Addendum. Is that the right word?

So, when I served the apricot soup I just posted (boasted) about I served it with a refreshing crunchy little salad. I hesitated to blog about it only because I hesitated to make it in the first place- enough time to throw it together before the soup is done? no. yes! save it for later. Toss it (in the dressing, not the trash) and serve it! umm...

Ok so I went through with it and was glad I did. The soup and roasted vegetables are fine alone, but a little refreshing salad bite between warm savory bites is good too. I could have served it as a first course but my timing was off.

About Chinese black radishes- first of all, if you can't find them in your local international grocery you can substitute daikon or regular red radishes. I find black radishes to be less spicy and more bitter than the

 red radishes you are used to getting at the grocery or farmer's market. They are considered to be medicinal by many Asian cultures and are said to treat gall bladder and liver problems. Hungry yet? Just know that black radishes are crunchy, spicy/bitter like a good strong mustard and very refreshing. Salt mellows their flavor, and I mix them with shredded apple and orange juice in this salad to tame them a bit.

This salad would also be delicious on top of crostini spread with ripe avocado.

Black Radish and Apple Salad with Orange-Sage Vinaigrette

2 black radishes, peeled*

1 apple, cored and quartered (choose a sweeter, firm variety)

1 orange, washed

1 tbs fresh minced sage

2 tsp honey

olive oil

salt and pepper

1. Zest 1-2 tsp of the orange into a large bowl. Cut the orange in half and squeeze about 1/4 cup of the juice in to the bowl, discarding any seeds. add honey and sage and a sprinkle of salt. Stir until the honey and salt are dissolved. Add 2 tsp. olive oil and stir.

2.Using a box grater or hand held grater, shred the radish and apple onto the vinaigrette and toss. Taste for sweetness, adding a little more honey if desired. (Best if made a couple of hours prior to serving so the flavors can come together)

*note: if you are using conventional radishes you do not need to peel them or shred them; you can simply cut them into thin slices, as they are much more tender than the black radishes.

A persistent challenge, a quiet call to arms.

Such was the presence of a package of dried apricots in my pantry. They were a little drier and more leathery than the dried apricots I prefer to snack on, but a little too orange in the dark of my pantry to ignore. I had a thought: a warm savory soup. I googled "apricot soup" and found a few recipes, mostly armenian in origin, that paired said dried apricots with red lentils and a few spices, some adding a lemon squeeze or dollop of yogurt at the end. I wanted to use buttermilk, thinking how nice the mellow tang would be with the rich sweetness of the meaty apricots. If it were summer I would probably have made an apricot-buttermilk sorbet but I'm glad for the winter's-lure of the soup pot, because this dish is a winner. 

Also on hand that night was a head of cauliflower, some eggplant rescued from the produce bargain-bin, and a jumbo-sized can of chickpeas. And some Chinese black radishes, which I may get to later...

Anyhow, the roasted vegetables (tossed with cumin, toasted 'til crunchy) were the perfect sidekick for the smooth, mellow soup. Don't be afraid of a little fruit in your soup bowl, it's better than a little soup in your fruit bowl, right?

Ha!

Apricot-Buttermilk Soup for a Thursday, for Sharing.

(adapted from The Soup Peddler's Slow and Difficult Soups by David Ansel)

1 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3 small carrots, peeled and chopped

2-3 tsp. dried cumin

1 1/2 cups red lentils

3 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

6-8 ounces dried apricots, chopped

1 cup buttermilk

salt!

1. Heat olive oil in your favorite soup pot. Add onion and carrot and cumin and saute 8-10 minutes, or until the onions begin to turn translucent. Cover and cook for ten minutes.

2. Add the broth, water, lentils and all but about 1/2 cup of the apricots. Bring to a boil and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. (Put the vegetables in the oven as the soup comes to a boil if you are making them.) Add the remaining apricots and remove from heat.

3. Puree the soup in batches in a blender, being careful not to puree more than 3 cups at a time so the consistency stays smooth, and pouring the pureed soup into another large pot. Add buttermilk and stir, taste for salt. reheat gently to serve. Top with roasted chickpeas or homemade pita crisps/croutons for garnish and crunch factor.

Then,

You must make these roasted vegetables! So easy, so tasty! Eat with couscous and a dollop of yogurt, on a spinach salad with orange-cumin vinaigrette and feta, or as a simple side.

Cumin-Roasted Vegetables (especially cauliflower)

1 head cauliflower, washed and cut into 1 inch florets

1 eggplant, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

olive oil

ground cumin

salt and pepper

1. Heat oven to 375. Put vegetables and chickpeas in a large bowl and drizzle with 1-2 Tbs. olive oil. Sprinkle with cumin, a good dose of salt, and freshly ground pepper. Toss until oil and spices are well distributed over vegetables.

2. Spray a baking sheet or two with nonstick spray and pour on the seasoned veg. Spread the vegetables around the pan evenly, making sure they aren't piled on top of each other (the more surface area of the vegetable that is on the searing hot pan, the more caramelization and crunch you'll get). Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until cauliflower is browning on the pan-side and chickpeas are tanned and toasty. Serve warm.