caramelized fennel soup

If it didn't sound stupid, we probably would have called this French fennel soup. But it did; so, we didn't. This soup is prepared in exactly the same fashion as a traditional onion, with the obvious substitution.  Whether it is the onion or the fennel (which we highly recommend), this is a recipe that everyone should have in their kitchen repertoire. Perfect for long grey days, and cold, cold nights.

• 4 cups fennel
• 1/2 stick butter
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons flour

Add fennel, bay leaf, salt, and butter to a large heavy pot. Cook slowly over medium heat, stirring frequently (reduce heat if it starts to get too brown), until fennel is soft and deep brown, about 30 minutes. Add flour, mix to combine. Add wine, scraping up any brown bits. Add stock, soy, thyme, and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 20-30 minutes, letting the flavors come together.

Serve with toast, and broiled cheese (gruyere, parmesan).

honey yogurt panna cotta + grapefruit, blood orange and thyme

It's always nice when we have ingredients chosen for us to work with. Even the most creative people need a push now and then. So, we were quite excited when the fine folks at Chobani asked us to come up with a recipe using their yogurt. Given that it is -1,000,000 outside, I cannot honestly say that yogurt was really on our radar right now. Well, not unless it was topping some sort of giant hunk of braised meat (which is also not a bad idea). However, since the fine print did specify "healthy", we had to take our excitement in a different direction.

Yes, we do realize that panna cotta is not exactly anyone's first thought when they hear the word "healthy", but that shouldn't stop you from trying. We opted for honey, instead of sugar for sweetness, and other than a small amount of cream to balance it out, this recipe definitely falls into a category you can feel pretty good about.

The great thing about this recipe is that it is so versatile. Because the predominant flavor is still the yogurt, you can top it with just about anything you'd like. Given that it is in season (and because it is delicious), we chose citrus and thyme; but any combination of curds, crumbles, fruit, and nuts will do. There is really no wrong answer here. The possibilties go on, and on; and the recipe is a cinch to make, so what's not to like? Healthy(ish), simple, delicious. Even though it sounds like a tag-line from some awful cooking show, it totally holds up, so I'm not taking it back. Seriously, just make some, you'll get it.

greek yogurt panna cotta

• 2 Tb grapefruit juice
• 1 1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 tsp blood orange zest
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tsp. clear vanilla
• 2 individual containers plain Chobani greek yogurt
• blood orange segment
• grapefruit segments
• thyme

Put grapefruit juice in small bowl, sprinkle with gelatin. Let stand until gelatin softens, about 10 minutes. In medium saucepan, heat cream, zest, and honey, over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Add gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin dissolves completely. Remove from heat, let cool slighly. Fold in vanilla, and yogurt until well combined. Portion pana cotta into desired serving cups (4-6oz is best). It is a good idea to spray them with a small amount of neutral oil to prevent sticking if you wish to invert them for presentation. Let chill 3-4 hours, until totally set. Serve with citrus, and thyme (or whatever the heck you want).