Tag Archives: chickpea

PUMPKIN CHICKPEA AND RED LENTIL STEW

02 Sunday Nov 2014

Posted by in Fall, main, Soup

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After all the sweets and candy following Halloween, I was ready for something light and savory and comforting. This Pumpkin Chickpea and Red Lentil Stew was perfect.

PUMPKIN CHICKPEA AND RED LENTIL STEW

pumpkin red lentil stew

1 pound of pumpkin, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes

1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

3 carrots, sliced 1/2 inch thick

1 onion, chopped

1 cup red lentils, rinsed and drained

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup chopped peanuts (I forgot to add these)

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

plain yogurt

In a slow cooker, combine pumpkin, chickpeas, carrots, onion, lentils, tomato paste, ginger, lime juice, cumin, turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Pour broth over all in cooker.

Cover and cook on low heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. Ladle stew into bowls. Top servings with peanuts, cilantro and yogurt.

Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Allrecipes Slow Cooker Favorites, 2013

allrecipes.com/recipes/everyday-cooking/slow-cooker/

THE BICICLETTA and RICOTTA APRICOT AND CRISP PROSCIUTTO TARTINE and CAMBODIAN GAZPACHO and SHRIMP WATERMELON SALAD and LEMON LAMB LOLLIPOPS WITH CHICKPEA PUREE and COCONUT CORN ICE CREAM WITH BROWN SUGAR SYRUP AND PEANUTS

23 Friday Aug 2013

Posted by in Appetizers, Cocktails, Dessert, Salad

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My husband and I first developed the “Appetizer Crawl” while we were on vacation in Las Vegas, many years ago. There are so many incredible restaurants there, and we usually stay a very short time, so rather than spend the entire evening dining at just one place, we walked and ate our way along the strip, choosing small portions at each restaurant.
We decided to incorporate this theme at a recent dinner party, and made multiple small plates, rather than one larger entree.
This is one of my favorite dinner menus ever, but the guests, their witty repartee, and noises of appreciation was what really made night a memorable one.

THE BICICLETTA

ice cubes
2 ounces campari
1 1/2 ounces dry white wine
1/2 ounce club soda
lemon slice for garnish

Fill wineglass with ice. Add campari, wine and soda, stir to mix. Garnish with lemon slice.
Makes one.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, May 2008
www.bonappetit.com/recipes‎

RICOTTA APRICOT AND CRISP PROSCIUTTO TARTINE

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 fresh apricots, pitted and halved, each half cut into thirds
salt
baguette, sliced and lightly toasted
4 slices of proscuitto
1/2 cup ricotta, at room temperature
freshly ground black pepper
6 to 8 mint leaves, roughly torn

Heat broiler, brush apricots lightly with olive oil and season with salt.
Place apricots on a cookie sheet and cook until just tender.
Swirl 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium pan set over medium high heat. Once hot, add prosciutto and cook until darkened in spots, less than 1 minute per side.
Transfer to a paper lined plate.
While baguette slices are warm, spread generously with ricotta. Top with proscuitto and apricots. Garnish with oil, salt, pepper and mint.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Wall Street Journal, June 2013
online.wsj.com/public/page/magazine-food.html‎

CAMBODIAN GAZPACHO

1 carrot shredded
4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
pinch sugar
pinch salt, plus more to taste
1 16 ounce can tomato juice 
2 English cucumbers, roughly chopped
2 red bell peppers, seeds and stems removed
3 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeds removed
10 basil leaves, stems removed
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
freshly ground black pepper
20 cilantro leaves, stems removed

In a small bowl, combine carrot, vinegar, sugar and salt. Set aside for 1 hour.
In a blender, combine tomato juice, cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic, jalapeno, basil and rice wine vinegar. Pulse until slightly pureed. Add salt and pepper to taste and additional vinegar as desired.
Divide gazpacho evenly among bowls or serving glasses. Top each with pickled carrot and cilantro.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Shape Magazine, September 2012
www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes‎

SHRIMP WATERMELON SALAD

2 lemons
1/4 watermelon, rind removed, diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon finely chopped sweet onion
3 tablespoons of mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
1 pound peeled and deveined, cooked shrimp
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon
salad greens

Grate zest from lemons to equal 1 tablespoon. Cut lemons in half, squeeze juice from lemons to measure 3 tablespoons.
Place onion in saute pan with a little butter or cooking spray, cook until tender. Stir in mayonnaise, celery, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Stir in shrimp and tarragon. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place arugula and cubed watermelon on individual plates, sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons of lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste, top with shrimp mixture.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Southern Living, August 2012
www.southernliving.com/food/kitchen-assistant/‎

