BASIL MAYONNAISE

This basil mayonnaise is a gorgeous green and tastes superb! So summery and full of the bright basil flavour that enhances any summer vegetable, especially when simply prepared by steaming. Pair with a light crisp rosé and some fresh bread for an easy meal.

Although mayonnaise can be made in a food processor, whisking by hand gives you more control over it and will help prevent it from breaking. It will also build excellent arm strength! 

Basil Mayonnaise

makes: approximately 1 cup

- 2 egg yolks

- 1 tsp salt

- juice of 1 lemon

- 1 cup neutral oil (rice bran, safflower, sunflower, or any other neutral oil - not olive oil)

- 1/2 cup packed basil leaves

- 1/2 cup packed parsley leaves

1. Make the basil oil: Put the parsley and basil leaves into a blender jar (not a food processor) and pour 3/4 cups of the oil over the leaves. Blend until smooth. Strain the oil into a bowl using a fine-mesh strainer or a chinois, pressing the solids down to get all the oil out.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, lemon juice, and salt until pale yellow and slightly thickened. Start adding the basil oil in a thin stream, whisking continuously until the mixture starts to thicken and fluffs up. If it gets too thick and hard to whisk before most of the oil is used up, add 1 tbsp. lemon juice and carry on whisking while adding oil. Whisk until the oil is incorporated into the mix and you have a fluffy mayonnaise. Over-whisking will break the mayo! If that happens, you'll have to either start over or salvage it using another egg yolk, a clean bowl, and a lot more whisking while gradually adding the broken mayo! Try to avoid breaking the mayo :-)
3. Enjoy immediately with steamed or roasted vegetables or seafood, or in any way you wish. Refrigerate leftovers for a few weeks.

BALSAMIC ROASTED TOMATO SOUP

I don't much care for raw tomatoes, but I love them cooked into sauces, tarts, roasted and tossed into a salad or in sandwiches, or in this soup that I've been making for years. I make it so often, I don't know why I haven't written the recipe here until now.

Anyway, this gorgeous soup is a beautiful colour and so light. It's vegan, gluten-free, low fat and low carb. And since it practically cooks itself in the oven, it's perfect for summer. The high heat roasting really deepens the flavours of all the vegetables including the onion and garlic. And it softens the black pepper so when you blend it, the peppery flavour really gets into the soup. So delicious!

Balsamic Roasted Tomato Soup

makes: 4 large servings

- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks

- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes
- 1 cup coarsely chopped onion
- 5 garlic cloves
- 2 cups water (or vegetable broth), divided
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon tamari (or regular) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper (Tellicherry pepper works best)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 450 F/230 C.
2. Put the tomatoes (and their liquid), sweet potato, onion, garlic and black pepper in a lightly greased, deep oven-proof pan. Mix 1 cup of water, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce in a bowl and pour the mixture over the vegetables. Push the vegetables into the pan so they are more or less submerged in the liquid. Bake at 450 F/230 C for 50-60 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.
3. Remove the vegetables from the oven and cool. Add to a blender jar along with the olive oil  and blend until smooth, adding the remaining 1 cup water as needed to get the desired consistency. Taste and adjust salt and sugar.
4. Serve chilled or warmed on medium heat. Top with freshly ground black pepper and/or a drizzle of olive oil or a dollop of cashew cream if desired.