Staying Warm

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breakfast : chorizo 'toad in the hole', grapefruit, tea

lunch : red lentil and tomato soup with dill, spinach, and feta. sourdough and apple. homemade hard cider.

dinner : braised lamb shank, spinach, shallots, and chickpeas

its a rare occasion that i have the luxury to spend time purposefully cooking all of

the days meals. after some much needed rest, i spent most of this chilly day in the

kitchen cooking breakfast, lunch, and dinner. as the soup was simmering away and 

the shanks were slowly braising, i avoided the snow, ice, and sleet outside by quietly

reading under the world's warmest blanket. only a wood stove would have made this

day any better.

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Broccoli and Pistachio Soup

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easy. peasy. feel free to add some lemon squeezy.

bring a saucepan to a medium heat with a bit of olive oil. add some

broccoli florets and cook until nice and bright green, but not cooked

through. add some chopped garlic and small fistful of pistachios. pour

over top with some simmering chicken stock and cook for a few more

minutes (just until the broccoli is tender). purée the hell out of it and
pass it through a fine chinois. taste for salt and pepper and add a small
splash of rice wine vinegar. garnish with one floret of broccoli, a few 
pistachios, a touch of ricotta or mascarpone, and a drop or two of olive oil.

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Bucatini with Eggplant, Beef, and Mascarpone

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braise a small chuck roast in chicken stock for a few hours until its just 

falling apart left and right. meanwhile, roast an eggplant in the oven until

it collapses on itself and starts to look like a really large raisin. allow to

cool. when the beef is done, strain off the stock and pour into a food

processor. add the soft eggplant flesh and a couple of clove of garlic and

give it a spin until it is super smooth. strain into a large pot with the now

shredded beef and a few tablespoons of tomato paste. add in some paprika

and crushed red pepper flakes. then simmer for for a bit and stir in some

mascarpone cheese. meanwhile, bring some salted water to a boil, and cook

the bucatini until just done. stir the noodles into the sauce to finish cooking.

check seasoning for salt and pepper. plate up with some chopped parsley

and a drizzle of good olive oil.

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