LEMON LAMB LOLLIPOPS WITH CHICKPEA PUREE

1 to 2 racks of lamb, cut into individual chops
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup chicken stock
2 cans chickpeas, rinsed
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 bunches kale leaves
freshly grated nutmeg

Season the lamb chops with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 cloves of garlic, the rosemary and the lemon juice.
Coat the chops with the marinade and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
In a medium saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and thyme, season with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook, stirring, until the onion is softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the stock and bring to a low boil. Transfer the mixture to a food processor, reserve the saucepan. Add the chickpeas and cheese to the food processor, puree. Spoon the mixture into the reserved saucepan, cover and keep warm over low heat.
Position a rack in the uppermost part of the broiler and preheat to high. Broil the chops, turning once, for 6 to 8 minutes.
In a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 cloves of garlic and swirl for 1 minute. Add the kale and cook until wilted, 3 to 5 minutes, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
To serve, top the chickpea puree with a chop, serve with the greens.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Everyday with Rachael Ray, March 2013
www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/‎

COCONUT CORN ICE CREAM WITH BROWN SUGAR SYRUP AND PEANUTS

BROWN SUGAR SYRUP
2 teaspoons coriander seeds (I could only find ground coriander seeds)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
salt
ICE CREAM
6 ears of corn, husked
2 14 ounce cans of unsweetened coconut milk
3/4 cup condensed milk
1 teaspoon salt
GARNISHES
1 cup salted, roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
finely grated lime zest

BROWN SUGAR SYRUP
Toast coriander seeds (or ground coriander) in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, crush with a mortar and pestle (if not already ground).
Stir sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Add coriander and peppercorns, season with salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer, swirling pan occasionally and brushing down sides with a wet pastry brush, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Let cool. Strain, cover and chill.
ICE CREAM
Cut the corn kernels from the cobs into a large bowl, reserve cobs. Heat coconut milk in a large saucepan over medium heat until almost simmering. Add grated corn, corn cobs and condensed milk, cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture barely begins to simmer, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 1 hour. Discard cobs.
Strain corn mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible, discard solids. Whisk in salt. Cover corn ice cream base, let chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Process ice cream base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions. Transfer to an airtight container, cover and freeze for at least 3 hours and up to 1 week.
GARNISHES
Spoon some syrup in the bottom of the bowl, scoop ice cream on top. Garnish with peanuts and lime zest.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, August 2012
www.bonappetit.com/recipes‎

HORSERADISH CHEDDAR AND CARAMELIZED ONION STUFFED BURGERS and CHICKPEA CHEESE AND ONION BURGERS

27 Saturday Jul 2013

Posted by in Uncategorized

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We invited friends out to the lake cabin, and with the intention of keeping it simple, decided to serve burgers and hot dogs. I thought it would be fun to try something a little different and found these wonderful burger recipes.
I made the patties in advance at home, then following an afternoon of boating and swimming, we grilled the burgers and enjoyed them out on the deck.

HORSERADISH CHEDDAR AND CARAMELIZED ONION STUFFED BURGERS

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, sliced into half moons
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
hamburger buns
lettuce, tomatoes and ketchup to serve

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring, until it is softened, 5 to 10 minutes. Cover and cook, until onion is golden brown, about 20 minutes more.
Shape the beef into 12 small patties, each about 4 inches in diameter. Spread 1 teaspoon of the horseradish onto one of the patties, top that with 2 tablespoons of cheddar cheese and 1 tablespoon of the caramelized onions. Top with another meat patty and pinch the edges of the patties to seal the burger. Repeat with the remaining patties. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat grill to medium high. Cook the burgers until the cheese is melted inside, about 4 minutes for medium doneness.
Serve on buns with lettuce, tomato and ketchup as desired.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from USA Weekend, May 2012
www.usaweekend.com/article/…/Cookout-2-0-Refresh-summer-favorites‎

CHICKPEA CHEESE AND ONION BURGERS

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 can chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
1 egg, beaten
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste
flour for dusting

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook over medium heat until tender but not colored. Add garlic, cumin and cayenne and cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
Put pinto beans and chickpeas into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add onion mixture, tahini and parsley, and pulse again until combine and nearly smooth. Spoon into a large bowl and add egg and cheeses.
Mix with your hands and add salt and pepper. Shape into patties and lightly dust with flour.
Heat remaining oil in a large skillet. Place burgers in pan and cook until golden on both sides.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Relish Magazine, January 2013
relish.com/

