Quick and Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

02/02/2018 by Laura Leave a Comment

Can you believe it is February 2nd today? According to Punxsutawney Phil, there’s 6 more weeks of soup weather ahead of us!

January was a total blur for me. I got that ridiculous virus (flu). I really hope you have escaped it, and if you catch it, do take it seriously. I started hacking on Boxing Day; coughing so hard and uncontrollably I could not catch my breath at times. (Before you ask, YES I GOT A FLU SHOT!) I saw the Dr. on the 27th of December and was given steroids, antivirals, and inhalers. If you know me at all, you know I will do anything to avoid taking Prednisone. This time, I did not even consider putting up a fight! I would have done anything to STOP the coughing! When there were clear signs of infection a week later, I was put on antibiotics. I ran fevers of about 100′ off and on for three weeks. It was just last week that I honestly believed I would make it to Valentines Day! I’m surprised our food delivery folks haven’t called to see why the Hot and Sour soup orders have stopped! Anyway, with my absence explained, and all the crap I ordered on-line while sick; returned, I’m here to share this recipe with you!

We love chicken tortilla soup! So flavorful and satisfying. I always have a whole chicken in the freezer, and roasted tomatoes in the pantry. Onions, avocados, tortillas, and cilantro are usually restocked weekly. I discovered a frozen southwest veggie mix a couple summers ago. It is the perfect add-in to this soup. This frozen veggie combo also makes a great cold salad with a lime, cumin, cilantro vinaigrette. This veggie mix has become a staple in the freezer as well. This post is not sponsored…I’m sharing this “short cut” with you ’cause that’s what I’m all about.

For the soup

Place one whole chicken* (extra fat, skin and giblets removed), in a large stock pot.

cover the chicken with 3 quarts of fresh, cold water
season with salt and pepper

Simmer about two hours, over low heat, until chicken is done – no pink in the thighs.

Remove chicken from pot. Strain the broth into a large bowl and set aside.

Pull the chicken off the bones, removing the skin, breaking the meat into bite size pieces. Set aside.

*You could use rotisserie chicken and three quarts of chicken stock, if your prefer to not cook a whole chicken. Just start with the steps below.

1 large or 2 small jalapeno peppers, minced

1 large, sweet onion, diced

4 T. olive oil

Sauté the onion and pepper in the olive oil over medium heat in your stock pot, about 5 minutes, until tender.

Add:

1 large can diced, fire roasted tomatoes
2 T ground cumin
1 T chili powder
Salt, pepper
2 bags of southwestern style frozen vegetables

Pour the reserved stock back into the stock pot. Taste for Seasoning. Simmer about 30 minutes.

15 minutes before serving, add the reserved chicken meat to the pot. Simmer gently to warm the meat through. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

While the soup is heating, prepare the garnishes:

Cut 4-5 corn tortillas into strips. Add 4 T of oil to a sauté pan and cook them until lightly brown and crisp. Cool on a paper towel to remove any excess oil.

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

1 bunch of green onions, sliced

2-3 avocado’s diced

lime wedges – 1 per serving

grated cheese, for serving

sour cream for serving

When ready to serve, ladle soup into a serving bowl bowl. Top with tortilla strips, shredded cheese, avocado, cilantro, onion and sour cream. Add a lime wedge on the side.. This soup is fantastic leftover and also freezes well.

Make it soon, you won’t regret it!

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful evening.

Laura

Garbage Day Soup!

09/27/2017 by Laura 2 Comments

It’s human nature to have many routines, whether they’re conscious or unconscious! Often, we’re not even sure how long we’ve had them or how they got started. One of mine is cleaning the fridge the night before the compost, recycling, yard waste, (garbage, if you’re not from Seattle) are collected. I’m pretty sure my mom does the same thing. However, now that I have “more time than money” I am very conscientious about the wasting of anything. It’s not that I was not conscious before, but when your unpredictable work schedule takes you away from home 3-5 days a week, you don’t always manage the larder as efficiently as possible; leftovers get tossed, planned meals don’t get cooked, and the freezer quickly fills with foil packets I call UFO’s….unidentifiable frozen objects, that are rarely interesting a month or two later!

