Endives braised with fennel bulb and Jerusalem artichoke: the sauce is the thing

Waiting for everyone else to catch up. We have been operating on the assumption that the new year began on or about the twenty-first of December. The interval between then and the official date is when the body and mind adjust to brighter light and more of it, increasing day by day. The dark days of the soul are over, but it takes a few days for the everyday consciousness to get past the somber, claustrophobic crabbiness that comes upon you those last few days when it seems that the end of time is arriving faster than you had expected and you panic. Then one afternoon you walk out and find a bench in the open air where you let the sun do its wonders.

This is a good day for an omelet, something easy. We discussed the traditions of our childhood, with Black-eyed Peas and Hog Jowl being at the top of the list of New Year’s Day Good Luck dishes to avoid. Instead, we’re braising a pot of assorted vegetables. The endive is taking center stage this time, thanks to the farmers who put together this week’s pannier. But we also have on hand some fennel bulbs and Jerusalem artichokes (topinambour). Chopping the topinambour into tiny morsels, the tinier the better, is worth the effort. These tiny bits will stay firm, almost crunchy, thus adding a chewy texture to an otherwise very soft mix.

A while later, when the vegs have had a chance to soften a bit, Juliette passes through the kitchen a couple of times and adds the following: a soup spoon of miso, half a glass of red wine, a half cup of raisins (and the wine they’ve been marinating in), a couple of scoops of almond powder, a block of tofu crumbled up, curcumin powder.

This is the basic idea. More refinement needed on the description.