Showing posts with label soup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label soup. Show all posts
Bacon Soup with Broccoli and Asparagus
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Yall have probably noticed I havent been blogging as much these past few weeks as I used to. Or you havent because you, ya know, have a life and interests outside of your laptop. Good for you, you!! But if you dont, and if you wait with baited breath for the updates you get from me in your Google Reader, I owe you an apology.
You see, I havent felt very inspired recently--to either write or cook new things. And thats just fuckin odd for me. I just look at the color pink and suddenly get a million ideas swirling around my head. Of course, theyre all ideas for nail polish colors, but theyre ideas nonetheless! I think part of the reason I havent felt super inspired to blog these past few weeks is because I havent been trying any new recipes, and lets face it: thats what most of you come for (although I also have quite the eye for cute outfits...even if I do only post them once every 27 years).
So, when Kyle and I received our first official wedding gift from my parents of the INCROYABLE Wustof knives we registered for, I finally felt inspired to try something new. And with that, I give you Bacon Soup.
{Literally, the game changer of our kitchen. Thanks Momma and Dad!!! Yes, I call my "mom" Momma. Im from Texas!}
{Wustof knives and a Vitamix are practically the only things you need in a kitchen.}
I I say Bacon Soup because despite the green vegetable in here, this basically just tastes like liquid bacon and I am sorry, but how could you not like that??
Even vegetarians will tell you they like bacon!!
Thats actually not true. Theres nothing here for vegetarians.
Ha, ha, Im just kiddin, Im Ellen!
Bacon Soup (with Broccoli and Asparagus)
Makes 8 cups
- 1/2 lb of bacon, diced, plus a couple strips for garnish
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 pounds of broccoli cut into florets
- 1.5 pounds of asparagus, roughly chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth
- salt and pepper
1. In a large pot over medium heat, brown bacon until almost crispy.
2. Toss in onion and garlic to saute in rendered bacon fat until tender (about 2 minutes).
3. Add vegetables and chicken broth to bacon, onion, and garlic. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
4. Dump everything into a blender and blend until everything is well pureed and soupy. Season with plenty of salt and pepper to taste.
5. Eat and marvel at the wonderment of bacon soup.
Cream of Corn Soup Hot or Cold
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
I hear the corn is rather late this year, and that there is something of a shortage due to it being late to mature, on account of how cool this summer has been. Fortunately, our local fruit markets seem to have plenty of their own, ripe and ready. I note the price seems to have gone up. After having tried to grow it myself (and failing) for the last few years, Im actually okay with that - its still a bargain, compared to how much work it is and how much space it takes up for a relatively small return in edible produce. Not to mention the raccoons. I asked Robert of 100 Mile Produce what he did about raccoons, and he replied, "They eat an acre." And he only has nine acres of corn. Yikes!
Anyway, if you want to make it go a bit further than just chowing down on corn on the cob, this is a good way to do it. I served it cold, but given the weather lately it might have been better hot.
8 to 12 servings
1 hour prep time
12 cobs of corn
3 medium shallots
3 or 4 bay leaves
4 tbsps butter
6 tbsps flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon rubbed savory or basil
2 cups milk or light cream
2 cups corn cooking water
2 teaspoons sweet sherry and/or white wine vinegar
Put a large pot of water on to boil for cooking the corn. Husk the corn. Peel and chop the shallots. When the water boils, cook the corn for 5 to 6 minutes, with the bay leaves added to the cooking water. You will likely need to do it in 2 batches, even with a large pot. Cool the cobs of corn under cold water, and save the cooking water. Cut the corn from the cobs, scraping them to remove all the pulp, and set aside the corn from 2 cobs by itself to be used as a garnish.
Next, in a large heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter and flour together. Add the shallots, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the shallots are softened and perhaps slightly browned, and the flour and butter well amalgamated. Add the salt, sugar, and rubbed savory or basil, and slowly stir in the milk or cream, bit by bit, stirring well between each addition to form a smooth sauce. When the milk is all in, add the 2 cups of the corn cooking water, again stirring well to blend. Transfer the bay leaves from the cooking water to the soup. Add about half of the larger portion of corn, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the soup is thickened. Be sure not to let it boil, or the milk may curdle. Remove the bay leaves.
