Well, my intention was to write this blog at least once a month (having decided early on that my original intention of writing once a week was pushing things). And, not only have I not written monthly, I just noticed that the last time I did write was way back in September. When the leaves were turning and the birds were still singing. It is now (the end of) February. We have so much snow on the ground that, really....I feel like a soldier in Napoleon's army walking home from the Russian winter campaign. The icicles hang from the house like daggers, beautiful and dangerous. My booted feet scream for a sandy beach and warm surf. Alas, that is not to be.
Marmalade season is upon us. Seville and Blood Oranges are absolutely gorgeous this year and I am making the most extraordinary and juicy jam. The Moro Bloods are redder than last year and produce marmalade that is gem-like in color. The Sevilles are as sour as last year, but are also amazingly juicy. It's good to be back in the kitchen.
I've been making lots of hearty soups lately. Yesterday I made one using left over roasted root vegetables, a bean soup mix, leftover vegetable broth and chicken stock, leftover baked ham, leftover spinach. Lots of diced onion, garlic, salt, pepper, leftover arugula pesto, leftover tomato sauce. It was fabulous.
Today I made a fish soup using red snapper, salmon trout, grouper. I made a soup base using onion, carrrot, celery, garlic, bay leaf, parsley and basil. After softening the vegetables, I added a 28oz. can of pureed tomatoes, a jar of clam juice, 2 cups of white wine (because it was open, and the red wasn't), salt, pepper, a hot dried chili pepper, 1/2 tsp. of harissa, a good squirt of anchovy paste, a squeeze of lemon and I simmered it all for 20 minutes. Then I chunked the fish, added it to the soup, cooked it on low for 10 minutes, added fresh parsley and served it over peasant bread. Yummy.
Leftovers and a little imagination (and onion and garlic) can make any meal an adventure.
I'm going to sleep now.
Oh, I almost forgot the most important things.....BERKSHIRE PRESERVES is being served at the restaurants of the Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge http://www.redlioninn.com/rli/dining.html ,Nudel in Lenox. http://nudelrestaurant.com/ and The Old Mill in South Egremont www.oldmillberkshires.com/
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