Soup Archives - Nutmeg Disrupted

Creamed Bacon Lentil Soup

March 25, 2014 Redawna Comments 2 comments

2014 seems to be the year of the lentil.

I started off creating recipes from The Big Book of Little Lentils cookbook. Then it was announced that Canadian Lentils was having a recipe contest that has seemed to explode online. Everyone has gotten involved and why not. Lentils are not only amazing to cook with they are Canadian. And when you can cook with products that are grown at home that is a bonus. Plus they are inexpensive, easy to use and a power house of nutritional value.

For the Entrée round I submitted my vegetarian Lentil Chili that I posted some weeks back. It is quick, supper easy, inexpensive and full of amazing flavour.

This soup is my submission to the Free Style round.

It is rich and full of amazing flavour. It is like this luxurious warm liquid bacon hug. Perfect in every way!

Creamed Bacon Lentil Soup

3 Tablespoons butter

4 garlic cloves, chopped

8 shallots, chopped

1-1/2 cups red lentils lentils

10 slices of bacon, chopped

7-8 cups chicken stock

1 sprig of thyme

1 cup cream

pepper to taste

Melt the butter over med-low in dutch oven.

Add the bacon and cook until almost done. Reserve a few pieces for garnish. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until soft but not browned.

Stir in the lentils, 7 cups of chicken stock and the thyme sprig. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes until the lentils are soft.

Place a colander over a large bowl. Pour in the soup, separating the lentils from the broth. Pour the broth back into the pot. Place the lentils and bacon in the bowl of a food processor and purée. Stir in the lentil purée. Stir in the cream. Simmer over med-low heat for about 10 minutes to heat through. Add pepper to taste. Garnish with bacon crumbles and fresh thyme.

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Borscht

April 6, 2013 Redawna Comments 10 comments

You may have noticed there sure have been a lot of lobster posts here on Nutmeg Disrupted lately.

And I have one more to put up.

I feel a bit stuck right now. Not in a rut so much as just avoiding a place where I am not sure I am ready to go yet. But if I don’t now, when?

Funny how death does that. Pulls the rugout from beneath your feet. Brings such clarity. Makes you question your choices and decisions.

After a nasty physical confrontation with some members of my family which caused my first son to be born a month early, I decided to walk away from my family.

That was almost 15 years ago. And I never looked back. Pride, fear, and anger fueled my stubbornness.And I have never regretted it for a moment. It was what I needed to do. Like a crushing weight being lifted off my chest.

Until now.

My baba died earlier this year.

I don’t think she ever knew what had happened. Why I left and never looked back. I always meant to go see her. But fear can be a very powerful emotion. So many times I wanted to go see her. Or write her a letter letting her know she was always on my mind. And yet, I did nothing. Because I was just so damn scared.

My regret is huge. Really there are no words to describe how very sorry I am. To walk into her funeral with my son, now 13, her never having ever met him. It breaks my heart on so many levels. I guess this is my punishment for my decisions. My lack of action. My stubbornness. For letting my anger with some, ruin relationships with all.

As I sat listening to the stories at her service I started to remember. Remember all the times we spent together. All the things I learnt from her. Of how alike we were.

She was the first member of the family to be behind the camera. Her gardens were nothing short of amazing. And though her food was simple, it was all about the love she put into it. For her family.

So many regrets. My heart is indeed heavy. As I wait for the never ending winter to go so I can find some sort of peace in my garden, I cook through my grief.

She may not have known it, but she was one of my hugest inspirations.

This is a soup she would make. Simple ingredients fresh from the garden!

I remember sitting in her kitchen watching, learning, eating.

Thank you Baba. xoxox

Borscht

8 – 9 large beets

2 cups of carrots (cut into coins)

2 cups of green beans (chopped)

1/4 cup of fresh dill (chopped)

1 large onion (chopped)

salt & pepper

To prepare beets: Leaving about 1 inch of stem on give beets a wash. Fill a large pot with the beets. If you have large and small beets, use 2 pots, one for each size. Cover beets with water and place on high to bring to a boil. Once it begins to boil turn heat to medium to continue cooking. Small beets take 15 minutes, larger ones take up to 30 minutes. You will know they are done when pierced with a fork. Strain beets and plunge into cold water. Taking a knife remove stem end, the skins will just slide off. Give a quick rinse under cool water and slice into a bowl or soup pot.

Add the carrots, beans, onions and dill and cover with water.

Bring to a gentle boil and cook until the carrots are cooked through.

Serve with cream or sour cream.

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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.

January 11, 2011 Redawna Comments 4 comments

Every once in a while you come across one of *those* recipes.

You know, the one you make over and over when you first discover it.

You make it so often that those around you start to roll their eyes when they hear your making it again.

Ya that one.

Well this soup is that recipe for me. Which is sort of surprising.

I have never been a big soup eater, I just prefer foods you can sink your teeth into, and soup has never fit the bill where my food cravings were concerned.

Until now.

I received this recipe from a friend who lives on Singer Island down in Florida.

Of course, being the good Ukrainian girl that I am, I upped the amount of onion and garlic used, otherwise, the recipe remains the same.

The aromas that fill your kitchen are just a hint of the pleasure you are about to endulge in.

The creamy texture and deep roasted flavours leave your taste buds wanting more.

Hell, its even good cold!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

1 butternut squash (seeded) -large enough to give you 5 – 6 cups of pulp after roasting.

2-3 large onions, peeled and quartered

3 heads of garlic

6 cups of chicken broth

1/2 tsp of marjoram

1/4 tsp of ground black pepper

1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper

1 8 oz package of cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil. Halve the squash lengthwise, place on baking sheet with onion. Drizzle with some vegetable oil and season heavily with salt and pepper. Leaving the paper skins on the heads of garlic, and keeping the heads whole, slice of part of the end, exposing the bulbs. Place the heads of garlic on a sheet of foil and drizzle with vegetable oil, season heavily with salt and pepper. Wrap tightly and place in the corner of the baking sheet. Roast all in the oven for about an hour or until the squash is tender. If the garlic bulbs are not a nice toasted golden color place back into the oven for another half hour. Remove and set aside till cool enough to handle.

Scrape the flesh from squash, squeeze the garlic out of the skins and put all in the blender or food processor along with the roasted onions and cream cheese. Puree, adding abour 4 cups of the broth. Transfer to a pot and whisk in the remaining broth. Heat on medium until warm. Serve hot but do not boil.