Even with the best intentions, sometimes what’s left at week’s end, is pretty drab and has very few opportunities to be repurposed! I’d love to hear ideas for leftover lettuce based salads, as that is one item that fills my compost bucket routinely! Chicken or salmon – easily become next days sandwich with a little help of mayo, celery, bell pepper. Potatoes, vegetable and gravy – perfect set up for Shepard’s pie, or “dinner for breakfast” potato pancakes.

I got lucky this week, when I opened the produce drawer to “clean it out”. I had a few ears of corn, a half-dozen poblano peppers, a couple jalopeno peppers, cilantro and some leftover chicken. I knew immediately I would be making a corn, pepper, chicken chowder. We had onions, garlic, baby potatoes and chicken stock in the pantry, so I jumped right in. This could all be thrown together in a crock pot, but I actually made the base one day, and reheated it with cream the second day. This soup is delicious and will stay in our rotation throughout the winter, even though we will have to sub frozen corn for the fresh.

For the corn, poblano and chicken chowder

1 large sweet onion, chopped

4-6 cloves of garlic, minced

2 jalopenos , stems and seeds removed and finely chopped

5 poblano peppers, stems and seeds removed and chopped

4 ears of corn, cut away from the cob

12 tiny potatoes, quartered

1 quart chicken stock

2 cups water

2 cups cooked chicken meat in bite size pieces (from leftover chicken)

1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped – retain a few leaves for garnish

1 pint heavy cream

oil for sautéing

salt and pepper

grated cheese for serving – Mexican style

Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in the bottom of a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, peppers until soft, about 7 minutes

Add the corn cobs, chopped cilantro, potatoes and chicken stock, and allow to simmer at least an hour.

At this point, I added the chicken, simmered it about an hour more and then moved the pot to the fridge. You could easily complete the soup, but I think the extra day with the corn husks in the pot really pumped up the corn flavor! Add salt and pepper as needed.

About an hour before serving, I brought the soup to a slow simmer. I reduced the heat as much as possible and added the pint of cream.

We served this with grated cheese and fresh-baked corn bread. I really hope you’ll give it a try, whether you have the ingredients on hand or not!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great evening.

Laura

French Onion Soup on a snowy Seattle day!

12/10/2016 by Laura Leave a Comment

There’s nothing like a snow storm to make you crave hot soup and crusty bread. Dave loves French Onion Soup and we had never made it from scratch before. We bought the bowls a couple years ago and this was the first time they were used for their intended purpose! I am frequently inspired by the recipes posted daily by the NY Times Cooking team. This recipe is based on one posted by Melissa Clark. Melissa’s recipe gives directions to avoid broiling individual servings, with the pre-made cheesy crouton added after the soup is spooned into individual bowls. Great for a crowd and also useful if you do not have broiler proof bowls! I like to dish up the soup and place it under the broiler, the old fashioned way. As always, it’s nice to have a choice.

For the Soup

adapted from this recipe

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

salt and pepper

4 pounds total combination of beef bones and beef shoulder

32 ounces of good quality beef stock

32 ounces of water

1 medium onion roughly chopped

4 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

4 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 bay leaves

8 thyme sprigs

6 medium onions, sliced in half and then thinly sliced

1 stick unsalted butter – 8 ounces

1/2 cup port wine

6 ounces baguette loaf, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices

8 ounces Gruyère cheese

Brown the meat and bones in a few tablespoons of olive oil, over medium heat in a heavy soup pot. Season both sides of meat generously with salt and pepper.

Once the meat and bones have been browned on both sides, set aside. If needed, add a little more olive oil to the pot. Add the rough chopped onion, carrot and celery and sauté until the vegetables are softened…about 10 minutes. Add the thyme sprigs and the bay leaves. Add the meat back into the pot. Add the stock and the water. Bring to a simmer and cook approximately 2 hours.

