Sometimes I feel that my most beautifully presented dishes are made when I don’t have access to a camera. Today I made a recipe from “Twist of the Wrist” by Nancy Silverton from Le Brea Bakery.
It showcases “not-from-scratch” meals made with quality pre-prepared canned and jarred goods. It also, fortunately, has some really beautiful culinary photography. For a work-related project I fallowed her recipe for Butternut Squash Soup with Sauteed Farro, Pancetta, wilted spinach, and pumpkin seed oil.
Here are the changes I made
-I made my own butternut squash soup by roasting the butternut with duck fat and fresh ground cumin seed. Then Pureeing with roast onion, and some dry white wine vinegar.
-instead of using canned prepared Farro I cooked the dried Farro we carry at the deli (with a 1 to 2.5 grain to water ratio) , and once it was cooked I sauteed it with our sun-dried garlic rather than using fresh minced garlic.
-Insteed of kosher salt I used our Welsh Halen Mon salt.
-I used the acorn addition pancetta from La Quercia.
As soon as it was prepared I rushed it all to the deli to be enjoyed by my coworkers. Once it was plated with a drizzle of pumpkin seed oil it was one of the most beautiful dishes I have ever made; it tasted absolutely delicious. It was the perfect fall dish. Sadly, my camera was out of juice, and the moment was not captured for all.
But here’s a picture of a pretty kitchen thing in its place. Inspired by my coffee tasting class today, and by my desire to learn how to pull a perfect shot of espresso.
Oh little retro espresso machine. You are to lovely for words.
