Building Flavor Profiles & Holiday Soup Recipe

What’s the difference between a cook and a chef? This was a question an old kitchen colleague and I were having when he stated quite frankly that a chef is “creative”.  I thought we were going to banter about ideas of technique or execution or knowledge of basic sauces but nope.  Just creativity!  Apparently, those other things can be taught.  Cooks can follow directions but that doesn’t mean a cook can necessarily create.  Creativity requires vision and a chef always has a vision. I’m sure that theory is largely debatable but it’s good enough for me!          

I’m not much of a recipe chef. I love a good cookbook but honestly, it’s the pictures that inspire me.  A photo and a list of ingredients is often enough to get the gears turning and that’s when the fun begins.  And since we are on the topic of cookbooks, I want to introduce you to two of my favorites. The Flavor Bibles!  They aren't exactly cookbooks in the traditional sense, and they definitely aren’t full of picture, however, these books serve as a reference for food items that pair well together.  They are a great place to start when building a “flavor profile”.  A place where your inner chef can start to develop it vision…  The Flavor Bibles, one of which is vegetarian, are books that basically allow you to cross reference ingredients to find flavors that work well together so you can construct you own vision using complimentary ingredients.   Below I've included Amazon affiliate links if you are interested.  

Both books, minus their jacket covers.

The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs

By Karen Page, Andrew Dornenburg

The Vegetarian Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity with Vegetables, Fruits, Grains, Legumes, Nuts, Seeds, and More, Based on the Wisdom of Leading American Chefs

By Karen Page

They both are wonderful and if you are looking to inspire creativity in your kitchen these books are a great place to start. Again, these are not recipe books.  These are reference books to help you develop a foundation for tasty meals.  For example, say you have a head of cauliflower in the fridge and you are wondering what you can add to make it into a full meal.  Well, flip the book open to cauliflower and there you will find a list of ingredients that go well with cauliflower. It includes herbs, spices, vegetables, and meat items (assuming you don't have the vegetarian book) that are known to pair well with cauliflower.  You can then compare the list to items you have in your fridge or pantry and begin constructing your meal. As you gather the ingredients you start to have a better feel of what you can make.  Next thing you know, boom! You just just chefed!   I don't like following directions but I still appreciate guidance and these books allow me to develop my own style.  They have become the backbone of my kitchen and I'm sharing them because I love them and I think budding chefs and the gourmet crowd would love them as well.

All mixed in...

Ok, and now back to this holiday soup recipe.  It's sweet potato, pumpkin, and apple soup topped with blue cheese crumbles, pomegranate seeds, pepitas and a little fresh thyme.  According to the Flavor Bible all these items paired well together and, well... let's just say after my bowl, I agree! 

Ingredients:

• 1 diced yellow onion
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1 peeled, cored, and chopped sweet apple
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 2 cups water (or enough to thin soup)
• 1 lemon wedge
• 1 tbsp. blue cheese crumbles
• 1 tbsp. pepitas
• 1 tbsp. pomegranate seeds
• ¼ tsp. fresh thyme

Directions:

1. Sauté the onion in a pot with a little oil until it begins to soften.
2. Add the sweet potato, pumpkin apple and the vegetable broth.
3. Bring to a low boil and cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
4. When the ingredients have cooked through, carefully blend the soup into a puree with an immersion blender or in batches with a standard blender. Just be sure to let the steam vent if using a standard blender. (Trust me. I’ve made this mistake.)
5. Once pureed add the water to thin the soup. You can add as much as necessary to reach your desired consistency.
6. Squeeze the lemon wedge into the soup and add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve in bowls and top with blue cheese crumble, pepitas, pomegranate seeds, and a sprinkle of fresh thyme

* This page contains two Amazon affiliate links. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, I will earn a commission at no extra cost to you. This helps maintain the cost of How To Feed A Senior. Thank you for your support.

Recipes For Life

It's exhausting to carry a heavy heart and never put it down. You start to wonder what it holds, examining which parts are disposable and unnecessary or even replaceable.  Everything is becoming murky.  Everything feels like a mix of tragedy and destruction in the wake of natural disasters, nuclear threats, terrorism, and politics.  Its never felt like a more important time to rise to the occasion and stand up for what you believe.  But what do you believe? 

We are all hurting.  Circumstances aside, I think it's safe to say there is a collective hurt but now what?!  I've been stewing in my own misfortune long enough to realize there is no rescue committee for your life and if you want to feel better you have to do better.  There is no recipe or instruction book on how to pick-up the pieces. You just start picking them up.  Put things together, create piles, salvage what you can and move on.  There is no greater leader right now than you and there is no better time than now.  Ready?

PS- This is a green pea curry soup with house croutons and chives, topped with a drizzle of garam masala brown butter.  You don't need a recipe, just initiative. ;)

Creamy Curry Asparagus Soup

I am realizing that my coping mechanism for stress is cooking.  It's the clock in my routine and also, a vehicle for comfort and craft.  I initially thought all this cooking was somehow for my parents.  That preparing these nutritious meals were the means to their health while securing some level of comfort to our home.  Now, I am realizing the effort is often for me.  It's comfort in the idea of purpose,  encouraging me out of bed so breakfast can meet the table.  A creative outlet that cures boredom and is nutritious at the same time.  Cooking is becoming a meditation.  It grounds me.

