Well it just sounds good doesn’t it, sunshine and soup.  And that’s what we had on the first belly of August, with a slightly worn out (post Byron Bay Writers Festival)  Sister T and the wonderful novelist Charlotte Wood in the belly kitchen, talking food writing and a lovely sunny inspiring festival.  We were joined for in season goodness by Miss August, Alison Drover, “wrapped up like a strudel” (many layers).  And yes we talked soup, because the nights are still cold enough to enjoy, in Charlotte’s words, the solace of soup.

 

Charlotte Wood is the author of several beautiful novels, The Submerged Cathedral, Pieces of a Girl, The Children, & Animal People, & has edited the collection of stories Brothers & Sisters. She is now working on her next novel, but her last book is a collection of essays on food and cooking, and simple recipes, called “Love and Hunger – thoughts on the gift of food”. She has just been a guest on several panels at the 2012 Byron Bay Writers Festival. She was the special guest with the wonderful Gail Jones last Saturday in Byron at a dinner entitled ‘Australian literary treasures’.

 

 

 

SPICY MUSSEL BISQUE RECIPE – by Charlotte Wood

 

from “Love & Hunger : Thoughts on the gift of food”, Allen & Unwin 2012

 

Adapted from Jared Ingersoll’s crab bisque recipe.

 

Serves 4

 

1 teaspoon each cumin, caraway and coriander seeds

1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

150 ml vegetable oil

1 & 1/2 large red capsicums, seeded and chopped

4 cloves garlic, squashed

2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 stick celery, roughly chopped (It may be worth peeling this first if you can be bothered

1 medium fennel bulb, roughly chopped

1 red onion, chopped

1/3 cup soft brown sugar

Pinch chilli flakes

Salt and pepper

1.5 kg black (or ‘blue’) mussels

1 large glass white wine

600 ml chicken stock ( I use homemade – if you use packaged, omit seasoning the soup until the last minute, if necessary)

1/2 bunch coriander, leaves and stem separated

Crusty bread, to serve

Optional : 2 tablespoons harissa – I love Yalla harissa and keep a pot of it in the freezer for digging into it to add extra kick to all kinds of dishes. If you don’t want this or can’t find it, you could perhaps double the spice mix and chilli at the beginning for some extra kick.

 

1. Preheat oven to 180 C.

2. Toast the spices in a dry frying pan until fragrant, then grind in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.

3. Heat a deep roasting tin in the oven or on the stove top and, when hot, add the oil and all the vegetables except coriander leaves.

4. Sprinkle the spices over the vegetables with the sugar, chilli flakes and seasoning, and mix well. Roast in a moderate oven for about 1 hour.

5. Meanwhile, scrub and de-beard the mussels, then place in a covered pan with a big glass of white wine and simmer over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the mussels are opened. Remove them from the pan to cool, reserving the cooking liquid. When the shells are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the shells and set aside.

6. When the vegetables are soft, smell good and are a little coloured, remove from oven. Transfer the vegetables and the mussel meat into the large bowl of a food processor and puree until smooth – or keep it coarse if you prefer a more rustic texture.

7. In a sizable pot add the stock to the mussel cooking liquid, then add the puree and simmer gently for about 15 minutes.

8. Add the chopped coriander leaves and harissa if using, stir to combine, and serve with crusty bread.

 

PHARMACY IN A BOWL SOUP RECIPE – by Charlotte Wood

 

from “Love & Hunger : Thoughts on the gift of food”, Allen & Unwin 2012

 

Serves 8

 

Feed this to anyone who has a cold – they will feel better instantly.

 

Olive oil

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 brown onion, finely chopped

2 small red chillies, finely chopped

1 stick celery, finely chopped

1 leek, finely chopped

1/4 white cabbage, finely chopped

1 red capsicum, roughly chopped

3 carrots, roughly chopped

3 litres chicken or vegetable stock

1 head broccoli, roughly chopped

1 x 400g. can tomatoes

1 cup Puy lentils

Salt and pepper

Grated parmesan, to serve

 

1. Saute’ the garlic, onion, chilli, celery, leek, cabbage, capsicum and carrots in batches in the oil until well browned.

2. Put the chicken stock in a big pot on the stove and bring to the boil, tossing in all the sauteed ingredients.

3. Add broccoli and tomatoes, and simmer until all vegetables are tender.

4. Reserving stock, remove vegetables with a slotted spoon and puree in a food processor or blender until smooth (or roughly blended, depending on how rustic you like your texture).

5. Return pureed vegetables to stock and add lentils. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until lentils are tender (more if you want them falling apart). Season well with salt and pepper.

6. Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan.