I’ve been pulling my hair out this week. Last week my gut was churning with nerves. Butterflies and hair-pulling do not make for restful sleep patterns. The thing is, we’re moving. Leaving our beloved neighbourhood that we’ve watched grow and evolve for a neighbourhood 10 block east. We’re still in walking & biking distance to all the things we love, but we’ve got the benefit of discovering a whole new neighbourhood too. Actually, that’s not quite right since the ‘hood we’re moving to was the first place I lived when I moved to Vancouver and where I spent all my time before settling into Strathcona. It’s a good thing. There are great markets nearby, lots of shops and restaurants and we’ll be on a quiet street (one of Vancouver’s last remaining streets to have cobblestones from where Vancouver’s historic streetcars used to tread, in fact) with a view of the Port and the North Shore mountains. And there will be lots of space, light and windows. No, there isn’t a window in the kitchen or more counter space (but that’s what future renos are for), but it’s an inspiring space with vaulted ceilings. And a dishwasher. A dishwasher!!! Yes, I’m excited and thrilled and nervous with all the changes taking place.

But before I start freaking myself out with talk of moving and boxes and upheaval, let’s talk about soup. I get that on first glance this soup might be unappealing. First of all, it’s green which could set some people on edge but not me. Somehow this soup rose above all other broccoli soups I’ve had and I can only credit that to the addition of spinach. The texture of the thing was voluminous and light which seems weird to say about a soup, but trust me when I tell you this: this soup bloomed in my bowl. I dunno if it was a mind trick or what, but it was like there was some kind of magic awesomeness involved that made this soup seem almost fluffy and creamy and perfect without any addition of cream or milk.

So what I’m saying is: make this soup. As you can see, I nearly licked the bowl clean. And because we’re nearing St. Patrick’s Day, serve it with a loaf of Irish Soda Bread because homemade bread (especially an easy one like this) always trumps crackers. And go make a whiskey oat cake for dessert to get into the spirit of things – saving the leftovers for breakfast.

elsewhere: Need a quick meal? Look no further than these fantastic garlic-ginger noodles. They are addictive and easy and you’ll find yourself wanting more. Repeat.

broccoli spinach soup
1 T olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 celery stalks, diced
1/2-1 t kosher salt
1/2 t red chili flakes
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t dried oregano
2 small potatoes, diced
2 stalks of broccoli, stems peeled & diced, florets broken
approx. 4 c good vegetable or chicken stock
1 bunch spinach, rinsed
1 T dijon mustard
1/3 c grated cheddar cheese

In a large pot, saute the onions, garlic and celery over medium heat in the olive oil until soft. Sprinkle in the salt, chili and herbs and stir in the potatoes and broccoli. Pour in enough stock to cover all the vegetables in the pot (don’t add in too much!), put a lid on it, and let is simmer away until potatoes are tender. Add in the spinach and stir in the mustard. Blend well using an immersion blender or pour soup in batches into a blender to get it very smooth. Stir in the cheese and blend well. If you find your soup is too thick, add in more stock or add in a bit of milk. Makes 4 large portions.

Possibly related posts:

• creamy broccoli & leek soup
• well-worn: lentil spinach soup

Two Saturdays ago, we took off across the bridge and drove up into the mountains with some rented snowshoes and a couple of friends. There had been avalanche warnings that morning and I was a teensy bit nervous as we passed the red warning sign at the bottom of the mountain trail, but a few feet into the snow and trees and quiet, and I forgot all about the potential danger. I should point out that we were assured by the employees over at the ski hill that we would be totally fine as long as we stuck to the trails. And we did. Safe & sound!

We made it all the way up to the summit and despite it being an overcast day, it was gorgeous – like being stuck inside a snow globe. Quiet and still and despite all the snow, we were warm and sweaty. That’s what a steep climb in snowshoes will do. At the summit we were greeted by a couple of cute fluffy whiskey jacks and the biggest ravens I ever did see.

I should point out that cookies involved.

These sesame tahini cookies that I had baked up the night before helped to take us up to the summit and kept our energy and spirits up. Cornelius thought they tasted a bit like Christmas shortbread cookies and I know exactly what he means. The texture is delicate and tender and they tasted rich and buttery. Perfect for snacking with a cuppa and a great accompaniment on a snowy climb.

There’s no reason to doubt the awesomeness of tahini in cookies. Plus with the sesame seeds sprinkled throughout and the crunch of the raw sugar on top, these cookies are really easy to fall in love with. However, I should point out that Cornelius nor my friends couldn’t guess what they were made with. I thought the sesame taste was quite evident, but everyone was kind of clueless until I told them. Whateves, my friends clearly have inferior taste buds but they loved these cookies as much as I did.