While the stock is simmer, prepare the onions. Slice the onions in half through the root end, and then thinly slice each half.

Set a second, heavy soup pot on the stove over medium heat. Melt the butter slowly in the pot. Add the sliced onions, and slowly caramelize them. Do not turn the heat up too high and do check / stir them frequently. It will take 45-60 minutes for them to caramelize completely. When completely carmelized, add the Port wine and season with salt and pepper.

When the stock has finished cooking, strain the liquid into the pot with the onions. You can reserve the meat for another use, or change it up a bit and add it to the onions and broth. We found this to be delicious and made the soup into a heartier main course.

Keep the soup warm, over low heat.

Slice the baguette bread into a thick slice, one for each serving. Ladle the soup into the serving bowl. Place a slice of cheese on the bread, place the bread on top of the soup. Add additional grated cheese to cover. Place under the broiler for 4-5 minutes until the cheese is brown and bubbly. Garnish with a few thyme leaves. Enjoy!

Thank you for stopping by. Have a wonderful evening!

Laura

Chicken “Tortilla” Soup – Paleo Friendly

02/21/2015 by Laura 1 Comment

Dave and I continue to explore Paleo eating. The elimination of grains, beans, legumes, sugar, dairy and alcohol has benefited us both greatly. I mentioned earlier we had excellent blood pressure readings at our recent physical. We received our blood work results last week and they were the best in years for both of us. Dave’s were actually better than mine. I attribute that to his twice daily walks with the dogs and a lower stress life style. I intend to join him more frequently on the walks, which will help with my numbers and the stress!

We don’t feel deprived or miss much of anything eating this way. But when we were both craving Chicken Tortilla Soup, I was concerned with what I could substitute for the standard corn tortilla. I had 4 or 5 sweet potatoes sitting on the counter smiling up at me! A-ha…. I will julienne and toast them. It was a perfect solution and it worked beautifully.

Chicken Tortilla Soup with Sweet Potato Strips

inspired by this recipe from Food & Wine magazine

6 tablespoons coconut oil

1 onion, chopped

4 large cloves garlic, smashed

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 1/2 quarts chicken bone broth or homemade stock

3 cups canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 28-ounce can)

2 bay leaves

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup lightly-packed cilantro leaves plus 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)

1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

1 avocado, cut into 1/2-inch dice

Lime wedges, for serving

Julienne 1 large sweet potato. Oil a baking sheet with coconut oil. Place the sweet potato strips on the baking sheet. Place in a 300′ oven to toast. Stir every 15-20 minutes to ensure even cooking. This process will take about an hour. Cook until the strips are dry and crunchy.

Warm 2-3 Tablespoons of coconut oil in a large heavy soup/stock pot. Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the onion, garlic, and spices; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, cilantro leaves. Bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes; remove the bay leaves.

While the soup is simmering, prepare the chicken. Cut the chicken thighs into bite size pieces. Add a couple of teaspoons of coconut oil to a large skillet. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and sauté until they are a little brown. Set aside.

Blend the soup using an immersion blender or by transferring the contents to a blender. Add the chicken, bring the soup back to a simmer, and simmer until just cooked through, about 10 minutes.

To serve, ladle the soup into a bowl. Top with sliced avocado and the toasted sweet potato strips. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro, if using, and serve with the lime wedges.

Enjoy!

For those of you who do not remember what is under the snow, here are some “first signs of spring” shots from my garden.

