Squash Soup

Warm and comforting.
Filling.
Savory.
Better when made ahead.
Easy.
We’re talkin’ soup here.

We’re firm believers in soup and always include one in our wine club party buffet. We keep it frozen in meal-sized portions when we don’t feel like cooking. And, we confess, we use soup to take care of pantry odds and ends or leftovers that are still good food but, maybe, aren’t so interesting any more on their own.

Whether it’s from leftover or fresh, roasted squash makes all the difference in the delicious but easy to make soup. We’ll apologize up front for being vague with quantities: soup, we think, should be made to your taste. As we say in the Urban Legend manifesto, “trust your palate–it’s all about you.”

We think the same about wine pairing. Grenache Blanc works welll with the slight sweetness of the squash, but so, for that matter, does Barbera. Cuvee Lola accents savory notes.

Turkey Cassoulet

Cassoulet is an iconic dish of Southern France. It’s peasant comfort food, made from whatever ingredients happened to be around—white beans, pork, sausage, slow cooked fowl (a confit if you’re feeling fancy)—and that’s where the arguing begins. Ingredients vary from town to town, and each is convinced that its particular combination is the best.

Cassoulet has a reputation for being difficult to make because of all the steps you might have to take to prepare its many possible ingredients. It couldn’t be simpler, actually, and lends itself well to having its ingredients made ahead and assembled in advance of cooking. In fact, we think it tastes better a day or two after preparation, so savor those leftovers!

Onion Confit Flatbread

Flatbreads make delicious appetizers or light dinners. One of our favorites is dressed with onion confit–deeply caramelized onions that are slowly cooked to a jam-like consistency. Savory and slightly sweet, it is a delicious foil for salty cured meats, tangy cheese, bitter greens, or sweet-tart fruit slices.
Flatbread crusts can anything from homemade pizza crusts to refrigerated or frozen ones. Thin and crispy are our favorites, but a foccacia-like base would be interesting too. Puff pastry is an option. And, if you’re eating gluten free, there are a number of frozen crusts that are delicious.