Beets Cooking

Once again I am WAY past my posting deadline.  Something about these summer like weekends….

Red Lentil Soup w. Lemon…part silky, part chunky, and very yummy!  Ingredients:  olive oil, onion, garlic, tomato paste, cumin, kosher salt, pepper, pinch of chili powder, veggie stock, red lentils, carrots & lemon juice.  Garnished w. fresh cilantro and a wedge of lemon.  13. per quart, served w. bread.  Vegetarian, Vegan & Gluten-Free

Soup of Fresh Greens & the Alphabet…A comforting spring soup for the young and not so young!  Ingredients:  chicken stock, splash of white wine, whole tomatoes, garlic, onion, chick peas, fresh greens…escarole, endive, spinach and/or kale (whatever looks the best and freshest and hopefully local at the market), basil & baby alphabet pasta.  Garnished w. freshly grated Parmesan cheese.  13. per quart served w. bread for dipping.

Sweet Treat: Poppy Seed Lemon Doodles!  1. per cookie

Sorry for taking so long to post this weeks soups!  The summer like weather this weekend made me feel like I was on vacation!  BBQ at Grand Isle State Park, swimming in the lake, roasted marshmallows, ah….

The weather looks to be warm on Thursday.  In order to keep you cool & fed this weeks soups will be “summer” soups.

Gazpacho…a special request…lots of veggies, chopped by hand, tossed in a sherry vinegar marinade and chilled in a fresh-flavored tomato broth.  Ingredients:  best quality canned tomatoes, red bell peppers, cucumbers, vidalia onion, garlic, kosher slat, sherry vinegar, tomato juice, hot pepper sauce, ice cubes, black pepper & olive oil.  Garnished w. chopped tomatoes, chopped cukes, cilantro & chopped red pepper.  ADD GRILLED SHRIMP for 2.  Vegetarian, Vegan (minus the grilled shrimp!) & Gluten Free.  13. per quart, 15. w. shrimp. Served w. crusty bread

Cauliflower Vichyssoise…this maybe eaten chilled as “vichyssoise” or hot as “cream of cauliflower”…Ingredients:  butter, leeks, thyme, bay leaves, kosher salt, black pepper, ground nutmeg, cauliflower, veggie stock, itty bit of heavy cream, whole milk, chopped parsley & chopped scallions & chopped chives.  Garnished w. garlic dill croutons.  13. per quart served w. bread

Sweet Treat: Chocolate Texas Sheet Cake (contains pecans) 2. per slice

Thai Chicken with Ginger & Coconut…a soup with bold flavors!  Think Thai curry paste, kaffir lime leaves & coconut.  Ingredients:  canola oil, chicken breasts, garlic, ginger, lemon grass, sugar, red Thai curry paste, shallots, tomatoes, potatoes, coconut milk, kaffir lime leaves, Asian watercress, scallions, kosher salt & pepper.  Gluten-Free, 13. per quart served w. bread

Creamless Asparagus…a pureed soup finished with bright green asparagus tips.  Ingredients:  canola oil, onions, celery, carrots, dried thyme, bay leaves, mustard seeds, veggie stock, yukon gold potatoes, asparagus, garlic, fresh dill, kosher salt & pepper.  Vegetarian, Vegan & Gluten-Free, 13. per quart served w. bread

Sweet Treat:  Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies  1. per cookie

and the soups are…

One of my most popular “soups” is Beef, Black Bean & Chipotle Chili.  Thursday looks to me a bit brisk with highs in the 50’s and lows in the 30’s…perfect chili weather.  This maybe the last time until fall that I offer this soup!  Ingredients: Black beans, red onions, garlic, tomatoes, local ground beef, chipotle in adobo, fresh cilantro, salt & pepper.  Garnished w. Cheddar cheese, sour cream & lime marinated red onions.  13. per quart & served w. bread.

I have been wanting to use wild ramps in a soup since I started seeing them appear at City Market.  I finally found one!  Corn, Red Pepper and Zucchini Chowder, this soup is also garnished w. fresh chives, another local spring allium!  Ingredients:  corn, veggie stock, canola oil, Spanish onions, celery, ramps, red bell peppers, dried thyme, bay leaves, pinch of cayenne, yukon gold potatoes, zucchini, garlic, salt, pepper, chives and OPTIONAL whole milk.  Vegetarian, vegan (if specified), 13.per quart served w. bread.

Sweet Treat:  Cream Filled Chocolate Supreme Cupcakes…a chocolate cupcake w. a cream cheese chocolate filling.  2. per cupcake.