8 Soups To Warm Up Your Winter

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

8 warm & delicious winter soups from the Garden of Eating blog

Thanks to the revolving door of colds and coughs my kids bring home from school, I've been making quite a lot of soup. On the plus side, I love soup.

Some are old favorites while others, like this spicy red lentil soup with meyer lemon, are new favorites. Every one is warming and delicious. My advice to you is:
  • Save your vegetable scraps - they make great stock - details here; and
  • If you make more than you need, freeze what's left over - you'll be glad you did, especially next time you catch a cold and do not feel like cooking.
Swiss Chard, White Bean & Sausage Soup
This is one of those soups that is a meal in and of itself. Hearty and full of flavor, thanks in part to the vastly underutilized trick of saving your Parmesan cheese rinds to give your stock a huge boost. You can use kale in place of the chard - both are good. Simply skip the sausage if you want to make a vegetarian version.


Quick Coconut Vegetable Stew
This is a wonderful go-to meal that is packed with flavor and also wildly good for you. The vegetables are flexible but kabocha squash is one of my favorite additions because its dense, sweet flesh pairs so nicely with the warm curry powder and the rich coconut milk. Vegan to boot!


Creamy Roasted Garlic & Potato Soup
This is one of the most addictive soups I've ever eaten - it ranks right up there with my favoriteThai soup, tom kha gai. The nutty, mellow flavor of the roasted garlic is the perfect foil for potatoes' sweet starchiness. Add a little heavy cream and you are officially IN BUSINESS.


Curried Lentil & Sweet Potato Stew
A perfect vegetarian meal packed with protein and flavor. The exotic flavors of the curry marry beautifully with both lentils and sweet potatoes. Whatever other veggies (carrots, etc.,) you want to add are just icing on the cake.


Jerusalem Artichoke (Sunchoke) & Sweet Potato Soup
I discovered this recipe as a result of Eatwell Farm, our old CSA back in Berkeley that helpfully included it in a share box that featured a big bag of sunchokes. At the time, I had no idea what they were or what to do with them so I took the easy way out and made the soup even though it sounded a little weird to me. But it was sooooo good - sweet, nutty and with a nice kick from the green garlic! Now I yearn for sunchokes and am thinking about planting a bunch in the spring even though I've been warned that they have thuggish tendencies and like to take over. Considering how tasty they are, that might not be the worst thing in the world...


Red Lentil Soup with Chili Paste & Meyer Lemon
This is my new favorite soup, inspired by a recent New York Times recipe. Like all lentil soups, it's quick, hearty and nutritious and the chili paste and lemon juice pack a nice little punch of flavor.


Winter Squash & Pear Soup with Sage
Pear adds a lovely, floral sweetness to the nutty squash and sage anchors the flavors with its earthy astringency. Add a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche to make this extra rich and serve with peasant bread or brown rice and a green salad.


Curried Butternut Squash Soup
A super simple, super tasty (accidentally) vegan soup made with roasted butternut squash, creamy coconut milk and warm, exotic curry powder. You can't lose with this soup! If you're not a vegan, top with a little sour cream, crème fraîche or plain, whole milk yogurt.


You might also like:
For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.

Butternut Squash Lasagna with Leeks and Béchamel

Sunday, January 10, 2016

Butternut squash lasagna with leeks and bechamel sauce by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2016

I've had this recipe bookmarked in my dog-eared copy of Andrea Chesman's excellent Recipes from the Root Cellar for about six years. But now that I've finally made this lovely lasagna, I will be making it often.

Butternut squash for the white lasagna with leeks and bechamel sauce by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2016

It's a perfect winter meal - elegant and hearty at the same time. The combination of sweet, nutty roasted squash, mellow leeks, sage and garlic-infused béchamel, and gooey, melted Parmesan cheese makes it very hard to stop eating... In fact, next time, I will get out my HUGE lasagna pan and double the recipe to ensure leftovers.

Leeks for the butternut squash lasagna with bechamel sauce by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2016

Please do NOT be intimidated by the fancy-sounding béchamel sauce - it's not hard to make. Once you've made it once, you'll realize there's nothing to be scared of, even if it does sound frighteningly French.

