Showing posts with label Soup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Soup. Show all posts

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Finally getting to be soup weather!

I love the cooler weather. And I am looking forward to soup. Lots of soups. Hearty soups. So I went looking through past blog posts to see what's what. These are two I had forgotten about and I'm glad I went back to look. They will be on our table again very soon.




Minestrone with Tomatoes and Rice
Source: original recipe by Luca Marcato of Osteria al Doge, NYC

1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 medium Idaho potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice
1 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch dice
1 small yellow squash, cut into 1-inch dice
1 Japanese eggplant or 1/2 small eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup arborio rice
one 28-ounce can Italian peeled tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
salt and fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 small stalk of broccoli — cut into 1-inch florets, stem peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 small head of cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets
1 medium celery rib, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup frozen baby peas
6 cups water, vegetable or chicken broth

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Heat the olive oil in a large non-reactive soup pot. Add the onion and red bell pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the carrot potato, zucchini, yellow squash and eggplant and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

Add the rice to a skillet on medium heat with a little bit of oil, about a tablespoon. Stir well to coat the grains with the oil and toast for about two minutes. Then add the rice to the soup pot with the vegetables. Add the tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, the crushed red pepper and 6 cups of water and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Add the broccoli, cauliflower, celery and peas and cook, stirring, until all the vegetables and the rice are tender, about 35 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper.

(MAKE AHEAD: The soup can be refrigerated for 1 day. Reheat before serving.) Ladle the soup into bowls and serve, passing the Parmesan cheese at the table.  If it's too thick next day, add some stock or water and season again!
 




Tuscan White Bean and Garlic Soup
 adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Source: Food Network, recipe by Giada De Laurentiis
Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, chopped
1 sage leaf
2 (15-ounce) cans cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 cloves garlic, cut in 1/2
1/2 cup cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 slices crusty bread, cut into chunks
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Place a medium, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the butter, olive oil, and shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sage and beans and stir to combine. Add the stock and bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the garlic and simmer until the garlic is softened, another 10-15 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup. It will be hot so be careful.

Once all the soup is blended add the cream. Salt and pepper, to taste. Keep warm, covered, over very low heat.

Arrange the bread on a sheet pan in one layer. Drizzle the slices of bread with extra-virgin olive oil. Broil the bread until warm and golden, keeping an eye so they don't burn. Stir to toast all sides. Serve the soup in bowls with the croutons. 


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Thursday, July 26, 2012

Gazpacho


Hot weather calls for cold soup! Not really, I like soup any time, hot or cold. I've had gazpacho before but not like this one. I saw it in this month's Fine Cooking and it looked so good, so creamy, I had to try it.

I didn't notice that the recipe said a pinch or two of cumin, so I added about 2 teaspoons. Fresh cilantro isn't big around here so I added some ground coriander and threw in some ancho chili for good measure. Used more bread than was called for and didn't notice about trimming the crust for croutons. Didn't notice the croutons were burning until it was a tad too late. They were still good. Extra flavor :)

It turns out the family is not so keen on cold soup. My husband thought it tasted like a creamy salad dressing. The kids and their friends gave it an "okay" but I really loved it. Loved. And it's easy enough to make some just for myself.

The flavor was so good. I think my family just assumes that soup should be hot. I'm always in a rush when I serve so you'd think they'd be used to cold soup. Or maybe the fact that this was intentionally cold soup. They'd have been happier with the usual lukewarm. ah well, more for me. 

Today's lunch!

See how creamy it looks? But no cream at all.





Gazpacho

1-3/4 lb. ripe tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped (about 5 cups)
1/2 medium green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped (3/4 cup)
1/2 small red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup packed torn fresh bread, such as a soft baguette, Portuguese roll, or thick white sandwich bread, plus enough for 1/4 cup of 1/2-inch cubes for croutons. I used a soft Italian bread
9 tablespoons good-quality extra-virgin olive oil; plus more for croutons and drizzling
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
2 small cloves garlic
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1-2 teaspoons ground cumin (more or less to taste)
1-2 teaspoons ground coriander (more or less to taste)
1 teaspoon ancho chili
optional garnish - chopped cucumbers, red peppers and onions

Put the tomatoes, bell peppers, bread, olive oil, the vinegar, garlic, about a teaspoon salt, pepper, chili, coriander and cumin in a blender. Pulse until coarsely puréed, then blend until very smooth, about 5-6 minutes or more if needed (it may be a bit frothy). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until very cold, at least 1 hour.

