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Posts tagged ‘ginger’

Mar 1

The answer to the question keeping you up at night

I know what’s making you toss and turn at 3 A.M., and it’s not your daughter’s report card or your nutty client.  But fret no more!  The tossing and turning can stop, because I have the answer to the question keeping you up at night.  Are you ready?  Here it is: Read more

Oct 22

Indian Summer in a Bowl

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Tomato-Ginger Soup with Lentils

I never promised you a rose garden, but I did make some vague assertion that I was going to post some lentil recipes featuring shades of India.  A soup I made the other night bows in that general direction.  This is a soup where tomatoes meet ginger.  I’ve had enough of the tomato-basil combo to last me until next summer.  This alternative tomato-ginger duet is perfect for celebrating crisp bright days perched on the edge of winter.

Briefly, I sautéed a large chopped onion in a mix of coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil (although you could use either exclusively), and then added a good dose (2-3 tablespoons) of finely grated fresh ginger, some ground cumin, some ground coriander, a clove or two of minced garlic, 5 or 6 tomatoes from the autumn farmers’ market, a squirt of tomato paste (I like the kind in a tube), a handful of red lentils for substance, salt, pepper and some water. I let this all cook for half an hour or so.  Then I pureed it with my handy-dandy immersion blender (you could use a food processor, Waring blender or non-electric, old-fashioned, manual food mill with equal success, but more mess).

Finally, I let it sit for about half an hour. Sitting is essential for any soup — it helps pull all the flavors together.  I served it with a good sprinkling of my favorite flakey sea salt, some toasted sesame seeds and a swirl of full fat, plain yogurt.  Indian summer in a bowl.

Nov 28

Taking Stock From Thanksgiving

Anytime stock pot

After the excesses of Thanksgiving, I like to have a few days of brothy soups to clear the body of all that stuffing. I am always surprised by how easy it is to make a nourishing bowl of aromatic broth from modest beginnings. Think of it — an old carcass, some water and a paltry handful of vegetables, add some heat, skim a bit and soon you have a steaming bowl of flavorful stock — really, turning dust into gold is nothing compared with this type of alchemy.

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