Italian Wedding Soup

10/24/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

As I say goodbye to the best summer ever in the Pacific Northwest, I try to convince myself there are benefits to the cooler weather. I replace my t-shirt with my favorite sweater, my flip-flops with my awesome purple suede boots, and snuggle into a bed fitted with soft flannel sheets and a fluffy down comforter. Drifting off to sleep, I dream about SOUP! Not July’s cold, fruity, melted popsicle like soup but hearty, hot, fill your belly, warm your soul, go on to live another day kind of soup! Butternut Squash Soup, White Bean and Kale Soup, Lentil Soup, Beef and Barely Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup (always on hand in the freezer for unplanned cold or flu), and soups I have yet to invent, soups from foreign lands, made with spices, beans and grains I have never tried. I snap out of my pre-winter doldrums and find myself almost giddy with excitement. I have stock to make, bones and veggies to roast, broth to clarify, beans to soak, and recipes to research. Where’s my tureen? I think I need a new stock pot! “Dave, I’m heading to Restaurant Supply, I’ll be back in an hour”!

It has been pouring heavy, bone-chilling rain all week. We’ve had a fire three nights out of five. I finally made time to make a pot of soup. I absolutely love Italian Wedding Soup. I have no idea when or where I first had it, but I always order it when it’s on the menu! I love the combination of the rich broth, the little one-bite meatballs and the strong, bitter greens, traditionally endive. In researching recipes, I learned this soup has nothing to do with weddings. Per Wikipedia, the term “wedding soup” is a mistranslation of the Italian language phrase “minestra maritata (“married soup”),” which is a reference to the fact that green vegetables and meats go well together. As you can imagine, there are hundreds of variations of this soup. My version is a combination of Whole Foods and Ina Garten’s recipes tailored to what I had on hand.

For the Meatballs

1 pound ground chicken

1 pound ground chicken Italian sausage

1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs

3 cloves minced garlic

4 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

2 tablespoons fresh minced oregano

1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of milk

salt and pepper to taste

Mince the garlic, parsley and oregano. Place the meats, breadcrumbs, grated cheese, eggs, milk, garlic and herbs in a large bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Add a little more milk if the mixture is too dry and not sticking together. Add a few more bread crumbs if the mixture is too wet and falling apart. Make a “test” meat ball. Warm a skillet over medium heat. Add a little olive oil to the skillet. Fry the test meatball until done, about 4 minutes on each side. Taste the meatball and adjust the seasoning. Proceed making small meatballs with the remainder of the meat. The chicken mixture is a little sticky. Dampening your hands with cool water will help. Place the meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350′ to set the meatballs. Set aside until ready to add to the soup.

For the Soup

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrot

1 cup diced celery

3 cloves minced garlic

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup dry white wine

3 quarts rich chicken stock – I used the new Pacific Foods Organic Bone Broth – It’s as close to homemade stock as you can get!

1 14.5 ounce can fire roasted, organic diced tomatoes

16 ounces small pasta, I used mini-shells

16 ounces baby kale, or chard, or spinach or endive or any combination

salt and pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Percorino Romano cheese

Sauté the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot, about 5-7 minutes. Add the white wine and stir. Add the stock and tomatoes. Bring to a slow simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Add the meatballs and continue to simmer slowly. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and prepare the pasta. Cook about 5 minutes, drain and add to the soup.*** Return to a slow simmer. Stir in the grated cheese. About 5 minutes prior to serving, add the greens. Cook just until the greens slightly “melt” into the soup. Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with additional grated cheese and a little minced parsley.

***Both of the recipes I referenced instruct you to cook the pasta in the soup. NEVER do that with any pasta. You will end up with a big, cloudy, sticky mess. As a matter of fact, it is often best to keep the pasta out of the soup entirely, until ready to eat. Just place a little pasta in the bowl and then pour the hot soup over it when ready to serve.

Build a big roaring fire, pour yourself a glass of Pinot Grigio, and hunker down with your hot bowl of soup. We’ve got about 5 more months of this!

Have a great evening,

Laura

Udon Noodle Hot Pot* with Beef and Shrimp

02/01/2014 by Laura 2 Comments

Inspired by all the Chinese New Year recipes this past week, I really wanted something hot and spicy with lots of noodles. I pulled an older cook book off the shelf, Lemongrass and Lime, by Mark Read, 2001. The Beef Hot Pot recipe is the inspiration for our big bowl of hot steamy noodles with lots of veggies, beef and shrimp. I used the new Thai Ginger Broth from Swanson’s. I was a little leery when I saw it and actually bought beef stock too, just in case it was not what I hoped it would be. I have to say – it’s a winner and will become a pantry staple at our house.

