French Onion Soup

 

French Onion soup is one of those classic soups that I used to think were overrated, until now.

Of course caramelized onions are delicious and when you add a really good mushroom stock to them, they achieve greatness. Dunking a hunk of toast with melted Gruyere cheese on top of it, well that's almost cheating!

I have been making a vegetarian Pho broth inspired by this blog, and since dried shiitake mushrooms are what give the broth its depth, I knew it would be perfect for a vegetarian version of French Onion soup. Yes indeed!

Make sure you use a crusty, rustic bread for your toast since any other less substantial bread will disintegrate too quickly in the hot soup. A range of cheeses will work, anything from Gruyere to Emmentaler to Swiss. I recommend making cheese toast rather than fiddling with putting your bowl of soup under the broiler.

For those who are curious, the glass of wine is Pouilly-Fuisse, and it was a perfect pairing!

Tortilla Soup

Tomatoes and corn are defining ingredients in Mexican cooking and they come together perfectly in the deceptively simple and delicious tortilla soup. Using a few Mexican specific ingredients - fresh serrano chiles, canned diced chiles and a smoky chipotle chile - creates a complexly flavored soup that you can make in less than 30 minutes. Add avocado, cilantro, and the crunch of corn chips and it's a party in your mouth!

If you have canned tomatoes, chiles, and chick peas in you pantry, then this is super quick meal that comes together in minutes! Add your favorite salad and some extra chips and you have a full meal that is healthy but tastes decadent. Don't skimp on the garnishes, they really make the soup!

Tortilla Soup
(serves 4)

1/2 onion, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small can diced green chiles
2 cups canned tomatoes
2 fresh serrano peppers, minced
1 chipotle in adobo (without the sauce)
1/2 cup cooked chick peas
1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
salt
pepper
5 corn chips plus more for garnish
1/2 avocado, cubed
cilantro, minced

Saute onion, garlic, serranos and canned chiles in olive oil until translucent. Add celery, chipotle, and cumin and cook another 4-5 minutes until vegetables begin to stick to the pan. Add tomatoes, chick peas, and oregano and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 15 minutes until well melded. Add 5 chips, broken up, and cook another 5 minutes to soften chips. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Add in 1 tablespoon minced cilantro and then puree in batches in a blender or use a hand held blender. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with corn chips, avocado and more cilantro if you like.

Hugs!

Recipes currently inspiring me:

Spinach and Feta Casserole at Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice
Gingerbread Biscotti at Flavors of the Sun
Raw Brownie Bottomed Cheesecake at Spa Bettie

Moroccan Lentil Stew over Couscous - Farewell to PPN

If you scan my labels on my blog, you'll notice that Moroccan dishes are up there with my other favorite types of cuisine - Asian, Mexican - only beat by Italian (kind of hard to compete with that!) When Joanne of Eats Well With Others posted her version of a Moroccan Lentil Stew I knew that my version would soon follow.

A huge fan of Harissa, Preserved Lemons, and Pomegranate Molasses, all of those fun DIY Pantry ingredients found their way into my version. I served this over couscous, naturally, and perfectly it fit as my final offering and tribute to Presto Pasta Nights.

Presto Pasta Nights was my introduction to blog events and the one that has most enriched my life. Not only did I host it six times but many of the bloggers that I met through PPN are now my favorites as well as being part of my virtual blogging community. I can't remember how I first came across PPN but my blog and my food repertoire has grown so much because of the following blogs:

Once Upon a Feast
Chaya's Comfy Cook now Bizzy Bakes
Chez Cayenne
Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice
Closet Cooking
Cook Almost Anything
Eats Well With Others
Food Hunter's Guide to Cuisine
Honey From Rock
More Than Burnt Toast
Sidewalk Shoes
Thyme for Cooking

Thank you to everyone for sharing your passion, food and energy with us all, how lucky we are! And thanks most of all to Ruth of Once Upon A Feast. Here's to so much more great food to come!

Thai Style Crab Soup

It is Dungeness Crab season here on the West Coast and apparently these are the end all be all of crab meat. So I mosied over to my local fish shop to see what they had to offer. Sure enough, they had cooked Dungeness Crab, and it was pricey, just as I suspected, so I only bought one. The lovely man behind the counter cracked it for me so that it would be easier to pick the meat out once I got home.

If you have no qualms about being a omnivore, feel free to skip this paragraph. But as for all of you pescatarians or vegetarians who indulge in seafood occasionally let me tell you that pulling the meat out of a dead crab made me realize that this was a creature, alive and vigorous, whose muscular cavities I was now mining for my meal. It was a bit of revelation for someone who never thought of fish or seafood as "meat," primarily because as a child I was allowed to eat it on Fridays during Lent when we couldn't eat meat.