SMOKED CHEESE AND SAUSAGE LASAGNA and HAM AND VEGETABLE GRATIN and WARM CHICKEN PEAR AND CHICKPEA SALAD and CHEESEBURGER STUFFED BAKED POTATOES

27 Wednesday Feb 2013

Posted by in Salad, Vegetables

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I have read a lot lately about the benefits of family dinners. It would seem sitting down together to eat not only allows the parents to model good manners, but also provides a sense of security and an occasion for dialogue and discussion that prevents destructive behaviors and results in children doing better in school.
Preparing meals at home also gives parents the opportunity to teach children about good eating habits, to provide food that is healthy and nutritious, and maybe even impart some cooking skills.
I definitely love the idea that sitting around the table to a home cooked dinner makes for a happier family, and educates and nurtures, but I know in our family, the content of dinner can occasionally be cause for unhappiness.
Here are some of our more recent family dinners – I’m not sure everyone has relished or even liked the food on their plate, but the conversation and sense of togetherness has definitely been appreciated and enjoyed by all.

SMOKED CHEESE AND SAUSAGE LASAGNE

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
3 ounces sliced proscuitto, chopped
1 1/2 onions, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 28 ounce can Italian style tomatoes in juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
12 lasagna noodles (I used the oven ready kind)
12 ounces ricotta cheese
2 1/2 cups grated smoked cheese, divided (I used a combination of cheddar, pepper jack and mozzarella – all smoked in house)
1 egg

FOR THE SAUCE
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sausage, saute until browned, breaking up with a fork, about 6 minutes. Add prosciutto, stir 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a bowl.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and next 4 ingredients. Saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Add tomatoes and juice, basil, and sausage mixture. Reduce heat, simmer until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
FOR LASAGNA
Stir ricotta and 1 1/2 cups smoked cheese in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, mix in egg.
Brush a 13X9 inch baking dish with oil. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce evenly over bottom. Arrange 3 noodles atop sauce. Spread 3/4 cup cheese mixture thinly over noodles. Spoon 1 1/2 cups sauce over. Repeat with noodles, cheese mixture, and sauce 2 more times. Cover with 3 noodles. Sprinkle with remaining 1cup smoked cheese. Cover with foil.
Heat oven to 350F.
Bake lasagna, covered, 40 minutes. Uncover and bake until heated through, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, March 2004
www.epicurious.com › recipes & menus

HAM AND VEGETABLE GRATIN

4 tablespoons butter
1 onion chopped
4 cloves garlic
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 10 ounce package of frozen peas
1/4 pound ham, chopped
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 375F.
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large ovenproof skillet. Add the onion, sweet potatoes and peas and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the ham, flour and thyme and cook, stirring, until combined. Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil, then stir in the milk and simmer until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet. Add the panko, parsley and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until the panko is slightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Scatter over the ham and vegetable mixture, let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from the Food Network Magazine, January/February 2013
www.foodnetwork.com › Recipes › Pork

WARM CHICKEN, PEAR AND CHICKPEA SALAD

1 onion, chopped
350 grams chicken, cut into cubes
250 grams cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red pepper, seeded and diced
1 pear, cored and diced
1/2 cup burghul wheat
3/4 cup boiled water
400 gram can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
100 grams baby greens
crusty bread to serve
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice

Heat a large frying pan, spray with cooking spray.
Saute onion for 2 to 3 minutes until tender. Add chicken. Cook, stirring for 5 to 6 minutes until cooked through.
Stir in tomatoes, red pepper and pear. Saute for 2 to 4 minutes until softened. Remove from the heat and cool slightly.
Place burghul wheat in a small bowl. Cover with water. Set aside for about 5 minutes until all water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork to separate grains.
In a jug, whisk together the olive oil, white wine vinegar and orange juice to make the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add chicken mixture, chickpeas and salad greens to burghul with dressing. Toss to combine. Serve warm with the crusty bread.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Woman’s Day
recipefinder.msn.co.nz/womans-day-recipes/

CHEESEBURGER STUFFED BAKED POTATOES

3 large russet potatoes, scrubbed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 pound ground beef
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons beef broth
6 ounce can tomato paste
6 tablespoons parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
grated cheese to serve