For the Hot Pot* with Beef and Shrimp

1 pound top sirloin steak, sliced thin in strips

1/2 pound of large prawns, cooked, peeled, deveined and tails removed

6 bunches baby bok choy, sliced

2 red Fresno chills, sliced – seeds and veins removed (you could use jalapenos if you want it hotter)

2 large shallots, sliced thin

3 stalks celery, sliced including the leaves

3/4 pound Shitake mushrooms, sliced

1/2 pound snow peas, ends removed and sliced diagonally

1 big handful of mung bean sprouts

3-4 Tablespoons fish sauce, depending on your desired taste

2 Tablespoons oyster sauce

3-4 packages of fresh Udon Noodles, or any other noodle you like: Soba, Rice Stick; cooked, rinsed and set aside

1 quart of stock, beef or Thai Ginger Broth

1 bunch of fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped – for garnish

6-8 green onions, sliced on the diagonal, for garnish

Prep the steak, shrimp and veggies as listed. To make slicing the steak easier, pop it in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Once all your ingredients are prepped, bring the broth to a boil in a large pan or wok, that you have a lid for.

Add the shallots and chilies, fish stock and oyster sauce, simmer for about 5 minutes, add the celery, mushroom and snow peas, cover and simmer about 4 minutes. Make sure the broth is simmering, add the noodles. Simmer about 3 minutes, covered. Add the steak, stir to combine simmer about 3 minutes. Add the bok choy and bean sprouts. Cover and simmer about 3 more minutes. Lastly, add the shrimp, cover simmer 2-3 more minutes until the shrimp are hot.

Serve in big soup bowls, garnish with chopped cilantro and sliced green onions. I really liked this cooking method. No stir frying in hot oil! You could vary the ingredients to suit your taste – vegetables, tofu….the possible combinations are endless.

*Hot pot, less commonly steamboat, refers to several East Asian varieties of stew, consisting of a simmering metal pot of stock at the center of the dining table. While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat, leaf vegetables, mushrooms, wontons, egg dumplings, and seafood. Vegetables, fish and meat should be fresh. The cooked food is usually eaten with a dipping sauce. In many areas, hot pot meals are often eaten in the winter. Wikipedia.

Laura’s Clam Chowder and Fresh Sourdough Bread

12/28/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

Although I have multiple options for chowder and sourdough bread here in Seattle, I happen to love my version of clam chowder. My recipe has evolved over many years. It is not pasty, or all potatoes and it has plenty of clams! Since Santa left sourdough starter and a crock under the tree, I thought the combination of fresh bread and hot chowder would be a perfect alternative to the heavy holiday foods we have been eating!

I fired up the starter according to the directions. Due to getting a late start, this included a 2:00 AM “feeding”! Yikes. I am now responsible for a living, breathing thing. I’ve named my starter “George”. It is definitely alive and growing rapidly, as it was spewing over the sides of the container this morning. Yikes again. Let’s hope I can manage to keep it alive. Any and all advice is welcome!

Rustic Sourdough Bread, from King Arthur Flour Company website

1 cup “fed” sourdough starter

1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

2 teaspoons instant yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons salt

5 cups unbleached, all purpose flour

Combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix until a smooth ball of dough forms and dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. You may need a little more flour.

Allow the dough to rise, in a covered bowl, until it’s doubled in size, about 90 minutes.

Gently divide the dough in half; it’ll deflate somewhat.

Shape the dough into two 10″ to 11″ logs. Place the loaves on a lightly greased or parchment-lined baking sheet. (The next time I make this, I will make 4 baguettes, as the loaves are quite substantial.) Cover and let rise about 1 hour. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 425°.

Spray the loaves with lukewarm water.

Make fairly deep diagonal slashes in each; a serrated bread knife works well.

