Creamy Broccoli Soup + The Secret History

I'm sure you all have had your wisdom teeth removed by now.  Most adults have endured this rite of passage by the time they're 20, but somehow Daniel managed to delay the inevitable for years.  And years.  Until last week, when he sucked in some nitrous and gave up four clunky molars.  The best moment was after the surgery when Daniel was seemingly out of sorts - full disclosure, I was a wee bit excited for the expected silliness from the laughing gas.  I anticipated a few ridiculous moments that I would remind him of days later and we would have a great chuckle at his drugged out expense.  It was going to be a RIOT.  Instead, I got a definitely not silly Daniel who insisted on using very quick sign language to ask me if his tongue was okay.  Repeatedly.  I do not know sign language and certainly couldn't follow at the speed he was going.  Story of my life: even when my boyfriend is coming down from nitrous gas can he adeptly confuse the hell out of me and crush my dreams of catching him not sober and acting hilarious.

We did have a good laugh about it a few days later, but it wasn't nearly as satisfying as I had anticipated.  Lofty goals.

Needless to say, he has endured the hellish pain that comes with the surgery and only now, a full week later, is he back to eating solid foods.  Being the wonderful girlfriend (and soup fanatic) that I am, I delighted in catering to his new diet.  Butternut squash/parsnip/sage and simple miso were easy and satisfying, but it was this cream of broccoli that was the real winner.  It tastes decadent without a ton of cream and is spiced up nicely by a generous sprinkling of the Ethiopian spice Berbere.  I love the Teeny Tiny Spice Company of Vermont and use their pre-made spice blends routinely.  Their Berbere blend is particularly great and has an earthy kick of hot spice that is awesome.  Of course, any Berbere mix will work, or make your own if you're less lazy than me.

Very little booze of interest has been consumed in our household (although a brisk Chablis would be a lovely accompaniment), so instead, how about a healthful glass of homemade kombucha and a juicy novel to pass the time?  Because when you're stuck at home feeling miserable for yourself, there is no better medicine than an engrossing book about murder and classics.  Donna Tartt of The Goldfinch fame has been writing intricate, detailed stories for years.  The Secret History, her first novel, is about an elite group of classics students at a small, liberal Vermont college.  And murder!  As a classics major at a small liberal college myself, I am swept away by the nerdiness, and as a lover of mysteries and murder I am totally engaged in the plot line.  Whodunnit?  And why?  It gets weird.  Tartt's deft writing is character driven and although dense and lengthy at 503 pages, it is never boring.  The plot zigs and zags, begging the reader to turn the page: the perfect remedy to post-wisdom teeth blues.  Paired with a nutritious glass of kombucha (more on that project later), a soothing bowl of soup, and a handful of pain meds, Daniel was well on his way to feeling slightly less terrible.  And for those of us not recovering from oral surgery, it is a simple and delicious way to spend a Saturday in February.

CREAMY BROCCOLI SOUP
serves 4 - 6

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
3 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 quart chicken stock
 2 heads broccoli, separated into florets, stem is diced
zest and juice from one lemon
1 1/2 cups whole milk
parmesan cheese, grated for garnish
olive oil, for garnish
pinch of berbere spice for each bowl

Heat the oil and butter in a large soup pot.  Saute the onion, garlic, salt and pepper on low heat until translucent.  Add the potatoes and toss to coat with oil.  Add the chicken stock and bring to a low simmer.  Cook for about 10  minutes or until the potatoes are beginning to soften.  Add the broccoli and cook for another 10 - 15 minutes until the vegetables are very tender.  Add the lemon zest and juice.  Puree in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth.  Stir in the milk, adding more if a thinner consistency is desired.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Reheat if necessary, but do not bring to a boil.  Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with grated parmesan, a splash of olive oil, and a good pinch of berbere.  Eat with homemade sourdough if at all possible.

Spaghetti with Caramelized Lemon, Capers, and Black Olives

Sometimes all I need is a big bowl of spaghetti.  It's the twirling of the strands, the tender mouthfeel of perfectly cooked pasta, and the luxury of eating pure carbs for dinner.  Spaghetti, more than any other shape, is one of my ultimate comfort foods and I crave a heaping portion more often than my digestive tract would like.  No regrets!

Last night was one of those occasions, and when combined with that gnawing feeling of being poor, it makes for a satisfying and affordable weekday dinner.

If you have lemons and olive oil you can transform anything into a solid meal, but kick it up with other pantry staples like cured olives, capers, and parsley and now you have a dish to be proud of.  This meal couldn't be simpler, and any good cook can throw together a pasta dish, but this one is so balanced and flavorful that it guarantees to leave an impression.

