Author: Heidi Lee (Page 23 of 96)

I created this recipe for a friend who wanted to eat healthier and learn some basic soup techniques.  Lentils (legumes) aren’t as tricky as one might think, just PAY ATTENTION!!!!  Oh, and um, these are guestimates, but I’m sure that my savvy readers can work it out.  Have fun…

1 smoked turkey leg (you can get them in  the meat section)

2 T. Olive Oil

1 large onion, small dice

3 stalks celery, small dice

2 large carrots, peeled, small dice

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 Cups water or stock (I go 50/50 with either vegetable or chicken stock)

Salt

1 Bay Leaf

1 t. white pepper

1 T. Cumin

2 Cups Lentils – rinsed and cleaned

2 Cups Fresh Spinach, Kale or Chard – rough chop

In a large stock pot over medium heat, add the oil, onion, carrot, celery and garlic.  Saute until aromatic, about 5 minutes.  Place the turkey leg in pot and add stock and water, salt, bay leaf, white pepper and cumin.  Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer.  Stir in lentils and let cook for at least an hour. 

Remove the turkey leg and let cool.  Strip it of its meat and chop finely, return to pot.  When ready to serve, add the greens and let wilt.  Some fresh parsley is nice…hope you like it!!

There’s nothing like crawling out from under a rock and going to visit your best friend!  She has a way of challenging me to be a better person and I love her dearly for it.  I walked in her door Friday afternoon and she handed me a soup recipe to post on the site.  Basically, she told me to get back to work….where in the hell would we be without our friends?  Oh, and we did a little digging….

1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, cubed

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, chopped

4 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (drop down to 2 if you’re a tenderfoot)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 t. ground ginger (I know, weird, right?)

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. dried sagen

1/2 t. cumin

1/2 t. ground white pepper

1 T. olive oil

3 T. butter

1/4 Cup Flour

2 cups chicken broth

2 14 oz. cans great northern beans, undrained

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over med heat.  Add chicken and saute til cooked.  Remove chicken, add onion, peppers and garlic.  Return chicken, add spices to pan, mix together and melt butter.  Sprinkle flour over the top and whisk in the broth.  Stir in beans and simmer 15-20 minutes.  I’d finish this with some fresh cilantro and a dab of creme fraiche – up to you.  Isn’t it all REALLY up to you? 

Kakavia or Greek Fisherman’s Soup

A classic Greek dish often compared to the French bouillabaisse, any Greek will tell you that it’s tastier and easier to make! Traditionally made with the catch of the day, the selection of fish and seafood can be changed with the seasons, as long as the fish are fairly small and suitable for boiling.

THE SOUP BASE

• 8 cups of water

• 1 cup of olive oil

• 1 bayleaf

• 1 whole small ripe tomato

• 1 whole medium onion

• 2-3 cloves of garlic, with the hard exterior

• 2 medium carrots, cut in 1 1/2 -2 inch pieces

• 3-4 stems of celery, sliced

• 5-6 medium potatoes, cleaned and peeled

• 3 small zucchini, cut partway through lengthwise

• Juice of 3-4 lemons

THE SEAFOOD – 5 pounds total

• Small lobster

• Scorpionfish

• Stingbull (handle with care!)

• European hake or cod

• White grouper

• Comber

• Painted comber, or

• Other small whole fish suitable for boiling

Preparation:

In a large pot, add all soup base ingredients except zucchini and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Boil over medium-high heat for 15 minutes, then add zucchini. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. In order to prevent pieces of spine and bone from getting into the soup, wrap whole fish loosely in a piece of tulle and secure. Add fish, lobster (if using), and cuttlefish (if using), to the soup base. When boil resumes, cook for 20-25 minutes, uncovered. 5 minutes before cooking time is up, add lemon juice. Traditionally, the whole fish, other seafood, and vegetables are placed on a large platter, and the soup is served separately in a tureen or individual soup bowls.