Khow Suey: Burmese Noodle Soup

Check out my bowls for a minute. Yes, I said my bowls! BOWLS!! Home Sense, people! Get on it!

On to the subject of this post: Khow Suey.  Apparently Khow Suey is an egg noodle dish served with either curried chicken or beef, coconut milk and an assortment of condiments. This particular version is more of a soup with a number of colourful vegetables in it. While it has deviated somewhat from its roots, it looks and tastes like a hot damn.

Wait for it......

Another bowl shot! Those colourful vegetables sure compliment my lovely new bowls.

On the subject of colourful vegetables, my friend Scott started growing peppers on his patio this year. His interest in all things pepper-related got a little out of hand, as his patio and indoor plant growing operation could be a candidate for the next episode of Hoarding: Buried Alive. One night, we were rummaging through the fridge looking for a snack and wound up preparing a dish of cheese, crackers and sliced jalapeños. I tried not to be impressed, but the flavour combination was pretty terrific. Now I can't seem to get enough of the hot stuff in almost everything I prepare. I can't eat enough heat.

I wouldn't call this dish a hot number, but there is plenty of opportunity to heat things up. Garnishing each serving with jalapeños is a great way to use up the insane number of chili peppers I seem to have on hand. The coconut-curry combination helps combat the heat and just compliments the flavour altogether.

Whether heat is your thing or not, Khow Suey offers a wholesome chicken and vegetable soup with a ton of dimension. Frankly, nothing will make your new bowls 'pop' in photographs quite like it either.

Adapted from: http://www.spicechronicles.com

Ingredients

• 2 T vegetable oil,
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1T fresh ginger, minced 
• 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 t dried coriander powder
• 1 t cumin
• 1/2 t turmeric
• 1 t cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup pureed tomatoes
• 2 T tamari
• 750ml chicken broth
• 250ml coconut milk
• juice of one lime
• fresh cilantro, chopped
• rice noodles

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion, cooking until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken and spices, cooking until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and tamari and combine well. Pour in the broth and coconut milk and simmer for about 5 minutes. Squeeze the lime juice into the pan and pour in the chopped cilantro.

Boil 3 cups of water in a large pot. Add rice noodles and simmer for two minutes. Use a set of tongs to remove the noodles and place them in serving bowls. Ladle portions of the soup on top and add handfuls of cilantro and sliced jalapeños to garnish.

Mushroom, Barley & Brie Soup

You can bet that smoothy and salad posts will start to dominate this blog in about one week's time. Until then, why not load up a perfectly healthy soup with 6 oz of brie? After reading the original recipe, I could hear my digestive track cursing. It doesn't love dairy as much as my taste buds do. Despite the warning signs, my body didn't revolt. I hope that encourages those of you with dairy aversions to give this one a go.

On the mushroom front, I hit the Italian market again for produce and opted for a blend of Crimini and Shitake mushrooms. Both have a rich woody aroma and flavour. The kitchen permeated with this white wine and earthy scent. This is the kind of soup that really celebrates winter and gathering with friends and family. 

Adapted from: http://pinchandswirl.com

Ingredients

• 1 T olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 2 T fresh thyme
• 1 t ground white pepper
• 1 1/2 lbs mushrooms, sliced
• 6 oz brie, rinds removed
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic, shallots, celery and carrots and sauté for about two minutes. Add the barley and white wine and cook for another two minutes. Pour in the chicken stock, thyme, white pepper and mushrooms and bring the soup to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat and let simmer for 50 minutes. Fold in the brie and season further with salt and pepper. 

Soups Galore

There is something decadent about serving two soups in one sitting. It must be the prospect of choice that gets me a bit excited. It's also pretty easy to make two at once, because the bases are usually similar. These two work well together and can be modified quickly with additional ingredients to suit your diet. I'm already planning to make the kale soup again with barley or noodles and some chicken so I can eat it as its own meal.


Lemony Kale & White Bean Soup

From:  http://www.forkknifeswoon.com

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 T unsalted butter
• 1/4 t dried rosemary
• 1/4 t dried thyme
• 1/8 t dried oregano
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• kosher salt or black pepper
• 2, 15 oz  cans of cannelini beans
• 1 1/2 cups chopped kale

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and cook until translucent and then follow with the garlic.Add the butter and as it melts, add the herbs. Let the mixture cook for another minute or two until the onions have browned a bit.

