Category Archives: SOUP, STEW, AND CHOWDER RECIPES

CANNELLINI BEAN SOUP WITH HAM AND GREENS

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So, here it is, the first day after Mr. C had surgery on one of the fingers on his left hand (and yes of course he’s a lefty), it’s rainy outside, and I’m thinking “what can I fix for dinner that will be both easy for Mr. C to eat and contain ingredients I already have”? Well the answer came to me immediately. Some like it hot! (Hot soup that is!) So I retrieved a ham hock from the freezer, set some cannellini beans on to boil and proceeded to develop a recipe that included the ingredients I had on hand.

Over the years I have found that some of my best dishes were conceived when I started with what I had readily accessible. No going to the store for that one precious ingredient, just making do with what was in the refrigerator and/or pantry. And all bragging aside, this soup turned out really really good. In fact Mr. C stated that it was one of the best soups I ever made. Now of course, Mr. C was still on pain pills, but regardless, I know a good soup when I taste one too!!

So give this soup a try. It’s delicious and just perfect for a cold and wet fall or winter meal. And please include the hot olive oil drizzle that goes on the soup just before serving. It absolutely makes the dish. So stay warm dear friends during this upcoming “season of the clouds”. And of course – think soup. It’s easy to prepare, inexpensive to make, and soul satisfying.

  • 2 c. dry cannellini beans
  • 6 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced and divided
  • 3 tsp. minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided
  • 1 tsp. dried marjoram
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 (14 oz.) can chopped tomatoes (preferably Italian tomatoes)
  • 4 c. chicken broth
  • 2 c. water
  • 1 good sized smoked ham hock
  • 4 c. roughly chopped greens (kale, Swiss chard, spinach, etc.)
  • finishing salt of choice or coarse kosher salt

In a small covered sauce pan, add the beans and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for about 2 hours. Or cover the beans with water and let sit in the refrigerator overnight. Drain and rinse before adding to the soup.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook for a few minutes until onion begins to soften. Add 2/3rds of the garlic, 2 teaspoons of the rosemary, marjoram, and pepper and cook for about 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the canned tomatoes, chicken broth, water, drained cannellini beans, and ham hock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for 1½ hours or until the beans are tender. As the soup cooks, add more water as needed. Remove the ham hock when the meat is tender. Allow to cool and remove the meat. Set aside.

When the beans are tender, stir in the greens and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the greens are wilted. Add the reserved ham hock meat.

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Meanwhile just before ready to serve, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a small saucepan. Add the remaining garlic and remaining rosemary and remove from heat.

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Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle with the hot garlic rosemary oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt. Great served with toasted crusty bread.

RAGOUT PEBRONATA (BRAISED PORK WITH RED PEPPERS) PROVENÇAL WITH SAVORY POLENTA

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Since fall is definitely on its way (I know this because the yellow jackets have surfaced and the annuals in my pots on the deck are looking very tired), I thought it might be time to post this recipe for a delicious Provençal ragout. Pebronata, which means “peppered up” by the way, is a glorious mélange of braised meat, white or red wine, red peppers, and tomatoes (with a few others ingredients thrown in for good measure). And of course, as with ragouts found anywhere around the world, there are as many recipes for pebronata as there are cooks. This is a pretty standard recipe and very easy to prepare.

Now granted, this is not a dish that is going to send your taste buds into fits of ecstasy. This is a hearty every day dish that has enough good flavors going for it as to be interesting, but benign enough that even your picky eaters may not turn up their noses! (In other words, your kids are probably going to like it too.) It’s basically just as much a comfort food as spaghetti and meatballs or macaroni and cheese, but just enough different as to make the job of cooking it a wonderful change from your usual entrée rotation. We love it. Serve with a side veggie or salad, and dinner is ready.

