Gingered Carrot Soup

I've made this soup several times, and find that there are no alterations required. Big thanks to Maxine Bonneau for creating such a lovely, smooth, sunny recipe for an easy, quick carrot soup.

2 Tbsps. (1oz/28g) butter
2 onions (12oz/340g), peeled and chopped
1 lb 8oz (680g) carrots, sliced
2 Tbsps. grated fresh ginger, divided
6 cups chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth for vegetarian)
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsps. salt, divided, to taste
¼ tsp. pepper

1. In a soup pot, melt the butter and cook the onions, stirring often, until they are soft, translucent, and just beginning to take on a little colour.
2. Add the carrots, 1 Tbsp. of the ginger, and 1 tsp. of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5–8 minutes, allowing the carrots to begin softening.
3. Pour in the broth, cover, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots are completely tender.
4. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of ginger and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
5. In a blender, or with an immersion blender, purée until completely smooth. (When I'm feeling particularly picky, I like to first blend it, then run it through a fine strainer.)
6. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the cream. Add the remaining salt and the pepper, tasting and adjusting the seasoning as needed. Reheat until quite hot, but do not boil.

Split Pea Soup

The chemistry in cooking is always fascinating. While it seems odd, adding oatmeal in the mix makes for a luscious, unctuous, creamy soup, unlike the grainy pea soups I've had. While perfectly good made fresh, like stew, the flavours really come out when re-heated on the second day.

2 slices of thick bacon (approx 20g) (or use the cooking water from boiling a ham or the braising liquid from pork steak stew, maybe with a little ham fat)
2 onions (12oz/340gr), chopped
1 tsp of sugar
½ tsp of pepper
12 cups (3.5 quarts) cold water
2 cups (450g) yellow split peas
1 to 3 tsps. of salt (to taste, depends on broth or hock)

4 oz/114g (about 1 generous cup) of quick cook oats
Optional: 1 sprig thyme, 1 bay leaf and/or 1 large carrot

1. Soak the peas in hot water for 2 to 4 hours before using. This helps avoid the odd overly firm pea being left in the soup.
2. Cut the bacon into lardons.
3. Together, combine the lardons and the onion in a soup pot and cook, rendering the fat at medium heat, for about ten minutes.
4. Season with the sugar and pepper, then add the cold water and the drained peas.
5. If using, also add the aromatic(s) and/or the carrot.
6. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the peas become quite soft, about an hour.
7. Add the salt, and slowly stir in the oatmeal to avoid lumping (I'll sometimes use a whisk which also helps the peas break up) and simmer for another twenty minutes.

Alcoholic Pasta

A complex yet comforting dish. Because they're roasted the texture of the mushrooms becomes more dense and meaty while the earthiness of the flavour sweetens. The sauce, generally pretty light, is perfumed by the alcohol and you'll swear there were herbs added to it.

Part 1 - the mushrooms
18oz mushrooms, thickly sliced in 4 pieces
2 Tbsps olive oil
Generous pinch of salt
Generous pinch of black pepper

Part 2 - the sauce
2 Tbsps olive oil
2 Tbsps (1oz/28gr) butter
1 large onion, diced
¾ cup dry white wine
½ cup whiskey (Jack Daniels is fine)
¼ cup chicken broth
¾ cup heavy cream or crème fraîche
¾ tsp salt and pepper, to taste

Part 3 - combining it all
9oz chunky pasta such as penne, cooked al dente

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Put the mushrooms in a single layer on a cookie sheet and drizzle with the olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown and the liquid the mushrooms sweat while cooking has completely evaporated. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, heat additional olive oil along with the butter over medium heat. Throw in the onions and saute until beginning to turn translucent. 
3. Pour in the wine and whiskey and allow to bubble for a minute or two. 
4. Pour in the broth and allow the liquid to reduce by a quarter cup. 
5. Stir in the cream and reduce the heat to low. 
6. Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper, and gently simmer to avoid any curdling, until the sauce thickens.
7. Toss in the cooked pasta, using a little hot pasta water if the sauce needs thinning. Taste for seasonings and serve immediately.

Italian Sausage and duPuy French Lentils

This is a lovely, hearty comforting dish, perfect for cold, snowy and rainy days. The trick to its success is not letting the sausage cook too much once sliced because they'll become tough.

