Invention

From inside, it looked like a warm summer day.  When I met my friend at the park, however, I realized that it was bitter cold and blustery, despite the clear blue sky and warm sunshine.  Our walk warmed me up a bit, but I got chilled again as I watched my son run around the play structure afterwards.

I needed hot soup, stat.

If necessity is the mother of invention, I’d have to say that this particular brainchild came out just fine.  I’d just simmered a Triple S chicken carcass for a couple of hours yesterday, so I had plenty of lovely stock.  I looked in the freezer for an appropriate meat base, but all I could find was some Triple S bulk breakfast sausage.  I wasn’t really sure what I’d been thinking on that one—I can’t remember the last time I had sausage for breakfast—but it would fit the bill now.  I had just bought four $1 organic “baby bella” mushroom (8 ounce) packages, knowing that meant they would need to be used up right away.  "Baby bella" mushrooms are actually crimini mushrooms, and are quite good for you, as mushrooms go.  I cleaned them and quartered them, including the stem.  I chopped two medium-sized onions, then shredded three giant Blue Moon Farm carrots (making about a cup and a half of shredded carrots).

I had recently seasoned my cast iron “cauldron”.  I had been recently noticing black flaking off the cooking surface, so I knew it was time.  Seasoning requires a very hot oven (450 or 500 degrees), some oil which can withstand very high temperatures (peanut, grape seed and coconut come to mind, but there are others; check labels), and time.  The result is an almost non-stick surface, minus the Teflon.  This was perfect for browning my pound of breakfast sausage, then adding in my onions and shredded carrots to sauté for a few minutes.  After that, the mushrooms were added in.  At this point, you couldn’t say that they were sautéing, but the mushrooms changed color a bit, and added some moisture to the mixture.  After all the mushrooms were no longer white, I added a half a cup of flour and cooked for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly.  The flour took up all the spare liquid, and all the vegetables were coated (much like my roux in the gumbo).  I added a half a cup of pinot grigio that was threatening to pack up to move to warmer climes, and a scant half-gallon jar of chicken stock, poured through a strainer to remove the top layer of fat.  Thyme, you ask?  But, of course!  A couple of teaspoons seemed to be the right amount.  I added a pinch of rosemary for good measure, and some of my favorite gourmet garlic salt.  The whole thing came to a boil, and then simmered for 30 minutes.  I added a half a cup of heavy cream at the end (which is, of course, optional), and could hardly wait to taste it.

By this time, I was thoroughly warmed up and didn’t really need the soup, but it seemed a nice way to end a lovely day outside.  I was also anxious to post this recipe; most of my past inventions have never been repeated, as I never write them down.  This one I can make again, on another chilly day.