Showing posts with label soup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soup. Show all posts
Friday, April 25, 2014
SANDRAS WHOLESOME PINTO BEAN AND HAM SOUP
 |
| The perfect hot bean and vegetable soup on a snowy Alaska winter night... |
Servings: (8 to 10)
Prep: 10 mins. |
Cook: Appx. 2 hrs.
INGREDIENTS
-1 (16 oz. pkg.) dried pinto beans
-6 cups water
-6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
-1 tablespoon cider vinegar
-2 heaping teaspoons brown sugar
-2 cups cooked ham, cubed
--(or 2 *smoked ham hocks, or *ham bone with meat on it, or a ring of smoked sausage)
-1 lg. carrot, scrubbed, and chopped
-2 ribs celery, chopped
-½ onion, diced
-1 russet potato (or sweet potato), peeled and chopped
-1 garlic clove, minced
-1 bay leaf
-1/8 teaspoon each: dried oregano, basil, and thyme
-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
--(I do not add any salt due to the saltiness of the ham)
-Dash of hot sauce
METHOD
Spread the dried pinto beans out on a baking sheet and pick through them; toss any unwanted matter, then rinse beans in a colander. In a large dutch oven (or heavy-bottom soup pot), bring pinto beans and water to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to simmer and par cook for 1 hour.
Drain beans in colander, and return to dutch oven. Add broth, cider vinegar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes; stirring occasionally.
Add remaining ingredients, cover, and simmer for 30 additional minutes, until vegetables and beans are tender.
Remove bay leaf, and toss. Taste for seasoning, and add more broth or water if a thinner consistency is desired.
Serve with hot wheat rolls or crusty slices of French bread. ~ Enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*Tip: If using smoked ham hocks or ham bone with meat on it, add at the beginning of the bean cooking process, and remove after 1 hour to pull meat from hocks or bone, cube (when draining beans), and return to pot when adding vegetables.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Left over TURKEY soup
TURKEY SOUP
Now that the turkey dinner has been devoured. Its time to figure out what to do with the main course and the sides. Heres an idea! Why not make an easy delicious TURKEY SOUP! Great for the morning after thanksgiving and since everything is already cooked, this turkey soup should be ready in no time at all!
INGREDIENTS
- 2- 16 ounces chicken soup (low sodium)
- about 2 -3 lb of chopped, left over turkey
- chopped Turkey bones
- Left over roasted vegetable
- 1 teaspoon of Thyme
- 1 teaspoon of Rosemary
- 1 teaspoon of Tarragon
- 2 cups of water
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of black pepper
In a large pot on medium heat, add the chicken soup along with 2 cups of water, salt, grounded black pepper, tarragon, rosemary, and thyme. Bring it into a boil then add the turkey bones.
Let simmer for about 10 minutes then remove the bones, scrap the excess meats off. Add in the left over turkey meat and left over vegetables (recipe here). Cover and let simmer for another 10 minutes.
Carrot Soup with Ginger Cardamom Orange
Theres a definite Indian influence to this soup, but its subtle enough to allow it to fit in with many different menus. Its light enough to serve as starter to a large meal, although it would do just fine alongside a sandwich.
As my soup cooled I realized it would probably be just as good served cold as hot, which really makes it versatile. Making it in advance will allow the flavours to develop thoroughly, so if you can do that, its a good idea.
6 to 8 servings
1 hour prep time
1 kilo (2 pounds) carrots
3 or 4 stalks of celery
6 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
12 green cardamom pods
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
the finely grated zest of 1/2 orange
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons honey
the juice of 1 orange
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup sweet sherry
sour cream or yogurt to garnish
Scrub or peel the carrots, and cut them into chunks. Wash and trim the celery and cut it into somewhat larger chunks. Put them in a large soup pot with the water and the salt. Bring to a boil and boil gently but steadily for 30 minutes, until the carrots are tender.
Meanwhile, crush the cardamom pods enough to be able to remove the green papery husks (discard them) then grind the seeds with the peppercorns. Peel and grate the ginger. Wash the orange well (with soap) dry it, and grate the orange zest. Heat the butter in a small skillet and cook the cardomom, pepper, ginger and orange zest in it for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring regularly, until slight signs of browning appear. Put this mixture into a blender.
Lift the carrots and celery out of their cooking water and put them in the blender. Add a ladle or two of the cooking water, and purée very smoothly. You will need to do this in 2 batches; once you are done, swish out the blender with the cooking water and add it back in with the carrots (soup).
This much can be done in advance; when ready to serve the soup, add the honey, orange juice, buttermilk and sherry, and heat through. Although I rather think this could work as a cold soup in the summer as well, in which case just whisk them in. In either case, pass some good thick yogurt or sour cream with the soup.
Last year at this time I made Creamy But Non-Dairy Pumpkin Soup and Rum & Raisin Baked Apples.