Add the lemon juice and stock, bringing to a boil and then lowering the heat to simmer. Allow the soup to simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the kale and white beans and simmer for another 5 minutes to warm all the ingredients. Serve the soup with crust bread.

Spicy Tomato, Lentil & Chorizo Soup

From: http://www.eatwell101.com/

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 T olive oil
• 1 chorizo, sliced
• 3/4 cup of uncooked red lentils
• rinsed 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stick celery, chopped
• 1/2 t grated ginger
• 1 t ground cumin
• 2 t paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• 2 litres vegetable stock
• 1 lb ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 T tomato paste
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh cilantro for serving

Method

In a sauce pot, heat the olive oil then add the onion, garlic and celery, cooking them until they're soft. Add all the spices, tomato paste, chorizo and lentils, mixing well until all the ingredients are well combined. Finally, add the stock and tomatoes, bringing the mix to a boil and then reducing to simmer for about 40 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Before removing from heat, add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with cilantro and more of that crusty bread.

Soup & Salad: Roasted Cauliflower & Fennel Soup with a Chorizo, White Bean & Arugula Salad

It's a beautiful day in the neighbourhood, a beautiful day in the blah, blah, blah... Day one of Fall is here and I'm in a hearty soup mood to help kick off the season. I found both the soup and salad recipes online and as usual they can be adapted to suit any diet. The soup is vegan, as it uses a base of coconut milk and vegetable stock. I'm sure I've made blended soups with coconut milk before, but really enjoyed the richness it added to this particular recipe once combined with the toasted and smoky vegetables. I displayed the salad in a jar, since that's how I packed it for my lunches. Now that I've tried my first jarred salad as part of a packed lunch, I won't be going back. This storage method keeps all ingredients in good form and ready to mix when you're ready to eat.

The common thread in these recipes is the use of fennel. Tis the season for it and while not everyone loves the slight licorice taste of this root vegetable, I hope these subtle combinations will change your mind.







Roasted Cauliflower & Fennel Soup

Adapted from: http://www.forageddish.com

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 lb cauliflower florets
• 2 medium heads of fennel
• 1 medium white onion
• 3 cloves of garlic with skin on
• 1 T coconut oil
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup of coconut milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil for drizzling

Method

Preheat the oven to 375F. Wash then loosely chop the fennel and cauliflower florets. Chop the onion and then slice the tips off of the top of each the garlic clove, ensuring that the skin is left on on the rest of the garlic. Place all vegetables on baking sheets and roast them in the oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until the edges of the vegetables brown a little.

In a large pot, heat the coconut oil. Place the vegetables in the pot and toss them to coat them evenly with the oil. Add the stock and coconut milk and allow the mixture to simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and blend with a stick blender or food processor. Season with coarse salt and pepper and blend for another minute to mix in the seasoning. Drizzle each serving with a little olive oil and serve with crusty, buttered bread.


Chorizo, White Bean & Arugula Salad

Adapted From: http://www.kitchenkonfidence.com/

Serves 4

Ingredients

Four canning jars, approximately 750 ml each

Dressing

• 8 T olive oil
• 3 t sugar
• 4 t dijon mustard
• 2 t honey
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• kosher salt and pepper to taste

Salad

• One fennel bulb, sliced
• Half a red onion, sliced
• 1 cup of white, kidney beans (I used canned and rinsed them)
• 1/2 cup diced chorizo, salami or hearty cured meat of your choice
• 1/2 cup pistachios
• 4 cups of arugula
• Handful of dill, loosely chopped

Method

For the salad dressing, combine all ingredients in a jar and shake well. Pour a quarter of the salad dressing into the bottom of each of four jars. For the salad, divide all the ingredients into four and assemble the salad in a jar, one layer at a time in the order provided.  Ensure the jars are transported right-side-up to ensure the ingredients stay crisp and fresh. When ready to serve, invert the jar and shake to mix the ingredients with the dressing.

Cioppini (Seafood Soup)

This is one of those delectable meals that must include soaking your crusty French bread in the seafood and wine-rich broth before eating it. I ended up buying smoked oysters too while looking for the right seafood to add to this soup. I chose instead to eat them as a starter with wedges of Cambezola and crackers. Soooo rich! 

