Sweet corn and potato soup with yogurt and garlic pita {vegetarian}

This soup is inspired by the raw sweet summer corn, I tasted at our local farmers market years ago. Ever since, it’s been my absolute favorite way to eat corn, straight off the cob, crisp and bursting with sweetness. This is the kind of corn you should use for this soup! The cobs are simmered in a light stock and the kernels are added at the very end of cooking for freshness and maximum flavor.
I puree about 2/3 of the soup because I like the chunky texture. It is topped with a swirl of greek yogurt and freshly ground black pepper and served with a punchy grilled garlic pita, but you can alternatively bake them, either way is super tasty.

Sweet corn and potato soup with yogurt and garlic pita {vegetarian}

Serves 6

Ingredients

For the soup:
5 ears fresh sweet corn, husks and silks removed
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2 inch/1 1/2 cm dice
2 celery stalks, cut into small dice
1 leek, cut in half lengthwise and cleaned under running water, sliced thinly
4 garlic cloves, minced
8 cups vegetable stock or filtered water
3 large Yukon Gold (boiling potatoes), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch/1 1/2 dice 
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the garlic pitas:
3 pitas, spilt in half crosswise, to form 2 circles
3 garlic cloves, minced
30 gr. soft room temp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 tsp dried thyme

To serve:
1/2 cup greek yogurt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Soup:
Lay the ears of corn flat on a cutting board, using a sharp knife, slice off all the kernels and place them in a medium bowl. Keep the ears of corn on a separate plate and set both aside. 

Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, leek, and sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute more. Add stock or water, the 5 reserved ears of corn, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer for 30 minutes. 

Remove ears of corn with tongs and discard. Add the potatoes and cook for 10 minutes or until just tender when pierced with a knife. Add the reserved corn kernels and cook for 3 minutes more.

Take soup off the heat and add 1/4 cup heavy cream. Puree with an immersion blender to the consistency of your liking. Taste and adjust seasoning.
 
Garlic pita:
Preheat the oven to 200°c or an outdoor gas or charcoal grill.

In a small bowl place all the ingredients and mix with a spoon to combine. Spread over the pitas

Baked: Arrange in a single layer on parchment lined baking pans. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are golden and crispy.

Grilled: Place pita halves on a hot preheated grill. Grill quickly on both sides for 1-2 minutes or just until edges are lightly charred and crispy and center is still soft. Remove and serve immediately.

To serve: Divide soup among bowls, top with a tablespoon of yogurt, freshly ground black pepper and serve with garlic pita. xx

Red Lentil and carrot soup with labneh and homemade croutons

This soup reminds me of fall in New England, when the weather begins to chill and the leaves change colors.
I think that there is nothing quite like a bowl of hot, hearty soup, it’s the ultimate comfort food and can be a meal in itself.
This one consists of simple pantry ingredients that are healthy, packed with nutrients and a whole lot of flavor.
The different toppings of tangy labneh, salty parm, homemade croutons, evoo and freshly ground black pepper, creates the perfect balance of flavors and textures so don’t skip on any of them.

Red lentil and carrot soup with labneh and homemade croutons {vegetarian}

Serves 6-8

Cook’s notes:

• Pick over the lentils to remove any debris and then rinse in cold water to remove any dust.

• Make your own croutons, they’re easy to make and far tastier than the store bought ones.

• Season the soup with salt only after it is cooked, so lentils don’t become tough.

• As the soup cools over night in the fridge, it will thicken up. Simply add filtered water and thin it out to the consistency of buttermilk.

Ingredients

For the soup:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, cut in half lengthwise and cleaned under running water, sliced thinly
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 large carrots (about 1.5 lb.), peeled and cut roughly into 1/2 inch dice 
Chili flakes (as hot as you like it)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed (*see notes)
8 cups (2 quarts) vegetable stock or filtered water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the croutons:
2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
1 French baguette, cut in 1 inch cubes
1 tsp thyme leaves

To serve
Labneh or plain greek yogurt
Good quality extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan Reggiano

Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the leek, onion, carrots, chili flakes and sauté for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for a minute more, add lentils, black pepper and stock or water. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer covered (stirring from time to time) for 30 minutes or until carrots are soft and lentils are cooked through.
Take the soup off the heat and blend with an immersion blender until silky smooth, season with salt.

Meanwhile make the croutons.
Preheat the oven to 180°c.
Put the cubes of baguette on a baking sheet lined with parchment, sprinkle with thyme, drizzle with olive oil and toss with your hands to coat. Arrange in a single layer and bake, mixing twice half way through for about 12-15 minutes, until crunchy and lightly golden.