Bake the bread for 25 to 30 minutes, until it’s a very deep golden brown. Remove it from the oven, and cool on a rack.

Laura’s Clam Chowder

Bacon – 4-6 strips, diced

Onion – one large, sweet yellow onion diced – about 1 cup

Celery-4-6 ribs diced – about 1 cup

Red or gold potato, skin on – about 8 small diced – about 2 cups

Lemon grass – one large stalk, outer layer peeled off, cut into 4, 2″-3″ pieces and smashed

Tarragon – about 1 teaspoon dry

Parsley- about 2 tablespoons freshly chopped, plus a little more for garnish

Salt and Pepper

1/2 cup of flour

2 Tablespoons of butter

Dry vermouth – about 3/4 cup

Canned clams and broth – one large 52 ounce can (drain broth, set clams aside)

½ and ½ – real or fat free or combination, about 1 quart (Did you know the chowder you are served in restaurants is made with Heavy Whipping Cream. That is why it is so silky and rich.)

Sauté chopped bacon in a heavy bottom soup pot, until crispy. Remove from pan, drain. Add some olive oil to pan and add chopped onion and diced celery, sauté about 5 minutes. Return the bacon to pan. Add 3-4 sprigs of lemon grass, a teaspoon of tarragon, salt and white pepper. Add the diced potatoes. Sauté until slightly soft.

Remove all the vegetables and bacon from the pan. Make a light rue by adding the butter to the pan and whisking in the flour. Stir well to incorporate the flour into the butter. Add the dry vermouth and reduce by about half.

Return the vegetables and bacon to the pan. Add the clam broth. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until thickened – about an hour.

(If not ready to eat in an hour or two, put the “base” in the refrigerator .) Add the ½ and ½ and clams and heat until warm. Do not let boil. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Phở Bò and Fresh Spring Rolls

11/05/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

Just being back from Hawaii; FREEZING inside and out, I decided a big pot of hot, steamy noodles was needed. This was my first attempt at Phở Bò – Vietnamese Beef Noodles. Yes, there is a Pho restaurant about every third block, here in Seattle, but I wanted to make my own. The simmering broth filled the house with the most amazing aroma, as the spice combination is not something we have used before. I will make this again and freeze the broth to construct a quick meal!

The ingredients are pretty basic and should be available at a well stocked super-market. I am fortunate to have a lovely Asian market nearby. It is well staffed with knowledgeable folks who have helped me decipher the labels many times. Amazon.com is also a great resource, should you not be able to find the ingredients at your market.

The spring rolls were a last-minute addition, and a great accompaniment! I took a Thai cooking class a few years ago, and have been making the spring rolls ever since. Writing about them forced me to actually measure the ingredients for the dipping sauce. When the instructor demonstrated this, it was “a little of this and a little of that”. It does take some practice to make a tight roll, but it is worth the effort!

For the Spring Rolls

It is difficult to provide exact amounts, as it is all dependent on the number of rolls you intend to make!

Spring Roll Rice Paper wrappers – 1 per roll

Fresh Mint leaves – 2 to 3 per roll

Fresh Thai Basil leaves – 2 to 3 per roll

Julienned Daikon Radish – approximately 1 Tablespoon per roll

(Marinate in a small glass dish with 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar)

Julienned Carrot – approximately 1 Tablespoon per roll

Bean thread noodles – Saifun – approximately 1 Tablespoon per roll

Shrimp – I use 51/60 – cooked, deveined, peeled and tails removed – about 4 per roll

Leaf lettuce – I like butter lettuce, easy to roll – 1 per roll

Dip the rice paper sheet in a bowl of warm water to soften – just until the lines disappear. Lay the paper on a plate or cutting board. Lay the shrimp on the paper followed by the lettuce leaf, the noodles, carrot, daikon, basil and mint. Roll tightly, like a burrito, folding the ends over about half way through and then complete the roll. Below is a video showing how to make the rolls.

