadas apparently. In this case Chipotle Chicken Tostadas. I have assimilated.

Chipotle Chicken Tostadas with Guacamole - serves 2 – 4

1 T canola oil
1/4 C + 1/4 C chipotle en adobo sauce (recipe follows)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, lightly salted
1 1/2 – 2 C guacamole (recipe follows)
1/4 C fresh cilantro
1/2 C sour cream
6 six inch frozen corn tortillas

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a shallow bowl, coat chicken in 1/4 cup of the chipotle sauce. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high. Place chicken in pan and cook for 5-6 minutes, on either side until done. Remove from pan and place on a cutting board. Julienne the chicken, and move to a warmed serving dish.

While the chicken is cooking, heat the tortillas on a greased a baking sheet in the oven for 5 minutes.

Assemble tosadas with guacamole, chicken, and sour cream, cilantro and the excess 1/4 C chipotle en adobo.

Chipotle en Adobo Sauce – makes about 2 cups

8 whole dried chipotle peppers, stems and seeds removed and diced
1/4 C onion, diced
1 large clove of garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 C apple cider vinegar
3 C water
1/4 t salt

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to a low boil. Turn down heat, and simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Blend in food processor until smooth.

Guacamole - makes about 2 cups

4 avocados, pitted, peeled and chopped
1/4 C onion, diced
1 clove garlic, peeled and diced
1/3 C lime juice (one medium to large or two smallish limes)
1 jalapeno, finely diced
1/4 C cilantro, finely chopped
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients and mash with a fork.

Ingredient origins: Canola oil – US and Canada, Antibiotic-free Chicken – New Jersey, Cilantro – Massachusetts, rBST free Sour Cream – Vermont, Corn Tortillas – Massachusetts, Organic Avocados – Mexico, Organic Onion – Massachusetts, Organic Garlic – New Jersey, Lime – Mexico, Dried Chipotles – Mexico, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar – California, Tomato paste – California