Buttery-nut (winter version)

It was absolutely disgusting outside today. It wasn't that cold, but it was raining steadily. I slipped and fell in my driveway and it kind of set the tone for feeling waterlogged all day. I knew I had to make soup at some point. As you may remember, I made my Italian style butternut squash soup in the fall, using pancetta and sage. Here's the winter version:

Butternut squash, kale and chipotle stew

-2 lbs. butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into small pieces

-2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock

-1 lb. kale, stems removed and chopped

-1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped

-2-3 cloves garlic, peeled

-1 leek, sliced in half lengthwise, rinsed and cut into 1/2" pieces

-2 15 oz. cans white beans

-Either 2 chipotle peppers, stems removed (and seeds too depending on how hot you want the stew to be) or chipotle hot sauce to taste

-1/2 lb. chicken or veggie sausage, cooked and cooled, cut into 1/2" slices

-Olive oil

-Salt and pepper

-Queso fresco or mild cheddar for serving

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot. Finely mince garlic and add it, leeks and the onion. Sweat vegetables for a few minutes, then add the butternut squash pieces. Cook for several minutes until the squash softens, and then add chicken stock, white beans and sausage. Season with a little salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 45 minutes-1 hour until squash is very tender. Add kale and chipotles. When kale is wilted, soup is ready. Top with some grated cheese to balance the spice.

This one's for GJ

My dad is affectionately known as "Gourmet John" for his love of and skill at cooking, or GJ for short. He's made up all kinds of wonderful recipes over the years, and this week, I put a twist on one of my favorites (and named it - it used to be known as "that dish with the turkey and spaghetti sauce and cheese on the mushrooms"). It's simple to make and so good:

Portobellos GJ

Serves 4

-4 portobello mushroom caps, stems removed and wiped clean

-1 bag frozen organic spinach

-1 jar of marinara sauce (or homemade if you can, about 3-4 cups)

-1 lb. ground turkey breast

-1 fresh ovoline mozzarella, sliced into 1/2" thick pieces

-1/2 tsp. oregano (fresh or dried)

-1 yellow bell pepper, cut into chunks

-Extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper

Brush mushrooms with olive oil and set aside. Heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and brown turkey. Add sauce, oregano, yellow pepper and a little salt and pepper and reduce heat. Let simmer until peppers are tender. Add spinach and cook until thawed and incorporated into the sauce. Place slices of mozzarella directly on top of the sauce and let them melt. Remove from heat.

Heat a grill pan (or a grill, if you're lucky enough to have one!) and grill mushroom caps until they release their juices and you've got some good grill marks going. Time will vary depending on where you cook them. When they're done, plate 1 per person, topped with about a cup of the turkey-sauce-mozzarella mixture.

Just for the halibut

Happy New Year! I apologize for being away for so long. I made this halibut about a week ago as a counterbalance to all of the heavy holiday foods. It's springy for this time of year, but just delicious.

Halibut with leeks

Serves 2

One 1/2 lb. piece of halibut, skinned and cut into 2 1/4 lb. fillets

1 leek

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon

2 pieces of prosciutto, trimmed of fat (optional)

Fresh parsley to garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Rinse fish and pat dry. Prepare leek by cutting off tough green top and removing roots, then slicing vertically. Rinse leek while holding pieces together (so that they don't fall apart. Leeks can be gritty so it's important to rinse thoroughly). Drain and chop into 1/2" half-moons. Heat olive oil in a skillet (make sure it has an ovenproof handle) over medium heat. Add garlic and leeks and cook until lightly browned. Make wells in the pan and add fish. Sear on both sides (about 3-4 minutes/side), then place pan in the oven until fish is cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. If using prosciutto, place 1 piece on each fillet before putting the fish into the oven. Either way, remove fish and zest lemon over fillets, then squeeze juice over and serve.