Mango & Tomato: soup

11/22/22

Italian Wedding Soup Recipe

Meatball soup in a bowl with toast on the side

Remember me? I know it's been a while: I really should get back to regular blogging!

Today, I'm sharing a recipe for Italian Wedding Soup I made with my friend Jenn a few weekends ago. This is the soup Jenn has been making for years using a recipe from her friend Anna, but it was my first time making and eating Italian Wedding Soup ever!

I edited the original recipe.

Italian Wedding Soup

4-6 portions

Ingredients

96 ounces chicken broth

1-2 tablespoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

5 carrots, peeled and chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

2 chicken breasts

1 bunch escarole, sliced

Meatballs

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

2 tablespoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1.5 teaspoons garlic powder

3 tablespoons dried parsley

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

"Cheese" balls

2 egg whites

1/2 pound grated or finely shredded Parmiagino Reggiano

1 pound cooked orzo

To serve

Italian bread, fresh parsley, extra cheese

Directions

1. In a large pot, bring the chicken broth, salt & pepper, carrots, celery, and chicken breasts to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through (about 25 minutes). Remove chicken and shred in a separate bowl.

2. Mix together all the ingredients for the meatballs and form into 1" balls. Drop the balls into once again boiling chicken broth, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine the egg whites with the cheese and form into 1/2 inch balls. Drop the balls into the broth, and also add shredded chicken and chopped escarole.

4. Simmer the soup for about 10 minutes. Check to make sure the meatballs and cheese balls are cooked through. Adjust for salt and pepper.

5. Spoon the cooked orzo into each bowl and top with the soup.

6. Serve with slices of Italian bread, a sprinkling of extra cheese and parsley.

The original recipe used a whole chicken, but you know how I feel about chicken skin, bones, and dark meat. You can do as you please.

Also, I changed the recipe not to add orzo into the soup pot because it will soak up all the liquid overnight in the refrigerator.

I hope you make this and enjoy a bowl of soup with your family or with your family of 1 (with plenty of leftovers).

And as with any recipe, there are a zillion variations. Let me know how your family makes Italian Wedding Soup.

PS there's no Italian wedding happening for me any time soon.

8/22/21

Quick And Easy Borsch Recipe

Vegetarian beet soup in a large pot with bowls

Let's get one thing straight: there's no t in borsch.

Ok, I feel better now :0

Here's a Quick And Easy Borsch Recipe you can whip up in less than 45 minutes (all the while practicing your dicing skills) and eat either hot or cold because it's completely vegan (that is until you add mayonnaise or sour cream).

Quick And Easy Borsch Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion, diced

3 carrots, peeled, diced

2 Russet potatoes, peeled, diced (larger than the other vegetables)

2 medium beets, peeled, diced

salt & pepper to taste

1 tablespoon tomato paste

water

1/2 small cabbage, thinly sliced

toppings: mayonnaise or sour cream, parsley or dill, and toast

Directions

1. In a large soup pot, I used Le Creuset, heat olive oil. Add onions and carrots and saute for 5 minutes.

2. Add potatoes and saute for 3 more minutes.

3. Add beets, salt and pepper, and tomato paste, stir to combine and saute for 5 minutes.

4. Add enough water to cover everything by 1 to 2 inches depending on how thick you'll want your borsch to be. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender.

5. Add cabbage, bring the mixture back to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Serve with mayonnaise or sour cream, parsley or dill, and toast.

The soup will only get better as it sits in the refrigerator.

1/5/21

Green Curry With Sweet Potato, Peppers, And Peas

curry, coconut milk, sweet potato, vegan, vegetarian, plant based, pepper, soup, meatless monday, peas

If you have a few roasted sweet potatoes, or regular potatoes for that matter, you can have Green Curry With Sweet Potato, Peppers, And Peas in about 20 minutes!

Green Curry With Sweet Potato, Peppers, And Peas

Serves 2-3 depending on how hungry you are and whether you are eating this curry with rice

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 onion, thinly sliced

2 yellow peppers, thinly sliced (of course you can use any color you like)

2-3 tablespoons green curry paste

1 can (about 14 ounces) coconut milk

1/2 to 1 cups of water

1 large or 2 medium roasted sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 cup defrosted peas

salt to taste

1 lime, quartered

nuts, chopped (I would prefer cashews or almonds, but only had Brasil nuts)

cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add onions and peppers and saute on medium heat for about 7 to 10 minutes until the vegetables have softened and browned slightly.

