Cream of Cashew Soup with Armagnac

The photo is a bit distorted - the glass isn't really that bowl shaped at the top. I served the soup in these small 4-ounce glasses, with a small spoon. Even though it was served hot, you could hold onto the bottom or top of the glass without burning your fingers.

My theory must have been, back when I clipped this recipe from Bon Appetit, that it was unusual, therefore, I'd like to try it. Unusual it is. Good? A resounding YES. Perhaps it's not the right first course for just any dinner, but it made a big hit at our recent dinner party. I made it two days ahead, then reheated it, added the cornstarch thickener (so little of it, I hardly think it mattered) and the Armagnac. The recipe comes from a now-defunct restaurant in Oxford, Maryland, called Mathilda's.


In case you don't know about Armagnac, here's the lowdown from Wikipedia:

• Armagnac [pronounced ar-mahn-yak] is a distinctive kind of brandy or eau de vie, made of mainly the same grapes as cognac and undergoing the same aging in oak barrels, but mainly with column still distillation (cognac and part of armagnac is distilled in pot stills).

It comes from the mountainous regions in France near the Pyrenees. I always thought Armagnac had some affinity with apples, but no, it's all grapes. It's just the method of distillation and barreling that differentiates it. Much of the soil is rocky. Anyway, Armagnac is not an everyday staple in liquor stores, so you may have to seek it out. But you could also use Cognac or brandy instead. Just don't use some $4.99 bottle of rot-gut. The flavor does come through in this soup.

Cook's Notes: I didn't find unsalted cashews, so I used the lightly salted ones from Planter's. But, I did use low-sodium chicken broth. That way you can add salt if you would like to. If doing the cornstarch thing doesn't interest you, just eliminate it. I could not discern a bit of difference in the consistency of the soup after adding it. The chives add a nice touch - since the soup is definitely BEIGE, it needs a tad of color.

Cream of Cashew Soup with Armagnac
Recipe By: Mathilda's, Oxford, Maryland (restaurant is now closed), via Bon Appetit
Serving Size : 6
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 cups cashews -- roasted, unsalted
1/3 cup shallots -- chopped
28 ounces low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup cream sherry
2 cups half and half -- or fat-free half and half
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cognac -- or Armagnac (preferred)
2 tablespoons fresh chives -- minced
1. Melt butter with oil in heavy, large pot over medium heat. Add cashews and shallots. Cook until shallots are golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add broth and Sherry; increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the half and half and cream. Reduce heat to medium/low and simmer uncovered, until cashews are tender, about 20 minutes. Allow soup to cool about 20 minutes before continuing.
2. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until VERY smooth. Strain soup into a large saucepan, discarding solids left in strainer.
3. Whisk the water with cornstarch in a small bowl to blend. Bring soup to a boil, whisk cornstarch mixture into soup, stirring until soup thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in Armagnac. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among soup bowls or short glasses, sprinkle with chopped chives and serve.
Per Serving: 546 Calories; 49g Fat (75.7% calories from fat); 16g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 78mg Cholesterol; 148mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 9 Fat.
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Fish Chowder with a Thai twist

Even though I live in a city, close by there aren't any independent fish markets. Our grocery stores carry fresh fish, but I don't like it much. The flesh is soft. Makes me think the fish has been treated somehow. And I never think the fish is truly fresh. The cardinal rule is that if fish smells fishy, it probably isn't fresh. Even though I know they aren't supposed to. I'm leery of a lot of shrimp I see, because of the horror tv programs I've watched about the dirty, filthy pens they're raised in, mostly along Asian coasts, and how vegetation won't even grow near these pens because the water has been so destroyed from the detritus from the shrimp. Shrimp is the number one desired fish among Asian consumers, apparently. Shrimp caught in our waters aren't all that great, either, with moderate levels of mercury.

Our closest independent fish market (that presumably carries fish and shellfish from reputable sources and not the endangered species - although they did have Chilean Sea Bass, which I didn't buy) is about 10 miles away, and it's down a busy freeway that clogs with traffic unless you return before about 11:00 am. So I don't go there very often. But yesterday I had to drive about 13 miles that direction to buy the very best Italian sausage and stopped at this fish market on the way back.

Freezing fresh fish isn't what I like to do, either, so I buy only what we can eat immediately. I bought about a pound of "chowder chunks" (halibut, swordfish, cod, tilapia) and some rock shrimp. I told the fish monger I didn't want any salmon or tuna in the mixture, which he was kind enough to do. For me, the addition of tuna and salmon overpowers a fish stew. Also bought some ready-made ceviche that we enjoyed with lunch, along with about 5 ounces of fresh Dungeness crabmeat which went on a lovely green salad.

I used a couple of recipes to concoct this fish stew/chowder. It took about 35 minutes to put together, start to finish. First I sauteed a bit of pancetta in olive oil (you could use bacon and next time I will), then added a large onion, chopped, two small leeks, chopped, about 2 cups of chopped celery, also some fresh spring garlic (look like green onions, but they're young garlic and you could just add one clove of regular garlic, minced) a bit of jalapeno, and some mushrooms. Then I added some seafood stock (mine came from Penzey's, and it's a concentrate you mix with water) but you could use clam juice instead, or even chicken broth. A can of light coconut milk, some red bell pepper minced, and 4 stalks of lemon grass, cut in half lengthwise. That stewed for a bit, then I removed the lemon grass, added a bit of thyme, and about a cup of fat-free half and half (or use the real thing) and a big splash of heavy cream. Once that came to a simmer I added all the chowder chunks (cut into smaller bite-sized pieces) and the shrimp (snipped into smaller pieces) and allowed it to just rumble even below a simmer for 3-4 minutes. Done. I was all out of cilantro, otherwise I would have sprinkled some on top. This recipe makes a thin broth, yet creamy. And the fish chunks were lovely. It was an easy dinner, served with a couple of slices of fresh sourdough bread. The best part is that I have enough for another dinner as leftovers. I'll reheat it very gently so the fish doesn't break apart. This wasn't a "wow," over the top kind of dish, but it was warm and tasty for a cold winter's night.

Fish Stew with a Thai Twist
Serving Size : 6
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup pancetta -- chopped, or bacon
1 large onion -- peeled, chopped
2 cups celery -- chopped
2 small leeks -- trimmed, chopped
1/3 cup red bell pepper -- chopped
1 whole garlic clove -- minced
1 small jalapeno chile pepper -- minced, optional
1/2 cup mushrooms -- sliced
3 stalks lemon grass -- trimmed, halved lengthwise
6 cups fish stock -- or clam juice
14 ounces light coconut milk
1 cup half and half -- or use fat-free
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pound fish fillets -- chopped in bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup fresh shrimp -- chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1. Warm the olive oil in a large stock pot, then add the pancetta. When it's just begun to brown, add the onion, celery and leeks. Saute for a few minutes, then add the garlic, jalapeno, mushrooms and lemon grass stalks. Lastly add the red bell pepper.
2. Add the fish stock and bring to a simmer, reduce heat and continue to bubble lightly for about 15 minutes. Remove lemon grass and discard.
3. Add the coconut milk, half and half and heavy cream and bring back to a simmer. Add the thyme, then add the fish chunks and gently bring back to a simmer. Allow to cook for just 3-5 minutes just BELOW a simmer. Serve.
Per Serving: 492 Calories; 29g Fat (54.9% calories from fat); 28g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 134mg Cholesterol; 901mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 4 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

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Adobe Stew - and it's vegetarian and vegan too

It was some years ago now that we first had lunch at The Gypsy Den, in Costa Mesa (California). It happens to be in the same small shopping complex where we, my DH and I, get our hair cut, so we often try to make appointments around lunchtime. Sometimes my friend and owner/hair stylist Rachel, eat there together before or after the haircuts. But most often my DH and I eat there. He orders the same thing every single time we go. Mostly I do too. He has their Greek salad. I order a crock of their adobe stew.

