french lentil and roasted squash soup

Ah, mid winter holiday. In celebration of Washington and Lincoln's birthdays, I paid bills, unpacked from my trip to Seattle, did laundry, and cleaned out the fridge (JR apparently survived on pizza and bacon in my absence). I also thought about what to eat in the coming day and coming week.

I came across the following recipe on 101cookbooks. It initially caught my eye because I thought I had a butternut squash patiently waiting to be consumed on the counter (though when I noted its absence, JR reminded me that I already used it to make aztec squash soup last week). But by that time, I'd already read through the recipe and was hooked. It meant trying a number of things for the first time:

1. Star anise - it's a beautiful spice and it smells amazing. I was curious how this would combine with ginger to flavor the soup. How much like black licorice would it taste, exactly?

2. Fennel bulb - this veggie has only entered my kitch twice before; I have never tried cooking with it, and was excited to see what would happen.

3. French lentils - how are they different from lentil lentils? No idea. Time to find out.

It turns out that my French lentil knowledge (or rather, complete lack thereof) was tested at the grocery store. I stood, staring at the shelves of lentils and beans, unable to see anything that said "French Lentil". iPhone to the rescue. Through this informative lentil site, I learned that French Lentils are also called French Green Lentils. There were green lentils on the shelf, but no French descriptor. Upon closer reading of the site, it was confirmed that green lentils are another name for brown lentils, which are the lentils I've used in curries before, and which are not the same as French green lentils. Still no French lentils to be found.

Just as I had resolved to stop by another grocery store on my way home, I thought to take a look in the bulk foods section. Bingo! French Green Lentils. They were dark and speckled, just like my handy lentil site had pictured. I also learned how they are different from brown lentils: they remain firm after cooking and have a rich flavor.

Enough about lentils. On to the soup!

French Lentil & Roasted Squash Soup

Serves 4-6

1 butternut squash*

1 c. French green lentils, rinsed

5 1/8-inch thick rounds of fresh ginger

1 whole star anise

6 c. water

1 tsp. sea salt

1/4 c. olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

1 leek, chopped

1 fennel bulb, chopped

red pepper flakes

*The original recipe calls for a kabocha squash. The grocery store didn't have any on hand, so I substituted butternut squash, which worked well.

Cut squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds and pulp. Oil cut sides and place cut sides down in a baking dish. Roast in 425 degree oven 45-60 minutes, until soft. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine lentils, ginger, anise, and water. Simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Add sea salt.

In a large soup pot, combine olive oil, onion, leek, and fennel. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until soft, 7-10 minutes.

Remove the star anise and ginger from lentils. Add lentils (with broth) and squash to veggies. Stir well. Cook an additional 15 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Season with additional salt if needed and a dash of red pepper flakes.

As I approached the "put it all together" step, I became concerned that this might be a really weird soup. But weird it was not. It was flavorful and hearty and is definitely something I will make again. Ah, mid winter holiday. :-)

One year ago: garlicky kale

vegetarian split pea soup

Growing up, my mom would periodically make a big pot of split pea soup. I never paid much attention to what went into it until my vegetarian years, when the fact that it was cooked with ham hocks caused me to avoid it.

When I was in Seattle in December, the pot of split pea soup my mom made tasted like a bowl of nostalgia in a very yummy way (I don't eat much meat, but am no longer vegetarian). The role of ham hocks while cooking is to depart a smoky flavor to the soup, which I'll agree is pretty tasty.

The only time I've made split pea soup before, it was a different twist from what I consider to be the traditional version my mom makes. And earlier this week, it was the traditional version that I was craving. There's little better than a big pot of soup when it's cold and rainy outside.

Challenge: I wanted a vegetarian version. Can it be as tasty as the ham hocks version? After the soup I made earlier this week, I believe the answer is yes. Here's what I did:

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup

Makes a big pot of soup

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 carrots, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

desired spices*

2 c. dried split peas, rinsed and sorted

8 c. water or vegetable stock**

fried leeks (optional, but highly recommended)

*I used 1 tsp. dried lemon thyme, 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram, 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp. white pepper.