2. Add the curry paste and saute for a few minutes.

3. Add the coconut milk and enough water to thin it out to your desired consistency.

4. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Add sweet potatoes and peas and mix to combine.

5. Simmer the curry covered for about 10 minutes. Taste for salt.

6. Serve the curry in a bowl with a squeeze of fresh lime juice, chopped nuts, and cilantro.

Options: you can serve this curry on top of rice and or with crispy tofu or a protein of your choice.

10/13/20

Vegan Butternut Squash & Red Lentil Curried Soup

The minute I saw Liren's Spiced Butternut Squash Lentil Soup on her instagram, I knew I'd have to make it. It only took me a few weeks.

Luckily, I had most of the ingredients on hand, and the ones I did not have (coriander and almond milk), did not make much of a difference.

I followed the recipe pretty closely but made a few changes:

1) I chopped the ginger and left it in the soup instead of using a ginger chunk and removing it before pureeing the soup

2) I did not add balsamic vinegar

3) I used red lentils instead of the brown ones

This soup comes together souper (I could not resist) quickly and is incredibly warming, comforting, and flavorful. Curry powder and turmeric are definitely fall flavors and are helped by fresh ginger and ginger powder.

I used spinach in my soup and topped it with chili oil and cilantro. Not only is this a great first course or a full meal, but it also heats up well the next day, and the next.

You can use any type of winter squash in this recipe or even sweet potatoes and carrots. Or combine all 3.

What's your favorite soup?

5/18/20

Smoked Salmon, Potato & Vegetable Soup

The weather has turned cool and gloomy, and I really wish I had Smoked Salmon, Potato & Vegetable Soup from a few weeks ago.

This soup happened because I had some smoked salmon I did not really like. I thought it would taste milder when heated. First, I added it to an omelet, then I decided to make soup.

Because I did not have heavy cream, I used cream cheese. I originally wanted to use corn, but did not have any: luckily, I had a bag of frozen peas. Basically what I'm saying is use whatever you have!

Smoked Salmon, Potato & Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
4 portions

4 red skinned potatoes, cut into 3/4" cubes
water
salt
olive oil
2 carrots, diced
1 celery, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups spinach
2 cups defrosted peas
2 tablespoons cream cheese
1 cup chopped smoked salmon
fresh herbs
focaccia

Directions
1. Cover potatoes in a large soup pot with water by a few inches. Add salt. Cook until potatoes are tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet. Add carrots, celery, and garlic, and saute until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
3. Add the vegetables to the cooked potatoes.
4. Stir in spinach and peas and allow the soup to come to a boil. The spinach will wilt.
5. Pour about 1 cup of the soup liquid into a small bowl and whisk in cream cheese. Add back into the soup pot.
6. Stir in smoked salmon and heat through.
7. Serve topped with fresh herbs of your choice (parsley, dill, cilantro, scallions) with a side of focaccia.

The soup reheats great, and actually becomes creamier as potatoes fall apart slightly!

4/27/20

Quarantine Roasted Tomato & Pepper Soup Adapted From Cool Beans

Over the weekend I adapted Joe Yonan's recipe from Cool Beans for Roasted Tomato and Pepper Soup.

I won Joe's cookbook from the food chat on Washington Post, and have already made his Garlicky Great Northern Beans and Broccoli Rabe Over Toast recipe a month or so ago.

The Roasted Tomato and Pepper Soup is an easy to follow recipe with pretty standard ingredients, but I did not want to use my fresh tomatoes and did not have fresh peppers. What I did have, however, were cans of tomatoes and a jar of roasted peppers. That's what I ended up using. The benefit of starting with canned tomatoes is that you can make this soup any time of the year: even when tomatoes are not in season.

The key to using canned tomatoes is to drain them incredibly well (I drank the liquid) and then roasting tomatoes in the oven.

