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Vidalia onions

Root Vegetable Soup & Herbed Goat Cheese Tartines

Roasted Vegetable Soup & Herb Goat Cheese Tartines


To say that it has not really been good "soup weather" around here this winter would be an understatement. We have spent more days in short sleeves and sandals than in sweaters and boots. Granted South Carolina has a sub tropical weather year round and we do joke that we have two seasons, Hot and Hotter also called Humid and More Humid. Yet, February is a month we all look forward to as it usually offers a bit of a chill, a couple of weeks of fireplaces burning, of hoodies and gloves.

Making Soup


Not this year. I can count on both hands the days I wore a sweater and on one those when I put my coat on. And boy do I love Winter. I grew up in an area of Provence where the Mistral wind often blew stronger in the Winter time, giving way to clear and chilly skies. Here the winds unmistakably bring thunderstorms or clear warm days. If I want a Winter mood, it is up to me to create it.

Rosemary


Soup will put me in an instant winter cozy mood. But here obviously, soups cannot be only for cold grey days. I grew up with my mom serving soup every dinner before the rest of the meal but I did not really continue that habit once I moved away on my own. Instead, soups of all kinds became standard lunch fare at the house. Piping hot a few times but mostly warm or room temperature to be able to taste every bit of subtleties in the marriage of the vegetables used and their dance on my palate.

Herb Goat Cheese Tartines


This soup is no exception to my rushing to lunch time every day. I am not much of a breakfast eater and I usually work straight through lunch but comes 2pm and my stomach wants to jump hoops and make loud cavernous noises until I settle it down with a little something. I find the most satisfying lunch to be a big cup of soup and a tartine these days.

Roasted Vegetable Soup & Herb Goat Cheese Tartines


I can sit down, catch up on the news around, satisfy my hunger and recharge my internal batteries with the minimum fuss and the most gratifying bowl of goodness. I usually start a big pot of soup while I cook other things for dinner or as soon as I get up and start production on my shoots for the day. The smells wrapping up or kicking off a day at work are tantalizing enough to make me wish for that first spoonful with great anticipation.

Roasted Vegetable Soup & Herb Goat Cheese Tartines


This soup has been made three times in the last ten days. We just can’t get enough of it. My friend John who is a chef at my favorite restaurant downtown, reminded me that most of the vegetables I used for it were what we call back home "les légumes oubliés" or heirloom vegetables. Vegetables that are finely and firmly coming back on menus and dinner tables all around.

Sunchokes or Jerusalem Artichokes (topinambours), parsnips, turnips. I added Vidalia onions, cauliflower and a bit of rosemary to round up the flavors. Served with a slice of grilled bread smeared a bit or goat cheese mixed with plenty of herbs and topped with a few slices of radishes and it was the perfect lunch.

I am thinking of adding a poached egg to my tartine next time and makes this dinner…

Roasted Vegetable Soup



(Mostly) Root Vegetable Soup & Herbed Goat Cheese Tartines:

Serves 4 as a main dish

Ingredients:
1 small head of cauliflower
3 cloves garlic
3 to 4 small Vidalia onions
1 pound sunchokes (peeled and quartered)
4 turnips (peeled and quartered)
3 parsnips (peeled and cut into 1-inch thick rounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 or 2 rosemary sprigs
1/2 to 1 cup water, or veggie or chicken stock

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F and position a rack in the middle.
Trim the outer leaves from the cauliflower head. Cut in quarters, remove the core, and cut the cauliflower into medium size florets. Place on a large baking sheet.
Peel the garlic and place on the baking sheet with the cauliflower.
Trim the white part from the green stalk of the Vidalia onions. Keep the white part and cut into medium sized chunks. Wash well under water and place also on the baking sheet.
Finely add the sunchokes, turnips and parsnips to the same baking sheet.
Drizzle with the oil, salt and pepper. Place the rosemary on top and roast for about 20-25 minutes. Remove the rosemary.
Let cool slightly. Place in a food processor, start running the machine and add enough water to have a creamy soup. Re-season if necessary with salt and pepper. Serve with the herbed goat cheese tartines.