You start by roasting butternut squash and leeks until they're soft and caramelized.

Roasted butternut squash and leeks for the white lasagna bechamel sauce by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2016

While the vegetables are roasting, you make a garlicky roux by sautéeing garlic in butter then stirring in the flour and browning it for a couple minutes.

Ingredients for the bechamel sauce for the butternut squash lasagna by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2016

Then you turn that roux into a béchamel by whisking in several cups of milk, bringing it to a boil briefly and adding the dried sage and white wine. It should thicken up nicely.

Sage and thyme-infused béchamel sauce for the butternut squash lasagna with leeks by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2016

Assembly is easy, just schmear some béchamel in the bottom of the pan, put a layer of lasagna noodles (I used no-cook) over it, do another schmear, top with a layer of roasted vegetables and a blizzard of Parmesan cheese and repeat as many times as you have ingredients for.

Building the butternut squash lasagna with leeks and béchamel sauce by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2016

Cover with tinfoil and bake for half an hour, then remove the foil and bake a little longer to achieve maximum bubbling and browning. Cut and serve with a salad and some bread.

Butternut squash lasagna with leeks and bechamel sauce by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2016

If you don't already have a copy of Recipes from the Root Cellar, I encourage you to get one! It's one of my three most-used cookbooks along with Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and the good old Joy of Cooking.

-- print recipe --
Butternut Squash Lasagna with Leeks and Béchamel
Serves 6

Ingredients

For the lasagna
* 1 large butternut or other winter squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeds removed and cut into small cubes
* 3 leeks, rinsed trimmed and sliced
* 3 Tbsps olive oil
* 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
* 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the béchamel sauce
* 6 Tbsps organic butter
* 3 3/4 cups organic milk
* 3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
* 6 Tbsps all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 tsp dried sage
* 1 tsp dried thyme
* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425. Mound the squash and leeks on a baking sheet, drizzle with the oil, salt and pepper and toss thoroughly with your hands until everything is well-coated. Arrange in a single layer and bake, turning once or twice to avoid burning for 25-30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and browned. Remove pan from the oven and lower the heat to 350.

2. While the veggies are roasting, make the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about two minutes. Whisk in the flour to make a smooth paste (a roux) and cook, whisking constantly for about one minute. Add the milk and whisk until smooth. Bring to a slow boil, stir in the wine and sage and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.

3. Assemble the lasagna: spread half a cup of the béchamel in the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Lay three noodles over the bottom of the pan. Pour more of the sauce over the noodles then top with a third of the roasted squash and leeks and a quarter of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat until you've used up the veggies and noodles. Spread the remaining sauce and sprinkle whatever cheese you have left on top.

4. Cover the pan with tinfoil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes to brown the top. Remove and let stand for five minutes before cutting and serving.

You might also like:
For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.

Simple, Moist Sour Cream Corn Muffins

Friday, January 1, 2016

Sour cream corn muffins by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

On Christmas Eve, I made white bean soup using some of my frozen mirepoix and the last ham steak from cousin Norah up at Sweetland Farm. I would have made cornbread to go with it but for some baffling reason, both my little boys refuse to eat cornbread. So I cast about for an alternative that would not provoke the dreaded, dinner-time, I-WON'T-EAT-THAT!!!! tantrum.

After considering a number of rather fussy and labor-intensive options, I discovered the recipe for these simple, scrumptious corn muffins on the Land O' Lakes web site.

Sour cream corn muffins by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

I was feeling burnt out by all the cooking and cleaning and shopping and wrapping and worrying about whether I'd gotten too few or too many presents for each person and was very drawn to the simplicity of the recipe. Even the amounts are neat and tidy - 1 stick of butter, 2 eggs, half a cup of sour cream, 1 cup of flour, etc., This is the kind of recipe I might even be able to memorize...

Batter for sour cream corn muffins with corn, cilantro and cheddar cheese by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

And they turned out to be perfect muffins! Moist, fluffy, with just the right amount of sweetness and a subtle, toothsome texture from the mix of cornmeal and flour.

