Cream of Celery Soup

Celery is a vegetable I have never particularly cared for.  I will use it as a base for soups & sauces - but there is something about it I always found slightly off-putting.  I know a lot of people who feel this way about tomatoes and I have always said they only feel that way because they have never had a real tomato - one straight off the vine.  I realized this might be part of the reason why I don't like celery - its such a common ingredient we have gotten used to it being in the stores year round but really - like most vegetables - its in season in summer and early autumn. 

So this week at the farmers market I saw fresh locally grown first-harvest celery and I have to say I barely recognized it.  It was a beautiful dark green - lush and leafy and still attached to its bulbous root.  I had to buy it, and decided immediately I would make this soup.  See - I used to hate fennel (or anything remotely resembling anise-flavor) too.  Then, my first (and last) time dining at a Michelin-star restaurant,  I had a Fennel Cream soup and I had a total flavor epiphany.  I think you could literally see the light bulb go on over my head and suddenly I got it.  Now I finally understood the beauty and subtley of that flavor - and all the delicious places it could go (it was the best soup I have ever tasted.  Really.). 

So now when I see a really beautiful ingredient I tend to gravitate toward a really simple cream soup.  This soup is light and fresh tasting and seems perfect for summer (it would be great for a harvest-time meal as well).  The pure celery flavor (which by the way, is not at all the same as when its that white watery stuff we use during the winter) just shines and tastes so fresh and summery.  With the gremolata it is over-the-top delicious - the bright crispiness of the herbs and lemon make such a perfect compliment.    I do realize the irony of a creamy soup recipe directly following my post saying I'm on a diet.  But here's the thing - simply leave out the cream (you can let people stir it into their own bowls if you like) and this is still a rich, satisfying and delicious soup.  The cream just gives it that extra something special.  That being said - about 3 cups (which I would call one main dish serving) of this is only 225 calories (but 24g fat if you are counting).


Cream of Celery Soup with Celery Leaf Gremolata
5 cups finely chopped celery
1 cup chopped celery leaf
2 medium onions, diced
2 cups diced peeled celery root (supplement with potato if your celery root isn't big enough)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs butter
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper
Olive oil (optional)

Gremolata:
1 Tbs celery leaf, finely chopped
1 Tbs flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 Tbs lemon zest
1 small clove of garlic, finely minced or pressed

Heat butter in a heavy pot over medium heat.  Add celery, celery leaf, and onions.  Stir and cover and cook down until very soft and just barely beginning to caramelize - around 25 minutes.  Stir occasionally.  (This is a good time to make the gremolata)

Add celery root and garlic and stock.  Stir, raise heat and bring just to a boil then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for around 35 or 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Season with salt and pepper.

Turn off the heat and with an immersion blender blend the soup until no lumps remain.  Taste and season as necessary.  You can do this ahead and keep in fridge or freezer.

Stir in the cream and taste and season again if necessary.  Ladle into bowls and drizzle with a nice light & fruity olive oil and top with a spoonful (or to taste) of gremolata. 

Gremolata:  simply combine all the ingredients and mash together in a mortar & pestle or in a small bowl with the back of a spoon. 

Spring!

 Let me tell you, as much as I love it...cooking loses all of its fun when you are swollen up like the Michelin Man and your joints are aching at the end of pregnancy.   Its been six weeks since we brought the little bugger home, and I finally feel like I'm starting to be a human being again.  I can't wait to post some new stuff on here cause for some reason I love taking photos of the random things I cook and posting them on the internet (what?  we all need hobbies).  In the meantime though...here are few of my springtime-y favorites:

 Angel Food Cake with Lemon Whipped Cream Frosting

Lemon Curd

 Steamed Artichokes with Garlic-Lemon Butter

 Asparagus Soup

Strawberry-Lemon Cake

Cream of Chantarelles Soup

Last year as Autumn approached - I found myself seeking after an idyllic autumn with cool deep forests, wild mushrooms, apple picking and American football games.  When I close my eyes I can almost smell the damp air and hear the red and golden leaves as they rustle in the breeze.  This longing has stayed with me for the entire year.   I am normally a summer girl, but all summer I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of Fall.  The temperature has dipped here in Berlin after a very hot summer and now the most beautiful time of year - the cooler later part of summer and early warmer fall -  is here.

