Category: Soup of the Week (Page 6 of 25)

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.

According to British lore, this soup was invented by the wife of a 17th century member of Parliament.  400 years of passing down a soup….talk about standing the test of time.  I think this one passes with flying colors ~ and green is mine!!

Generous 3 cups shelled or frozen peas

1 leek, finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 slices bacon, fine dice

1 1/4 quarts ham stock

2 T. Olive Oil

1 Cups shredded fresh spinach

1/3 Cup white cabbage, finely shredded

1/2 small head lettuce, finely shredded

1 celery stalk, minced

large handful of parsley, minced

1 Cup garden cress * (mustardy, tangy flavor, adjust for your taste)

4 t. chopped fresh mint

pinch of ground mace

salt and pepper

Put the peas, leek, garlic and bacon in a large saucepan.  Add the stock and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

About 5 minutes before the pea mixture is ready, heat the oil in another large saucepan.  Add the spinach, cabbage, lettuce, celery and herbs to the skillet.  Cover and sweat over low heat until soft.

Transfer the pea mixture to a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  Add to the sweated vegetables and herbs and heat through.  Season with mace, salt and pepper and serve.

Doing some planting in the next few weeks and before I know it, these lovely Z’s will be coming out my ears!  Unfotunately, I’m the only one in my house who likes this versatile vegetable.  If you live in a similar situation, just remember that it’s really easy to hide zucchini in soups and casseroles, especially if you peel it:)

• 1 small onion, chopped

• 1 T. Unsalted Butter

• 2 Cups chicken broth

• 2 T. Chopped Canned green chilies

• 1/2 t. each, Salt and Pepper

• 2 small zucchini, chopped

• 1 C. Frozen Kernal Corn (thawed)

• 1 C. Whole Milk (2% will work)

• 2 ounces Monterey Jack Cheese, cut into 1/4 inch cubes

• Fresh Ground Nutmeg

• Parsley for Garnish

In a large saucepan, cook onion in butter until translucent.  Add broth, chilies, salt, pepper, zucchini and corn.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat.  Cover and cook 5 minutes.  Stir in milk and heat until just hot (do not boil).  Add cheese; sprinkle with nutmeg and parsely and serve.

I found a frozen piece of meat in my freezer last Saturday and since Sunday was all about football, I set it aside to thaw for a big pot of stew.  Keeping some basic staples around the house, i.e. celery, carrots, onions, tomato paste and potatoes, saves you from a trip to the grocery store on game day ~ UGH!  Oh, wait…do we have enough beer????  Honey!!!

2 pounds chuck – cut into 2 inch pieces

2 T. Vegetable Oil

2 each, celery stocks and carrots – medium dice

1 medium onion, diced

2 gloves garlic, minced

2 T. Tomato Paste

2 T. Flour

1 Can Budweiser (Hey, it’s AMERICAN football!)

4 Cups Beef Stock

2 Cups Water

8-10 small red potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces

S&P to Taste

Salt and Pepper the beef.  In a large stock pot or dutch oven, heat the oil to medium high.  Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan and ‘boil’ your meat, brown on all sides and remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl.  Finish cooking the meat and drain off all fat, leaving behind about 1 T.

Reduce heat to medium and add the celery, onion, garlic and carrots.  Saute until well coated, then mix the tomato paste with a little bit of the water and pour over the vegetables and stir to incorporate.  Sprinkle the flour over the top and mix well.

Increase the heat to medium high and add the beef and all the juices back to the pot.  Add the stock, water and beer and bring to a slight boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and let cook for about 90 minutes.  Add the potatoes after 1 hour of cooking – this should thicken your stew sufficiently.  Adjust for seasoning and PLAY BALL!!!!

I know this picture has nothing to do with soup, lambs or cucumbers…but I’m in a hurry and this was the best I could come up with.  Actually, it’s a photo of the Silent Treatment band just before a Holiday Gig for the Finnish Club in Singapore.  Oh, I think maybe they served lamb that night.  Well, there you have it ~ dicey, but a connection none the less.  Oh, this is actually a really nice soup…..

• 8 ounces boneless lamb steak

• 1 T. light soy sauce

• 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry (Rice Wine is best)

• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

• 3 inch piece seedless cucumber

• 3 Cups Chicken Stock

• 1 T. rice vinegar

• S&P to taste

Trim off any excess fat from the lamb and slice into thin, small pieces.  Halve the cucumber lenghtwise (don’t peel it) and cut on the bias into thin slices.

In a wok or saucepan, bring the stock to a rolling boil.  Add the lamb and stir to separate.  Return to a boil and add the rest of your ingredients.  Let boil for 1-2 minutes and serve immediately.

Steamed rice is a nice accompaniement.