Thanksgiving Hotline

Thanksgiving Hotline

• recipe: creamy white bean and kale soup Mon, 18 Nov 2024 23:44:59 GMT https://carmeninthegarden.substack.com/p/thanksgiving-hotline fall harvest basket (watch on instagram and tiktok )

Mark Your Calendars I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be co-hosting a LIVE Thanksgiving Hotline right here on Substack with and ! Mark your calendars for this Wednesday, November 20, 7–8 p.m. ET—it’s going to be a fun, interactive hour of Thanksgiving tips, tricks, and advice. To join in, simply download the Substack app on your phone, and you’ll get a notification when the live session begins. Don’t miss it!

Carmen in the Garden is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

My Dream Thanksgiving Menu I’m off the hook for hosting Thanksgiving this year—my in-laws are taking the reins, and the theme is none other than Ina Garten. Each of us is tasked with bringing an Ina-inspired dish, and I’m leaning toward her green beans gremolata and cornbread stuffing . It feels very fun . Over the years, I’ve cooked my fair share of Ina’s recipes (her lasagna is my ultimate favorite and also on my meal-prep list for my sister’s postpartum meals).

That said, I’ve hosted Thanksgiving in the past and picked up a few ideas along the way. My recipes tend to fill the gaps in a traditional menu—think non-alcoholic drinks, appetizers, and desserts. As for turkey? I don’t roast it often enough to hand you a perfectly tested recipe. But if I were to host my dream Thanksgiving, here’s how it would go:

Appetizer: Phyllo cups with herb ricotta, caramelized onion, and fig jam

Drinks: Pali Wine Co.’s Huntington Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, and Sparkling Rosé of Pinot Noir, plus a cozy apple rosemary mocktail .

Sides: classic celery stuffing and green beans , plus my Big Brassica Salad .

Turkey: Smoked! We’ve used the same recipe three times , and it’s a winner. It frees up oven space, keeps the bird out of the house, and the smoked gravy from the drippings is next-level.

Desserts: Salted caramel pumpkin pie with a pretzel crust —salty, sweet perfection.

Breakfast (the morning of): A croissant bake , because carbs are the only way to start a day of feasting.

Between now and the big day, I might whip up a few last-minute recipes. (There’s always room for one more dish, right?) As this letter hits your inbox, we’re officially in the less-than-two-weeks-to-go zone.

Creamy White Bean and Kale Soup I, too, morph into a full-fledged soup enthusiast the moment the temperature dips below 70 degrees in Los Angeles. There’s something about soup season that feels like a personality trait. And let’s talk legumes for a moment—the culinary underdog where the humble bean hangs out alongside fava beans, peas, green beans, and their pals. Legumes are not just pantry heroes; they’re also a gardener’s dream, enriching soil through nitrogen fixation. But wait—wasn’t this about soup? Sorry, got sidetracked.

This particular soup came about to complement sweet potatoes from Justine Cooks , the debut cookbook by Justine Doiron. If you love vegetable-forward cooking, this book is a must. It’s a big, warm welcome to the veggie lovers out there. While this soup hardly needs a formal recipe (it’s almost too simple for that), I’ve made a few tweaks and choices that feel worth sharing in today’s newsletter.

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 celery stalks, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

1 large bunch of kale, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped

2 cans (15 oz each) white beans (cannellini or Great Northern beans), drained and rinsed

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup heavy cream

Bouquet garni of thyme, bay leaf, and rosemary tied in cooking twine

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for a bit of heat)

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Lemon wedges, for garnish

Fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots, and sauté until softened, about 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Stir in the white beans, vegetable broth, bouquet garni, and red pepper flakes (if using). Season with salt and black pepper.

Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the carrots to become tender.

Remove the bouquet garni and stir in the heavy cream and cook on low for another 5 minutes. For a thicker, creamier texture, blend a portion of the soup with an immersion blender or transfer about a third to a blender or food processor, then return it to the pot.

Stir in the chopped kale and cook for 3-5 minutes until it just wilts and turns vibrant green.

Stir in the lemon juice. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Ladle into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and enjoy warm.

Share

Subscribe now