Posts Tagged 'soup'

Two Soup Fails?

Published February 19, 2010 Dinner , Lunch , Recipe 1 Comment
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Wednesday was a cloudy, dark, and gloomy day. Soft, light snow fell followed by heavy, wet snow – perfect day for hot steamy dishes like soup. For lunch I wanted something simple and comforting. On top of the fridge we have a bag of alphabet pasta Jay and I purchased on a whim several months ago and at last I felt inclined to make use of it. In a small pot I put a cup of previously made chicken stock and a cup of water and while it heated on the stove I looked around in the fridge for something else to throw in besides alphabet pasta. I added two small pieces of cassava (yucca), about 2 oz each, 3 oz of skinless, boneless chicken breast, and 2 garlic cloves broken in half. I left the pot cooking on medium heat, thinking that maybe I should have added more water. 20 minutes later the cassava was cooked – it had swelled and absorbed a large amount of water so I added a little more to make it soup-y. The chicken was cooked and the garlic made everything smell like a cozy cottage during a snowstorm. This is when I added the alphabet pasta. 10 minutes later I checked back and what I found was a pot of gooey slop. It was not the soup I had looked forward to but it smelled amazing. I topped it with a bit of sour cream and paprika. Jay, who said it didn’t look very appetizing, tried a bite and then another and another. “Damn, that’s pretty good,” he said. So simple in taste and so easy to make. I will call it Alphabet Cassava Slop.

For dinner, still in the mood for soup, I brought out the Cooking Light magazine my friend gave me and I flipped over to the potato soup recipe featured on the cover. In hindsight I should have realized that potatoes would make for a very thick and heavy soup – turned out to be more like super tasty mashed potatoes. Jay said, “Potato stew.” But I think he was being nice. I’d probably make this again but next time I’ll use less flour and add more stock or milk.

Here is my version of the potato soup recipe, serves 2-3

2 baking potatoes

1/3 whole wheat flour

3 cups 2% milk

2 oz cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 cup fat free sour cream

2 green onions, chopped

3 bacon slices, crumbled

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400F. Bake the potatoes for an hour or until tender. Let them cool and peel then coarsely mash them. The magazine says to lightly spoon flour (all purpose flour) into a dry measuring cup and then level it with a knife but I scooped whole wheat flour with the measuring cup so maybe that affected the portion. Who knows. Place the flour in a pot and gradually add the milk and whisk until blended and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes until thick and bubbly. Now, I’m not sure but I think what I did wrong was to heat the flour and milk as I whisked, making the mixture thicker than it should have been so just keep that in mind in case you decide to try this. Next, add the potatoes, a little more than half the cheese, salt and pepper and cook until cheese melts. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream and 3/4 of the onions. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes but don’t let it boil. Serve with cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, and green onions.

Hungarian Chorizo and Lentil “Stoup”

Published December 3, 2009 Dinner , Recipe Leave a Comment
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November was a crazy month what with working on my school assignments and writing my NaNoWriMo novel. But the fun hasn’t stopped yet. My story isn’t finished and next comes the revision part. I bet if it were summer I wouldn’t feel as inclined to spend a month indoors to write a novel but because the days are cooler now, I have no complaints. The past couple of days I’ve been in a warm, comfortable soup mode to counter the cold breeze that filters through my badly insulated windows. But because I’m still writing I’ve been using recipes that are quick and easy to make. Enter Rachael Ray’s 30-Minute Meals: Cooking ‘Round the Clock. I hadn’t used this book in a while but over the past week it has come in handy. Over the weekend I made her carbonara which was very simple with pancetta (I used bacon), wine, egg, and lots of cheese. It was comfort food at its best.

Next I made her Hungarian Hot Sausage and Lentil “Stoup.” Here is my slightly adapted version:

Hungarian Chorizo and Lentil “Stoup”

Makes 4 servings

About 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil – evoo (I kept saying this in my best impersonation of Ms Ray to Jay’s confused face, “What’s evoo?”)