For the Dipping Sauce

2-3 Cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced

1-2 Thai chilies, seeds removed and sliced

1″ piece of ginger root, peeled and sliced

1 cup Hoisin Sauce

1/2 cup Oyster Sauce

1 teaspoon date palm sugar

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/4 cup of Sprite

Chopped Peanuts if desired, a couple of tablespoons

Place the garlic, ginger, sugar, chilies and vinegar in a blender. Process until smooth. Add the Hoison and Oyster sauce. Blend again. Add the Sprite, blend and taste for seasoning. This is one of those things you need to adjust to your taste. Want it hotter – add more chilies, sweeter – more sugar, etc… The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for about a week and gets better after it chills awhile.

To serve, cut the rolls on the diagonal. Place the sauce in individual bowls for dipping. Add chopped peanuts if desired.

For the Phở Bò

Since I had not made this before, I looked through a few cookbooks and recipes on the internet. I decided on the great recipe form Jaden Hair’s blog, Steamy Kitchen, www.steamykitchen.com.

For the broth

2 onions, halved

6″ nub of ginger, halved lengthwise

5-6 lbs of good beef marrow bones

6 quarts of water

Spice bag – 1 cinnamon stick, 1 Tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 Tablespoon fennel seeds, 5 whole star anise, 2-3 cardamom pods, 6 whole cloves – all wrapped in cheesecloth and tied.

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

1/4 cup fish sauce

1 inch chunk of date palm sugar

To serve

1 16 oz. Package Rice noodles (dried or fresh), cooked according to directions (I used Banh Pho, Flat Rice Noodles)

1/2 lb sirloin, sliced as thin as possible. (I found thinly pre-sliced sirloin at my market)

big handful of each: mint leaves, cilantro leaves, and Thai basil leaves

2 limes, cut into wedges

2-3 chili peppers, sliced (Fresno or Jalapeno)

2 big handfuls of bean sprouts

Hoisin sauce and Sriracha hot sauce for garnish

Directions:

I roasted the bones in the oven at 375′ for about an hour. This is not standard in traditional recipes. I found it very helpful to remove a lot of the fat and intensify the flavor. I then continued the recipe as written.

Char: Turn your broiler on high and move rack to the highest spot. Place ginger and onions on baking sheet. Brush just a bit of cooking oil on the cut side of each. Broil on high until ginger and onions begin to char. Turn over and continue to char. This should take a total of 10-15 minutes.

Parboil the bones: Fill large pot (12-qt capacity) with cool water. Boil water, and then add the bones, keeping the heat on high. Boil vigorously for 10 minutes. Drain, rinse the bones and rinse out the pot. Refill pot with bones and 6 qts of cool water. Bring to boil over high heat and lower to simmer. Using a ladle or a fine mesh strainer, remove any scum that rises to the top.

Boil broth: Add ginger, onion, spice bag, sugar, fish sauce, salt and simmer uncovered for 3 hours. Strain broth and return the broth to the pot. Taste broth and adjust seasoning – this is a crucial step. If the broth’s flavor doesn’t quite shine yet, add 2 teaspoons more of fish sauce, large pinch of salt and a small nugget of date palm sugar (or 1 teaspoon of regular sugar). Keep doing this until the broth tastes perfect.

Prepare noodles & meat: Slice your sirloin as thin as possible – try freezing for 15 minutes prior to slicing to make it easier. Arrange all other ingredients on a platter for the table. Your guests will “assemble” their own bowls. Follow the directions on your package of noodles – there are many different sizes and widths of rice noodles, so make sure you read the directions. For some fresh rice noodles, just a quick 5 second blanch in hot water is all that’s needed.

Ladling: Bring your broth back to a boil. Line up your soup bowls next to the stove. Fill each bowl with rice noodles, raw meat slices. As soon as the broth comes back to a boil, ladle into each bowl. the hot broth will cook your raw beef slices. Serve immediately. Guests can garnish their own bowls as they wish.