So after eating this soup umpteen times, I asked one of the waitresses about it. She brought out a sheet of paper with a list of all the ingredients. It was up to me to figure out how much of what. That's all I had - a list of all the vegetables in it, and the names of the spices. I was amazed at how good it was, considering it was made with WATER. Not even broth. Not even vegetable broth. So their recipe is actually vegan and vegetarian if you don't count the cheese. I love it just as well,

no matter what you call it.
The restaurant fashions itself as a kind of hip, but very funky, mostly outdoor place. The OC Weekly described it this way: "nose-pierced babes woo scruffy-bearded grad students with promises of Foucault and vegetarian chili."

The Gypsy Den kitchen makes everything themselves, including their bread. They have lots of vegetarian items, but also make some sandwiches and salads with chicken and tuna, etc. The food is always - I mean always - good. I appreciate the fact that they make everything in house. The waitresses are a trip and a half - often with tattoos down their arms, in rather skimpy halter tops, tight pants, etc. You might not want to take your aging mother here, although I am one. But it's a favorite haunt of ours nevertheless.

So one time I decided to try making my own Adobe Stew. I came up with a kind of recipe. It's not the same as the Gypsy Den's, I'm sure, but it's close. Each time I've made it, it's been slightly different. Do notice how dark the broth is - so I assume they used a LOT of chiles. Cumin also adds to a dark-colored broth, but not THAT dark.

You can also buy ancho chili powder from some grocery stores, and also at Penzey's - and in fact that may be what they use rather than the dried chiles. Here in Southern California we have all kinds of fresh and dried chiles at our markets. Poblanos (a fresh chile) are at most stores, and anchos are dried poblanos. They're very mild, adding just about zero heat to the stew. Likely the chili powder does that.

So, first I'll give you the ingredient list - that way you can interpret it as you so choose. If you choose.

Gypsy Den Adobe Stew Ingredients: onions, oil, tomatoes (canned), garlic, bay leaves, oregano, ground cumin, ground coriander, chili powder, ancho chiles, corn, green beans, zucchini squash, yellow squash, pinto beans, water, cheddar cheese and jack cheese.

My scribblings on the day the waitress brought us the ingredient list.

Carolyn's interpretation of the "Gypsy Den Adobe Stew":

8 ancho chiles (if you don't know these, click here for info)

2 yellow onions, chopped

2 T. vegetable oil

2 pounds canned tomatoes, chopped, including juice

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

1 T. oregano, crushed in your hands

2 T. ground cumin

1 T. ground coriander

1-3 T. (mild) chili powder, to taste

1 lb. frozen corn

1 lb. frozen green beans

1 lb. canned pinto beans, drained

1 lb. fresh zucchini, chopped

1 lb. fresh yellow squash, chopped

About 3 quarts water (a guess, use your own judgment)

2 cups grated cheddar cheese

2 cups grated Jack cheese

When I made it I soaked the ancho chiles in water for several hours. Probably overnight would be fine. Then you'd drain them (save juice), seed them and remove stems. Then combine the juice and chiles in the blender and puree. Set aside. When I've made it I sauteed the onions first, then added the garlic, the spices and let it saute a bit. Then I added water - a lot - the tomatoes, and the reserved ancho chile puree, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes. Then I added frozen corn, frozen green beans, and canned pinto beans. Bring it back to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, then add fresh zucchini and yellow squash, which went in last. You add the cheeses on top of the soup and not so thick it doesn't melt.
Per Serving: 181 Calories; 9g Fat (44.2% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 20mg Cholesterol; 399mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat.

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Borscht with Andouille - My First Attempt

Some years ago we were at the home of friends, and many others had been invited to participate in a Russian dinner. Each couple brought something. I made a pie, I think. With a crust that should never be repeated. I'd followed a recipe that was supposed to be a Russian type, made with an egg yolk. Well, anyway, we'll gloss over that disaster. One of the other couples brought a very authentic borscht. It was what she called a winter borscht, made with beef. It was deliciously deep in flavor, but she wouldn't share the recipe, was almost offended that I'd ask, as it was a family one. I've never forgotten that borscht, and have pined away, wishing I knew how hers was made. So, ever since, I've collected borscht recipes, thinking I'd make it sometime.

Wikipedia has a very comprehensive page of information about borscht. About its origin (Russian, Ukrainian, Lithuanian, even Polish), and its two major variations (hot-winter, and cold-summer). The common thread is beets (except for one summer version using sorrel), but what a bunch of variations it suggests. Makes my mind reel even thinking of all the combinations. About as varied as curry powders are to the East Indians, or a green salad to anyone in the world. It's all in the interpretation, and what is in your larder.

Set before me I had four recipes, all slightly different. Naturally, the common thread was beets. Yet they all included onions, tomatoes, tomato paste, and cabbage. Two had beef in it. Another was vegetarian. And one had andouille sausage (also likely not authentic).

Sidestep with me a bit. We have friends, Mike & Norma. Mike does most of the cooking in their house, and as a Louisiana boy, he loves his rice, red beans. And Andouille (pronounced ahn-doo-wee) sausage. A year ago Mike made a dinner of red beans, rice and sausage for us, which was fabulous. And he kindly bequested to me a package of Andouille. I tucked it into the freezer until I was ready to make something with it. It's been a year, for goodness' sake. But Sunday was the day to use it.

I took what I thought was the best of all four recipes and made it my own. Even adding one little thing that probably isn't true to the genre of borscht, that being thyme.

I baked the beets in the oven (easier to get the skins off), sauteed the vegetables, added almost all the ingrients and simmered for a couple of hours. At the very end you add the Andouille. I'm sure I've mentioned before, if you simmer a sausage (a delicious, flavorful sausage of any kind) in a soup, it gives up all of its flavor to the soup, so when you chow down and expect that Kielbasa or Hungarian sausage to have some flavor, you'll find that it's absolutely blah. Nothing but soft texture with no flavor whatsoever. Test the soup for seasonings - mine needed just a tad more sugar (note there is 2/3 of a cup of red wine vinegar in it). So, the Andouille, a treasure for sure unless you happen to live anywhere near New Orleans, needs to be added in at the very end, so it still has that spark of heat and chewiness. The resulting chunky soup is just the richest red/orange color, and when serving garnish the soup with a moderate dollop of sour cream.

So, interpret away. Make borscht yours too, with additions of your own. And, THANKS MIKE, for the Andouille. I took two quarts of borscht to them on Sunday afternoon - that was Mike's request - whatever I made with the gifted Andouille, I needed to share it with him. Gladly!

Borscht with Andouille
Recipe: Carolyn T's original
Servings: 8
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion -- peeled, chopped
2 cloves garlic -- minced
2 large carrots -- chopped
3 stalks celery -- chopped
2 whole bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 quart chicken broth
2 pounds beets
1 whole potato -- peeled, cubed
28 ounces whole tomatoes -- crushed by hand, including juice
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 head red cabbage -- sliced thin
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons sugar -- or Splenda [may need a touch more]
1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
3 cups water
12 ounces Andouille sausage -- skinned, chopped into cubes
1 cup sour cream
1. Preheat oven to 350. Cut off beet tops only, then place on foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 60 minutes, or until beets are just tender. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 15 minutes until they can be handled. Cut off tops and ends, then slip skins off beets and chop into cubes.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large soup pot over medium flame and add olive oil. Add onions and saute for 3-5 minutes until just beginning to brown around the edges, then add garlic, carrots, celery, bay leaves and thyme. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the chicken broth. Add tomato paste, tomatoes, red wine vinegar and sugars and water. Bring to a simmer, then add cabbage and the paprika. Simmer for 2 hours at a minimum.
3. Taste for seasoning (add salt or pepper or both, as needed). Add more sugar if the mixture is too acidic. Add the Andouille sausage at the very end, just long enough to heat through.
4. Ideally, make this a day ahead and allow flavors to meld overnight. Heat to a simmer, scoop into large bowls and add a dollop of sour cream to each bowl.
NOTES : If you add the Andouille at the beginning, it will lose all its flavor to the soup. Therefore, add it at the very end, just before serving.
Per Serving: 377 Calories; 22g Fat (51.3% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 36mg Cholesterol; 579mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 3 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

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Mulligatawny Soup

Oh, I do adore soups. I'm sure I've gone on and on before about why I like soups - just the simple ease of them, they warm the tummy, great to freeze for another night when I don't feel like cooking, and you don't have to make all those different things . . . a protein, a vegetable, a salad, maybe a carb . . . you get it all right in the pot. Sometimes I serve soup with a side carb like a biscuit. Rarely do I make a salad, because a green salad doesn't always seem to go with a hot soup. Maybe a half a sandwich goes better with it, but I had had a half a sandwich for lunch. So, since there's rice in this soup, the meal is complete just the way it is.

