Well yep, I think that the bloggers block is gone! My recipe by no means is anything too spectacular, more practical, predictable, maybe even a lil’ boring, which I think is what most of humanity goes for in reality anyhow. Folks go for what is “normal”, in what “looks right”, not necessarily what really pumps their nads….or ovaries…..or feathers their nest. We go with convenience and ease over passion and adventure and then we take our socially accepted date du jour to a movie about people doing abnormal, passionate, adventurous things….isn’t that an oxymoron? Continue reading “Resolution Soup”
Well it’s been a while since I blogged a recipe with meat in it….but I am doing so today. I am plant based 5 days of the week, but occasionally I like to indulge in a bit of high quality, sustainable, meat. Fall is in the air, and so is SOUP SEASON! Oh man, I love making soup, my friend Heidi came by on Monday and gave me the most amazing harvest of leafy greens and other things from her garden, I was at Wholefoods today and found that they had some great local hot Italian sausage and decided I would make this soup since I was suddenly wealthy in all its main players. Zuppa Toscana is a popular menu item at Italian American restaurants (a large chain one in particular), and a total food fav for me. It apparently is for many people as I have seen numerous versions on pinterest; the good, the bad, and the ugly…haha! I wonder sometimes if some of these bloggers are really good at food photography, but not so hot on the actual product….I am very visually inspired and one of the photos that caught my eye had the most horrific recipe attached to it! This blogger used a roux and a slurry to thicken the soup instead of cream….hmmm…that is working harder not smarter…and to top it off she added two cans of evaporated milk at the end….probably should’ve done the cream at that point. I am not saying this to be bratty, I just don’t want anyone to have to over complicate or over fat a recipe. How do you feel good about feeding your family something that has as much fat in one portion as a slice of cheesecake. So I have healthified this soup, yes it has sausage, but I have removed all the other animal products (you don’t need them when the sausage provides so much condensed flavor and richness), I have included large amount of garden fresh veggies, and thickened with cauliflower puree! It was better than then the originaI! The recipe made probably 12 servings, so you only get a small amount of the meat, with loads of veggies! It may be a few days before I need to cook again though, as this makes enough to feed an army! If you like Zuppa Toscana, try this version, you will love it and no one will know it isn’t the decadent original.
Veggies from my friend Heidi’s garden!!
You will need
1 pound good quality sausage of choice, you can use whatever type you like, even soyrizo (you may just need to add a little extra oil), I used classic Italian Hot pork sausage.
2 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed well and sliced as thin as possible, I use them skin and all
1 bunch lactinato Kale, chopped
1 bunch Chard
2 ribs celery, medium dice
2 carrots, medium dice
1 zucchini, sliced thin, same as potatoes.
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic smashed, and chopped
Pinch of red pepper flakes, if your sausage is quite spicy you can omit this
8 Cups stock, I used veggie
1 head of cauliflower, stem removed, and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Over medium heat, in a large Dutch oven or soup pot place sausage and begin to render it of its fat. After five minutes or so add onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and pepper flakes if you are using them, cook five or so more minutes, spoon off any visible oil,add potatoes and kale. Add stock, turn heat up to medium high till it is at a low boil, reduce heat, add chard and zucchini, and cover, turn heat to low. While your soup simmers, in a medium sauce pan, place cauliflower and 2 cups lightly salted water, boil for 20 minutes until very soft, then blend until smooth and creamy. Add cauliflower puree to soup, sprinkle with some fresh parsley and cracked pepper, serve! This makes a huge amount so it is perfect for freezing.
While on vacation in my hometown I heard the bad news about James Ganolfini, he died of heart attack while on holiday in Italy. It made me ponder how quick life can stop, end, kaput, fin you’re done. Having my Dad still recovering from heart surgery made it hit a bit close to home, it also made me realize how important it is to try to eat in a helpful manner. Healthy food choices can be the difference between life and death, Jarom and I were watching a TED talk last night and the speaker was a doctor who specializes in diets based to starve cancer tumors with nutrients. While listening to his talk I realized a lot of his mantra is based purely in eating locally and sustainably. Today’s recipe is a minestrone that is made with all green veggies (which just happen to be center stage at the farmer’s market), it is delicious and healthy, affordable, and if eaten regularly will help ward off cancer causing cells…did I mention it tastes real good?? Well it does…..
1 bunch chard
1 bunch lactinato Kale (because its the Italian variety)
½ head of cabbage, I used a small napa that was at my market
1 can cannellini beans
2 quarts stock, I used chicken
½ cup white wine, I used a WA pinot grigio
2 small zucchini diced, medium
1 onion, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
1 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 cup pasta of choice
Olive oil
In a large pot put a glug of oil over medium heat, add onions, garlic, celery, red pepper flake and sauté 5 minutes. Add chard (chopped), kale (chopped), cannellini beans, and stock. Turn heat up to high, bring to boil, turn back to medium add wine, pasta, zucchini, salt and pepper, simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add parsley. Top with bread crumbs (I make my own, with left over bread that I store in the freezer), and parmesan cheese. This is optional but delicious.
Well todays thought, try to eat fresh food, grown locally, and arrivederchi Tony Soprano, you left us much to soon.
I decided I would use my chard to make a soup with the rest of my pork I had, and some barley from the pantry. I have made several soup recipes, so if you browse those you can see what we are doing a variation on. For aromatics I simply used mire poix (3 carrot, 1 medium onion, 2 spring onions, heart of celery), after I boiled my 1 cup of barley in 2 quarts of stock for 20 minutes, I added mire poix, a few cups of fresh water and a large potato, medium dice. Simmer for twenty minutes, turn off the heat and add 1 bunch chopped chard. Salt and pep to taste. I call this pork “confit” because I am using the “confit” meaning cooked it its own fat, by using some rendered fat from the roast about a tablespoon in a medium high skillet add shredded pork and sizzle till crispy and brown, top the soup off with it! Yummasaurusrex.