**I used 1/2 cube of Rapunzel Vegan Vegetable Bouillon with Sea Salt dissolved in hot water as my base.

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Stir and cook until mix becomes fragrant, 2-3 minutes. Add carrots and celery. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies are tender, 8-10 minutes. Add spices, stirring to distribute, and continue to cook for 2 minutes.

Add water or veggie stock and split peas. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes, or until split peas are cooked to desired tenderness. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

To make fried leeks, rinse leek well and slice white part into 1/4" rounds. Place in a small bowl and sprinkle with 1 tsp. arrowroot powder. Mix to coat. Heat 1" vegetable oil in the bottom of a pot over medium heat. Once oil is hot, add leeks in a single layer (you may need to do it in a couple of batches). Fry, stirring occasionally, until leeks are golden brown. Remove and allow to drain on paper towels.

Serve soup topped with fried leeks. You won't miss the ham hocks, I promise!

One year ago: Aztec squash soup

potato leek frittata

Potatoes and leeks have been a popular combination in the kitch lately. Partly because they have both been weekly staples in the CSA box as of late, and partly because they just seem to go so well together. Whereas last week water and cream brought the two together in soup, in this dish, eggs act as the medium. Add some herbs and cheese to create one tasty frittata. Here's what I did:

Potato Leek Frittata

Serves 3-4

olive oil

6 small red potatoes

3 medium leeks, cleaned and sliced into thin rounds

freshly ground black pepper

fresh and/or dried herbs (e.g. thyme, rosemary, oregano)

6 eggs

1 c. sharp cheddar, shredded*

chives

*I had both extra sharp cheddar and white cheddar on hand, so used some of each.

Cook potatoes by baking or in the microwave (6 minutes in the microwave in a covered bowl did the trick for me). Cut into 1/2" pieces.

Whisk eggs together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add leeks. Stir and cook until they begin to soften (about 3 minutes). Add potatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes begin to brown. Season with salt, pepper, and herbs (I had fresh thyme on hand, so tossed that in along with some dried oregano).

Turn broiler on high. On the stovetop, add eggs to pan. Go around the edge of the skillet with a spatula, slicing the egg mixture away from the pan and tilting it at an angle so the raw egg runs underneath to cook.

Once the eggs look mostly set, sprinkle cheese on top. Transfer to oven to finish cooking under the broiler for about 5 minutes, or until cheese begins to brown. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes before slicing.

Sprinkle chopped chives over individual servings. (If I'd had sour cream on hand, I would have added a dollop of that as well.)

I paired the frittata with a simple green salad for dinner. Leftovers became breakfast the following morning.

One year ago: orange tempeh & oven roasted broccoli

leek and potato soup

No, not "potato leek soup", but rather "leek and potato soup". Why? Because that is how Julia Child wrote it, and because Mastering the Art of French Cooking is the source of this dish.

As was the case with Momofuku, I'm easing into Mastering the Art of French Cooking by starting with a non-intimidating recipe. Whereas I had originally thought it would be quite difficult to determine where to begin with this monstrous cookbook (it's nearly 700 pages!), it turned out to be an easy choice, since we had both leeks and potatoes on hand from our latest CSA delivery. A hot, classic soup in the middle of winter sounds like just the right way to begin channeling Julia Child.

The original recipe said it would serve 4-6. I cut it in half (which was more than JR and I could eat). The amounts below reflect my adjustments of the amounts. Here's how it goes:

Leek and Potato Soup

Serves 3-4

2 c. peeled potatoes, sliced

1 1/2 c. thinly sliced leeks, including tender greens

1 qt. water (about 4 cups)

1 tsp. salt

2-3 Tbsp. whipping cream

1-2 Tbsp. minced chives

Simmer vegetables, salt, and water in a partially covered medium soup pot 40-50 minutes, until vegetables are tender. At this point, the recipe says to mash the vegetables in the soup with a fork, or pass the soup through a food mill. I used my immersion blender instead.

Taste and "correct seasoning".

Off heat just before serving, stir in cream. Pour into soup cups and "decorate with herbs". Enjoy!

roasted butternut squash soup with fried leeks

I just fell in love with leeks.

