Cauliflower and Brené

So the other day at the store, I about fell out when I saw fresh Hatch chiles just sitting there waiting to be purchased. I can never find Hatch chiles in DC; they're like the Halley's Comet of eastern seaboard produce. 

In any case, next to the chiles were the most spectacular heads of cauliflower. Each one looked like a pearly white bowling ball was nestled in elephantine green leaves. "Fall's a'comin, shoppers!" I swear I heard one call. And so I bought it too. Also some sharp cheddar because Hatch chiles like cheddar and so does my husband.

Although my Tuesday, school's-in-session adrenaline had worn out by early evening, I was hellbent on combining my three delicious foodstuffs into one dish and so made a casserole, the added bonus being I got to unearth and use a lovely dish I rarely employ.

I roasted the peppers on the grill, blanched the cauliflower florets, shredded the cheese, and made buttery-garlicky breadcrumbs from a stale baguette. Happily and knowingly, I tossed things together, layered it into my buttered dish, sprinkled parsley everywhere and generously and baked.

roasted chile skins

Tom walked in as I took it out of the oven, and said, "Now honey, that does not look like anything I would like." True enough as he dislikes cauliflower and peppers, but I told him he best get started on his own dinner then. #amiright?

Naturally I neglected to take a photo of the finished product, but really, it was ugly as sin anyway, so who cares. Casseroles are often unattractive but equally as often, their looks are inversely proportional to their flavor.

I'm just back from hearing Brené Brown present her new book, Rising Strong, and have gone from dress to PJs to last bowl of cauliflower cha-cha in short order. T may not have cottoned to this dish, but it fed me for three really hectic days, so I'll take the short cut, thank you. I think Brené, a 5th-generation Texan who is awesomely funny and authentic and utterly devoid of bullshit, would enjoy it too, and you can bet I'd love to sit with her around my table and laugh, laugh, laugh while keeping it real.

Cheesy, garlicky potato soup

Last night, I wanted, needed, a comfort dinner. I'd had potato soup in mind all day and before I left to pick the boys up at school and head to baseball practice, I roasted a whole pod of garlic just in case. Earlier this year, in testing a recipe for Food 52, I learned just how marvelous lots of roasted garlic pureed into soup is. It lends a subtle heft to the soup's flavor, a unique weightiness of flavor I find divine and satisfying. I use this technique in my Leeky Sunchoke Bisque and now also in the Cheesy, Garlicky Potato Soup that resulted from last night's experiment.

I wanted this soup to have a slight kick, the kind that makes you wonder, "hmm...what is that quiet fire in there?" So, I roasted -on a hot grill- a fresh Hatch chile (a real one! from New Mexico!! one purveyor at the Dupont farmers market brings them in when he visits his daughter out there) as well as a fresh ancho, skinned and seeded them, and later added to my bubbling soup the whole Hatch and about half the ancho as it was more a'blaze with spice than I expected it to be.

This soup took some tweaking: more cheddar than I anticipated as Gruyere alone was just too tame; more crème fraîche; an apple which complemented both the cheddar and the crème fraîche.

Ultimately, it was perfect, a definite keeper and make againer. Bacon lovers should feel free to crumble freshly fried bacon over the top. Smoked salmon would be delicious too. Scallions would make a gorgeous garnish and add a fresh zing to each bite. I could also imagine stirring finely chopped kale into the hot soup minutes before serving.

Beer or hard cider would be wonderful companions though my dry, deft rosé worked beautifully too.

Recipe will be posted ASAP. White soup is a bear to photograph well.