I’m not one to drink milk with cookies, but I think these would make a fine candidate. Got egg issues? No problem because there are no eggs involved. Want to make these vegan? Sub out the honey with agave or maple syrup and use vegan margarine instead. No problemo!

elsewhere: Over at Poppytalk, I make a fantastic yam & red quinoa salad. Healthy and packed with nutrients, not only is it gorgeous, but it’s filling and really freakin’ delicious. Get the recipe!

sesame tahini cookies
(adapted from A Sweet Spoonful)
1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 c unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c well-stirred tahini
1 T honey
1 t pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup sesame seeds (I used toasted)
2 T raw sugar

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, combine the butter, sugar, tahini, honey and vanilla until well blended. Add the flour in 2 additions, mixing slowly but surely. Stir in the sesame seeds and when those look combined into the dough, dump the dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment paper and flatten slightly. Wrap tightly and chill in the fridge for about an hour or so.

When the dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350F and move oven racks to the middle. Pour the raw sugar into a small dish and roll out a spoonful of dough, dip into the raw sugar and slightly flatten each ball before setting them onto a silpat or parchment-covered baking sheet. Fill 2 sheets with cookies (don’t worry, the cookies will not spread) and bake for 12-14 minutes until slightly golden and crackly. Cool cookies completely on sheets before transferring, as the cookies are very delicate out of the oven. Makes about 24-28 cookies.

Possibly related posts:

• sesame dip of goodness
• tahini ginger slaw

There’s a bit of a cupboard clean-out going on in my kitchen. I have one cupboard divided in half: one side for savory things, like rice, grains and canned goods and one side for baking stuff, sugar, coconut, etc. And the truth is, it’s getting a little crowded. Pretty much all my rice, grains and dried beans are stored in glass jars and some of them are nearing empty while still taking up a load of space. Something had to be done.

So when I spied a small amount of farro inside a recycled Adam’s peanut butter jar, I decided to take action and make it a part of dinner. The thing about farro is that it’s a chewy grain and takes nearly and hour to cook, so this salad does require some advance planning. But what I like about farro, is that once you’ve got some made, it keeps nicely in the fridge and you can use it in salads and soup to instantly add bulk and texture. And farro is very high in protein and fiber which is a good thing when talking salad. Please note that farro is not a gluten-free grain, but it does tend to be lower in gluten than other wheat, so those with very mild gluten insensitivities might be able to eat farro.

As for this salad, my husband and I both loved it. We loved the chew and nutty flavour of the farro and the arugula adds a nice peppery bite. The first night we ate this, we used some leftover diced roasted beets which lent a lovely sweetness to the dish. The next night, we were out of roasted beets, so I subbed in some of my homemade pickled beets instead, which was a very good move. But it was the creamy yogurt & tahini dressing that embraced everything and tied in all the flavours so nicely.

farro & arugula salad with beets
I tend to have a pro-acidic palate, so I used nearly a whole lemon here, but feel free to cut it down if you don’t want too much of a pucker.

3/4 c farro
1 T greek yogurt
1 T tahini
1 T olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon (more or less depending on taste)
1 clove garlic, minced
salt & pepper
a drop of honey (optional)
arugula, rinsed & dried
1 large roasted beet, diced or 1/2 c pickled beets, diced
1/4 c feta or goat cheese, crumbled (optional)

1. Add farro to a small saucepan filled with boiling water. Let simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes, then turn down heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes more until tender. Drain & set aside to cool.

2. In a small jar, combine yogurt, tahini, oil, lemon, garlic, salt & pepper and honey. Shake until well blended. If you find the dressing too thick, add in a tiny bit of water to thin it out. Taste & adjust seasoning.

3. Divide farro into 4 bowls, top with arugula and beets and drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired.

Possibly related posts:

• dinner salad: farro & greens cranberry crunch salad
• beets in vinaigrette

I’ve been wanting to make caramel corn for years, but whenever I asked Cornelius if he wanted any, he always said no. Can you believe that I married someone who couldn’t care less about caramel corn? It just didn’t make much sense to me, so when I prodded him further he told me that he just didn’t like it. Crazy, right? He told me that his grandma made caramel corn and it was sticky and too sweet. I said, do I look like your grandma? Actually, I never said that, but you get the gist.

