It’s time for the winter season. For a single man, the dating scene is complicated. We have to get creative in order to start, develop and maintain companionship. How best does a creative man do this? Some would say change their respective wardrobes, others would suggest getting a head start on the “New Year’s” resolution crowd by joining a gym. I on the other hand would recommend upping your culinary game.
Based on experience, you can’t go wrong if you have skills in the realm of basic comfort food. After living in various regions of the country–Southeast, Northeast, and Pacific Northwest–one thing stands true: a single man does himself a huge favor if he knows how to cook a very basic yet delicious meal; something simple that draws upon nostalgia to bring out that innocent smile from “back when and back home”. Ideally, something very comforting, easy to make and doesn’t require too many “wet-naps” to degrease fingertips.
You’ve been seeing someone for public outings for several weeks, but now you are ready to make things a little more intimate in a safe way. You offer to cook at your place, but now you have to develop a menu. Ideally, the menu should fit the season of the year, but now you have choices to make. Wow her with extravagance or keep it simple, or maybe even a combination of both; simple yet gourmet?
Homemade creamy tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches
Soup:
-2 28oz can of San Marzano peeled or crushed tomatoes
-2 cups vegetable stock
-2 small bunches fresh basil leaves (you won’t need all)
-1 tablespoon granulated sugar (cuts the acid of the tomatoes)
-1 diced white onion
-2 tablespoons oil
-¼ cup heavy cream
-1 tablespoon diced or minced garlic
Salt & Pepper to taste
Grilled Cheese Sandwich:
-Sliced sour dough bread
-3-5 cups fresh spinach
-Ricotta cheese
-Grated smoked cheese (gouda, gruyere, pepper jack)
-4 slices cooked bacon
-Soft butter(½ stick) with minced garlic folded in
Soup:
-In a coated cast iron dutch oven (if available) or a heavy stock pot, add oil
-Caramelize onions
-Once caramelized, add minced garlic after onions start to sweat and become translucent
-Once garlic becomes fragrant add vegetable stock and tomatoes; stir to combine, bring to a low oil or simmer
-Pull 5-7 large basil leaves from stalks and stack them then roll them creating a small log
-Slice basil log across the long axis creating ribbons and add to pot
-Add ¼ cup heavy cream
-Continue to simmer for 10 minutes
-Use a handheld immersion blender or transfer to a food processor to blend all ingredients until smooth
-Cover soup and let continue to simmer stirring occasionally
-Once soup is served in a bowl, dip a butter knife into the container of heavy cream and drizzle in a shapeless pattern
-Add extra basil ribbons to garnish
Grilled Cheese:
-In a frying pan with a light coating of oil, wilt spinach and minced garlic and reserve
-Fold wilted spinach and 1 teaspoon minced garlic into ricotta cheese (2ish cups) along with grated smoked cheese (1/3 cup)
-Heat the lightly oiled frying pan on medium heat
-Butter the outsides of the sour dough bread
-Add a layer of the compound ricotta cheese to bread and top with cooked bacon
-Toast each side until golden brown
-Serve soup in a ceramic bowl; helps with heat retention
-It will be your choice whether to dip your sandwich in to your soup thus combining intense comfort food flavors while enjoying safe space accompaniment
-Ron
Things Men Carry 