blerg. and Soup recipe.
Feb. 11th, 2004 07:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yinshubackupSo, I've been having lots of weird dreams, very restless sleep lately. Lots of bad dreams involving my mother, or being stuck somewhere unable to travel (like late to the airport, or my car's been impounded type dreams), and other assorted nightmares about psychopathic killers and the gruesomely torturous things they do. Lots of really graphic violence in very sick ways. yiick. Sometimes the dream itself doesn't have such a scary plot, but for some reason I feel afraid and horrible the whole time.
I wake up a couple of times during a night, around 2 am, or 6 am or whatever. I'm starting to lose sleep over it (ha,ha. *wan smile*) and it's really becoming annoying. I've never watched many horror movies, and though I'm sorta gothy, I don't spend lots of time thinking brutally morbid thoughts about torture and mangled human flesh. blerg. I don't know what's up with this.
I also just find myself wanting to sleep all the time, but then I'm almost afraid to go to sleep. And I have no motivation. Except for my cooking lab. It's harder to drag my ass out of bed every day for class than it's ever been. I'm not really depressed, per-se. I'm just tired all the time and can't seem to get things done.
Rarrg.
Okay, well, now that I've reached my complaint quota for the day, I will think of something more positive. Like my fabulous soup victory. *smiles at her happy thought* It was even good for breakfast. And as promised, here is the recipe:
AUTUMN VEGETABLE SOUP WITH PISTOU
Yield: 2 1/2 qt.
Portion size: 6-8 oz.
Prep Time: 1/2 hr.
Cook Time: 45-50 min.
Cook Temp: Simmer
Special Notes: Pistou is just like pesto but without the pine (pignoli) nuts. It is a flavor enhancer, and the precise amount to add is based on taste. For vegetable cuts: you can use whatever shape of cuts you want to give nice visual texture, but remember that some vegetables like carrots and potatos need to be cut small or thin, or else they will still be hard and crunchy when the soup is done. Also, vegetables of a similar size cook at a similar rate, so the closer in size your veggies are, the more even your soup's "mouthfeel" will be.
Ingredients:
2 oz. Olive oil
2 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
1/2 c. Leeks, diced small
1/2 c. Onion, diced small
1/2 c. Celery, sliced into "C's"
1/2 c. Carrots, diced small (but I cut mine into thin half-circles to cook faster)
1/2 c. Parsnips, diced small
1/2 c. Butternut Squash, diced small
1/2 c. Potatoes, diced small (I made mine like 1/4" dice)
1/2 c. Red Bell Pepper, diced
2 1/2 qt. Vegetable Stock
1/4 c. Parsely, chopped fine
2-3 oz. Pistou (see recipe below)
Salt and Pepper to taste (don't add it till after the pistou!)
Seasoned Croutons (I just diced up some stale baguette and stir fried it for like, 5 minutes with olive oil, some coarsely chopped garlic and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese)
Preparation:
1. Heat a soup pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Add garlic, leeks, onions, and celery. Sweat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (do not burn).
2. Add remaining vegetables and stock. Simmer for 30 minutes. (this is a good time to make the pistou)
3. Add parsely and pistou, stir well, and taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer an additional 5 -10 minutes. (this is a good time to fry up the croutons if you haven't already)
4. For service: Serve hot soup in a bowl sprinkled with croutons and fresh parmesan cheese. Bon Appetit!
Fresh Pistou (soo good!mmm basil...)
(tip: I found that I had to double the recipe to get the stuff to be actually whirred around by the blender blades, because it's such a small bit of stuff. You might want to double it too... because this stuff is so good, and you could always just use as a pasta topper or a dipping sauce...)
Ingredients:
1 oz. Fresh garlic cloves
1/2 oz. Fresh basil
1 oz. Parmesan, grated
1/4 c. Olive oil
Preparation:
1. Blend all ingredients in food processor (preferably one with a small base like a mini chopper or vita-mix rather than a huge cuisinart or something) until smooth.
2. Serve with Autumn Vegetable Soup. Or in pasta, or lick it off your fingers.... you know, whatever strikes your fancy.
So, that's it! Hope you enjoy it. (And if you do end up making it, let me know how it turns out!)
I will try to post our recipes from class every week.
:)
I wake up a couple of times during a night, around 2 am, or 6 am or whatever. I'm starting to lose sleep over it (ha,ha. *wan smile*) and it's really becoming annoying. I've never watched many horror movies, and though I'm sorta gothy, I don't spend lots of time thinking brutally morbid thoughts about torture and mangled human flesh. blerg. I don't know what's up with this.
I also just find myself wanting to sleep all the time, but then I'm almost afraid to go to sleep. And I have no motivation. Except for my cooking lab. It's harder to drag my ass out of bed every day for class than it's ever been. I'm not really depressed, per-se. I'm just tired all the time and can't seem to get things done.
Rarrg.
Okay, well, now that I've reached my complaint quota for the day, I will think of something more positive. Like my fabulous soup victory. *smiles at her happy thought* It was even good for breakfast. And as promised, here is the recipe:
Yield: 2 1/2 qt.