Quarantine Roasted Tomato & Pepper Soup Adapted From Cool Beans

Serves 4

Ingredients

28 ounce canned diced tomatoes, drained well
14.5 ounce canned diced tomatoes, drained well
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, chopped
2 jarred roasted peppers, chopped
3 cups liquid**
salt & pepper to taste
1 handful basil leaves, more to garnish
2 cups cooked beans (I used Great Northern beans)
optional: sugar
chili oil
challah

** use a combination of liquid from the beans (I cooked mine in the pressure cooker) and water or vegetable broth

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 500F. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Spread drained diced tomatoes in a single layer, drizzle with olive oil, and roast for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, add olive oil and heat. Add onion and garlic, and saute till tender. Do not burn.
3. Add roasted tomatoes and peppers to the onions and garlic. Season with salt & pepper.
4. Add the liquid, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Add basil. Using an immersion blender, carefully blend the soup to the consistency you desire.
6. Add the beans and heat through. Add a pinch of sugar if needed.
7. Serve the soup drizzled with chili oil and a few fresh basil leaves. Challah toast is a great accompaniment!

I loved the natural sweetness of tomatoes that came through after roasting them in the oven paired with the chili oil. This soup can be an excellent sauce (do not add beans) for meatballs or a base for shakshuka!

4/22/20

Pumpkin & Salmon Red Thai Curry

This past weekend I all of a sudden thought about one of my favorite dishes from Thai X-ing, a restaurant in DC, that I've not had in a while: pumpkin and salmon curry!

Maybe it's because the weather in DC area has been on a cooler side, or because I happened to have a can of coconut cream in my pantry and a kabocha squash that's been sitting on my kitchen counter for too many weeks to count.

I also just happened to have a few pieces of salmon arriving in my order from Whole Foods. Perfect timing.

I found a recipe from sel et sucre and adapted it using what I had in my kitchen. It definitely hit the spot!

Pumpkin & Salmon Red Thai Curry
Serves 4-6

1 can coconut cream (do not shake it)
1/4 cup Thai red curry paste
1 kabocha squash, or any other small pumpkin or winter squash, peeled very carefully, and cut into bite size pieces after removing the seeds
water
3 kaffir leaves
1 orange pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 yellow squash, sliced
salt
2 salmon filets, skins removed, cut into bite size pieces
1 cup defrosted peas

lime
cilantro

1. In a large skillet, add the coconut cream (the solid part) and red curry paste and simmer for 10 minutes.
2. Add kabocha, coconut milk (the liquid part from the can), and enough water to cover. Drop in kaffir leaves. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 5-10 minutes until kabocha is tender.
3. Add peppers and yellow squash, season with salt and cook for 3-5 more minutes.
4. Nestle in salmon pieces and defrosted green peas and simmer until salmon is cooked through: about 3-5 minutes.
5. Serve garnished with lime wedges (squeeze those into the curry) and cilantro.

Look at the color!!! Of course if you have fish sauce and Thai basil, use those. You can also add a bit of heat with sriracha.

I ate the curry without rice, but you can do as you please.

If you are vegetarian or vegan, use tofu or mushrooms instead of salmon. This would also be great with eggplant.

Comfort in a bowl.

12/30/19

Meatless Monday: Creamy Cauliflower & Potato Soup With Cashews & Chili Oil

Do you need a reset from all the holiday eating you've been doing? Are you craving a bowl of soup that's creamy with a bit of texture and spice? Then you should definitely make my Creamy Cauliflower & Potato Soup With Cashews & Chili Oil.

Last week I saw Ellie Krieger's recipe for Creamy Cauliflower Soup With Mushroom and Hazelnut Topping, but did not have shallots, mushrooms, hazelnuts, parsley, or sherry vinegar. I KNOW!!!

I decided to use what I did have and make my own version of the soup.

Creamy Cauliflower & Potato Soup With Cashews & Chili Oil

Ingredients
olive oil enough to cover the bottom of a soup pot
1/2 red onion, diced
1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces
1 large red potato, peeled, diced
4 cups vegetable broth
salt to taste {you'll need WAY more than you think}
black pepper to taste
toasted cashews, chopped
fresh cilantro, chopped
chili oil to taste

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a soup pot. Add onion, cauliflower, and potatoes and saute for 10 minutes on medium heat.
2. Add vegetable broth, season with salt and pepper, increase the heat and bring to a boil.
3. Lower the heat and simmer the soup, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes until the vegetables are fork tender.
4. Using an immersion blender, carefully puree the soup.
5. Taste and adjust for salt.
6. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with cashews, cilantro, and a drizzle of chili oil.

