kitchengimp.

Spent the afternoon hobbling and wincing and whining, but also playing vicious Scrabulous games against and making semi-complicated soups with El Carote Negro. Plus I made a nice red onion chutney (above) that was really good with a stinky Swiss cheese that H-Poes brought over (Appelfelder? Alpenfunker? Alfenpunkle?).

The carrot soup...yeah. It's really one-dimensional without good garnishes, and even under the best circumstances I can enjoy a couple of cups of it and then I don't need to see it for a couple of months.

In any case, I really think it needs the toasted/fried seeds, or a nut of your choice instead. And fresh cilantro/coriander.

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white bean soup with caramelized leek, spinach, and brown butter.

3 or 4 cups white beans, cooked, preferably from scratch so that you've got some of the cooking liquid

1 or 2 cups vegetable broth, depending on how much liquid the beans already have
a little rosemary
6 cloves garlic, minced

1 bag of washed, sliced leeks (400gr?)
a little butter

6 fresh sage leaves
6 tbsp butter

2 handfuls of spinach
Parmesan, for grating
freshly ground black pepper
freshly ground nutmeg

salt to taste (mine was undersalted, the beans require a good bit)

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carrot soup with ginger, apple, pumpkin seeds, and Surinamese piccalilly.

1 medium onion
5 large carrots
2 inches of ginger
4 cloves garlic
1 granny smith apple
1 red apple
1 can mandarin oranges with liquid
2 tsp cumin seed, ground
1 tbsp ground coriander seed
2 tsp cayenne
2 cups vegetable broth

1 tsp to 1 tbsp Surinamese piccalilly (or maybe substitute 1 tsp habanero hot sauce and 1 tsp prepared mustard)

salt to taste

1 cup pumpkin seeds or a mix of pumpkin and sunflower seeds, lightly fried and salted

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Saute. Boil. Puree. Adjust seasoning. Garnish. Serve.

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red onion and blackcurrant chutney.

2 tbsp walnut oil
3 medium red onions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 inch ginger, peeled and grated

1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp mustard seeds
tiny pinch ground cloves
even tinier pinch ground cumin
3 or 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 or 4 tbsp cider vinegar

1 tbsp raw cane sugar
2 or 3 tbsp cassis, blackcurrant, or blackberry preserves
1 tsp tomato purée
75ml water

salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions til soft. Add garlic and ginger for a few minutes. Add everything else, simmer for an hour, adding water as necessary (or possibly a little vinegar if needed). By the end everything should be nicely reduced, deeply purple, and you should be out of liquid. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Cool to room temperature and serve with stinky cheese.

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