FOR THE LOVE OF BROCCOLI

Posted in Soups, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

Three old recipes, and a new one for you today. We have broccoli at least once weekly, and these are the recipes in rotation because we never get tired of them. Contrary to many people, we are not too wild about simply roasting broccoli because for my taste it gets a little too harsh and bitter. I much rather enjoy it in different ways, although if you invite me over for dinner and serve me roasted broccoli, I will lick my plate clean, no worries. Let’s start with the new recipe, a super simple Broccoli Soup. No cream, no special ingredients, it is simple, light and delicious…

LIGHT BROCCOLI SOUP

LOW-FAT BROCCOLI SOUP
(slightly adapted from The Spruce Eats)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 shallot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cubed
4 cups broccoli, chopped
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup almond or oat milk

Heat oil on medium heat in a large stockpot. Sauté the shallot and celery for 3 to 4 minutes, until fragrant. Add the cubed potato, broccoli, broth, and milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.

Allow the soup to cool slightly. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth in two batches. Return the blended soup to the pot and heat gently until ready to serve.

Top with croutons or sautéed almonds, whatever your heart desires.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: So far I’ve made this soup three times, and it’s been perfect each time. It has a very creamy texture, maybe it is that small amount of potato speaking. Truly magical. Try it, if you want a light but luscious soup for your dinner. Now moving on to the three oldies but goodies…

SMASHED BROCCOLI WITH CHEESE

This was originally posted last year (check the post here). It was already in the Incredibly Simple files, but I simplified it further by steaming the broccoli in the microwave, using a plastic cover recommended by my friend Marie Louise (click here to see it). I place the florets in a microwave-safe plate, with just enough water clinging to the surface from washing the florets. Place the over on top and steam for 1 minute. If already getting tender, I proceed with the smashing and roasting with cheese as described in the post. If still too tough, hear a few more seconds in the microwave.

PAN-STEAMED BROCCOLI, ANY WAY YOU LIKE

Basic method described in this post. I usually keep it super simple. In the final 3 minutes of cooking I whisk a little olive oil with lemon juice in a small bowl. Sprinkle some salt. When the broccoli comes out of the pan, into a serving bowl it goes, and my little dressing is poured on top while the broccoli florets are super hot still. How often can you have a flavorful side dish that is ready in…. 8 minutes total? You can season it in the end in countless ways – miso, as in my post, vinaigrettes, sesame oil, anything goes.

BROCCOLI PUREE A LA JACQUES PEPIN

Not the best picture I’ve ever taken, but this is truly delicious and I make it often. The original post is from 2014, so yes, I’ve been making it for 10 years (click here for full recipe). I now omit the brown butter and after cooking the broccoli florets until tender in salted water, I process them with full-fat yogurt, salt, pepper, and if needed a bit of the cooking water. I rarely need the water, usually I just adjust the consistency with yogurt. The spinach goes into the processor raw. I eye-ball everything, taste as I go. Once the consistency is right and the seasoning to my liking, it goes into a serving dish. If I want a little more richness, I sprinkle cheese on top and bake it until the cheese melts a bit.

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17Nov2023

THAI CARROT AND SWEET POTATO SOUP

Posted in Soups, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

It is not that common for me to rave about a soup, but this one leaves me no other option. Absolutely delicious, super simple to prepare, just a few ingredients give it a lift from the humble to extraordinary. I modified it quite a bit to accommodate food sensitivities, but whatever you do, do not change the almond topping. Tamari-Roasted Almonds. Superb!

THAI CARROT AND SWEET POTATO SOUP WITH TAMARI-ROASTED ALMONDS
(adapted from cookieandkate)

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 ribs celery, diced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon red curry paste
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
¼ cup raw almond butter
3 cups diced peeled carrots
3 cups diced peeled sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup raw almonds, finely chopped
1 heaping tablespoon tamari
Fresh lime juice

Make the roasted almonds. Heat oven to 325F. Mix almonds with tamari, spread over a small baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes, until fragrant and starting to get some color. Reserve.

To make the soup: In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the celery and ginger and sauté for a couple of minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the curry paste. In a small bowl, whisk together some of the broth with the almond butter until smooth. Add the mixture to the pot, along with the carrots, sweet potatoes, salt, and remaining vegetable broth. Stir until combined.

Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on how small you cut your pieces), until the vegetables are fork-tender. Transfer the soup to a blender (a Vitamix would be awesome here), and blend in batches until super smooth. If too thick, add more vegetable broth or water. Transfer the soup back to the pot and reheat if necessary.

Serve the soup with some almonds on top and squeeze a little fresh lime.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This is a vegan soup, so if you need to entertain someone who follows this type of nutrition, this would be an excellent choice. Hearty, flavorful, satisfying, perfect in taste and texture. As the weather cools down, soup becomes more and more attractive. We enjoyed it with sourdough bread, a little ham and a fried egg, so let’s say it was not even close to vegan by the time we were done… I highly recommend that you incorporate the tamari-roasted almonds in your cooking, it would go well with many different soups, salads, and even pasta.

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3Mar2022

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Posted in Poultry, Soups by sallybr

I use the pressure cooker a lot, pretty much the whole year. I wanted to make chicken soup under pressure (the soup, not the cook), so I started by checking a few cookbooks and websites. I shall name no names, but a very very reputable source gave me a recipe that disappointed on many levels. I used it as a very loose starting point. My version got two thumbs up from me and the man I’ve been happily married with for 21 years, 11 months and 3.5 weeks. Yes, almost anniversary time for us!

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, halved
6 medium carrots, 3 halved crosswise and 3 peeled and cut into half-moons
4 stalks celery, 2 halved crosswise and 2 cut into half-moons
10 black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 large chicken, cut into 8 to 10 pieces, with the skin removed, wings left with skin on
2 quarts water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 piece ginger (about 1 inch)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
Freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste, optional
Freshly ground black pepper, for serving
noodles of your choice, amount to taste

Heat the oil in your pressure cooker, add the shallots, and the large pieces of carrots and celery, season lightly with salt and pepper. Sautee until fragrant.

Add the chicken pieces, but do not include the breast. Add water, peppercorns, soy sauce and ginger. Make sure the water covers all the pieces of meat. Close the pressure cooker, and cook under pressure for 30 minutes. Release the pressure by running cold water over the lid, or if using the Instant Pot, use the rapid release method.

Strain the liquid passing it through a fine sieve. Discard all solids. You should have at least 8 cups of stock, if you have less, add water to complete the volume. Place the liquid back in the pressure cooker, or use another large stockpot. Add the breasts to the stock, then the pieces of carrots and celery reserved earlier. Simmer very gently until the breast is cooked through – it might take 20 minutes, depending on the size of the breasts.

Cook the noodles al dente and rinse them in cold water. Reserve. You’ll need about 2 cups cooked noodles for the full amount of soup.

When the breast meat is cooked, remove to a plate and shred the meat with a fork. Add it back to the stock, and add the cooked noodles. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, and squirt a little lemon juice right before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I made this soup three times during this winter. First time I was worried that the noodles would get too mushy if left in the broth for a day or two, so I was trying to add them to just the amount of soup we would consume in that meal. But, there’s really no need to do that. It turns out they hold pretty well in the fridge. I just try to cook them JUST to the al dente stage.

The pressure cooker does a beautiful job intensifying flavors, so the soup is very satisfying and has a bright flavor due to the ginger and lemon. I hope you give it a try, either with a pressure cooker or the Instant Pot.

ONE YEAR AGO: Floral Chocolate Stick Cookies

TWO YEARS AGO: Sally’s Spicy Mango and Coconut Macarons

THREE YEARS AGO: Bouillabaise for a Chilly Evening

FOUR YEARS AGO: Bergamot-Cherry Macarons

FIVE YEARS AGO: Roasted Veggies with Queso Cotija Dressing

SIX YEARS AGO: Creamy Broccoli and Mushroom Casserole

SEVEN YEARS AGO: Maple Walnut Biscotti

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Barley Risotto with Peas

NINE YEARS AGO: Oatmeal Fudge Bars

TEN YEARS AGO: Cauliflower Steaks

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Soft Spot for Chevre

TWELVE YEARS AGO: Quick sun-dried Tomato Crostini

16Feb2022

CHICKEN POBLANO TORTILLA SOUP

Posted in Soups by sallybr

I don’t know why it took me so long to make this soup, as it is so popular. Every year I see countless examples in magazines, cookbooks, websites, and food blogs. And what makes it really painful is that we both loved it. Almost 13 years blogging. A chicken-tortilla-soup-virgin. No more.