Meanwhile, heat about 3 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. When the oil gets hot, add the bread cubes. Cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown all over, about  minute or two. Sprinkle with a little salt. Transfer the croutons to paper towels to drain and cool.

Taste the gazpacho just before serving and adjust the seasonings as needed. Serve cold,  drizzle with oil and garnished with the chopped red pepper, cucumber and the croutons.

Make Ahead: The gazpacho can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated.



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Thursday, May 31, 2012

Roasted Heirloom Tomato Soup

This is definitely worth a repost, especially since we're coming into tomato season! Heirloom tomatoes. The different colored tomatoes gives the soup a really deep color and a great taste. You can use any tomatoes you like. Plain supermarket tomatoes are delicious in this soup as well. The roasting really brings out the flavor. I'm lucky that some of the markets around here carries heirlooms. I used a mix of those and vine tomatoes from the supermarket. Would have had home grown eventually but the big kid brought home a mutt from a shelter last year that we all fell in love with and assumed he was part rottweiler and part lab like his papers said. Not a great assumption because he looks part Great Dane with real long legs and a big head. And everything is within reach of his humongous appetite. So much for home grown. There's always next year!


Frankie





Roasted Tomato Soup topped with Greek yogurt instead of cream, croutons and chopped chives. A drizzle of oil and it's good to go.




Roasted Tomato Soup  
Source: Tyler Florence, Food Network
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/roasted-tomato-soup-recipe/index.html

Printable Recipe

3
pounds fresh tomatoes (mix of any kind you like, heirlooms are great)
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
2 bay leaves
4 tablespoons butter
plain fat-free Greek yogurt (optional)
chopped chives or basil (optional)
olive oil (optional)
croutons (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Wash, core and cut the tomatoes into halves. Spread the tomatoes, garlic cloves and onions onto a baking tray. If using vine cherry tomatoes for garnish, add them as well, leaving them whole and on the vine. Drizzle with 1/2 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 45 - 60 minutes, or until caramelized.

Remove roasted tomatoes, garlic and onion from the oven and transfer to a large stock pot (set aside the roasted vine tomatoes for later). Add 3/4 of the chicken stock, bay leaves, and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has reduced by a third.

Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Return soup to low heat and adjust consistency with remaining chicken stock, if necessary. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.Top with a dollop of Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of chopped chives. Top with croutons, drizzle with a bit of olive and serve.


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Friday, May 4, 2012

Some Favorites for Cinco De Mayo

 

Just some of my all-time favorites to celebrate Cinco De Mayo. I love a good celebration, maybe not authentic but delicious!  

Wishing everyone a great weekend.




Chevy's Fire-Roasted Salsa
from Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2 by Todd Wilbur
Source: Perrys' Plate 

6 medium tomatoes
6-8 jalapenos (I use 2-3)
1/4 medium Spanish or Yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt

Preheat grill on high. Remove stems from tomatoes, then rub some oil over each. Leave stems on jalapenos and rub oil on them, too.

Place tomatoes on grill. After about 10 minutes, add the jalapenos. In about 10 minutes, turn the tomatoes and peppers. When almost all of the surface of the peppers are black, remove them from the grill. The tomatoes will turn partially black, but when the skin begins to come off they are done. Remove from grill to a bowl.

Remove skin from tomatoes and place in a food processor. Pinch the stem end from each pepper, remove any skin that has burned, and place into food processor with tomatoes.

Add remaining ingredients and puree on high for 5-10 seconds. Chill for several hours or overnight before serving. Makes about 2 cups.




 Fish Tacos
adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Source: Epicurious, May 2009 – recipe by Lourdes Castro, Simply Mexican
Printable Recipe

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
About 1 1/2 cups red wine vinegar (I used 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar, a little less than 1/4 cup simple syrup and some water)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano (I used Mexican oregano)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, plus more for garnish
1 jalapeño, stemmed and chopped
1 pound flaky white fish (such as mahi mahi or cod), cut into 4 pieces
salt and pepper
8 fresh corn tortillas (I used whole wheat)
Mexican crema, homemade or store-bought (I mixed 1 cup sour cream with the zest and juice of one lime, jalapeno, a little salt and pepper)
Fresh Tomato Salsa
2 limes, cut into quarters

Put the onion in a small bowl and pour in the vinegar to cover well. Set aside for at least 30 minutes or up to several weeks.

