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5/18/20

Smoked Salmon, Potato & Vegetable Soup


The weather has turned cool and gloomy, and I really wish I had Smoked Salmon, Potato & Vegetable Soup from a few weeks ago.

This soup happened because I had some smoked salmon I did not really like. I thought it would taste milder when heated. First, I added it to an omelet, then I decided to make soup.

Because I did not have heavy cream, I used cream cheese. I originally wanted to use corn, but did not have any: luckily, I had a bag of frozen peas. Basically what I'm saying is use whatever you have!

Smoked Salmon, Potato & Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
4 portions

4 red skinned potatoes, cut into 3/4" cubes
water
salt
olive oil
2 carrots, diced
1 celery, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups spinach
2 cups defrosted peas
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 cup chopped smoked salmon
fresh herbs
focaccia

Directions
1. Cover potatoes in a large soup pot with water by a few inches. Add salt. Cook until potatoes are tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet. Add carrots, celery, and garlic, and saute until tender, about 10-15 minutes. 
3. Add the vegetables to the cooked potatoes.
4. Stir in spinach and peas and allow the soup to come to a boil. The spinach will wilt.
5. Pour about 1 cup of the soup liquid into a small bowl and whisk in cream cheese. Add back into the soup pot.
6. Stir in smoked salmon and heat through.
7. Serve topped with fresh herbs of your choice (parsley, dill, cilantro, scallions) with a side of focaccia. 

The soup reheats great, and actually becomes creamier as potatoes fall apart slightly!

5/11/20

Garden Vegetable Focaccia


After seeing photos of gorgeously decorated focaccia all over social media, I finally decided to give it a try yesterday. After all, what else do I have to do Sunday during quarantine? I mean other than yoga, reading, sewing face masks, trying to keep anxiety in check, going for walks, chatting with friends and family, cooking, and admiring my plants....

Garden Vegetable Focaccia

I used a recipe I made 8 years ago, but instead of adding sauteed onions, grated cheese and herbs, I added these fun garden ingredients:

fresh asparagus, sliced lengthwise
pickled carrots I ordered from Phickles
parsley
dill
grape tomatoes, sliced in half
red onion, sliced into circles
mini peppers, sliced into circles

Use your favorite focaccia recipe and press your garden ingredients lightly into the dough after spreading focaccia onto your baking sheet.

Allow the dough to rise again for about 30 minutes lightly covered with a clean kitchen towel, then lightly brush the top of focaccia with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt before baking it in the oven.

I think my Garden Vegetable Focaccia turned out pretty!! It smelled amazing. I gave part of it to my friend who ate it to break her fast!!! 

5/5/20

Taco Tuesday: Potato, Feta & Black Bean Tacos


Today is a wonderful combination of Taco Tuesday and Cinco de Mayo. To celebrate the occasion, I made Potato, Feta & Black Bean Tacos for lunch.

Just like life, these tacos aren't perfect. Just like in life, I made the best of what I had. {Is this too much for a food blog!?}

Potato, Feta & Black Bean Tacos
1) Guess who did not have any taco-shaped tortillas!? Not to worry, I charred a giant jalapeno wrap directly on my gas stove and then used a giant cookie cutter to make little rounds.

2) For the filling, I used a combination of cooked and sliced Russian Banana fingerling potatoes (first time I've heard of this variety), mini red peppers, black beans, crumbled feta, home made pickled red onion, cilantro leaves, and store bought salsa verde

3) My plan to add diced avocado, failed because the avocado was utterly unripe when I cut into it.

4) I forgot to add a few wedges of lime.

Still, the combination I did end up having was rather delicious and filling.

Now, if someone could just send me a mango margarita, hold the booze.