1.14.2013

parsnip soup with apples and sage


Today I made a parsnip soup with apples and sage. Yum. I'm trying to use a few different ingredients and flavors to add some variety to our usual favorites. It's a good time for nice root veggies, so I thought I'd try a new soup. Unfortunately, like most yummy things, it didn't last long enough in our house to get a picture of the finished and garnished product. I veganized and made a few changes to the original recipe here.

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbs Vegan butter 
1 medium onion
2 Apples
4 Parsnips (about 1.5 lbs)
4 Cups vegetable stock (one veggie bullion and 4 cups water)
4-5 Sage leaves, plus extra to garnish
2 Whole cloves or a few pinches of ground
1/2-2/3 Cup almond cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Sauté chopped onion, parsnips, and 1 apple until edges have started to brown, stirring occationally.
2. Add stock, sage, cloves, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, cover, and let simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the parsnip is softened.
3. Remove cloves if whole, then puree. I use an immersion blender. Season to taste, and reheat gently with the cream. 
4. In a small pan, sauté the second apple with a bit of butter and cinnamon until lightly browned.
5. Serve hot, garnished with the sautéd apple slices and sage leaves. Serve with grainy bread slices.



1.13.2013

ski club starts


Yesterday was our first outing of the season with the CERN ski club. For the start of our fourth season of lessons with the club, we went back to Les Gets, where the slopes have now been abandoned by all the holiday travelers and freshly covered in powder. The conditions were absolutely wonderful. Warm sun, new snow, but oops, we forgot the camera. The morning was a bit of chaos, with getting settled into a small parking lot and onto the buses with piles of gear, but once we arrived, the empty slopes were nothing short of perfect. Derek is skiing off-piste again this year, and I moved up to level 3, which is a good challenge. Today we practiced un-groomed blacks and some moguls. I'll be working hard to keep up  for the next four Saturdays, but what a great way to enjoy the winter months. Bon ski!

(Above picture is from a drive to Chamonix today, just to walk around a while out of reach of the valley fog and drizzle).