Slash ~ Saint Is A Sinner Too
Pearl Jam ~ Once
Maroon 5 ~ Better That We Break
Paloma Faith ~ Love Only Leaves You Lonely
Peggy Lee ~ On The Sunny Side Of Life
ZZ Ward ~ Crying Wolf
Pat Benetar ~ Hit Me With Your Best Shot
Nicola Benedetti ~ Mozart: Rondo #2 in C
Eddie Vedder ~ Without You
Toyah ~ Moonlight Dancing
Blondie ~ Atomic
Robert Downey Jr ~ Details
Melissa Etheridge ~ Will You Still Love Me
Voodoo Six ~ Respect (Acoustic)
I love autumn and everything it brings with it. Yesterday was one of those cold crispy mornings I adore and I enjoyed some much needed kitchen time despite being able to see my breath because of the chill in the air. My kitchen is an attached extension on the back of the original house and has no heating and can get quite nippy. It works for me because of my meds I run hotter than the average person and the cold helps when I have my stove top and oven fired up. Anyway....
Recently my lovely pal Ann bought me a new cookbook. I know, how nice is that? Being the cookbook junkie I am, I was thrilled. As is my routine...I sat down with a cup of green tea and read the book cover to cover. And I have to say that The Vegan Pantry by Dunja Gulin is one of the most beautiful cookbooks I've had the pleasure to read. There isn't one recipe that I don't want to make and I have selected three for testing. The first being today's soup...
I love miso soups but have never used anothers recipe before. I have always made up my own with veggies that I have in my stocks. Dunja's miso soup looked too good not to try. I felt the goodness from it before I even started making it. It was very easy to make but I did have to make one adaption. Dunja's recipe calls for Nori sheet but I had run out but I did have some Dulse which I used instead. I also opted for the water over stock option.
The results were interesting. The stock of the soup turned out much thinner than I'd expected from a 'hearty' soup but that could be down to the miso I used combined with the water over stock option. It wasn't a problem for me because my miso soups are always broth based. The flavour of the stock was gentle but comforting. The only change I would make next time is the choice of pumpkin used. I had a large pattypan squash but I wasn't impressed with it's lack of flavour. When cooked it went watery and tasteless. Next time I'll use a more substantial pumpkin. Of course this is my error and has nothing to do with Dunja's recipe. I really enjoyed the soup and will be making it again very soon. Next on the list is Dunja's Mediterranean Green Lentil Loaf and Seed Falafel. Somehow I think this cookbook will be getting worn out..
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| Dunja's Hearty Miso Soup |
Dunja's Hearty Miso Soup Serves 2-3
(Recipe from The Vegan Pantry by Gulin)
2 tbsp dark sesame oil
6og/1/2 cup diced onion
60g/1/2 cup peeled, seeded and cubed pumpkin, squash or carrot
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp crushed fresh ginger
800ml/3 1/2 cups cold water or veggie bouillon (unsalted)
1 tbsp barley or rice miso
1/4 sheet of Nori, cut into small pieces (I used Dulse)
1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
sea salt
In a large saucepan, saute the onions for a minute or so in the sesame oil, before adding the pumpkin, squash or carrot, along with the garlic, ginger and a pinch of salt. Saute the mixture for a little longer and then add the water/broth and cover. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and cook until the vegetables are tender.
Take 60ml/1/4 cup of the hot soup and put in a small bowl. Now add the miso to it. Puree the miso really well with a fork until it has completely melted. Put the miso liquid back into the soup. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Turn off the heat, cover and let the soup sit for a few minutes. Serve sprinkled with pieces of nori and toasted sesame seeds.
Enjoy!
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a weekend filled with happiness...
~Red~
NB: This is not my recipe and take no credit for it whatsoever. It is the hard work and creation of Dunja Gulin and hers alone. I thank her for such a great cookbook. ~R~