Read More..
As my soup cooled I realized it would probably be just as good served cold as hot, which really makes it versatile. Making it in advance will allow the flavours to develop thoroughly, so if you can do that, its a good idea.
6 to 8 servings
1 hour prep time
1 kilo (2 pounds) carrots
3 or 4 stalks of celery
6 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
12 green cardamom pods
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
the finely grated zest of 1/2 orange
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons honey
the juice of 1 orange
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup sweet sherry
sour cream or yogurt to garnish
Scrub or peel the carrots, and cut them into chunks. Wash and trim the celery and cut it into somewhat larger chunks. Put them in a large soup pot with the water and the salt. Bring to a boil and boil gently but steadily for 30 minutes, until the carrots are tender.
Meanwhile, crush the cardamom pods enough to be able to remove the green papery husks (discard them) then grind the seeds with the peppercorns. Peel and grate the ginger. Wash the orange well (with soap) dry it, and grate the orange zest. Heat the butter in a small skillet and cook the cardomom, pepper, ginger and orange zest in it for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring regularly, until slight signs of browning appear. Put this mixture into a blender.
Lift the carrots and celery out of their cooking water and put them in the blender. Add a ladle or two of the cooking water, and purée very smoothly. You will need to do this in 2 batches; once you are done, swish out the blender with the cooking water and add it back in with the carrots (soup).
This much can be done in advance; when ready to serve the soup, add the honey, orange juice, buttermilk and sherry, and heat through. Although I rather think this could work as a cold soup in the summer as well, in which case just whisk them in. In either case, pass some good thick yogurt or sour cream with the soup.
Last year at this time I made Creamy But Non-Dairy Pumpkin Soup and Rum & Raisin Baked Apples.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Tortilla Soup Challenge
I remember sampling Tortilla Soup for the first (and, embarrassingly, only) time in 1993 when I took a trip to Dallas, TX to see the University of Notre Dame football team play in the Sugar Bowl. It was so delicious and is one of the dishes we have been talking about ever since....seriously! So when girlichef , who is on a quest to find and sample as many different Tortilla Soup recipes in hopes of finding the ultimate, issued the Tortilla Soup challenge I was excited to join in. I searched the internet and my library of cook books looking for a recipe which appeared somewhat authentic but still doable in my home kitchen. I found a recipe by Martha Stewart in her book "Martha Stewarts Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Cook" which fit the bill perfectly. The soup, which included chicken, was delicious! An ideal combination of smokey chili, rich chicken broth and just the right about of kick.
Here is the Tortilla Soup Recipe from "Martha Stewarts Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Cook" adapted slightly.
For Chicken and Stock
1 large whole chicken (about 4 1/2 pounds), cut into 10 pieces
8 cups basic chicken stock (I used good quality chicken stock in a box)
3/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 dried bay leaf
2 tablespoons coarse salt
For Chile Puree
2 dried Pasilla chiles
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons neutral tasting oil (plus more for tomatoes)
3 tomatoes, halved
1 large onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
For Finishing Soup
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
For Garnishes
fried tortilla strips
3/4 white or green cabbage, halved lengthwise, cored, and thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, finely diced (I used Vidalia onion because I had many on hand and no red ones)
1/2 cup finely grated Cotija cheese (1-2 ounces) (I used a monterey jack/mild cheddar combo block)
3/4 cup cilantro
1 ripe, firm avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
lime wedges
Cook chicken and fortify stock Place the chicken, stock, peppercorns, bay leaf, and the salt in a large stockpot. Bring just to a boil, skimming foam from the surface, then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is just cooked through. About 9 -12 minutes for breast pieces and 12 - 18 minutes for dark meat pieces. Remove chicken from stock. Once it is cool enough to handle, slip off skin and pull meat from bones, then shred meat into bite-size pieces. Strain stock through a sieve into a clean saucepan.
Meanwhile, prepare chiles toast the chiles in a dry medium skillet over high heat until fragrant and charred, about 1 minutes on each side. Let cool a bit, then split and chiles lengthwise and scrape out seeds; discard the seeds. Put chiles in a bowl and cover with warm water to soften, about 20 minutes (do not drain). If necessary, weigh chiles with another bowl to keep them submerged.
Make Puree Heat broiler with rack about 5 inches below heat source. Lightly oil tomatoes and broil until charred in spots or about 5 minutes. Let cool briefly, then coarsely chop. Using the same skillet as above, heat oil over medium-high heat and saute onion until translucent, about 3 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Add the tomatoes and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in chiles and soaking liquid. Allow mixture to cool slightly before pureeing in a blender until smooth. Strain mixture through a sieve, pressing with a flexible spatula to extract as much liquid as possible (discard solids).
Finish Soup Add puree to fortified stock and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Add shredded chicken and cook just to heat through, then stir in lime juice.