Herb Goat Cheese & Radish Tartines:

Makes 2 tartines per person

8 slices of your favorite bread
8 oz plain goat cheese, at room temperature
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped
1 small bunch radishes (about 6 to 8) cut into thin slices

Grill or toast the bread and set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the goat cheese and herbs until well blended.
Spread some of the goat cheese mixture on the tartines, top with some radish slices.

Roasted Tomato & Vegetable Soup With Tasso Ham

Roasted Tomato & Vegetable Soup with Tasso Ham


As I have said before, summers here are hot and muggy. Very. And usually hot, muggy and wet in the late afternoon when thunder rolls in and we get caught by quick rain showers. Except these past few days. Rain has been around pretty much from sunset ’til dawn.

And we love it. Our backyard loves it. Our pecan tree is digging it. Bailey is literally jumping in and out of the creek to catch rain drops. On the other hand, Tippy gives me this look of "Hey! Can you do something about this rain? Really cramping my style now" every time we go for a walk. I suspect though that he enjoys the towel drying time afterwards.

Roasted Tomato & Vegetable Soup with Tasso Ham


The sun will trick you into forgetting your umbrella. The heat will convince you that you don’t need to take your rain coat. We have gotten soaked more than once lately and we really just laugh it off. It actually feels good. Being neither hot or cold feels darn appropriate after our temperatures were steadily hovering between 100F-110F down here. Sunny with a side of rain? We’re in!

The only problem with this weather is what it does to our eating habits. Braising, stewing, roasting are very much kept to a minimum. We love to be reminded that seasons are here for a reason and to take full advantages of the changes and new rituals they bring about. Thus, we are grilling and enjoying cold or warm fares a lot. Our favorite lentil salad is now served cold. Cooked and cooled rice gets a boost from freshly chopped basil and some feta chunks.

Roasted Tomato & Vegetable Soup with Tasso Ham


When the weather turns to rain as it has these past few days, all we really want is to sit down in front of a warm bowl of soup. B’s favorite, tomato soup, quickly became mine too when I started making it from scratch with some basil and cream. As years went on I replaced the cream with eggplant which gave the same creamy results as well as a boost of nutrients and flavor.

This time, I picked up loads of local San Marzano tomatoes at the market, as well as some zebra eggplant, baby Vidalia and garlic, roasted them all together one evening and pureed them the next day into a soup. I served it at room temperature with some homegrown basil and a splash of tea seed oil (gift).

Roasted Tomato & Vegetable Soup with Tasso Ham


We have a wonderful pork purveyor at the market, Meathouse, operated by Jason and his wife Katie who always have freshly made Butifarra, Italian and andouille sausages, fresh cut applewood smoked bacon, and one of our favorites, freshly smoked and perfectly seasoned tasso ham. It is perfect with the creamy soup and you could substitute thick cut bacon if it’s easier. I think it took us every bit of restraint not to polish off the entire pot on our own.

Before I head out, congratulations to J M. Smith from Do It All for winning the Threadless tee-shirt and BlogAid Cookbook! Send me your mailing address at mytartelette [at] gmail [dot] com. Thank you!

Roasted Tomato & Vegetable Soup with Tasso Ham



Roasted Tomato and Vegetable Soup With Tasso Ham

Serves 4-6

2 pounds fresh tomatoes
2 small zebra eggplants or one medium regular eggplant
1 head of garlic, cut in half
4 small vidalia onions, cut in half
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2-4 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
fresh basil
olive oil or tea seed oil, avocado, walnut or pumpkin (optional)
1/2 cup diced tasso ham or thick cut/slab bacon, cooked and drained

Preheat the oven to 450F.
Slice the tomatoes and eggplants and place them on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Place the garlic and onions on a separate baking sheet and drizzle with 1-2 teaspoons olive oil (if you have room left in the first pan, skip that step and add the garlic and onion to the tomatoes and eggplant). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place both baking sheets in the oven and roast the veggies until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool.
Peel the garlic off its skins and place with the rest of the vegetables, saving a few tomato slices for garnish, in a food processor. Add about 1 to 2 cups of water and puree until smooth. Add enough water to reach your preferred consistency. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if desired.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with reserved tomato slices, drizzle of your favorite oil and some basil. Add some tasso ham as desired and serve.

