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| Dinner For Two |
I felt inspired by a magazine that I recently
acquired that is devoted to gatherings. Whether it is a get together for two or
twelve, the stories shared in the magazine demonstrate that there is a
multitude of ways to make your guest feel special. I had the opportunity to
entertain twice this past weekend-purveying
artisanal smoked fish from the institution Russ and Daughters for brunch and composing a simple home cooked dinner for a dear friend. Food brings us together
and good sustenance usually leads to a great time.
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| Spelt with toasted coconut and kale with a sesame soy dressing |
For my dinner gathering of two, I once again utilized my new
cookbook, Super Natural Every Day, to aid in inspiring my meal. I put together a
simple and delicious potato and cauliflower soup that was enhanced with aged
gruyere and finished with oat bran mustard croutons. For the croutons, I
utilized a left over oat bran everything bagel from my brunch that stood up
well in the soup and added a crunchy and flavorful element.
Despite the clean-up that usually follows entertaining, the convivial
company and the act of sharing a meal always supersedes any size stack of
dishes.
Cauliflower Soup with Aged Gruyere and Oat Bran Mustard Croutons
Recipe adapted from Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson
Serves 4 to 6
Croutons
1 Oat bran everything bagel or 6 oz whole wheat bread, torn into
cube-like pieces
2 tbsp Earth Balance Spread
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp sea salt
Soup
2 tbsp Earth Balance Spread
2 shallots, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 tsp Salt
1 large potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 ½ cups vegetable broth (if you want a whiter soup use water)
1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
2/3 cup grated aged gruyere, plus additional for garnish
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Croutons-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place bread in a bowl
Melt Earth Balance over medium high heat and whisk in olive oil,
mustard, and salt until combined.
Pour sauce over bread and mix well.
Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until crunchy and
golden. Flip half way through.
Soup-
Melt Earth Balance or olive oil in a large pot.
Mix in shallots, onions, and a tsp of salt.
Sauté until onions are soft.
Stir in the potato, cover, and cook for 4-8 minutes or until the
potatoes are softened.
Uncover, add garlic, and broth.
Bring to broil and check that potatoes are tender, if so, add
cauliflower.
Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the cauliflower is cooked.
Remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender.
Stir in half of the cheese and the mustard.
If you prefer a thinner soup, add water or additional broth.
Taste and add additional salt if needed.
Top with an additional sprinkling of cheese and a few croutons.
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| Brunch For 7 |
