Go on, admit it - if you didn't own one, then you wanted one. What better way to warm up on the sofa on a cold winter's evening, or scare away people ringing the doorbell trying to sell you sponges? Why, they even came in child-sizes, meaning that the whole family could indulge (and make that poor unsuspecting person at the door think you had formed a cult of style-averse fleece fanatics). And even the family pet was not left out:
If that didn't result in a spate of calls to the humane society, then I'm frankly appalled.
Anyway, it is not my job here to offer fashion advice (although seriously, what WERE you thinking?). What if, though, there were a means of warming up, without resorting to forcing your family/fellow cult members to don 20 yards of brushed polyester fleece and brave the ensuing outbursts of static electricity? This is where I come in.
This dish is, quite seriously, the snuggie of the food world. It is a winter warmer that warms the cockles of your heart, and indeed any other cockles in dire need of defrosting. Take my word for it: after a bowl of this, I actually removed my slippers and wandered barefoot through the house. Yes indeed, it was fortunate no one rang the bell and tried to sell sponges that evening, because we pasty, shivery Brits rarely remove our fuzzy slippers, so it was a substantial lowering of my standards when it comes to appropriate attire.
The recipe comes from Cooking Light magazine, and hails from the French Alps, meaning you can even impress your friends and family by calling it 'Soupe Savoyarde'. I'm pretty sure that this also means that it is obligatory to serve it with wine. It may sound a tad odd (even after the wine you've already consumed whilst cooking it), to serve the bread and cheese beneath the stew, but trust me, it is beautiful the way it all melts together. Open your mind. As Dr. Seuss once said: "You do not like them. So you say. Try them! Try them! And you may."
White Winter Vegetable Stew
Serves 6-8
1 baking potato, peeled and cut into 1/2" chunks
2 TBSP butter
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
3 cups thinly sliced leek
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 turnips (or 1 large one), peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
1 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1/2" cubes
2 cups water
2 cups whole milk
8 3/4" slices of French bread, lightly toasted
5 oz sharp white cheddar, sliced
1. Place potato in a medium bowl and cover with cold water to 1" above the potato. Set aside.
2. Melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, but not browned (about 7 minutes).
3. Add leek and next four ingredients (through celery root) to pan. Place a piece of aluminium foil directly over the vegetable mixture. Cover the pan completely and then reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Discard foil.
4. Drain potatoes and add to the pan. Stir in 2 cups of water. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are all tender, stirring occasionally.
5. Heat the milk in a small saucepan Taste and adjust seasoning if you so desire.
6. Place a bread slice in each individual serving bowl, and cover with slices of cheese. Ladle stew over the bread and cheese so they are covered.
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