Purée the soup in a blender - it will certainly take 2 or 3 batches - until very smooth. Return it to the soup pot, and add the remaining half of the larger portion of corn and the sherry or vinegar. Either chill or heat the soup, depending on whether you intend to serve it cold or hot. When you serve it up, sprinkle each bowl with some of the small portion of corn set aside for garnishing.
Last year at this time I made Sautéd Beets & Greens.
Read More..
Anyway, if you want to make it go a bit further than just chowing down on corn on the cob, this is a good way to do it. I served it cold, but given the weather lately it might have been better hot.
8 to 12 servings
1 hour prep time
12 cobs of corn
3 medium shallots
3 or 4 bay leaves
4 tbsps butter
6 tbsps flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon rubbed savory or basil
2 cups milk or light cream
2 cups corn cooking water
2 teaspoons sweet sherry and/or white wine vinegar
Put a large pot of water on to boil for cooking the corn. Husk the corn. Peel and chop the shallots. When the water boils, cook the corn for 5 to 6 minutes, with the bay leaves added to the cooking water. You will likely need to do it in 2 batches, even with a large pot. Cool the cobs of corn under cold water, and save the cooking water. Cut the corn from the cobs, scraping them to remove all the pulp, and set aside the corn from 2 cobs by itself to be used as a garnish.
Next, in a large heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter and flour together. Add the shallots, and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the shallots are softened and perhaps slightly browned, and the flour and butter well amalgamated. Add the salt, sugar, and rubbed savory or basil, and slowly stir in the milk or cream, bit by bit, stirring well between each addition to form a smooth sauce. When the milk is all in, add the 2 cups of the corn cooking water, again stirring well to blend. Transfer the bay leaves from the cooking water to the soup. Add about half of the larger portion of corn, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until the soup is thickened. Be sure not to let it boil, or the milk may curdle. Remove the bay leaves.
Purée the soup in a blender - it will certainly take 2 or 3 batches - until very smooth. Return it to the soup pot, and add the remaining half of the larger portion of corn and the sherry or vinegar. Either chill or heat the soup, depending on whether you intend to serve it cold or hot. When you serve it up, sprinkle each bowl with some of the small portion of corn set aside for garnishing.
Last year at this time I made Sautéd Beets & Greens.
Egg and cheese soup
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Egg and cheese soup
Ingredients:
- Eggs 3
- Mace a pinch
- Chicken stock 3 cups
- Parmesan cheese ¼ cup
- Finely chopped parsley 1 tbsp
- Black pepper ½ tsp
- Semolina 3 tbsp
- Salt as required
- French bread 1
- Or
- Bread 4 slices
Method
- Beat 3 eggs very well. Add 3 tbsp semolina and mix well.Now add ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese and a pinch of ground nutmeg.Then add 1 cup chicken stock, mix well and keep aside.In a pan put remaining 2 cup chicken stock, cook till it comes to a boil. Add in egg mixture and stir contentiously. Also add in 1 tbsp chopped parsley, salt to taste and ½ tsp black pepper powder.
- Cook for 4 – 5 minutes till soup thickens.Cut 1 French bread into slices, dry roast on a hot griddle or bake in a preheated oven for few minutes. If you are using bread slices instead of French bread then remove sides of bread slices and do the same.
- Pour prepared soup in a serving bowl. Top with roasted bread slices and serve.
KALE AND WHITE BEAN SOUP
Monday, April 28, 2014
KALE AND WHITE BEAN SOUP
I have never used kale before but after hearing a lot about these vibrant greens, I decided to try these. I had no idea how will they taste, so instead of using them with dhals, I decided to make a soup with them. I love the flavor and butteriness of the white beans in this soup and I topped it with alfalfa sprouts. They add a great taste to the soup. Any other beans or vegetables can also be added here. If needed chicken broth or vegetable broth can also be added instead of water for good flavor. This hearty soup makes a complete meal just by itself.
INGREDIENTS:
Kale, 1 big bunch.
White beans, 1 cup, soaked overnight.
Red onion, medium-sized, 1.
Tomato, 1.
Garlic, 2 cloves.
Chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
Cumin powder, ½ teaspoon (optional).
Salt, as per taste.
Alfalfa sprouts, handful.