Roasted Vegetable Soup With Polenta Croutons

Roasted Vegetable Soup


Before I talk about this soup, let me announce the winner of the Heavenly Cakes book giveway: congrats to Diane from Spice Sisters. Email your mailing address at mytartelette{at}gmail{dot}com and the book is on its way to you. Now back to our regular programming…

What an amazing five days I just had in Atlanta! The city sure knows how to do sugar! The Sugar Coma tour I was part of was nothing short of outstanding. Shameeka, hostess with the mostess of The Broke Socialite proved everyone that planners and vendors can go above and beyond everyone’s idea of a good time without robbing a bank. I will do a full recap of the weekend, macaron workshop included as soon as I properly sift (pun intended) through all my pictures.

After two tours of some of the best sweet spots of the city, I was seriously craving vegetables on my way home. And salt! I must say I was impatiently awaiting dinner so that I could have a bowl of this Roasted Vegetable Soup. We liked it so much that I even called B. from the airport this morning to make sure he had not eaten the last bit I had tucked away in the freezer. No clue what he’d eat. I would have this. Not sure I’d share either. But I did. I can’t be the only one moaning at the dinner table now can I?!

Roasted Vegetable Soup

There is something about roasted vegetables that sets them in a category completely apart. I can’t tell between the natural sugar from the vegetables being released as they roast, the slightly brown and crispy edge they get, or the deep aroma permeating my kitchen, which one sends my senses in a frenzy. Something does. I guess it’s the whole package. Roast anything and you’ll be a happier human being. I’m serious.

What I love about this soup beside its simplicity of preparation is the tremendous versatility it offers you as far as flavoring and textures. One night we had it on the chunky side, with a little drizzle of avocado oil and a dash of freshly cracked peppercorn and a few parsley leaves. The day after I served it for lunch a little bit smoother with oregano and thyme and some chorizo salt from Secret Salt Sea Salts. Always with some gluten free polenta croutons. They really helped round up the flavors and textures of the soup.

Making Soup


Seems like Spring came in early while I was away but that will not deter me from making soups. Good for the soul and easiest lunch or dinner to make when you’re pressed for time because leftovers are always better the next day, right?!

If you want a sneak preview of what we did during the morning session of the Sugar Coma Tour, check out Mark's pictures from the morning session and Bakerella’s post on the afternoon session.

Warming up a bowl of soup as I get ready to edit my pictures. It’s always fun to revisit a trip…

Keeping Warm



Roasted Vegetable Soup:

Serves 4 to 6

1 head cauliflower, broken off into small chunks
4 small-medium turnips, quartered (don’t worry about peeling them)
4 cloves of garlic, smashed with the back of your knife
4 baby onion (or 1 small onion), sliced lenghtwise
2 small potatoes (mine were the size of a clementine)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 cups – 1 cup water (or chicken or veggie stock)

Garnishes: flavored sea salts, herbs, croutons, drizzle of oil (almond, avocado, pumpkin – your preference).

Preheat the oven to 375F. Place all the vegetables on a baking sheet or in a pan in one single layer and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until golden brown, about 30-40 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
Add about 1/2 cup water or stock and puree in a blender or with an immersion blender. Check if the consistency and seasoning are to your liking and adjust accordingly.
Serve with croutons and garnishes of your choice.

Le P’tit Coin Francais:

Soupe de legumes
Pour 4 a 6 personnes

1 petit chou-fleur, coupe en petits morceaux
4 petit navets, coupes en quatre (la peau y passe aussi)
4 gousse d’ail, ecrasee (peau y passe aussi)
4 petits onions nouveaux ou 1 petit onion
2 petite pommes de terre
filet d’huile d’olive
sel et poivre

Prechauffez le four a 190C. Mettre tous les legumes dans un plat ou sur une plaque a cuisson avec rebords. Ajoutez un filet d’huile et assaisonnez.
Faites cuire les legumes pendant 30-40 minutes ou jusqu’a qu’ils soient bien dores.
Laissez les refroidir un peu. Ajouter un petit verre d’eau et passez au robot pour mouliner.
Ajustez la texture en ajoutant plus d’eau si vous desirez. Assaisonnez de nouveau si necessaire.

Servir avec differentes herbes, croutons etc…