Chef Spencer Watts takes the very best of classic comfort food dishes and adds globally influenced flavours to make each dish new again. Chicken noodle soup becomes jerk rubbed duck noodle soup; mac and cheese becomes transformed with a rye crumble topping and chicken wings are dusted with dill pickle chips.

This new approach to comfort foods includes something for every kind of cook — some recipes are easy to follow, some more ambitious — all are delicious! Using readily available ingredients, Spencer Watts takes an imaginative approach to appetizers, bowls, main dishes, desserts and more! Recipes include Ham Hock and Pea Risotto, Wild Mushroom Soup, Caramel Popcorn Cake, Greek Style White Bean Ragu and more!

• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Chapter One: Forkless
• Chapter Two: Fowl Language
• Chapter Three: Bowls
• Chapter Four: Carbaholic
• Chapter Five: Any Given Sunday
• Chapter Six: Sugar Coated

Comfort Food: with Spencer Watts by Spencer Watts is available at Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk and Indigo.ca.   

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Black bean & squash soup / chili pesto / braised Swiss chard

If you have had dim sum before, I have a dish for you made of plump spareribs, fermented black beans, and small pieces of buttery squash.

The combination of these flavours is extraordinary, and it’s the flavour inspiration for this soup. Served inside a roasted squash and garnished with spicy Chili Pesto and Braised Swiss Chard, my Black Bean & Squash Soup redefines the possibilities when it comes to soup. Ready for an afternoon on the couch or a dinner party, this bowl is loud, proud, and downright delicious.

Garnish: olive oil

BLACK BEAN & SQUASH SOUP

1 Tbsp (15 mL) Olive Oil

1 medium-size Kabocha squash, peeled and diced

2 Tbsp (30 mL) Fermented black beans

2 Tbsp (30 mL) Vegetable oil

1 Tbsp (15 mL) Sugar

1 Medium-size Onion, diced

1 Tbsp (15 mL) Garlic, chopped

1 Thumb-size piece of Ginger, diced

1 Red pepper, diced

1 tsp (5 mL) Salt

2 cups (500 mL) Vegetable stock

2 Tbsp (30 mL) Dark soy sauce

5 dashes Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp (2.5 mL) Sichuan pepper

½ cup (125 mL) Cream

½ cup (125 mL) Butter

BRAISED SWISS CHARD

4 stalks Swiss chard

1 Tbsp (15 mL) Vegetable oil

1 Shallot, diced

1 Tbsp (15 mL) Garlic, grated

1 Tbsp (15 mL) Ginger, grated

½ tsp (2.5 mL) Salt

CHILI PESTO

1 Fresno chili, seeded and diced

1 Tbsp (15 mL) Garlic, chopped

⅓ cup (80 mL) Cilantro

⅓ cup (80 mL) Peanuts

2 Tbsp (30 mL) Red wine vinegar

1 Tbsp (15 mL) Oil

1 tsp (5 mL) Sugar

1 Tbsp (15 mL) Soy sauce

Method

BLACK BEAN & SQUASH SOUP

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C)

Place the whole Kabocha squash into the microwave for 3 minutes to soften it. Remove the squash and peel or cut the skin off. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Cut the flesh into small chunks and place in a bowl. Add the fermented beans and toss to coat the squash. Drizzle the squash with oil and sugar and place on a baking tray and into the oven to roast until soft and fudgy (approximately 7 to 10 minutes).

Drizzle olive oil into a heavy-bottomed pot on medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, ginger, and pepper, and season with salt. Sauté for a few minutes until soft. Add vegetable stock. Add soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and Sichuan pepper.

Once the squash is 90% cooked, add it to the broth and allow it to cook for 10 to 15 minutes until soft. Carefully pour hot mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. Add cream and finish with butter to give a nice creaminess and luxurious shine. Reserve warm for plating.

BRAISED SWISS CHARD

Remove the leaves from the Swiss chard and slice the stems into small pieces. Roll up the leaves and slice them into thin strips.

Put oil in a skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add shallots, garlic and ginger, and sauté for a minute. Add Swiss chard stocks and cook over medium heat. Cook for 5 minutes. Add leaves and season with salt.

Remove from heat when fully cooked.

CHILI PESTO 

In a mini food processor, add Fresno chilis, garlic, cilantro, and peanuts. Add vinegar, oil, sugar, and a splash of soy sauce. Blitz to a coarse paste.

To Build

Ladle Black Bean & Squash Soup into a warm bowl. Place the Braised Swiss Chard in the middle and add a scoop of the Chili Pesto on top of the Chard. Drizzle with olive oil and enjoy.

COOKING IQ

Kabocha squash is one of my favourites. It’s nutty, fudgy, and delicious. The skin and flesh are perfect for eating, but this soup requires the skin to be peeled, and I have a great tip to make that process just a little easier. It’s the microwave! Simply microwave the squash in intervals until the outside layer starts to soften slightly. Remove from the microwave and allow the squash to cool. Either using a peeler or sharp knife, remove the skin.

The microwave helps soften both the flesh and skin so peeling it is just a little easier.

Recipe published with permission from Whitecap Books.