To my delight, Wednesday marked the arrival of the first seriously cold front to hit Dallas this year. I adore dreary weather. I feel more alive when it's cold and wet, for some reason. Clearly, some sort of celebration to mark the occasion was in order.
I happened to have on hand an incredible stock from a leg of lamb I prepared last week, so I used that as the base for an Italian turnip and rice soup.
Here you see the minced Italian parsley, chopped up bacon (though pancetta was called-for) and thinly sliced turnips.
I've been having a stone-soup sort of thing going on lately in which I call up one or two residents, usually ones I think are underfed or can't afford to eat as well as I think they should, and they will come over and eat with me. Wednesday, though, making the soup seemed so much more medatative, and I really didn't want company. I made the soup, opened a bottle of wine and had my dinner, and then I called various residents, divvying up the remains among 4 other people.
It was a very lovely evening. I had my nice, solitary meal and yet I still 
got to share my cooking with some folks who could use it.
got to share my cooking with some folks who could use it.Do note Our Lady of the Herbs. I got that wonderful figural bottle for a few bucks at a local antique market. I think she's marvelous. I wonder what sauce or libation she originally held? Anyway, she makes a great vessel for holding fresh herbs, and in this one, I think she looks quite the Vegas showgirl.
8 comments:
Yep, Vegas showgirl, I was about to say.
If cold and dreary weather makes you happy then you should visit liverpool...we have enough to make you constantly ecstatic.
Yum! We had our first snow yesterday, which is actually kind of late in the season for us. I started flipping through crock-pot recipes! LOL
She certainly has the assets! And just picture the herbs as a giant feather headdress, PERFECT!
Your soup sounds yummy. I know I've eaten turnips, 'cause I know I like them, but I don't remember ever having them in soup.
MMmmm! Sounds and LOOKS delish.
We share the cool-weather cooking thing, Phlegmmy. My next production will be a BIG ol' pot of Navy Bean soup, providing I can find the ham hocks. They're in surprisingly short supply in this part o' the world...
Your soup looks divine! I love making soup too, and am itching to boil up that turkey carcass that's in the freezer to get some good stock. And then, watch out!
I feel the same way. I sometimes wonder if it is some dormant gene that responds to a drop in barometric pressure. It's also nice to feel clever about being able to enjoy a hot meal on a nasty night.
turk - yup - total showgirl
thud - I've been to Blackpool - is it like that?
attila the mom - hmmmm crockpot... beans and hamhocks... cornbread... snow... hmmm
christina - sometime when you live closer, I'll make you some turnip soup, babe. :)
buck - you know, I bought 4 last week for less than 3 dollars. Used them for my cooking, then the dogs were blissed out gnawing on them. Lucky dogs.
barbara - thanks, honey! It was delicious, and it was all gone that night. Next time I'll be more selfish and keep it in the fridge. :)
sean - Yes, we are clever, aren't we? :)
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