PREPARATION:
Drain the white beans, wash them, and cook them on stove top until tender. Retain the beans with the cooking liquid. Take half of the cooked beans and purée it to a fine paste with the use of a blender. Wash the kale and chop it into small pieces and keep aside. Chop the onion and tomato into small pieces. Crush the garlic coarsely. Heat a pan and add 2 teaspoons of oil to the pan. Add the chopped onions, tomato and crushed garlic and sauté everything together for a few minutes until everything is well blended. Add a teaspoon of chili powder, ½ teaspoon of cumin powder, salt as per taste and fry everything together until the raw smell of the spices go. Then add the cooked beans along with its cooking liquid and the puréed white bean mixture with 3 cups of water. If chicken broth or vegetable broth is used, add 2 cups of broth along with 1 cup of water. Then add the chopped kale and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Then add the alfalfa sprouts and let it cook for another minute and serve the soup hot along with any toasts or crackers.
I have never used kale before but after hearing a lot about these vibrant greens, I decided to try these. I had no idea how will they taste, so instead of using them with dhals, I decided to make a soup with them. I love the flavor and butteriness of the white beans in this soup and I topped it with alfalfa sprouts. They add a great taste to the soup. Any other beans or vegetables can also be added here. If needed chicken broth or vegetable broth can also be added instead of water for good flavor. This hearty soup makes a complete meal just by itself.
INGREDIENTS:
Kale, 1 big bunch.
White beans, 1 cup, soaked overnight.
Red onion, medium-sized, 1.
Tomato, 1.
Garlic, 2 cloves.
Chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
Cumin powder, ½ teaspoon (optional).
Salt, as per taste.
Alfalfa sprouts, handful.
PREPARATION:
Drain the white beans, wash them, and cook them on stove top until tender. Retain the beans with the cooking liquid. Take half of the cooked beans and purée it to a fine paste with the use of a blender. Wash the kale and chop it into small pieces and keep aside. Chop the onion and tomato into small pieces. Crush the garlic coarsely. Heat a pan and add 2 teaspoons of oil to the pan. Add the chopped onions, tomato and crushed garlic and sauté everything together for a few minutes until everything is well blended. Add a teaspoon of chili powder, ½ teaspoon of cumin powder, salt as per taste and fry everything together until the raw smell of the spices go. Then add the cooked beans along with its cooking liquid and the puréed white bean mixture with 3 cups of water. If chicken broth or vegetable broth is used, add 2 cups of broth along with 1 cup of water. Then add the chopped kale and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes. Then add the alfalfa sprouts and let it cook for another minute and serve the soup hot along with any toasts or crackers.
Nenju Elumbu Soup or Maarkandam soup Lamb Rib bone soup
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
When we were young On Sunday’s at 11 in the morning either we will have aattu managai , eeral soup or this nenju elumbu soup. Now all have become calorie conscious and don’t want to go to the mutton shop itself. But the medicinal value of these soups can never be replaced by any other food.
Nenjelumbu soup does not contain much fat and those who access a mutton shop to get this can can surely give this soup a try. The soup is very good when we are suffering from cold or recovering from any illness. The soup alone can be taken in a bowl and be given to kids right from the 18 month old baby.
All at home are suffering from cold due to change of climate. So I thought of making this soup. I always prefer this to chicken soup as I feel that chicken soup if taken in large quantity leads to dry cough . For the bad cold we are having, the soup was really heavenly. After taking the soup there was a great relief. So I immediately thought of sharing the recipe with my readers
Nenjelumbu soup does not contain much fat and those who access a mutton shop to get this can can surely give this soup a try. The soup is very good when we are suffering from cold or recovering from any illness. The soup alone can be taken in a bowl and be given to kids right from the 18 month old baby.
