The Soup Salad Combo

I am usually shocked when people order the soup salad combo for dinner at restaurants.  Not sure why.  Boring? Too healthy? Not glutinous enough? These judgments of mine make no sense.  In fact, to battle my soup-saladism I am eating that very thing for dinner TONIGHT! Check it.

Smokey Miso Squash Puree and a hearty salad with greens, white beans, toasted walnuts, sundried tomatoes, water chestnuts, shredded carrots, pimento-stuffed olives and a creamy tomato-flax dressing

~The soup~

contains: roasted butternut squash with salt, pepper, olive oil and maple syrup

1 leek, sliced

1 shallot, roughly chopped

3 cloves of garlic

white wine

1 tsp chili powder, spicy

a small splash of liquid smoke

white pepper

5 cups of water with 4 tablespoons of white miso dissolved

1 can of coconut milk

I am all about the dutch oven for soups and really anything lately.  Saute the leeks and shallot in some olive oil for 10 minutes over medium-low heat in the d.o, add the garlic and continue to cook for 5 more minutes.  Turn the heat up and splish splash some white wine in there, let cook off for a minute.  Then add your roasted squash, chili powder, some white pepper, smoke, and the miso broth.  The dutch oven is so super hot that this should come to a boil really quickly.  Remove from heat and puree with the stick.  As you are pureeing, Slowly add the coconut milk, saving a little for the end.  Return to heat, and cook through for just a minute.  Add salt and pepper if necessary.  When ready to serve, swoop in with some of that extra coconut milk and go latte art on that shit.  Granted, I couldn't make a leaf or anything, the coconut swirls look nice. 

I really love this flavor combination.  The miso goes well with the leeks and char-roasted squash.  The coconut really ties it together I think.  For some reason, this soup is extremely fluffy, it's awesome.  Also, it tastes strangely candy-like probably from the caramelized maple syrup when I roasted the squash and then also because of the coconut milk and weird tanginess of miso.  Approved!

~The Salad~

contains:

Spring Mix, Baby Spinach, aforementioned goodies, and a yummy tomato-flax dressing I've been making.

Tomato puree or sauce, grape seed oil, champagne vinegar, lemon juice, tahini, braggs, ground flax, Italian seasoning, black pepper

Alright soup-salad, you win. This was great!

Popcorn for dessert?? Peace out. Let's all be grateful that we don't live in Arizona.

love, jp