Cream of Leek and Asparagus Soup

This soup is a great way to celebrate asparagus, and the addition of leeks in the recipe gives a boost of extra iron as well as delicious flavor. This sumptuous soup tastes even better if made a day ahead, and it can serve as a creamy and satisfying main meal alongside a tender salad and some crusty wholegrain bread. 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 large celery stalks, diced

1 ½ pounds asparagus

6 large leeks, white and palest green parts only, chopped and well rinsed

vegetable stock (about 3 cups or as needed)

½ teaspoon each: dried tarragon and dried basil

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 to 1 ½ cups low-fat milk or soymilk, as needed

salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste 

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and celery and saute over moderate heat until the onion is golden. 

Cauliflower and Vegetable Soup

I honestly hope you'll forgive my photos, but the kitchen bulb died on me and no, it's not that easy to replace it, a) because I don't have a high enough ladder and b) I don't know how to remove the ceiling light fitting. On this note, I had to wait for the building maintenance personnel to assist with this very important problem, which took quite awhile. In the meantime, the light under the cabinets had to do, but they are definitely not suitable for taking photographs.

Now that I've vented, let's get down to business. For this soup (inspired by Dana) you'll need:

- 1 head of cauliflower

- 2 celery stalks, diced

- 1 large onion, chopped

- 2 large carrots, diced

- 1 bell pepper, cleaned and diced

- 2 qt chicken stock (can of course be replaced with vegetable stock)

- 1 bunch parsley, chopped

- tomato juice (to taste, about 1 cup)

- salt and pepper

- red pepper flakes to taste

Vegetarian Lasagna

About two weeks ago we had another party in the office and, as I seem to be the designated cook for such functions, I had the very important task to cater the entire lunch. So I made manicotti, raw broccoli salad, the vegetarian lasagna and three colours chocolate mousse cake for a colleague that was celebrating her birthday.

This post is for GreenGirl, I hope it will help her find some time for herself ;) (excuse the elbow, I didn't know there was a photo shoot going on :D).

Irish Beef Stew with Guinness Stout

I'm going to start this post with the final product, hoping it will stimulate your taste buds and determine you to make this recipe ;). This stew is rich and hearty and a perfect meal to serve on a cold day. Of course, it’s a must for St. Patrick's Day, which is just around the corner (more or less)!

- 1 pound stewing beef
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons flour
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 2 large onions, coarsely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed

- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- 2 tablespoons tomato puree, dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 cups Guinness

- 1 cup beef stock (or water)
- 3 carrots, sliced

- sprig of fresh thyme (can be replaced with dried)

- sprig of fresh rosemary (again, replace with dried if so desired)
- chopped parsley, for garnish

I also added, because I could and I wanted to:

- 3 celery stalks, sliced

- 1/2 parsnip, diced

Cream of Celery Root and Potatoes Soup - Supa crema de telina si cartofi

Ingrediente:

We need:

 

- 3 cartofi medii - 3 medium potatoes, peeled
- 1 ceapa mare - 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 radacina telina - 1 large celery root
- 2 frunze proaspete de salvie - 2 fresh sage leaves, chopped
- thyme proaspat - 1 fresh thyme sprig
- smantana lichida - 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 litri supe de legume (sau de pui) - 3 quarts vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
- patrunjel - parsley (dried or fresh)
- sare, piper dupa gust - salt and pepper to taste

Tocati ceapa, cartofii, telina

Finely chop the onion, dice the potatoes and celery root

Risotto cu sparanghel, menta si lamaie, reteta lui Jamie Oliver - Asparagus, mint and lemon risotto (recipe by Jamie Oliver)

Ingredientele, in toata splendoarea lor:

The ingredients:

Menta trebuia sa fie proaspata, insa in casa am avut doar uscata, iar supa de legume, un litru, era pe foc. Sa nu-mi ziceti de parmezanul gata ras, stiu si eu, de-asta au avut la magazinul de jos

The recipe calls for fresh mint, but I only had dried. The vegetable stock, 1 quart and 2 tablespoons (one liter), was simmering in another pot. Don't blame me for the already grated Parmesan, that's what I found at the grocery store downstairs.

Am taiat ceapa si telina

Chop the onion and celery stalks

Braciole - Braciole

Ingredientele sunt cam acestea:

Ingredients:

700 gr pulpa de vita taiata in 4 felii de aproximativ 0,8 cm (eu am avut 2, dar gigantice, cam cat o foaie A4) - 1.5 lbs flank steak sliced in 4 slices (I had 2 gigantic slices) 4 felii de prosciutto (eu n-am avut, n-am pus, evident) - 4 prosciutto slices 2 linguri seminte de pin - 2 tablespoons pine nuts 2 linguri de Pecorino Romano rasa (merge si parmezan sau alta branza maturata) - 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese 2 catei de usturoi, rasi - 2 grated garlic cloves 2 linguri de patrunjel taiat marunt - 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley 100 ml ulei de masline - 1/2 cup olive oil o conserva mare de rosii - one 28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes 50 gr pasta de tomate - 2 oz tomato paste 2 frunze de dafin - 2 dry bay leaves 3 frunze de busuioc proaspat, rupte in fasiutze mici - 3 fresh basil leaves, sliced 1 ceapa uscata medie, tocata marunt - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped 2 morcovi, tocati marunt - 2 finely diced carrots 2 tulpini de telina, tocate marunt - 2 finely diced celery stalks 250 ml vin rosu - 1 cup red wine faina - flour sare, piper - salt and pepper to taste Am luat fiecare felie de carne si am batut-o pana a ajuns la grosimea de jumatate de cm., apoi am presarat sare si piper. Aici trebuia sa pun deasupra cate o felie de prosciutto, pe care n-am avut-o. Mie imi lipseste poza asta, am uitat s-o fac Beat each slice of meat with the meat pounder to 1/8 inch thickness, sprinkle with salt and pepper then place a slice of prosciutto on top of each meat slice (I forgot to take this photo) Am pus in blender semintele de pin, patrunjelul, branza si usturoiul Put in the blender the pine nuts, parsley, grated cheese and garlic si le-am blendurit blend everything Am pus amestecul peste feliile de carne (tineti minte ca trebuie si prosciutto, da?) Lay the blended mix on top of the prosciutto and meat slices Apoi le-am rulat strans, bagand capetele inauntru si le-am legat cu ata de bucatarie, dupa care le-am tavalit prin faina si le-am pus la prajit, le-am intors pe toate partile pana s-au rumenit, cam 15 minute Roll each slice tightly, placing the ends inside the roll, then tie each roll with kitchen thread. Dredge each roll in flour, place in a large pan with enough oil and brown on all sides In alta cratita am pus la calit ceapa, telina si morcovii Whilst the meat rolls are browning, in another pan put the onion, celery and carrots to soften Le-am lasat sa stea cam 10 minute (rulourile de carne se prajeau in vremea asta), timp in care am scos la inaintare conserva de rosii, busuiocul, pasta de tomate, foile de dafin si vinul rosu Allow to cook for about 10 minutes, whilst preparing the can of tomatoes, basil leaves, tomato paste, bay leaves and red wine Dupa cele 10 minute am adaugat conserva de rosii, frunzele de dafin si pasta de tomate After 10 minutes add the can of tomatoes, bay leaves and tomato paste Am pus in sos braciolele Add the braciole to the sauce   Am adaugat vinul rosu si doua cani de apa Add the red wine and 2 cups of water   Am dat focul mic, am acoperit si am lasat sa fiarba incet cam 2 ore, pana ce carnea a fost moale si sosul scazut. La sfarsit am pus busuiocul si am mai lasat 2 minute. Turn the heat to low, cover and allow to boil for about 2 hours, until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened. In the end, add the basil and let it sit for 2 minutes.   Am scos atele, am taiat felii Remove the kitchen thread and cut the rolls crosswise in about 1/2 inch slices   si am pus sosul peste feliile taiate. Spread the sauce over the slices   N-am mai pus garnitura, deja era galagie in casa din cauza mirosului . Se pot servi alaturi de paste sau gnocchi. I didn't get the chance to put any side dish on the plate, the smell (and the noise because of it) was already overwhelming! This dish can be served with pasta or gnocchi.