If you are a seafood lover, this simple combination of flavours is a classic and adored by many. I chose the recipe because it filled my need for mussels, soup and a very brief set of instructions for its preparation. 

Adapted from: http://pixfiz.blogspot.ca

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 3 T salted butter
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1, 28 oz tin chopped stewed tomatoes
• 4 cups water
• 3 T chicken bouillon powder
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 T dried basil
• 1/2 t thyme
• 1/2 t oregano
• 1 cup clam juice
• 1 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 1/2 lbs cod fillets, cubed
• 18 mussels cleaned and debearded
• 1 1/2 crab meat

*Clams, scallops and other seafood can be added or swapped for what I included above.



Method

Melt the butter in a large saucepan and add the onions and garlic, coating them well and letting them cook on medium heat until transparent. Add all the remaining ingredients to the saucepan except the seafood. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Increase the heat and add the seafood, bringing the soup to a boil, before reducing it again and simmering for 5-7 minutes.

Serve with a crusty loaf of French bread and a green salad of your choosing.

Ready for Some Lighter Fare?

Ho, ho, ho....hold on a second here. I'm stuck in the wrong season. Let's back up to the six week-long downward spiral of unhealthy eating. The egg nog, the turkey, gravy, wine, wine, wine, sweets and that was just one meal we're talking about here.  My indulgence has come to a grinding halt as of today. Maybe a meal that doesn't prompt an immediate nap afterwards. How about a dish that isn't paired with Alka-Seltzer? I'll miss the good food, but I need a little normal.

Enter the following quick, easy and healthy recipes to kick off resolution season. Our soup and salad combo took me forty-five minutes to prepare and I wasn't even moving at my usual speedy pace. I've found a few other recipes of a similar vain and will share them a little later this month.

Black Bean Soup

You'll notice the picture doesn't display a bowl of blackish soup, but rest assured, there are indeed black beans in there. If heat isn't your bag, remove the chilies from the recipe and add everything from diced tomatoes to potato to thicken or enrich this basic recipe.

Adapted from: http://www.abeautifulmess.com/

Serves 4 small portions

Ingredients

• 1 T olive oil
• 1/3 yellow onion, chopped
• red or yellow pepper, chopped
• 2 chilis in adobo
• 1/4 t cumin
• salt & pepper to taste
• 28 oz can black beans
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro for serving
• Sour cream for serving

Method

Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Add the pepper and onion, sautéing until the onions are translucent. Add the cumin, salt and pepper, incorporating the spices in with the vegetables. Stir in the chilies and as much adobo sauce as your taste buds can handle.

Pour in the vegetable stock and the black beans, bringing the soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat and puree if desired. The original recipe leaves the soup as is, but I chose to blend it. Add handfuls of chopped cilantro and sour cream to individual servings.

Farro & Kale Salad

Farro can sometimes be tough to find, so alternatives such as quinoa or barley are also good options. I found farro at Bulk Barn, but it was pricier than expected. I enjoy the chewy texture of farro and the fact that it cooks quickly. Worth a try if you haven't had farro yet.







Adapted from: http://www.abeautifulmess.com/

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked farro
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped kale
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped cucumber
• 1 cup dates chopped
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 3 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 T honey
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

Bring the farro and four cups of water to a low boil for about twenty minutes. Once the farro is of a chewy consistency, remove it from the heat and rinse it in cold water.

Place the kale in a large bowl and drizzle half of the oil overtop. Mix in the oil to help soften the leaves a little. Combine the cucumber, dates, sunflower seeds, salt and pepper to the farro and kale mix. Add the remaining oil, mixing well and serve immediately.

A Soup Affair

Thai sweet potato bisque

 On this do-nothing October weekend I have defied the odds and done something: cook! Soup is on the menu and it's going to be a doozy, due to the multitude of soup recipes I've found that I must try. Ruedi is sporting his baking hat and is all over the bread. One cannot experiment with soup without plenty of crusty bread.

First off is a Thai-inspired sweet potato bisque. For those of you who don't do spicy, omit the jalapeño. Heat or no heat, you'll still get a delicious soup. I opted to add sambal oelek in addition to the jalapeño because I'm on a heat kick. After tasting this soup I added minced basil to it. I felt it needed a bit more oomph and basil was the ticket.

