One factor that pushed me into making an actual "new meal" this week was that I was running short of work-appropriate leftovers (i.e., those that can be either microwaved or eaten cold). I hardly ever purchase lunch, which satisfies a desire to not spend all my disposable income on so-so burritos and is a convenient market for all of my dinner extras. Since a quick glance in the fridge told me I'd need more lunch material by the end of the week, back to the kitchen go I.
I have already expressed a love of soups both verbally and in sheer number of posts that have been devoted to them. I'm definitely going through a soup phase. This is partially fed by acquiring Vegetable Soups, which I cannot praise highly enough. But I think it also feeds into the urge to really *understand* what makes a pretty simple formula tick: how can veg, beans, grains, and dairy live together in brothy harmony? Beans and whole grains especially are really getting me excited. I even placed an order with Rancho Gordo for some heirloom varieties.
Yes, beans can be a real pain in the ass to cook from scratch - but I've taken a multi-day approach that seems to be working well. If I want a bean soup on Wednesday night, I soak the beans Monday night, simmer them for an hour or more Tuesday night, and by Wednesday all I need to do is throw them in the pot with the rest of the soup stuff. I even let the pot just sit out on the stove (covered, minus any aromatics) in the in-between. Not exactly high maintenance.
So here we go: white bean soup with kale, farro and a can of tomatoes for good measure. I finished it off with croutons, parm, and a bit of drizzled olive oil.
No comments:
Post a Comment