Serve Ladle soup into serving bowls and serve garnishes in individual bowls alongside.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
American French Onion Soup – Easy Just Got Easier
Instead of going “French” on the onions, and cutting thin slices, we’re doing more of an extra large dice. I like the flavor and texture this cut provides, and there’s no danger of being chin-slapped by a long, steaming strand of onion.
To make the caramelizing step a bit easier, we’re going to use the oven. You can just toss the onions in, stir it once in a while, and wait for them to brown. You don’t have to stand there and watch as closely as you would on the stovetop, and since the oven is blasting the pan with heat from all sides, you get a nice even color.
The last Americanization is a departure from the classic gruyere cheese. My love for gruyere is borderline inappropriate, but keeping with the theme, I decided to go with a 50/50 blend of extra-sharp New York cheddar and mild Monterey Jack. It was wonderful, and a nice change of pace.
Regarding the ominous vinegar warning in the video – I think a little touch of sherry vinegar really balances the flavors perfectly, but like salt, everyone’s palate is different. So, if you haven’t used it before, it may be a better to just add the vinegar, to taste, to the finished soup. Drip a little in, taste, and adjust.
Anyway, spring weather means plenty of cool, rainy days, and what better way to enjoy those than with a nice bowl of onion soup? Whether American, French, or some other yet-to-be-discovered cultural variation, I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for about 2 1/2 quarts of soup:
6 large yellow onions, cut in large dice
6 large yellow onions, cut in large dice
1/2 stick unsalted butter salt and pepper to taste
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 or 2 tsps sherry vinegar, or to taste
3 tbsps dry sherry wine (do NOT use “cooking wine”)
4 cups high-quality beef broth
4 cups high-quality chicken broth
buttered croutons
shredded extra-sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese (you’ll need about 1/3 cup per bowl)
View the complete recipe
View the complete recipe
Saturday, March 15, 2014
SILKY FRENCH ONION SOUP
Prep: 5 Mins. | Cook: 45 Mins.
Posted: by Sandra at: http:///
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons light olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 spanish onions, julienned
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
kosher salt and ground pepper
½ cup quality red wine (I used Cabernet Sauvignon)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups low-sodium beef broth
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup (Heinz recommended)
¼ teaspoon sriracha sauce (hot sauce)
1 baguette, sliced
1 cup mozzarella, grated
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
DIRECTIONS
Melt the olive oil and butter in a dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and salt and ground pepper, and reduce the heat to low and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes.
Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are nearly dry, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Dust the onions with the flour, and stir to evenly incorporate. So the flour does not burn, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 5 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Add the beef broth, worcestershire sauce, sriracha sauce, and ketchup; bring the soup back to boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low to simmer for 10 minutes. Taste for seasonings, adding additional kosher salt and ground pepper, if desired.
Preheat the broiler.
Meanwhile, place the bread slices on a foil-lined baking sheet, and broil until lightly browned and crispy, for about 2 to 3 minutes, and set aside.
Once soup is done, ladle into four ovenproof bowls and top each with 2 slices of bread, sprinkle equally with mozzarella, and then parmesan cheese. Place the bowls onto a baking sheet, and then under the broiler to melt the cheese until bubbly and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with remaining bread slices. – Enjoy!
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Tomato and bread soup
Tomato and bread soup
Ingredients
- Bread slices 2-3
- Finely chopped onions 1
- Chicken cube 1
- Finely chopped tomatoes 4
- Chicken stock 3 glasses
- Minced garlic 2-3 cloves
- Dry basil leaves 1tsp
- Finely chopped parsley 1tbsp
- Crushed red chili 1/2tsp
- Black pepper powder 1/2tsp
- Olive oil 4tbsps
- Salt as required
Method:-
- Heat 4tbsp of olive oil in wok .Cut the breads slices into small squares and fry till they turn crisp and golden brown in color.Remove with a slotted spoon and place the bread on an absorbent paper.
- In the same oil fry 2-3 cloves of garlic, 1chopped onion. Fry until the onions soften and turn pink in color.
- Add 4 chopped tomatoes, 1tsp dried basil leaves, salt as required and ½ tsp black pepper powder. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add 3 glasses of chickens tock and 1 chicken cube. Cook the mixture on a high flame.When the stock begins to boil add the fried bread slices and 1tbsp finely chopped parsley.
- Cook until the bread slices become soft.The delicious tomato and breads soup is ready to serve.
Lentil Soup
*You can use all vegetable or all chicken broth, this was just the combo I did, and I thought it was great.
Lentil Soup
1 lb. green lentils, rinsed
4 c. vegetable broth*
3 c. chicken broth*
1 bay leaf
2 T. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 small russet potato, chopped
8 oz. spinach, chopped
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 T. chopped fresh parsley (or 1/2 T. dried)
salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper
In a large pot, combine the vegetable broth, chicken broth, lentils and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, for somewhere between 20 and 45 minutes, until the lentils are just tender (check often, depending on the brand mine have been done anywhere in that range).
