White bean soup

This soup is a great base to many different bean/herb combinations. It’s creamy and soothing and just what you need to warm up on these snowy winter nights or days. Umeboshi vinegar is a delicious salty and tangy seasoning; it gives bean dishes a lift, the perfect finishing touch.

2 cups cannellini or navy beans, soaked overnight
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh sage
4 bay leaves
2 inch piece kombu

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 large cloves garlic, minced
sea salt
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs, like rosemary, thyme and oregano
2 stalks celery, diced
2 carrots, diced
1/2 a medium butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 cup diced green cabbage
black pepper
umeboshi vinegar
few leaves kale, cut in thin ribbons or spinach leaves

Drain and rinse beans then place in a pressure cooker or large pot. Wrap and tie herbs in a piece of cheese cloth or put herbs in a re-usable cloth sashay (these are very handy). Cover beans with 2 inches of filtered water, add the herbs, bay leaves and kombu and bring to a boil. If you are using a pressure cooker, cover and bring to high pressure, lower heat and cook for 40 minutes. Otherwise cover pot, lower heat and simmer until beans are soft and creamy. You may need to add more water to the beans if it evaporates.

Heat olive oil in another medium to large pot over medium-high heat, add onions and saute until translucent. Stir in garlic and a large pinch of sea salt, cook for another couple of minutes. Add the herbs, celery, carrots, squash and cabbage, continue cooking for 5 minutes allowing vegetables to begin to soften. Pour in 1 1/2 cups filtered water and bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are cooked.
Remove lid from the beans and discard herbs, bay leaves and kombu. Pour beans and the cooking liquid into the pot with vegetables. Allow to cook for another 10 minutes or up to 1/2 an hour if you have the time, the beans should create a nice creamy base as they cook. Season with salt, pepper and a dash of umeboshi vinegar. When ready to serve stir in kale or spinach leaves and cook for 2 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8.

Blood orange fennel salad (adapted from rachel eats)

A perfect salad to brighten up a wintery day, the juicy blood oranges are like eating sunshine.

4 blood oranges
1 navel orange
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, reserving fronds
handful black olives
extra virgin olive oil
coarse sea salt, like Maldon

Cut the skin off the oranges, slice horizontally and arrange on a platter. Scatter red onion over the oranges. Remove core from the fennel bulb, thinly slice and layer over red onion. Distribute olives and reserved fennel fronds over salad, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.

Serves 4.