Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Chive Oil and Pumpernickel Croutons

February has been overwhelming, to say the least. There is something about this month which always seems to necessitate a particular mix of excitement, stress, lack of sleep, and the all-too-familiar "when will winter actually end?!" feeling. This February has been no exception; there have been many, incredibly wonderful things which occurred during these past few weeks (certainly the MusicalAmerica New Artist of the Month feature and my piano trio's performance at the Kennedy Center). There has also been just enough craziness that, during a few days of reassessing and really taking stock of things, I desperately needed to turn to my usual, preferred method of attempting to achieve personal balance: cooking. Not exactly revolutionary, I know, but when I haven't had any time for it lately, it sure feels like it.

In an effort to not just cook, but to make something new (chive oil) and comforting (a warm soup and anything roasted, really), I perused Bon Appétit's recent recipes and stumbled upon this one. My apartment smells lovely, I consumed one of the first homemade meals I've had time for in weeks, and I definitely feel my sense of self reviving.

Bon Appétit's Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Chive Oil and Pumpernickel Croutons
*The recipe also gives the option for rye crostini, if that resonates with you

Ingredients:
1 coffee filter
2 1 oz. bunches of chives
2 springs rosemary
Salt
Olive Oil (enough for 3/4 cup and 1 tablespoon)
4 slices of pumpernickel for the croutons, or 8 slices of rye for crostini, sliced respectively
1 large head of cauliflower, leaves discarded
12 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 large onion, minced

Blanch chives for 10 seconds in a pot of boiling, salted water. Squeeze dry and roughly chop before combining in a blender with 3/4 cup olive oil; purée until smooth. Pour chive oil into a coffee filter over a glass and allow oil to drip through for three hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.

Slice preferred bread into croutons or crostini. Toss with one tablespoon olive oil and rosemary sprigs, then lay on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 12 minutes, or until crispy. Remove and cool.

With the oven turned down to 350, rub cauliflower with 4 tablespoons of butter and salt generously. Place in a baking dish with 1/2 cup of water and tent with foil if cauliflower begins to brown. Roast for 1 1/2 hours or until a knife meets no resistance at the core. Remove cauliflower and cool before giving it a rough chop. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan over medium low and sauté minced onion for about 10 minutes, or until translucent. Add chopped cauliflower and add 4 cups of water, lightly simmering for 10 minutes until cauliflower is soft. Purée in batches in the blender until smooth. Return to pot and bring to a simmer, adding more water if consistency is too thick. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and heavy cream, adding salt to taste. Top with croutons or crostini and drizzle chive oil.

Until next time,
Francesca

Chicken Khao Soi Recipe

Evidently, spring time in New York means plenty of rainy, dreary days, perhaps purposefully placed to make New Yorkers insane with glee over a day with some sunshine. All of this rain has really upped my cravings for something warm and comforting. In an attempt to make a healthy and flavorful soup on a recently dismal day, I made Bon Appétit Magazine's recipe for Chicken Khao Soi and it was delicious. The earthiness of coriander, turmeric, and curry is balanced beautifully by the creaminess of the coconut milk broth and the brightness of the cilantro and lime.

I didn't have all of the ingredients on hand--I used fresh, poblano chiles instead of dried, New Mexico chiles, dark brown sugar instead of light, olive oil instead of vegetable, and Thai-style rice noodles instead of Chinese egg noodles.

Using the food processor really simplifies creating the Khao Soi Paste. The fragrance of the paste as it comes together is heavenly and the colors are incredibly vibrant. Just don't forget to secure the top of your food processor as I did--those spices leave quite the stain!

Chicken Khao Soi Recipe from Bon Appétit Magazine
Makes About 6-8 Servings

Ingredients:

Khao Soi Paste:
4 large dried New Mexico chiles, stemmed, halved, seeded [I used fresh Poblanos]
2 medium shallots, halved
8 garlic cloves
1, 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro stems
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon curry powder [I accidentally used 1 tablespoon, but the flavor was really incredible!]

Soup:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil [I'm half Italian, so I used the olive oil that is permanently stocked in my pantry]
2, 14oz. cans unsweetened coconut milk [I use unsweetened coconut milk a lot, either in making coconut jasmine rice, in smoothies, or in baking]
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, halved lengthwise
1 pound Chinese egg noodles [I used Thai rice noodles]
3 tablespoons (or more to taste) fish sauce
1 tablespoon light brown sugar [I used dark because...well, why would you use light brown sugar? Dark tastes so much better]
Kosher salt [to be honest, I didn't use salt at all; the depth of flavor from the other spices was more than enough]
Sliced red onion, bean sprouts, cilantro sprigs, crispy fried onions or shallots, chili oil, and lime wedges for serving [I went with bean sprouts, cilantro, and chili oil]

To make the Khao Soi Paste, places chiles in a small, heatproof bowl, adding boiling water to cover, and let soak to soften for about 20 minutes. Drain the chiles and reserve the soaking liquid. Using a food processor, purée chiles with the shallots, garlic, ginger, cilantro stems, coriander, turmeric, curry powder, and 2 tablespoons (or more, as needed) of the soaking liquid, until the consistency is smooth.

To make the soup, heat oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the khao soi paste and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly darkened, about 4-6 minutes. Add the coconut milk and broth and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the chicken, reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through and tender, about 25 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to a plate and shred with a fork.

Cook the noodles according to the package directions (for the rice noodles, this meant covering them with boiling water in a heatproof bowl for a few minutes and then draining). Add the chicken, fish sauce, and sugar to the soup and stir to combine. Divide the soup and noodles among bowls and serve with toppings (which are a must! the soup itself is incredibly rich and the brightness of the cilantro, lime juice, and chili oil is incredibly refreshing).

Enjoy!

Until next time,
Francesca

Spring Pea Soup

Yesterday was the first Sunday I have had in awhile that wasn't completely non-stop (read: I only had one, 4 hour long rehearsal). Since I have been so busy  lately that the only opportunity to eat something usually means fare from the Gourmet Garage across the street from school, I jumped at the chance to finally make a home-cooked meal again.

One of my favorite blogs, mlovesm, recently posted a recipe for a seasonal, spring pea soup. It's simple, really tasty, and you get to use the blender, which let's face it, just makes everything a lot more fun. 

Spring Pea Soup, recipe from mlovesm blog

Makes about 6 servings 

Ingredients:

2 medium shallots, chopped

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 medium-sized boiling potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 teaspoon salt

4 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 pound frozen baby peas, thawed

1 tablespoon crème fraîche 

Cook shallots in a medium-sized, heavy saucepan over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until shallots are softened. Add potato and salt, then simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Add broth and thyme, allowing the mixture to simmer for 15 minutes, covered, until potatoes are softened. Add peas and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Pureé in batches in a blender, seasoning with salt and pepper. Add a dollop of crème fraîche and sprinkle with a few sprigs of thyme. 

Pictured with a semolina, golden raisin, and fennel twist from Amy's Bread in Hell's Kitchen--seriously delicious!

Until next time!

Francesca