When I was a wee bonnie lass, I tolerated raw carrots, but cooked carrots were the kiss of death to my usually robust appetite. In fact, since MauiJim shares my aversion, I began to experiment tenuously with cooked carrots only recently. I usually saute them quickly or add them at the last minute to preserve their crunchy texture.

However, carrot bisque is an exception. The carrots need to be fully tender in order to liquefy them in a blender. And because they are quite sweet by nature, especially when they are young and freshly dug, I treat them in a similar fashion to yams, sweet potatoes, and butternut squash.

That is, I balance their sweetness with an acid of some sort. In this bisque, I add a goodly amount of tomatoes, stopping just short of actually being able to discern their presence in the brew. You can’t identify them, but they add color, depth, and much needed tartness.

Red wine vinegar brings the various elements into perfect balance and a generous scoop of Umami Pesto takes the entire enterprise to new flavor heights. The only carrot soup I know of that can match the glory of this bisque is Heirloom Carrot Soup with Lemon Verbena, Spearmint & Garlic Gremolata.

If you haven’t tried it yet, there is no better time. The local farmers markets are overflowing with young, freshly dug carrots. Even I can’t resist them any longer.

If you think you dislike cooked carrots, either of these soups will make a convert out of you. I know this is true, because MauiJim, King of Cooked Carrot Avoiders, BEGS for these soups. And even when I remind him that they are comprised primarily of cooked carrots, he still insists that I make them for him. Wonders never cease.

TERM NOTE   This soup is a bisque, rather than a soup or chowder, because the majority of the vegetables are pureed, rather than left in chunks. Because of this difference in technique, a bisque typically has a thicker base than either a soup or chowder.

INGREDIENT NOTE   Hopefully, you read my earlier post, Umami Potion #9, and have a cup or so of Umami Pesto in the frig waiting to be put to good use.

Sweet Carrot Bisque with Umami Pesto

This carrot bisque is not a one-flavor-note wonder. It is balanced with two acidic notes (tomatoes and red wine vinegar) and given depth with Umami Pesto. And yet, the carrots the still the star. So be sure to buy the very freshest carrots you can find, preferably from your local farmers market.

4 tablespoons cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups chopped)
1 head garlic, each clove peeled and trimmed of stem
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional

2 pounds large, sweet carrots, preferably heirloom carrots, peeled, and coarsely chopped
1 pound peeled, seeded, chopped tomatoes with juice (or 14.5 ounce can)
6-7 cups low-salt chicken or vegetable stock, divided

½ cup Umami Pesto
1 cup cream
fine sea salt, to taste

Garnish
Umami Pesto
sour cream (plus more for passing around)
slivered fresh chives

1. Prepare the Umami Pesto. Reserve.
2. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil and slowly cook the onions and garlic, without browning, until very soft, about 15 minutes
3. Add the vinegar and crushed red pepper, and reduce to a tablespoon or so of liquid.
4. Add the carrots, tomatoes, and 6 cups of stock.
5. Bring to a simmer. Partially cover, and simmer slowly until the carrots are very tender, about 15 minutes.
6. Remove the soup from the heat, let cool somewhat, and then carefully ladle into a blender in batches. Liquefy each batch, leaving some texture, and return to a clean soup pot.
7. Reheat the soup, and add the Umami Pesto and cream, stirring to combine. If needed, add the remaining 1 cup (or more) of stock to achieve a medium consistency.
8. Season to taste with salt.
9. Ladle the hot soup into wide-rimmed bowls and garnish each with Umami Pesto, sour cream, and a sprinkle of chives. Pass additional sour cream at the table, so guests can add more to their liking. I like lots.

Makes 4-6 servings.

This past Saturday, I walked through the Seattle University District Farmers Market with–gasp–no goal. I let the season’s bounty and the culinary muses set the agenda. The muses, aroused by my atypical lack of planning, whispered sweet nothings in my ear: “cherries, cherries, cherries.”

Luckily, several growers’ tables were piled high with sweet cherries (Bings, Rainiers, and Chelans) and one grower had oh-so-hard-to-find Montmorency pie cherries as well. But at $10 a pound, I will plan what to make with these, perhaps next week.