150g Spanish style chorizo, sliced (unfortunately I mixed up the chorizo and the sausage when I brought out my ingredients)

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

2 portobello mushrooms, gills scraped out, chopped

1 cup shredded carrots (one large carrot was enough)

1 cup canned lentils

1 large starchy potato, peeled and chopped

1 bay leaf

1 tbsp cumin (but I would advise using less than this)

1 tsp sweet paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp rosemary

14oz canned diced tomatoes

3 cups chicken broth

Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chorizo 2-3 minutes and then add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Sauté for a bit then add the carrots, lentils, potatoes, bay leaf, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, and rosemary. Next add the tomatoes and broth. Cover the pot, raise heat to high to bring to a fast boil then remove lid and boil for about 15 minutes. Serve with some toasted bread and butter. This spicy soup will warm you up on the coldest of days.

Two fantastic soups

Published November 14, 2009 Dinner , Must repeat , Recipe , Weight Watchers , Yum! 2 Comments
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These days, when I think of Weight Watchers I don’t think about the points – I’m not really counting points or following the diet, I just like to think I’m eating a little healthier. Instead I think about how yummy my dinner is going to be. Of course, there are some Weight Watchers meals that leave a lot to be desired but for the most part they are tasty and quick and easy to make. This past week, from the Turn Around Program Cookbook I’ve made two incredible, filling, delicious soups. When I was flipping through the book I first saw the Beef and Potatoes soup and I bookmarked the page right away because how could I say no to beef? And the fact that the meat is cooked in a mild spicy tomato mixture makes it even better. The next soup that caught my eye was Shrimp Bisque. I have heard of fish soup before but I’d never imagined eating pureed shrimp. I was dubious about this one but the end result was delicious and smile-inducing.

I’ve made a few modifications to the soups:

Shrimp Bisque

serves 4, 3 points per 1 cup serving

3/4 lb medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined (reserve the shells)

1 bouillon cube dissolved in 3 cups of water (chicken or vegetable would work, I used mushroom flavour) or 3 cups of broth

2 1/2 cups water

2 tsp unsalted butter

2 shallots, chopped

1/4 cup long grain rice

1 tbsp tomato paste

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt to taste

Place the shrimp shells in a large pot and cover with the broth and water. Cook and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavours to blend. Strain the broth and discard the shells. Set aside the broth. Melt the butter over medium heat and then add the shallots and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved broth, the rice, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in the shrimp, salt, and cayenne pepper and cook until shrimp are ready, about 3 minutes. Scoop out 8 shrimp or so from the pot and place on a cutting board, chop and set aside. Let the soup cool about 5 minutes and then puree in batches in a blender or food processor. Return to heat and simmer until heated through. Serve with chopped shrimp on top and a dollop of home made salsa for an added kick.
Check out this other recipe too:
Shrimp Bisque on Foodista

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Shredded Beef and Potato Soup with Chimichurri

serves 6, 5 points per 1 cup serving

1 pound boneless bottom round steak, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

Salt

3 cups beef broth or 1 beef flavoured bouillon cube dissolved in 3 cups water

14oz diced canned tomatoes

3 or 4 pickled jalapeño peppers, chopped.

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Juice of half a lime

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cups diced potato

Heat a bit of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat and add the beef and salt. Cook and turn the beef until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, and jalapeño peppers. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for one hour. Scoop out the beef to a cutting board and let it cool. Set aside the broth and tomato liquid. Shred the beef with two forks or do what I did and use your fingers. To make the chimichurri, combine the cilantro, lime juice, garlic, a dash of salt, and the crushed red pepper and set aside. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat and add the onions, stirring until softened. Add the potatoes and the broth-tomato liquid and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add the beef and simmer for another 2 minutes. Serve with chimichurri on top.