Me, I grew up with caramel corn….sort of. What I mean is that I grew up with a homemade caramel sauce that was pretty identical to the recipe below. But instead of baking the popcorn for an hour in a slow oven, my mom and I just poured the sauce over some popcorn and we called it done. Popcorn was always a last-minute snack so waiting for an hour didn’t make sense to our impatient bellies. Sweet? Yup. Sticky? Definitely. So I was curious to see what baking the caramel corn would do. Let me tell you that it does all the right things.

The resulting popcorn was light and crunchy – not sticky. It wasn’t too sweet and it had a hint of cayenne and a touch of salt. I leaned to more popcorn (12 cups opposed to 10 cups) and I loved it and surprisingly, Cornelius loved it too. I liked the triumvirate of nuts: pecans, pepitas, almonds. The pepitas especially were particularly rich and buttery and helped to make this popcorn off-the-hook amazing. This caramel corn also would makes a perfect gift in case you feel like sharing it around. Packed in a mason jar and tied with red and white twine it’s almost too cute to eat. Almost.

Don’t let the recipe length fool you. This is simple stuff and it’s worth every word and more. Pass it around or be rightfully greedy and stuff it into your face as soon as you can.

spiced caramel corn with pepitas, almonds & pecans
(adapted from Orangette)
10 – 12 c fresh popcorn, popped by any method
1 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c light corn syrup
6 T salted butter, melted
2 T water
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t – 1/2 t cayenne pepper
2 t vanilla extract
1/3 c pepitas
1/3 c pecans, roughly chopped
1/3 c almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 t flaky sea salt

Preheat oven to 250F.

Once you’ve popped your popcorn (I like hot air popped corn – I’m a product of the ’70s!), go through and remove all unpopped kernels. Someone once told me these were called widows which just seems cruel. Dump popcorn into your biggest bowl – if you don’t have a big bowl, try your biggest stock pot.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar and corn syrup together along with 2 tablespoons water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Continue to simmer for 3-4 minutes, whisking often. If you’ve got a candy thermometer, it should read 250°F. Immediately remove from heat and stir in the baking soda, vanilla and cayenne pepper.

Quickly pour the hot caramel over the popcorn along with the nuts. Use a rubber spatula to distribute the caramel evenly by folding it gently. Transfer the popcorn onto 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silpat mats. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring often and turning the pans to make sure that the heat is evenly distributed, as the popcorn can burn if not watched closely. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Gently break up popcorn and store in a tightly lidded container. Keeps in a tightly lidded jar for up to 2 weeks (or more), but like that’s going to happen.

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• chunks of temptation: salted caramel almond pretzel popcorn
• autumn sweets: salted honey caramel apples

I’ve always been fascinated with the idea of an egg cream. I mean, it’s a total misnomer since there is no egg or cream involved, but when I was little just the thought of a drink with eggs was not refreshing sounding at all. I threw up a little in my mouth whenever my brother would order an Orange Julius at the mall and an egg cream just sounded way worse to my 10 year old ears. Fast forward to last summer when I found myself with a bottle of chocolate syrup and cans of club soda. Hello, chocolate egg cream!

Really, it couldn’t be simpler – and it shouldn’t affect your gag reflex one bit. One, you need chocolate syrup. Traditionalists would say you NEED to use Fox’s U-BET chocolate syrup, but I found Smuckers to be just dandy. A homemade chocolate syrup would be great too! Two, you need milk. Milk should be cold, ice cold because warm milk is just gross and the opposite of refreshing. I’m sure if you wanted this to be dairy free you could try this with soy, rice or almond milk. If you do try it vegan, let me know how it goes! And the third requirement, seltzer water – but club soda will work in a pinch. If you were old-fashioned, you’d use one of those Mad Men era pressurized seltzer canisters, but a can of club soda still makes a fine, fine drink. Just give everything a big stir at the end and watch out so that it doesn’t over flow because this stuff can bubble up quickly! Now, if you want more of an adult beverage, throwing in an ounce of bourbon wouldn’t be out of line (see the kitchn for a chocolate milk bourbon version).