  • 3-4 T. olive oil
  • 2 lb. boneless lean pork shoulder, trimmed of all sinew and fat, cubed and dried with paper towels
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 4 juniper berries, finely crushed
  • 2 T. flour
  • 1 c. dry white wine
  • 1 c. chicken stock
  • 28-oz. Italian chopped or crushed tomatoes
  • 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 large red peppers, deseeded and cut into strips
  • 2 T. chopped Italian parsley

Heat half the oil in a heavy covered oven proof pan. Sprinkle the pork cubes lightly with salt and pepper. Brown the pork in batches over medium high heat, removing to a plate when browned. Reduce the heat, add the remaining oil and the onion and cook for about 10 minutes, until transparent. Stir in the garlic and juniper berries and cook for a few seconds. Sprinkle in the flour, stir well and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the wine, chicken stock, and tomatoes and stir over a medium heat until thickened. Return the meat and accumulated juices to the pot. Add the thyme, bay leaf, and adjust seasoning. Cover and bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and add a little water if the ragout seems too dry. Add the red pepper strips and parsley and bake for about 45 minutes more or until the pork is tender. Remove the bay leaf before serving over Savory Polenta. (see recipe below)

Note: Just like any other braised meat dish, always better the next day. So make ahead if you have the time.

SAVORY POLENTA

  • 2 T. olive oil
  • 3/4 c. finely chopped red onion
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 qt. chicken stock
  • 1 c. coarse ground cornmeal
  • 3 T. butter
  • 2-oz. finely grated Parmesan

In a large, oven-proof covered saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and pepper; sauté until the onion begins to turn translucent, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat and add the garlic. Sauté until the garlic releases its aroma, about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat a bit and gradually whisk in the cornmeal. Cover the pan and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent lumps. Once the polenta is creamy, remove from the oven and add the butter and Parmesan. Adjust seasoning.

 

FRENCH ONION SOUP (SOUPE A L’OIGNON)

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It has been my experience that the difference between mediocre onion soup and really good onion soup is in the time and care taken to cook the onions. For truly great onion soup, the onions must be slowly and gently caramelized. When the onions are allowed to reduce to this golden mushy mess, the soup tastes mellow and rich. If the onions aren’t allowed to caramelize properly, the soup tastes raw. (Not anything Julia would allow in her kitchen, that’s for sure!) Or so I’ve heard.

And no, I never did get to watch Julia on TV. I helped raise 4 kids and worked full time. So when I wasn’t working (outside the house) I was working (inside the house) or in the yard, which is also (outside the house), but you catch my drift. I was basically on duty 24/7! Did I have time to sit down and watch a TV cooking show? Are you smoking something I should know about? Of course I didn’t have time. I was just happy when the sheets were all clean after stripping all 5 beds! (Working mothers take our small victories where we can get them!) So my early experience with a cooking mentor was not Julia Child, it was Betty Crocker.

Most evenings Betty and I would cozy up together after all the children were in bed, and I had a spare 5 minutes to read by myself. And oh how I loved our time together. I could plan what I was going to cook the next evening in the peace and quiet of a home that until 30 minutes before had been a haven for hellions. (Not that my kids were always hellions, but they certainly had their moments.) But after they went to bed all freshly bathed and their young brains filled with a few adventures to ponder from the books I read to them, or the stories I invented for them (flying turtle stories), I could finally relax. That is, between more loads of laundry of course. And dream of a time when I could study cookbooks and recipes all day long if I so chose.

Well that day has come. (Actually that day came quite a few years ago.) But even 12 years later, it still feels just wonderful to awaken on my own without an alarm clock going off in my ear. And know that my computer is waiting for me with all its funny little blue lights excitedly flickering on and off in anticipation of our time together surfing the internet.

So next time you are in the mood to fix something you read about on the internet, give this delicious soup a try. Consider this recipe for a French classic dish a gift from another French “wannabe” classic. Me!

  • 2 T. butter
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 yellow onions thinly sliced (about 2 lbs.)
  • ½ tsp. sugar
  • 1 c. red wine
  • freshly ground black pepper, not too much
  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 good sized or 2 small bay leaves
  • 3 T. flour
  • 8 c. beef broth or stock
  • 1 T. cognac, opt.
  • baguette slices
  • 1 whole garlic clove, peeled
  • 2 c. grated cheese (a combination of Parmesan and Gruyère is perfect)

Melt the butter in a large, heavy covered soup pot. Add the olive oil and onions and cook over medium low heat until the onions are caramelized and a lovely golden brown, about 45 minutes. Stir often. (The onions will really start to stick to the bottom of the pan when they are nearly done, so watch them very carefully.) Add the sugar about half way through the cooking process. Add the red wine, black pepper, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook until the wine is mostly evaporated. Add the flour and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring the whole time. Add the beef broth, bring to just under a boil, reduce the heat, cover the pot, and let simmer for about an hour. Adjust seasoning. (I usually remove the cover after about 30 minutes to let some of the liquid evaporate. Makes for a bit thicker soup.) And don’t worry if your beautiful golden brown onions turn back to the color of newly fallen snow as they simmer away. That is just the nature of these little darlings when confronted with a warm bath of beef stock. (I don’t like it either. I think they should stay the lovely golden brown I worked so hard to achieve! But alas, that is just not going to happen.)