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Acorn Squash and Roasted Garlic Soup

Published October 29, 2009 Dinner , Recipe , Yum! 3 Comments
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I know I’m not the only one when I say that fall is the perfect season for baking and filling our tummies with lovely heavy food. I suppose we do this in preparation for winter. I simply love to eat a big bowl of thick and creamy soup, the kind of soup that warms and satisfies. I know I made this soup at the beginning of this month for Thanksgiving, but it’s so delicious I had to make it again. Well, this time I showed Jay how to make it and he took over in the kitchen. We adapted the recipe a bit but the original recipe can be found here at Epicurious.

Acorn Squash and Roasted Garlic Bisque, makes about 4 servings
1 acorn squash
1 head of garlic
Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 tbsp butter
3 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350F. Cut the squash in half and remove seeds. Spray a bit of oil over each half and place face down in a baking pan. Do not peel the head of garlic but cut it in quarters, then wrap tightly in foil and place on the baking pan with the squash. Bake for approx 40 minutes. Once cooked, let the garlic and squash cool a bit. Scoop out the softened flesh from the squash and set aside. Unwrap the garlic and mash with a fork.
Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until soft. Next, add the broth (we used 3 cups of water and a chicken flavoured bouillon cube) and squash and cook on low for about 15 minutes. Add the garlic to the soup. Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor until nice and smooth. Return to heat and stir in the cream. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve. It has such a lovely colour and Mm! So warm and yummy.

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Spicy Chicken Soup

Published October 17, 2009 Dinner , Recipe , Spice , Yum! Leave a Comment
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The best way to thaw after a chilly walk in the park is to eat a big bowl of spicy chicken soup. This soup will definitely make you sweat!

1 chicken leg, cut into pieces, keep bones

1 cup rice, uncooked

Approx 6 cups of water

2 or 3 bay leaves

2 large carrots, cut into small chunks

2 potatoes, cubed

half a leek, chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

3 pickled jalapeno peppers

Salt and pepper to taste

Oregano and dried mint to taste

Put the chicken pieces and bones along with the rice in a large pot and fill with the water. Place over medium high heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium low and add the rest of the ingredients. Cover and let it gently bubble for about 40-45 minutes. Near the end, I added two pieces of cooked corn I had in the fridge. “That’s a big garnish, don’t you think,” Jay the smart ass said. For a tangy flavour you can also add fresh cilantro and lime juice.

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Toast Soup

Published August 13, 2009 Dinner Leave a Comment
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Sometimes I wonder if maybe I am not following a recipe correctly. When I was younger most of my teachers’ concerns were that I didn’t pay attention and that I didn’t follow directions.

Or maybe the recipe is as quirky as Laura Calder. I’m not saying it was terrible because I did, after all, eat the portion I served for myself. It was interesting. It was like letting pieces of hard toast disintegrate in a bowl of milky chicken broth. I wasn’t sure if I should have eaten the “soup” with a slice of bread. I’m undecided as to whether or not I should make this Toast Soup again.

If you’re still curious about this soup here’s how you do it:

Fry 6 slices of smoky bacon until cooked but not crispy. Add 2 cups of chicken stock, bring to a boil, then turn off the heat, cover, and let it sit for an hour. Toast 8 cups of French bread. I cubed my bread before putting it in the oven. Once the toast is nice and brown, just before getting too dark, bring it out, and place it in a large saucepan. Strain the chicken stock over the bread, reserving the bacon. Add 2 cups of milk, 2 tsp of balsamic vinegar or sherry and 2 tsp of Dijon mustard. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Taste before seasoning. Cut the bacon into strips and re-fry it until crispy. I just re-fried it and cut it into bits. Reheat the soup and serve hot with the bacon bits on top for garnish. According to the book the recipe makes enough for 6 to 8 people. It’s pretty heavy so about one cup is enough for one person – at least it was for me.

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Food for the sick

Published August 1, 2009 Dinner , Must repeat , Recipe , Yum! Leave a Comment
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I returned home almost a week ago from my vacation in Central America where I enjoyed beautiful scenery and amazing food. However, upon my return to Toronto, my body decided to get sick. Plagued with coughing, sneezing, wheezing and a very achy body, my one solution to freedom from illness was chicken soup. And, of course, cold medicine.

