Storm Soup

Root Vegetable Soup with Goat Cheese (recipe from La Tartin Gourmade)

Olive oil

• 1 /4 red onion, chopped
• 1 leek, white part only, chopped
• 2 twigs of thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon sun dried tomato paste
• 1 tomato, peeled, cored, seeded and diced
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 parsnip, peeled and diced
• 2 small turnips, peeled and diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 14 oz (400 g) peeled and diced red kuri squash (or butternut squash)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon light Muscovado sugar
• 5 cups cold water
• Goat cheese for garnish

Steps:

• To make the soup: In a large pot, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. When warm, add the onion, leek, thyme and ground coriander. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion and leek are soft but not brown.
• Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
• Add the sun-dried tomato paste and tomato, and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the rest of the vegetables, the bay leaf, sugar and water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork.
• Discard the bay leaf and thyme. Transfer the soup to the bowl of a food processor and purée until smooth (you might want to do that in a few steps and not add all of the water at once, to choose the texture of the soup you prefer).
• Garnish with goat cheese

 

Quinoa, Pear, and Spinach Salad with Maple Vinaigrette (recipe from Glutenfreegodess)

1 cup organic quinoa
Sea salt
2 good handfuls of organic baby spinach leaves, washed, drained
1 large ripe pear, washed, stemmed and cored, cut into pieces
1/2 cup chilled chick peas, rinsed, drained
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
A handful of pecans, pan toasted and salted to taste

For the Maple Vinaigrette Dressing:

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons golden balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Instructions:

Place the quinoa in a saucepan or a rice cooker. Add 2 cups fresh water, and a pinch of sea salt. Cover and cook on a low simmer until all the water is evaporated and the quinoa is tender- roughly 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and dump it into a large salad bowl.

Add the baby spinach, pear, chick peas, and chopped parsley to the quinoa and fluff.

Whisk together the vinaigrette, pour it over the quinoa salad and toss gently to coat. Season to taste with sea salt and ground pepper.

Just before serving, add the toasted pecans and lightly combine.

The evening was lovely. The storm was coming. We took our fill of soup, and family, and music, and God, and rain.