Fall Vegetable Soup with White Beans

While I can't say I'm enjoying these unseasonably cold temperatures, at least this enduring grip of winter means a prolonging of soup weather. I'm working hard to clear the freezer of all the soups and stews and other stick-to-your-bones fare, and these rescued meals are keeping me cozy and fed. The final portion of Stewed Cauliflower, Butternut Squash, and Tomatoes was part of my end-of-winter purge, appropriately transforming into this belly-filling bowl of soup.

The time invested prepping and slowly cooking those hearty vegetables is again clearly returned in this recipe with many elements of intense flavor come together quickly. The stewed vegetables bring a perfect balance of deep flavor and vinegary pop and the hearty helping of beans making it a satisfying meal. A sprinkling of croutons across the top start as a toasty, crispy bits, slowly disintegrating as they soak up the broth and meld into each thick, rich bite. A scant sprinkling of good Parmesan across the top creates a deep savoriness, gingerly bringing the perfect amount of umami to this vegetarian meal. (For the carnivores and hedonists out there, a bit of crumbled bacon would not be unwelcome as well.)

I've almost at the end of my rope when it comes to cold weather eating, but with such a meager time investment, I was absolutely delighted to chow down on this collection of diverse flavors - the perfect antidote to end-of-winter dinner fatigue.

Fall Vegetable Soup with White Beans
adapted from Serve Yourself by Joe Yonan
serves 1

1 slice sourdough or rustic whole grain bread or roll, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Kosher or sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

1 cup Stewed Cauliflower, Butternut Squash, and Tomatoes

3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock or water, plus more if needed

1/2 cup cooked white beans, preferably homemade, drained and rinsed

Leaves from 3 or 4 sprigs thyme

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Put the bread cubes on a small baking sheet, drizzle with the oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Arrange in a single layer and toast in the oven for 5 to 6 minutes, until very crisp and golden brown, watching closely to avoid burning them. Use tongs to turn over the bread cubes and toast for another 5 to 6 minutes to create evenly browned croutons. Remove from the oven.

3. Combine the stewed vegetables and stock in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until hot, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the white beans and cook for a few minutes until heated through. Add more water if you want a thinner texture. Stir in the thyme. Taste and add salt and pepper, if desired.

5. Pour the soup into a bowl, add the croutons, sprinkle with the cheese, and eat.

Stewed Cauliflower, Butternut Squash, and Tomatoes

Behold the latest in the Joe Yonan make-a-big-batch-and-freeze-the-leftovers recipes! Unlike with the sweet potato and black bean soups, I'm sharing the base recipe straight away. While those soup bases are delicious on their own, they were ultimately designed to be as a canvas for other ingredients. This glorious pot of veggies, however, is a composed dish all on its own. The textures progress from melted tomatoes to soft squash to tender cauliflower, painted with a diverse palate of vinegary capers, spicy red pepper flakes, and umami-packed fish sauce. Fish sauce may set off a few alarm bells for some people, but it only serves to make this dish savory, not fishy, deepening the flavor rather than changing it.

This is a delicious vegetarian main or side dish, both options which I personally enjoyed in short order. For dinner, I layered a hearty scoop over a plate of greens, topping with a grilled salmon fillet. At lunch the following day, I combined the veggies with more greens and quinoa for an equally satisfying vegetarian meal. In addition to a few Joe Yonan recipes in the hopper, I also see a future for these stewed veggies as a pasta sauce, topping for other grains like couscous, rice, and bulgur, and partner for grilled chicken. Perhaps they'll even make their way into a grilled cheese? I wouldn't be a good Wisconsin girl if I didn't find a way for these vegetables to make their acquaintance with the delicious dairy this state has to offer.

Stewed Cauliflower, Butternut Squash, and Tomatoes
adapted from Serve Yourself by Joe Yonan
makes 6 to 7 cups

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 plump cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 small (1 1/2-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 (1-pound) cauliflower, cored and cut into 1-inch florets
1/4 cup small capers, drained
Coarse sea salt or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes and their juice, preferably San Marzano, crushed by  hand
1 cup water
2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce, or more to taste (or vegan fish sauce or tamari or soy for a vegetarian/vegan version)

1. Pour the olive oil into a large saucepan set over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, scatter in the sliced garlic and let it start sizzling. Stir in the onion slices and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add the squash and cauliflower pieces, capers, 1 teaspoon salt, and the red pepper flakes and use tongs to toss it all together.

2. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and their juices. Slosh the water into the can and add; stir well and cover. When the tomato juices are boiling, decrease the heat to medium-low or low so that the mixture is gently bubbling. Cook, covered, until the vegetables are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to medium high, and continue coking until the stew is reduced and thickened to a good pasta-sauce consistency, about 5 minutes. Add the fish sauce, taste, and add more fish sauce and salt if desired.

3. Eat a cup or two as a vegetarian main course and refrigerate the leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, or freeze it in cup-size portions for several months.

Salmon with Capers and Dill

With St. Patrick's Day approaching, a day that mostly centers around amateur drinking and foods with horrifying shades of green, I thought it appropriate to share a dish that would easily grace a real Irish table. Adapted just slightly from Rachel's Irish Family Food: 120 Classic Recipes from my Home to Yours and shared by The Splendid Table, this authentic meal is a lighter and healthier way to honor the Irish tradition. In addition to swimming the cold Irish rivers, salmon also plays an important role in Irish mythology. The Salmon of Wisdom was said to be a fish that would grant all the knowledge of the world to first person to eat its flesh, earning this fish a place in the hearts, minds, and bellies of many an Irish lad and lass. This recipe is brilliantly simple, the piquancy of the lemon and capers shining brilliantly against the rich salmon and butter and burst of fresh herbs. Dill is an herb sadly infrequent in my culinary repertoire, but each time I use it I ask myself why I don't do so more. If you're like me and always looking for an occasion to cook something special, why not try this meal out for St. Patty's Day? It may not grant you with the knowledge of the universe, but it is a fine start to a night of carousing or a quiet night at home with a pint of Guinness. Éirinn go Brách!

Salmon with Capers and Dill
adapted slightly from The Splendid Table
serves 4

4 tablespoons (50g) butter, diced

4 (4-ounce/125g) salmon fillets (with the skin left on, if you wish)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice mixed with 6 to 8 tablespoons water 

4 teaspoons chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried drill

1. Place a frying pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add a couple of pats (knobs) of butter, very quickly followed by the salmon, with the skin side down. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown underneath. Turn over, season with salt and pepper, and fry for another couple of minutes, or until the fish is just cooked through. (The timing will depend on the thickness of the salmon fillets and heat of the pan.)

2. Add the capers, along with the remaining butter, and lemon juice mixture and boil for 1 minute. Season to taste, adding more lemon juice or water, if necessary. Transfer the salmon onto warmed plates, stir the chopped dill into the sauce, and pour over the fish to serve.

Baked Cauliflower Burgers

My recent veggie burger obsession is just about to an end. It's not to say that there won't be any more veggie burger recipes on this blog (I've got one more in the hopper just waiting to be published), but I've made it almost all the recipes I bookmarked in Veggie Burgers Every Which Way, with most of the rest lying in wait until their feature ingredients come into season. My favorite has to be Sweet Potato Burgers with Lentils and Kale, but these burgers run a close second. Dijon-Roasted Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetable side dishes of all-time so it's no surprise that these cauliflower burgers would delight my taste buds as well. The balanced combination of spicy Dijon mustard, vinegary capers, and salty, savory Parmesan takes cauliflower from a splendid side to a hearty and delicious main dish. Although best fresh out of oven amidst the intoxicating aroma of toasted bread crumbs and Parmesan, they also provided a bright spot in my day as I plucked them from my lunch bag at work, keeping me full and fueled all day long. Veggie burgers for lunch every day might seem like punishment to some, but this scrumptious collection of flavors was nothing but welcome for the six days in a row I chowed down on them. Even though my veggie burger madness is waning, I know these will be back on my table as soon as cauliflower appears in the farmer's market this summer--but make sure you don't wait that long.

Baked Cauliflower Burgers
from Veggie Burgers Every Which Way by Lukas Volger
makes 6 burgers

1 head cauliflower, cut into large florets
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons potato starch
2 eggs
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup roughly chopped parsley
2 tablespoons capers, drained, rinsed, and roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups toasted bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place the cauliflower in a steaming basket set in a small saucepan with 1 inch of simmering water, cover, and steam for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cauliflower can be effortlessly pierced with a knife. Cool slightly on a baking sheet or cutting board.

3. In a food processor, puree two-thirds of the steam cauliflower with the mustard, potato starch, eggs, and lemon juice until smooth. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

4. Chop the remaining cauliflower into 1/8- to 1/4-inch piece (or pulse in a food processor until roughly chopped). Add to the pureed mixture. Stir in the parsley, capers, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Fold in 1 cup of the bread crumbs. Adjust seasonings. Shape into 6 patties.

5. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, and Parmesan on a plate. Gently dredge the patties int the crumbs so that they are coated on both side and the edges. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the burgers are firm and uniformly browned.