Serve soup with a dollop of labneh or yogurt, croutons, a drizzle of evoo, freshly ground black pepper and grated Parm. xx

Creamy baked Green eggs and Hawaij spiced chickpeas {vegetarian}

"Sometimes you will never know the value of something, until it becomes a memory"   Dr. Seuss

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss was the first book my parents read to me and the first book I read on my own and learned by heart. This all-time favorite children's book is about a picky eater who is afraid to try new things. Perhaps I loved this book so much because being an adventurous eater myself, I identified with Sam I Am's gourmet inclinations and culinary advocacy.

Growing up in my Jewish-Polish background, I loved all the traditional dishes from that kitchen. A favorite was Grivelach or schmaltz (aka Jewish confit); bits of fried crispy duck skin that have been preserved in duck fat. A cholesterol bomb, but OH MY, what a treat! Grandma always kept a jar in the fridge and every time I would visit them, my grandpa would cut a thick slice of crusty country bread. He held the loaf of bread close to his chest, and used a bread knife as long as my arm! (He pressed the flat side of that same knife against my swollen forehead bump -- acquired by tripping while playing catch with my sisters -- to help ease the pain).
Grandpa shmeared the rustic bread with about a heaping tablespoon of Grivelach (but who’s counting?)  I miss my grandparents very much and that little kitchen full of wonderful foods, aromas, and childhood memories.

To many kids, something like Grivelach might look like jelly from Mars, but my grandparents turned it into an adventure and allowed me to discover that food that may not look like much to the eye can make your palette dance!  I learned early on that food can be a world travel experience right at home, and carried that value into my own culinary pursuits.

These baked eggs are perfect for Spring. Using leafy greens and veggies of your choice creates a wonderful and flavorful meal option for vegetarians; A special guest are the chickpeas, or as we call them in Israel: hummus (not to be confused with the chickpea puree of the same name), a staple ingredient for Israeli and regional cooking. They are spiced with Hawaij, a variety of ground spice mixture with origins in Yemen.

Serve with thick slices of crusty country bread to soak up all that creamy sauce and those perfectly runny yolks.

Creamy baked green eggs and Hawaij spiced chickpeas

By Tal Shofman-Schejter

Serves 4

Baked eggs are a versatile dish. They're easy to make and great for entertaining. You can get creative and use whatever greens or veggies that are available at your local farmers market and don’t be intimidated by the list of ingredients. Everything can be made ahead of time, and right before serving, nestle the eggs in the greens and gently bake surrounded by boiling water to ensure even baking.

Cook’s notes:

• This recipe can be easily adjusted to serve more than 4 people.
  

• Room temperature eggs are important to ensure they will cook evenly. Leave eggs on the counter for half an hour before you plan to make it.
  

• Hawaij is a Yemeni ground spice mix, available at Middle Eastern or specialty stores. For this recipe purchase the soup mix that consists of cumin, black pepper, turmeric and cardamom (not to be confused with the coffee mix that consists of aniseed, fennel seeds, ginger and cardamom).

Method
For the chickpeas:
1 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 cup frozen chickpeas, defrosted
1/8 teaspoon Hawaij (spice mix for soup *see cook’s notes)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the veggies:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the ovenproof dishes
1/4 leek (white and pale-green parts only), thinly sliced into rings, rinsed well
4 asparagus spears, tough ends trimmed, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
2 large handfuls each of baby green Swiss chard and spinach, finely chopped
2 green scallions/spring onions, finely sliced
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoons labneh
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup Kashkaval cheese, finely grated
4 large eggs (preferably free-range) at room temperature (*see cook’s notes)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

To serve
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
Crusty country bread

Method
Preheat oven to 350F/180C degrees. Lightly grease 4 individual ovenproof dishes with soft butter.

Chickpeas:
In a small sauté pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil, chickpeas, Hawaij, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil to the skillet and the asparagus and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the Swiss chard, spinach and scallions, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the greens have just wilted; 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the leeks, stir and set aside.

In a small bowl mix together cream, labneh, garlic and a season with salt to taste. Set aside.

Spread the leek-spinach-asparagus-scallion mixture equally on the bottom of individual ovenproof dishes, and set onto a roasting pan.  Pour the cream mixture over the greens, sprinkle with the Kashkaval cheese.

Make small wells using a spoon. Crack the eggs, one at a time, and gently nestle them in the greens. Spoon the chickpeas on top and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Set roasting pan on the middle rack, carefully pour enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the dishes, and bake in a preheated oven until whites are just set and yolks are still runny, for about 8-10 minutes, (Keep in mind eggs will continue to cook after removing them from the oven).

Take out of the oven, sprinkle eggs with chopped chives.

Serve immediately with crusty country bread or your choice of bread for dipping.

Enjoy! x