In fact, I knew it must be about that time when I started seeing large baskets of Chanterelles at the farmers market.  Here in Germany they apparently love their Pfferlinge, and the season (much like Spargel - or Asparagus -season) is opened with much fanfare by local markets and restaurants.   I find myself drawn to the large piles of fungus with their gorgeous golden hue, fan-like ridged appearance, and those tell-tale signs that they just made their way from the beautiful German forest - little clumps of moist black dirt, pine needles, and flecks of soft green moss.

Every year when I see them I want to do something special to highlight their unique flavor.  Of course, being me, I found myself drawn to making a rich, indulgent, and creamy soup.  This soup might be one of my favorites I have ever made - its practically obscene its so rich and flavorful.  The flavor of the Chanterelles is everything  - all the other ingredients serve to bring that to the front.  Its soothing and filling - and drizzled with a nice fruity olive oil and topped with some crispy-fried chopped Chanterelles it makes not only a delicious, but a gorgeous, main dish or first course.  The flavor of this soup is very simple and so greatly depends on the quality of the individual ingredients - use a flavorful stock and good quality wine and olive oil and you won't regret it.

Cream of Chanterelles Soup 
500g fresh Chatarelles, cleaned and coarsely chopped
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I also have a really nice olive oil I brought back from Nice that I only use for drizzling - this is what I used to garnish the soup)
1 cup finely chopped onion (about half a large onion)
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 Tbs flour
4 or 5 Tbs sweet Red Wine (I used a Vin d'Pays that I am rather fond of -  and if I wasn't pregnant, I would have enjoyed a glass or three with the soup as well)
2 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1 cup 1% milk
1 cup heavy cream
Sea Salt
Fresh ground Black Pepper

First, prepare the Chanterelles.   Heat a large saute or frying pan over medium - high heat.  Once its heated, add a few glugs of olive oil (so it just coats the bottom of the pan).   Saute the Chanterelles in small batches (a large handful at a time - so they saute and don't steam - and seasoning each batch with a pinch of salt) until soft and browned.   Remove each batch with a slotted spoon to a plate or bowl and set aside.  On the last batch, deglaze the pan with just a small splash of red wine, scraping up all the brown bits and reserving with the rest of the chanterelles.

Reserve a small amount of the cooked Chanterelles (like a 1/4 to 1/2 cup) to use as a garnish - its nice to fry these a bit more as well, until nice and carmelized and a tad bit crunchy.  

Heat a large cast iron pot or stock pot over medium heat.  Add a glug of olive oil then the chopped onions and a pinch of salt.  Saute until soft and translucent and just beginning to brown around the edges - around 10 minutes.  Add the minced garlic and saute another minute more.  Add the cooked Chanterelles and stir to combine.

Stir in the flour so that it coats all the veggies, then add the Red Wine.  Stir vigorously and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan ( it will kind of become a bit of a goopy mess at this point).

Add the Stock and stir to combine.  Bring just to the boil, then reduce heat and let gently simmer, covered, for at least 10 minutes.    Stir in the milk and cream and taste - add salt and pepper as needed.   Let cook, uncovered,  over low heat (just below a simmer) for another 5 to 10 minutes - stirring frequently.    Taste again and season as necessary.

Remove soup from heat and let cool for a few minutes, then with an immersion blender, blend until smooth and thickened (you can use a regular blender, but take care not to burn yourself).    Taste again as sometimes once the soup is blended the flavors are slightly different.

Ladle into individual bowls and drizzle with olive oil and garnish with the fried Chanterelles.

Summer Minestrone Soup

I LOVE this time of year - late summer, as the temperatures drop and autumn fast approaches.  Everything is beautifully green in Berlin, there are breezy, sunny days mixed in with gray rainy ones - and the farmers market is still brimming with all that summer harvest.  Its the best of both worlds.   Its also a great time to make soup. 

I am a big fan of soup for a lot of reasons - its usually inexpensive, it freezes well, makes great lunches later on (either for yourself or to put in a thermos for kiddos), and it (usually) doesn't dirty a lot of dishes or require hours and hours of slaving away (in others words, its easy).  Its also the most comforting, soothing thing I can think of - no matter what the season.

For almost my entire life, my only exposure to Minestrone soup, however, had been from those infamous red and white cans.  No disrespect, but that stuff is just plain awful - and as a result I had gone most of my life thinking I hated Minestrone soup.  Oh how wrong I was.  Minestrone, it turns out, its probably one of my favoritist things ever.  It combines some my favorite things (veggies, beans, pasta) into one of my favorite dishes (soup).  Its easily adapted for any season and it makes a hearty, filling and super healthy meal.  This particular Minestrone has skyrocketed to the top of my all-time-favorite soups list - the broth is intensely flavored, earthy from the beans (and their cooking liquid), but also a bit sweet from the leeks and zucchini.  Its a perfect meal for a rainy late August or early September day. 