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Meanwhile toast the baguette slices in a pre-heated 400 degree oven until a nice light golden brown. (Toast both sides.) While still hot, rub one side of the toast with the whole garlic clove. (The rough surface of the toasted bread will act as a grater and the garlic will melt into the bread.) Cover each slice with cheese and return to the oven. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 4 minutes.

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When ready to serve the soup, remove the bay leaf and stir in the cognac. You can either place a couple of baguette slices in each bowl before you serve the soup, or float them on top of the soup, or simply serve them on the side.

 

 

 

 

COLD TOMATO BASIL SOUP

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When I first saw this recipe in a recent issue of Cooking Light, I thought immediately that this was a winner. And then when I tasted it, I knew for sure. It is light and creamy and very, very tasty, especially when it is garnished with a small plop of Greek yogurt to provide that perfect bit of tang. Yum!

And this is the time of year for cold soup. Not only does it beat the heck out of standing over a hot stove, but the vegetative ingredients are at their prime and as inexpensive as they are going to get for the entire year. A winning combination if I ever heard one!

So do yourself and your family a favor. Serve this some hot evening along with a big old plate of cold cuts, a hunk or two of really good cheese, a loaf of rustic bread, a couple jars of hearty mustard, a bowl of mixed olives, some chunks of fresh fruit, and a glass of your favorite wine or beer, and you have a summertime meal fit for a king. Thank you Cooking Light for another wonderful and healthy recipe.

  • ¾ c. buttermilk
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 T. fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 ripe fresh from the vine or vine ripened tomatoes, cored and quartered
  • ¼ c. coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves, plus additional small leaves for garnish
  • 2 green onions, rough chopped
  • 1 clove garlic
  • plain Greek yogurt, opt.

Whirl the buttermilk, sugar, salt, pepper, lemon juice, olive oil, tomatoes, basil, green onions, and garlic in a blender* until smooth. Adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with yogurt and basil leaves.

FYI: Although most of us have relegated our blenders to the back of our pantry or to the garage, bring that old standby back into your life. Food processors simply do not do as good a job at pureeing food.

 

COLD TOMATILLO AND AVOCADO SOUP

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For our summer BlueStreet Jazz Voices potluck dinner party, one of our wonderful first sopranos brought this delightful cold soup. Deb served the soup in very pretty and very tiny little dishes. Each was garnished with a cilantro leaf. Each little bowl only provided about 6 small spoonfuls of this glorious concoction, which of course left us wanting more. But with all the other food available, the amount she served was just right. Plus, the soup is quite rich, so a small amount was absolutely perfect. So of course being the foodie that I am, I immediately asked for the recipe. I was astounded when she told me the soup contained only 4 ingredients plus salt, if required. What’s not to like about that?

So being the sweetie that she is, she sent me the recipe. Now you know me. I never leave well enough alone. I decided to try my hand at making the soup from scratch, rather than use store bought Salsa Verde. (I have since laid in a supply of Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde for those occasions when I need a tomatillo and avocado soup fix right now!) But for many, like myself, there are no Trader Joe’s in the immediate vicinity. And the green salsas I can find in my local grocery store, at least the ones that look like they are half decent, are all quite pricey. ($6.95 for 20 ounces; I think not!)

So I am going to provide you with both Deb’s recipe and my recipe for this amazing soup. Both are delicious. Both are fairly economical and healthy, and both are perfect to serve as a first course on a warm summer evening.

Thanks again Deb for this great recipe.

Recipe number 1:  

  • 3 small ripe avocados diced, about 2½ cups
  • 1½ c. Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde* or salsa Verde of choice
  • heaping ¼ c. chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
  • heaping ¼ c. sour cream
  • kosher salt, if required

In blender, puree all. Thin with water if desired; season. Chill until cold. Serve in small bowls garnished with cilantro.