Portion size: 6-8 oz.
Prep Time: 1/2 hr.
Cook Time: 45-50 min.
Cook Temp: Simmer
Special Notes: Pistou is just like pesto but without the pine (pignoli) nuts. It is a flavor enhancer, and the precise amount to add is based on taste. For vegetable cuts: you can use whatever shape of cuts you want to give nice visual texture, but remember that some vegetables like carrots and potatos need to be cut small or thin, or else they will still be hard and crunchy when the soup is done. Also, vegetables of a similar size cook at a similar rate, so the closer in size your veggies are, the more even your soup's "mouthfeel" will be.
Ingredients:
2 oz. Olive oil
2 Tbsp. Garlic, minced
1/2 c. Leeks, diced small
1/2 c. Onion, diced small
1/2 c. Celery, sliced into "C's"
1/2 c. Carrots, diced small (but I cut mine into thin half-circles to cook faster)
1/2 c. Parsnips, diced small
1/2 c. Butternut Squash, diced small
1/2 c. Potatoes, diced small (I made mine like 1/4" dice)
1/2 c. Red Bell Pepper, diced
2 1/2 qt. Vegetable Stock
1/4 c. Parsely, chopped fine
2-3 oz. Pistou (see recipe below)
Salt and Pepper to taste (don't add it till after the pistou!)
Seasoned Croutons (I just diced up some stale baguette and stir fried it for like, 5 minutes with olive oil, some coarsely chopped garlic and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese)
Preparation:
1. Heat a soup pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Add garlic, leeks, onions, and celery. Sweat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally (do not burn).
2. Add remaining vegetables and stock. Simmer for 30 minutes. (this is a good time to make the pistou)
3. Add parsely and pistou, stir well, and taste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer an additional 5 -10 minutes. (this is a good time to fry up the croutons if you haven't already)
4. For service: Serve hot soup in a bowl sprinkled with croutons and fresh parmesan cheese. Bon Appetit!
(tip: I found that I had to double the recipe to get the stuff to be actually whirred around by the blender blades, because it's such a small bit of stuff. You might want to double it too... because this stuff is so good, and you could always just use as a pasta topper or a dipping sauce...)
Ingredients:
1 oz. Fresh garlic cloves
1/2 oz. Fresh basil
1 oz. Parmesan, grated
1/4 c. Olive oil
Preparation:
1. Blend all ingredients in food processor (preferably one with a small base like a mini chopper or vita-mix rather than a huge cuisinart or something) until smooth.
2. Serve with Autumn Vegetable Soup. Or in pasta, or lick it off your fingers.... you know, whatever strikes your fancy.
So, that's it! Hope you enjoy it. (And if you do end up making it, let me know how it turns out!)
I will try to post our recipes from class every week.
:)
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Yum!
Date: 2004-02-11 05:02 pm (UTC)Re: Yum!
Date: 2004-02-11 05:29 pm (UTC)"Mouthfeel"
Date: 2004-02-11 05:26 pm (UTC)Sounds really good. I make a Mexican caldo that finishes with fresh avacado and lime just before serving. Fresh lime juice straight into the soup. It's hard to explain, but it makes the caldo taste 'bright' to me. Sounds like the fresh pistou right at the end would create a similar burst of complex flavors. Grr, and all I've got is a frozen dinner tonight. Grr.
~D
Mentre viviamo, Viviamos!
Re: "Mouthfeel"
Date: 2004-02-11 05:45 pm (UTC)But in this case, I used little red potatoes and just diced them really small (like 1/4" dice), and kept the carrots thin by slicing the carrot in half lengthwise first and then setting the flat-side down and making very thin (almost see through but not quite, I guess about 1/16")half-circle cuts. Consistency is the key, because then it will cook evenly and you can begin to gauge the timing a little better.
And I think you'll find butternut squash has a bit firmer texture to begin with than, say, a yellow squash or zucchini. Mine was almost as firm as a carrot, and I was afraid it wouldn't cook fast enough, but I just followed the recipe and it all ended up fine.
and actually, I think i know what you mean about the caldo, because that's what one of the other teams was assigned to make-- they garnished it with fresh limes and avocados, and it looked really good, but i didn't get to try it.
(we're divided into teams every lab, this time I made the soup and my partner made the fruit salad)
no subject
Date: 2004-02-11 07:51 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2004-02-11 09:39 pm (UTC)I should come up and visit you again. We had so much fun last time! though I totally know what you mean about being a busy girl, too. I have lots of work to do, because the frist round of prelims and quizzes starts next week. I will see if I can clear my schedule to come have lunch with you on Saturday or Sunday though...
Re:
Date: 2004-02-12 01:09 pm (UTC)Not depressed
Date: 2004-02-12 09:33 am (UTC)Re: Not depressed
Date: 2004-02-12 06:42 pm (UTC)Re: Not depressed
Date: 2004-02-13 01:24 pm (UTC)