gazpacho

well, here we go…after a bit of downtime on the blog (ok, a looooong break), we are newly inspired with some great recipes and images to share. we did a bit of a redesign and made room for some larger photos.  pictures and pancakes will most likely be a fun work in progress, but we really hope to get more images, recipes and those that inspire us up on the blog a lot more often in the second half of 2013!  let us know what you think and maybe what you might like to see. 

this recipe is a simple summer soup that’s refreshing, quick and takes advantage of tomatoes at their peak ripeness. tomatoes that are a bit soft or almost overripe are perfect for this soup! your average red or your favorite heirloom varietal can work just as well as yellow tomatoes and feel free to garnish with whatever veggies you have on hand.

we love eating anything out of these gorgeous bowls from the fabulous Nikole Herriott of www.herriottgrace.com .  made in england by sue paraskeva, we'd love a set of 12.  and if only we could have one of everything from the shop our kitchen would be complete…

we are heading to Birmingham, AL soon for work – any restaurants or shops we shouldn’t miss?

Yellow Tomato Gazpacho

makes 4 cups

2 pounds ripe yellow tomatoes, cored & chopped

1 small cucumber, peeled & chopped

½ to 1 small jalapeño, seeded & diced

1 clove garlic, smashed

2 tbs olive oil

2 tbs red wine vinegar

½ tsp salt

2 whole cloves garlic

1 rustic loaf, sliced and grilled

garnish with thinly sliced candy stripe beets and lemon cucumber, finely diced red onion, thai basil leaves and freshly ground black pepper

in a food processor or blender, combine tomatoes, cucumber, jalapeño, garlic, olive oil, vinegar and salt and puree for about 5 minutes or until your desired texture. chill for at least 1 hour.

slice a bit of the root end off garlic cloves and place in a square of foil. drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil each, close the foil pouch and roast at 400 F for about 1 hour or until tender and soft. let cool slightly and then squeeze out garlic paste to separate from the clove.

divide soup between bowls and garnish with beets, cucumber, onion, basil and pepper. serve with grilled rustic bread spread with roasted garlic.

all images ©andrew purcell 2013

stew & snow

from warm and sunny friday to snow and sleet today, east coast weather is so confusing! it's a good day to stay inside, read a book with a cup of tea and make a pot of this hearty warming fish stew. it's light and healthy while still being satisfying. and it's versatile - throw in whatever combinations of vegetables, beans, grains and fish you have on hand.

check out this article i worked on for the nest with a few other members of the big leo family. did you see the beet detox spread our friend jen, shot for the new issue of rue - it's beautiful! ready for a fun weekend in boston to celebrate a great friend's birthday - including a wine tasting event here.

Cod & White Bean Stew

serves 2

1 tbs olive oil

3 leeks, white and light green parts, sliced and cleaned well

2 celery stalks, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tomatoes, chopped

1 can cannellini beans, rinsed

2 cups chicken stock

1 small bunch thyme

8 oz cod, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

2 tbs chopped parsley

salt & pepper

heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium high heat. add leeks saute for 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. add celery and garlic and saute a few minutes more. add tomatoes, beans, stock and thyme and bring to a boil. reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender and warmed. add cod and simmer 5 to 8 minutes or until white and flaky. remove from heat, stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper. enjoy!

asparagus

a quick hello and a beautiful bowl of spring green asparagus soup to warm up from the grey days we've had recently (even though the sun is shining this afternoon). it's super simple and a great way to use up extra vegetables.

we're excited about a project we're working on with uppercase magazine - can't wait to share! have you seen jen's new project, the makers? all the creative people in brooklyn and what they're making are so inspiring! also, have you seen this behind the scenes video from ban.do? fun, sparkly and pretty as always.

Roasted Asparagus Soup

serves 2

4 cups coarsely chopped asparagus

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 tbs olive oil

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream or milk

salt & pepper

preheat oven to 400 degrees F. toss asparagus, garlic, onion and olive oil on a sheet pan and season with salt and pepper. roast 20 minutes or until tender. transfer to a food processor or blender and add stock and cream. puree until smooth and season to taste. serve warm or chilled.

carrot soup

as the temperatures rise and it feels more and more like summer outside, the last thing on our minds was a warm bowl of soup! but with several bunches of carrots leftover from a recent shoot, i couldn't think of anything i'd rather make. it's actually quite perfect to eat near the blasting air conditioner with a cold crisp salad for lunch or dinner. quick to prepare and with minimal time spent by a warm stove, this soup could even be served chilled.

might have to try this salad over the weekend from smitten kitchen via the wednesday chef.

it's now the perfect time of year to start drinking rose and this bottle was always one of our favorites! wonder if we can find it in nyc?

great recipes for icy treats here from design sponge. remember when we made boozy pops here? also, if you happen to be around brooklyn flea or chelsea market, definitely check out people's pops - they're great.

have a wonderful weekend!

Spiced Carrot Soup

serves 4

2 tbs olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 tbs grated fresh ginger

1 lb carrots, peeled & roughly chopped

2 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock stock

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

cilantro sprigs, optional garnish

in a large saucepan, heat oil and saute onions until translucent, about 5 minutes. add garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute more. add carrots and broth and bring to a boil. reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. carefully puree soup in batches in a blender or in the saucepan using an immersion blender until smooth. stir in cumin, coriander and lemon. divide between four bowls and garnish with yogurt and cilantro.

celery root

celery root is a very strange and scary looking vegetable! but with a little love it can be turned into so many beautiful dishes. i was first introduced to the root as this classic french dish when recipe testing for this cookbook. this luscious rich soup makes a perfect lunch or dinner and pairs nicely with a lovely green salad. it couldn't be easier to make, especially with the help of this fantastic tool! immersion blenders make silky smooth soups in seconds and the whisk attachment means you don't have to lug out the kitchen aid stand mixer for a small bit of whipped cream. next time i grab some celery root at the greenmarket, i'm going to try this beautiful salad!