Italian parsley soup with ricotta spaetzle

Following this, I experimented with an Italian parsley and ricotta spaetzle soup. Spaetzle is a German pasta or dumpling which is often served as a side dish. This time, it was added to a clean-tasting, but flavourful soup. The recipe calls for watercress leaves, but I had spinach on hand. Just make sure to trim your greens' stems well to avoid the stringy remains in your blended soup.


Thai Sweet Potato Bisque

From: http://jillyinspired.blogspot.ca

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 red pepper, halved and seeded
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 jalapeño, diced
• 1, 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 6 reduced salt bouillon cubes
• 1/2 t ground cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling on top of the soup
• 6 cups of water
• Canola or coconut oil for cooking
• 14 oz can of coconut milk (I chose light)
• Sea salt to taste
• Lime zest from half a lime
• 2 T, minced fresh basil
• To serve, wedges of lime, basil (thai if you have it), ground cinnamon and sea salt

Method

Place the red pepper face down on a foil-covered cookie sheet and broil on high for 10-15 minutes. The skin should be blackened at that point, but if not, keep broiling until blackened. Remove from cookie sheet and place in a bowl, covering to allow to steam for a few minutes longer. Once cooled, remove the skins, chop and set aside.

In a large pot, saute the onion and jalapeño in a little oil until the onion has softened. Add the potatoes, ginger, bouillon cubes and water to the pot. Cover and bring the pot to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes have softened, about 10 minutes. Add a dash of cinnamon to the pot. Puree the soup with an immersion blender. Add the lime zest, basil and season with salt and pepper.

Serve with lime wedges and any combination of the seasonings mentioned in last bullet of the ingredients section. While this soup can be served immediately, it ages quite well. 

Italian Parsley Soup with Ricotta Spaetzle

From: http://www.playinwithmyfood.com

Serves 4-6

For the Soup

• 3 T olive oil
• 2 medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 large red potato, peeled and diced
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• 1 bunch of watercress, washed with stems removed (I used spinach)
• 2 cups fresh italian parsley, washed with stems removed
• 1 t sugar
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

Heat the oil in a sauce pan and add onions, sautéing until softened, but not browned. Add the potato and garlic and cook for 5 minutes. If the mixture starts to stick, add a little stock to loosen the vegetables. Add the spinach, parsley, stock, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and puree with an immersion blender. Set aside while you make the spaetzle.

For the Spaetzle

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
• 1/4 cup finely grated parmesan
• 1/4 t ground all spice
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

Sift the flour, salt and pepper in one bowl. In another, whisk in the remaining ingredients until blended. Add the flour in batches until completely combined. 

Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Spoon some of the batter into a colander placed over the pot (I used a slotted spoon since I didn't have a colander with large enough holes). Push the batter through the colander. The batter will drop into the pot in chunks and once blanched, rise to the top of the pot. With a slotted spoon, scoop the spaetzle out of the pot and into the soup. Continue cooking the batter until all of it has been blanched. 

I ended up with more spaetzle than I knew what to do with, so I set some aside for other, yet to be determined uses. This soup can be eaten immediately. I topped mine with a bit of leftover parsley and served with some crusty parmesan french bread.

Velvety Potato Soup

I was drawn to this recipe for two reasons: first, it's a lower fat version of the potato soup recipes I've found online. Second, I was given hoards of potatoes from my mother-in-law (thanks U.E!) and needed a use for them. Delicious with a nice green salad and a collection of toppings such as bacon bits, grated cheddar and green onions. 

From: http://backtoherroots.com

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 slices of bacon
• 1 T butter
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 medium onions
• 3 stalks of celery
• 6 medium potatoes
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 1/2 cups skim milk
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 t dried thyme
• salt and pepper to taste
• cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, etc for garnish

Method

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the bacon until cooked through and browned. Remove from pan, crumble and set aside.

Add butter to the bacon grease and melt. Add the red pepper flakes and garlic, cooking until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the onions and celery cooking the veggies for about 7 minutes or until tender.

Add in the potatoes, stock, milk, thyme, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender.