Alzheimer's and dementia plays with the mind.  As my parents' memory loss increases so does anxiety, both theirs and my own. The anxiety doesn't discriminate based on a diagnosis. Everyone is fair game, demented or not, and I can sometimes feel panic waving at me from a distance.  As panic creeps in, I cook. Sometimes I even dance and sing. The combination of entertainment and comfort food is enough distraction to curb a moment's unraveling, dismissing the chaos about to ensue.  Apparently, the horrifying sound of my singing voice can bring the room to a screeching halt.  Even the dog stops in shell-shock.  But whatever, I feed him too...

Oddly enough, something about the food and entertainment formula works.  As a caregiver, you cope and provide comfort as best you can, utilizing whatever weapons are in your arsenal.  Mine happen to be food and a knack for the theatrics (or maybe not?).  Weapons aside, my advice for anyone in a similar position is "do what you love, for those you love" and let joy be the creep for a while.  

Now, without further ado, I give you Creamy Curry Asparagus Soup!  

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 small yellow onion chopped
• 1/2 head of cauliflower chopped
• 1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed and chopped into 1 inch pieces
• 1 1/2 tbsp green curry paste
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 cups water
• 1 lime
• 1 hard boiled egg, grated
• 1/8 cup cilantro
• 1/8 cup cashews
• 1 scallion sliced on the diagonal
• 1 tbsp plain yogurt
• 1/4 tsp flax seeds
• a zip of sriracha (Optional, and yes, a "zip" is an official measure in my book.)
  Directions

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1. In a large pot heat the oil
2. Add the onions and saute for a few minutes until they soften and become translucent.
3. Add the cauliflower, asparagus, and curry paste, stirring to combine and coat things evenly.
4. As everything starts to cook, keep an eye on things and stir frequently to keep the ingredients from sticking.
5. After several minutes, add the water and a big squeeze of lime and deglaze any bits that are stuck to the bottom. The lime will help with flavor but also assist in maintaining that fresh green color!
6. Make sure the water covers the vegetables. If not add more water so they are just submerged and then simmer until everything is tender.
7. With an immersion blender, puree the soup till it's smooth. (This can also be done in a standard blender in batches after cooling.)
8. After the soup is pureed, bring the temperature back up to just under a simmer and stir in the coconut milk. (Tip: It's good practice not to boil coconut milk.)
9. Taste the soup and make adjustments as necessary. You will probably want to add salt and possibly more lime juice. This is based on preference and dietary considerations if you are watching sodium intake.
10. After adjustments, serve the soup in bowls topped with a scattering of egg, cilantro, cashews and scallions.
11. Add a dollop of yogurt, topped with a sprinkle of flax seeds and a zip of sriracha if you want the heat.
12. Serve it with extra lime wedges on the side in case anyone wants more.

"End scene."

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

This butternut squash soups is a bowl of comfort that is easily kept warm in a crock pot so you can keep hungry folks fed and out of your kitchen in the midst of all the holiday cooking chaos. You can make it a day or two in advance and then keep it in the fridge until you’re ready. Then, just pour it into a crock-pot set to low the morning you want to use it, and allow it to warm-up for a few hours…

Boom! You got a low maintenance, seasonal lunch and free kitchen space! Holiday cooking is rarely low maintenance so anything that pays back in both space and time is worth it when it comes to your sanity. You can be “fancy” with a tray of topping on the side so everyone can add their own. Again, low maintenance for the win! Cause you probably still have pies and sides to make with a bird or something in your oven. Who needs the added stress of hungry people getting in your way? Just make this soup. There is a reason it’s considered comfort food.

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INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tbsp oil

• 1 butternut squash peeled, seeded and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces (about 3 cups total)

• 1 onion chopped

• 3 garlic cloves chopped

• 1 tbsp of fresh ginger

• 1 tsp curry powder

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 2 2/3 cups of broth (chicken or veggie)

• 1/2 can of unsweetened coconut milk

• 2 tbsp of plain yogurt

• splash of half and half

• 1 tbsp fresh cilantro

• some chopped cashews for topping

DIRECTIONS:

1. Saute the onion in a pot with the oil over medium heat until soft
2. Add the garlic and fresh ginger and cook for another minute or so
3. Add the turmeric and the curry powder and mix well
4. As the spices start to stick to the bottom, add a little broth and deglaze the bottom of the pot bringing up all those caramelized bits which will enrich the final flavor of the soup.
5. After deglazing you can add in the rest of the broth and the squash
6. Bring it up to a boil then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for about 10 or 15 minutes uncovered until the squash is tender
7. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly and mix in the coconut milk. (If you have an immersion blender use that to puree the soup. If using a regular blender puree in batches but really allow the soup to cool).
8. When the soup is smooth, warm it back up, but be careful not to boil it because the coconut milk can curdle. Ladle into a bowl.
9. In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt and a little cream or left over coconut milk and make a thin finishing sauce. Stir a spoonful into you soup and top with fresh cilantro and cashews.

What holiday cooking strategies do you try and employ? I’ve got the soup covered but when it comes to the other items I could use some tips. Tell me, tell me!