*FYI: Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde is about $2 a jar. Worth every penny!

Recipe number 2:

  • ½ small jalapeno pepper, seeds and stem removed
  • 4 large or 5 small tomatillos, cores removed
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper (not too much)
  • ½ c. loosely packed rough chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 green onion, rough chopped
  • 1 very small garlic clove
  • 3 small ripe avocados, cut into large chunks
  • heaping ¼ c. sour cream (I use Crema Mexicana – Mexican style sour cream)

Place the jalapeno pepper and tomatillos in a shallow roasting pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until veggies start to soften. Remove veggies from oven; cool.  Whirl in a blender or food processor with salt, pepper, cilantro, green onion, garlic, avocados, and sour cream. If the soup is too thick, add a small amount of water. Adjust seasoning. Chill until cold. Serve in small bowls garnished with cilantro.

HUNK OF BEEF CHILI

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This is my answer to the age old question – “what to do with half a grilled London broil steak when the flavor of the new rub you tried rendered the final product almost inedible”? Yes ladies and gentlemen, I too try new recipes that look sensational in print and turn out to be, well how do I say this politely – not worth the ink used to print the recipe! And that’s exactly what happened when I tried a new recipe that appeared in our local paper. The steak rub/paste sounded oh so good, but unless you have only about 9% of your taste buds left, the taste of fresh herbs knocked your socks clear into next Tuesday! And you know how I feel about blended flavors. Each ingredient should compliment all the other ingredients. The only analogy I can draw is that the steak was like Wile E. Coyote, and the rub had the same characteristics as the Road Runner. And you know how that always turned out! – the steak, I mean  Wile E. never had a chance!

So, back to my original question; what to do with half a pound of highly spiced cooked beef on a cold and rainy spring day? And of course, the only answer that made perfect sense was chili. So after thinking on it for a few minutes, I came up with this recipe. And low and behold, it was good! No, not just good, it was really good.

So next time you get a hankering for chili, give this simple and tasty recipe a try. Serve it with corned bread and a good hearty beer, and life will become a bed of roses. (Just don’t over spice the chili, or you’ll end up like I did when I tried the rub recipe. Your bed of roses will have thorns large enough to use as knitting needles!)

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ lb. lean beef such as London broil, round steak, top sirloin (raw or cooked*), diced into bite sized pieces
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced
  • ½ red pepper, chopped
  • 1 (28-oz. can) diced/chopped tomatoes (preferably Italian tomatoes)
  • 1 heaping tsp. beef base
  • 1 can black beans
  • pinch marjoram
  • pinch dried rosemary
  • 2 T. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
  • ¼ tsp. crushed aleppo pepper or pinch crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/8 tsp. ground guajillo pepper, opt.
  • thinly sliced green onions, garnish, opt.
  • Mexican sour cream, garnish, opt.

Heat the olive oil in a medium large covered pan. Add the raw meat* that has been dried with paper towels and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Fry until brown on all sides. Add the onion and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and red bell pepper and cook for about a minute or until you can smell the garlic. Add the canned tomatoes, beef base, black beans, marjoram, rosemary, chili powder, oregano, Aleppo and guajillo peppers. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and cook for about 2 hours or until the beef is fork tender. Stir often during the cooking time. Adjust seasoning along the way. Serve sprinkled with green onions and sour cream.

*if you are using already cooked meat, add along with the black beans

Note: aleppo and guajillo peppers are both new to me, but both have quickly become near and dear to my heart. Finding them ground can be kind of an adventure, but if you live in the Seattle area, visit PFI (Pacific Food Importers). Heck, even if you live in Portland you should visit PFI! It’s worth the trip. And if you don’t live in the area, go on line and order a bit of each. They are simply head and shoulders more tasty than crushed red pepper flakes.

 

FLAGEOLET BEAN AND HAM SOUP

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Before soup season officially closes for another year, I thought I would share this wonderful and easy to prepare soup recipe with you. Now one of the things you are really going to like about this recipe is the fact that no olives or veggies were hard pressed in the making of this soup. The only fat in this soup comes from the ham hock. And then, all that’s left are dried beans, veggies, herbs, and water. So basically this soup is low fat and very, very nutritious. It also features one of my favorite herbs – summer savory. If you have never cooked with savory, allow me to extol its virtues for you right here and now!