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat the oil. Add the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, not browned.
When lentils are tender, add the vegetables, potato, spinach, diced tomatoes, and parsley. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often, until potatoes are cooked. Season liberally with salt and pepper.
Optional: Take out 2-3 cups of the soup and put in a blender or food processor (or you could even use an immersion blender, Im sure). Process until creamy and add back into the soup. Totally optional, but it thickens the soup up a bit and I like that.
Source: Adapted from Sisters Cafe
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Pea Soup with Ham
If you make a Ham for the holidays or any day do not throw out the bone. Wrap it in plastic wrap and foil and put in the freezer for soup. I made this soup from the leftover Ham we had at Christmas. Be careful not to salt your soup until it is completely cooked and you taste it for seasoning. Some hams can be very salty. This was a spiral ham and salty enough.
Please pardon my pictures. I didnt notice the air bubbles from my stirring and every photo I took has bubbles in it. You know, now that I think of it, no matter what I do this isnt going to look that great. It is pea soup after all!
Ingredients:
1 leftover meaty ham bone
1 bag split peas
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 small-medium potatoes, diced
6-8 quarts water
1-2 chicken bouillon cubes, optional
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Special Tool – Immersion (stick) Blender
Directions:
Sauté onions, carrots and potatoes in extra virgin olive oil until onions are translucent. Add ham bone to pot with enough water to cover completely. Cover the pot. When water comes to a boil reduce heat to low and let simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Remove ham bone and place on a cutting board. Remove ham by pulling with a fork or cutting it with a knife. Using two forks shred ham and set aside. Be careful not to shred any of the fat. Meanwhile, continue to cook peas for another 15-20 minutes or until completely tender. Taste and add bouillon cubes if using. Using an immersion blender, blend until all peas and veggies are smooth. If soup seems thick add a little more water. Add shredded ham to pot and stir.
If reheating this soup you may want to add some chicken stock or water because it thickens up quite a bit.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Cream of Cauliflower – Come for the Soup Stay for the Bacon Gremolata
Of course, human nature being what it is, I wasn’t satisfied with just the soup, and wanted to garnish with something new and exciting. Unfortunately, I couldn’t think of anything, so I decided to follow that age-old advice which says, “when in doubt, bacon.”
I’ve garnished soups like this with bacon before, but never tried toasting breadcrumbs in the rendered fat. Not surprisingly, it worked very well, and the additions of lemon zest and parsley elevated things even more. The only problem with a recipe like this is the next time I’m served a cream of cauliflower, no matter how good it is, I’m going to be a little sad there’s no bacon gremolata floating on top.
By the way, I realize there are no breadcrumbs in a true gremolata, but I thought it sounded kind of cool, and besides, I’ve never been that big on respecting the sanctity of culinary terms. I was going to go with “baconized breadcrumbs,” but that sounded a little too much like molecular gastronomy, which is much worse.
If you’re not into eating animals, some diced shiitake mushrooms and a pinch of smoked paprika would be a great substitute in the gremolata. You’d also need to add some olive oil to replace the rendered bacon fat, but you probably knew that.
Now that I think about it, that vegetarian version sounds pretty amazing as well. Maybe next time I’ll skip the bacon and…oh, who am I kidding? Anyway, I hope you give this delicious fall soup a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for about 8 servings:
1 onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic
salt to taste
1 large russet potato, peeled, quartered
2 heads cauliflower, trimmed
1 quart chicken broth
1 quart water
1/2 cup cream
cayenne to taste
For the gremolata:
4 strips bacon
1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1 tbsp lemon zest
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
View the complete recipe
1 tbsp lemon zest
2 tbsp chopped Italian parsley
View the complete recipe
Sunday, March 2, 2014
Leek Garlic White Bean Soup
The holiday party season seems to have already started around here, and I have already had a hankering for some good bean soup with lots of flavour but not too rich, to give myself a break from too many "treats". So here it is. These were the Blue Lake dried beans from our garden, but any white bean will work well; the usual pea or navy bean being just fine.
Good tasting yeast (you can get it at Bulk Barn) is a bit of a secret ingredient for soups, sauces and gravies when you want to go vegetarian. Its flavour is rather chicken-like. The leftover hard rinds from Parmesan cheese should always be saved, well wrapped and stashed in the freezer, for vegetarian soup making as well. Like soup bones, they lend their flavour to the broth then are taken out and discarded. At that point they are likely tasteless fatty blobs of no interest. But the soup they leave behind is fabulous.
8 servings
2 hours cooking time - 30 minutes prep time
2 cups dried white beans
4 cups chopped leeks
2 cups chopped carrots
6 to 8 cloves of garlic (1 head)
2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
75 to 100 grams (3 to 4 ounces) Parmesan cheese rinds
2 tablespoons good tasting yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons savory
Rinse the beans and remove any bad ones. Put them in a large pot with water to cover them generously. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let rest for a few hours, then repeat the process. After three or 4 times, the beans will be mostly cooked.