Blend the soup using an immersion blender, food processor or stand alone blender. I pureed my first batch and enjoyed the velvety texture. Stir in the Greek yoghurt.

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with bacon bits and other desired toppings.

Icelandic Lamb Soup

From the land of volcanoes and Scandi-babes comes one of Iceland's famed recipes: Kjötsúpa. No idea what this means?  You are not alone.  Kjötsúpa is a lamb soup. Not sure why, but this dish made me realize just how much my taste buds have evolved. I wouldn't have touched it as a kid. Lamb was stinky and root vegetables were gross. Ok, ok, I would have touched it, because I wasn't allowed dessert unless I ate my main course first. Anyways, I hope you savour this lamb-based broth and simple combination of ingredients as much as I did. Root vegetables are definitely in season in Alberta, so finding turnips, potatoes and carrots was a snap. I even managed to find some Alberta lamb too!

Now here's my attempt to shamelessly plug this soup: Pick up a crusty loaf of French bread, ply it with chunks of cold butter and pour yourself a glass of red wine to enjoy it with. This combination just might make your cold winter evening a little less chilly. 

Adapted from: http://www.soupsong.com

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 6 cups water
• 2.5 kg lamb shank(s), bone in
• Dried onions and other herbs (I used an onion soup mix...might be cheating)
• Half a large onion, diced
• 5 carrots, cubed
• 3 small turnips cubed
• 3 medium yellow or white potatoes, cubed
• 1 cup chopped parsley
• Salt & pepper to taste

Bring to a boil the water, lamb and onion in a large saucepan and once boiling, reduce heat to simmer. Add the herbs and dried onions and let simmer for forty minutes. Add the carrots, turnips and potatoes and cook on low heat for thirty minutes, or until the vegetables have softened. Removed the lamb shanks and trim the meat off the bones. Discard the bones and add the lamb pieces back into the soup. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Oktoberfest Lager Stew

I love being organized. 

I fight this notion in some parts of my life because I don't want to make the effort to get organized. When it comes to food, there is no fight.  During the week, I want a meal waiting for me when I get home. I don't want to piece together a sandwich, or prepare an out-of-the-box/can combination.  I want something satisfying, nutritious and exciting. Many of the recipes I've tried via this blog have filled these requirements and Oktoberfest stew sounded like it had potential. As the weather begins to turn, the thought of a hearty stew with crusty, butter-laden bread sounded too good to resist. The cider vinegar and lager gives it some punch and the broth seemed to get more flavourful over time. A made a batch on Sunday and really enjoyed the leftovers throughout the week. I recommend adding this to your to-do list.

Adapted from: http://thecozyapron.com

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 T olive olive
• 400 g package of beef sausage, slice into bite size chunks
• 1 1/2 onions, sliced
• 1/2 small cabbage
• 1/4 t ground pepper
• 1/4 t ground caraway seeds
• pinch of salt
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup German-style lager
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 1 1/2 T apple cider vinegar

Method

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the sausage, allowing it to brown well. This should take about five minutes. Stir in the onions so that they caramelize in the heat, about two minutes. Toss in the cabbage letting it soften and then add the pepper, caraway seeds and salt, mixing well. Add the garlic, stirring until it becomes aromatic and then include the lager, letting it sit for about three minutes until the liquid has reduced. Combine the stock, potatoes and carrots and bring the stew to a boil. Once bubbling, reduce heat to low and let the pot simmer for forty minutes with the lid partially on. After forty minutes, add the vinegar and parsley and serve. 

Avocado Soup - Chilled soup of the year!

I have been searching for this soup ever since my parents advised me of their latest trip north to visit us. Truthfully, I've been looking for this soup much longer than that. My mother has a repertoire of chilled soups she's served at dinner parties over the years that have wowed guests. I have yet to find anything that compares to them and while I continue to make her (and my) favorites, I don't want to serve them to the original chef. This launched me ages ago to find other soups that would complete a summer dinner menu. My mint, spinach soup from a few weeks ago was an attempt to find the one, but this...well this, takes the cake. It has a universal appeal that many chilled soups don't and once the habanero is removed, I think they'll flip for it. Yes, some like it hot, while others do not.

