Another cream-of-veg-soup, I know. This time, however, featuring an edible native plant that is generally considered a weed to be destroyed – lamb’s quarter. It’s been growing everywhere in my new gardening beds, regardless of the drought. I’ve been using young leaves, and will use some of the stems shortly, along with some more mature leaves as the plants, um, … Read More
Cream of Green Soup
I’ve been flogging variations of this dish for a few months now – but today was the best it’s been. A recipe would be a bit ridiculous, really. Today it was asparagus, broccoli, and celery with a base of shallot and garlic. I normally dig the bright flavor from a shot of frozen peas. In a few weeks it will … Read More
Arctic Char – A Late-Night Char-Fest
A whole char is a pretty thing to behold. The skin is spotted and pinky-peach to a point that seems surreal for a fish. The three fish all had markedly different flesh colors ranging from paler pink to intense red like a sockeye salmon. Three of us batted around ideas of what to do with the fishes, and here’s what … Read More
Beef Vegetable Soup
Sometimes, when you’ve been busy shopping for antique silverware on a cool fall day, you just feel like a bowl of home-made beef vegetable soup with some freshly baked focaccia. Just to be clear, I’ve had focaccia in Liguria that blows your mind. Let’s call mine a humble ‘plain focaccia’, simply sporting some kosher salt and olive oil from a … Read More
Shaggy Mane & Chicken Noodle Soup
“Not another post about a bowl of soup?!?” Yeah, I know. But I had to – it’s one of the best ways I can suggest to truly appreciate the delicate texture and flavor of the shaggy mane mushroom. There are times when I have so much chicken stock I don’t know what to do with it, and there are times … Read More
Rockfish and Lemongrass Soup
My tongue feels like someone’s piercing it with a hot metal poker. But aside from that, this is easily one of the best soups I’ve ever made. I needed a quick lunch, and here’s what went in the pot: 2 cups or so of chicken broth1 cup or so of pork brothA healthy shot of leftover Nuoc Cham [see previous … Read More
Pho: Part II
I ate my vietnamese soup for breakfast, lunch, and supper today. No pictures, sorry. Good thing I made it, as I woke up with a sore throat and headache. Hence my lack of awesome story about my soup eating binge. Dang.
Pho: Part I
I have great respect for Vietnamese cuisine. For some reason, among the asian cuisines I’ve been exposed to, I’m drawn to it the most. Maybe I’m more ethnocentric than I think and it’s only because they were once colonized by the French, my European cuisine favorite. Or not. I’m a big fan of the clean, fresh, savoury, transparent, and crisp … Read More