Rinse the leeks, trim and chop them. Rinse them again, and drain well. Peel and chop the carrots. Peel and mince the garlic.
Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the leeks and carrots, until softened and reduced in volume; about 6 or 7 minutes. Add them to the beans. Top up the water to be sure the soup is of a satisfactory thickness. Add the Parmesan cheese rinds, yeast, salt, pepper and savory.
Simmer for 30 or 40 minutes. Stir regularly to prevent sticking. Remove the cheese rinds before serving. As ever, bean soup is much better the second and subsequent days than the first.
Last year at this time I made Schchi; Russian Cabbage Soup.
Read More..
Good tasting yeast (you can get it at Bulk Barn) is a bit of a secret ingredient for soups, sauces and gravies when you want to go vegetarian. Its flavour is rather chicken-like. The leftover hard rinds from Parmesan cheese should always be saved, well wrapped and stashed in the freezer, for vegetarian soup making as well. Like soup bones, they lend their flavour to the broth then are taken out and discarded. At that point they are likely tasteless fatty blobs of no interest. But the soup they leave behind is fabulous.
8 servings
2 hours cooking time - 30 minutes prep time
2 cups dried white beans
4 cups chopped leeks
2 cups chopped carrots
6 to 8 cloves of garlic (1 head)
2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil
75 to 100 grams (3 to 4 ounces) Parmesan cheese rinds
2 tablespoons good tasting yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons savory
Rinse the beans and remove any bad ones. Put them in a large pot with water to cover them generously. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let rest for a few hours, then repeat the process. After three or 4 times, the beans will be mostly cooked.
Rinse the leeks, trim and chop them. Rinse them again, and drain well. Peel and chop the carrots. Peel and mince the garlic.
Heat the oil in a large skillet and cook the leeks and carrots, until softened and reduced in volume; about 6 or 7 minutes. Add them to the beans. Top up the water to be sure the soup is of a satisfactory thickness. Add the Parmesan cheese rinds, yeast, salt, pepper and savory.
Simmer for 30 or 40 minutes. Stir regularly to prevent sticking. Remove the cheese rinds before serving. As ever, bean soup is much better the second and subsequent days than the first.
Last year at this time I made Schchi; Russian Cabbage Soup.
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Leek Spinach Potato Soup
We still have our own potatoes from last year, although most of them are pretty sprouted by now, so its race between the kitchen and the compost heap as to who gets them. There are leeks still in the garden, and they are perking up now that the weather is getting nicer (it is getting nicer, isnt it?) and we have lots of lovely spinach in our hoop-house. Altogether, they make a lovely soup.
4 to 6 servings
45 minutes - 30 minutes prep time
500 grams (1 pound) potatoes
6 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
3 medium leeks
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon celery seed, ground
6 cups finely chopped spinach
salt & pepper to taste
Scrub the potatoes and trim off any bad spots; peel them if you like. Cut them in chunks and put them in a large pot with the chicken stock and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, and boil steadily until the potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, wash and trim the leeks. Slice them fairly thinly. Heat the butter in a large skillet, and cook the leeks with the celery seed until soft but not browned. Add them to the potatoes.
Wash and pick over the spinach. Chop it finely.
When the potatoes are tender, mash them thoroughly, in the broth. (Remove the bay leaves first.) Add the spinach and cook until done, just a few minutes. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
Last year at this time I made Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake.
Read More..
4 to 6 servings
45 minutes - 30 minutes prep time
500 grams (1 pound) potatoes
6 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
3 medium leeks
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon celery seed, ground
6 cups finely chopped spinach
salt & pepper to taste
Scrub the potatoes and trim off any bad spots; peel them if you like. Cut them in chunks and put them in a large pot with the chicken stock and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, and boil steadily until the potatoes are tender.
Meanwhile, wash and trim the leeks. Slice them fairly thinly. Heat the butter in a large skillet, and cook the leeks with the celery seed until soft but not browned. Add them to the potatoes.
Wash and pick over the spinach. Chop it finely.
When the potatoes are tender, mash them thoroughly, in the broth. (Remove the bay leaves first.) Add the spinach and cook until done, just a few minutes. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
Last year at this time I made Cinnamon Sour Cream Coffee Cake.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Chicken Tomatillo Soup
Even my kids will eat it. It doesnt look like much, but it is so yummy! - and its the easiest soup Ive ever made. It only takes 30 mins. After the chicken comes out of the crock pot.
Chicken Tomatillo Soup
shredded chicken (about 2 breasts)
shredded chicken (about 2 breasts)
4 cups chicken broth
1 can beans (you choose, I use black)
1 can corn
1 medium onion diced
3 tomatillos chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes and liquid
1/4 cup cilantro
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1 bay leaf
Top with whatever you want-cheese, avocado, etc.
