Instant Love: My Immersion Blender (and some soup)

Favorite Kitchen Tools

There are a few things in our kitchen that I use all the time. My bright red cast iron dutch oven, my santoku knife, my knife sharpener, a cutting board and a heat resistant spatula are usually all I need for a meal. The immersion blender, on the other hand, is one of those devices I don't use regularly, but whenever I do, I am in awe of how much easier it makes my life.  As I've mentioned previously, I am a clumsy woman and a damn clumsy cook.  Anything requiring the transport of hot heavy liquids into a standing blender usually ends in disaster.  Plus, I hate lugging out the blender or food processor and cleaning it and inevitably not cleaning it well enough so having to clean it again.  Such a pain.  That, my friends, is where my immersion blender comes in. Just one little device I can stick into the pot I'm already using, then rinse it off and stick in my dishwasher. Amazing!  Why don't I do this more??

Last week, I had a few foodie friends over for a New American themed dinner party where people were instructed to prepare a course and bring an appropriate beverage pairing.  In keeping with the season, I made a Celery Root Puree Soup (paired with prosecco, for those of you who were wondering). 

Celery Root Soup

1 large shallot, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large celery root (2 1/2 to 3 lbs), peeled and chopped
2-3 medium yukon gold or red potatoes, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup white wine (or one 187mL mini-bottle)
2 granny smith apples, peeled and chopped
4 cups stock
1 tbs. dried tarragon
1/2 cup shredded gruyere

In a large stock pan, saute the shallots and garlic with some salt and olive oil.  Add celery root and potatoes and stir till covered with oil.  Add white wine and cook about 3 minutes (to cook off the alcohol).  Add stock, apples, and tarragon and cook until celery root and potatoes are well cooked, 30-40 minutes.  Puree using immersion blender until smooth (strain through sieve if you want it even smoother).  Add gruyere and stir until melted.  Serve hot with additional gruyere (or gruyere chips - just bake some shredded gruyere until light brown). 

A First Attempt at a Lentil Soup

I do love lentils - in a rice pilaf, a good lentil loaf, in some chili.  But lentil soups turn me off.  In general, I have to be in a particular fall or winter mood to really crave soup as a meal, and some lentil soups (those thick mushy ones with brown lentils) remind me too much of baby food.  Not appetizing.  But I know people who love lentil soup.  Go crazy for it.  I don't really get it.  So I decided to try out a version that was more appealing to me.  This was a first go at lentil soup, and it definitely needs some work.  All the basic elements are there, but I wanted the flavor to be a bit richer and more savory. (Although, after eating the leftovers for lunch today, I gotta say, the soup improved overnight.)  Also, it's not really a "lentil soup" but rather a hearty vegetable soup that happens to have lentils in it.  And as summer is turning to fall here in Pittsburgh (I refuse to wear jacket for a few more weeks!), a nice hot soup on a chilly weekday night is pretty satisfying.  Especially with a blanket and a season premiere on Hulu. Enjoy!

Vegetable - Lentil Soup

1 head of cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, chopped
4 yellow potatoes, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups stock (veggie or chicken)
1 1/2 cups red lentils
Dried thyme or herbes de provence
1 10 oz. package baby spinach
2 green onions, chopped

A loaf of country bread or some hearty rolls

1) Preheat oven to 375 and douse the cauliflower with olive oil and some salt.  When oven's ready, roast cauliflower till soft and browned, turning occasionally, about 30-45 minutes.
2) In a large stock pan, cook up the onion, garlic, and carrots in some olive oil, until the onions are soft and your kitchen smells delicious.
3) Add the potatoes and white wine and cook until the wine is slightly reduced, about 3-5 minutes. (Basically, you're just cooking out the alcohol flavor.)
4) Add the stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for about 10 minutes.
5) Add the red lentils and taste the stock for flavor.  I used a homemade chicken stock and some salt-free veggie bullion, so I ended up adding a little more salt and some herbes de provence to enrich the flavor.  If you have a good hearty stock on hand, you might not need this extra boost.
6) Cook the soup until the lentils are soft and light orange in color (15-20 minutes). By this time, your cauliflower should be about done. Add the roasted cauliflower, spinach and green onions to the soup, and stir until the spinach is well wilted. Simmer for about 5 more minutes. Taste on last time for salt and acidity - add a little lemon juice or white wine and cook for a few minutes if it needs more acid.
7) Serve hot with some crusty bread and cuddle up with a book or a movie!