I remember reading this recipe in a magazine back about 1971. It was probably Family Circle or something similar. I was still experimenting with curry powder back then, and this one doesn't have all that much curry in it, so it just has a faint hint of it. But it was the addition of apple that intrigued me. Somewhere around the same time I'd encountered a savory cold apple soup that became a regular on my summer entertaining menu. One of these days I'll post that one. I really enjoyed making things that surprised people. You just don't expect apple in a savory soup.

This soup comes together in a jiffy, actually. I had chicken √, celery √, carrot √, onion √, chicken broth √, rice √ and the spices √. Over the years I've adjusted the recipe quite a bit - more chicken, more curry, more onion, more carrot, more thyme. But the bones of the recipe remain the same. We went to see Atonement, the movie, the day I made this. It's a kind of a downer, although exceptionally well done. It made me want to get comfortable in front of the fireplace and be cozy. Soup fits in perfectly.

Mulligatawny Soup has its origins in India. Here's what wikipedia had to say about it:

• Mulligatawny is a type of Anglo-Indian soup. It is regarded as the national soup of India. A literal translation from Tamil is "pepper water" ('Millagu' is pepper and 'Thanni' is water). Despite the name, pepper itself is not a vital ingredient. Rice and noodles are commonly served in the soup; the real dish the Anglo-Indians call "pepper water" is closer to Tamilian rasam (pronounced Russ-um) than mulligatawny. Variations differ very much. Sometimes, the soup has a turmeric-like yellow color and is garnished with parsley and chicken meat, and is more soupy, which takes on its Anglo-Indian adaptation to be a thick, spicy meat soup.

Interestingly, curry is not a specific ingredient listed above. But think India-n food, think curry. I really like the addition, whatever version this is. And it's very low in fat and sodium, providing you use low-sodium chicken broth. You could eliminate the rice too, if you wanted to make this a low carb meal.

Mulligatawny Soup
Recipe: adapted from a magazine article, c. 1971, but I have no notes about it.
Servings: 4
1 whole onion -- diced
2 whole carrots -- diced
2 stalks celery -- diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons curry powder - I prefer about 1 tablespoon
4 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 cup water
1/4 cup apple -- diced - I use half an apple
1/2 cup rice
1 cup cooked chicken -- diced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1/2 cup fat free half-and-half
1. Heat olive oil in a medium-deep pan, then add onion, carrot and celery. Stir and heat the vegetables, then sprinkle the flour over them, adding the curry powder as well. Cook for about 5 minutes.
2. Add chicken broth and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add rice and continue to cook for about 10 more minutes. Add half of the apple and seasonings and simmer for about 15 minutes.
3. Just before serving, add the remaining apple and the chicken, plus the half and half and heat until the soup just barely comes to a simmer again.
NOTES : One of the keys to this soup is the apple - you just don't expect it in a soup. It's important to use a tart, firm apple, not one that will turn into mush (so use a Pippin or Granny Smith only).
Per Serving: 298 Calories; 8g Fat (25.0% calories from fat); 19g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 15mg Cholesterol; 1129mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 1/2 Fat.

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Senegalese Peanut Soup with Chicken

The other day I was invited to a lovely ladies luncheon. A birthday celebration. It was great fun. The hostess, Robin, was gracious and full of laughter and humorous stories. She had prepared a delicious lunch for the 6 of us. I happened to have my little camera with me, so snapped photos of the soup. It was absolutely sensational. I can't wait to make my own batch.

I didn't know anything about Senegal (other than it's on the African continent) or its cuisine. Fortunately wikipedia had plenty of information:

• Because Senegal borders the Atlantic Ocean, fish is an important staple. Chicken, lamb, and beef are also used in Senegalese cooking, but not pork, due to the nation’s largely Muslim population. Peanuts, the primary crop, as well as couscous, white rice, bananas, sweet potatoes, lentils, black-eyed beans and various vegetables, are also incorporated into many recipes. Meats and vegetables are typically stewed or marinated in herbs and spices, and then poured over rice or couscous or simply eaten with bread.


• Popular fresh juices are made from bissap, ginger, Buy (pronounce bouy) which is the fruit of the baobab tree also know as "monkey bread fruit", mango, or other fruit or wild trees. Desserts are very rich and sweet, combining native ingredients with the extravagance and style characteristic of the French impact on Senegal’s culinary methods. They are often served with fresh fruit and are traditionally followed by coffee or tea.

So, this soup dish utilizes a number of the staples of the Senegalese cuisine: sweet potatoes, peanuts, and chicken. Robin got the recipe from the food network site, and it's an Emeril recipe from 2006. Usually I'm not inclined to try his recipes - purely a silly reason - I think Emeril appears to be more hype and entertainment than he is a good chef. But I have nothing to back up my claim. Just that I dislike his talking and demonstration style. So, thanks, Robin, for sharing this soup with us!

Senegalese Peanut Soup with Chicken
Recipe: Emeril Lagasse, 2006
Servings: 6
3/4 pound sweet potatoes
5 tablespoons peanut oil
8 whole Roma tomatoes -- halved and seeded
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 cup onions -- julienned
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 quart chicken broth
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup coconut milk -- unsweetened
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast half without skin -- boneless, diced into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves -- chopped and blanched
2 tablespoons peanuts -- chopped
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Coat the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil and place in an oven-proof pie tin. Place the pie tin in the oven and roast the sweet potatoes for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until the potatoes are fully roasted and fork tender. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skin from the potatoes and discard them. Reserve the sweet potato flesh until ready to use.
3. Place the tomatoes in a small mixing bowl and coat with 1 tablespoon of peanut oil. Lay the tomatoes on a baking sheet, skin side up, and season with salt and pepper. Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast the tomatoes until the skins are caramelized and wilted, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the tomatoes from the oven, discard the skins, and set the tomatoes aside until ready to use.
4. Set a 1 gallon stockpot over a medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil. Add the curry powder to the pot and toast for about 30 to 45 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the onions and saute for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the minced garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the cayenne pepper and chicken stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
5. Add the roasted sweet potatoes and tomatoes to the soup. Add the peanut butter and coconut milk to the pot and stir to blend. Let simmer for 10 minutes, and blend with an immersion blender or in batches in a bar blender until smooth. Season with 3/4 teaspoon of the salt and, if necessary, more pepper.
6. Season the chicken pieces with the remaining teaspoon of salt and the white pepper, and sear in a hot saute pan with the remaining 1 tablespoon of peanut oil for 5 minutes. Add the seared chicken to the pot. Cook until the chicken is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
7. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with extra cilantro and the chopped peanuts.
Per Serving: 554 Calories; 36g Fat (56.7% calories from fat); 34g Protein; 28g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 53mg Cholesterol; 1318mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 6 Fat.