This deliciously aromatic, fresh and comforting soup is a variation of a recipe from my Mexican cookbook. The original recipe only contains shredded chicken, avocado, chili pepper strips, scallions and broth. I wanted something a little heartier. Here’s what I did:

Chicken, Avocado, Potato and Mushroom Soup

Alternately, you can omit the ingredients or see the note with a * beside them to obtain the original version from The Mexican Cookbook.

Makes about 3 servings

4 chicken thighs, cooked and shredded * (Chicken breast, cooked and shredded)

1 avocado, cubed and tossed in lime juice to prevent discolouration

4 oz white mushrooms, coarsely chopped *

6 mini potatoes, cooked and sliced *

1/2 an onion, thinly sliced * (3-5 scallions, sliced)

3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 pickled jalapeño pepper * (chipotle pepper, cut into thin strips)

2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

4 cups water * (4 cups chicken stock)

Directions:

Place water and chicken thighs in a pot and cook over medium heat until chicken is done. Remove the chicken onto a plate and continue heating the water. This is the broth. Add the garlic, potatoes, mushrooms, onion and jalapeño pepper to the broth and cook until mushrooms have been reduced slightly but don’t let the onions get too soft (unless, of course you prefer soft onions). While that is cooking, shred the chicken.  Once the broth is ready, arrange the chicken and avocado and cilantro in the base of  soup bowls and pour the broth and vegetables over. Squeeze some lime juice for more flavour and wonderful aroma.

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International Cuisine Day Two: Münsterland Tomato Soup with Bacon

Published July 10, 2009 Dinner 2 Comments
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Before making this dish I did question the origin of the classic tomato soup. I still don’t have a specific answer so I’m just going to assume that tomato soup has been around since Jesus broke bread at the Last Supper. I’m also going to assume it’s a dish known everywhere with different variations depending on the location. In this case it’s a German version of tomato soup.

Tonight’s tomato soup comes from another cookbook my dad gave me last Christmas called The New German Cookbook. When I first started cooking this soup I thought it would only take half an hour to make but of course if I had read the instructions prior to cooking I would have realized it would take nearly two hours. It was a very easy soup to make, it just took a fair bit of time to complete. By the time it was ready I was very hungry. Surprisingly the soup was incredibly filling and despite my hunger I felt full and satisfied long before I managed to finish half my serving.

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Recipe for 6 servings:

2 oz double-smoked slab bacon (not too lean), cut into 1/8 inch cubes (about 1/2 cup bacon cubes)

2 large yellow onions, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots

1 large whole bay leaf

1 tsp dried leaf marjoram, crumbled

1/2 tsp dried leaf thyme, crumbled

3 1/2 cups coarsely chopped, peeled, cored, and seeded very ripe tomatoes (5 to 6 medium tomatoes), or 3 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes

2 cups rich beef or chicken broth (preferably homemade)

1 tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp unsalted butter or margarine

2 tbsp snipped fresh chives or minced flat-leaf parsley

Sauté the bacon over moderate heat, stirring often, in a medium-size heavy pot until all drippings cook out and only crisp brown bits remain – about 5 minutes. Remove bacon bits and reserve on paper towel. Add onions, shallots, bay leaf, marjoram and thyme to pot and sauté 5 minutes, stirring often until onions are glassy. Reduce heat to its lowest point, cover, and steam 20 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, raise the heat to moderately low, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes, stirring often. Mix in the broth and sugar. Bring to a boil, adjust heat so the soup bubbles gently, then simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring now and then. Remove and discard bay leaf. Cool the soup 15 minutes, then puree in batches in a food processor for 15 to 20 seconds.

Return soup to pot, add the salt, pepper, cream and bring slowly to serving temperature, stirring now and then. Add the butter and, as soon as it melts, stir the soup well and ladle into soup plates. Sprinkle the chives and reserved bacon bits over each portion and serve.

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