The soup reheats really well!

PS I made that bowl!!!

12/11/19

Meal Prep: Albondigas Soup

If you love meal prep, leftovers, and not having to think what will I have for lunch or dinner today, I highly recommend Albondigas Soup from Carlsbad Cravings.

I followed the recipe pretty closely, so will not retype it here.

I was surprised by the spices and herbs used in the meatballs, mint in particular. Turns out, the Spanish albondigas I've made before are quite different from the Mexican ones in this soup.

Reasons this recipe is a keeper:
1) double carbs: the soup has potatoes and rice
2) great leftovers (I bet it freezes well too): I've been eating this soup for lunch 4 days in a row and still have two more portions
3) the rice in the meatballs reminds me of the Russian hedgehog meatballs from my childhood
4) anything topped with an avocado is a winner in my opinion

The one change I'd make would be to use leaner type of meat. The 80/20 ground beef is a bit too fatty in this case because you cook the meatballs directly in the soup, making it difficult to skim the extra fat.

Oh, and I'd probably add corn next time for a bit of a crunch!

What's on your meal prep list?

10/22/19

Sharba: Lybian Soup Recipe

This past Sunday, my friends Sylvie and Jazmin came over to my condo for a cooking date. The weather, rainy, grey, and cold, was the perfect setting for catching up, eating large bowls of soup, drinking hard cider, and eating fresh out of the oven s'mores cookies.

Sylvie was craving Jazmin's Sharba (a Lybian soup), so that's what we cooked together...she's bossy at times ;) This was my first time trying Sharba, and I now fully understand why it's a favorite for many.

Below is a version of Jazmin's recipe shared with her permission and slightly rewritten to fit my style/format ;)

Jazmin's Sharba
Serves ~ 6
Ingredients
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1.5 pounds goat (bones removed, but not thrown out)
spice mix: 2 tablespoons turmeric, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 tablespoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon allspice: add all to a grinder and pulse until fine
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
5 cups water
1-2 jalapenos, halved lengthwise (depending on how much heat you like)
1/2 cup orzo
2 cans chickpeas, drained
1 tablespoon dried mint
chopped parsley
lemon wedges
bread
baba ghanoush

Directions
1. Heat a large cooking vessel such as Le Creuset. Add oil and allow to heat up.
2. Add onions and saute on medium heat until they are golden brown.
3. Add your meat with the bones and about a tablespoon of the spice mix. Allow to brown.
4. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water, another tablespoon of the spice mix, and jalapenos. Bring to a boil.
5. Simmer until the meat is tender.
6. Add in the orzo and chickpeas. Adjust the seasoning as needed and simmer until the orzo is cooked through.
7. Add dried mint.
8. Serve topped with parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice, a chunk of crusty bread, and baba ghanoush.

NOTE: some of you who like the bones, would love to suck the marrow out of them. Some of you, like me, will want to make sure to pull out the bones after cooking and before serving the soup.

The leftovers will thicken up as they sit in the refrigerator, so you may want to add a bit of broth when you reheat them.

2/26/19

Chickpea & Rotisserie Turkey Turmeric Soup Recipe Inspired by Alison Roman

Have you heard of Alison Roman's Spiced Chickpea Stew With Coconut and Turmeric that went viral a while back? What's not to like? A combination of chickpeas and coconut milk is perfect for cold winter months, plus greens to make you feel even better about eating this rich stew.

Speaking of rich, 2 cans of full fat coconut milk sounded like a lot! Instead of making Alison's recipe, I decided to use only one can, increase the amount of chicken broth to make the stew into a soup, and add rotisserie turkey breast for extra protein. I also added chopped red pepper at the end for crunch and color, and used parsley instead of mint.