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Creamy Leek Soup and a bit about Onion Goggles

So I had these leeks that had been in the refrigerator for about 2 1/2 weeks. DH had gone to the market before Christmas and he mis-read my list - I wrote 6 leeks. He thought it was 6 bunches of leeks. Sigh. So I had a heck of a lot of leeks. They weren't all that attractive, I'll admit, since the outer layers had become wet and mushy. But the interior, the part we use in cooking, was just fine. A couple of months ago I made a leek and Kielbasa soup, but I didn't have any Kielbasa, so wanted to use what I had on hand. I found a recipe on Epicurious that utilized many of the ingredients I did have, so I altered the recipe some (added pancetta, coconut milk, and some fat-free half and half) and deleted the items I didn't want (potato, whipped cream garnish).

Then I got out my magic (onion goggle) glasses. Ta-da.

If you haven't seen these, you're missing a VERY good thing. I was skeptical they'd work since I cry buckets when I peel and chop onions. What was wonderful, though, was that I could SMELL the onion, but I got none of the biting tears. They're a wonder! I took several snapshots of myself with them on, but every one was so positively ugly I couldn't make you look at a one of them. I look like an owl. But thankfully, you only have to wear them for a few minutes. They come in colors - mine are green and white, as you can see. Get thyself to a kitchenware store soon and buy a pair of these. And go chop some onions.

Creamy Leek Soup
Recipe: loosely based on a recipe from food editor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez at epicurious.com
Servings: 6-8
3 pounds leeks -- trimmed, leaving white and pale green parts only, chopped
1 medium onion -- chopped
2 large carrots -- chopped
2 large celery ribs -- chopped
4 ounces pancetta -- cubed or minced

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1 cup dry vermouth
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth -- or beef broth
3 cups water
1 Turkish bay leaf -- or 1/2 California
1 1/2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
14 ounces light coconut milk

[I also added about 1 cup of fat-free half and half)
1. Wash sliced leeks in a large bowl of cold water, agitating them, then lift out and drain well in a colander.
2. Cook leeks, onion, carrot, celery, pancetta, salt, and pepper in 4 tablespoons butter in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add wine, stock, water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Stir in parsley and simmer soup, uncovered, 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf and keep soup at a bare simmer.
4. In a covered jar, shake the 1/4 cup flour with the coconut milk until smooth. Add some water if the mixture is too thick. Add to soup, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes until thickened.
5. Blend soup in 4 batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), about 1 minute per batch, transferring to a 3- to 4-quart saucepan. Reheat if necessary, then season with salt and pepper.

NOTES : Soup is best when made 1 to 3 days ahead (to allow flavors to develop). Chill soup, uncovered, until completely cooled, then cover. Reheat, thinning with water if necessary. Yield: approximately 15 cups.
Per Serving (based on 6 main course servings): 277 Calories; 14g Fat (44.5% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 34mg Cholesterol; 947mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 3 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 2 Fat.

To print a PDF recipe, click title at top.

Pork & Green Chile Stew

My friends sometimes ask me, "how do you possibly come up with all the stories?" Or, "how can you write about every recipe?" Well, it seems that every recipe has its own story to tell. That's what makes cooking unique to each of us. It's how recipes are born. It's how a recipe from a website, or a cookbook, your friend Linda, or your Grandmother, with a slight change here and there, becomes your own. A creation from your intuition (well, sometimes it's just that you didn't have any carrots, so you used butternut squash instead, and it totally changed the dish). That's the start of a story.

"You must spend hours and hours at your computer?" they quiz. Well, yes and no. I do spend many hours a day at my computer, but I'm not always writing my blog. The blog though - it doesn't take that much time really, since I like to write. Writing comes easily to me. I wrote for 20+ years in my career. Writing was a big part of the job - I wrote mostly newspaper and magazine ads for companies wanting to hire people. Those small, medium to huge ads you see in the help wanted section week after week. There are ad agencies out there that do just that. Not product marketing type advertising, but people hunters. Not head hunters, but ads to encourage and entice people to apply for jobs. A client, the advertiser, would give us, the ad agency, some sketchy phrases about the job requirements, and about what this person would do. It was our job to fashion those phrases into cohesive sentences and paragraphs. Make the words logical. And their sequence make sense. Sometimes we'd use some fancy graphics to make the ad stand out. Other times it was a simple 2-inch ad with very small type. There were times when the ads were very hard to compose, I'll admit. Perhaps the client didn't give us much to work with. But usually there was enough.

So, you see, writing doesn't seem like drudgery to me. I always thought, years ago, that I'd find my inner voice - maybe a voice that would write a novel. But the reality is that my mind doesn't dream fiction stories. My head writes food stories. When I began putting all of my recipes into the MasterCook software, in one of the text cells I find that it invites me to explain the recipe. No, it doesn't ask that, but it seemed that with every recipe I entered, I had no difficulty at all writing up something about it. About when I'd served it. How I'd altered the recipe to suit a particular occasion. Or used the leftovers. Many of my recipes have long, evolved stories about their origin. Or who they came from. Like the Cold Green Pea Soup from our friend Pamela in England. Or the Bishop's Bread I just posted early last month from my mother's friend Mary. Or my mother's Apple Crisp.

Spending hours at the computer isn't hard work for me. (Hmmm. Just ask my DH how many hours a day I spend at the keyboard. Oh. No. Scratch that.) When I'm cooking, there are stages in most recipes when it needs to cook. So I flit over to my laptop that resides here in the kitchen and start a new story. Or finish one that's in progress. Or input a new recipe. Or insert a photo. Or even take a photo. I usually have 3-4 stories in progress at any one time. It seems that there is a kind of a schedule we bloggers keep. Gotta write a story. Gotta write a story every day. Almost anyway. I do my best. Perhaps there will come a day when I will look at this screen and tilt my head a bit and say, I have nothing to write about. But so far, that hasn't happened. I still have lots and lots of my own tried and true recipes to post here. It's just that I haven't made them recently, and I don't like posting a recipe and a story without a photo. You know that adage, a picture speaks a thousand words. So true with cooking.

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So, now that I've waxed on for 500 words, it's time to talk about this recipe. This one started when I read a new cookbook I received for Christmas. I think I've mentioned that I constantly update my Amazon wish list with everything from cookbooks to kitchen appliances, etc. So our son and his wife gave me a book I'd requested, Cooking with Cafe Pasqual's, by Katherine Kagel, the owner and mind behind the fairly famous restaurant in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This is Kagel's second book, and it's a nice addition to my library. I read it from cover to cover and put little flags on the pages I wanted to return to. One recipe that intrigued me was her version of Pork & Green Chile Stew.

Saturday, DH offered to go grocery shopping for me (he loves it, aren't I lucky?), so my mind immediately flipped to the stew. I put together a list. Now, in order to make sense of this whole story, you have to know that her recipe calls for 2 pounds of pork butt, corn, potatoes and nothing less than 16 fresh New Mexican or Anaheim chiles. I wanted to double the recipe, so that's 32 chiles. I thought - whew, that's a whole lotta chiles. But oh well. So, off my DH went. At his second stop, 20 minutes later he phoned. They didn't have pork butt. What would I like to do? Also, they had not one single Anaheim (California) chile pepper. He didn't have time to go to yet another store, so I said forget it, I'll make something else tomorrow.

Next chapter: that same afternoon I was doing some catching up on blog reading (I read a LOT of food blogs, which you can see if you look at the list down my right column). And when I've been away for 11 days, the catching up took me a long time. So, I was reading over at CooknKate, one of my favorites, and lo and behold, she was cookin' a Green Chile. Wow. Really? I studied the recipe. It was completely different than the one from Katherine Kagel. She had found the recipe over at Homesick Texan, another blog I read. I printed it out and decided to try THIS recipe instead of the other one. This one calls for 4 pounds of pork butt, poblano peppers (aka pasilla), jalapenos, tomatillos and beer! So today my darling hubby went out on another shopping expedition for me. He's so wonderful. This time he found pork shoulder, poblanos, jalapenos, tomatillos, cilantro and a fresh bag of masa harina. I was off and running (in the kitchen, that is).