Cook chicken in water, set aside and shred. Add cooking spray to soup pot, and set over medium heat. Add onions and tomatillos, and cook till the onions are just turning brown. Add garlic cook 2 minutes. Next add tomatoes, beans, corn, chicken, cumin, paprika, bay leaf, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf and eat!
posted by: Amanda
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Chilaquiles The Best Thing to Happen to Hangovers Since Menudo the spicy soup not the band
As promised, here is my basic version of chilaquiles, a classic Mexican mixture of fried tortillas, cheese, and salsa verde, often made with eggs to produce one of the worlds great breakfasts. Like all the great breakfasts of the world, it has been long touted as a superior hangover cure.Its ability to revive the body, mind, and soul from the ravages of alcohol poisoning is reportedly second only to the famous Mexican soup, menudo. Since mendo takes much longer to make, and traditionally contains, among other things, brains, cheeks, tails, hooves, and other organs, I tend to prefer the chilaquiles as my remedy.
According to the extensive research I did regarding the name, and by that I mean the three minutes I spent on Wikipedia, the word "chilaquiles" is derived from the Nahuatl word chil-a-quilitl, which means "herbs or greens in chile broth."I cant say how that particular recipe eventually became what youll see here, but thankfully it did - I cant imagine a bowl of stewed greens in a chili broth would work as well after a late night out at Senor Diablos Casa de Las Margaritas Grandes. Enjoy!
Ingredients for curing 2 hangovers:
5 eggs
3 corn tortillas
1/2 cup cheese
1/2 cup salsa verde
vegetable oil
salt and cayenne pepper to taste
Check Out These Other Great South-of-the-Border Video Recipes:
Aunt Marys Pollo en CremaPineapple Pork Al Pastor
Spicy Tomato Rice
Chicken Chili Verde
Margarita photo (c) House Of Sims Flickr photostream
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Spanish food like spicy gazpacho soup
Homemade soups are so good for you - everything what nourishing Commons,
full bulk vitamins and minerals.
But... on earth could face of boiling bones for hours at the end
not to mention during the scorching Spanish summer of
made preparation of soup once is the stock? I think it Don ´ t
would Tickle anybody ´s then feel, tuck into a
Piping hot soup!
For this reason the Spaniards with their beautiful came
Ice cold soup - gazpacho - beautifully coloured, packed with
Goodness, cheap and easy to prepare, no Cook... most
most important of all, to drink an absolute delight.
Traditional gazpacho comes from romantic Andalusien-the
large, exotic southern region of Spain is home to such
extensive Arab influence.
The cooled, raw soup was originally made by pounding bread and
Garlic with tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers, but, today, your
electric mixer renders this effortlessly! olive oil provides
Adds a refreshing, creamy consistency and vinegar with a smooth
Tang - exactly what you need when life too hot!
The spicy soup should be served in an authentic Spanish style with small.
Shells of accompaniments - finely chopped peppers, cucumber,
Onion... hard boiled eggs and Croutons, even if you feel up to
It! guests are then sprinkle what appeals to you on the soup.
Traditional gazpacho is tomato-based with the most Spanish families
Their own, unique recipe-s developed haben.jedoch, today
Find Gazpacho-recipe-s that have nothing to do
with tomato - white almond-based gazpachos fruit-based
Gazpachos, etc.
You suffer from insomnia? could be that drink gazpacho is
the answer for Pedro Almodovar ´s 1987 film "Mujeres Al Borde"
"De UN Ataque de Nervios", different characters to help
the soup and fall asleep immediately!
Don ´ t fall asleep only or as you read haven ´ t about the
Recipe!
Ingrediants for 4 servings:
-4 ripe tomatoes
-1 Onion
-½ red pepper
-½ of green pepper
-½ Cucumber
-3 Garlic cloves
-50 g bread
-3 Tablespoons vinegar
-8 Tbsp olive oil
-Wasser
Salt / pepper
-¼ Pepper (optional)
Detention orders:
2 hard boiled eggs
-½ chopped onion
-½ chopped red pepper
-½ chopped green pepper
-½ chopped cucumber
Method:
1. Breaking of bread and for 30 minutes in water soak.
2. Skin tomatoes, seeds and remove stems from pepper.
3. Peel cucumber, onion and garlic.
4. Chop onions, garlic, tomatoes, peppers and cucumber.
5. Place in Blender.
6. Squeeze out excess water from bread and Blender Add.
7. Add vinegar and oil.
8. Mix well.
(9) If necessary, add sufficient water soup consistency.
10. Pour into a bowl of ice cubes.
11. Refrigerator for a few hours.
12. In trays of detention orders into separate dishes serve.
Gazpacho is best enjoyed sitting in the shade, look on
azure sea, blue sky, Golden Sun and sand!