Chickpea & Rotisserie Turkey Turmeric Soup Recipe Inspired by Alison Roman

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 onion, diced
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
salt and pepper to taste
1.5 teaspoons turmeric
a few pinches red pepper flakes
4 cups cooked chickpeas (I made mine in a pressure cooker)
15 ounces can full fat coconut milk
4 cups chicken stock
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves torn into bite-size pieces
2 cups shredded rotisserie turkey breast (or you can use chicken)
1 red pepper, diced
fresh parsley, chopped
fresh lime juice

Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot on medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and saute for about 5 minutes.
2. Add salt, pepper, turmeric and red pepper flakes with chickpeas. Mix to combine. Saute for about 10 minutes.
3. Remove 1 cup of the chickpea mixture and set aside. Using a wooden spoon, gently smash some of the remaining chickpeas.
4. Add coconut milk and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer and simmer for 25 minutes.
5. Add Swiss chard and turkey and simmer for about 5 minutes to allow the chard to wilt and the turkey to heat through.
6. Taste for salt and adjust as needed.
7. Serve in bowls topped with reserved chickpeas, chopped red pepper, parsley, and fresh lime juice.

Just look at that color! I'm having this soup for lunch today (I had it yesterday too and will also eat it tomorrow and Thursday: perfect #mealprep). You can serve the soup as is or on top of rice or with a side of toast.

12/26/18

RESET: Pinto Bean & Kale Soup

If you need a reset after the countless cookies, pies, cakes, and who knows what else you ate over the holidays, this Pinto Bean & Kale Soup is for you!

The soup takes less than 30 minutes to make and is full of flavor, vitamins, color, and still fits the comfort food label. I used defrosted pinto beans from Camellia beans I cooked in my pressure cooker and defrosted chicken broth. If you want to make this soup vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth. For a vegan version, leave out sharp cheddar.

RESET: Pinto Bean & Kale Soup
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
3 carrots, diced (no need to peel)
3 celery ribs, peeled, diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
salt & red pepper flakes to taste
4 cups chopped kale
2 cups cooked pinto beans
4-6 cups chicken broth (depends on how thick you want the soup to be)
chopped parsley
sharp cheddar, shaved
toast

Directions
1. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Season with salt and red pepper flakes and saute for 10 minutes on medium heat.
2. Add kale. Saute for a few minutes until kale has wilted.
3. Add beans and chicken broth. Bring soup to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Serve topped with parsley and cheese and a side of toast.

This soup keeps well for days in the refrigerator and is great as leftovers.

11/14/18

What To Cook When You Are Sick: Matzo Ball Soup With Broccoli Rabe, Carrots & Chicken

Good thing about being single and childless when you are sick is that you don't have to take care of anyone other than yourself. Ok, I do have to take care of my plants...

Not so good thing about being single and sick: you are the only one who will take care of you.

I've been with a cold (oy) for about a week and was SO happy that I had a mix of maztzo ball soup in my pantry (aka a kitchen cabinet). I supplemented the mix with a few extra ingredients and had soup for days!

1) Add a healthy amount of turmeric to the broth and a sliced jalapeno
2) In the last 10 minutes of the cooking process add sliced carrots and broccoli rabe and defrosted (or fresh) rotisserie chicken
3) Garnish with parsley

This was so good, I even had leftovers for breakfast.

Here's to feeling healthy soon!

10/24/18

Pureed Cauliflower Soup With Za'atar And Parsley

Pureed Cauliflower Soup With Za'atar And Parsley takes minutes to make and can be vegan if that's your preference.

A few days ago I turned steamed cauliflower and chicken broth into a super quick soup right in my blender. What made this soup extra special were the toppings!

Pureed Cauliflower Soup With Za'atar And Parsley

Ingredients
steamed cauliflower
chicken broth
salt & pepper to taste
chili oil
za'atar
chopped parsley

Directions
1. Puree cauliflower and chicken broth in a blender. Season with salt and pepper. You want to start with two parts cauliflower and 1 part chicken broth and then add more liquid as needed.
2. Heat the soup in a small saucepan and pour into bowls.
3. Drizzle the soup with chili oil and top with za'atar and parsley.

10/15/18

Vegan Split Pea Soup In A Pressure Cooker Adapted From SkinnyTaste

It finally feels like Fall, which means it's soup weather (although for me, almost any weather is soup weather). If you are like me and love split pea soup, you'll want to make my vegan version of SkinnyTaste's Split Pea Soup in a pressure cooker! I added potatoes, because that's what my mom always does, took out the meat, and added a few extra spices.