Savory is in the family Lamiaceae and is related to rosemary and thyme. To paraphrase the description on the label of a Spice Islands jar, “Summer savory is often compared to marjoram (another one of my favorite herbs) or thyme in flavor. Summer savory has a spicy aroma and pungent, peppery flavor. Savory is one of the key ingredients in classic herb blends like bouquet garni and Herbes de Provence.  It is an indispensable ingredient for kicking up mild foods without overpowering them. Use it to brighten everything from omelets to chowders. Or combine it with snipped chives, lemon, and mayonnaise to coat chicken or fish.”

I use summer savory whenever I want a less robust flavor than either rosemary or thyme would provide. The same way I use marjoram instead of oregano when I need a calmer, sweeter flavor. In this recipe I chose to use an equal amount of both thyme and savory with a couple of bay leaves thrown in for good measure.

I also prefer flageolet beans over Navy beans when I make this soup because they are just so creamy and delicious. They can be difficult to find, but well worth a trip to Central Market or PFI (Pacific Food Importers).

So next time you are in the mood for an easy to prepare hearty soup, give this recipe a try. I like to start this soup on a Saturday or Sunday morning and serve it for lunch. And yes I know I could make this soup any week day now that I am retired. But I’m here to tell you, even though I have been retired for over 10 years, I still look forward to Friday nights, making soup on the weekends, hosting dinners on Saturday nights, and hate when Sunday night rolls around. Some habits and inclinations just don’t go away easily, especially if they were hard wired into your psyche for so many years before retirement. Or maybe it’s just that I’m sensitive to the fact that so many of our friends and relations are still putting in their 9-5. Whatever the reason, I usually only make soup on weekends. If any of you have a solution to my dilemma, I’ll happily build you a pot of soup some Wednesday in the near future!

  • 1 meaty ham hock (usually come cut in thirds)
  • 5 c. water or part veggie stock
  • 1 c. dry Flageolet beans (French) or Navy beans
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, finely chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
  • 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tsp. dried thyme
  • 2 tsp. dried summer savory
  • 2 bay leaves (Turkish bay leaves have the best natural depth of flavor)
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • toasted chewy baguette slices

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized, covered soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 90 minutes or until beans are tender. Stir frequently. Remove ham hock and allow to cool enough to handle. Remove meat from bones and add back to soup. Discard bones. Serve soup piping hot with baguette slices.

 

BROCCOLI CHEDDAR CHEESE SOUP

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OK, I know summer is just right around the corner. So why, I can hear you asking, are you giving us a recipe for soup? Well, the answer is very simple. I was really busy the other day, and I knew I was not going to have time to prepare an elaborate dinner. I remembered that I had a container of this soup in the freezer. So I took it out of the freezer about mid day and let it defrost on my counter. Then when it came time to eat, I slowly re-heated the soup on top of the stove (and yes, I did use a pan) and served the soup with some left over oyster crackers that had been patiently waiting for me to re-discover them in the pantry.

Well the re-heated soup was just so delicious, especially with the oyster crackers, that I felt duty bound to share this recipe with you as quickly as possible.

Usually I serve this soup with homemade croutons, recipe below, but since I was short on time as well as homemade croutons, the oyster crackers were brought in as pinch hitters. (Or more correctly spelled “pitch” hitters when it refers to baseball!) And yes, it’s baseball season again!!!

So, regardless of what time of year you choose to serve this easy to prepare soup, your family and friends are going to love it. Even your veggie-phobic children might forgive you the “green stuff” in the soup if you let them sprinkle on their own oyster crackers.

And for all of you, who are Mariner lovers, sorry about the baseball season “again” jab. But I’m afraid I am stuck in the 50s and 60s when it comes to enjoying baseball. Sick’s Stadium on Rainier Avenue; the sun is shining warm on my face, I’ve got a big old hot dog in my little hands, and I’m sitting next to my dad and little brothers. I can actually see the faces of the players up close and personal without the aid of huge screens judiciously placed around the field. Those were the days! Go Rainiers!