My favorite Fish Sauce is Three Crabs Brand

My favorite Hoisin is Koon Chun (my shop was out of this brand so I used Panda, which is not quite as thick)

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Asiago Cheese Crouton

10/13/2013 by Laura Leave a Comment

If you didn’t know fall was here by chilly evenings then you certainly would know by the markets being filled with fabulous, and sometime freakish, squash. There are few things as warming and comforting as this creamy squash soup. There is a little heat from the cayenne and red pepper flakes, and the sweet potato gives it body. Roasting the squash, onion, apple, and potato first, maximizes the sweetness of the vegetables. You can use real cream, fat-free cream, or a non-dairy cream to make this vegan.

4 to 6 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into 1-inch chunks

1 large, sweet onion, sliced

1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks

1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped

Place all in a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast in 350′ oven about 45 minutes or until soft. While the squash roasts – prepare the rest of the ingredients.

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 cup finely diced celery

1 cup peeled and finely diced carrot

1 large leek, washed, chopped – not the tough green part

1 teaspoon marjoram

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 – 2 cartons, 32 ounces vegetable broth

2 cups half and half, I used “fat free”

Warm the olive oil in a large soup pot. Sauté the leeks, carrot and celery, until soft. Add the roasted squash and other vegetables to the pot. Turn heat to low, place lid on pot and “sweat” the vegetables for about 5 minutes. Add the spices and seasonings and 1 carton of the vegetable broth. Reduce heat to low and simmer about an hour.

Puree the soup, either with an immersion blender, or puree in batches in a regular blender. Adjust the thickness of the soup by adding additional vegetable broth if needed. Adjust the seasonings to taste. Add the cream, warm on very low heat.

For the crouton

I found some fabulous Rosemary and Olive Oil Asiago cheese made by Sartori. The flavors blend so well with this soup, I decided to make a little crouton for a garnish.

Toast a slice of baguette for each serving of soup. Top with a few thin slices of Asiago cheese. Place the crouton on the soup and garnish with dried rosemary.

White Bean, Kale and Italian Chicken Sausage Soup

09/25/2013 by Laura 1 Comment

I have written frequently about our unbelievable summer in Seattle. I am sad to report, that has all changed! The first day of Autumn left us with pouring rain and temperatures dipping into the 40’s! I may stop arguing with Dave about turning the heat on.

The arrival of fall is not all bad. It means it is SOUP season. I LOVE SOUP! You will notice this as we move through the first fall and winter season of my blog. Keep an eye out for Beef and Barley, Clam Chowder, Spicy Butternut Squash, Chicken Noodle, Avgolemono and a Persian barley soup I finely found a recipe for!

Today I made one of my all time favorites…. Italian Chicken Sausage, White Bean and Kale Soup. There are 100’s of variations of this soup out there on the WWW. Mine includes a couple of twists….parmesan rinds and white vermouth! Give it a try, you won’t be sorry!

Ingredients

1 pound small white beans, soaked overnight

2 quarts chicken stock (or veggie stock, if you want to make this vegetarian)

1 pound Italian Chicken Sausage (or Field Roast Italian style sausage, if you want to make this vegetarian)

1 large onion, diced

5 carrots, peeled, halved and sliced

4 stalks celery, diced

1 cup diced tomatoes (I still had some from the garden)

5 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced

1 bunch Lacitiono Kale, stems removed and sliced

1 cup Dry Vermouth (the white one)

4-5 parmesan rinds – ask for them at the cheese counter if you don’t see them

Salt and Pepper

Shredded parmesan for garnish

Place the soaked, rinsed, drained beans in a large soup pot. Add the chicken stock and parmesan rinds. Bring to a slow simmer, and cook about 90 minutes.

Brown the sausage in a sauté pan with a little olive oil. When the sausage is browned, add in the dry vermouth. Scrape up all the browned bits. Pour all into the soup pot with the beans and broth.

Add the carrots, celery, onion, tomatoes and garlic to the soup pot. Let simmer about 45 minutes. Add the sliced kale and cook an additional 45 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. This soup freezes well.