Remember when slightly over two years ago I received a PowerPressureXL to play with in my kitchen? I've loved that pressure cooker and used it often, but a few months ago noticed that the non stick coating started to come off. Luckily, the company has rebranded itself into PowerQuickPot, updated its pressure cooker model and now has a stainless steel insert! I received the new model and tested it out by making the split pea soup.

Vegan Split Pea Soup In A Pressure Cooker Adapted From SkinnyTaste

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 small onion, diced
2 celery ribs, peeled, diced
1 large Russet potato, peeled, cubed into 3/4" pieces
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons bourbon smoked paprika
1 pound dry green split peas, washed well
1 bay leaf
6 cups water
chopped parsley for garnish

Directions
1. Set the PowerQuickPot to a saute setting. Add olive oil, allow to heat slightly, then add carrots, onion, celery and potatoes. Saute for 5 minutes.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, other than parsley, and mix to combine.
3. Set the PowerQuickPot to the bean setting. {Note, the bean setting was for 20 minutes. I used a quick release after 15 minutes.}

Adjust the seasoning and serve topped with parsley. Keep in mind the soup will thicken as it sits in the fridge.

This will be lunch today and tomorrow and the day after!

Thanks PowerQuickPot for my new pressure cooker! I'm giving the older version to a friend and sending her a link to a stainless steel insert.

Note: I received the PowerQuickPot as a gift. I'm not being paid for this post. All opinions are my own.

7/12/18

Vegan Thai Corn, Potato & Zucchini Soup

Are you swimming in the sea of summer corn and zucchini? If the answer is yes, then this Vegan Thai Corn, Potato & Zucchini Soup is perfect for you.

I saw a recipe for Thai-Style Corn Chowder on TheKitchn and adapted it slightly to fit what I had on hand.

First, I used only 2 red skinned potatoes, and added 2 large zucchini. I also used vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. Finally, I pureed part of the soup to improve the texture.

The one recommendation I'm still figuring out is whether to mince the lemon grass*** or simply bruise it using the back of the knife because I did not like the texture of the minced lemongrass in the soup. You decide!

Vegan Thai Corn, Potato & Zucchini Soup
Adapted from TheKitchn
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 red skinned potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
1 Thai chili pepper, finely chopped {do NOT touch your eyes after}
1 3" piece of lemongrass, bruised with the back of the knife to release the flavor
salt to taste
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups fresh corn {if you are making this soup in the winter, use defrosted corn}
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 13.5 to 15 ounce can coconut milk
chopped cilantro
lime wedges

Directions
1. Heat a heavy bottomed soup pot on the stove. Add olive oil and allow it to heat.
2. Add chopped onions and allow to cook until translucent.
3. Add potatoes, chili pepper and lemongrass and saute for 5 minutes.
4. Season with salt.
5. Add just enough broth to cover the vegetables, bring to a simmer and cook 5 to 8 minutes, covered, until potatoes are tender.
6. Add corn and zucchini and the rest of the broth. Bring to a simmer and continue cooking for a few more minutes.
7. Fish out the lemongrass and discard.
8. Off the heat, add coconut milk.
9. Carefully ladle a few cups of the soup into a blender. Blend until smooth and add back into the soup pot.
10. Serve the soup garnished with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

*** Rereading the recipe, I noticed the lemongrass was finely grated, not minced. Oy. Clearly I did not pay enough attention.

6/28/18

Beef & Kimchi Korean Stew With Potatoes & Zucchini: How To Host A Korean Feast At Home

This past Sunday my friends Jenn and Cat came over to hang out and cook (and of course eat) Korean food in my condo. It was SO much fun.

If you love Korean food, but are intimidated by cooking it at home, I have the perfect plan of action for you.

You want to keep the menu pretty simple and buy a few things already prepared.

1) Buy banchan and dessert: Jenn brought kimchi, seaweed salad, kimchi cucumbers, fried anchovies, and seasoned sesame leaves. For dessert (which we actually snacked on while cooking), we had rice balls filled with sesame seeds. I've never had these sweets and really liked them!