1 cup duPuy lentils
3 cups chicken stock
1 small onion, peeled and cut in half (use the part of the onion with the root basal plate and leave it intact to make it easier to take out the onion afterwards)
2 to 3 sprigs fresh oregano or a generous pinch dry marjoram
1 bay leaf
3 mild Italian sausages
½ cup white wine
2 Tbsps olive oil
1 shallot, minced (or small onion)
¼  to ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
½ tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper

1. Put the lentils in a saucepan with the stock, onion, and oregano (or marjoram) and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Continue to simmer the lentils, uncovered, until al dente, approximately another 20 minutes. Pluck out and discard the aromatics.
2. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet and prick the skins of the sausages. Brown the sausage on all sides in the oil. Remove from the pan and set aside. 
3. Add the shallot to the skillet and cook until translucent, adding a splash of oil if the pan is too dry. Add the wine and bring it to a simmer scraping up any fond. Continue simmering until the wine has mostly evaporated. Add the sausages, the parsley and the lentils, simmering until the desired sauciness is achieved, the lentils are tender, and the sausage has cooked through (internal temp should be 160°F).
4. Remove the sausage and stir in the salt and pepper.
5. Cut the sausage into sixths and reintroduce to the lentils, stirring to distribute.
6. Serve. with crusty bread.

Sausage and Bean Stew with Squash

1 lb dry white beans (4 cups cooked)
Sprig thyme
4 parsley stalks
1 onion, quartered
2 Tbsps + ¼ cup olive oil
3 to 4 Spicy Italian sausages (about 1lb) (any sausage will do, but add more chilli flakes if the sausages are mild)
2 Tbsps chopped fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
Optional (if you like it super spicy) ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
8oz sweet squash, cubed (if using other squash, only peel if the rind is thick and hard)
1 tsp salt +
¾ cup chicken broth
1 large tomato, cubed
2 oz grated parmesan

1. The night before, soak the beans in lots of fresh water.
2. Next day, drain the soaking water, add fresh and throw in the thyme, parsley and onion. Bring to a boil and cook 30 to 60 minutes (depending on how fresh the dry beans are) or until the beans are soft. 
3. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400°F.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Toss the squash with the 2 Tbsps of oil and sprinkle with some salt. Pop in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, or until browned, occasionally shaking things up to avoid burning the bottoms. 
6. When the squash and beans are nearly done, in a large saucepan, heat the ¼ cup olive oil until it starts to shimmer. Shallow fry the sausages, rosemary, garlic and the chilli for one minute.
7. Add the squash and fry for a further three minutes or until the sausage has browned.
8. Remove the sausage and cut into quarters. 
9. Put the sausage back in the pan and add the beans, bay leaf and salt.
10. Add the broth and tomato, cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes.
11. Increase the heat for a rapid simmer and uncover to cook another 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
12. Serve topped with grated Parmesan and a thick slice fresh buttered crusty bread on the side.
13. Like most stews, this dish is best on the second day once the flavours have blended and the beans soaked up more flavour.

PREFERRED INGREDIENTS: Turban Squash, Cassoulet Beans, Hidatsa Shield Figure Beans

Pasta Frittata

8 oz/4 cups cooked pasta (preferably fresh)
2 strips bacon cut into lardons (2 oz)
3 onions, chopped (16oz)
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
½ cup milk or crème fraîche
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese + ¼ cup
2 Tbsps chopped fresh parsley
2 tsps chopped fresh thyme or basil (or ¼ tsp dried sage)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil

1. Heat an 8" nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and when it just starts to sizzle, lower the temperature and add the onion. Cook stirring occasionally until the bacon just starts to brown and the onion is mostly caramelized (this can take a while). Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. Whisk together the eggs, egg whites and dairy in a large bowl. Stir in the Parmesan, herbs, salt and pepper. Add the onion mixture (if it's still hot simply add a little at a time and stir constantly to avoid the hot onions cooking the eggs into clumps). Add the pasta. Mix it up well to evenly distribute the onions, bacon and herbs.
4. Oil the pan, pour in the frittata mixture and place over medium heat for about 6 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle over it the additional ¼ cup Parmesan and bake for 20 minutes or until the custard has set.
5. Put under the broiler until the top starts to brown and bubble. 
6. OPTIONAL - flip over onto a plate to serve - if it doesn't stick, you'll have a lovely browned dome, like a pie, to cut into.
7. Serve immediately.

Spiced Ayurvedic Porridge

This is borrowed and slightly altered from Amadea Morningstar's "The Ayurvedic Cookbook". It is a satisfyingly flavoured breakfast dish which is also excellent to give a patient with a bad cold and no appetite for heavy foods as a supper.

Enough for 2

⅔ cup dry oat flakes, regular or instant
¼ tsp salt
¼ cup raisins (optional)
the seeds from 1 cardamom pod
¼ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp powdered ginger
2 cups water

1. Combine all the ingredients but the water in a small saucepan. After mixing briefly, add the water and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce the heat to low and add the rest of the ingredients.
3. Leave uncovered and cook, simmering, for 2 to 10 minutes, depending on the type of oat flakes you use.
4. Serve as is or with ghee, butter, sweetener of your choice, and/or coconut.