cauliflower bacon soup with chives

The main way a windy New York day differs from days in other places I’ve lived is in the amount of debris blowing down the street. In Virginia a windy day might have meant some blowing leaves and a few papers, but here, the walls of buildings channel the wind into something powerful enough to really pull up all sorts of things from who knows where and I’ve seen large plastic sheets, advertising circulars, trashcans and their contents all tumbling down the street. I once saw a pair of couch cushions blow by our building like tumbleweeds. It can be a little frightening if you’re out in it, especially if you’re walking by a construction site (which is every other lot in our neighborhood), but looking out the window, it’s easy to imagine everything old is being blown away and you’re getting a fresh start. read more »

ham hock & collard soup with egg noodles

How do you like to cook? Is it the process or the end result? Are you inspired by the ingredients in their raw states, or only after they’ve been transformed? For some reason, this soup got me thinking about that stuff. Blogging has changed how I cook, and sometimes I worry that it has slowly made food feel like work. This dish took me back to my cooking roots and made us all a little happier. read more »

cream of asparagus soup

I’ve been whiling away the morning trying to decide what to say here, as though soup alone isn’t compelling enough. But, in cooking, a simple approach doesn’t always make for simple flavors. For this velvety asparagus soup I roasted the onions, garlic, and asparagus, and then pureed them with broth. Roasting brought out a caramelized smokiness that was perfect for the pungent/creamy spring vegetables. And though I recommend this soup just as it is, it’s incredibly flexible and would be delicious with countless variations (especially ones involving ramps, leeks, and other spring delicacies). read more »

potlikker soup with ham hock and egg noodles

One of my lesser New Year’s resolutions was to eat more cooked greens. For whatever reason (somewhere between an aversion to extra dishes and a hatred of soggy greens), I’ve never really cooked my greens. Until now. So far, I’ve blanched and sauteed, and without a soggy green in sight, I’m loving the results.

Besides, if you never cook your greens, you’ll never get potlikker. read more »

simple roast tomato soup

For the first few months of summer I take all the fresh stuff for granted–I’m nonchalant about abundant berries and corn. But come September I start to panic, which leads rather quickly to panic fruit-buying. For instance, two weeks ago I dragged the whole family to Union Square farmers market and bought 20 pounds of peaches, 6 pints of blueberries, 3 pints of blackberries, and 1 pint of raspberries. Let’s just say we’re all set in the jam department. Also the pie department. This week I made a reservation for 40 pounds of tomatoes. Gulp. I’ll be canning the tomatoes for sure, but I might also have to make this soup again.

Now that it really is fall you pretty much have to make soup, too. This one is has big tomato flavor with smoky notes and hints of fragrant herbs. It’s exactly what you want to be eating as the first leaves of fall flutter by. read more »

Next Page »