Summer Minestrone Soup
(adapted from Alice Waters' The Art of Simple Food)
225g dried beans (like Borlotti or Cannellini - I used a kind that were labeled Marmor beans and that I had honestly never seen before.  They worked wonderfully) - this yields around 675g (3 cups) cooked beans.  
Olive Oil
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme (or 5 stalks fresh)
1 bay leaf
2 tsp salt
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup water
1 small leek, diced
2 medium Zucchini, diced (roughly 3 cups diced)
2 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 cup frozen chopped spinach (or of course fresh if you have it - I keep frozen on hand all the time so I prefer not to buy something new)
225ml (1 cup) bean cooking liquid (or more if necessary)
1 or 2 cups cooked pasta (I used an artisan over-sized macaroni to provide a contrast to all the small veggies - I loved it.  However, anything from vermicelli to penne to regular macaroni would taste great). 

First, prepare your beans (this is something I have usually done days before and keep on hand in the fridge or freezer).  It is an important step in this soup however, because much of the amazing, unique flavor from this soup comes from using the bean cooking liquid.

Soak the beans overnight and drain.  Put in a large stockpot or dutch oven with plenty of water (at least a few inches over the level of the beans).  Add a bay leaf and bring to a boil.  Skim off the foam, then reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 1 to 4 hours depending on your beans (I usually find I need at least 3 hours).  Just taste the beans to know when they are done.  Add salt at the very end and let cook for a few minutes more.  Make sure to let beans cool in their liquid or their skins will peel off (if you are storing them, also store them in their cooking liquid).  Be sure to reserve a few cups of the cooking liquid for use in the soup (though I found the amount I stored the 3 cups of beans in to be just about the right amount).

In a heavy bottomed stock pot or french cast iron pot (my preference for making soup) heat a few Tbs olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and carrots and cook for 15 minutes or until tender.

Add the minced garlic, thyme, bay leaf and salt.  Stir and cook for another 5 minutes.  Add the chicken or vegetable stock and water, cover,  and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat back to medium, then add the leek and let cook, covered,  for another 5 minutes or so.

Add the zucchini, tomatoes and spinach and cook (again, covered or I found I lost too much of the broth) for 15 minutes.  Add the cooked beans and bean cooking liquid.  Taste and season with salt if necessary.  Cover again and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.  If the soup is seeming a bit crowded/thick, add more water or bean cooking liquid to your taste (if its the opposite uncover and let simmer for a few minutes to boil-off some of the liquid).  Add the cooked pasta, let cook for just another minute or two and ladle into bowls to serve.  You could garnish with Parmesan cheese or croutons but I found it to be filling and perfect just on its own as well.

Steamed Artichokes with Garlic & Lemon Butter

Artichokes are complex, withholding, and stubborn vegetables.  And yet...they are also beautiful, delicate and delectable.   One of the greatest pleasures of one of the most pleasurable seasons is enjoying a steamed whole artichoke, leaf by leaf, slowly making your way to the soft, silky heart.  Dipping each bit in a garlicky lemon butter and pairing with a glass of Provençal Rose outside on the terrace as the sun sits low in the sky, and you will have experienced the sublime.

The simple joy of a whole steamed fresh artichoke is something I had never experienced until my mid-twenties.  Growing up in a mixture of the midwestern United States and Scandinavia, they weren't exactly readily available.  My husband however, grew up in the mediterrean-like climate of California and has fond childhood memories of scraping mayonnaise-dipped artichoke flesh off spiny green leaves until unearthing the heart like a hidden treasure. 

The first time I took a few irresistible artichokes home for the market I set them on my counter and wondered what on earth I was going to do with them.  I had enjoyed artichokes hearts so many times in so many ways, but looking at this spiky green and violet cone I had no idea how to get to it.  While  it does take a slight bit of preparation - its really quite simple.  Steamed artichokes can make the ideal appetizer at a dinner party, slowly shared around a large table while the main dish finishes cooking, they are simple and can be prepared and served with relatively little fuss.  We had ours as the accompaniment to some simple grilled chicken, enjoying them on the patio with some wine while the chicken smoked on the grill.