The velvety texture of the soup base combined with a three dimensional topping has texture, punch and a savoury kick makes this my new party soup. I did not expect to enjoy this soup as much as I did. I'll be serving it this Saturday with a crusty loaf of bread, some chilled butter and a crispy salad among other treats. This is soup spirituality for you!

Avocado Soup

Adapted from: http://joythebaker.com

Serves 4

Soup

• 2 Haas avocados
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 T lime juice
• 1 t salt
• 2 T sour cream or yoghurt
• 1 1/4 cup water

Topping

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 small onion
• 4 pieces of cooked bacon
• 2 ears of fresh corn
• 1 habanero, diced
• handful of fresh parsley
• salt & pepper to taste

Method

To make the soup, place the avocado, broth, lime juice, salt and sour cream in a blender. Blend until smooth. Remove the center of the blender and slowly add the water while blender is in motion. Taste and season with salt and pepper as required. Set aside while you prepare the topping.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, about five minutes. Add corn and pepper and saute for another three minutes. Add sliced bacon and parsley. Cook until well heated. Season with salt and pepper.

Thai Beef Salad & Spring Green Soup

I have never used herbs in place of lettuce before, but that's essentially what this recipe does. Basil, mint and cilantro are the leafy greens here and they're delicious. I was tempted to put this on a bed of rice noodles, because I had trouble getting over the lack of salad-ness in this dish, but it was tasty as is. It was even better with the spring green soup I made with it. A crusty loaf of French bread would go quite nicely with this ensemble. 

Thai Beef Salad

Adapted from: http://biscuitsoftoday.com

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb of chuck or beef shoulder
• salt and pepper to season beef
• 2 T vegetable oil
• juice of 4 limes
• 2 T fish sauce
• 1 T brown sugar
• handful of cilantro leaves
• handful of basil leaves
• handful of mint leaves
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 red chilis chopped
• one small, red onion, sliced thinly

Method

Season beef well with salt and pepper and let it sit out of the fridge for 30 minutes. Place oil in a frying pan on medium heat and add the beef. Cook the beef for about 5 minutes on each side and remove from pan. Let it sit for about 20 minutes to allow to cool.

Combine the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar in a bowl, mixing until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl and add the lime juice mixture, mixing well. Slice the beef thinly and add it to the salad, tossing it well. Serve immediately.

Spring Green Soup

Adapted From: http://www.wholeliving.com

Serves 6

Ingredients

• bunch of asparagus (preferably thin stalks), roughly chopped
• bunch of spinach with the stem removed
• 4 green onions, chopped roughly
• 1 cucumber
• 1 avocado
• 1/4 cup mint leaves
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1 t salt
• 2 cups of water
• dollops of sour cream for serving
• Freshly ground pepper

Method

Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Cut half of the cucumber in quartered slices and the remaining cucumber in eighths. Set aside the slices for garnishing your soup.

Place the asparagus in a blender with a 1/2 cup of cold water and blend until smooth. Add the cucumber eighths, green onions, spinach and another 1/2 cup of cold water and purée.  Throw in the avocado, lemon juice and mint leaves, the remaining water and.....blend until smooth!  Season with salt, pepper and serve with the cucumber slices and spoonfuls of sour cream. 

Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

What a difference daylight makes to my poor food photos! Man I need to cook mid-day more often. I also need more soups like this hearty multi-dimensional delight. This could use a little heat, perhaps in the jalapeño or hot sauce form. Anyways, I thought a little heat was in order considering that we are experiencing the coldest day so far this winter.

Adapted From: http://eclecticrecipes.com

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1 t salt
• 1 t pepper
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, diced
• 1 yellow pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2, 15 oz cans of fire-roasted tomatoes
• 1, 15 oz can of black beans
• 1 litre of chicken stock
• 1 t chopped chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
• 1 T smoked paprika
• 1 T cumin
• 1 t chili powder
• 1 t dried oregano
• 1 medium avocado, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• handful of tortilla chips

Method

1. Combine chopped chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Preheat a large soup pot. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add chicken to soup pot. Add red onion, green pepper, red pepper, yellow peppers and garlic. Cook over medium heat until chicken is done and no longer pink.
2. Add fire roasted tomatoes, black beans, chipotle chili peppers and adobo, paprika, cumin, dried oregano and chipotle chili powder. Add 1 quart chicken stock. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 25 – 30 minutes.
3. Garnish soup with chopped avocado, crumbled feta, and tortilla strips.