The prep on this recipe did take more time than I'd thought. I mean - this is just a STEW for heaven's sake. The chiles had to be roasted, the tomatillos shucked, onion diced, garlic chopped, jalapenos minced, meat cut up in chunks. But the browning of all the meat was the most time consuming, and you wouldn't believe the state of my wood floors when I was done. My rubber-soled shoes slid along. Time out to wipe paper towels all over the floor. Reminder to have that carpet cleaned.

And when Kate mentioned about the heat from this stew making her eyebrows sweat, she was right. She cut down on the chiles from Homesick Texan's version, I decided to do the same. I used all five poblanos, but I used just two very large jalapenos. I shudder to think what this would taste like with more, or with the serranos. Five alarm for sure. More like ten alarm. I like spicy and moderately hot food, but this was too hot still. I've altered my version accordingly, and have upped the masa to thicken the gravy a bit more. We liked putting the mixture IN a flour tortilla, and the stew needs to be thicker for that. And I had a larger bottle of beer, so used all of it (probably 2 cups worth).

So you see, recipes evolve and morph. What's right for Kate, or Homesick Texan, become right for you when you make your own additions (or subtractions as the case may be). In either case, this pork green chile stew is a winner in my book. I'm looking forward to the leftovers. We each had just one cup in our bowls (ample) with a hot flour tortilla. Delish.

Pork & Green Chile Stew
Original recipe by: Homesick Texan blog
Source: CooknKate blog, and yet adapted more by me
Servings: 8
4 pounds pork shoulder, butt -- cut into 1-inch cubes
3 tablespoons flour
1 pound poblano pepper -- about 5, aka pasilla chiles
2 whole jalapeno pepper -- or more or less to suit your taste, minced
1 pound tomatillos -- cut in eighths
1 medium onion -- peeled and diced
6 whole garlic cloves -- minced
6 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons oregano
2/3 cup fresh cilantro -- or more if desired, chopped
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups beer
1/2 cup masa harina
2/3 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Cut the poblanos in half, seed (and remove the white ribs) and lay out on a roasting pan, skin sides up. Rub each with a bit of olive oil, then broil until blackened. Remove to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside for 20 minutes, then (using rubber gloves if your skin is sensitive to chile heat) gently remove the skin. It should come right off if you're careful. Dice the chiles and set aside.
2. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-duty soup pot saute the onion in olive oil until just cooked, about 10 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for a few minutes more. Do not brown the garlic. Turn off the heat and set aside.
3. Sprinkle the meat cubes with salt, pepper and some flour. In a large round skillet (or two, if you have them, because this takes awhile) heat olive oil and brown the pork cubes. Do not crowd the pan or they'll steam rather than brown. The crusty stuff adds lots of flavor to the stew. You may have to do several batches. As the pork is done, add it to the soup pot.
4. Once the meat browning is complete, add the chicken stock, beer, tomatillos, half the cumin, oregano and the jalapenos. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and low simmer, without a lid, for about an hour.
5. Add the remaining cumin, oregano and about half of the cilantro, and salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you can see visible fat floating on top, remove with a flattish spoon or ladle.
6. Add the poblano chiles and simmer for another 30-45 minutes until the meat is fork tender. Use a lid if the mixture is getting too thick (or add a little bit of water). 7. Remove a bit of the stew liquid to a small bowl and add the masa harina - with some additional water to get it to smooth out to a thin paste, then slowly stir this into the stew. Continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes until thickened. Serve in bowls with sour cream dollop on top, additional cilantro sprigs and hot flour tortillas on the side.
Per Serving: 689 Calories; 42g Fat (55.9% calories from fat); 50g Protein; 24g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 136mg Cholesterol; 334mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 6 1/2 Lean Meat; 2 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 4 1/2 Fat.

To print a PDF recipe, click title at top.

Thai Chicken & Chile Soup

Talk about a sensational soup! This is it. Maybe we were just in the mood for something different, and maybe it was just because we were with friends that this soup hit the spot. At around lunchtime, we stopped to visit our good friends Russ & Stacey (pictured down below with one of their two children) in San Jose. They'd just returned from a trip the night before, yet Russ, who loves to cook but so often doesn't have time, made this great soup for lunch. It didn't look difficult, as long as you have all the ingredients. That may be the tough part - finding the lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves. And the Thai chiles too.



There's a photo of the chiles that I found on the internet - they can be both red or green. They're HOT little devils, I'll tell you. But they add a great punch to the soup. You likely could substitute other kinds of chiles in this preparation, but the red color definitely adds beauty to the finished soup bowl. Galangal is not something that's stocked at my local grocery store, so will have to search it out. Same for the kaffir lime leaves and the lemongrass stalks. But I will be on the hunt. Soon. We have several Ranch 99 markets in our area (Asian foods), and I assume I'll be able to find all of those items there. I'll be making this soup and putting up a stock of it in my soup library. The recipe came from a cookbook I'm not familiar with - called Red Hot Chili Pepper. It contained lots of beautiful photographs, and a variety of recipes using chiles. Russ served this with a side of white rice, which you could add to the soup, or not. But the rice helped temper the heat.


When I make this soup, I may not add the little bit of hot chiles at the end, as they are so very hot. Burned my mouth and throat. But I think if they had been added to the soup earlier they would have dispersed some of their heat. I may consider adding just one chile. But heat is such an individual thing. I'm just warning you, in case you're sensitive to chile heat, that these little guys pack a punch. Thanks, Russ (and Stacey), for the fun visit with you, and for this great recipe!


Thai Chicken & Chile Soup
Recipe: Red Hot Chile Pepper, consulting editor Jenni Fleetwood
Servings: 6
4 stalks lemongrass -- trimmed
29 ounces coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock
1 piece galangal
2 small red Thai chiles -- (very hot)
10 whole peppercorns -- crushed
10 whole kaffir lime leaves -- torn in pieces
11 ounces chicken breast -- cut in thin strips
1 1/2 cups mushrooms -- button or oyster, or your choice
1/2 cup baby corn -- canned, drained, quartered lengthwise
4 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons fish sauce -- nam pla
GARNISH:
3 scallions -- minced
4 tablespoons cilantro -- minced
1. Cut off the lower 2 inches of each lemongrass stalk and chop those. Bruise the remaining lemongrass.
2. Bring coconut milk, lemongrasses and chicken stock to a boil. Meanwhile, peel and slice the galangal, and peel and mince the red chiles. Add galangal and HALF the chiles, peppercorns, half of the lime leaves to the soup mixture and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain this mixture into a clean pan. Heat, then add the chicken, mushrooms and corn. Simmer for 5-7 minutes. Add lime juice, fish sauce and remaining lime leaves. Bring back to a boil, then serve hot, garnished with the additional chiles, green onion and cilantro.
Per Serving: 472 Calories; 38g Fat (68.9% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 28mg Cholesterol; 771mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 7 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
To print a PDF recipe, click title at top.

Cauliflower Soup with Seared Sea Scallops

My friend Cherrie and I went to yet another cooking class this week. You'd think we'd get tired of doing this, but no. We went further afield than usual (about 1 1/2 hours away, to San Diego). Where there's a cooking school and cookware store called Great News. It's in Pacific Beach, about 2 miles from I-5. We drove south, stopping in Oceanside for lunch and to watch the wind and the waves, then shopped at a fabulous meat market called Tip Top Meats (that also has the glorious sausages, and tons of imported grocery items from Greece, Scandinavia, Germany - it's introduced as a German meat market). Spent 45 minutes wandering the aisles and buying some fresh sausages (those wonderful Nuremburger ones, like we had IN Nuremburg last month). Check this link to information about Tip Top Meats .