Pour the olive oil into a small bowl and add the ancho chile powder, oregano, cumin, chopped cilantro, salt, pepper and jalapeño. Mix well. Place the fish on a dish and pour the marinade over it, making sure to coat the fish well on both sides. Allow to marinate for 20 minutes. (I put it in a Ziploc bag to marinate)

Heat a nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Place the fish in the pan, no need for more oil. Cook the fish for about 4 minutes, then turn over, and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and flake the fish into the pan with a fork, making sure to mix in all the marinade that has stuck to the bottom of the pan. Check if it needs more salt and pepper. I cooked it on the grill, in a disposable aluminum pan and left the pieces whole!

Place four of the tortillas on a plate and sandwich them between two slightly dampened sheets of paper towel. Microwave on high for about 45 seconds. Place the warm tortillas in a towel-lined basket or plate and cover. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

To assemble the tacos, place a big spoonful of the fish onto the center of a tortilla. Top with the marinated onions. I also added a sort of cole slaw to the taco's. Serve with salsa.

Fish Taco Cole Slaw
1 bag shredded green cabbage
1 cup sour cream
juice and zest of one lime
minced fresh jalapeno (half of one jalapeno)
salt and pepper to taste

Combine the sour cream with the lime juice, zest, jalapeno, salt and pepper. Mix shredded green cabbage in with the crema and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.




Mexican Black Bean Salad
Source: StacyS (gardenweb)

1 cup frozen (thawed) whole kernel corn, drained, or fresh cut from the cob
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 - 2 whole fresh jalapenos, seeds and ribs removed, chopped in a very small dice or 1 4-oz can of chopped green chilies
1/2 pint or more grape tomatoes, sliced in half
chopped fresh cilantro, to taste
4 cups torn iceberg lettuce or romaine (or both)
2 avocado, diced
Shredded Monterrey Jack, Cheddar or Mexican Cheese blend

Tortilla chips for garnish

Dressing:
1 tablespoons honey (little bit more, I just poured about 2 tablespoons)
2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice (I used juice of one lime)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Whisk all the dressing ingredients in large bowl.

Add all salad ingredients except lettuce and cheese; stir until well coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to blend flavors.

Toss the lettuce, avocado and cheese with the bean mixture a little while before you are ready to serve. Garnish with tortilla chips at the last minute.




 Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup
Source: Marilyn (DanaIN) - Gardenweb Cooking Forum
adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
4 corn tortillas (regular or fried)
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes with chilies (I used 2 10-ounce cans of Rotel tomatoes with chilies)
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon turmeric (I omitted)
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
juice from 1/2 fresh lime
1 cup diced, seeded Roma tomatoes or 1 cup salsa for garnish
Sour cream for garnish
Tortilla Chips for garnish

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; sauté onions and garlic for 3 minutes. Slice or break tortillas into small pieces and add to onions and garlic; sauté until they are soft. Add tomatoes, broth and spices and bring to a boil. Remove from heat; allow to cool for 5 minutes. Puree soup base in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth, return soup to pot. (I used an immersion blender)

Add chicken, corn and cream and return to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Reduce heat to medium-low and sprinkle in cheese and cilantro; stir to melt cheese. Add lime juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with tomatoes and a dollop of sour cream.






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Thursday, March 8, 2012

I won some soup...

from Bertolli! And it was good.
You can read about it at Mille Fiore Favoriti, Pat's blog had a giveaway for this Ladles of Love during National Soup month back in January.



I won the ladle, too. A nice one from Crate and Barrel. All for a good cause.


The Bertolli was really good, we enjoyed it. The package said for two, but three of us managed to enjoy nice size bowls of the Roasted Chicken Minestrone. Next to try will be the Chicken Rotini and the Tomato Florentine. Quick, easy and very good.

If you prefer homemade,
this lentil soup is also delicious and takes no time to put together. You end up with a very nice, hearty soup with minimal effort and a full tummy. 



