Because my husband is not always poking for meatless, I often experiment with vegetarian recipes in his absence and I taste before seeing if they will please his picky palette. For example, I cooked Jannekes Knolselderij-Erwtensoep with rosemary croutons and black-bang oil. Her recommendation ‘so rich in taste that no meat eater can miepen about it’ was right. I followed the recipe and a velvety winter soup was the result. I used bouillon tablets from Funghi Porcini, lung a little with boiling water after puree and sprinkled richly with croutons. The infusion of black garlic lifted the dish to gastronomic height and the garlic litter gave a spicy color accent. The soup is comforting winters and has – oh wonder! – A slight undertone of smoked sausage – Moody meat eaters will be amazed. I recommend the soup bowls for use to rinse with boiling water: thick soups cool down quickly and then a preheated bowl is nice.
Hélène Vlessing