FRIENDLY KURI SQUASH

Posted in Soups, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

I received a wonderful gift the other day (proving once again that I have no shortage of special friends): two kuri squashes. Unlike other members of the winter squash family, kuri has a thin skin that doesn’t require peeling. It’s a huge advantage, because peeling squash is one of my least favorite tasks in the kitchen. Butternut squash is already bad, but acorn squash is worse. I usually just cut it in half and roast it, anything to keep my fingertips intact. I knew exactly how to treat my Kuri squash, by turning it into a soup from Dorie Greenspan‘s Around My French Table. It was perfect for the chilly weather we faced in Los Angeles last week. The thermometers read 55 F, so Californians immediately retrieved their wool scarves from storage to brave the elements! 😉

KURI SQUASH SOUP
(adapted from Around my French Table)

2 kuri squashes (about 3 pounds total)
1 leek stalk, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
1 Tbs olive oil
3 cups milk
3 cups of water
salt and pepper to taste
dash of ground nutmeg
minced chives for garnish

Scrub the squash very well to remove any dirt from its surface. Cut the pointed end off, and discard it. Carefully cut it in half, scoop out the seeds. Cut the squash in large chunks and reserve.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan and saute the leeks until they get soft, no need to brown them. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the squash, the milk, water, and cook under gentle heat until the squash is tender (about 20 minutes). Puree the soup using an immersion blender, season with nutmeg, taste, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. The soup can be cooked down if you want it thicker. Serve with minced chives sprinkled on top.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: If you have an immersion blender this soup is a real breeze to make. You can puree it in the same pan you cooked it, and have only the small appliance to wash afterward. I’m fond of this type of blender because it allows me to better control the final texture of my soups. Unless I’m going for a very smooth, bisque-type concoction I prefer some texture, and with a blender or food processor things can get too smooth too fast.

We enjoyed this soup for several days and it got better while sitting in the fridge, so if you have a dinner party, making it the day before won’t be a problem. You can always thin it with a little milk or water if necessary, but we tend to like our soup robust.

ONE YEAR AGO: Celery and Apple Salad

13Jan2011

A SOUP FOR WHAT AILS YOU

Posted in Soups by sallybr

A Brazilian take on a Portuguese classic, “canja de galinha” may be translated as chicken soup, but not just any chicken soup. Canja is always made with rice, no noodles allowed in it. It is a soothing soup that warms body and soul – the gastronomic counterpart of your Mom’s embrace when you have a sore throat, or a tummy ache. However, even when you are perfectly fine, it’s hard to beat a bowl of canja on a chilly evening with a slice of crusty bread next to it. End the night by cuddling with your loved one on the sofa watching a movie, preferably one that won’t be compromised by a few snoozing time-outs… 😉

CANJA DE GALINHA
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 slices of ginger (1/4 inch thick), slightly crushed
1 Tbs canola or corn oil

1 shallot, mined
3 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
salt and pepper
6 cups chicken stock (or water)
8 new waxy potatoes (red or yellow), quartered
10 oz cooked white rice
squirt of lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Poach the chicken breasts: in a sauce pan, bring to a gentle boil the soy sauce, ginger pieces, and enough water to just cover the meat. Once the water starts to boil, immediately turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let it sit for 20 minutes. Lift the chicken breasts from the liquid, and once they are cool enough to handle, shred the meat using two forks or your fingers. Reserve.

Heat the oil in a heavy pan, saute the shallots until barely soft, don’t let them get golden. Add the carrots and celery, season with salt and pepper, cook for about 5 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring every now and then. Add the chicken stock (or water), the potatoes, cover the pan and simmer until the potatoes are beginning to get tender. Add the cooked rice and the chicken, cover the pan again and simmer everything together for 10 minutes over medium-low heat. Squirt a little lemon juice, adjust seasoning, and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: If you search for “canja” recipes in the net, many will instruct you to cook the chicken and the rice in the soup instead of separately. I strongly oppose either of these shortcuts, because they will make your soup cloudy, with a slightly heavier mouth feel. Cooking the waxy, new potatoes in the soup doesn’t pose a problem. For a lighter version – my Mom’s favorite – you can omit the potatoes, but I like the extra substance they provide. Sometimes I add fresh parsley or fresh mint in the final minutes of cooking, both very common additions in traditional “canja.”

