Tag Archives: leeks

Moroccan Spiced Carrot Soup

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My problem with most vegetable soups is that they can be a bit flat and one-dimensional. After a few spoonfuls you are bored with the flavour and texture. This Moroccan spiced carrot soup is most decidedly not boring. I was inspired to create this soup, by the very talented Sarah over at snixykitchen. My version has a bit more heat and spice, I used leeks instead of onions and I opted for pistachios as my crunch element, in place of her hazelnuts.

If you follow my blog, you already know that I am a big proponent of different textures in all dishes. Yes, making the spiced nuts for this soup adds more time and work for you, but I believe the payoff in flavour and texture is worth it. Plus, the recipe makes more than you will need for garnish, so there are leftovers to top salads with and snack on. Everybody wins.

For the spiced pistachios, I used a mix of salt, sugar, Aleppo pepper and cinnamon. A bit of beaten egg white will help the spices adhere to the nuts. Toast in the oven for about 15 minutes.

I often use leeks in place of onions in soups and stews. I prefer their more delicate flavour. Plus, they don’t make me cry. If you have never used leeks before, they can be quite sandy between the layers. Cut off the dark green part and discard. Cut the leek in half, lengthwise and then cut across into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place sliced leeks in a bowl of cold water and swish them around. Lift out the leeks and discard the sandy water in the bowl.

This soup had added protein in the form of white beans. Since the soup is pureed, you don’t realize they are there, but they add great body to the soup. A big squeeze of lemon juice at the end adds a welcome hit of brightness. A dollop of yogurt or sour cream adds a creamy element to balance the heat. And the crunch of the spicy pistachios are perfect.

Click here to print recipe for Moroccan Carrot Soup

Spring Leek Galette

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Leeks have never achieved the same popularity in North America as they have in Europe, and that’s a shame. Leeks are the shy cousin of the low-brow onion. Shyness in this case, is a good thing. Cutting them does not cause tears, and their delicate flavour is much sweeter than the common onion. Their natural flavour partner is peas.
What better way to put leeks and peas together, than in a tart.  No tart pan required, just simply  fold the edges of dough in to form a free-form galette. If you are a regular reader of this blog, you may recall that I have posted about galettes before, here, and here, here, and here. Apparently I have a thing for galettes.
In this version, I spread the dough with some dijon mustard for zing, scattered the mustard with Gruyere cheese because, cheese! After the leeks and peas I topped the galette with an egg because everything is better with an egg on top.

The first time I made them I added the egg just before I put the tart into the oven. The tart takes about 35 minutes, which totally dried out the egg. You want the white to be just set and the yolk a bit runny. On my second go-round I baked the tart without the egg for about 25 minutes and then topped it with the egg for the last 10 minutes of baking. Perfect!

What I love about this galette is that you can serve it hot, warm or room temperature. It’s great for lunch or a light dinner, or cut it into wedges and serve it with drinks. What are you waiting for? Make it today.

Click here to print recipe for Spring Leek Galette.

 

 

This tart was created because I had a big bowl of wild mushrooms languishing in my fridge from a photo shoot last week. The mushroom photo below was my homework for the Composition Essentials Course I am taking from the very talented Australian food photographer, Rachel Korinek. Not only does she take gorgeous food shots, but she is an extremely skilled teacher.One of our assignments was to look at our past photos and find gaps, areas we had not explored from certain compositional viewpoints. In reviewing my pictures, I noticed that I shoot really tight, and don’t leave much breathing room. I guess it’s the photographic equivalent of close talkers.

Negative space is naturally calming. It helps to emphasize your subject and provides your image with balance. The second compositional tool I incorporated into my mushroom photo was advanced lines. I used a gently curving arabesque, which takes your eye on a journey from the top to the bottom of the frame.

I wanted to make something springlike, because I’m tired of roasted veggies and hearty soups. Leeks are one of the first signs of spring to appear on the market shelves, and their sweet mellow flavour is a perfect complement to earthy mushrooms. Plus, they don’t make me cry, like onions do, when I slice them.

This galette dough is one of my favourite pastry recipes. I learned how to make it in my very first kitchen job almost 30 years ago. It uses butter and sour cream and it rolls out like a dream. No cracking or shrinking.

Ricotta, gruyere and parmesean cheese are combined to create a base before the mushrooms and leeks are added. Leave a border and then gently pleat the dough to encase the filling.

A drizzle of olive oil before baking.

A generous zesting of lemon after baking.

Click here to print recipe for Mushroom Leek Galette.