Now, the real reason I’m talking about Brooklyn egg creams is to ply you with a treat so you could help me with NYC tips! I’ll be in Brooklyn for 3 weeks this month and I need all the recommendations I can get. I can tell you that I’m well versed in NYC history after watching the 16 hour long New York documentary by Rick Burns but I need to know about all the other stuff. Like where’s the best happy hour? The best brunch? The best coffee? The best brew pub? The best IPA? The best burger? The best slice? The best healthy food? And because I like to travel on the cheap, these recommendations shouldn’t be fancy or hella-expensive – we are cheap, afterall. We’re planning on doing a lot of picnic-ing since that’s one way to cut down costs, so any well-stocked and well-priced grocery stores or food emporiums that I should know about, please let me know. And because NYC isn’t just about the food (no, really) I do plan on doing some sight-seeing too. We want to explore some of the outer boroughs. The Tenement Museum will be visited. As will the MOMA. And I’d love your recs for any cool music venues, photography/art galleries and spaces, cool walks and that kind of thing. Anything that is a touristy-must do?? Is the top of the Empire State Building worth it? We’ve never been before and it’s kind of like a dream to spend 3 weeks exploring and getting inspired. So please send me your comments and emails! I’d love to hear your must-do New York City tips!

elsewhere: Over at Poppytalk check out my Root and Ginger post for the perfect summer tipple.

brooklyn chocolate egg cream for 2
chocolate syrup
cold cold milk (not a typo, make sure that milk is cold!)
1 can of club soda or a bottle of seltzer water (open only when ready to pour)

1. Pour about 1 inch of chocolate syrup in the bottom of two pint glasses. If the pint glasses are chilled, that’s even better!

2. Pour about 2 inches of milk over top.

3. Top up with club soda, half a can for each glass – pour slowly because this stuff will really start to foam up! Stir with a long spoon and drink up!

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• coolio: coconut chocolate chunk ice cream + mexican chocolate ice cream
• rhubarb-limeade fizz & a nyc rundown

Growing up I was a picky eater. I remember on more than one occasion being held back at the table because I didn’t finish my plate. So I’d sit and wait until everything was quit and then I’d fill up my napkin with the offending food item and flush it down the toilet. Good riddance. Tomatoes made me gag. Raw onions were disgusting. Jello still makes my skin crawl. Don’t even let me think about melons. Cucumbers have always been on the oh-hells-no list. But then things began to change. A few years ago I was fine with a slice in my sandwich. It provided crunch and a subtle freshness that I appreciated. And then, I made tzatziki and a creamy dill salad and I was slowly coming around to its charms. It became a regular in other salads and as a dipper for hummus.

So now I can say with a clear heart and head that I’ve made progress on the formally hated food front. And I can provide a tip if you aren’t a cucumber fan either and want to become friends: when you cut into your cuke, scrape out the seeds with a spoon. That’s it. That watery mess is the equivalent of a textural heebee-jeebee and has no business near your salad.

Now, let’s get to this salad because it’s a good one. I whipped up a lovely Sunday lunch recently of roasted potatoes, breaded baked sole and steamed spinach, but I wanted a bit more flavour on the plate. This salad came to the rescue and provided a nice tart bite. The lemon shines and the dressing is tart but balanced with a bit of honey (though agave syrup would be a lovely substitution for a vegan salad). If I had fresh dill, I probably would have tossed some over top, but this salad needed no extra help.

elsewhere: At Poppytalk last week I made a rice noodle salad with shrimp and vegetables.

lemon, onion & cucumber salad
1/2 english cucumber
1/4 small onion, sliced thinly
1 lemon, zested & juiced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T olive oil
1 t honey
salt & pepper

Cut the cucumber in half, lengthwise and scoop out the seeds if desired. Me, I scrape ‘em out every time. Slice into thin half moons and place in a serving bowl. Add the thin slices of onion to the bowl along with the lemon zest.

To make the dressing, combine the lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, honey and salt and pepper in a small lidded jar. Shake until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Pour over salad, toss, and serve.

Possibly related posts:

• creamy cucumber dill salad
• simple potato salad with lemon & cumin

This weekend we finally got snow, and while most of us Vancouverites are total winter wimps, I admit to loving my Saturday night in the snow. We walked to the newly renovated Waldorf to celebrate a friend’s birthday and by the time we walked the 9 blocks, we looked like abominable snow creatures. But being outside while the snowflakes covered everything, including ourselves, made the late night so much brighter and beautifully quiet. Snow on the west coast is a novel and fun thing, but only because I know it’s temporary. And this morning I was happy to discover that almost all of the snow has melted and the sidewalks are no longer slushy danger zones. Blasts of winter are best when they’re short-term which is why I love Vancouver’s climate so much.