2) For the main course I chose a kimchi and beef stew made in a pressure cooker! More on it below.

3) While the main course was in the pressure cooker, we whipped up simple scallion and shrimp pancakes. Luckily, Cat was more than happy to cook them (I get a bit scared of hot sizzling oil).

4) To drink, have iced tea and rose on hand!

My entire condo smelled like oil, but it was so worth it! The pancakes were crispy on the edges and took only a few minutes to cook. For the dipping sauce, we combined soy sauce and rice wine vinegar with a bit of Korean chili flakes.

Beef & Kimchi Korean Stew With Potatoes & Zucchini: How To Host A Korean Feast At Home
Serves 6
Adapted from Two Sleevers

In my version of the stew, we used fresh mushrooms instead of dried, and added peppers, potatoes and zucchini. If you can't find Korean peppers and zucchini, use regular ones. Cat bought produce from an Asian market and that's how they were labeled there.

Ingredients
2 cups kimchi
1 pound stew beef cubes
1 small onion, chopped
8 ounces sliced shitake mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ginger powder (I did not have fresh ginger)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Korean chili powder
1 tablespoon gochujang
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 cups water
4 Korean peppers, sliced (or use 1 green bell pepper)
2 Russet potatoes, peeled, cubed
3 Korean zucchini, cut into large dice
1 cup diced firm tofu
rice to serve
scallions, chopped

Directions
1. Put all the ingredients (other than potatoes, zucchini, tofu, rice, and scallions) into a pressure cooker. Set for 15 minutes.
2. Release the pressure. Add potatoes. Set for 5 more minutes.
3. Release the pressure. Add zucchini. Set for 3 minutes.
4. Release the pressure. Add tofu. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
5. Serve the stew over rice garnished with scallions.

Talk about comfort food!!! The stew wasn't overly spicy, but had so much flavor from the kimchi and the vegetables and the beef. I added a bit of kimchi and kimchi juice to my portion before eating it. The addition of potatoes was so good: who doesn't like meat and potatoes!?

The stew makes about 6 portions and is great for leftovers!

This rose is so refreshing, has a pretty label, and is under $10!

Here's to more cooking adventures with friends!

6/18/18

Meatless Monday: Cold Borsch

What is better on a hot summer day than cold soup? Of course I can think of a few things, but a bowl of Cold Borsch is not only beautiful, low calorie, and satisfying, but is also nutritious, can be made a few days ahead, and is quite versatile.

I wrote about making Cold Borsch a while back, but made a variation on that recipe yesterday in honor of my dad because he's the king of borsch!

I started the night before by cooking peeled and diced beets in plenty of salted water. I separately cooked a few diced potatoes in salted water.

Once the vegetables and the liquids were cool, I drained the potatoes and added them to the cooked beets and the beet liquid.

The next day, I added Greek Yogurt, diced cucumbers, diced red onion, and plenty of chopped dill to the soup.

I used Greek yogurt instead of buttermilk, because I already had it in my refrigerator. If you use buttermilk, you'll probably have plenty of leftovers. Don't worry: I have plenty of recipes for you that include buttermilk. Everything from appetizers, to main courses, to dessert!

You can also add hard boiled eggs, radishes, other herbs such as basil, and wilted spinach!

5/16/18

Summer Chicken Soup. Meal Prep In A Pressure Cooker.

Let's talk about soup: I love it. Whether it's a bowl of cold summer borsch or a steaming bowl of split pea soup, soup provides nourishment, is great for leftovers, and can be eaten for any meal of the day. Yes, I occasionally eat soup for breakfast.

Over the weekend, I made a version of Pinch of Yum's Instant Pot Summer Soup and am so happy with the results.

Let me tell you about this Summer Chicken Soup.

The base of the recipe is a combination of chicken broth and crushed tomatoes. I used crushed tomatoes with basil to increase the flavor.

There's no need to saute carrots and celery before adding them to the pressure cooker. To make things easier, I did not even peel the carrots.

You can use whichever spices you like the most. In addition to onion powder and salt, I seasoned the soup generously with sumac, which intensified the deep red color of the soup.

I did not have farro, so used brown rice.

