pretty summer soup

Back when I lived in California, I never felt the seasons come and go and I barely noticed when items like nectarines or summer squash arrived or disappeared from the shelves. Almost everything was available all the time. But in Zurich, I'm in a constant panic, buying much more produce that our small family can possibly consume, worried that some item will suddenly disappear, not to be dreamt of for months.

To help us consume the mountains of produce crowding me out of my kitchen, I've been trying lots of new veggie recipes. Soup might seem silly choice for summer. But I like it because I can cook it quickly in the cool morning, spend all day at the lake, then come home to an "instant" meal that tastes even better than when I made it fresh. My husband made it extra special with his fancy toothpick skills. It seemed a bit much for a meal that would be eaten on a shared TV tray at 10pm while we watched Entourage. But that's summer.



Curried Yellow Squash Soup with Cilantro-Lime

from A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen by Jack Bishop

You may be tempted, as I was, to skip the cilantro-lime puree. The soup is yummy without it. But the puree makes the flavors pop and it's so darn pretty. Just do it.

1. In a large sauce pan over medium-high heat, heat until shimmering:
          2 TB olive oil

2. Add and cook until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes:
          1.5 pounds yellow squash, chopped
          1 medium onion, chopped

3. Add and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute:
          1 TB gingerroot, minced
          3 medium garlic cloves, minced
          2 tsp curry powder

4. Add and bring to boil:
          6 cups broth
          1 medium russet potato (about 8 oz), peeled and diced
          1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

5. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the potato is very tender, about 25 minutes.

6. Puree the soup in batches in blender until very smooth. Adjust the seasonings. You can serve it warm or chilled (refrigerate for several hours before serving). The original recipe suggest chilled, but I prefer it warm.

7. When you are ready to serve the soup (warm or cold), puree in blender until smooth:
          3 TB olive oil
          1/2 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
          1 TB fresh lime juice
          salt to taste (I like mine rather salty)

8. Ladle the soup in small bowls. Drizzle some cilantro puree over each bowl and serve.

The soup can be refrigerated for several days.

correction

I realized that I forgot to include the chopped scallions in the Black Bean Quinoa Salad recipe. So I updated the recipe to include that.

Also, I was recently reminded (by Cook's Illustrated) that most herbs are oil-soluble, meaning their full flavor isn't released until mixed in oil. So there might be reason after all to use a bit of oil in the salad. Next time, I'll try mixing the cilantro in a couple tablespoons of oil before mixing it into the salad. I'm curious to see if it makes a difference.

roast beef sandwich at Globus

On Thursday, I saw that the Bahnhofstrasse Globus has a guy outside with huge smokers and stacks and stacks of wood, making roast beef sandwiches. This was a combination I just couldn't ignore. Happily, I wasn't disappointed. It wasn't the best sandwich I've ever had, but it was definitely good grub and a nice change from the standard Zurich street food. I don't know how long he's been there or how long he'll stay. So check it out asap. He's got bbq sauce, but I think the chimichurri sauce is the way to go.

I heart quinoa

I've been trying to use a variety of grains in our diet and quinoa is certainly my favorite. Quinoa is a magical food with very high protein and a balanced set of amino acids, making it a complete protein, unlike wheat or rice. Plus it's tasty! Most health food stores in Zurich carry it. I've been using red quinoa from Vital Punkt (Stockerstrasse 38, Zurich) at 8.50sfr for 500g (about 3 cups) - ouch! But I heard Aldi is carrying regular quinoa right now for much cheaper. I need to stock up. Here's my new favorite recipe using quinoa.

Black Bean Quinoa Salad
Adapted from Epicurious

Among other things, the original recipe calls for oil in the dressing, but I found the salad very tasty without it. The original recipe also uses a two-step cooking process for the quinoa, first boil, then steam. I tried it and while this method produces drier quinoa, it was basically the same and I prefer simply boiling and draining the quinoa.

1. Prepare quinoa: In a small bowl or sieve, wash 1 cup quinoa in cold water until water runs clear then drain.

2. In a medium sauce pan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add rinsed quinoa and 1/2 tsp salt. Reduce heat to med-low and simmer for about 15 minutes, until tender. Drain quinoa in sieve.

3. In a large bowl, combine:

cooked quinoa from above
~2 cups cooked black beans, rinsed if canned (two 15oz cans)
1 large red pepper, chopped
1-2 jalapeño or serrano chilies, minced (not optional!)
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh coriander (not optional!)
5 TB fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
splash of balsamic vinegar (optional)
1 tsp salt

4. Adjust seasoning. Chill until serving. I prefer it cold, but also at room temperature.

Quinoa with Dried Fruit & Nuts
Some of my friends tried this dish the other day, so I'm including this recipe although I don't have a picture. I serve this along with a baked sweet potatoes and sauted greens, like spinach or chard.

1. Prepare 1 cup cooked quinoa (see above for instructions).

2. Stir in:

1 cup dried apricots, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Eat and enjoy!