All at home are suffering from cold due to change of climate. So I thought of making this soup. I always prefer this to chicken soup as I feel that chicken soup if taken in large quantity leads to dry cough . For the bad cold we are having, the soup was really heavenly. After taking the soup there was a great relief. So I immediately thought of sharing the recipe with my readers
Ingredients
Nenju elumbu -200gms (If not available lamb bones can be replaced)
Small onion-10 or big onion (medium size-1 )
Small tomato -1
Rice washed water-2 cups (optional)
For grindingPepper corns-1 teaspoon
Small jeera -1 teaspoon
Dhania or dry Malli -1 ½ teaspoon
Red chili -1
Procedure
Before cooking the rice for the day, wash it and soak for 5 minutes. Drain the water and keep ready. Put the nenjelumbu, onion ,tomato and very little salt along with a teaspoon of turmeric powder in the cooker. Add the rice washed water also and cook for 10 minutes . Grind the items to be grinded in the small jar. Once the pressure goes open the cooker and add the grinded powder and allow the soup to boil for 5 minutes. There should be 4 cups of soup for this quantity ofnenjuelumbu. Dont add too much or too little water. If soup is less, water can be added and check for the correct hotness and salt. While cooking this checking is very important. If you want the soup to be little more hot, add little more milagu jeeraga powder. I hope all will have this pepper jeera powder stock at home to be used for omelet or rasam. Salt also can be added according to taste. After 5 to 6 minutes switch off the stove. Serve the soup hot. Garnish with coriander leaves while serving.
SWEET AND SOUR NOODLE SOUP
Saturday, April 5, 2014
The temperature is still in the 30s and 40s for us here. Many of my friends like me feel like we’ve had enough of winter and snow. We are all waiting for spring and warm temperatures :) I still continue making soups for dinner. Soup is turning into sort of comfort food for us these days. Most of time, our dinner will be some of kind of soup and garlic bread. For those of who feel garlic bread is high in fat, you can make your own garlic bread with whole wheat Italian loaf or any crusty bread and low fat butter like Smart Balance or Promise Activ. I usually mix some garlic powder or garlic paste with Promise Activ butter and smear it over the bread and toast them for 10 minutes in the oven. This is so good with soup. Sometimes instead of making garlic bread, we used to dip the toasted plain bread in garlic-flavored olive or canola oil and have them with soup. A real treat for garlic lovers like us!
INGREDIENTS:
1. Whole wheat noodle rolls, 2. (or whole wheat spaghetti).
2. Small red onion, 1.
3. Mixed vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and peas, 1 cup.
4. Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
5. Soya sauce, 1 tablespoon.
6. Corn starch, 1 teaspoon.
7. Salt and pepper as per taste.
8. Honey or agave nectar, 1 teaspoon.
9. Chili sauce, ½ teaspoon. I used a regular Chinese chili sauce, it has some chili flakes in it. (can be increased according to taste).
10. Any dried herbs of choice, 1/2 teaspoon.
PREPARATION:
Dice the onions and other vegetables finely. Heat a pot with some oil. Add the onions and sauté for a few minutes once the oil turns oil. When the onions are translucent, add the ginger-garlic paste and the vegetables and sauté for a few more minutes. Mix the corn starch with ½ cup of water and add it the soup. Then add 4 cups of water along with the sauces, honey, dried herbs, salt, and pepper and let it come to a boil. Once the soup comes to a boil, add the noodles and let it cook for a few more minutes until the noodles are done (cooking times for the noodles varies according to package instructions) and serve hot.
Green Chicken Soup Shavel Sorrel Soup
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Ingredients:
3 quarts Water
1 lb Chicken
5 large Potatoes
1 med Onion
2 Carrots
1 large bunch of Sorrel (can be substituted with Spinach and lemon)
5 hard Boiled Eggs
Parsley flakes, Dill, Green onion
Salt, Pepper, Vegeta, Bay leaf
Print Option
Wash meat really good. Put it on the skillet with water. Boil for 10 min. Peel skin of drumsticks. Add it to a boiling water. Add bay leaf, salt,vegeta. Boil for 40min to 1 hour. Take the drumsticks out brake into smaller pieces.
Boil eggs.
Sopa de Ajo Garlic Soup
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Do you get the impression I am using rather a lot of garlic lately? That would be because I am using rather a lot of garlic lately. I went and looked in the laundry room closet, and lo and behold it is almost as full of garlic as it was at the end of the summer when we harvested it and brought it in. Something had to be done, and one of the things I did was this. It looks like an awful mess, but oh, it was SO delicious. So delicious that now I`m wondering if we have enough garlic on hand after all.
This is a soup in the original sense of the word, meaning something soaked (or sopped, if you like) in liquid, that something usually being stale bread. The Spanish - from whom comes this recipe - are a very conservative bunch in many ways, and see no reason to give up a dish just because it is, quite literally, pre-medieval. When it comes to this soup, I can only approve, no matter how I may feel about some other forms of conservatism.
