Soup, Fluffy Bread, and Mojitos: A Dysphagia's Dream

Caleb has created a small garden in our living room. It is my favourite place to sit and read surrounded by a forest of greenery with the sun coming in through the window. He collected the plants from roadside stalls and church bazaar sales. I want a basil plant but, oddly, he hasn't stumbled across one yet. He's out garage saling right now so my fingers are crossed. I never know what Caleb might find.

The chives are a great addition to soups and salads but we weren't sure how to make the best use of our mint plant. Last week I found the answer at Irish Times, floating in my glass. My drink was clotted with green leaves, as mint is an integral part the Mojito. I slurped back the remains of my favourite beverage and thought, surely we can do better. (I was a little disappointed in IT's mojito. The mojito at Spinnakers is far tastier.)

We wanted to share our wealth of mint and alcohol, so we rounded up the Canada trip crew (Caleb, Kathleen, Brian, and I) for a Friday night of eats and drinks. Food options will be limited on our cross-Canada trip this summer. All cooking will be done on a propane stove. We have to revel while we can. Although last night we concluded that if Brian had the proper supplies, he could mix mohitos right across the country.

As usual, I was responsible for the food component of our 'Mojito Night.' I've been feeling a bit under the weather. I blame my cold on my new job at P.C.S. as high schools are riddled with germs. Nothing beats a sore throat like a thick soup and so, with the guidance of my Rebar Cookbook, I redrafted a recipe for Yam Peanut Soup, swapping the yams for carrots and potatoes. Naturally I kept the integral ingredient, peanut butter. The results were delicious.

Cooking for Kathleen and Brian is always a challenge. Not because they're particularly fussy. When Brian samples my cooking, his response is so enthusiastic that I become quite certain that I'm the West Coast's answer to Julia Child. Kathleen is the problem. She has a condition called celiac. Her body is unable to digest gluten. In fact, the negative response is so strong that if she eats gluten she is unable to take in the nutritional properties of other foods. Yikes. The worst part is, it (gluten) will cause her to fall asleep almost anywhere (work, school, the shower, etc). It's usually easy to prepare a dinner without gluten but I usually pair soup with bread. I had made a spinach salad but I needed something relatively easy and filling to round out the meal. I turned to Bernard Clayton's Complete Book of Breads which I recently borrowed from the library. In the cornbread section I found a rich but lovely recipe for something called Spoon Bread, a cross between corn bread and souffle. While the bread took longer to bake than it should have due to my tempermental oven, our anticipation heightened the experience. The timer went off for the fourth time and we were finally treated to a cloud of cornmeal, eggs, and cheese hot from the oven.

As I scrambled to complete my miniature masterpiece, Brian downloaded a recipe for Mojitos. When I sat down at the table, I tired and hungry, he slid a cup of goodness, complete with a tiny umbrella, under my nose. After dinner Kathleen produced chocolate tarts from the bakery in Broadmead. They were so good I felt guilty. Dinner with Brian and Kathleen may pose some challenges but these are easily outweighed by the benefits.

The Dinner:

The Drinks
This was Brian's department but here is the recipe he followed:
Mojitos:
1 tsp sugar
2 ounces lime juice
4 mint leaves
2 ounces rum
2 ounces club soda

Mix and enjoy


The Salad
A mix of spinach, red onion, mushrooms and boiled egg topped with an orange poppy seed dressing. The was the first time I tired this dressing. I probably won't make it again.


The Soup
5 cups vegetable stock (Use water if you haven't prepared stock)
Red or yellow onion
salt
ginger, minced or powdered
garlic (about 4 cloves)
cumin
coriander
cayenne pepper
red pepper (one or half)
two medium potatoes chopped
five cups (aprox) chopped carrots
half a cup orange juice or pineapple juice (I used orange)
a couple tomatoes
1/2-1/3 c. peanut butter, depending on your taste
chopped fresh cilantro
a splash of lime or lemon juice
a splash of Tabasco

Remember, you can change the amounts and the veggies used.

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil. Add some salt and the rest of the spices. Cook until the onions are soft. Add the veggies. Saute until the veggies start to stick to the pan. Add stock to cover. Simmer until the veggies are tender.

Add the juice, tomatoes, peanut butter, and more stock (if necessary) and simmer for 1/2 an hour. Puree the soup. Return to the pot and return to a simmer for about 10 min. Season with Tabasco. Add any extra flavouring if needed, such as more salt or juice. Just before serving, add a splash of lemon juice and chopped cilantro.

Voila!


The Bread
Spoon Bread

3/4 cornmeal
1 and 1/2 cups water
1 and 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/4 c. butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
4 eggs, separated

In a saucepan, stir cornmeal into water. Heat over medium heat. Remove from heat once it begins to thicken. This will happen quite quickly once it begins. Stir in cheese, butter, garlic, and salt. When cheese is melted, pour in milk. Stir in the egg yolks.

Beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold into the batter.

Pour mixture into a 2-quart casserole dish. Make sure the batter is even

Bake for about one hour at 325. Test for doneness by slipping a knife into the center. The knife should come out clean. If not, bake for anther ten minutes.

Serve right away! You will need a spoon to scoop servings out of the pan.