vegetable stock

Old Fashioned Split Pea Soup

/ Ren

Split green and yellow peas simmered in vegetable stock with smoked pork neck bones, garden carrots, onions, celery and green beans, fresh bay leaves, thyme, sea salt and black pepper.  Served with homemade croûtons and a dollop of crème fraîche..

For the Crème Fraîche

6 oz fresh heavy cream
2 oz cultured buttermilk

Gently heat heavy cream to 105 degrees (use a thermometer), then remove from heat and stir in buttermilk.  Transfer to a glass jar, cover with a napkin and allow to stand at room temperature until thick, about 24-36 hours.  Transfer to the refrigerator and age for 24 hours.  Use within 7-10 days.

For the Vegetable Stock (recipe adapted from Gourmet magazine)

1/2 lb portabella mushrooms, caps and stems cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb shallots, left unpeeled, quartered
1 lb carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs (including stems)
5 fresh thyme sprigs
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves (not California)
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 qt water

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Toss together mushrooms, shallots, carrots, bell peppers, parsley and thyme sprigs, garlic, and oil in a large flameproof roasting pan. Roast in middle of oven, turning occasionally, until vegetables are golden, 30 to 40 minutes.

Transfer vegetables with slotted spoon to a tall narrow 6-quart stockpot. Set roasting pan across 2 burners, then add wine and deglaze pan by boiling over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Transfer to stockpot and add bay leaves, tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. Pour through a large fine sieve into a large bowl, pressing on and discarding solids, then season with salt and pepper. Skim off fat.  Use within 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.

For the Soup

1 cup split green peas
1 cup split yellow peas
2 quarts homemade vegetable stock
1/2 pound smoked pork neck bones, meat attached
1-1/2 cups yellow onion, diced
1-1/2 cups celery with leaves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh green beans, coarsely chopped
1 cup carrots, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons pastured butter
3 fresh bay leaves
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Bring vegetable stock to a boil, add pork neck bones and bay, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, skimming occasionally.  Remove pork bones and allow to cool enough to handle. Add peas and thyme to the stock and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pull the meat from the pork bones, dice and add to the pot.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a heavy-bottomed pan set over medium heat. Add carrots and cook until almost soft, about 5 minutes.  Add celery, onions, green beans and garlic, stir and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add to the pot, partially cover and simmer until the peas are tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir lemon juice into soup to brighten, then season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.  Discard bay leaves.  Serve soup piping hot with croûtons and crème fraîche.

Brazos de Dios Chili Cheese Grits

/ Ren

Locally-milled corn grits are simmered in homemade vegetable stock, then combined with farmhouse cheddar, fried onions, fresh peppers, garlic, cumin and cilantro and topped with smoky chipotle chili sauce..

Brazos de Dios Chili Cheese Grits

For the Sauce

1 cup fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 chipotles en adobo, diced
1/4 cup Spanish onion, diced
1/2 tablespoon peanut oil
sea salt

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until slightly browned.  Add the remaining ingredients, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt as needed.

For the Grits

1 cup stone-ground cornmeal
2 cups homemade vegetable stock
1 tablespoon pastured butter
1/2 Spanish onion, chopped
1/2 large poblano pepper, chopped
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 cup sharp cheese, grated, plus more for garnish
several sprigs fresh cilantro, torn

Heat the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the cumin seeds and fry 30 seconds.  Add the onions, peppers and garlic and fry until lightly browned, then remove from heat.

Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and slowly whisk in the corn meal. Cook and stir until thick, adjusting consistency with additional stock if needed.

Add 2/3 of the cooked vegetables to the grits, along with any remaining melted butter. Fold in the cheese and cilantro and stir to combine.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, then cover and let stand 5 minutes.

To serve, spoon grits onto a plate or into a bowl and top with spoonfuls of chipotle sauce. Spoon remaining vegetables over the top, then garnish with a little more cheese and cilantro.

Omnivore’s Option

Add 1/4 pound seasoned, browned ground bison or pastured beef to the chipotle chili sauce.

This post is part of the Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter Thursday!

Meatless Monday on Tuesday, the Twister Edition

/ Ren

As those of you who having been hanging out around here for very long already know, I usually eat a vegetarian meal once or twice a week, posting in support of Meatless Monday.  I also like to participate in adopted sister Wardeh’s weekly Tuesday Twister, wherein we take a look back at what’s been going on in our kitchens over the previous week or so.  This post is a bit of a mashup between the two – let’s call it Meatless Monday on Tuesday, the Twister Edition..

Mostly Local Cheese Soup with Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower (serves 2)

1 cup fresh broccoli florets (Naeglin Farm)
1 cup fresh cauliflower florets (Finca Pura Vida)
1 bulb green garlic, trimmed (Green Gate Farm)
2 cups homemade vegetable stock
2 tablespoons pastured butter, melted (Pastureland)
1 teaspoon safflower threads (poor man’s saffron, optional)
6 oz raw, grass-fed cheddar cheese, grated (Veldhuizen Dairy)
2 oz raw, grass-fed parmesan cheese, grated (Veldhuizen Dairy)
freshly-grated nutmeg
pinch of cayenne
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Toss broccoli, cauliflower and green garlic in melted butter, season with salt and pepper and roast in a 400 degree oven until caramelized, about 30 minutes.  Turn the vegetables out onto a cutting board and allow to cool enough to handle, then coarsely chop and add to simmering vegetable stock.  Add safflower if using and allow to simmer 20 minutes, then slowly add in grated cheeses, stirring as you go until thick and smooth. Season with nutmeg and cayenne and adjust with salt and pepper as necessary.  Serve hot.

