Saffron Potato and Bean Soup
Calling all vegetarians and vegans! Here it is! Finally, I am posting photos of a dinner I made that is meatless! No bacon! No pork! No meat!
This evening after putting on a mixed bag of The Evens songs, I got to work. Earlier in the day I was at a loss as to what I was going to make for dinner tonight. Not feeling particularly spry, I thought it might just come down to leftovers maybe and, even worse, boxed food (albeit Trader Joe’s boxed food, which doesn’t have the funk in it). I dropped off Kim at work at which point the ring ring ring of my cell caught my attention. It was Hero, my youngest daughter, who yarned on about how she wanted potato soup. Good idea, kid. I had the potatoes already at home and only needed a few more things. Of course, I could’ve just run with my normal baked potato soup, which is good, but I was actually, despite my lethargy, starting to feel like I should cook creatively tonight. And cook I did, indeed.
As Ian MacKaye crooned away on “All These Governors,” I began. Onion, garlic, pimentón, olive oil, saffron, canned chopped tomatoes, and Spanish white wine – the base for the soup. After reducing by half, vegetable stock and diced potatoes – in the pot. Brought the ingredients to a boil and lowered to simmer until tender. Puréed the soup, strained the purée, warmed the strained base, added a few more splashes of wine, a little water, salt and pepper, and enough of the chunky purée (not all of it – it would be too thick, then) to make the whole thing smooth and velvety. As the great northern beans were added, I boogied to “Everybody Knows.” The best line in that song: Ian MacKaye yelling, “You’re fired!”
Served with a garnish of fresh parsley and a flavorful, hearty bread, and a glass of that wine I used – you can’t go wrong.
That’s a shame, I made Steak Au Poivre tonight.
Ah, steak au poivre. Something I need to try…..
It’s relatively easy. It’s amazing if you like pepper. Marinate steaks in whatever (koniak and montreal seasoning kick ass). You crush up green and black pepper corns and encrust them on the tops and bottoms of the steaks. Add a little salt and pepper and whatever special seasonings here as well. Get a hot pan of oil going. Throw the steaks in the pan for a few minutes on each side. This will get the peppercorns to crust on the the steaks. Through the steaks in your oven for cooking.
A sauce is complements nice. Cook some onions down in a frying pan to caramelize. Throw in whole peppercorns, beef broth, and some creme/butter. You can drain the peppercorns and onions if you don’t like them in the sauce. Heat up some koniak in one of the pans you used and through it in the sauce. Let the steaks sit in the sauce.
This is my favorite thing to eat. If only steaks weren’t expensive and unhealthy.
cognac*…it spell checked with the polish spelling
No more vegetarianism? Am I the only one left?
How does Cognac have a Polish spelling? It’s a city in France. You crazy Poles…
I’m still vegetarian! That is another Jeff. Hi, Jeff.
Ohh, it all makes sense now. That comment wasn’t quite Thomson-esque. Sorry for the confusion Jeffs.
I thought the same thing about the Jeffs.
The Au Poivre sounds easy. I have a tenderloin in the freezer waiting for something to happen to it. I may have to indulge…thanks for the quick rundown.