Steamed Artichokes with Garlic & Lemon Butter
3 to 8 medium to larg-ish whole fresh artichokes
120 grams butter (like one stick in the US)
3 large cloves garlic, pressed or minced and crushed
300 ml fresh lemon juice (like one lemon)
a few sprigs fresh thyme

Prepare the artichokes:  Cut the stems about 1/2 inch from the base of the choke and slice off the top of the choke (about 1 inch).  Remove the most outer dark leaves. With a pair of kitchen shears, trim the prickly tip from each leaf.  Rub lemon on the cut edges to keep them from browning.

 To cook the artichokes:  place in a steamer basket over lightly boiling water and steam for 30 to 40 minutes.  Alternatively, you can place directly in the water.  They will bob up on the top of the water, so they will kind of half boil/half steam.  Remove the artichokes and place upside-down on a kitchen towel to drain while they cool.

While the artichokes are steaming, prepare your dipping sauce.  Place butter in a small saucepan over med-low heat.  Add the garlic and the whole thyme sprigs after its mostly melted and slowly cook the garlic.  Let cook this way for a few minutes, until the garlic and thyme become quite pungent (don't let it get to hot or the garlic will burn).  Remove the thyme and whisk in the lemon juice.  Let cook another minute or two.  Remove from heat  but keep warm until serving.  This sauce is probably enough for 4 to 6 people to share.

To eat the artichokes, pull each leaf off, dip it in the sauce then scrape/suck/bite off the tender green part of the leaf at the bottom .  As you get further in, each leaf will have a bit more of the heart on it.  When you get to the heart in the center, simply cut off the fuzzy stuff on top of it (you can remove this before cooking if you want as well) and eat the rest (remaining stem included).

Provence & Côte d'Azur

I have mentioned a few times on this blog that I have had a preoccupation with Provence lately. I have been drawn to it in a way I cannot fight against - like some inevitable cosmic force was drawing me to it. I know I am not the first to be romantically swept away by this region, but I certainly never thought I would actually find myself on vacation there any time soon.

And yet that is exactly where I found myself last week. I somehow found myself in hotel room in Nice overlooking the aquamarine water of the Baie des Anglais charting out all the places we had to eat over the next few days. It was...amazing.

It was Olive Tapinade, Rosé Wine (be still my heart), fresh Goat Cheese (that may have actually brought tears to my eyes), and absolutely perfectly cooked Scallops with shaved truffles that there is no pictorial evidence of because I could not wait one second to devour them (nor will I ever forget the way they absolutely melted in my mouth. Melted I tell you).

I always say I am new to this whole "foodie" thing - and so the idea of Provence as food mecca is pretty new to me as well. I knew it was the land of truffles and lavender, but I had no idea it was also the land of fresh seafood, perfectly light and fruity olive oil, and candied fruits.

We ate everywhere from street stands (Socca & Rotisserie Chicken) to Michelin-rated fancy restaurants (Chateau Eza) to hip new joints across the street from the Cannes' Palais des Festivals (Mocca), to cute little bakeries with deliciously simple breakfasts.


I think the highlight of my whole trip was wandering through the market at Cours Saleya in Nice. I have never seen such exquisite fruits and veggies in my life. Next time I visit there, I will have to rent someplace with a kitchen so I can enjoy all those gorgeous fresh fruits and vegetables.

I have been very tired of cooking lately (as you can see by the lack of posts for an entire month)- and this trip gave me just the jolt of inspiration that I needed. It reminded me why food (and cooking it) can be so amazing and what drew me to it in the first place.

I cannot wait to go back and explore more - St.Tropez! Marseilles! - not to mention the beautiful countryside and majestic mountains....sigh...why do I have to return to reality?

Roasted Tomato Soup

This has long been my very favorite soup. And people - I really like soup. I watched Michael Chiarello making this on his show on the Food Network a couple years ago, and immediately went to the internet to get the recipe. It is something that (despite the longer time it takes to prepare which is usually something I don't tolerate) I make over and over and over. I always have at least 2 or 3 individual containers of this soup in my freezer at all times, ready to go for a delicious homemade lunch.

I am a big fan of thick and hearty tomato soups. The problem is - most of them are full of heavy cream. Why turn wonderful heart healthy tomatoes into something so horrible for you? Not only that - but being slightly lactose intolerant my stomach cannot handle heavy cream at all. This soup is the perfect answer - ripe tomatoes and lots of garlic roasted with rich balsamic vinegar then simply simmered with lots of basil and sauteed onions. Blend it all up and its a rich and delicious soup that I find myself craving all the time. Let the croutons sit at the bottom of your bowl and soak up all tomatoey goodness and they make a delicious addition.

