Books by the old Leather Chair

  • Snow In The Summer
  • My Bible
  • The Power of Silence
  • What Comes Next and to Like It
  • Encore Provence
  • A Year in Provence

Monday, May 7, 2012

White Bean, Risotta, Sausage and Eggplant Soup

Oh my
what a wonderful soup.
This was on the menu on my last trip to the big city at my special Provence.
The moment I saw eggplant
I wondered what it would taste like and could not wait to try.
Not disappointed.
So an Eggplant and sausage was purchased along with the Risotto
the rest of the ingredients I keep on hand.
Anyone that reads my recipes know I do not go into quantities.
Just chop away for your delight.

I even made a call to the chef to compliment him on this soup and
ask if the small pieces of red was red pepper.

The basics I have on hand to chop.

Carrots, celery, onion, red pepper and a small potato
2 cans of white beans drained or you could cook dried beans.
Peeled and chopped eggplant.

All but well cooked beans and risotta  are  simmered in olive oil with a little garlic.
Then in a larger pan add the beans and ingredients that have been simmering in
olive oil, 2 cans of beans and  vegetable broth or your own if you have on hand.

Cook sausage in a separate pan, chop and add to soup mixture.
Could not find what was recommended and just bought a spicy sausage.

Add risotto at this time and simmer about 20 to 25 minutes
I am going to add some fresh chopped Thyme.

When I ladle in my bowl will top with with a  little Cilantro or Parsley or both from my herb garden..

Crusty bread will be great with this soup.

The eggplant is in a bowl on my kitchen counter  along with a butternut squash.   Both ready for me to make soup.  Want to try this new one very soon and it may be today....

Oh something else they have that is wonderfully displayed along with other wonders,
that I will not attempt to make
 one of their specialities
Chocolate Eclairs  to die for....

My trips to the big city are so few and far between and would be worth going
more often just to sit in this little cafe and enjoy the excellent food and enjoy
the people watching.

Always a  mixture of college students, executives, moms, teenagers,
tourist and some older "like me."
A lot are sitting at the small tables with their lap tops.
Not me ---
my time on computer is at dawn in the country.
 Never would it take place in a wonderful cafe with the great scents
coming out of the kitchen.

4 comments:

mermaid said...

I think I will remember to let my senses be dazzled next time at a cafe rather than checking email or texting on my phone.

Your recipe sounds scrumptious.

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Kaveri, thank you. I made the soup today :) plus a fudge cake that I put in freezer for Mother's
Day visitors....

Sky said...

hmmmm...i bet there have been several times along the way when wonderful aromas floated on the air from your kitchen where delicious food was simmering while you sat nearby checking your mail! :) in fact, i imagine your kitchen fragrances are as seductively delightful as any cafe in nashville! love this post and will keep this soup in mind when we are looking for something different. sounds yummy!

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Sky, thank you...