Beet Soup with Truffle Oil

Beet Soup
White Truffle Oil
Crème Fraîche

Cover the beets with water. Bring to boil then simmer until very tender. When beets are cool enough to handle; trim, peel and slice.

Strain the beet cooking liquid through a coffee filter, reserve.

While the beets cook, bring stock to a boil in a large soup pot. Add carrot, cabbage, onion, garlic, tomato, bay leaves. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Approximate Quantities:
  • 4 or 5 beets
  • 1 chopped head cabbage
  • 1 sliced medium onion
  • 4 sliced carrots
  • 7 crushed garlic cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 bunch dill
  • 1 large can seeded peeled tomatoes
  • 8 c. stock ((beef or vegetable)
  • sugar, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste
  • truffle oil and crème fraîche for garnish

After about 30 minutes, add sliced beets, beet liquid, and a bunch of dill. And red wine vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Remove bay. Purée with an immersion blender. Adjust seasonings.

Serve hot or cold. Drizzle crème fraîche, white truffle oil, dill sprig garnish. In the last post, I was pondering the value of “optional” ingredients. The truffle oil here is not optional. It is what makes this soup special!
One of the best wine pairings I can remember was enjoyed at Chef Nancy Oakes’ Boulevard in San Francisco where Chioggia beets (Italian heirloom variety) were paired with a fruity flavorful red wine from Brouilly. Definitely try this soup with a Brouilly if you can find one, if not, try a more readily available Beaujolais.

Delightful Color, Cheery Garnish
Highly Nutritious
Delicious Deep Earthy Flavors

Chestnut and Mushroom Soup

Chestnut and Mushroom Soup
Truffle Oil and Tamari Drizzle
Yep, we’re in the kitchen today. First dish we completed for tomorrow’s Big Feast is the soup. This is Clotilde Dusoulier’s recipe from her Chocolate & Zucchini Cookbook. Bravo Clotilde! For the past several years I’ve made a Cauliflower Soup with a Vanilla Chestnut Cream Swirl. Thought we’d try something different this time. An excellent soup for Thanksgiving, Chestnut and Mushroom Soup is elegant and unique yet not too much work, as we have lots of other dishes to prep today. The compelling ingredients include chestnut, mushroom, leek, shallot, garlic and Cognac with a vegetable stock. There is no cream, but this vegetarian soup has a wonderful creaminess as well as a lovely Fall earthiness. I added a drizzle of truffle oil and tamari to give it an even deeper umami flavor.

Here’s the Menu for tomorrow’s Thanksgiving meal:

  • Cheese Platter with Accompaniments
  • Barbecued Oysters
  • Chestnut & Mushroom Soup
  • Traditional Turkey & Traditional Gravy
  • Foie Gravy
  • Pat’s Popovers
  • Linda’s Mashed Potatoes
  • Linda’s Creamed Corn
  • Wild Mushroom, Leek, & Sage Dressing
  • Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze
  • Sweet Potato Gratin
  • Cranberry Relish
  • Assorted Homebaked Pies with Ice Cream & Whipped Cream

OK, back to the kitchen. Wishing you all a Glorious Holiday!

Grilled Swordfish, Lentils with Truffle Oil

Grilled Fresh Swordfish
Steamed Lentils, Tossed with Herbs and Truffle Oil
Grilled Tomato

Simple, Yet Sublime
  • Fresh swordfish, grilled over medium high heat, still perfectly moist, with olive oil, salt and pepper
  • Warm steamed lentils, seasoned and gently tossed with white truffle oil and freshly sniped basil, dill, and parsley
  • Grilled heirloom tomatoes
I am submitting this dish to The Well-Seasoned Cook’s monthly Legume Love Affair Event hosted this month by Lucy of Nourish Me blog. I also want to thank Marie, the Proud Italian Cook, for the idea to grill tomatoes which added another layer of flavor.
Tomorrow, the Sun will be directly over the equator, at 11:44:18 A.M. EDT, to be precise. Happy Autumn! We’ll be looking forward to Thanksgiving here, and to cooking all the wonderful fall dishes. Also wishing my blogger friends in the Southern Hemisphere a Happy Springtime as well!