Celery Root Soup

serves 4

3 leeks, white & yellow only, cleaned & sliced

1 tbs olive oil, plus more for garnish

1 1/2 lbs celery root, peeled & cubed

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 slices crispy bacon, crumbled

1/2 tart apple, cut into thin matchsticks

in a medium sized pot, saute leeks in oil until softened, about 8-10 minutes. add celery root, chicken broth and 3 cups of water. bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook 30-40 minutes or until celery root is soft. puree with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender. return to pot, off heat and stir in heavy cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. thin soup with a little water until desired consistency is reached. ladle into bowls and garnish with crumbled bacon, sliced apple and a drizzle of olive oil. enjoy!

the high life

we finally had some nice rainy cool weather to make it really feel like winter. well, a southern california winter that is. so we had to make soup! this creamy corn chowder combines some of my favorite flavors like smokey bacon, sweet bell pepper, creamy sweet corn and earthy herbs like thyme and bay. i used fresh corn leftover from a miller high life bbq shoot but frozen corn works well too. feel free to adjust the ratio of cream to chicken stock if you want an even richer chowder.

Corn Chowder

6 oz bacon, diced

1 onion, diced

1 red or orange bell pepper, diced

3 carrots, peeled & diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb fingerling potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

1 qt chicken or vegetable stock

5 ears fresh corn, cut off the cob (about 5 cups)

1 cup heavy cream

2 tbs fresh chopped parsley

salt & pepper

in a large saucepan, saute bacon until crispy and all the fat is rendered. remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. saute onion, bell pepper and carrots until slightly softened. add garlic and potatoes and saute 2-3 minutes more. add thyme, bay leaves and chicken stock and bring to a boil. reduce and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. stir in corn, cream and bacon and cook 5-8 minutes until corn is tender but still a little crisp. remove from heat, add chopped parsley and season with salt & pepper to taste. enjoy!

rancho gordo

several months ago a friend told me about these great heirloom beans out of napa and then i started reading about them everywhere and knew i had to get some. on our recent road trip, i found anasazi beans and posole at the fatted calf and then bought this at a local bookstore. i usually buy beans in a can and can't be bothered with soaking anything overnight but i must admit i am now a believer. there are many other great types of beans and recipes that i'm excited to explore but here is my first attempt with rancho gordo.

Chicken & Posole Verde

1 cup dried anasazi beans (somewhere between a pinto and kidney bean)

1 cup dried posole

1 bulb garlic, cut in half, not peeled

2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped

10 tomatillos, husked, rinsed and quartered

2 pasilla chilies, seeded and roughly chopped

1 jalapeno, seeded and roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, smashed

2 tbs olive oil

2 cups chicken stock

1 tbs white wine vinegar

1 lime, juiced

1 tsp ground cumin

1-2 tsp cholula or mexican hot sauce

2 chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

for garnish: cilantro, sour cream, avocado, green cabbage

soak beans and posole 4 hours or overnight and drain. in separate pots, cover beans and posole with water and add 1/2 garlic bulb and 1/2 onion to each. cook until tender, drain and set aside.

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. on a sheet pan, combine tomatillos, one onion, chilies, garlic and olive oil and toss to coat. roast until softened and a little charred, about 40 minutes. cool completely. in a blender or food processor, puree roasted vegetables until smooth.

in a large pot, combine pureed tomatillo sauce, chicken stock, vinegar, lime juice, cumin and cholula. add chicken, cooked beans and posole. bring to a simmer and cook until chicken is done. stir in cilantro and serve with optional garnishes of more cilantro, sour cream, diced avocado and shredded cabbage. enjoy!

everything but the kitchen sink

one of the many perks of our profession is leftovers. sometimes i'll come home from a shoot with grocery bags full of leftover ingredients and then need to figure out what to do with twenty onions, two acorn squash and five boxes of fresh thyme. soup! better yet soupe au pistou with some crusty bread to soak up the flavorful broth on a cool autumn evening while watching the presidential election results and enjoying a nice bottle of pinot noir. pistou is just like pesto but without the pine nuts and adds great flavor to any vegetable soup. hopefully you'll use whatever random ingredients you have in your pantry to make some soup soon too!

Leftover Soupe au Pistou

5 sweet italian sausage, removed from casing

2 medium onions, chopped

2 carrots, peeled & chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

3 zucchini, chopped

1 acorn squash, peeled, seeds removed and chopped

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

3 cloves garlic, smashed

about 6 cups chicken stock (or half stock & half water)

1 14.5 oz can chopped tomatoes

2 cups cooked brown rice

In a large pot, saute sausage until brown. Drain and set aside. Saute onion, carrot and celery 5 minutes until soft and then add zucchini and squash. Cook 5 more minutes and then add rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Cover with stock, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add cooked sausage, tomatoes and brown rice and simmer until you're ready to eat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with a spoonful of pistou and grated parmesan cheese.