Curried Pear Soup w/ Ruske

On a recent gloomy and rainy Sunday, Jen Ruske and Cafe Drake passed the afternoon whipping up a (late) lunch of Curried Pear Soup and an Herb Salad with Rice Wine Vinaigrette, finishing the meal with two superb cheeses ( an Italian creamy bleu and a raw sheep's milk). All was washed down with a very light rose wine Coeur Esterelle Cotes De Provence 2008 (pale salmon in color, dry but deceptively fruity) and followed with one of those maddening mind-boggling 60s B/W art films packed with stars (Vanessa Redgrave, Jeanne Moreau), The Sailor from Gibraltar. If it all sounds a wee pretentious . . . at least basic instructions for soup follow below.

CURRIED PEAR SOUP

1. Brown 5 large peeled and chopped pears, 1 chopped onion and 2 cloves of garlic in 1 T. butter and 1 T. olive oil for 10 minutes. Stir in 3 T. or so of flour and cook for 2 more minutes.


2. Add 4-5 cups of chicken stock (or veggie if you prefer), some salt and cayenne pepper and 2 T. or more of good curry powder.


3. Simmer uncovered, stirring from time to time, for 20 minutes.


4. Puree all in batches in a blender and return to pot.


5. Over very low heat, add 1/4 cup half-and-half and readjust seasonings as needed.


6. Serve warm garnished with a large mound of chopped chives.