Linda Plummer is webmistress of the site: http://www.top-tour-of-spain.com which offers a variety of information about Spain and the Spanish language.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Cream of Asparagus Soup For the Love of Spring
Don’t get me wrong, I love the fresh spears, and have posted many recipes featuring them, but for pure asparagus goodness, you just can’t beat a perfectly made bowl of soup. There are no tricks or secret techniques here; just make sure your onions are fully cooked before adding the asparagus, and other than not over-cooking it, there’s not a lot that can go wrong.
Testing the vegetable’s doneness by pressing them against the side of the pot should eliminate any guesswork, but if unsure, err on the side of slightly under vs. slightly over cooked. The other decision you’ll have to make is whether to strain or not. I recommend it, but totally understand if you don’t. The soup is great as is, but straining out the woodier fibers does give it a finer, more velvety texture.
Of course, the float of Parmesan and lemon cream on top is optional also, but pretend it isn’t. It adds a great visual element, and adds a little extra richness to the soup’s lean, green goodness. I hope you fall in love with this soup soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for about 1 1/2 quarts of soup:
2 tbsp butter
1 diced onion
1 diced onion
2 pounds asparagus
salt to taste
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
cayenne to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
pinch of nutmeg (I forgot to mention in video, but just add with other spices!)
1/2 cup of heavy cream
For the cream topping:
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tsp lemon zest
*whisk for minute until frothy and slightly thickened
View the complete recipe
View the complete recipe
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Crowberry soup
Crowberries grow all over Iceland and can in fact be found in many areas in the subarctic and temperate zones, including Denmark*, Alaska and northern Canada (according to Wikipedia, they are also found in the Andes). They are well worth picking because they make delicious jelly, a good drink concentrate**, taste good fresh with skyr, and then there is this soup:
1/2 to 1 kg crowberries, well ripened
1 litre water
1 cinnamon stick
2 tbs potato flour or cornstarch
100 ml cold water
100 g sugar, or to taste
Pick over the berries, removing any under-ripe berries and other unwanted objects (may include twig pieces, leaves, moss and spiders - that is assuming you didnt go to Vínberið*** and buy the berries already cleaned) and clean under running cold water.
Cook the berries in the water with the cinnamon stick for 20-30 minutes. Strain and re-heat to boiling. Mix potato flour/cornstarch and water into a paste. When the soup boils, stir in the paste and let boil again. Add sugar to taste. Serve warm with zwieback.
--
Notes:
* I tasted Danish crowberries once, and they didnt have nearly as much flavour as the ones that grow in Iceland, and neither were they as juicy. Im guessing its the soil that makes the difference.
**you can also make crowberry wine.
***a grocery and confectionery shop in Reykjavík and the only local shop where I have seen crowberries for sale.
Read More..
1/2 to 1 kg crowberries, well ripened
1 litre water
1 cinnamon stick
2 tbs potato flour or cornstarch
100 ml cold water
100 g sugar, or to taste
Pick over the berries, removing any under-ripe berries and other unwanted objects (may include twig pieces, leaves, moss and spiders - that is assuming you didnt go to Vínberið*** and buy the berries already cleaned) and clean under running cold water.
Cook the berries in the water with the cinnamon stick for 20-30 minutes. Strain and re-heat to boiling. Mix potato flour/cornstarch and water into a paste. When the soup boils, stir in the paste and let boil again. Add sugar to taste. Serve warm with zwieback.
--
Notes:
* I tasted Danish crowberries once, and they didnt have nearly as much flavour as the ones that grow in Iceland, and neither were they as juicy. Im guessing its the soil that makes the difference.
**you can also make crowberry wine.
***a grocery and confectionery shop in Reykjavík and the only local shop where I have seen crowberries for sale.
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Creamy But Non Dairy Pumpkin Soup
The pumpkin or squash does need to be baked in advance, but apart from that this soup is ridiculously simple. It didnt taste simple though. It tasted smooth, creamy and rich. Well, there is all that coconut milk, Im afraid.
I used my Galeux dEysines pumpkin for this, but you could use Butternut squash instead. It might be a little denser so you might want to add a little more chicken stock in that case.
8 servings
1 1/4 hours to prepare the pumpkin - 15 minutes prep time
1 1/4 hours to make the soup - 30 minutes prep time
Cook the Pumpkin or Squash:
1 medium pumpkin or squash (1 kilo or 2 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the pumpkin in half, and remove and discard the seeds and stringy bits. Rub the cut flesh lightly with the oil, and place the pieces on a baking tray. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until tender. Let cool and refrigerate (wrapped) until wanted.
