for the love of food

Cool Comfort

i am not a fan of cold weather ( i gave it up when i left new england). but…….. i do love that it makes me want to cook up a big pot of soup.  so with today’s chilly cold snap i got to thinking about a squash soup. not butternut…..but kabocha. super sweet and an incredibly silky smooth texture. also referred to as japanese pumpkin. i scored a few at wheatsville co-op.

kabocha seem to average about 2-4 lbs. they are difficult to ‘peel’ with a knife - but i prefer to cook the squash in the soup rather than roast with skin on and use cooked squash ( but that is an option ).

1 kabocha / 1 yellow onion / 1/2 tsp (more or less) red curry / 1 can unsweetened coconut milk / scant 1/2 tsp salt

saute chopped onion (do not brown) / and curry paste / add cubed squash and coconut milk / add water to cover squash / simmer til squash starts to fall apart / add salt / puree in food processor / adjust salt  =

cool weather comfort in a bowl !

Real Deal Pesto

i love pesto.  arugula / cilanto / mint /  parsley.  almond / walnut / pistachio. mushroom / sun-dried tomato / olive.  it can be just about any sauce that is pounded or crushed - and that lends itself to all kinds of intensely flavored ‘pesto’.

my all time favorite though - is a traditional genovese basil pesto - made with a mortar & pestle. i understand the need to make pesto in a food processor ( large quantities for restaurants / busy home cooks ) but the true love & flavors come out when made with mortar & pestle.  flavors from fragrant basil - roasted nuts - sharp parmesan - pungent garlic & very good evoo - maintain their individual flavors without becoming a one dimensional - single note flavor of blended basil/garlic/nuts/cheese. there is a distinct difference.

smash garlic (1 clove) to a creamy paste with kosher or sea salt. quick chop the basil (2 c.) to get it in the mortar and add slightly toasted nuts (1/4 c.).       (preferring the traditional pine nut - but used walnuts here). start pounding and slowly adding ev olive oil (up to 1 c.) til you get a rough looking paste. fold in a desired amount of grated parmesan (1/4 c.) =  basil pesto.

( approximate measurements / as with all cooking - use more or less to your desired taste )

omit cheese if you like = french version called pistou.

pesto ! pistou !  just use a mortar & pestle !  

Labor of Love

some foods require a bit of labor to get to their essence - and fava beans are one of them.

favas were not well represented in the austin farmers markets this year.  i know they went quickly at boggy creek farm.  i was away at the time and missed them completely. now out of season - i still can’t resist when i see some beauties at central market - from mexico.

i know - but  i can’t always be seasonal & organic & local. i’ll admit it.

last week i spotted a good looking crop of favas. the pods were large - glossy green & fresh looking. i stripped one to check the beans inside which were fully grown. score !

i like the ritual of stripping pods of their  beans - amassing a small pile of jewels.

these jewels are then blanched about 2-3 minutes (boiling water to ice water bath). the outer skins are then removed to reveal a bright green fava ! this step amasses an even smaller pile of the coveted fava.

the preparation seems tedious and time consuming but the final taste is oh ! so worth it.

i made a classic italian starter from these favas. mashed favas with evo oil and sea salt. smothered on crostini - topped with a few drops of truffle oil & a dusting of parmesan.

it’s a special treat.  a labor of love.