White Bean, Squash and Kale Soup Recipe
(serves 4)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
salt and pepper
1 dried Thai chili
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup cooked cannellini beans (or 1 small can)
1 cup cooked acorn squash (diced and roasted,
you can follow the instructions here)
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 large tomato, cored and diced
4 cups packed kale leaves, stems removed and roughly chopped

If you haven’t roasted your squash yet, do that first. Then put a large sauce pan or soup pot on the stove on medium low heat. Add olive oil and onions along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sweat onions, stirring regularly for 5 minutes or until they start to soften. Add garlic and chili flakes and continue sweating for another 3 minutes. Then add beans, squash, stock and the tomato and bring to a low simmer. Add kale and cook for 15 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with crusty bread.

Chana Masala Recipe
(serves 3-4)

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 15oz can chickpeas
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
1/2 fresh green chili, minced

In a heavy pot with a lid heat oil to medium and add onions & garlic. Cook, stirring regularly for 5 minutes or so. You want the garlic and onions to actually start to brown.

Turn heat to medium low and add ground cumin, turmeric, cumin seeds, curry powder, coriander, paprika and salt.  The spices should become fragrant when they hit the heat. Just don’t stand too close or you risk a sneeze. Stir for 60 seconds, then add the tomato and cook for another 3 minutes stirring regularly.  Add chickpeas and water and stir to combine. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. It should be at a gentle simmer.

Add chili and ginger, stir for another 30 seconds and serve.

This recipe keeps well in the fridge and is a great filling for a wrap the next day. Try adding fresh spinach, cilantro and a bit of yougourt to a wrap along with a scoop of Channa Masala.

Guinness and Beef Pie Recipe
Serves 4
(Adapted from Epicurious)

2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 pounds stewing meat, cut into large bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped finely
1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup
1 cup + 2 tablespoons Guinness
1 cup beef stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
2 teaspoons green peppercorns in brine, drained and chopped
several sprigs fresh thyme
1 package store bought puff pastry, or make your own
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss beef cubes in flour, and gently shake off any excess of each piece. Put beef aside on a plate.

Heat oil to medium high heat in a wide heavy bottom oven proof pot with a lid. Brown the beef in batches and remove to plate. Add onions and garlic as well as the 2 tablespoons of beer and 1 tablespoon of water. Cook, stirring regularly until onions are nice and soft and try and get all that flavour off the bottom using a wooden spoon. Add ketchup and cook for 2 minutes. Add remaining Guinness, stock, Worcestershire, peppercorns and thyme. Stir in beef and bring mixture to a simmer. Cover and put in the oven for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is nice and tender.

Remove from the oven and allow meat to cool for at least twenty minutes. Increase oven heat to 425F. Roll out puff pastry and top stew with it. Place in the freezer for 15 minutes to chill pastry. Bake for 20 minutes, and turn down oven temperature to 400F for another 5 minutes. The puff pastry should now be cooked through and browned on the top otherwise leave it in a little longer. Serve hot.

This dish reheated well the next day. Put in a 350F degree oven for 20 minutes and serve immediately.

Mexican Chicken Soup
(serves 4)
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse & Rick Bayless

2 small corn tortillas
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 small carrots, diced
1 jalapeno, de-seeded and diced
2 big cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
3 whole canned tomatoes (or one ripe, peeled tomato) chopped
5 cups chicken stock
4 skinless chicken thighs (I used boneless but either way)
1 large green onion, finely sliced
2 limes, juiced
cilantro leaves, for garnish
chopped avocado for garnish

Chop the tortillas into thin strips and toast lightly in a toaster oven. Set aside for garnishing the finished soup.
In a large soup pot heat olive oil on medium. Add onion, celery, carrots and jalapeno. Cook, stirring regularly for 3-5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic, bay leaf and oregano and cook for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until all tomato juices have absorbed, stirring regularly. Add chicken stock and bring to a light simmer, add chicken and bring to a light simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
Remove chicken to a plate and cool enough to shred with a fork, discarding any bones. Return chicken to soup along with green onion and lime juice. Simmer for 10 more minutes. Serve topped with tortilla strips and optionally avocado and cilantro.

Celeriac Soup Recipe
(makes 2 small servings)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion diced
1 1/2 cups chopped celeriac
3 cups chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
salt and pepper
a tablespoon fresh parsley

In a heavy pot heat olive oil to medium-low and add onions. Sweat for 5 minutes then add celeriac and saute for another 5 minutes. Add stock, bay, thyme and pepper and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes or until soft. Remove bay and thyme and allow to cool a bit. Add parsley then puree in a blender.