And “go” Broccoli Cheddar Cheese soup. It’s fast and easy to prepare and tastes like a million dollars. Yeah team!

  • 3 c. chopped broccoli
  • 3/4 c. unsalted butter
  • 3/4 c. chopped onion
  • 3/4 c. flour
  • 3 c. chicken stock or vegetable stock
  • 4 c. milk
  • 3 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • pinch nutmeg

Steam chopped broccoli until crisp tender. Set aside. Melt butter in heavy medium sized sauce pan. Add onion and sauté until onion just begins to show a little brown around the edges. Add flour and cook until mixture turns the color of coffee with cream, stirring continuously. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and milk. Cook until mixture boils and thickens. (If too thick, add a little more milk.) Add broccoli. When heated through, remove from heat and stir in grated cheese. Add salt if necessary, fresh ground pepper, and nutmeg. Serve with Garlic Croutons or oyster crackers.

Garlic Croutons:

  • 1 T. butter or olive oil (or combination)
  • 2 c. cubed crusty, chewy bread
  • granulated garlic

Melt butter in a large sauté pan. Add bread cubes and slowly sauté until crunchy and browned. (This takes upwards of 45 minutes, so plan to make croutons when you are working on other dishes and are close at hand.) Stir frequently. When the bread cubes are dry, a nice golden brown and crunchy, lightly sprinkle with granulated garlic. Remove from heat, cool, and store in an airtight container. Use on soups or salads.

Note: And yes, there is a huge difference between store-bought croutons and crusty baguette bread cubes toasted at home. Home prepared croutons are ever so much tastier, with half the salt and none of those unpronounceable ingredients that we are told might lead to all kinds of unspeakable health issues latter in life. (If we even live long enough to have a later life that is!)

 

 

 

TOMATO SOUP WITH LEMON CREAM

This is one of those tomato soups that just about everyone will like. (This recipe is a conglomeration of several soups I found on the internet.) It has enough flavor to be interesting, but not so “nouveau cuisine” that anyone who grew up eating grilled cheese sandwiches dipped in Campbell’s Tomato Soup won’t feel a tug of nostalgia at the very sight of it. But there is a difference I can assure you. There is a tiny bite from the garlic and the crushed red pepper flakes, and the onion and carrot add a bit of texture. But what really sets your taste buds a tingling is the creamy sauce drizzled on top of the soup. It’s how I imagine a spring morning would taste – fresh, bright, and earthy. So give this wonderful soup a try. It is a perfect soup to serve every season of the year.

But since I am posting this recipe in early spring, I decided to share one of my favorite poems by William Wordsworth with you. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. (I also hope you enjoy the soup!)

A Spring Morning    

There was a roaring in the wind all night;
The rain came heavily and fell in floods;
But now the sun is rising calm and bright;
The birds are singing in the distant woods;
Over his own sweet voice the stockdove broods;
The jay makes answer as the magpie chatters;
And all the air is filled with pleasant noise of waters.

All things that love the sun are out of doors;
The sky rejoices in the morning’s birth;
The grass is bright with raindrops; – on the moor
The hare is running races in her mirth;
And with her feet she from the plashy earth
Raises a mist; that, glittering in the sun,
Runs with her all the way, wherever she doth run.

  • ¼ c. butter
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, shredded
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • ½ tsp. dried thyme
  • ½ tsp. dried crushed red pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly  ground black pepper
  • 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes (Italian tomatoes preferably)
  • 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes (Italian tomatoes preferably)
  • 2 T. tomato paste (you guessed it, Italian if possible)
  • 3-4 c. chicken or vegetable stock (depending on how thick you like your soup)
  • 1 c. heavy cream
  • 1½ tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 4 tsp. finely grated lemon peel
  • grilled cheese sandwiches, opt.

Melt the butter in a heavy large covered pan. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, thyme, crushed red pepper, bay leaf, parsley, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until onion is just starting to get tender. Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken stock. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Meanwhile whisk the heavy cream, rosemary, and lemon peel together. Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle cream mixture over top.