Then we went further south to Little Italy (very near downtown San Diego) and shopped at Mona Lisa, a very old-school kind of Italian delicatessen. Oh, the wonderful aromas from cheeses and salamis. An Italian friend of ours who lives in Fallbrook, says he does all of his Italian foodstuffs shopping at this market (and restaurant). Lots of Italian wine you don't find even in wine stores. Fresh vegetables too, including really large fennel bulbs and cardoons. A small gem of a store. I bought some pasta, some fresh Italian sausages (with cheese and their own herb mixture) and some herby olives.

The class, titled "Entertaining with Style," was taught by one of Cherrie's and my favorite teachers, Phillis Carey. She lives in San Diego, but commutes to Orange County to teach occasional classes, which is how we learned about her. She's very fun, witty, cute, and is a fantastic cook. An author of several cookbooks too. Phillis recognizes us now, we've been to so many of her classes. Great News is her favorite teaching venue, and I certainly can understand why: a gorgeous designer kitchen with a prep counter that must be 18 feet long, all granite. Lovely facility. We had time to shop before in their incredible store - it has more merchandise than nearly any cookware store I've ever been in, and at intermission. You get a 10% discount on purchased items if you attend a class.

So, this was the first course of our 4-course meal - soup, salad, entree [and sides] and dessert. It was a delicious evening, and contained recipes I will make. Maybe every one of them. So, on to soup. This is very, very simple to make, although it does require a few steps:

• create the soup (stock, cream, onion, cauliflower, garlic)
• blanche the leeks
• saute the scallops
• chop the chives

But, these are not hard, not a one of them. I'll be making this soup soon. My DH really likes scallops, although you undoubtedly could substitute shrimp. Or ham, Phillis suggested, instead of the scallop. I did learn a bit about a muscle attachment on a scallop - called the "foot." I am certain I've had scallops that still had this muscle (where the scallop itself attaches itself to its shell) still attached. It's very chewy, so Phillis showed us how to find it and remove it. You run your finger around the outside edge of the scallop until you find a slight nub - it will usually open to a small flap. That's it - and you use a sharp knife to remove it (and discard). Don't dig into the scallop flesh much - just remove the nub portion. Go for it:

Cauliflower Soup with Seared Sea Scallops
Recipe: Phillis Carey, author, cooking instructor
Servings: 6
3 tablespoons canola oil -- divided use
1 cup onion -- chopped
1 clove garlic -- minced
1 head cauliflower -- about 3 3/4 cups
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups whipping cream coarse sea salt to taste white pepper to taste
1 whole leek
6 whole sea scallops -- "foot" removed, patted dry
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 tablespoons chives -- minced
1. Heat 2 T. of oil in heavy, large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute about 4 minutes. Add minced garlic and continue cooking until onion is soft. Do not burn the garlic. Add cauliflower, broth and cream. Bring soup to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, partly cover it and simmer gently until cauliflower is tender, about 18 minutes. Puree soup in small batches in blender (don't overfill, or it will blow the lid off the blender), until smooth. Return soup to same saucepan, season with salt and pepper. Can be made one day ahead to this point. Cover and chill. Rewarm before serving.
2. Cut and thoroughly wash the leek, discarding all but the white and just a little bit of the green. Cut leek into 1/8 inch slices. Blanch the leek in a small saucepan of boiling water, about one minute. Drain. Place a small mound of leek in each wide, flattish soup bowl (not white, preferably). The scallop will sit on top of this mound.
3. Heat remaining 1 T. of oil in a medium, nonstick skillet over high heat. Sprinkle scallops with salt, pepper and lemon zest. Sear until brown and JUST opaque in the center, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Immediately place the scallop on top of the leek mound and ladle the hot soup AROUND the scallop (not on). Sprinkle the soup with chives and serve.
NOTES : If you don't know how to find the "foot" on the scallop, feel around the outside edge until you find a little bump or edge that sticks out (this is the part that attaches to the shell). It's a firmer kind of muscle meat and should be removed. Use a knife to cut it and discard.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 306 Calories; 30g Fat (82.2% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 85mg Cholesterol; 57mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 6 Fat.

To print a PDF recipe, click title at top.

Free-Form Turkey Tortilla Soup

The other day when Cherrie and I attended a cooking class, we were served Tortilla Soup. That got me to thinking that all my leftover turkey could be put to good use in a big batch of this soup. Sarah's soup was very easy, requiring only about 45 minutes of preparation, perhaps. I liked her soup very much - it hit the spot on a nice, cool day. But having made Tortilla Soup many times before, I decided to pull together several recipes that I have. My usual go-to recipe is from America's Test Kitchen, and I've made it lots of times. At the moment, the recipe is available, but you have to register (free) to use their site. Their recipe is a bit more complex than this soup, but the flavors are similar. I like a variety of vegetables in my tortilla soup, so this time I added corn, and celery. If I'd had some zucchini, I'd have added that too.


If you still have some turkey in the freezer, from Thanksgiving, this would make a lovely use for it. It's delicious. You can make your own tortilla chips, if you have the tortillas fresh. Otherwise, just use packaged, but crush them up a little bit on top of the soup when it's served. I had about a quart of drippings and stock from the turkey. All that went into my soup pot with the fat scraped off. That gave a little different depth of flavor to the soup. The dried chiles I chose are ones that give more flavor than heat - guajillo and ancho. Since I have a collection of dried chiles in my pantry, I make notes on the package so I know which ones lend heat and which ones do not. Then I added a single Jalapeno chile at the end to give the soup some heat. If you don't have any fresh Jalapeno on hand, use a little bit of chipotle instead.

If I haven't mentioned it before, once I open a can of chipotle in adobo sauce, I put little mounds of it on foil, then pop it in the freezer. Once frozen, I pull the little mounds off the foil and chuck the whole batch in a freezer bag and back in the freezer. That way I can pull out as much as I want. Chipotle goes a looooong ways, so be careful if you've not used it before.

If you don't want heat, eliminate the Jalapeno and remove all the seeds from the dried chiles (if there's any heat in them, most of it will come from the seeds). With fresh chiles, a lot of the heat is in the ribs, but once chiles dry, most of the ribs disappear.

This soup was just outstanding. Probably because of the flavorful turkey broth. Here's one of my big helpful hints: whenever you serve turkey, remove most of the turkey meat first and set aside. Break up the bones and put in a tall stockpot. Add water (and an onion, a carrot or two, a clove of garlic, some parsley) to cover. Heat it on the stove until it's a simmer, cover, then put into a 225 oven (yes, 225). You want the pot to just barely simmer for hours and hours. The lid is on, so you won't lose any of the fluid. Bake overnight - or for about 18 hours. Or 12. Or 10. Whatever your overnight timing needs to be. Remove from oven, take lid off and allow it to cool. Remove all the bones, strain, then place on the stove and bring to boiling. Continue to boil until the liquid has reduced by at least half or 3/4. I usually end up with about 3-5 cups of concentrated turkey broth. Cool, chill, remove the fat. Then you're ready to use it.