To sip with our spaghetti we stayed frugal and opened a bottle of Franz Etz Gruner Veltliner from Austria.  Gruner, as I've mentioned before, is an under-appreciated grape that is a wonderful pairing with most of the foods I eat on a regular basis.  Think vegetables, salads, and fish.  It has a green, grassy flavor that is bolstered by notes of just under-ripe pear, honeydew melon, and chamomile.  The 2013 bottling from Franz Etz is particularly delightful and still tasty the next day when the acid has mellowed just a touch.  It paired perfectly with the sweet, tangy flavor of the caramelized lemons and held its own against the savory olives and capers, lightening up their pungency.  Also, like the M. Hofer Gruner I've written about, the Etz comes in a full liter at the exceptional price of $10 per bottle.  You cannot go wrong here. 

*Full disclosure: this whole post is totally inspired by Melissa Clark's genius recipe in the New York Times.  Apparently this recipe was the NYTimes' most popular in all of 2014, no surprise there.  Hers is a bit simpler and a perfect springboard into mine, which is a touch more savory and complicated.

SPAGHETTI with CARAMELIZED LEMON, CAPERS, and BLACK OLIVES
serves 4

4 lemons
1 pound spaghetti 
4 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp capers
pinch of sugar
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp red chili flakes
handful cured black olives
2 /3 cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving
2/3 cup chopped parsley, plus more for serving
salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Meanwhile, zest 2 of the lemons and set aside.  Trim the tops and bottoms off the other two lemons and cut into quarters; remove seeds.  Cut them crosswise into small triangles.  Blanch the lemon pieces in the boiling water.  This helps to break down the pith and rind and removes their bitterness.  Using a slotted spoon, remove them and set aside to dry on a paper towel. 

In the boiling water, cook the spaghetti until al dente.  Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water. 

Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat up 1 tbsp olive oil.  When shimmering, fry the capers until just crispy - only about 30 seconds.  Transfer to a paper towel to drain. 

In the same skillet, heat another tbsp of olive oil.  Add the dried lemon pieces with a pinch of sugar and salt.  Cook the lemons until caramelized on both sides, about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a plate. 

Melt the butter and remaining olive oil.  Add the lemon zest, chili flakes, and cured olives, cooking until fragrant.  Whisk in 1/2 cup pasta water, stirring until combined and just starting to thicken.  Toss in pasta, juice of one lemon, cheese, salt and pepper.  Add more pasta water if necessary.  Using tongs, toss pasta until it is well coated.  Add caramelized lemon slices, parsley and capers.  

Serve immediately with more cheese and parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.  

Fennel, Celery, Blood Orange and Pistachio Salad

Today was Open Door Weather at the office and I have zero complaints.  It is sunny, surprisingly warm and the sky is without a single cloud.  Birds are chirping.  I know this sounds like a big fuck you to my east coast sisters, but y'all just had a few Snow Days to tromp through freshly fallen snow and go sledding and have an excuse to drink spiked cocoa and binge eat all the snacks whilst watching every episode of Friends.  I have no excuses.  I HAVE to go outside and go to work and NOT wear all my pretty knit scarves and sometimes it gets too hot in my office and the only solution is to open all the doors, which are extremely tricky to lock again.  I guess I have a few complaints.

Apologies, that was extremely annoying.  I'm done.  Let us enjoy that sunshine.

BUT it is Winter Salad Season and despite the midday warmth, evening temperatures dip cold enough to merit chucking the fresh greens and going for something slightly heartier.

Cue fennel and the oh-so-seasonal blood orange, which are two of the greatest lovers in culinary history.  These ingredients are paired in endless variations, but in this salad here, I stay classic.  No frills, nothing too fancy.  Essential: the madonline.  Slice that fennel really thin.  Ooo la la.

We paired this salad with oven roasted trout, which was excellent, but any mild white fish would be welcome if you'd like to make this into a full meal.  To drink: Copain's 2013 Tous Ensemble Chardonnay.  We often drink Copain as Daniel worked there for nearly two years, but it never gets old.  The newest vintage of their Tous Chardonnay was the perfect pairing for this meal - vibrant and lemony, but with enough floral and stone fruit notes to feel balanced and food friendly.  Lemon verbena, peaches, and sunshine.  Such a gem in this unseasonable season!

FENNEL, CELERY, BLOOD ORANGE and PISTACHIO SALAD
serves 2

1 medium fennel bulb, sliced very thin (keep the fennel fronds for garnish)
4 stalks celery and leaves, sliced thin, leaves chopped
1 medium scallop, sliced thin
juice of 1/2 lemon
4 blood oranges
1 tablespoon olive oil
handful pistachios, toasted
10 - 12 mint leaves

Slice the fennel very thin with a mandoline.  Put in serving bowl.  Slice celery and shallot and add to bowl.  Add lemon juice and stir to coat vegetables.

Cut the rind and pith off the blood oranges.  Slice the fruit into rounds and add to bowl.  Squeeze the rinds over the bowl to get as much blood orange juice in the salad as possible.   

Gently toss with pistachios, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Just before serving tear the mint leaves and add to bowl.  Garnish with more mint and fennel fronds.