 

 

RED (ROJO) POSOLE WITH PORK

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Something you should know about me is that I am a wuss, at least when it comes to really hot (as in spicy) food. I can’t, for example, go into an Indian or Thai restaurant and order a dish with 5 stars. Yikes, I might end up in a hospital if I ever went that far. But a nice polite 2 stars is quite alright with me. You see, I have this old fashioned belief that a person should actually be able to taste the ingredients in a dish, not just consume a mouth full of fire. (I know, how “yesterday” is that?)

But seriously, when you add too much “hot” to a dish, you might as well be eating Kibbles and Bits for all the actual ingredients matter. And I have listened to people order incredible dishes that feature prawns or lobster for example, pay an arm and a leg for the privilege, and then tell their waiter they want a 4.5 or 5 star spice level. Now if they told me they could actually taste either of those two costly ingredients, I would stand right up and yell “liar, liar, pants on fire” at them, even in the most prestigious of restaurants! (I have my standards to uphold, after all.)

So when I tell you that this dish is amazing in the fact that it is spicy, but all of the ingredients are featured players and that this dish is not the least bit too spicy, I want you to trust me. This is one of the dishes I firmly believe God sent us to prove that chilies were at the top of his list when he thought of how best to flavor food. And really, isn’t flavor what it’s all about? Granted, there are those who merely eat to stay alive. But most of us stay alive to eat! What better reason, after all? Oh well, there might be better reasons, but this a cooking blog, after all! I’m not advocating storge (look it up), I’m touting good flavorful food!

So whatever you do, give this recipe a try. It’s low in fat, and a complete meal unto itself. And like I said, the flavor is simply amazing! I mean really, would I share it with you if it weren’t amazing? People, you know me better than that!

  • 2 (15-oz.) cans drained and rinsed hominy or ½ c. dried white corn posole (hominy)*  
  • 20 dried chiles de arbol, stems and seeds removed and cut up with a scissors
  • 2 dried ancho chiles or 1 guajillo chili (or a combination), stems and seeds removed and cut up with a scissors
  • 1 c. boiling water
  • 6 cloves garlic finely chopped, divided
  • kosher salt
  • 1½  lbs. boneless pork chops or pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 T. corn or vegetable oil
  • 1 large white onion, chopped (save a small amount to use as a garnish)
  • 8 c. water
  • 8 tsp. Knorr Caldo de Pollo (chicken flavor bouillon- located in the ethnic food section of most grocery stores – yellow label, green lid) or regular chicken stock
  • 2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 T. dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
  • 2 small bay leaves
  • 2 avocados, diced, opt.
  • radish slices, opt.
  • lime wedges, opt.
  • warm flour or corn tortillas, opt.

*Use canned hominy if in a hurry, but taste and texture are just not as good as when you start with dried posole.

If using dried hominy, place it in a non-reactive container and cover with water; soak overnight. Next day, boil in salted water for approximately 2-2½ hours or until tender. Drain.

Meanwhile, place the de-seeded and chopped chilies in a bowl and cover with the boiling water; soak until soft, about 30 minutes. When soft, carefully pour the chilies and soaking liquid into a blender or food processor. Add 1/3 of the chopped garlic and 1 teaspoon salt; blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pushing the sauce through with a rubber spatula; discard the solids. Set aside. (This sauce is very hot (as in spicy), so even the fumes can be overpowering. Be very careful handling this precious liquid. Think hazardous waste!)

Meanwhile, liberally sprinkle the pork with salt and pepper.  Heat the vegetable  oil in a Dutch oven or covered pot over medium heat. Add the pork and cook until browned on all sides. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining 4 cloves of chopped garlic and cook for about a minute.

Stir in the 8 cups water and chicken flavored bouillon (or 8 cups chicken broth), cumin, oregano, bay leaves, and ½ cup of the reserved chili sauce or more as desired. (If you are extremely sensitive to spicy food, you might actually want to start with ¼ cup of the hot sauce.) Bring the stew to a boil, partially cover pan, reduce heat and maintain at a simmer until meat is tender, about 1½ hours.

Stir in the hominy (either canned or re-hydrated dry posole) and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the pork starts falling apart, about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.  Adjust seasoning and serve with avocado, reserved chopped onion, radish slices, remaining chili sauce, and warm tortillas. Oh yes, and a nice cold beer is great with the posole too!

Note: This recipe is my interpretation of the recipe for Posole Rojo on the Food Network site. (A great site BTW.)