The Smiling Onion

Vegetarian and Gluten-free Cooking

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Peach & Berry Fruit Soup with Amarula

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You wouldn’t know it from the weather in New York, but Fall is coming. Pumpkin muffin recipes are already starting to pop up on blogs and social media, and Starbucks has rolled out their pumpkin flavored “seasonal” drinks. But guys, it’s still summer! Why are the trends always so ahead of the season? I don’t know about you, but if I start indulging in all-things-pumpkin now, I’m going to be damn sick of the stuff by the time Fall actually rolls around. I mean … it was 90 degrees yesterday. Do you really want to sip on a hot pumpkin latte?

I know I didn’t. But what I did want to do was enjoy a nice, cold, refreshing bowl of summer fruit soup. Because summer is ending soon, and the window for finding local, in-season peaches and berries is rapidly closing.

Hence this recipe. Raspberries and blueberries are blended with peaches, sour cream, just a bit of sugar, and an incredible South African fruit liqueur that you can sub out with your liqueur of choice if you can’t get your hands on it. Then, you stir in some whole berries – which have been tossed with a bit of vanilla and nutmeg – to really kick it up a notch.  Easy, refreshing, and delicious!

Oh – but dare I forget to mention the crispy mint leaves on top? Yes – once you learn how to make these, you’ll be putting them on everything. Trust me.

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Harissa Deviled Eggs

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I can’t believe I’ve almost made it through the whole summer without sharing a recipe for deviled eggs! One of my all-time favorite picnic foods, they are a staple in our household, especially in the warmer months. And if I’m looking to use up some fresh herbs that might not make it much longer or create some much-needed space in the fridge by clearing out the bottom of a condiment jar, it’s deviled eggs to the rescue! They lend themselves to so many different flavor and texture combinations that I could probably snack on them every day and not get bored. Wasabi deviled eggs? Check. Crispy chive deviled eggs? Check again. Pickled okra deviled eggs? Oh yeah.

I could go on for a while here, but I’ll limit myself to talking about this week’s snack of choice – harissa deviled eggs. If you’ve been a regular reader of this blog, you’ll know that harissa is one of my go-to ingredients. I always have it on hand because it’s just so darn delicious! The brand I buy is heavy on the tomatoes, and is similar to a spicy sundried tomato tapenade – which, incidentally, could be subbed for the harissa in this recipe. If you do decide to go get some harissa for these eggs, check out my Spicy Harissa-Chickpea Burger, Quinoa Superfood Salad with Harissa-Sesame Dressing (excuse the photos – this was one of my first posts), and Baked Eggs with Lambsquarters and Harissa. Trust me, you’ll have no trouble using it up!

Anyway, let’s talk some more about these deviled eggs. They are seriously addictive – creamy yolks, subtle heat, and a bright pickle-induced crunch that pops out at you every once in a while to remind you what’s what. Hungry yet?

Oh – speaking of those creamy yolks, my #1 secret for delicious deviled eggs is to use more yolks than whites. This means you’ll never skimp on the delicious filling that is the very definition of a deviled egg, but you also won’t have to be heavy-handed with the mayonnaise to make sure your filling doesn’t run out. That’s right – I like my deviled eggs light on the mayonnaise and heavy on the flavor!

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