Tag Archives: soups

When In Doubt, Serve Soup While Staying Inside

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While many supermarkets in our small New England town have low supplies of some foods (chicken and pork seem to sell out fast, and forget dried beans!), their fresh vegetables bins have remained bountiful. Whether I am ordering for curbside pick up or rushing through the store, I know there are vegetable counters that remain fully stocked. As a result in my fridge, I have a good supply of produce that I’ve been turning into soups. “When in doubt serve soup” is my mantra for nothing is more comforting and more nourishing! Here are two soups, both of which are favorites from my book, Soup Nights.

Warm or Cool Carrot Soup with Coconut and Lime is creamy with a vibrant orange hue, and is both quick and simple to prepare. It calls for easy-to-find ingredients, some of which you might even have on hand. An added bonus, it’s delicious served hot or cold!

For spicy Cauliflower Soup with Crispy Chorizo, Lime, and Cilantro, Continue reading →

What to Buy and Cook During the Coronavirus

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Although I had chosen a nice appetizer to feature on my blog this week, I realized that what most of my friends and colleagues were talking about was what to stock up on for cooking during these challenging times when the Covid19 seems to be advancing  across our country. I’ve made multiple trips to grocery stores in my small New England town, each time picking up additional items.  So, this week, I’d  thought I share my list as well a couple of recipes for dishes made with pantry staples.

Here are two simple recipes to assemble from easy-to-have on hand ingredients. Emergency Red Beans and Rice is my go to dish not just for emergencies (like New England snowstorm weather), but through much of the year as well. And, Broccoli Soup with Curried Creme Fraiche takes less than 45 minutes to prepare and when paired with crusty bread and a salad is hearty enough to be a main course.  Oh, and here are some of the items I’ve been packing into my shopping bags.

FOR THE FREEZER

Risotto, Pasta, and Savory Tarts- Trader Joe’s prepared risottos-either their asparagus risotto or their mushroom risotto (the small bags  will feed two modestly)– are easy to use straight from the freezer. I top each serving with 2 or 3 sautéed sea scallops for some protein, and sprinkle everything with Parmesan cheese.  Trader’s Joe’s Alsatian tart Continue reading →

Asparagus Star in A Delicious Soup

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Brodo with Asparagus, Gnocchi, and Blue Cheese 1 1515x1368What I love about cooking in France is that the French are real sticklers for using seasonal ingredients. There’s no way you’d see asparagus in their groceries in the winter. (In my supermarkets at home, sadly I don’t have to look hard to find non-local asparagus from Chile displayed throughout the cold weather months.) In Paris bundles of the long, sleek spears appear only in late spring and early summer. And what a glorious scene they make— verdant-hued stalks, tender, petite wild asparagus, and snowy- hued white varieties take center stage at les primeurs (produce stores).

Since arriving several weeks ago, I’ve taken advantage of this bounty. At first, I used the stalks as a side to sautéed lamb chops or roast chicken, but then I got more imaginative and included them in a delicious brodo. Continue reading →