Ethics aside, the meat was sweet and succulent as I had read and I proceeded to eat half of it standing up at the counter. But catching myself and remembering that I wanted to blog about it, some did make it into this delicious and simple Thai Style soup. 

Carrot Soup with Miso and Sesame

Carrots are one of my life long loves - I munch on them like rabbits and always have some in the frig for a quick snack. This is a quick and easy soup from Smitten Kitchen full of flavor. Saute carrots, onion, garlic and ginger, add broth or water and boil until tender. Puree until smooth and add a dash of miso and some sesame oil and voila! Supper is served!

This is one of those vegan dishes that makes me feel so smug because people are kind of astounded how great it tastes. Letting the pure flavor of the vegetable shine through will make a believer out of anyone. And the drizzle of sesame oil (smoked please!) is the finishing touch that lets your diners know that they are in the hands of a confident cook.

Leek and Kale Potage

I have two younger sisters who have denounced my tendency to "make stuff up," as they judge it, in terms of knowledge of a wide variety of things. It is true, that when I was younger I would say things very authoritatively without full confirmation of actuality. I called it guesstimations; they had a less polite phrase for it. Needless to say this little story pertains to today's recipe.

After whipping up this thick soup the other night and deciding that it was blog-worthy, I dubbed it a "potage" because that just felt right. Low and behold when I did a bit of internet searching it turns out my instincts were right. Vindication of my guesstimation abilities!

Spicy Lamb Broth with Ravioli and Gremolata - Presto Pasta Night #235!

This is a very humble dish that I found in The Southern Italian Table, a wonderful cookbook about the "cucina povera" - poor people's cooking of Southern Italy. Arthur Schwartz is an American Expat living with his partner in Sicily, giving food classes and touring the South looking for quintessential Southern dishes from everywhere south of Rome. Delightful!

This spicy lamb broth combines a few key ingredients - lamb bones, garlic, red pepper flakes - which is then boiled for a few hours to create a very flavorful and nutritious broth perfect for whatever pasta you want to add to it.

I first learned of the Italian tradition of putting stuffed pastas like ravioli, agnolotti, tortellini in broth after watching the movie The Story of Boys and Girls, which centers on the creation of a feast for an engagement party. Instead of slathering richly filled pastas with more rich sauce, serve them in a simple broth. Brilliant!

For my version I added some gremolata, because I had it and I wanted a little herby goodness in the broth. The ravioli I will admit are store bought, but really good (Rising Moon Organics, if you're curious).

And in case you haven't figured it out, I will be hosting Presto Pasta Night next Friday so please email me your entries - blog link, photo - kirstenmlindquist AT gmail DOT com and cc Ruth AT 4everykitchen DOT com by next Thursday, October 13 by 9pm pacific time and check back for the round up!



Spicy Lamb Broth with Ravioli and Gremolata  (from The Southern Italian Table)
(serves 2-3)

3-4 cooked lamb chops (save them and freeze after eating lamb chops)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
few grinds black pepper
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
8 cups water
5-8 raviolis per serving
gremolata for serving

Combined first 7 ingredients in large stock pot and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook for 2 hours. Strain and pour into glass jars and cap and refrigerate. It is easiest to skim off the fat once the broth has cooled since it will all congeal at the top. Skim fat and reheat broth. Cook ravioli in broth according to instructions. Ladle broth and ravioli into bowls and pass gremolata for garnish.

Hugs!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Allow me to introduce you to the one cult that most Minnesotans would unabashedly claim membership to: Chicken and Wild Rice Soup. It is to Minnesota what BBQ is to Texas, a national obsession, if Minnesota was its only country.

Real wild rice is harvested by hand, from canoes by the Ojibwe tribes who live on the shores of the lakes where the authentic rice (a seed of a lake grass) actually grows. See my Double Mushroom and Wild Rice post for more details. Rarely available outside of the Upper Midwest because of its exorbitant price ($15 per lb, compared to $1.99 for regular rice), Co-opportunity here in Santa Monica sells something called wild rice, produced in California by Lundberg Family Rice company, but it isn't the Minnesota real deal. Sure, it has that earthy smell and taste, but Ojibwe rice when cooked curls up like little worms. While upon first viewing this phenomenon, novices may feel a bit queasy, after one taste it is all dispelled because this soup just tastes so good!

Chick Pea Soup with Thyme

 Most summer recipes are all about keeping the cook out of the hot kitchen - grilling outside, cold salads, or do ahead dinners that do not require too much attention. But sometimes you want hot food, despite the heat.

All of you cubicle workers shuddering under that air-conditioning vent know exactly what I'm talking about! Working in a grocery store, in the cheese section no less, my time is spent in refrigerated conditions - checking backstock in the walk-in cooler or stocking the cheese case for hours at a time. Soup is often the best remedy to warm me up! When the urge for inner warmth surfaces, make this soup. It is so easy, so simple, and so incredibly delicious that I have made it four - count 'em - four times in the last two weeks!