As far as the chicken goes, I actually used 2 large chicken breasts with the bones. They were less expensive and provided even more flavor to the soup. Plus, you shred the chicken and can easily discard the bones before serving the soup.

Originally I thought about using frozen corn, but am so glad I ended up incorporating fresh corn because it added a nice texture to the soup.

I topped my bowl of Summer Chicken Soup with strained yogurt, fresh cilantro and Parmesan.

Note that the brown rice (or whichever grain you use) will expand in the soup as it sits in the refrigerator. Not to worry: add a bit more chicken broth when reheating the soup.

Tell me what's the latest soup you ate!

2/1/18

Loaded Baked Potato And Cauliflower Soup From Healthyish With OXO Tools

Just as the weather was starting to warm up a bit, the cold front returned. What's better than a steaming bowl of soup for lunch or dinner? A steaming bowl of soup topped with bacon ;)

My friends from oxo sent me a copy of Healthyish cookbook, which I've already written about, with a variety of oxo tools to make Lindsay's Loaded Baked Potato And Cauliflower Soup. {Disclaimer: the book and the tools were a gift. I am not compensated in any way for this blog post. All opinions are my own as always!}

Although my kitchen is pretty well stocked, it's always fun to get new tools to play with. Also, I gave the older versions of these tools to my friend Emily. Win/win!

Pro 8" Chef's Knife - So sharp!! I think everyone needs a chef's knife, and this one did a great job cutting through large potatoes and cauliflower; plus, it's made in Germany, which is a good thing in my book when it comes to kitchen tools.

12" Tongs - perfect for taking out strips of bacon from the pan or reaching out to the top shelf of your cabinet to grab a bag of snacks.

Wooden Corner Spoon - who doesn't need an extra wooden spoon? This one has a straight side, which makes it easier to reach into the corners of your pots and pans.

Coarse Grater - perfect for any cheese or vegetable!

Swivel Peeler - cushioned handle with an extra sharp blade! This peeler handled Russet potatoes as if they were butter.

Kitchen and Herb Scissors - my favorite part about these is that you can take them apart for ease of cleaning or to sharpen.

And now for the soup!!!

Loaded Baked Potato and Cauliflower Soup

Makes 12 cups; serves 4 to 6

Printed with permission from Lindsay Maitland Hunt

True or false? The best part of a baked potato is the toppings. If you agree, then this soup is perfect for you. Starting off with bacon fat means that the entire soup is infused with delicious, smoky flavor. And, instead of just using starch-heavy potatoes, a blend of potato and cauliflower makes for a creamier, lighter soup. All this as balance for the classic baked potato toppings, naturally.

INGREDIENTS

4 large slices (8 oz/225 g) extra-thick cut bacon

2 onions (12 oz/340 g), chopped (about 2 cups)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large russet potatoes (2 lbs/910 g), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (12-mm) pieces (about 5 cups)

1 medium head cauliflower (1 ¼ lbs/570 g), cut into small florets (about 6 cups)

8 cups (2 L) chicken stock or vegetable stock

Sour cream, chopped fresh chives, and grated Cheddar cheese, for serving

HOW TO MAKE IT

Heat a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Place the bacon slices flat in the pot and cook, turning a couple times, until crispy and most of the fat has drained from the bacon, 8 to 12 minutes total. Using tongs, transfer the bacon to a paper towel–lined plate, leaving the fat in the pot.

Add the onions, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and soft, 10 to 12 minutes.

Stir in the potatoes, cauliflower, and stock, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a strong simmer and cook, stirring here and there, until the potatoes are very soft, 15 to 20 minutes.

Purée the soup, using a blender in batches or a handheld immersion blender. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if you like.

Slice or tear the cooked bacon into bite- size pieces and sprinkle it over bowls of the soup. Serve topped with sour cream, chives, and cheese.

The only changes I made to the recipe were 1) using scallions because my store did not have chives, 2) using an immersion blender, and 3) adding a bit of cayenne powder in the end.

The soup is comforting and filling and is great for leftovers the next day. My friend Emily came over for dinner with her boyfriend Cal and we paired the soup with epic grilled cheese sandwiches cooked on a panini grill with onions, ham and tomatoes! SO good. The onions Emily cooked in leftover bacon from from the extra bacon I cooked for the soup ;)

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