And yeah, I said 3 heads of garlic. No, I don`t mean 3 cloves. I mean 3 heads. Big fat ones, too - don`t be skimpy. I used 4 cups of chicken stock and the 2 of us ate it all up as our supper. If you wanted to serve daintier portions and have this as just part of a meal for more people, add more chicken stock and make it a bit less solid; smaller slices of toast and you could omit the egg or just garnish it with a slice of hard boiled. But really, this is SO good, you will be very happy to eat as much of this as you can get into you, and nothing else.
2 to 4 servings
1 hour prep time
4 to 6 cups chicken stock
2 or 3 bay leaves
3 heads of garlic
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1/4 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
1 or 2 small slices of bread for each serving
2 cups finely diced stale bread cubes
1 tablespoon sweet sherry
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
salt & pepper as required
an egg for each serving
Put the chicken stock and bay leaves in a pot large enough to hold them, and a bit more, and bring to a simmer. Let them simmer as you continue.
Peel the 3 heads of garlic. Trim 2 heads worth of cloves, cut them in half and remove the green central core from each, and set them aside. Finely chop the remaining garlic and set it aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet. Add the halved garlic cloves and cook them quite gently, stirring regularly, until softened and reduced in volume, and just lightly browned in spots. Remove them to bowl to cool, leaving the oil in the pan. Toast the slices of bread in the pan until golden brown on each side. Remove them and set them aside. Then, add the diced stale bread, and toast it, stirring regularly until golden brown all over. At some point in the procedure, you will almost certainly need to call upon that last tablespoon of oil to keep thing toasting rather than scorching.
When the bread cubes are toasted, add them to the chicken stock. Mash the cooled cooked garlic with a fork. Add the paprikas, and mash again, working it to be sure the paprika is well distributed throughout. Mix a little of the broth into the garlic paste, working it into a slurry, then add it all to the soup.
Gently break in the eggs, and let them poach for 4 or 5 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks still soft. Taste the broth and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Arrange the slices of toast in bowls, one bowl for each serving.
When the eggs are poached, lift them out and put one egg in each bowl. Stir the sherry, sherry vinegar, and the remaining garlic into the soup. Stir for just a minute, then ladle the soup over the toast and eggs in the bowls. Enjoy!
Read More..
This is a soup in the original sense of the word, meaning something soaked (or sopped, if you like) in liquid, that something usually being stale bread. The Spanish - from whom comes this recipe - are a very conservative bunch in many ways, and see no reason to give up a dish just because it is, quite literally, pre-medieval. When it comes to this soup, I can only approve, no matter how I may feel about some other forms of conservatism.
And yeah, I said 3 heads of garlic. No, I don`t mean 3 cloves. I mean 3 heads. Big fat ones, too - don`t be skimpy. I used 4 cups of chicken stock and the 2 of us ate it all up as our supper. If you wanted to serve daintier portions and have this as just part of a meal for more people, add more chicken stock and make it a bit less solid; smaller slices of toast and you could omit the egg or just garnish it with a slice of hard boiled. But really, this is SO good, you will be very happy to eat as much of this as you can get into you, and nothing else.
2 to 4 servings
1 hour prep time
4 to 6 cups chicken stock
2 or 3 bay leaves
3 heads of garlic
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
1/4 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
1 or 2 small slices of bread for each serving
2 cups finely diced stale bread cubes
1 tablespoon sweet sherry
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
salt & pepper as required
an egg for each serving
Put the chicken stock and bay leaves in a pot large enough to hold them, and a bit more, and bring to a simmer. Let them simmer as you continue.
Peel the 3 heads of garlic. Trim 2 heads worth of cloves, cut them in half and remove the green central core from each, and set them aside. Finely chop the remaining garlic and set it aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a skillet. Add the halved garlic cloves and cook them quite gently, stirring regularly, until softened and reduced in volume, and just lightly browned in spots. Remove them to bowl to cool, leaving the oil in the pan. Toast the slices of bread in the pan until golden brown on each side. Remove them and set them aside. Then, add the diced stale bread, and toast it, stirring regularly until golden brown all over. At some point in the procedure, you will almost certainly need to call upon that last tablespoon of oil to keep thing toasting rather than scorching.
When the bread cubes are toasted, add them to the chicken stock. Mash the cooled cooked garlic with a fork. Add the paprikas, and mash again, working it to be sure the paprika is well distributed throughout. Mix a little of the broth into the garlic paste, working it into a slurry, then add it all to the soup.