White Bean and Andouille Soup with Cilantro

Lots of folks loudly proclaim their addiction to chocolate. They swoon over 75, 85 percent dark chocolate bars, double chocolate cakes with fudge frosting, or super chocolaty ice cream with chocolate covered anything hidden in its depths. Me? The Sugar Fairy ignored me and instead I got visited by the Sausage Elf who enslaved me to him for all eternity.

I have confessed here how sausage wooed me away from my 15 years as a vegetarian. What happens when I visit Lindy and Grundy, Los Angeles' latest (and only) butcher shop with local, pasture-raised and organic meat? I buy pounds of sausages. That's it. Just sausages, ma'am, no need for any of that plain ole meat. Give me seasoned pork (and some lamb, occasionally). You could say I'm in hog heaven!

Lamb and Barley Soup

Growing up in New England it was April Showers that would send my sisters and I into the kitchen for warmth, where my mom would make a spring soup or stew. Here in southern California we have June Gloom, when the marine layer - aka fog from the ocean - coats the sky like wet wool and makes Angeleans shiver like they were Minnesotans in subzero temperatures. Living four blocks from the ocean, I see my share of June Gloom prior to June. Here it was mid-May and I needed something to warm my bones. And bones were just the ticket!

I had some leftover bones from grilling lamb chops for mother's day and they made a great stock after boiling for 60 minutes. An added bonus was the smoky scent of the grilled chops that worked its way into the stock as well!

Farro, Bean and Kale Soup

Bean soups are very simple, definitely peasant fare, but oh so delicious! After seeing this one at 101 Cookbooks I knew it was time to make my own.

My version included what I had in the vegetable drawer - carrots, celery, onion and fennel - plus some bacon for a bit of smoky flavor. I had made some kidney beans a few days ago and used the water I cooked them in for stock. This soup came together in the time it took me to finish cleaning up the kitchen!

Chipotle Corn Chowder

While most of the northern hemisphere is still praying for spring to arrive soon (very soon if you're still seeing white!) all of those smug cooks who froze sweet corn last summer can make this delicious chowder and pretend they have fast forwarded to the end of August!

In preparation for moving house I took a hard look at my freezer hoard to see how I could thin its ranks. Frozen sweet corn plus homemade corn stock made this soup an easy choice. While I grew up on New England Style chowders, heavy with cream and savory herbs, I decided to honor my new home - Santa Monica - and added some chipotle creaminess instead. Delicious!

Brazilian Fish Stew (Moqueca)

Some people dream of chocolate and cake; I dream of fresh caught fish, still salty wet from the ocean. Visions of azure blue seas with houses set into steep hillsides is my idea of paradise. Anywhere in the Mediterranean would do, although I think the Balearic Islands and Menorca in particular is my ideal.

All fantasies aside, I love discovering new ways of cooking fish and this Brazilian Fish Stew was very intriguing. Bell peppers, lime juice, coconut milk, and of course cilantro make a beautiful combination, transforming "bland" fish (as too many people tell me fish is) into a party in your mouth.

Lentil and 6 Grain Soup

As you might imagine, being the Cheese, Wine and Specialty Manager I get a few perks, like samples of beer, wine, and cheese. But I also orchestrate the demos of products at the store. Soofoo is one of the those foods and I was fortunate to receive a sample. Not to sound like an advertisement for the product, but having it on hand allowed this soup to come together in a snap.

I was hankering for a good, hearty soup and this great mix of lentils and grains really made it happen. Pulling some lamb stock from the freezer that was demanding to be used and combining it with veggies, bay leaves and a splash of red wine vinegar led to the creation of what will be a new classic in my repertoire.

Homemade Vegetable Broth - Good for What Ails You

Apparently, the chicken soup cure has been around for a long time. When I searched the internet for scientific evidence that it actually helped people feel better some site claimed ancient Egyptians used it. Medicine wise, even Mayo Clinic weighed in (saying yes, it does have properties that help.) But what to do if you eat a vegetarian or vegan diet? The answer, my friends, is homemade vegetable stock.

When you are feeling low, run-down or just achy and fluey, drink some homemade vegetable stock and let nature take its course. Liquid is the fastest way for your body to absorb nutrients and boiling vegetables is the quickest (and cheapest) way to put them into liquid form.

Welcome to 2011 and a Look Back at 2010

When I was a child, one of my favorite things to do before Christmas (which is what we celebrated) was to watch the "claymation" special of Rudolph's Shiny New Year. It just made my season, and I watched it up until I left home for college (yup, 18 years old and watching claymation!) It was one of those yearly events that makes me remember my childhood with great fondness. It is the reason why December is still one of my favorite times of the year regardless of its religious significance in my life.

I like to think everyone's new year begins shiny, and with that in mind, remember the goodies of the past 12 months as inspiration for the next.

