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Something to Ward Off Winter Blues

So.  Everyone here is sick with colds and flu and has been for some time now.  I was about to go to L.A. for my first real vacation in years and I refused to lose one minute of it to illness. I got a flu shot and had been eating citrus, hot soup and lemon/honey in my tea everyday for weeks.  This last batch of immune booster remedy I found particularly delightful.





A standard of mine in winter, Potato Leek soup is like a great big delicious hug the minute it hits your taste buds.  I start with Julia Child's formula (equal amounts potato and leek added to same total amount of water) and then doctor it up a bit.  I paired it with a fresh grapefruit martini type drink that I made up on the fly.  Enjoy and be well this flu season!








Potato Leek Soup

3 cups potato, peeled and coarsely chopped
3 cups sliced leeks (the light part)
6 cups chicken stock (or water if you are a traditionalist)
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
Blue cheese for garnish
Croutons for garnish

Boil potatoes, Leeks and stock for about 1/2 an hour, until the potatoes are soft.  Add the creme fraiche and Tabasco and use an immersion blender to blend ingredients to your liking (I like some chunks in my soup).

Serve with blue cheese and croutons (recipe below) on top


Croutons:

This is something I'm never particularly set about.  I save all old bread in the freezer for both bread crumbs and croutons.  I season with whatever I have on hand or what might suit what I'm adding the croutons to.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cut bread into largish pieces
Arrange bread on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and whatever strikes your fancy - this time it was salt and fresh garlic in the olive oil.

Bake for 10 minutes and toss croutons to coat and turn.
Bake for an additional 10 and let cool till hardish.

Fresh Grapefruit Martini for Immune Boost

1 ounce gin
dash dry vermouth
2 ounces fresh grapefruit juice

Place ice and vermouth in a shaker, shake and pour off excess vermouth.
Add gin and grapefruit, shake again and serve in a martini glass with a twist of grapefruit peel