I hesitate to say this, but I am afraid this particular vegetable might have remained foreign to me if it weren't for the CSA box. Before that, I'm not even sure I could have correctly identified a leek. And even with their semi-regular appearance in the weekly box, I feel like I haven't done much inspiring with them. Mashed potatoes with leeks were good, but I just don't make mashed potatoes that often. Typically, the leeks that have found their way into my kitchen have been glorified onion replacements. Until now.

I had no idea how delicious leeks would become with one simple (albeit slightly messy) preparation. Fried leeks just became my new favorite garnish. Here, they make their cameo in cole's kitch atop a simple butternut squash soup. They would also be fantastic over salad. Or potatoes. Or [fill in the blank]. They are simply delicious. I think you could put them on top of just about anything.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Fried Leeks

Serves 4

olive oil

1 medium butternut squash

1 leek, cleaned and sliced into 1/4" rounds (white and light green parts only)

2 c. vegetable broth

1/4-1/2 c. cream or milk

pinch of nutmeg

white pepper

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 Tbs. arrowroot powder

Carefully cut butternut squash in half length-wise. Scoop out seeds. Brush with olive oil and place, cut side down, in a glass baking dish. Roast in 400 degree oven 60-75 minutes, until soft. Allow to cool. Scoop flesh out of skin and set aside.

Separate the layers of the leek from the cut rounds. Set a handful or two aside in a small bowl (these will be fried into the garnish). Chop remaining leek.

Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add chopped leeks. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks begin to brown (about 5 minutes). Add vegetable broth to pot, scraping any brown bits from the bottom. Reduce heat to low. Add squash. Puree with an immersion blender, or in batches in a stand blender.

Add cream, nutmeg, and white pepper to soup, stirring until well mixed. Add water or additional vegetable broth to thin soup to desired consistency. Increase heat slightly and stir and cook until heated through.

Dust leek rounds with arrowroot powder, stirring to distribute. Heat vegetable oil in a small pot over medium heat until hot. Add leeks (carefully - hot oil burns!). Fry leeks until browned, 2-3 minutes. Remove with fork or slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Ladle soup into individual bowls; top with fried leeks. Sprinkle with additional nutmeg and white pepper if desired.

roasted garlic mashed potatoes with leeks

As promised, here is the recipe for the mashed potatoes that accompanied the macadamia crusted halibut featured in my last post. The original recipe is from The New California Cook. I adjusted it by reducing the potatoes (original recipe calls for 3 pounds - a bit too much for 2 people!) and adjusting the amounts of some of the other ingredients slightly.

I've never really known what to do with leeks. They show up in the weekly CSA box occasionally and almost always end up being turned into stock (the typical destination for veggies in my house once they've passed their freshness prime). This recipe has given me a new appreciation for them - I cooked them for the long end of the range called for, which meant they had begun to caramelize. The flavor is somehow delicate, sweet, and rich at the same time. I'm going to have to start experimenting more with leeks!

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes with Leeks

Serves 3-4

olive oil

5 garlic cloves, peeled

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 medium leek (white and light green parts only), cleaned and finely chopped

6 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3 inch chunks

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 c. half and half

salt & freshly ground white pepper

Put peeled garlic cloves on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Close foil around garlic to create a sealed package. Place on a cookie sheet and roast in a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes. Set aside.

Melt butter in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the leeks and saute for 5-7 minutes, until softened. Set aside.

Immerse potatoes in cold water for 5 minutes to remove excess starch. Drain potatoes and put in a large pot. Cover with water, then bring to boiling and allow potatoes to continue to cook for 15 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain potatoes and return to pot. Over high heat, dry the potatoes, tossing them occasionally for 1 to 2 minutes, or until all the moisture has evaporated.

Put the potato cubes and garlic through a ricer or mash with a potato masher (I used a masher, as I like my mashed potatoes to have some texture). Add butter and olive oil. Slowly pour in the half and half, stirring until potatoes are creamy but not soupy (I added a little less than called for). Add the leeks and salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!