Turkey Tortilla Soup
Servings: 12
For the Soup:
Source: a compilation of several recipes
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, or olive oil
3 cups onions, diced
2 cups celery, diced
2 cups frozen corn, Trader Joe's "roasted"
6 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups chicken broth, or turkey broth, or combination
29 ounces canned tomatoes, diced
2 large guajillo or ancho chile peppers, dried, broken up (remove seeds if desired)
1 jalapeno chile, seeded, diced (optional)
4 cups turkey, diced or shredded


Garnishes:
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 whole limes, cut in wedges
2 whole avocadoes, ripe, diced
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
3 cups tortilla chips
Sour cream (optional)

1. Dice up the onions, celery and garlic. Heat the oil in a large stockpot and saute the onions for about 3-5 minutes, then add celery. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, then add garlic and stir frequently for about 1 minute.
2. Add the turkey or chicken broth, canned tomatoes with their juice and the dried chiles. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, then add the roasted corn. Simmer for 5 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool. If possible make this one day ahead to this point.
3. Reheat soup. Meanwhile, chop up all the garnishes. You may either serve the garnishes on the side and allow people to add what ones they prefer, on top, or you may put the desired garnishes in the bowl first, then pour hot soup on top. Sprinkle with tortilla chips (crushed in your hands first) on top with a little bit of cilantro.
Per Serving: 619 Calories; 35g Fat (48.9% calories from fat); 27g Protein; 55g Carbohydrate; 7g Dietary Fiber; 55mg Cholesterol; 1063mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 5 1/2 Fat.
To print a PDF recipe, click title at top.

Apple and Parsnip Soup

Parsnips are a hugely under-rated vegetable. My mother never served them. In fact, until I was an adult I thought a parsnip was another one of those root vegies like turnips and rutabagas, i.e. round, globe shaped, which I didn't like, really. But parsnips are a completely different animal. They look like anemic carrots, but they're very firm. But also extremely tasty. I forget to buy them. But then, my local grocery store doesn't carry them except on an occasional basis. Probably because lots of other people THINK they don't like them, either. Or, they don't know how to prepare them. Parsnips have a lovely, sweet taste when cooked, kind of like carrots do. They blend beautifully into soups, as a matter of fact, and add another layer of flavor if you're making a carrot or potato soup. They also make a very nice vegetable (a carb, albeit) to serve with a roast or a grilled piece of meat. You can mash it just like potatoes once they're cooked. Just peel well, simmer and mash with a little butter and salt and pepper.

I've had parsnips several times when I've visited places in the United Kingdom. The Brits know all about parsnips. I think our friend Pam once served us a parsnip soup as a first course for a lovely Sunday dinner. Sometimes you'll see them in long quarters beside a big juicy roast - like we'd serve carrots.

So, when Cherrie and I were served this apple and parsnip soup the other day (at a cooking class at Our House, South County in San Juan Capistrano), we both did our best to lick the inside of the cups clean. We couldn't quite, but we tried. It's a simple soup, really, with a nice gentle undercurrent of curry powder (eliminate it if you don't like curry). This would freeze well, except for the garnish, although you could toast the pecans and put them in a small plastic bag inside the soup bag.

Everyone at our table raved about the soup too. It was a stunner. The winner in my book, if there was one, of all the recipes in the class. It was served with a cheddar and apple panini (pictured with the soup, above). My hats off to Sarah, the chef at the cooking school (who reads my blog, she told me!). Well done, Sarah! I'll be making this soup next week without a doubt.

Apple and Parsnip Soup

Servings: 6

SOUP:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 large onions, sliced

2 large parsnips, scrubbed and cubed

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 pound apples, Granny Smith, peeled, cored, cubed

2 teaspo0ns curry powder

6 1/4 cups chicken stock

1 1/4 cups half and half

GARNISH:

1 cup pecans, chopped

1 teaspoon unsalted butter

2/3 cup creme fraiche
1. Melt the butter in a large soup pot and saute the onions and garlic over a moderate heat until the onions are translucent. Stir in the parsnips and apple, and saute for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the curry powder and cook for one minute. Pour on the chicken stock, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Puree the soup in a blender in batches and return to the pot. Stir in the cream, season and reheat gently.

3. Garnish: Melt the butter in a saute pan and add the pecans. Saute over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Swirl the creme fraiche on top of the soup, and sprinkle pecans on top.

Per Serving (about 1 1/2 cups): 538 Calories; 42g Fat (69.7% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber; 85mg Cholesterol; 2280mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 8 1/2 Fat.

To print a PDF recipe, click title at top.

Tomato Bisque Sip Soup

At the brunch we had last weekend, I asked Susan L. to bring some kind of pre-brunch nibble. Her choice. She brought a scrumptious soup, that she served in her grandmother's beautiful bone china teacups (see picture above). You can't see the interior of that teacup, unfortunately, with the soup nearly to the top, but it's just lovely, as were all the others. She had 10 different ones. No spoons needed, since we just sipped it from those cups. And she served the cutest little rolled up nibbly bites along side - a dough with a piece of apple inside. Delish also.

And the soup, called a Tomato Bisque Sip Soup, was so very tasty. It came from Sunset Magazine, she said. From the taste, I wouldn't have known that it was such a super-quick one, merely using canned tomatoes and a few ingredients, heated up and served. 1-2-3. Done. Don't you just love those kinds sometimes?

Tomato Bisque Sip Soup
3 14 1/2 oz cans. diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
1 Tb balsamic vinegar
1 Tb brown sugar
1 1/2 ts finely shredded orange peel
1/4 ts cracked black pepper
3/4 C whipping cream (or a combination or whipping and 1/2 and 1/2)
Place 2 cans of tomatoes in blender. Process until very smooth. Transfer to large saucepan. Process remaining tomatoes and all ingredients but cream until very smooth. Transfer to saucepan. Bring to simmer over med-low heat. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, remove from heat.
To serve, return soup to a simmer, stir in cream until combined. Garnish with additional pepper and shaved Parmesean, if desired. Makes 16 1/3 cup appetizer servings or 4 main-dish servings. This served 10 in the china teacups.

Per Serving 378 Calories; 17g Fat (37.3% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 56g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 61mg Cholesterol; 1085mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 3 1/2 Fat; 2 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

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Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

The soup library is running a little low these days. I have 3-4 soups lined up on my freezer shelf, but the one I wanted is all gone. I thought I had some left from last winter, but no such luck. Two recipes for butternut squash soup stand out amongst my recipes. This is one of them. This happens to be the more time consuming one to make. The other one, Butternut with Jalapeno, that I posted back in July, is a quicker soup because it's made with C&W frozen squash cubes. Nor is that one roasted, as in this case.

This recipe requires you to buy fresh butternut squash, because you roast the squash halves with onions, carrots and apples. So, no short cuts on this one. But, I guarantee you, you'll be pleased with the results, providing you have the time. I always make this in double quantity (8 pounds of squash to start with) because, well, why not? It's wonderful leftover and easy to freeze.

Previously I've mentioned Penzey's, the herb and spice company from whom I buy many of mine. If you order from them (or request it) they send out a catalog periodically, and usually there are 3-4 recipes contained in each little brochure. This came from one of those, a few years ago. Credit goes to a cookbook (that I don't have, in case you're counting) called The New England Cookbook, by Brooke Dojny. She's one smart cookie when it comes to soups.

So what's involved, you ask? You cut the squash in halves, remove seeds, lay them in a large roasting pan (a really big one if you're making a double batch) and add onions, apples and carrots and some fresh rosemary. Dot it with some butter, brown sugar and add a bunch of APPLE JUICE, cover and roast for about 2 hours. The vegetables become succulent, and somewhat sweet because of the apples and apple juice. Because I'd rather not peel the squash, I leave them unpeeled and scoop out the flesh after it's baked. Same with the onions - cut in half and remove skins later. The other little trick to this is the fresh rosemary. I do not like the rosemary to remain in the soup for eating, so I try to use a fresh sprig or two or three and leave them intact while baking, then toss it out, retrieving all the little pieces floating in the apple juice. Or, you can strain the whole mess to get them out.

Once the roasted vegetables have cooled a little (and you scoop out the squash flesh, remove onion skins, etc.), you can add it all to a large soup pot and use an immersion blender (or put it in batches in the regular blender or food processor) to puree all of it. Then you add a few other ingredients, taste it for seasonings, simmer briefly, then add milk (I use fat-free half and half) or cream to smooth it out.