In the meanwhile, the sweet cherries were selling for between $5 and $7 a pound, depending on the grower. The Bings were particularly sweet with a nice balancing acidity, so they were any easy choice.

Next, my nose found its way to an overflowing basket of freshly picked spearmint. It was a short hop from that purchase to a handful of basil–and a cherry and herb salad began to take shape.

The pea vines were intended for another dish. However, when I saw the pretty crimson cherries (now pitted and halved) on the plates, glistening with creamy lime vinaigrette, I couldn’t help thinking that a bit more green was needed. So I tasted the pea vines with the cherries. Voila! Just what the muses had in mind all along.

Sweet Cherry & Pea Vine Salad with Basil & Mint & Creamy Lime Vinaigrette

This is a far cry from the fruit salads I knew as a kid–dessert-like affairs with shredded coconut and miniature marshmallows. It is a rather recent revelation to me how spectacular berries and fruit can be as components in savory salads. It was pure happenstance that brought together sweet cherries and pea vines in this recipe. I like the flavor pairing so much that I added pea vines to the margin under Cherries in my copy of The Flavor Bible.

Creamy Lime Vinaigrette
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup not overly pungent extra virgin olive oil (or half EVO and half canola oil)
4 teaspoons sugar
pinch salt

2 pounds fresh sweet cherries (Bings, Rainiers, or Chelans)
large handful tender pea vines (or other tender salad greens)
2 tablespoons finely slivered fresh spearmint
2 tablespoons slivered fresh basil
finely grated lime zest

1. To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, sugar, and salt. Taste and adjust the balance of acid, sugar, and salt as needed. Reserve.
2. Using a cherry pitter, pit the cherries and cut each in half lengthwise. Put cherries into a medium mixing bowl and toss with enough of the dressing to lightly coat.
3. In another medium mixing bowl, toss the pea vines with enough vinaigrette to lightly coat. Arrange the pea vines on four salad plates.
4. Arrange cherries on top of pea vines and finish each serving with a sprinkle of slivered mint and basil. Grate a little lime zest over each and serve.

Serves 4

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Copyright 2011 Susan S. Bradley. All rights reserved.

Nothing says summer more convincingly in the Northwest than the first baskets of local, incredibly sweet strawberries. The temperature may still be in the 60’s most days, but when the strawberries hit, IT’S SUMMER BABY.

The Northwest produces world-class strawberries, unrivalled in sweetness. Two distinct categories of strawberries keep the berries coming from mid-June to fall.

The June-bearing crop usually begins in mid-June and can extend a full month if the weather cooperates and there are sufficient pickers. June-bearing strawberries are simply AMAZING: so fragrant, juicy, sweet, and flavor-packed. After one bite, you will swear off California and Mexico strawberries forever. However, these berries bear fruit once only, and the season ends as abruptly as it begins. June-bearing strawberries include Benton, Hood, Northwest, Puget Reliance, Puget Summer, Shuksan, Tillamook, and Totem varieties.

Ever-bearing strawberries extend the season almost to fall, although these berries are typically available only at local farmers markets. They are nearly as delicious as June-bearing berries. Ever-bearing strawberries include Albion, Quinault, Seascape, Tristar, and Tribute.

To kick off the season, here are some tried-and-true recipes from past seasons. Check out the Strawberry Primer first for a wide range of other flavors that partner beautifully with the inestimable Northwest strawberry.

Fresh Strawberry Primer

Everything you need to know, including season, selection, storage, preparation, cooking, and great flavor pairings.

Fresh Strawberry-Tomato Dessert Sauce

The idea of pairing strawberries with tomatoes originally came to me while perusing one of my favorite culinary sites, FoodPairing, which features dozens of potentially harmonious and sometimes very odd sounding ingredient pairings. Remarkably, strawberries and tomatoes are very much alike molecularly and can be used almost interchangeably.  You won’t believe it until you try it. I certainly didn’t. This refreshing and delicious dessert sauce will surprise you. The tomatoes add a subtle, savory (umami) element that is intriguing. See if your guests can detect the mystery ingredient.

