My favorite recipes are the ones that resemble a good canvas - a delicious backdrop that can be accentuated and modified by what is in season and/or on hand. Having just finished a post about an overabundance of serrano peppers, I wanted to do a variation on a fall favorite - potato leek soup.This year's leeks are on the thin side which I attribute to my north facing backyard garden, so I harvested roughly 3x the number I would normally use for this recipe.
I decided to add some kick to the background canvas and finely chopped 4 roasted red serranos from my freezer and fresh oregano.
On it's own, this soup is mild but hearty making it a perfect backdrop for any number of flavor profiles.
The genius of this soup is the mandolin sliced potatoes.
Once cooked through and gently mashed, they thicken the stock and the mashing breaks the potatoes into bite-sized pieces.
Add a little cream and cook on low for a few more minutes and voila!
A delicious meal that varies depending on preferences and additions!
Rocking in the Kitchen
I received a gift today from a gardening friend in the mid-west. My friend had no way of knowing I had my eyes on these for a while now. I had first seen the Ulu knife of Alaska a couple of years ago in a video about chopping herbs and had been interested since.
I had some herbs that had been dried over the weekend so I popped them in the bowl side of the cutting board and tested it out. The rocking-cutting motion is distinct from what most of us are used to with a relatively straight blade and a flat cutting board, but I can see how with a little practice this would be extremely effective!A big thank you to my friend for the gift. Sharing (seeds, tips, surplus produce, etc.) seems to be hallmark of the gardening soul and I am grateful to have been bitten by the bug and be counted among its ranks!