If you don't like soups with a hint of sweet, pass this one by. But if you don't mind the sweeter flavor from the apples and apple juice, this one's a winner.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Recipe: Adapted from the New England Cookbook by Brooke Dojny
Servings: 4
4 pounds butternut squash -- or pumpkin
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 large onion -- peeled, chunked
3 large carrots -- peeled, chunked
4 large garlic cloves -- whole, unpeeled
1 large apple -- peeled, chunked
2 teaspoons dried rosemary -- or 1 T fresh
8 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 cups apple juice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
1/4 cup pecans -- minced

salt and pepper
1 cup fat free half-and-half
1. Preheat your oven to 350. Cut the squash in half (I use a rubber mallet to pound the knife blade as the large squashes are usually quite unwieldy to cut). Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Place the halves cut side up in a very large roasting pan. Divide the butter and brown sugar among the cavities. Arrange the onion, carrots, garlic and apple around the squash. Sprinkle with rosemary, then salt and pepper. Pour 2 cups of the chicken broth and apple juice around the vegetables and cover the pan tightly with foil. Roast in the preheated oven, stirring once or twice (if you remember, that is) until the vegetables are all very sort and somewhat caramelized, about 2 hours.
2. Open up the foil and allow the vegetables to cool at least 15 minutes. Scoop out the squash pulp, being careful not to include any skin. Remove the garlic from their skins. Process all the vegetables and apple mixture in a food processor, in batches if necessary, adding enough remaining chicken broth to achieve a smooth puree. Add the fat free half and half.
3. Toast the pecan pieces in the oven for a short time, or use a nonstick skillet. Don't burn! Set aside until ready to serve the soup. Transfer the puree to a large saucepan, add the ginger and mace and season with salt and pepper as needed. Bring the soup to a boil, under gentle heat and simmer for a few minutes to meld the spices. Serve the soup in bowls sprinkled with toasted pecans.

NOTES : The original recipe called for fresh pumpkin or squash, and used 6 Tb of butter. I preferred to have a creamy look to the soup, so add the fat-free half and half. It's not a necessary ingredient. When I make it, I always double it since it is such a favorite around our house. I just scoop it into plastic freezer bags in serving size portions (about 2 cups per person) and lie flat on a large cookie sheet until frozen solid. The original recipe also added a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche, but I prefer the minced nuts. I prefer not to have the pieces of rosemary in the soup, so I strain the soup to remove most of it. Or, better yet, if you use fresh rosemary you can just remove the entire sprig. If you want to make the vegetable preparation easier, use a potato peeler on the squash before it's baked, and remove the garlic from its skins; if you do that, you don't have to handle the squash at all after it's baked.
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 563 Calories; 11g Fat (17.3% calories from fat); 28g Protein; 94g Carbohydrate; 11g Dietary Fiber; 16mg Cholesterol; 1198mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 Grain(Starch); 2 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 1 Fruit; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.
To print a PDF recipe, click title at top. (photo from kraftfoods.com)

Cabbage Patch Stew

Okay, friends. Listen up. I'm sharing today one of my very favorite recipes ever. I've been making this soup/stew since about 1966. That's 40 years. Wow. Even surprises me! So why have I waited 6 months to tell you about it, you ask? Simple. It wasn't soup season. This is one of those dishes that sticks to the ribs. Hearty. Hot. If I had a restaurant, say, Carolyn's Country Kitchen, this would be at the top of the menu as Carolyn's signature soup. Or stew. Or stoup, as Rachel Ray calls these kinds of concoctions.

This is so much of a favorite that it's going onto my Top Fav's listed down the right column. Now, you need to love soup and stew to like this recipe. And vegetables. And cumin (although you could leave that out). To me, the cumin is an important component, however, even though it wasn't in the original recipe; that was one of my additions. And you need to like mashed potatoes.

Many of you know how much I like soups, and that I keep a regular stock of soups in my frozen soup library (see my post about my soup library here). The weather has finally cooled off here in So. California, and my fancy turned to soups right away.

This recipe is very easy. A tad different than the norm. It came from a 1954, small, Betty Crocker cookbook. I even remember when I first made it. In Fallon, Nevada. Why I was there is another story, and why I should remember that, I don't know, other than I fell in l-o-v-e with this soup!

Here it is in the pot, stewing away. Note the thickness to it - I had just added the cabbage. Over the years I've adapted it with my own additions (garlic, cumin, shrooms, some heat, etc.) but the basics are the same. A ground beef (or turkey or chicken) and vegetable soup (cabbage, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and kidney beans) with a mound of buttermilk-enhanced mashed potatoes on top. As you eat it, the mashed potatoes just begin to kind of melt into the soup. This recipe is very forgiving. You don't like cabbage? Fine, leave it out. Same with mushrooms. Add corn. Or substitute something else or just leave out the things you don't care for. But, when you prepare it, it needs to have a thick consistency - not a lot of liquid, in other words, but mostly vegies. Here, below, it's in the bowl, ready for the mound of mashed potatoes. The soup mixture is not thickened (like a creamed soup where you've added flour), but it's "thick" with vegetables.

I make this in a very large quantity when I do it because it's a real winner for freezing. I make the mashed potatoes too, and pile them into smaller Ziploc freezer bags (doing the same procedure, flattening them out so they freeze and defrost easily), then the soup goes into a larger bag. When I want a quick dinner I just take out one soup and one potato bag to defrost.

Now mashed potatoes become a weird duck when you freeze them. They lose all their form and become mostly a liquid. So just a warning here - don't be alarmed and think the potatoes are ruined. Once you heat them up, the starch firms them right back up again. Amazing, but true. Sometimes I even put the potato bag (smaller) into the larger Ziploc bag, then pour the soup around it. Then it's all contained in one package. But then you can't get so much soup into the larger bag, so I usually separate them.

About 7-8 months ago, before I had my own blog, I was reading Tummy Treasure, Erika's blog. She was trying to make some thrifty meals, so I emailed her this recipe. She liked it so well she wrote up a blog post about it. I was so thrilled! Wow, my recipe in lights! If you'd like to read it, click here.

If soup season has arrived at your house, I highly recommend this one. A lot. Our son-in-law, Todd, is visiting us at the moment, and he ate two full bowls last night and would have licked the bottom if he could. My suggestion: you need to order up a bowl right away.

Cabbage Patch Stew
Recipe: Originally from a Betty Crocker cookbook.
Serving Size : 8
SOUP:

1 pound ground beef (or chicken, turkey or soy protein chunks)
2 medium onions -- sliced thin
1 1/2 c cabbage -- shredded or sliced thinly
1 1/2 c celery -- diced
2 cloves garlic -- minced
2 c kidney beans -- canned, undrained
2 c tomatoes -- canned, undrained
2 c fresh mushrooms -- sliced
2 tsp chili powder -- or more to taste
1 tsp ground cumin - - or more to taste (I usually add about 1 T.)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 c chicken broth - - or water
1 tsp beef broth concentrate -- diluted in water

salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 c water

POTATOES:
10 med potatoes
1/2 c buttermilk

salt & pepper to taste
1 tbsp butter

1. Brown ground beef over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, cabbage and celery and cook until vegetables have lost their raw color. Add beans, mushrooms, tomatoes and seasonings (and some water if it appears to be too thick) and continue to simmer for 15-25 minutes. The original recipe called for the addition of 2 cups of water, but I'd recommend about 1 cup, maybe 1-1/2 cups.
2. Meanwhile, boil potatoes until fork tender and mash them using the butter, buttermilk and salt & pepper to taste

3. Serve about 1 to 1-1/2 cups stew per person in large bowls, then add scoops of hot potatoes on top.
Per Serving: 505 Calories; 18g Fat (30.9% calories from fat); 26g Protein; 63g Carbohydrate; 16g Dietary Fiber; 53mg Cholesterol; 155mg Sodium. Exchanges: 3 1/2 Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 2 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
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