This soup is great for late summer when the markets are full of cheap, fresh tomatoes and the weather is starting to remind us that fall is coming quickly.

Just a few notes about the recipe: start with less water than it calls for to prevent from watering down your soup. Some tomatoes are more watery than others and I find I need different amounts of liquid every time I make this. I use exactly half the amount of Olive oil that he recommends (or even less - it definitely doesn't need that much!), and always make sure to use a really good rich balsamic - it makes a world of difference in the flavor of the soup. I sometimes add in a few other herbs with the basil (like rosemary and thyme) with pleasing results. When I make the croutons, I dip them in a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar instead of just oil. And last but not least - the bit about using a non-reactive baking sheet is really important. Try to avoid using an aluminum pan when roasting the tomatoes as it can really add a metallic taste to the soup.

Roasted Tomato Soup
from Micheal Chiarello

For the soup:

• 12 large (about 4 pounds) tomatoes, stemmed and quartered
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1/4 cup good-quality balsamic vinegar
• 12 large garlic cloves, peeled
• Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup chopped yellow onions
• 2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves, plus few leaves torn for garnish
• 2 cups cold water

For the croutons:

• 1 loaf country-style bread
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 C - my oven doesn't even go this hot! So I have to let them cook a bit longer).

Prepare the tomatoes. In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, 1/4 cup of the oil (I just drizzle in to taste - not nearly that whole amount), the vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper, to taste. Spread the tomatoes out on a non-reactive baking sheet (important or your tomatoes will taste like aluminum). Roast the tomatoes in the oven until very dark in spots, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove and allow to cool a bit.

Prepare the bruschetta. Cut the bread crosswise into slices about 1-inch thick (you will need 8 slices). Lightly brush the slices on both sides with oil and season with salt. Place the slices on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until the bruschetta are golden brown and just beginning to crisp, about 6 minutes.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine remaining 1/4 cup oil, the onions, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions are very soft, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the 2 cups basil leaves and saute with the onions for about 1 minute.

Add the roasted tomatoes and water to the saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Puree the tomato mixture in a blender. Start the motor at a slow speed and increase gradually. Alternatively you can use an immersion blender right in the pot. The mixture should be very smooth. You should have about 8 cups. You can prepare the soup to this point and refrigerate it. When ready to serve, pour the soup into a medium saucepan and bring it to a slow simmer over medium heat.

Serve the soup. Garnish with herbs if you like and serve with the croutons.

Why I love Fall - Pumpkin

Yes, I love all things pumpkin flavored. Pumpkin Spice Lattes, Pumpkin bread, Pumpkin pie, Pumpkin cake, Pumpkin cookies, Pumpkin Soup...I even like roasted pumpkin seeds.

I saw lots of amazing pumpkins at the Farmers Market this past Saturday and I was a little afraid there wouldn't be anymore around closer to Thanksgiving. And we might not have any of the rest of the meal, but we WILL have pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. Not to mention I want to try making this Pumpkin-Oatmeal-Chocolate chip cookie recipe. So, I decided to try and preserve some pumpkin to get me through the rest of the season. I did some reading and decided to go with freezing . It was ridiculously easy, which is kinda my style.

I started with 1/2 of a monster of a pumpkin - I am guessing it weighed about 8 or 9 pounds (the half, not the whole). The pumpkin needs to be cooked and pureed - I decided to 'roast' in the oven. I scooped out the guts, split the half into three pieces, brushed liberally with vegetable oil and a bit of salt, and placed on a baking sheet.

Turns out that baking sheet (read MY ONE AND ONLY baking sheet) does not fit in my tiny little European oven. So I moved them onto my pizza stone which worked out just fine. Until I realized they were touching the top of the oven and I had to move the rack down to like the bottom one. Finally I got them to fit in the oven. I baked at 200C (about 400 F) for roughly two hours. It was nice and soft and the peel came of easily.

I scooped out the flesh into a bowl. Here's where I got a little creative. I have no idea if this is going to affect my pumpkin puree or not - but I drained off quite a bit of liquid. It was just swimming in it. There was still quite a bit of liquid in the puree when I was done - but it just seemed like too much at first.

Then I scooped the puree into containers for freezing - I got 2 2-cup containers and 2 1-cup containers for a total of 6 cups of pumpkin puree. Thats enough for a lot of baking - one recipe of cookies takes 1 cup of puree.

I let the puree cool down to room temperature then stuck them in my freezer. Now I have handy fresh pumpkin anytime I want to do some baking. Yay!