Carrot & Dill Soup

This was part of last week's cooking rampage and I was expecting cold weather would accompany the soup and stew I made. No such luck; we had some of the mildest temperatures on record. Didn't stop me from gobbling up the soup. 




Adapted From: http://www.canadianliving.com

Ingredients

• 2 T butter
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t pepper
• 5 cups chopped carrots
• 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
  
  3/4 cup of buttermilk

In a large heavy saucepan, heat butter over medium heat; cook celery, onions, garlic, salt and pepper, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add carrots; cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add stock and bring to boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer until carrots are tender, about 35 minutes.

In food processor or blender, puree soup in batches. If you've got a hand mixer, pat yourself on the back for your swift decision and use that bad boy! Add in the dill mixing will and serve.

Chicken & Spinach Soup with Fresh Pesto

From: www.deelish.com


Serves 6


Ingredients

• 3 T olive oil
• 1/2 cup carrot or diced
• 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into quarters
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 t dried marjoram
• 3 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped
• 1, 15-oz cannellini beans, rinsed
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup croutons for garnish 

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add carrot and chicken; cook, turning the chicken and stirring frequently, until the chicken begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Stir in broth and marjoram; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.


With a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken pieces to a clean cutting board to cool. Add spinach and beans to the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Cook for 5 minutes to blend the flavours.
Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, Parmesan, and basil in a food processor (a mini processor works well). Process until a coarse paste forms, adding a little water and scraping down the sides as necessary. 


Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Stir the chicken and pesto into the pot. Season with pepper. Heat until hot. Garnish with croutons and serve.

Winter Tomato Soup

My soup has been outdone for sure! Check out this broiled tomato soup from Smitten Kitchen: http://smittenkitchen.com

Yes, that's what time it is folks. I've just loaded up on beer, snacks and some good conversation at my favorite stomping ground, Sugarbowl and felt the need to contribute a little to my neglected blog. Although, I've been a cooking machine on my free weekends, I ended up with little energy to write about it. Some catching up is necessary.

I made this soup when I had my bacon fat revelation (for those of you who weren't there, I used bacon fat in lieu of oil to saute a few items). Who would want to throw out bacon fat, when it's the perfect base for sautes, sauces, soups, etc.?  This soup benefited from the flavour of the bacon grease and the basil added a little tanginess too. If you have fresh tomatoes, you know what to do: put away that can! 

Winter Tomato Soup

Adapted from: http://johndlee.hubpages.com

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 26 oz can whole tomatoes
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup fresh basil
• 3 T butter (or bacon fat if you're using bacon to top your soup)
• Bacon pieces for use as a topping (I LOVE being a vegetarian!)
• 1 cup yoghurt
• Salt and pepper to taste

Bring the tomatoes and stock to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes on low heat. Add the basil and blend using a hand mixer, or transfer to a blender and puree. Return to pot and add butter and yoghurt. Let simmer for 5 minutes to allow remaining ingredients to melt and stir well. Top with pieces of chopped bacon and basil leaves. 

Spring Onion & Pea Soup

I bought a Bamix-brand hand mixer the other week, after hearing great reviews from family. It's Swiss-made which you'll notice is an ongoing theme in this household. The other half, known as Ruedi, is of Swiss origin. He's a big believer that anything made in Switzerland is made to last. He just might be right. Anyways, I've been looking for things to blend so that I can test out this bad boy and found this soup recipe in a recent edition of Canadian House & Home magazine. It's a mild soup that can be served hot or cold. A dollop of sour cream adds some punch to it, so don't skimp on that. 


Adapted from: May 2011 edition of Canadian House & Home


Serves 6

• 1 T butter
• 2 bunches of green onions chopped, with the white roots and dark green ends removed
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 3 1/2 cups of young sweet peas (frozen or fresh)
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar (I had leftover wine and opted to use this instead)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Sour cream to garnish

In a soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat and add the onions. Saute for a few minutes until soft. Add the stock, bring to a boil and then add the peas. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the lemon zest and vinegar and using a blender or food processor, blend the soup until smooth. Serve hot or cold, with a little sour cream to garnish the soup.