This lentil dish is perfect for cold winter nights. It also contains fennel which has become one of my new favorite vegetables and is readily available all winter. If you wanted this to be a strictly vegetarian affair, just skip the sausage or trade in the meat for your favorite vegetarian sausage links and you’ll still have a fantastic meal. Serve with a crusty peasant bread and a bottle of red wine.

lentils with fennel & sausage
(adapted from Gourmet)
1 c dried French lentils
2 T olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2  bulb fennel, sliced thinly
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 t fennel seeds, lightly crushed
1/2 t crushed chili pepper flakes
1 bunch kale, tough ribs removed & sliced
2 European-style sausage links, sliced
salt & pepper
1 T balsamic vinegar, or to taste

Add the lentils into a medium-sized pot and cover with lots of cold water. Cover and bring to a boil and then simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil and saute the onion, fennel, red pepper, fennel seeds, and chili flakes until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and add in the kale and let that soften before adding in the sausage and let that cook for a few minutes, adding in some of the lentil water if it gets too dry.

Drain off most of the water off the lentils, but keep at least half a cup or so and add it all into the sausage, kale and fennel mixture. Stir in vinegar and toss everything together. Adjust seasonings if needed and serve with crusty bread. Makes 4 main course servings.

Possibly related posts:

• happy new year: pasta with sausage, kale and lentils
• french lentils with sausage, yogurt & pasta

This past week, I spent a lot of time deliberating an online boot purchase. You see, when it comes to buying something – online or off – I spend a ton of time researching and figuring out the pros and cons. I really, really wanted these boots (comfort & style, hello!), but I wasn’t sure if the fit would be right. Boots can be tricky – the heels can be too wide, the foot bed too narrow or they could be too tight in the calves. And because I couldn’t find a store in Vancouver to try them on, I decided in the end that it just wasn’t worth it. Especially since shipping to Canada is expensive and returns would bring a whole other headache. So I played it safe and I’m sadly bootless. However, there is one area in my life where I’m reckless – the kitchen.

Take this salad for example. I wasn’t planning on making a salad, it just sorta happened. I had prepped my cumin and lemon cauliflower and needed something else, stat. When I spied a box of mediterranean couscous in the cupboards, it seemed like the ideal accompaniment. I prepared it according to the package and then went rooting in the fridge for something else to make the meal sing. I found an onion, a red pepper, 1/2 a cucumber and some feta. A salad seemed like a logical choice, but realizing that the cauliflower would be done way before the couscous even started to cool seemed foolish. Why not a warm salad? I sauteed up the red onion and pepper, whipped up a dressing and threw in the cold, diced cucumber and the crumbled feta and the results were delicious. The vinaigrette hit all the right notes and the flavour was bang on. Pretty excellent results for a salad thought up on the fly. And the salad leftovers were fantastic the next day eaten cold out of the jar. If you wanted to add some additional protein, some chickpeas would be a smart choice.

elsewhere: Need a sweet but wholesome treat? Whip up some of these peanut butter oat balls that I posted at Poppytalk – perfect for kids, but just as easy going down when you’re past the legal age. And speaking of drinking, isn’t it time to add spark to your happy hour? Try this delicious blood orange & bourbon sipper, The New Newfangled over at ReadyMade (it packs a wallop!). Not foodie related, but a crazy story to say the least, I write about my love for Dr. Bronner’s soap company – check it out.

warm mediterranean couscous salad
1 c Israeli couscous
1 T olive oil
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/2 red pepper diced

1/2 cucumber, diced
1/3 c feta cheese, crumbled

dressing:
3 T olive oil
juice & zest of 1 large lemon
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 t dijon mustard
1/2 t agave syrup or honey
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t dried dill
salt & pepper

Prepare couscous according to package directions (2 cups of water to 1 cup of couscous). In a small saute pan, heat olive oil and saute the red onion and red pepper until fragrant and just soft, a few minutes. Set aside.

Prepare the dressing by shaking all the ingredients in a small jam jar. Set aside.

When the couscous is done, toss with the onion and pepper and dressing. Toss again with the cucumber and feta and serve warm. Leftovers are great eaten from the fridge cold.

Possibly related posts:

• couscous & yam salad
• simple sides: warm cauliflower salad & green salad with tarragon dressing

I love making biscuits and the quest for a really light and flakey biscuit is like looking for the holy grail. It can be hard thing to achieve. But I recently spotted a biscuit recipe which was adapted from an old Betty Crocker recipe, so I knew there was some sort of history behind it.

