Soup for Any Season

 A staunch advocate of fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables as they shine much more brightly than their travel weary, off-season cousins, I draw the line when certain types of food are relegated to specific seasons.  By way of example, the people who believe ice cream is a summer treat and soup is only suitable in cooler months.  (I was teased endlessly in sixth grade after wrapping up a Baskin Robbins gift certificate for the holiday gift exchange, which confounds me to this very day!)

Soup was in regular rotation at my childhood kitchen table, in part because it is one of life’s most perfect foods, and in part because my father adored soup at lunchtime, particularly when lucky enough to be home.  Sometimes it came from a familiar red and white can, or perhaps the blue one; but more often it was made with care from scratch by my mother.  Cookbooks were consulted here and there, sometimes recipes were clipped from a newspaper or magazine, or shared by her church or Centerport Garden Club pals.  Never one to slavishly follow an ingredient list, she was more likely to compose whatever she was making with what was on hand and sounded tasty.  She was and is an excellent and instinctual cook to this very day.   We often mail recipes back and forth and have done so for as long as I can recall.  One such recipe that remains in regular rotation is a simple but delicious potato and leek soups she sent me many years ago.

Potato and leek soup is classic, and as such equally at home in your best china at a dinner party, or in an earthy crock for a quick lunch.  Delicious hot or cold, and made with easily sourced and economical ingredients, it is a cinch to pull together in any season, though it is just the ticket for the days heading into Spring, which are often quite brisk.  If you prefer a thicker more rustic soup, adjust the broth to potato ratio.  You could also tweak the potato to leek balance to your taste.  Of course, you could take a cue from my mom’s playbook, call an audible, adapting the soup into something else entirely.  The choices are endless and yours to make.

Citrus and Sunshine

There are two effective antidotes for February in New England.  A bluebird day, full of sunshine; second and perhaps more reliable is the plethora of citrus available and at its peak during these cold, and often cloudy days.

 Citrus brightens and elevates any dish, whether savory or sweet – beverages too.  These days, markets include varieties such as navel, cara cara, tangelo, pomelo, clementine, melogold, pink and regular grapefruit, varieties of lemons and limes, and blood oranges. While most are delicious eaten out of hand, they can also transform cakes, custards, dressings, your morning juice routine, or a signature cocktail.  Ever flexible, citrus blends right into breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.  Elevate your breakfast grapefruit half with a little brown sugar and a pass under the broiler or sprinkle some segments with sugar and Grand Marnier to macerate for a quick and easy, yet sophisticated dessert.  Perhaps consider a citrus tart or crème brulée, blood orange and olive oil cake, lemon madeleines, or orange scented scones.  The variables, and gratification, are endless.  In addition, citrus is high in fiber, low in both calories and on the glycemic scale and contains antioxidants, useful amounts of vitamin C, potassium and magnesium.

A green salad studded with a variety of citrus segments is just the ticket for a delicious, light meal or a first course.  Peppery arugula, rounded out with crisp romaine, and a shower of minced shallots provide the perfect canvas.  Finish with vinaigrette that can be made prior and kept in your refrigerator.  A handful of pistachios lend some texture and balance here, although you could choose walnuts, or almonds if you prefer.

A bit on peeling technique: with a sharp knife, cut the top and bottom off of the fruit and stand it on cutting board.  Then run your knife along the curves, from top to bottom, removing peel and pith.  (Pith is the white between the fruit and peel and is most often bitter and unpalatable.)  When it is peeled, use a paring knife to carefully cut in between the membranes, releasing the segments, called suprêmes.  Alternatively, place on its side and slice into disks.  Both are visually appealing, and fairly easy to achieve.

Spring and summer are right around the corner.  However, in the meanwhile, find your sunshine wherever you can; and throw some winter citrus into your repertoire.