Heat oven to 450F.
Prick potatoes several times with a fork and place them directly on oven rack. Bake until tender, 45 minutes to an hour.
While potatoes are baking, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook unit slightly translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the beef, stirring to break it up, and cook about 10 minutes, until browned, add the garlic.
Stir in the worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Cook another 5 minutes.
Remove potatoes from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Cut them in half lengthwise. At this point, you could scoop out the flesh, mix with butter and plain yogurt and then fill the shells with the hamburger mixture and potato mixture. I chose to mound the hamburger mixture onto the plain potato and top with the grated cheese, baking until the cheese was melted, about 5 minutes. Either way is delicious.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Parenting Magazine, May 2009
www.parenting.com/recipes

SAUSAGE MINESTRONE and SMASHED PUMPKIN SOUP WITH MASCARPONE and CHICKPEA AND ROSEMARY SOUP and TOMATO WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH PESTO and CREAMY CAULIFLOWER CHOWDER WITH SWISS CHEESE

16 Wednesday Jan 2013

Posted by in Pasta, Soup

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There was a light flurry of snow outside my window this morning, and I was very excited – I love the feeling of warmth and coziness it brings (when I am able to be inside) and the sense of anticipation that our everyday world may soon be covered in a crisp, clean, very cold, white blanket.
The cold weather also turns my thoughts toward one of my cherished comfort foods – soup.
This is often a dish I will make on a Monday night – after a weekend full of rich food and excessive cooking, I love the simplicity of one pan cooking – all of the ingredients thrown in together and allowed to merge and blend into one delicious, flavorful bowl.

SAUSAGE MINESTRONE

8 mild Italian sausages, casings removed
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
4 to 6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (28 ounces) petite diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 zucchini, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
half of a cauliflower, chopped
1 cup small pasta, such as macaroni
grated parmesan cheese

In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add sausages and break up, fry until browned, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.
Drain fat from skillet. Fry onions, carrots, celery, garlic, oregano and salt, stirring until onions are softened, about 7 minutes. Scrape into slow cooker.
Add beans, 5 cups of water, tomatoes, tomato paste, pepper and bay leaf to slow cooker. Stir gently, cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf.
Add zucchini and parsley. Cover and cook on high for 20 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan of boiling salted water, cook cauliflower and pasta for 6 to 8 minutes or until cauliflower is tender and pasta is tender but firm. Drain and add to slow cooker.
Serve with cheese.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Canadian Living
www.canadianliving.com/food/sausage_minestrone.php – Canada

SMASHED PUMPKIN SOUP WITH MASCARPONE

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely ground
2 pounds pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
3 potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 3/4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese

In a medium pot set over low heat, heat the olive oil with the garlic and fennel seeds. Stir often, until seeds are fragrant about 5 minutes.
Turn the heat to medium-high and stir in squash and potatoes. Add enough chicken stock to just cover the vegetables and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally and checking that the vegetables are just submerged.
Once vegetables are tender, remove pot from the heat and mash with a potato masher. The soup should be thick and creamy.
Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with shaved parmesan and a dollop of mascarpone cheese.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Wall Street Journal, January 2011
online.wsj.com/…/SB1000142405274870339660457608818297639…

CHICKPEA AND ROSEMARY SOUP

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus additional for drizzling
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup chicken broth
juice of 1 lemon
salt

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic, rosemary and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until garlic starts to brown, about 1 minute. Add chickpeas and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, let cool slightly.
Blend with an immersion blender until just smooth. Stir lemon juice and salt into soup to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from O Magazine, September 2005
www.oprah.com/food/Chickpea-and-Rosemary-Soup

TOMATO WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH PESTO

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 to 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken stock (add more if you like a thinner style soup)
1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
2 packed cups fresh basil
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add celery, carrots and garlic, cook, stirring until vegetables soften, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add wine, stir to scrape brown bits of bottom of pot. Add stock, beans, tomatoes, bay leaves and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer stirring occasionally, until carrots are very soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
In a blender, puree basil, walnuts, black pepper, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons of water and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.
Remove bay leaves from soup, discard. Use an immersion blender to puree soup.
Divide soup among 4 bowls, dollop each with 1/4 of the pesto, and swirl in.
Enjoy!

CREAMY CAULIFLOWER CHOWDER WITH SWISS CHEESE

1/2 stick butter
1/2 large onion, diced
1 cup celery, chopped
1 1/2 carrots, diced
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup half and half
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon curry powder
10 ounces swiss cheese, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 pound of cauliflower florets

Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large stockpot.
Add the onion, celery and carrots, and sauté until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 1 cup water, broth and half and half.
Heat to a simmer, but do not boil.
Add the pepper, curry powder and cheese and heat, stirring frequently, until the cheese melts.
Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining water. Add to the soup and increase heat to medium. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, or until thickened.
Add the cauliflower, and reduce heat to simmer. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from The Morning News, May 2004