I began with a bike trip down to the Seine, and met my friend Brendan at one of Paris’ few quality coffee shops. Brendan is a budding buddy who loves wine and land, an American who loves France married to a French girl who loves America. We meet, sometimes with our chef friend Jono, to listen to the Lord and discuss and scheme in the realm of food, wine, and agriculture.
After praying and plotting and Brendan, there was yet much to be done. I hopped on the Metro, got off at the tip-top of Belleville, and walked past Chinese grocers and Arab épiceries to Kiwizine. There’s a new DTS (discipleship training school) on, and they need help, so I’ll be spending a couple hours each Wednesday making lunch for the group of 30 that make up the school and the YWAM-Paris team. Today, may I recommend the recipes I used? Both were delicious and complementary on such a wintry day. We added country French bread and goat cheese on the side for a little extra substance.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND APPLE SOUP
[makes 8-9 cups]
6 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 pound boiling potatoes
2 medium Granny Smith apples
1 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 1/2 to 4 cups)
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken stock or broth
2 to 2 1/2 cups water
- Cook bacon in a 6-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, reserving 2 tablespoons fat in pot. (Add vegetable oil if your bacon is very lean and doesn't yield enough fat.)
- Cook celery, carrot, and onion in fat in pot over low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add cinnamon and cook, uncovered, stirring, 1 minute.
- While vegetables are cooking, peel potatoes and coarsely chop. Peel and core apples and coarsely chop.
- Stir squash, potato, chopped apple, stock, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper into onion mixture, then simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
- Puree soup (Add additional 1/2 cup water to thin, if necessary.)
- Serve soup topped with sour cream and bacon.
[serves 12]
2 1/2 cups boiling water
2 cups oats
1 cup butter (use ½ applesauce to lighten it)
4 eggs
3 cups flour (you can sub half of this for another flour; I used spelt)
2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups brown sugar
zest and juice of ½ orange
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- Pour boiling water over oats and let stand 20 minutes.
- Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Blend in orange zest and juice, eggs and oats mixture. Mix well.
- Combine flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add to creamed mixture. Mix well.
- Pour mixture into a baking pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Not for long! Sarah was waiting for me down the road, so off I went, for a beer and a square of chocolate in a quite French bar with a bright red storefront and suns and moons tiled on the floor.
Once we’d debriefed our last couple of weeks and dreamed a good bit about our upcoming vacations, Sarah and I set off for a tea shop down the street. The shop owner welcomed us with steaming cups of oolong and opened tin after tin of tempting rooibos blends to tickle our noses. Our visit was quick, but we both felt oddly comforted and soothed by the delightful smells of the teas.
As men, women, and children returned home in the light rain, Sarah and I mounted six flights of stairs to our friends’ apartment, where Sarah prepared a dinner of Picard frozen coucous with vegetables, and we enjoyed a good chunk of time together in the presence of the Lord.
Then, bike. Home. Blog. Bed.
Awesome!!!
ReplyDeleteI love it:)