Soup For the Running Soul...

But no chicken to be had.
No, I had a long joyous run which went bad and decided an earthier fare would sooth my injured ego. Two birds with one stone, as it were, a Mushroom soup I had hoped to make - more than food but an outlet.

Oh, get to the point already!
Right, right; apologies. The show I watch as I write on Amazon Prime, "The Trip" is a rambling, comedic, attention-demanding romp through some of my favorite things: fine food and British comedy. Ironically, the food they eat bears no resemblance to the stereotypical bad-british-food-phenomenon.
But to each their own I suppose... Again, I digress.

Cookies, Books, and tea... they do these things to me...

I had hoped to recreate the tremendous Mushroom soup I adored at the wonderful Chaiwalla, free of cream and pretenses. It was a simply soothing, smoothly hearty, earthy amuse bouche which demanded a return.
It was a marvelous thing, served beside a sweetly chewy, apple-studded muffin; pure umami with a drizzle of rich and smooth olive oil juxtaposed with sweet spicy bread.
These are a few of my favorite things...

But here is my adaptation: The elixer of the gods.
Simple Portabella Soup

• 2 pints Baby-Bella caps, washed gingerly
• 3 sprigs of Thyme, leaves removed and stems discarded

Simply chop the mushrooms roughly and combine with Thyme leaves. Sprinkle with Cracked pepper as you like.

• 2 stalks Celery, diced
• 1/2 onion - Vidalia or Red but never white, you know... diced
• 1 tbsp good EVOO and 1 tbsp unsalted butter or so
• several sage leaves, torn small or diced up

Fun with Photoshop...

Sautee the celery, onion, sage, and oils until onions are translucent but not quite carmelized. Set aside

Begin to sautee the mushrooms in the now-empty pot you are left with and add...

• a splash or about 2 tbsp of Red wine and a drizzle of honey.

Simmer the concoction stirring periodically. As the mushrooms cook down, reaching about a half of their original volume, add in the reserved onions and celery from before. Simmer again for a few moments, stirring as you so like.

• a stifled teaspoon of vegetable bouillon (I like the jarred variety) and about a cup of water - warm or hot if you would.

incorporating these final ingredients, simmer for ten or so minutes, stirring again as you so wish. (Enjoy the aroma - it's key - and in respect for the Mushroom soup harbinger Chaiwalla, brew a cup o' tea, perhaps.)

Reduce heat and apply your preferred blending machinery: I very much like my Immersion Blender but a good stand blender or food mill will do wonders. Be careful to however not puree the soup into a paste: it should retain a thick porridge-like roughness but not full pieces of vegetable.

I Swear, plated it looks better and tastes still greater...

Perhaps Honey-Buttermilk beauties...

Serve with a crusty bread, sweet baked good like scones or muffins, and that cup of tea.

You might add a few slices of avocado or perhaps a nice tart apple. I do love that salty-savory-sweet triumvirate. 

As always: 

Enjoi!

Zuppa! #1

It's been cold and rainy in New England this past week. Having a great new cold and being relatively sleep-deprived I've had a hankering for some hot soup. Well, I hadn't gotten than as of Thursday night and so I decided I'd make some for Friday.

This was adapted from a post on Vegan Dad and another from NPR's Kitchen Window series from last year. It came out well (although, I prefer low sodium and love cinnamon, whereas those who ate it with me felt otherwise on both points). Served with some hearty bread, maybe a bit of cheese it's a great fall soup. If you like, add come cooked brown rice, Barley, Farro... the list goes on...

1 cinnamon stick, whole

4 cups of Vegetable Stock

2 cups of water

1 can White beans, or whatever you may prefer

1 Sweet Potato, Sliced and quartered

2 small potatoes (I used a purple-skinned Russet and a fully purple potato - color good!)

1 1/2 cups Kale, chopped

1 Onion

8-10 button mushrooms, sliced into sixths

a few cloves garlic, diced

1 cup carrots, sliced and halved (1-inch pieces)

2 apples (I used fresh Macs) finely cubed

8 or so fresh Sage leaves

a sprig of fresh Rosemary

Olive Oil

Ground Nutmeg

Pepper

Bay Leaves (I never have any so I used old Bay seasoning - sodium free!)

Ginger (powder, sadly - I recommend about 1/2 of a walnut sized piece, grated)

Cardamom

Optional: cooked Farro, Rice, or other grain of your liking (and depending on volume desired....)

For starters, I think i give up on putting down spice measurements for the most part - they can be so personal (I'll stick with them in baking maybe...).

Begin by slicing the onion and caramelizing it with the garlic and olive oil. As it sits, browned, add the vegetable stock to a large pot and heat, adding the potatoes as they're prepared. As the stock begins to boil, empty the onions into another container and begin to sauté the chopped kale in any oil left from the onions (perhaps adding a splash extra).

Add the onions to the stock and add water towards the end of the Kale's cooking - it needn't be softened too much, merely to break down some of its Kaleness if that makes any sense... Chop the other vegetables as the kale cools in its pan, beginning with the apples.

Add first these chopped apples, then each subsequently prepared vegetable to the soup, adding water as needed. Add any spices to taste, and continue to top with water, stirring occasionally.

You may need to add more stock if too much water has been added - it shsould allow for a thick soup but not stew-like consistency.

Add the beans last - about half an hour prior to completion (if using canned as I did be sure to rinse first).

Add any grain about ten minutes later (cooked, remember) and let simmer, covered or un, depending on desired thickness. And don't forget to remove the cinnamon stick at about this point in cooking, before the final simmering takes place.

Enjoi!

Update: It's better leftover - the flavors have to "blend" as they say. THERE'S STILL HOPE!