I served them, still warm from the oven, slathered with butter and topped with a sprinkle of sea salt. Both boys wolfed them down and even ate the soup without commentary. Thank goodness!

Sour cream corn muffins by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

I used Wild Hive Farm's fine-ground cornmeal which is superb stuff. Wild Hive's corn is one of the few grains I can get that's grown and milled right here in the Hudson Valley though I'm hopeful that that will change as more and more northeastern farmers begin to master the lost art of growing grains for human consumption.

Wild Hive Farm Cornmeal for the Maple Sage Buttermilk Cornbread by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

As with most cornbread recipes, these muffins actually contain more wheat flour than they do cornmeal but you can certainly substitute a gluten-free flour mix if you can't/don't eat wheat.

Sour cream corn muffins by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

I kept mine simple out of respect for my kids' palettes the first time but have since made them with nubbins of grilled sweet corn that I froze in August, sharp cheddar cheese and flecks of fresh cilantro - MWAH! You could also add things like chili powder, a dash of sriracha, scallions or caramelized onions.

-- print recipe --
Sour Cream Corn Muffins
Makes 12

Ingredients

* 1 stick (1/2 cup) organic butter, softened
* 3 Tbsps organic sugar
* 2 large, pasture-raised eggs (use organic, cage-free if you can't find pasture-raised)
* 1/2 cup organic sour cream
* 1/2 cup organic milk
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
* 1 1/2 tsps baking powder
* 1/2 tsp sea salt
* 1/4 tsp baking soda

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 415°F. Grease your muffin tin and set it aside.

2. Combine the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat on medium speed, until creamy. Add the eggs and beat to combine then add the sour cream, milk, flour, cornmeal, salt and baking soda and powder and beat at low speed until just mixed. Do not over mix.

3. Spoon the batter into muffin tin and bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for a few-3 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm with butter and a sprinkle of sea salt.

You might also like:
For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

8 Soups To Warm Up Your Winter

8 warm & delicious winter soups from the Garden of Eating blog

Thanks to the revolving door of colds and coughs my kids bring home from school, I've been making quite a lot of soup. On the plus side, I love soup.

Some are old favorites while others, like this spicy red lentil soup with meyer lemon, are new favorites. Every one is warming and delicious. My advice to you is:
  • Save your vegetable scraps - they make great stock - details here; and
  • If you make more than you need, freeze what's left over - you'll be glad you did, especially next time you catch a cold and do not feel like cooking.
Swiss Chard, White Bean & Sausage Soup
This is one of those soups that is a meal in and of itself. Hearty and full of flavor, thanks in part to the vastly underutilized trick of saving your Parmesan cheese rinds to give your stock a huge boost. You can use kale in place of the chard - both are good. Simply skip the sausage if you want to make a vegetarian version.


Quick Coconut Vegetable Stew
This is a wonderful go-to meal that is packed with flavor and also wildly good for you. The vegetables are flexible but kabocha squash is one of my favorite additions because its dense, sweet flesh pairs so nicely with the warm curry powder and the rich coconut milk. Vegan to boot!


Creamy Roasted Garlic & Potato Soup
This is one of the most addictive soups I've ever eaten - it ranks right up there with my favoriteThai soup, tom kha gai. The nutty, mellow flavor of the roasted garlic is the perfect foil for potatoes' sweet starchiness. Add a little heavy cream and you are officially IN BUSINESS.


Curried Lentil & Sweet Potato Stew
A perfect vegetarian meal packed with protein and flavor. The exotic flavors of the curry marry beautifully with both lentils and sweet potatoes. Whatever other veggies (carrots, etc.,) you want to add are just icing on the cake.


Jerusalem Artichoke (Sunchoke) & Sweet Potato Soup
I discovered this recipe as a result of Eatwell Farm, our old CSA back in Berkeley that helpfully included it in a share box that featured a big bag of sunchokes. At the time, I had no idea what they were or what to do with them so I took the easy way out and made the soup even though it sounded a little weird to me. But it was sooooo good - sweet, nutty and with a nice kick from the green garlic! Now I yearn for sunchokes and am thinking about planting a bunch in the spring even though I've been warned that they have thuggish tendencies and like to take over. Considering how tasty they are, that might not be the worst thing in the world...