Make the Soup
6 large shallots
2 large apples
2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil (or butter if you like)
4 cups cooked squash
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 3/4 cups (a 400 ml tin) coconut milk
1 teaspoon anise seed, ground
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
the finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
the juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Peel and chop the shallots. Core and chop the apples. (Peel them as well, if you think your blender wont handle the skins.) Heat the oil or butter in a large skillet and cook the shallots and apples until soft and slightly browned in spots.
Meanwhile, put the squash, chicken stock, coconut milk, and ground anise seed in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the ginger, lemon zest and lemon juice, and simmer for another few minutes.
Purée the soup until very smooth. No doubt this will take 2 or 3 batches in the blender. Reheat to serve.
Last year at this time I made Leek & Potato Soup.
Read More..
I used my Galeux dEysines pumpkin for this, but you could use Butternut squash instead. It might be a little denser so you might want to add a little more chicken stock in that case.
8 servings
1 1/4 hours to prepare the pumpkin - 15 minutes prep time
1 1/4 hours to make the soup - 30 minutes prep time
Cook the Pumpkin or Squash:
1 medium pumpkin or squash (1 kilo or 2 1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon mild vegetable oil
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut the pumpkin in half, and remove and discard the seeds and stringy bits. Rub the cut flesh lightly with the oil, and place the pieces on a baking tray. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until tender. Let cool and refrigerate (wrapped) until wanted.
Make the Soup
6 large shallots
2 large apples
2 tablespoons mild vegetable oil (or butter if you like)
4 cups cooked squash
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 3/4 cups (a 400 ml tin) coconut milk
1 teaspoon anise seed, ground
2 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger
the finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
the juice of 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Peel and chop the shallots. Core and chop the apples. (Peel them as well, if you think your blender wont handle the skins.) Heat the oil or butter in a large skillet and cook the shallots and apples until soft and slightly browned in spots.
Meanwhile, put the squash, chicken stock, coconut milk, and ground anise seed in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add the ginger, lemon zest and lemon juice, and simmer for another few minutes.
Purée the soup until very smooth. No doubt this will take 2 or 3 batches in the blender. Reheat to serve.
Last year at this time I made Leek & Potato Soup.
Saturday, February 1, 2014
CLASSIC SPLIT PEA SOUP
We have lots of snow and it was five below zero a couple nights ago. That can only mean one thing; it is hot soup season!! I love having a pot of soup on the stove (or in the slow cooker) all weekend. This is a great classic recipe for split pea soup; it is quick, easy, packed with flavor and one of our favorite soups.
¾ pound smoked ham, cubed
1 cup onion chopped (I like Vidalia or sweet onions)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1 pound dried split peas (rinsed)
2 quarts chicken stock
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons salt (see important note below)
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup cream (or half and half)
In a large stock pot, saute onion, celery and carrots together in a tablespoon of vegetable (or canola) oil for a few minutes (they dont have to be cooked all the way through).
Add the split peas, chicken stock, potatoes, ham, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer slowly (covered) for about an hour or until the peas are very soft (stir occasionally).
Now you have to process the soup in a food processor or blender (stick blenders dont work very well for this), so work in small batches, processing the soup until very smooth and thick.
Return the soup to the stock pot and add the cream (or half and half). Stir well and reheat , but dont boil. When you serve it, top it with some crisp fried bacon (optional). I like to decorate each bowl with a rolled up slice of bacon (looks like a "bacon rose" lol).
NOTE: Dont automatically add the 2 teaspoons of salt before you consider the following. If you are using home made chicken stock that has not been salted, go ahead and use the 2 teaspoons of salt.
If you are using a soup base, like McCormicks soup base (a fantastic product), well it has salt in it (but not as much salt as bullion).
If you use this, I would use only ½ to 1 teaspoon of salt. If you are using regular bullion, leave the salt out all together and taste the soup just before serving to check for salt content.
Read More..
1 cup onion chopped (I like Vidalia or sweet onions)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1 pound dried split peas (rinsed)
2 quarts chicken stock
2 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons salt (see important note below)
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 cup cream (or half and half)
In a large stock pot, saute onion, celery and carrots together in a tablespoon of vegetable (or canola) oil for a few minutes (they dont have to be cooked all the way through).
Add the split peas, chicken stock, potatoes, ham, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer slowly (covered) for about an hour or until the peas are very soft (stir occasionally).
Now you have to process the soup in a food processor or blender (stick blenders dont work very well for this), so work in small batches, processing the soup until very smooth and thick.
Return the soup to the stock pot and add the cream (or half and half). Stir well and reheat , but dont boil. When you serve it, top it with some crisp fried bacon (optional). I like to decorate each bowl with a rolled up slice of bacon (looks like a "bacon rose" lol).
NOTE: Dont automatically add the 2 teaspoons of salt before you consider the following. If you are using home made chicken stock that has not been salted, go ahead and use the 2 teaspoons of salt.
If you are using a soup base, like McCormicks soup base (a fantastic product), well it has salt in it (but not as much salt as bullion).
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