Pasta con Lenticchie 
(Pasta with Lentils)
Source: Patsy's Italian Restaurant
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups low salt chicken or vegetable broth
1 can fire-roasted tomatoes
1/4 pound lentils, picked over and rinsed
1/4 pound small pasta, shells, tubettini, anellini or ditalini - cooked al dente
pinch of dried oregano
4 leaves of fresh basil, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over a medium flame and sauté the onions, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes until just browned. Add the garlic and sauté for about another 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes to the pot. Add the lentils, oregano and the broth, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for an hour, more or less, until the lentils are tender. Add the cooked pasta and simmer until all ingredients are heated through, about three minutes. If the soup thickens too much, add water or broth to thin it to the consistency you like.

Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper. Serve.




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Thursday, March 1, 2012

Onion Soup

There is nothing like a good bowl of French Onion Soup, topped with gooey cheese, melting over the toasted bread, soaking up that delicious broth. When I saw Rita's version over at Sage Cuisine I dropped my plan for lentil soup and went with the onion. This one was a little sweeter than the French Onion Soup I had made previously. We loved Rita's recipe. It was a HUGE hit. 

Thanks, Rita, your recipe is a keeper!



Normally I'm not too safety conscious, hence the two good slices I gave myself with a handheld mandoline a while back. My friend Renee mentioned these cutting gloves that fisherman use and I thought I'd give them a try. Kind of goofy looking and they stunk after 7 big onions, but my fingers were intact. I'm a convert. They worked well for me. Thanks Renee. All ten of my fingers thank you!


And just to let you know, the gloves, they are machine washable!
Good as new.

I made a few changes to the recipe because of what I had on hand, I didn't feel like going out for more beef broth, and mixing chicken stock with the beef broth worked nicely in the past. And I used a little more Sherry. I used low-fat Jarlsberg and a little less butter. The kids had Mozzarella. I need to look for Gruyere. I loved the addition of a bit of sugar and the balsamic vinegar.



French Onion Soup
Source: Sage Cuisine

2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups onions, sliced
1 shallot chopped
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons Sherry
4 cups beef stock
4 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
4 slices of toasted French bread
Gruyere cheese or any good melting cheese you like

Heat butter and oil on medium heat; add onions, salt, sugar and shallot. The onions will very slowly caramelize, stir regularly, you are looking for the onions to become golden brown. This will take over thirty minutes or more. You don't want the onions to burn, so keep an eye.

Deglaze the pan with the sherry, and allow to reduce for 2-3 minutes.

While the onions are almost done caramelizing, add the chicken and beef broth in a stock pot; add the balsamic vinegar and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium. Add the onions and simmer for about 20-30 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

At this point you can store it the fridge or the freezer.

To serve:
Preheat broiler for 5 minutes.

Toast bread in toaster or under broiler until golden brown; set aside.

Place 4 ovenproof soup bowls on baking sheet or pan. Ladle soup into bowls. Top with toast slices. Add cheese evenly over top.

Place tray of bowls under broiler; broil for about 3 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and golden. Be very careful, the bowls will be extremely hot.



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Thursday, February 16, 2012

What to do with leftover roast chicken?

Make soup! 

Specifically you should make this soup, Black Bean and Ancho Chile Soup with Roasted Chicken, Cilantro, and Lime. From the book Bird in the Oven by Mindy Fox. It has become one of my all-time favorite cookbooks. Can't rave enough about it, we've loved every recipe I've tried from this book. I got pretty ambitious with this one, ambitious for me anyway. Made the stock from scratch from a roasted chicken the night before. Usually I'd use a boxed stock and save homemade strictly for matzoh ball soup. And usually from raw pullets. I never thought to use the carcass from the roast chicken before, it made a great stock. I got almost a quart from one roast chicken. And the leftover meat wasn't all mushed up from being boiled for hours. This was excellent.

I left out the cilantro completely, my kids think it tastes like soap. What do they know? They never had their mouths washed with soap. But I did once when I was small. So who knows, I just may be used to that taste. I pretty quickly learned never to repeat things my older brother said to say to mom! We laugh about that now but it was hard to explain to her at the time that it's his fault with my mouth full of bubbles :)  What we put our poor mother through back in those days!