Fried Banana Split with Mexican Chocolate Sauce & Strawberry Lime Salsa

You have never had a banana split like this one. It will knock your socks off. If I open a restaurant in this lifetime, this dessert will be on the menu–permanently. It features Carmelized Banana, Mexican Bittersweet Chocolate Chile Sauce, Caramelized Ancho Chile Cinnamon Almonds, Strawberry Margarita Sauce, and Strawberry Lime Salsa. And premium vanilla (or sweet corn) ice cream, of course.

Kicky Tomato Strawberry Gazpacho

A sweet, tangy, spicy variation on the more traditional tomato gazpacho, this cold soup makes an excellent first course for hot summer evenings. Although not mandatory, the poached prawns and Frizzled Pancetta garnishes give the soup a little more substance and added visual appeal. Or glam it up and garnish with Prawn, Avocado & Lime Escabeche.

Lemon & Thyme Marinated Artichoke, Tiger Prawn & Strawberry Salad

Strawberries with artichokes? No need to worry. The combination is divine, with the strawberries adding just the right measure of bright pop to every other bite of the salad. It’s like having the palate cleanser in the same dish with the richer ingredients.

Even though the artichokes take a bit of time to prepare, the result here is well worth it. Large globe artichokes are specified, but baby artichokes will work beautifully as well. You will notice that the prawns are sauteed in the shell. This method intensifies the flavor of the prawns, and thus I heartily recommend it. If you have guests to impress, this salad should do it.

Mayan Chocolate Shortcake with White Chocolate Crema, Strawberry Lime Sauce & Strawberry Lime Salsa

Who doesn’t love classic shortcake smothered with fresh berries and whipped cream? We even make an occasional dinner of ONLY shortcake and berries at the height of strawberry and raspberry season each summer.

If strawberries could talk, they would say only three words over and over: I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU. Thus, they are required for this over the top, spicy chocolate shortcake with its luxurious accompaniment of whipped cream, cream cheese and white chocolate.

Prawn & Strawberry Salad with Fresh Herb Panna Cotta

Get ready for the ohhs and ahhs when you bring this salad to the table. It’s visually stunning and delectable down to the last bite. There is a world of intriguing tastes and textures here, each one complementing the others.

Strawberry Basil Sour Cream Gelato

Gelato and ice cream are made by combining a basic custard sauce, optional extra cream, and flavorings, and then churning the mixture in an ice cream maker. There is really nothing more to it than that.

For this gelato, I used fresh, raw strawberries for the first test. The result was good, but for test two, I cooked the strawberries briefly and the flavor and color intensity were both enhanced. And if you haven’t tried the strawberry and basil flavor pairing, you are in for a real treat.

Additional Strawberry Inspiration

• A Spicy Perspective: Strawberry Chipotle Jam
• Bakers Royale: Strawberry Bread
• Cookin’ Canuck: Grilled Strawberries with Gingersnap Meringue
• Crumb: Black Pepper Panna Cotta with Strawberries & Balsamic Syrup
• Home Cooking Adventure: Marbled Strawberry Parfait
• La Petit Brioche: Orange Glazed Strawberry Scones
• Paris Patisseries: Pierre Herme: Montebello
• Passionate about Baking: Strawberry-Tangerine Quark Panna Cotta with Oatmeal Florentines
• Scandi Foodie: Strawberry Salad with Halloumi
• Sunny Side Up in San Diego: White Chocolate Ice Cream with Strawberry Swirl
• Technicolor Kitchen: Vanilla Panna Cotta with Rosewater Roasted Strawberries
• What’s for Lunch Honey: Quark Blancmange with Strawberry Compote
• What’s Gaby Cooking: Strawberry Basil Lemonade
• Fuss Free Cooking: Strawberry Crunch Muffins
• Bell’alimento: Strawberry Balsamic & Basil Gelato
• Homesick Texan: Strawberry Ice Cream with Guajillo Chile and Lime

Resources

• Oregon Strawberries on Twitter: @OR_Strawberry
• 2009 Berry Health Benefits Symposium
• Berries, Farmers & Workers: Endangered Species
• Heart of Washington Strawberries
• Honeoye Strawberry
• Hood Strawberry
• Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission
• Oregon Strawberry Commission
• Oregon Strawberry History
• Oregon Strawberry Varieties
• Seascape Strawberry
• Strawberry Varieties
• Strawberry Varieties Comparison Chart
• Sweeter Redder, Simply Better
• Washington Farms Strawberry Picking Tips
• Washington State Horticultural Association
• Washington Red Raspberry Commission

You are looking at perhaps the most delectable pork belly in the world. No, the universe. According to one of the amiable chefs behind the kitchen bar from which MauiJim and I were watching the action, it was cooked sous-vide at 145 degrees–for TWO DAYS.