Provencal Beef Shank Stew
(serves 4)
Adapted from Laylita’s Recipes

3 tablespoon olive oil
2.5lbs bone in Beef Shank, chopped into large pieces
2 medium red onion, sliced
4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 cups red wine
1 big can whole tomatoes, cut up in their juices
a big pinch fennel seeds
1 tablespoon herbs de provence
salt and pepper

In a large dutch oven heat olive oil on medium and sear shanks in batches until browned all over, remove to a plate. Add onions and cook until caramelized, stirring regularly. Add carrots, wine, tomatoes, herbs de provence, fennel and salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer and simmer for 2-4 hours or until meat is nice and tender (mine took just under 4 hours.) Serve on top of a hearty starch (mashed potatoes, risotto etc)

Carrot, Red Lentil and Ginger Soup
(makes 3-4 servings)

a big knob of ginger
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and minced
3 scallions, chopped
5 large carrots, shredded
1 cup red lentils
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
salt and pepper
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
1/2 lemon, juiced

Remove the skin from the ginger and cut a few matchsticks for garnish, set aside. Mince or finely grate the remainder. Heat oil to medium low and add ginger, garlic, jalapenos and scallions. Stir with a wooden spoon for 1 minute until nice and fragrant. Add carrots, lentils, stock and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes or until red lentils are cooked.

Stir in lemon juice and cilantro, taste and correct for seasoning. Serve garnished with fresh ginger.

Ribollita Recipe
(serves 6)
Adapted from Jamie Oliver

2 cups dried cannelini beans
1 small potato, peeled
1 tomato, squashed
a bay leaf
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small onions, finely diced
3 stalks celery, small dice
2 medium carrots, small dice
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
1/4 teaspoon dried chilies
1 large can whole tomatoes, with juices
1 small head savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
1 large cup, stale bread
salt and pepper
nice olive oil as garnish (optional)

Soak the beans over night and discard water. (You can substitute canned beans or fresh beans as well but you will need to modify the steps accordingly.) Cover the beans with water and add the bay leaf, potato and tomato. Simmer lightly until beans are cooked and set aside, reserving 2 cups of cooking liquid but discarding bay, tomato and potato.

In a large soup pot heat oil and sweat onions, celery, carrots and garlic along with the fennel and chilies. Sweat until nice and soft but not browned, about 20 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer. Add beans with 1/2 of their cooking liquid. Moisten the stale bread with the remaining liquid and add the bread to the soup as well as the cabbage. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes stirring regularly. It should be thick but moist, you can add the remaining liquid or not if desired. Add salt and pepper to season. Serve hot and drizzled with olive oil.

Chicken, Barley and Thyme Soup
(serves 2-3)

1 Tablespoon canola oil
2 chicken legs
salt and pepper
2 medium carrots
2 stalks celery
1/2 medium onion
assorted vegetables if you want (I had an extra couple of mushrooms and 1/2 a teeny zucchini)
2 cups chicken stock (optional, you can use water)
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1/3 cup barley
1 cup packed baby spinach
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1. Roughly chop the vegetables and pulse in a food processor until minced. (I am sure you could also grate them or process through a blender in batches.)
2. Heat your soup pot to medium and add oil.   Pat the chicken legs dry and sprinkle with salt. Add the chicken and fry on each side until golden brown. Remove to a plate and reduce heat to medium low. Pour off any excess fat so there is just a shine on the bottom of the pan.
3. Add vegetables and sweat for 3 minutes or until fragrant. Add thyme, a pinch of salt, and chili flakes and cook for another minute, add back chicken, cover with 4 cups of liquid (water, or stock and water) making sure chicken is covered, and bring to a gentle simmer.   Simmer for 25 minutes (or longer if you need a second glass of wine…).
4. Add barley and simmer for another 20 minutes.  Stir in spinach and adjust seasonings, you will probably want at least a half teaspoon of salt.  Cook until spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes.  Stir in lemon juice and serve.

Black Bean and Ham Soup Recipe
(serves 4)

1 cup dried black beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 ham hock

1 green onion, diced
plain yogourt

Soak the beans over night in 3 cups water, or if you are like me, bring the beans and water to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, turn off the heat and let sit for an hour.

Discard bean soaking liquid and set beans aside.  In your soup pot heat olive oil to medium low.  Sweat onions, celery and carrot for 5 minutes or until onions translucent.   Add spices, as well as a big pinch of salt and grinding of pepper, add beans, ham hock and 5 cups of water.  Bring to a simmer, uncovered and simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove ham hock and allow to cool enough to handle. Using an immersion blender blend until the texture is thick.  Discard the fat and bones from the ham, chop up and add back to soup.  Stir in green onion, reserving some for garnish. Taste and correct for seasoning. The salt levels will vary depending on your ham.

Serve topped with yogourt and green onion.