Red Lentil Soup with Chili Paste & Meyer Lemon
This is my new favorite soup, inspired by a recent New York Times recipe. Like all lentil soups, it's quick, hearty and nutritious and the chili paste and lemon juice pack a nice little punch of flavor.


Winter Squash & Pear Soup with Sage
Pear adds a lovely, floral sweetness to the nutty squash and sage anchors the flavors with its earthy astringency. Add a dollop of sour cream or crème fraîche to make this extra rich and serve with peasant bread or brown rice and a green salad.


Curried Butternut Squash Soup
A super simple, super tasty (accidentally) vegan soup made with roasted butternut squash, creamy coconut milk and warm, exotic curry powder. You can't lose with this soup! If you're not a vegan, top with a little sour cream, crème fraîche or plain, whole milk yogurt.


You might also like:
For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.

Sunday, January 10, 2016

Butternut Squash Lasagna with Leeks and Béchamel

Butternut squash lasagna with leeks and bechamel sauce by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2016

I've had this recipe bookmarked in my dog-eared copy of Andrea Chesman's excellent Recipes from the Root Cellar for about six years. But now that I've finally made this lovely lasagna, I will be making it often.

Butternut squash for the white lasagna with leeks and bechamel sauce by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2016

It's a perfect winter meal - elegant and hearty at the same time. The combination of sweet, nutty roasted squash, mellow leeks, sage and garlic-infused béchamel, and gooey, melted Parmesan cheese makes it very hard to stop eating... In fact, next time, I will get out my HUGE lasagna pan and double the recipe to ensure leftovers.

Leeks for the butternut squash lasagna with bechamel sauce by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2016

Please do NOT be intimidated by the fancy-sounding béchamel sauce - it's not hard to make. Once you've made it once, you'll realize there's nothing to be scared of, even if it does sound frighteningly French.

You start by roasting butternut squash and leeks until they're soft and caramelized.

Roasted butternut squash and leeks for the white lasagna bechamel sauce by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2016

While the vegetables are roasting, you make a garlicky roux by sautéeing garlic in butter then stirring in the flour and browning it for a couple minutes.

Ingredients for the bechamel sauce for the butternut squash lasagna by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2016

Then you turn that roux into a béchamel by whisking in several cups of milk, bringing it to a boil briefly and adding the dried sage and white wine. It should thicken up nicely.

Sage and thyme-infused béchamel sauce for the butternut squash lasagna with leeks by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2016

Assembly is easy, just schmear some béchamel in the bottom of the pan, put a layer of lasagna noodles (I used no-cook) over it, do another schmear, top with a layer of roasted vegetables and a blizzard of Parmesan cheese and repeat as many times as you have ingredients for.

Building the butternut squash lasagna with leeks and béchamel sauce by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2016

Cover with tinfoil and bake for half an hour, then remove the foil and bake a little longer to achieve maximum bubbling and browning. Cut and serve with a salad and some bread.

Butternut squash lasagna with leeks and bechamel sauce by Eve Fox, The Garden of Eating, copyright 2016

If you don't already have a copy of Recipes from the Root Cellar, I encourage you to get one! It's one of my three most-used cookbooks along with Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone and the good old Joy of Cooking.

-- print recipe --
Butternut Squash Lasagna with Leeks and Béchamel
Serves 6

Ingredients

For the lasagna
* 1 large butternut or other winter squash (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeds removed and cut into small cubes
* 3 leeks, rinsed trimmed and sliced
* 3 Tbsps olive oil
* 12 no-boil lasagna noodles
* 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the béchamel sauce
* 6 Tbsps organic butter
* 3 3/4 cups organic milk
* 3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
* 6 Tbsps all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 tsp dried sage
* 1 tsp dried thyme
* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425. Mound the squash and leeks on a baking sheet, drizzle with the oil, salt and pepper and toss thoroughly with your hands until everything is well-coated. Arrange in a single layer and bake, turning once or twice to avoid burning for 25-30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and browned. Remove pan from the oven and lower the heat to 350.