Gently break in the eggs, and let them poach for 4 or 5 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks still soft. Taste the broth and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Arrange the slices of toast in bowls, one bowl for each serving.
When the eggs are poached, lift them out and put one egg in each bowl. Stir the sherry, sherry vinegar, and the remaining garlic into the soup. Stir for just a minute, then ladle the soup over the toast and eggs in the bowls. Enjoy!
Asparagus Yellow Pea Lentil Soup
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
I made this with red lentils, believe it or not. I was afraid they would make a muddy-coloured soup, but it turned out to be quite a decent shade of green. And very tasty! In my mind I had been picturing it made with yellow split peas but it turned out I didnt have any. Ill have to try that next.
As ever, if you are using commercial chicken stock be careful with the salt - many of them will have enough you dont need to add much if any. Homemade stock will be a different story.
6 to 8 servings
40 to 60 minutes prep time
2 cups split yellow peas OR red lentils
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups water
500 grams (1 pound) asparagus
2 tablespoons chicken fat or mild vegetable oil
3 or 4 green onions,
1 teaspoon cumin seed, ground
2 teaspoons coriander seed, ground
1 teaspoon ground ginger
salt & pepper to taste
Pick over and rinse the split peas or lentils. Put them in a large soup pot with the chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil and simmer until they begin to disintegrate, about 20 to 40 minutes. Stir regularly.
Meanwhile, wash and trim the asparagus. Cut it into small pieces and when the peas or lentils are cooked, add it to the pot. (You may wish to set aside the tips to use as a garnish, in which case they should be cooked separately just before serving the soup.) Continue cooking until the asparagus is quite tender, about 7 minutes.
Trim, clean and chop the green onions, wild leeks or garlic greens. Heat the chicken fat or oil in a skillet and cook them gently until soft and tender. Add the ground cumin and coriander, and the ginger, and cook for a minute or two more. Add them all to the soup. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Purée the soup in a blender or food processor until very smooth; it will likely need to be done in at least two or three batches.
To serve, reheat the soup and top with the hot cooked reserved asparagus tips (if in fact you reserved them.)
Read More..
As ever, if you are using commercial chicken stock be careful with the salt - many of them will have enough you dont need to add much if any. Homemade stock will be a different story.
6 to 8 servings
40 to 60 minutes prep time
2 cups split yellow peas OR red lentils
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups water
500 grams (1 pound) asparagus
2 tablespoons chicken fat or mild vegetable oil
3 or 4 green onions,
1 teaspoon cumin seed, ground
2 teaspoons coriander seed, ground
1 teaspoon ground ginger
salt & pepper to taste
Pick over and rinse the split peas or lentils. Put them in a large soup pot with the chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil and simmer until they begin to disintegrate, about 20 to 40 minutes. Stir regularly.
Meanwhile, wash and trim the asparagus. Cut it into small pieces and when the peas or lentils are cooked, add it to the pot. (You may wish to set aside the tips to use as a garnish, in which case they should be cooked separately just before serving the soup.) Continue cooking until the asparagus is quite tender, about 7 minutes.
Trim, clean and chop the green onions, wild leeks or garlic greens. Heat the chicken fat or oil in a skillet and cook them gently until soft and tender. Add the ground cumin and coriander, and the ginger, and cook for a minute or two more. Add them all to the soup. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Purée the soup in a blender or food processor until very smooth; it will likely need to be done in at least two or three batches.
To serve, reheat the soup and top with the hot cooked reserved asparagus tips (if in fact you reserved them.)
Red Lentil and Wheat Berry Soup Kırmızı Mercimekli ve Buğdaylı Çorba
Sunday, February 16, 2014
1/2 cup wheat berries
1 cup red lentils
6 cups of beef or vegetable stock/broth
a pinch of saffron
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried mint flakes
1 tsp red pepper flakes
salt
-Boil wheat berries with 4 cups of water until soft. Rinse excessive water.
-In a pot boil 6 cups of beef or vegetable stock. Add first saffron threads, boil for a minute and then add wheat berries and red lentils. Cook for 20-25 minutes until lentils are cooked.
-Heat oil in a pan. Add mint and pepper flakes. Let it sizzle for a bit.
-Pour oil mix either into the pot or into every soup bowl on top of soup.