Since it was somewhat spur of the moment, the black bean soup part, I used canned beans. The chicken stock was planned, I decided last minute that I would turn into the black bean soup, so I had to use what was on hand, and I had ancho chili powder instead of whole dried chilies. Didn't matter, the soup was outstanding. I wouldn't change a thing the next time I make it. The chicken stock was perfect, great flavor and it cooled to be like jiggly jello, just like the golden goodness my grandma used to make. The roasting gave it a deep delicious flavor. I'll never throw away the roast chicken bones again!


Rich Roasted Chicken Stock



Chorizo and Black Bean Soup



Black Bean and Ancho Chile Soup with Roasted Chicken, Chorizo and Lime




Black Bean and Ancho Chile Soup with Roasted Chicken, Chorizo and Lime  
Original Source: From the book Bird in the Oven by Mindy Fox

3 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed well
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups water
1 whole white or yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon guajillo chile powder, or use any chiles you like
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups roast chicken, shredded
4 ounces fully cooked chorizo, sliced into coins (I used Aidells chorizo, 2 links)
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
2 limes, sliced in wedges
2 ripe avocado's, pitted and cubed
scallions, chopped
sour cream
diced tomatoes or salsa

In a heavy soup pot, combine half of the chorizo, 2 cans of the beans, chile powders, onion, garlic, oregano, chicken stock and water. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, for about an hour.

Remove from heat and very carefully, using an immersion blender, whiz the soup to a puree. You can use a blender but it's very hot, so be very careful.  Return the soup to the heat and add the last can of beans and the shredded chicken, simmer on medium-low for another 15-20 minutes. 

While the soup is simmering, cook the remaining chorizo in a non-stick skillet with a little olive oil over medium-high heat until they start to get a little browned. Remove and save for garnish.

Ladle soup in bowls, squeeze in some fresh lime juice and garnish with chorizo, diced avocado, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, scallions, or whatever garnishes you like.


Rich Roast Chicken Stock
Original Source: From the book Bird in the Oven by Mindy Fox
1 roast chicken carcass, plus the neck, leftover meat saved separately
1 onion, with skin, quartered
2 shallots, with skin, cut in half
5 garlic cloves, with peel, smashed
3 carrots, washed and peeled, cut lengthwise in half
2 parsnips, washed and peeled, cut lengthwise in half
1 small turnip, washed, peeled and quartered
2 stalks celery, plus tops, washed and cut lengthwise in half
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
handful of fresh parsley, dill or any other fresh herbs you like 
salt, to taste

Add all of the ingredients to a large stockpot and add cold water to cover by several inches. Over medium-high heat bring the water to just a boil, then lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 3-6 hours, uncovered for a very rich broth. Simmer for 2-3 hours for a lighter broth. Taste for seasoning, salt to taste.

Remove from heat, strain the soup into a container, discard the solids and let the stock cool. Refrigerate and skim fat from the cooled stock. You can freeze the stock.



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Sunday, January 15, 2012

Italian Wedding Soup with Turkey Meatballs

 Brrr, it's really cold out there. For now. The way the weather has been here it could be in the 50's again next week. Or not. Either way this soup will make you happy! Great flavor, it's a nice dump soup, just dump whatever you want in there. I wanted to add a little whole wheat pasta shapes, but I forgot. Go figure, I finally made a recipe just like it was written, pretty much. If you can't find escarole, use kale or spinach. Add pasta, barley, beans, whatever you like. To me it's that kind of soup. Hearty and filling.





Light Italian Wedding Soup  
with Turkey Meatballs
Source: Martha Stewart, Everyday Food January 2012
adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook

1 pound ground turkey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
32 ounces reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes in juice
1 large head escarole, or 2 small , cored, trimmed, and coarsely chopped (you can use kale or spinach, if you can't find escarole)

*Optional -- you can add small pasta, like tubetti, ditalini, shells, whatever you like. Don't overcook the pasta.

In a bowl, combine turkey, garlic, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, about a teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, more or less. Using about a tablespoon for each, roll mixture into small meatballs.

In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Cook onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add broth and tomatoes (with juice); bring to a simmer. Add meatballs; cook, without stirring, until meatballs float to surface, about 10 minutes. Skim foam. Add as much escarole or kale to pot as will fit.

Continue to simmer, gradually adding remaining escarole. Cook until the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes more or less. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve soup sprinkled with more Parmesan.