Recently..

1) BLTC;  smoked pork belly, arugula, Texas tomato and raw cheddar on wild yeast sourdough with homemade mayo..

2) Lamb Kefta Kebabs Local, pastured lamb is ground with cinnamon, coriander, cumin and mint before being skewered, seared and flash-roasted with fiery harissa..

3) Purple Corn Maque Choux, a southern Louisiana-style vegetarian dish of maíz morado, celery, onions, carrots, bell peppers and cajun seasonings..

4) Red Chile Pork, Local, pastured pork is pan-seared then braised until tender in a thin paste of red chilies, garlic, Mexican oregano and pineapple juice before being served on top of fresh corn tortillas, silky guacamole and fresh pineapple habanero salsa..

5) Pease Porridge, yellow and green split pease simmered in chicken stock with seasonal root vegetables, served over griddled boule..

Bengali Ghugni with Garlic Naan

/ Ren

Curried split yellow peas with ghee-fried green onions, tomatoes and chilies, served with oven-baked garlic naan..

Bengali Ghugni with Garlic Naan

For the Peas

1 cup split yellow peas, rinsed and picked over
3 cups homemade vegetable stock
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon curry leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1-2 hot green chilies, chopped
6 green onions, including green tops, sliced
2 small Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon ghee
fresh cilantro, chopped
salt

1/2 teaspoon hulled cardamon seeds
1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek
1/2 teaspoon sweet cinnamon shards
1/2 teaspoon ginger root

Bring vegetable stock to a boil in a heavy saucepan.  Add peas, turmeric, pepper and curry leaves.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer until the peas are tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 45 minutes.

Toast whole seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking often until fragrant, about 5 minutes.  Add the remaining spices and crush together in a mortar or spice grinder.

Heat ghee in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add onions and chilies (they should be sizzling) and sauté briefly.  Add tomatoes and cook until all the moisture has been absorbed.

Combined fried vegetables with cooked peas and season to taste with salt and the toasted spice mixture.  Add chopped cilantro and stir in 1 tablespoon ghee to finish, then serve hot with toasted naan.

For the Naan (adapted from a recipe by Madhur Jaffrey)

8 ounces organic all-purpose flour (can use sprouted or soaked flour)
6 cloves garlic, peeled, roasted and mashed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon unrefined sugar
1/3 cup fresh whole milk, hand-hot
1 tablespoon ghee, melted, plus a little extra
1/3 cup plain yoghurt, lightly beaten
1 small pastured egg, lightly beaten

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, yeast and sugar in a bowl and pour in the hand-hot milk, ghee, garlic, yoghurt and the beaten egg and mix it all together to form a ball of dough.  Place the dough on to a clean surface and knead it for 10 minutes or more, until smooth.

Pour about 1/4 tsp ghee into a large bowl and roll the ball of dough in it.  Cover the bowl with a towel and set aside in a warm, draft-free place for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat oven and a heavy baking sheet to 500 degrees.

Punch down the dough and knead it again and divide into 9 equal balls.  While working on 1 ball, keep the remaining balls covered. Flatten the ball using your hands (or rolling pin) into a tear-shaped naan, about 6 inches in length and about 4 inches at its widest. Brush the top with melted ghee.

Remove the hot baking tray from the oven, grease it well with ghee and place the naan on to it.

Put the pan into the oven on the top rack for 2-3 minutes. It should puff up and brown slightly. It will go from browned to burnt quickly, so keep an eye on it.

Once puffed up and browned on one side, flip the naan and place back into the oven until browned, about 1 minute.

Wrap the naans in a clean tea towel and serve hot.

This post is in support of Meatless Monday, whose goal it is to goal is to help reduce
meat consumption by 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.

Wild Mushroom Soup with Green Garlic and Toasted Barley

/ Ren

“medicinal mushrooms have been shown to boost heart health, lower the risk of cancer, promote immune function, ward off viruses, bacteria and fungi, reduce inflammation, combat allergies, help balance blood sugar levels and support the body’s detoxification mechanisms”

Wild shiitake, maitake and porcini mushrooms are simmered in homemade vegetable stock with green garlic, onions, parsley, sherry and toasted barley and seasoned with fresh thyme, sea salt and black pepper.  A drizzle of truffle oil seals the deal..

Wild Mushroom Soup with Toasted Barley

Serves 2

2 cups homemade vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups dried shiitake, maitake and porcini mushrooms
1/2 cup barley
1 tablespoon pastured butter
2 bulbs green garlic, including leaves, sliced
1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 teaspoons truffle oil, divided
1 1/2 oz medium sherry
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Bring vegetable stock to a boil then remove from heat.  Add mushrooms and steep for 1 hour.

Heat butter and half of the truffle oil in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add barley and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned.  Add onions and garlic and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

Roughly chop re-hydrated mushrooms and add to the pan with thyme.  Add strained mushroom soaking liquid and simmer until barley is tender, about 25 minutes.  Add sherry, parsley and simmer 5 minutes.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and serve garnished with a sautéed mushroom cap and a drizzle of truffle oil.

This post is part of The Food Renegade’s Fight Back Friday!