Mango Basil Pesto

The basil bush was looking sad with the recent cold front. It was time to get one more harvest out of it. This time, I went for a new twist on the classic pesto. This pesto features dried mango powder, toasted almonds, pureed garlic, extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. The mango adds a nice tang and slight sweetness to the pesto, accentuating the peppery basil.

Enjoy.

Peppery Watercress Cauliflower Soup

A cold front settled in this week. Perfect for some spicy, comforting soup. This one features cauliflower (not a usual suspect in soup) and watercress (not an ingredient I usually use). Add in some aromatics and pepper, and you have something you can savor on a cold evening with a movie (I'm watching Coraline).

Ingredients:

1 cauliflower, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 bunch watercress, leaves washed and separated
2 tbs butter
1 red onion, chopped fine
3 small cloves garlic
1 tsp white pepper
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups warm water
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Take a stainless steel pot and place it on medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt. When melted, throw in the diced onions. Let the onions cook for about five minutes until they got soft and lighter in color. Then mix in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more.

Now, add the cauliflower, stock, water, white pepper, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for about fifteen minutes, until the cauliflower is soft. Turn off the heat and fold in the watercress leaves. Then, using a hand blender, puree the soup until smooth (be careful not to burn yourself).

Serve warm with toast points and a good sprinkling of freshly grated parmigiana.