The recipe seems pretty standard except for the addition of cream of tartar, which as an ingredient sits pretty much untouched in my cupboard. I was curious what this odd little addition could do to the biscuits. I pretty much stuck to the original ingredients, but I dropped out a teaspoon of sugar and added in some vinegar into my milk for a bit of tang. But when it came to the method of flattening out the dough, I remembered reading that folding and refolding the dough creates air pockets and fat pockets and that helps to create flakey biscuit layers. So I tried that approach – folded and refolded and refolded some more.

I’m not sure if it was the cream of tartar or the folding method, but these biscuits came out perfectly dreamy! See the flakey layers? The lightly golden and crispy outsides? The perfect tender crumb? Yup, these biscuits are pretty perfect and can be served with brunch alongside some poached eggs and jam and would also be a nice side to a soup or stew.

Once again – just a reminder that this blog is up for Best Canadian Blog at the 2011 Bloggies (a kinda super big deal) and I’d love your votes! Thank you!

the flakiest biscuit (aka biscuits supreme)
(adapted from the Ugly Green Chair)
2 c flour
4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t cream of tartar
1 t sugar
1/2 c cold butter, cut into pieces
2/3 c milk (I used almond milk + 1 t vinegar)

Preheat oven to 400F. In a large bowl, mix together the first 5 ingredients. Add in the cold butter and use your fingers to wear it down so the mixture looks like oats. Pour in the milk and stir around with a fork until the dough comes together. I found the dough to be a bit dry which worked out fine.

Turn out the dough onto a large cutting board and knead it into a ball. Flatten it into a rectangle shape and then fold it over into a square (2 folds). Flatten down again and keep folding a few more times. Shape into a rectangle  1/2″ thick and cut out biscuits into squares. I made tiny biscuits but you can cut them into how many you’d like.

Bake on a cookie sheet lined with silpat or parchment paper for 10 – 12 minutes or until slightly golden around the edges. If you make smaller biscuits, check on them sooner – within 8 minutes of baking.

Possibly related posts:

• i have reached biscuit nirvana: feather-light drop biscuits
• diner style: all-purpose biscuits

When I first heard the term Italian Wedding Soup, I assumed that it would be a big production. In my head, the soup would be simmered over the course of 3 days in a pot large enough to serve an army (or 300+ very hungry wedding guests). Luckily, that was just my over-active imagination talking because an Italian Wedding Soup couldn’t be easier to make. It’s also the perfect meal for these blustery rainy days. Yes, the rain and howling winds are back with a vengeance it seems but this soup is the perfect cure-all.

Wikipedia describes an italian wedding soup as a dish containing green vegetables and meat and so that’s what I did. I had some local organic ground beef and figured I’d spice it up with the addition of fennel along with all the usual suspects. And fennel was the perfect spice here as it gave these meatballs a unique twist. The rest of the soup came together quickly: kale, carrots, celery, onions, garlic and chicken stock. I used bowtie-shaped pasta, but orzo would be perfect as would any short pasta like macaroni. I should also note, if you have any Parmesan rinds laying about, add them to this soup for extra super flavour – just remember to remove them before serving or someone will end up with a mouthful of chewy cheese (not a bad thing, really).

If you want to keep things vegetarian/vegan, sub in vegetable stock and use your favorite veggie sausage cut into discs instead. Just remember to add the sausage near the end, just before the pasta is finished cooking as you just need to heat the sausage not cook it.

italian wedding soup
meatballs
1 lb lean ground beef (local & organic)
1 T fennel seeds, crushed
1 t Old Bay seasoning
1/4 cayenne pepper
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
1 t worchestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t kosher salt
1 egg
1/4 c bread crumbs

1 T olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 t dried chili flakes
pinch of salt
fresh ground pepper
1 bunch kale, cut into 1 inch ribbons (tough ribs removed) & cut crosswise
6 c chicken stock
Parmesan rinds (optional)
1 c short or small pasta

Preheat oven to 375F. In a large bowl, mix together with your hands the meatball ingredients. If you find the mixture too sticky, add in more bread crumbs. Roll about a tablespoon of the mixture into balls and place on a baking sheet lined with silpat or parchment paper. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the onions and garlic until soft & fragrant. Stir in the celery, carrots and chili flakes along with a small pinch of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Let the mixture sweat for a few minutes and then add in the kale, stirring until it gets wilty. Remove meatballs from the oven and add to the pot. Pour in chicken stock and Parmesan rinds (if using) and bring to a boil. Add in the pasta and cook until the pasta is tender. I always throw in a few squirts of hot sauce into the pot, but that’s just me. If your pot needs more liquid, add in more stock or water and adjust seasonings before serving.

Possibly related posts:

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