You won’t, however, find this mentioned on the menu. I only suspected it after the fatty portion of the pork belly melted on my palate like warm butter. Then I asked. If I had been paying better attention, the plastic pouch from which the chef removed the portion of pork belly would have been an immediate give-away.

But I wasn’t paying attention while the chef was preparing my pork. Instead, I was completely enthralled with the gorgeous, silky, minty, and very fresh tasting English Pea & Herb Soup with Tangerine Bubbles. And yes, there was some moaning.

I have always felt that one can accurately assess the palate, technical ability, and culinary philosophy of a cook by tasting his or her soups. This soup was breathtaking in its simplicity, with thoughtfully balanced, bright and full flavor. It was also perfectly seasoned, something of a rarity these days. After tasting this soup, I trusted the entire menu. Indeed, I now trust anything this chef might want to serve me.

As it turns out, a lot of other folks feel the same way. The tasting menu is a big draw. For 200 bucks a head, you can book the Chef’s Table for the evening and put yourself fully under the spell of chef-owner, William Belickis. But if that sounds a bit over the top, there is also an 8 course meal for 90 bucks and a four course meal for 60 bucks.

For a more casual experience, you aren’t going to go wrong ordering off the ala carte menu either. Everything here is prepared either on a conduction burner, in a sous-vide immersion cooker, in a large wood-burning oven, or all three. Not a gas burner in sight.

Take the Roasted Alaskan Halibut, Fresh Green Garbanzos, Parsnip Puree & Tangerine Oil for instance. We have never seen such LOVE lavished on a piece of fish. The chef started the fish in a sauté pan over a conduction burner. After a while, he checked the crust forming on the bottom and added a dollop of butter. Then he started spooning the by now browned butter over the fish again and again and again. Oh the aroma! Finally the pan with the fish was put into the oven where he carefully checked it every minute or so, then at last turned the fish over to crust the other side. It was cooked perfectly and completely infused with the flavor of the lemony brown butter. Every order of halibut got the same rapt attention. We were spellbound. MauiJim can’t stop talking about this dish. We’ll probably have to go back to Mistral next week so he can have it again. But hey, I’m not complaining.

The Arugula Salad with Fennel, Pecorino, Lemon & Fromage Blanc, which was part of three courses for $25 presented in conjunction with the Seattle Restaurant Week event, was simple and refreshing.

Keeping our selections on the light side, we had plenty of room left for dessert. I have an enduring love for the dense, slightly chewy, little French cakes called friands or financiers. Pastry chef, Neil Robertson, creates an inspired version with his Rhubarb Financier, Fromage Blanc Szechwan Pepper Sorbet & Rhubarb Soup.  Rhubarb is delicious but rarely elegant. This dessert proves it can be done.

And I never pass up Tres Leche Cake on a restaurant menu. Chef Robertson’s version, Lemon Tres Leche with Tuile & Fresh Strawberry Sorbet is exceptionally light, subtly sweet, and perfectly accompanied by a sorbet that tastes of summer field strawberries and an exceptionally thin praline cookie.

The last thing I asked the “halibut whisperer” chef was, “Does the menu change often?” Surprised, he responded with, “Oh yes, very often and with the seasons.” Perfect, because this is one Seattle restaurant that we want to return to again and again.

More Great Things to Eat

Amazing Charcuterie Platter

Manila Clams, Chorizo, White Wine & Orange Gremolata

Honey Glazed Pork Chop, Flowering Kale & Purple Potatoes

Catch the Buzz

Mistral Kitchen

Seattle Met: Mighty Meals by Kathryn Robinson

Seattle Weekly: A Mighty Wind by Jason Sheehan

Seattle Magazine: Sneak Peek: Inside Mistral Kitchen’s New Digs by Lorna Lee

Seattle PI: On Food: Mistral Gives Way for an Exciting Concept by Rebekah Denn

Seattle Restaurant Week