Delicious discoveries…
Apple (1 chopped)
Onion (1 medium, chopped)
Carrots (2 cups, chopped)
Celery (1 stalk)
Ginger (powdered or freshly grated, to taste)
Chicken Broth (1 liter)
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Saute the onion, carrot and celery in butter until softened in a large pot or dutch oven. Add the chicken broth, apple and ginger. Cook until vegetables are completely tender. Use an immersion blender to blend the soup into the desired consistency. Season with salt, pepper and paprika.
This is a very basic soup that I really enjoy, but if you find it bland, it can also be used as a soup starter for a Thai Chicken and Rice Soup–see alteration at bottom.
Celeriac/Celery Root (1 large, chopped into small cubes)
Onion (1 large, chopped)
Broth (1 liter, Chicken or Vegetable)
Lemongrass Paste
Thai Red Curry Paste (I like Thai Kitchen brand)
Butter
Paprika
Salt
Saute the onion and celeriac in butter in a large pot or dutch oven until softened. Add broth and cook until completely tender. Take off the heat and use an immersion blender to blend to the desired consistency. Make sure no fibrous chunks of the celeriac remain. Season to taste with lemongrass paste, red curry paste, paprika and salt.
THAI CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP
Thai Celeriac Soup Starter
Cooked Rice
Red Pepper
Green Onion
Cooked or Canned Chicken Bits (or Tofu!)
Combine and cook until pepper is tender and soup is hot. Serve!
Most stews are pretty blah and bland. This one you can’t get enough of! Pretty simple too, if you have the ingredients on hand.
Dried Porcini Mushrooms, rinsed well (3/4 oz.)
Beef for stew (chuck), cut into 2-inch chunks (2.5 lbs)
Olive Oil (1/4 cup)
Carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch thick rounds (4 large)
Onions, cut into 1/8-inch slices (2 medium)
Potato, cut into 1-inch thick chunks OR Butternut Squash, cut into 1-inch thick chunks (1 potato or squash)
Garlic, sliced thin (8 cloves)
Tomato Paste (2 tbsps)
Flour (1/3 cup)
Red Wine (1 bottle)
Chicken Broth (1 cup)
Salt (1.5 tsps)
Pepper (1 tsp)
EQUIPMENT
Large cast iron pot/dutch oven
(This recipe is not suitable for a slow cooker)
Cover mushrooms with 1 cup hot tap water in small microwaveable bowl; cover with plastic wrap, cut a few steam vents, and microwave for 30 seconds. Let stand until mushrooms soften, at least five minutes (just leave them soaking until you’re ready for them). When it’s time to put them into the stew, you’ll need to take the mushrooms out of the liquid with a fork and chop them into pieces–you should have about a quarter cup. Then strain the liquid though a paper towel into a bowl–you’ll be adding this along with the mushrooms to the stew.
Adjust your oven rack to the lower middle position and pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
Dry beef thoroughly with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil on med-high heat in the large heavy pot you’re going to use for the stew. When the oil is shimmering, add beef so it covers the bottom in one layer without crowding. Cook without moving the pieces until its well browned on both sides–this will take about 10 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned beef to a holding bowl and repeat with the rest of the beef and oil until it has all been browned. Leave the remaining oil in the pot.
Reduce heat to medium and add carrots, onions, garlic, potato/squash, and tomato paste to the pot you used for browning the beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, until light brown (about 2 minutes). Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Slowly add wine, gently scraping pot bottom to loosen browned bits. Add the broth, beef, and juices in bowl. Increase heat to med-high and bring to full simmer. Add mushrooms and their liquid.
Cover pot with lid and place in oven. Cook until beef is very soft, 2.5 to 3 hours. Let sit for 5 minutes after you take it out of the oven.
Inspired by: Cook’s Illustrated Daube Provencal
Bacon, chopped (1/4 lb)
Butter (1/4 cup)
Leeks, chopped (2 small)
Onion, diced (1 large)
Carrot, peeled, chopped
Garlic, minced (1 clove)
Flour (1/2 cup)
Chicken Broth (6 cups)
Russet Potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (3 lbs)
Sharp Cheddar, grated (1 lb)
Salt (1/3 tsp)
Pepper (1/4 tsp)
Whipping Cream (1 cup)
In a large saucepan cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove with slotted spoon, set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon drippings. Add butter and melt.
Add leeks, onion, carrots and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in flour. Gradually stir in chicken broth.
Add potatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cook partially covered for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Place cheese in a large mixing bowl. Stir in about a quarter of the hot soup, mixing until smooth. Return cheese mixture to saucepan.
Gradually stir in heavy cream, salt and ground pepper. Continue to heat soup until almost boiling.
Taken from: http://www.wolfgangpuck.com/recipes/view/4063/Hearty-Potato—Cheddar-with-Bacon-Soup
Pinenuts
Israeli Couscous (large grain)
Onions or Shallots, diced
Chicken Broth
Salt
Pepper
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Lemon Juice
Parsley
Raisins
Cranberries, dried
Optional:
Corn, frozen
Chicken, slivered
Toast the pinenuts in some oil. Take out the pinenuts and keep the oil in the pan. Add couscous and onions and toast until some of the couscous turns golden brown. Add broth, salt, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook until the couscous is done. Add corn and chicken bits near the end of cooking if you want those (or anything else you might come up with–black beans, chickpeas, maybe?). When its completely done, add pinenuts, lemon juice, parsley, raisins and cranberries (if you add the raisins any sooner they get kind of soggy and gross… unless your raisins are particularly dried out).
Inspired by: TJ Israeli Couscous Recipe