Cauliflower Cheese Soup
Saturday, February 1, 2014
After the excesses of Christmas and New Year feasting, I really want to make and eat meals which are less rich. So why dont you, I hear you say? Because the fridge is still full of Christmas and New Year food and as I cannot bring myself to waste food, we are going to have to eat it all up!
This compulsion is generally kept under control by careful menu planning to ensure that there is only what is needed in the fridge and cupboards. However, over the holiday season all this goes out the window and when I open the fridge I am staring at various half eaten packs of cheese, vacuum packed chestnuts and boxes of left over meats and vegetables which demand to be re-purposed into delicious thrifty meals. Unfortunately, they dont tend to be low fat or low sugar type foods so Im hoping I will have cleared the lot by the end of the coming weekend and I can eat in a more healthy way once more!
I started to make in roads into the New Year leftovers today, there was a litre box full of cauliflower cheese congealed in a way that did not invite reheating and eating in its original form and so it became:
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of sunflower oil
Approx 1 litre of leftover cauliflower in cheese sauce
1 litre vegetable stock
A little milk as required
salt and freshly ground pepper
bunch of flat leaved parsley, finely chopped
1. Heat the sunflower oil in a large pan, add the chopped onions and celery and cook on a medium heat until the onion is soft and transparent and the celery has started to soften.
2. Add the stock and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the celery is soft.
3. Add the cauliflower in cheese sauce and cook for a further 10 minutes.
4. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool for about 20 minutes.
5. Puree the soup with a stick blender or in a liquidiser, adding some milk if the mixture becomes too thick.
6. Season to taste and garnish with parsley.
7. Serve with crusty bread (I used Morrisons Cranberry, Walnut and Stilton bread - a gift from my sister-in-law)
It seems that others also suffer from the compulsion eat up everything left in the fridge, as the theme for Januarys No Croutons Required is to come up with a creative vegetarian soup or salad making use of your leftovers.
No Croutons Required is a blogger challenge alternately hosted by Lisa at Lisas Kitchen and Jac at Tinned Tomatoes, this month Lisa is hosting.
Helen at Fuss Free Flavours also suggested I add it to the new Credit Crunch Munch a linky devoted to money saving recipes. Credit Crunch Munch is replacing Frugal Food Fridays and is hosted alternately by Helen at Fuss Free Flavours and Camilla at Fab Food for all
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This compulsion is generally kept under control by careful menu planning to ensure that there is only what is needed in the fridge and cupboards. However, over the holiday season all this goes out the window and when I open the fridge I am staring at various half eaten packs of cheese, vacuum packed chestnuts and boxes of left over meats and vegetables which demand to be re-purposed into delicious thrifty meals. Unfortunately, they dont tend to be low fat or low sugar type foods so Im hoping I will have cleared the lot by the end of the coming weekend and I can eat in a more healthy way once more!
I started to make in roads into the New Year leftovers today, there was a litre box full of cauliflower cheese congealed in a way that did not invite reheating and eating in its original form and so it became:
Cauliflower Cheese Soup
Serves 42 medium onions, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of sunflower oil
Approx 1 litre of leftover cauliflower in cheese sauce
1 litre vegetable stock
A little milk as required
salt and freshly ground pepper
bunch of flat leaved parsley, finely chopped
1. Heat the sunflower oil in a large pan, add the chopped onions and celery and cook on a medium heat until the onion is soft and transparent and the celery has started to soften.
2. Add the stock and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the celery is soft.
3. Add the cauliflower in cheese sauce and cook for a further 10 minutes.
4. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool for about 20 minutes.
5. Puree the soup with a stick blender or in a liquidiser, adding some milk if the mixture becomes too thick.
6. Season to taste and garnish with parsley.
7. Serve with crusty bread (I used Morrisons Cranberry, Walnut and Stilton bread - a gift from my sister-in-law)
No Croutons Required is a blogger challenge alternately hosted by Lisa at Lisas Kitchen and Jac at Tinned Tomatoes, this month Lisa is hosting.
Helen at Fuss Free Flavours also suggested I add it to the new Credit Crunch Munch a linky devoted to money saving recipes. Credit Crunch Munch is replacing Frugal Food Fridays and is hosted alternately by Helen at Fuss Free Flavours and Camilla at Fab Food for all
More re-purposed food coming soon...
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