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Saturday, December 24, 2011

Zuppa Toscana

 I had some leftover kale from a salad and I went looking for recipes. And I found a great one!

This was a delicious soup, in spite of the fact that I totally forgot to add the heavy cream at the end. I could blame the fact that it's holiday time and everything is so hectic. But I really can't because this happens to me even at the calmest of times. The crumbled sausage? That had to be sliced because partially thawed Italian chicken sausage doesn't crumble too easily if you forget to take it from the freezer in good time. I did manage to get the casing off but I guess if I was slicing it didn't matter anyway. Then I almost killed Grandma again with the pepper. One half teaspoon was probably more because I wasn't paying attention, it just might have been a tad much. Even the kids had more to drink with dinner! And the sausage was the spicy kind. But everyone loved this one. Even grandma, with a lot of water on the side. Definitely a keeper.




1 lb. Italian sausage (pork, chicken or turkey)
1 large onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 russett potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
2 cups cannelini beans
2 cups fresh kale, chopped or torn in small pieces (stems removed)
5 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk (use heavy cream if you want a richer tasting soup!)
Salt and pepper

Place a large stockpot on the stove over medium heat.  Remove the sausage from the casings and crumble into the pan. Cook until well browned.
Remove the cooked sausage from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large plate lined with paper towels; set aside.  Add the chopped onion to the pan and sauté about 5-7 minutes, until soft and translucent.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan and cook for a minute more, just until fragrant. Add the wine to the pot and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Add the potatoes, beans, kale, and chicken broth to the pot. 

Return the sausage to the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer on medium-low. Cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and cooked through. Stir in the milk or cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.


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Beth at Beth Fish Reads for her fun Weekend Cooking Party. Every weekend. It's open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share! Go on over and see some fun posts.
 

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Red Pepper Summer Soup

They're chilling with Jamie Oliver over at I Heart Cooking Clubs and what better way to chill than with a cold soup. Have to say, we're kind of iffy with cold soup so I served it room temperature. We loved it. Definitely a keeper, and easy as can be. Didn't have to use the oven and heat up the kitchen, on top of the stove worked out really well. Love this recipe. Very quick and very easy. Had more than a few grape tomatoes that were a bit past their prime as far as serving in a salad but cooked down they added tremendous flavor. Tried it with a little drizzle of cream on mine and it was a very nice addition, not needed but nice. I used three red peppers and one yellow. And added some smoked paprika. I also used sherry vinegar instead of red wine vinegar and it gave it a nice flavor. So I didn't follow exactly, but it was a perfect soup for these very warm days.

So we're ended up lukewarm with Jamie Oliver this week instead of chilling, but hot, cold or warm, this is a really fantastic soup.




Red Pepper Summer Soup
Source: original recipe found in Jamie's America by Jamie Oliver
Adapted by There's Always Thyme to Cook
Printable Recipe

4 red bell peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
15-20 grape tomatoes (optional)
1 large onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 quart chicken stock
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 small red chile, chopped (or jalapeno)
olive oil, for the pan and for drizzling
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
small bunch of fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (I used a sherry wine vinegar)
1/4 cucumber (seedless)
cayenne pepper or smoked paprika (if you like)
a touch of cream (optional)

Add a couple of dashes of olive oil to a large saucepan. On medium heat, gently fry the red peppers, onion, garlic and chile with the lid on for about 20 minutes. Stir every five minutes or so.

Add the chicken stock, bring to the boil then simmer the soup gently on medium heat with the lid on for about more 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.

Use an immersion blender to puree or you can very carefully pour the soup (it will be hot) into a blender (in 2 or 3 batches) and blend at high speed till smooth and silky. Add the vinegar and basil and whiz it again. Then strain through a strainer, if you like, and taste for seasoning.  Let it cool in the frig. Serve this soup cold with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, or even a drizzle of cream. Garnish with the diced cucumbers and celery, a little cayenne or smoked paprika.




Joining
 I Heart Cooking Clubs to Chill with Jamie Oliver!

IHCCJamieOliver



also joining 

Beth at Beth Fish Reads for her fun Weekend Cooking Party. Every weekend. It's open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share! Go on over and see some fun posts.
 
AND



Souper Sundays (soups, salads and sandwiches) @ Kahakai Kitchen

with the


 
SouperSundays

For more mosaics, stop by the Little Red House for Mosaic Monday

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