CHICKEN POBLANO TORTILLA SOUP
(slightly adapted from Averie Cooks)

6 whole tomatillos, husks removed
3 whole poblano peppers
olive oil spray and a little salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium shallot, diced small
6 cups low or no-salt added chicken broth
1 can (14.5-ounce) fire-roasted diced tomatoes, not drained
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
1 + 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Tortilla chips or strips, for garnishing

Roast the veggies: line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, spray the tomatillos and poblanos with some olive oil and season lightly with salt. Place in a 450F oven and roast until lightly charred. The tomatillos need less time in the oven, remove them when ready, allow the poblanos to roast further. Transfer the tomatillos into a blender, and process until still a bit chunky.

When the poblanos are well charred, transfer them to a plastic bag and seal. That will steam them making it easier to remove the skin. Remove the skin and seeds, cut the poblanos into slivers. Reserve. Add a very small amount of oil (2 tsp or so) into a small non-stick skillet, when very hot add the frozen kernels of corn, saute seasoning with a little salt until golden. Reserve.

Heat the remaining oil in a large stock pot, sauce the shallots for 5 minutes, add the broth, tomatoes, chicken, chili, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Simmer for a couple of minutes, add the reserved poblanos and corn. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes in very gentle heat.

Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve with tortilla chips or strips.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was so delicious, I am kicking myself for never trying this soup until now. The chicken was leftover from a clay pot roasted chicken, which I made after brining it overnight in buttermilk. It was one of the best clay pot concoctions of the recent past, and I shall share with you in the near future. But any roast chicken will do, so grab one in the grocery store if you want to make it really easy on you.

This soup is a meal in itself. Nothing else needed. Satisfying, complex, the tortillas and the corn offer that small amount of carbs that will keep you happy but not feeling heavy and lethargic. We absolutely loved it, and I hope you’ll give it a try…

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29Jan2020

POTATO SOUP WITH SPICY SHRIMP

Posted in Soups by sallybr

I suppose this could be some type of a personal record. I’ve had this recipe on my list of “must make” for 9 years. I know that for a fact because I used to subscribe to Food and Wine magazine and when I got that issue I could not wait go to the kitchen and make it. Apparently I was wrong. I can wait like a pro. But better late than never, I share with you a recipe that is quite simple to put together, and results in a creamy, satisfying soup that surprisingly does not have a single drop of heavy cream. I hope you’ll give it a try.

POTATO SOUP WITH SPICY SHRIMP
(adapted from Food and Wine magazine, December 2010)

1/8 cup + 3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
2 celery sticks, finely diced
Kosher salt
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks
One 8-ounce baking potato, peeled and cut in chunks
4 cups chicken stock
1 pound medium shrimp, shelled and halved horizontally
2 teaspoons rose harissa (or regular harissa)
parsley leaves to serve (optional)

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the shallots and celery and a pinch of salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring, until barely softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

Strain the broth into a bowl and transfer the veggies to a blender. Add 1/8 cup of the olive oil and 1 cup of the broth and puree until smooth. Return the puree to the pot. Stir in the remaining broth and season with salt. Bring the soup back to a simmer over moderate heat.

In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with the harissa and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt. Add the shrimp to the soup and cook just until they are pink and curled. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the parsley and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I have not stopped kicking myself for taking so long to try a recipe that I knew was going to be a winner. The blending of potatoes with the olive oil gives the soup such a luscious texture that you will swear there is a cup of heavy cream in there. But… there isn’t.

We had this soup on my beloved’s Birthday, it felt truly festive and special. We also had lobster tails on the grill, and there were leftovers of both soup and lobster. Guess what? Next day this turned into a Spicy Lobster Potato Soup. And it was outstanding too. I see some crab in a future experiment.

Final comment: the soup calls for two types of potato. Yukon Golds are not very starchy, but have great taste. The baking potato brings the starchy component that helps thicken the soup, so don’t omit it.

After getting a comment from the one and only Dangerspouse, I should mention that you should consider making a quick shrimp stock to use in this soup, if you’d like to pump up the seafood flavor. I shared a quick recipe for it not too long ago.