2. While the veggies are roasting, make the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about two minutes. Whisk in the flour to make a smooth paste (a roux) and cook, whisking constantly for about one minute. Add the milk and whisk until smooth. Bring to a slow boil, stir in the wine and sage and season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.

3. Assemble the lasagna: spread half a cup of the béchamel in the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Lay three noodles over the bottom of the pan. Pour more of the sauce over the noodles then top with a third of the roasted squash and leeks and a quarter of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat until you've used up the veggies and noodles. Spread the remaining sauce and sprinkle whatever cheese you have left on top.

4. Cover the pan with tinfoil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes to brown the top. Remove and let stand for five minutes before cutting and serving.

You might also like:
For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.

Friday, January 1, 2016

Simple, Moist Sour Cream Corn Muffins

Sour cream corn muffins by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

On Christmas Eve, I made white bean soup using some of my frozen mirepoix and the last ham steak from cousin Norah up at Sweetland Farm. I would have made cornbread to go with it but for some baffling reason, both my little boys refuse to eat cornbread. So I cast about for an alternative that would not provoke the dreaded, dinner-time, I-WON'T-EAT-THAT!!!! tantrum.

After considering a number of rather fussy and labor-intensive options, I discovered the recipe for these simple, scrumptious corn muffins on the Land O' Lakes web site.

Sour cream corn muffins by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

I was feeling burnt out by all the cooking and cleaning and shopping and wrapping and worrying about whether I'd gotten too few or too many presents for each person and was very drawn to the simplicity of the recipe. Even the amounts are neat and tidy - 1 stick of butter, 2 eggs, half a cup of sour cream, 1 cup of flour, etc., This is the kind of recipe I might even be able to memorize...

Batter for sour cream corn muffins with corn, cilantro and cheddar cheese by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

And they turned out to be perfect muffins! Moist, fluffy, with just the right amount of sweetness and a subtle, toothsome texture from the mix of cornmeal and flour.

I served them, still warm from the oven, slathered with butter and topped with a sprinkle of sea salt. Both boys wolfed them down and even ate the soup without commentary. Thank goodness!

Sour cream corn muffins by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

I used Wild Hive Farm's fine-ground cornmeal which is superb stuff. Wild Hive's corn is one of the few grains I can get that's grown and milled right here in the Hudson Valley though I'm hopeful that that will change as more and more northeastern farmers begin to master the lost art of growing grains for human consumption.

Wild Hive Farm Cornmeal for the Maple Sage Buttermilk Cornbread by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2014

As with most cornbread recipes, these muffins actually contain more wheat flour than they do cornmeal but you can certainly substitute a gluten-free flour mix if you can't/don't eat wheat.

Sour cream corn muffins by Eve Fox, the Garden of Eating, copyright 2015

I kept mine simple out of respect for my kids' palettes the first time but have since made them with nubbins of grilled sweet corn that I froze in August, sharp cheddar cheese and flecks of fresh cilantro - MWAH! You could also add things like chili powder, a dash of sriracha, scallions or caramelized onions.

-- print recipe --
Sour Cream Corn Muffins
Makes 12

Ingredients

* 1 stick (1/2 cup) organic butter, softened
* 3 Tbsps organic sugar
* 2 large, pasture-raised eggs (use organic, cage-free if you can't find pasture-raised)
* 1/2 cup organic sour cream
* 1/2 cup organic milk
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
* 1 1/2 tsps baking powder
* 1/2 tsp sea salt
* 1/4 tsp baking soda

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 415°F. Grease your muffin tin and set it aside.

2. Combine the butter and sugar in a bowl and beat on medium speed, until creamy. Add the eggs and beat to combine then add the sour cream, milk, flour, cornmeal, salt and baking soda and powder and beat at low speed until just mixed. Do not over mix.

3. Spoon the batter into muffin tin and bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let sit for a few-3 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm with butter and a sprinkle of sea salt.

You might also like:
For more delicious recipes, gardening ideas, foraging tips, and food-related inspiration "like" the Garden of Eating on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter and Pinterest.