So picture me raising a glass of bubbly to you all and wishing you joy, love, good food and great times with loved ones in 2011!

Top 10 posts of 2010 (as selected by my readers, according to Google Analytics)

10. Mediterranean Style Chick Pea and Kale Soup
A hearty bean soup, that ages well. It's a great way to use up veggies but also makes it easy to try out kale if you are just beginning to dip your toe into that pool.

9. Cream Chicken and Mushrooms over Biscuits
This looks decadent but it is really great comfort food. All the effort goes into making the biscuits, so make it one night when you have leftover chicken (rotisserie from the store works great!)

8. Shredded Purple Turnip Salad
If you are venturing out into your local farmers market, ask around for purple turnips - not purple topped, but purple (they look pink) ones. They are sweeter than their more common cousins and you do not have to cook them to enjoy their goodness!

7. Italian Quick Pickles
I was happily surprised that this post was so popular - I guess I am not the only sour-aholic out there! Preserving food in any way is always fun, rather like a successful science experiment. Bring the kids into the mix, their enthusiasm may surpass yours!

6. Asian Salad with Mandarin Oranges
Sweet citrus goes so well with Asian flavors, and there are so many lesser known citrus fruits out there. Explore and find new combinations!

5. Corn and Jicama Salad
Jicama is one of those ingredients (it is a root which makes it a vegetable but kind of simulates fruit with its crunchy sweetness) that I wish more people would discover. Kids especially would love to eat this edible tuber and it introduces adventure into eating.

4. Bacon, Kale, Blue Cheese Pasta Al Forno
Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Pasta, baked into gooey submission. No wonder this post was the fourth most viewed. Oh, right, there is some green vegetable in there so you don't feel too guilty!

3. Spinach Scaciatta
This truly is the love of my life foodwise (tied only with pizza). How can you beat garlickly spinach, cheese and sausage wrapped in pizza dough? That is an impossible task!

2. Coriander Chutney
This is probably my favorite condiment of all times (sometimes homemade aioli or harissa overshadow it, but not for long). Cilantro is my favorite herb, so it is no surprise then that this chutney is at the top of my list.

And finally, the most viewed post is....

1. Garlic Lovers Pasta
This isn't even my own recipe, but one widely made throughout the Minnesota Food Co-op world. But I suppose there is a reason that so many co-op delis sell it - it really is that good. What is so surprising is the creamy sauce that isn't heavy or thick. The secret is buttermilk and lemon juice mixed with the mayonnaise - it is the perfect balance to the loads of garlic.

Thanks for reading folks, I appreciate every view, every comment, and look forward to spending more time with you all as we cook and eat our way into the new decade!

Hugs!

Creamy Cauliflower Soup with Dill and Caraway

Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that people buy but don't always know what to do it. Growing up in a German-Scandinavian home we ate plenty of cauliflower, mostly steamed and sometimes with a cream sauce. I even love it raw dipped in creamy dressings. It wasn't until much later in life that I discovered the deliciousness that is roasted cauliflower. Now I make it all the time and snack on it hot or cold. When I have some leftovers, this is a great and quick soup that soothes and fills your belly with goodness.

White Bean Soup with Sage and Sausage

White beans are some of my favorite legumes to cook. They're so versatile, whether making a dip or soup or salad with them. When I make soup I usually pair them with sausage or kale; they need that hearty savoryiness that those two ingredients bring.

This soup is similar to a stew that I make but with more broth. If you have a sage plant, make sure you pick the leaves when the plant is pretty dry; the oils in the leaves will be most pungent and make this soup extra delicious!

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

...And so it begins, the quest to use the Thanksgiving leftovers in creative ways! Yes, everyone makes turkey soup - it seems a shame to waste that carcass - but adding wild rice  really brings something more to the soup.

Wild rice adds an earthy, almost grassy flavor to this soup, which it should since wild rice is actually a grass seed rather than a grain. Here's my last post on wild rice and the particular reverence it receives in Minnesota. But you don't need to have an Ojibwe connection to find some good rice. Check out your local natural food grocery store for some. If you can buy it in bulk, it's more affordable.

Turkey and Wild Rice Soup

2 cups chopped, cooked turkey meat
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
5 cups turkey stock
2/3 cup wild rice
1 teaspoon thyme
salt
pepper

In a large sauce pan heat olive oil and add onion and garlic and cook until translucent. Add carrot and celery and cook 3-4 minutes until softened. Add stock and rice and bring to boil. Cook for 30 minutes until rice is cooked (it will curl up and split open). Add turkey and thyme and cook another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Hugs!

Recipes currently inspiring me:

Polenta with Wild Mushroom Ragu at The Perfect Pantry
Roasted Pumpkin Feta Cake at Honey From Rock 
Fabada Asturiana (Asturian Bean Stew) at An Edible Mosiac