Friday, December 21, 2007

Fifty: Chopping Season

This gift giving season netted me some marvelous knives today, compliments of the generous nature of JSG and EG. Those bad boys hummed a sharp tune today as we went to town on the makings of a hearty bahgobble veggie soup (lamb and turkey). I always start with onions, giving them a brisk chop. Ah, the knives, they were like buttah! In the pot went the onions for a nice shvitzing, then after they've worked up a sweat, mushrooms join them. I rummaged in the vegetable bin and found some green beans, carrots, brocolli and its rabe, lots of garlic in whole cloves, and then topped it all off with some chicken stock. I mocked it outright so it simmered a while, then when it was ready to tell me off, I threw in the turkey and lamb, all leftovers from previous evenings. After about an hour of moderate heat, I added some rinsed Navy beans and let it simmer just a while longer until I found a kind of crusty bread to go along for the ride. A crusty baguette is a always good choice, but we had a multi-grain sunflower loaf that is all kinds of wonderful with soup or with air for that matter. Lordy, is there anything better than really great bread? Soup and bread for dinner makes for a world of comfort as the air becomes chilly and your energy makes a stop for the night. A fresh pear was sacrificed for dessert, although, what I really wanted was some creme brulee placed in my mind by the wisp of a waitress at the Chew this afternoon.

5 comments:

MJ said...

So well crafted--mocking the soup was my favorite part until the last line!

JSG said...

I love a schvitzy onion. Stone soup and hearty bread makes for a wonderful meal any time of the year. Yum.

EJG said...

I can smell the soup simmering. You're either a great writer or I'm hungry. I think both.

BellsOn said...

Congrats on the new knives--it sounds like they're in good hands. After the initial salivating, this post had me ready to hit the kitchen. Merry cooking to us all.

DiaBelo said...

The sacrificial pear (not lamb) - there's always the surprise in your writing.