Poaching the chicken very gently in the mixture of soy and ginger makes the meat tender, juicy, with just a hint of ginger flavor. If you like a more assertive ginger taste, grate some and add to the carrots/celery mix. And, speaking of carrots and celery, they will be very evident in the soup, so take the time to beautifully dice them. It is a simple soup, but small details make it special. I like to add freshly ground black pepper and a little more lemon juice in my own bowl right before indulging in it.

Leftovers are delicious for a few days, in fact I always make a large batch because after the first meal, I find myself craving for more on the following days. One may think that the rice would absorb too much liquid sitting in the fridge, but it’s never been a problem for us. I use jasmine rice, perhaps other types behave differently. January is a month that screams for soup, and I’m more than happy to oblige… 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Eggs in Snow (one of our favorite desserts!)

Carrot and Leek Soup (bewitchingkitchen.com)
Chicken soup (independent.co.uk)
Recipe: Cream of Broccoli Soup (courtneyoutloud.wordpress.com)

6Nov2010

CARROT AND LEEK SOUP

Posted in Soups, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Here in California the warm weather hangs around, making me almost forget that Thanksgiving is right around the corner. But when the latest issue of Fine Cooking was delivered in the mail, the gorgeous cover showing a croquembuche in all its glory was a clear reminder: the holidays will soon be here, it’s time for comfort food. Lots of things I want to cook right away from the magazine, but I started with a carrot and leek soup that turned out light and satisfying at the same time.

CARROT AND LEEK SOUP
(adapted from Fine Cooking)

1 T olive oil
1/2 T butter
1 medium-size leek, white and light green part only, thinly sliced
1 shallot, diced
1/2 pound carrots, sliced (about 6, medium)
2 cups water (or chicken stock)
salt and pepper
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup low fat yogurt
2-3 T fresh orange juice

Melt the olive oil and butter in a medium-sized pan, cook the shallots and leeks until soft but not brown, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper. Add the sliced carrots, water (or stock), thyme leaves, bring to a boil, cover the pan and reduce the heat. Cook until the carrots are soft, about 15 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, puree the soup to the consistency you enjoy (we prefer it with a little body, not fully smooth). Alternatively, you can use a blender or food processor (be careful when blending hot liquids). Bring the pureed soup back to the stove, add the yogurt and orange juice, heat very gently. Taste, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with croutons and minced chives.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I changed the recipe quite a bit, so if you want to make their original version (that includes fancy homemade herb croutons and a few more bells and whistles), buy the magazine. You won’t be disappointed: the cookies section alone and the step-by-step recipe for Beef Wellington are well worth the small investment… 😉

Yogurt is a perfect addition for certain soups, when a hint of richness is welcome, but you don’t want to go overboard. This recipe is similar to the creamy broccoli soup I recently blogged about, and the same basic method might be used for other veggies: butternut squash, cauliflower, even asparagus, although I haven’t quite optimized a method to get a nice, smooth texture when pureeing asparagus. Just another little item to add to my list of culinary challenges… 😉

Note to self: Make soup more often.

ONE YEAR AGO: Chicken Parmiggiana 101

27Sep2010

CREAMY BROCCOLI SOUP

Posted in Soups, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

Fall is almost here, bringing soup to my mind. But the temperatures are far from dropping, in fact we are cruising along a nice indian summer, with the thermometers showing high 80’s and even mid 90’s. In tune with the weather, this broccoli soup can be enjoyed hot or cold, is quick to prepare, and very good for you: low fat, low carb, but won’t make you go into starvation-response 30 minutes later… 😉

CREAMY BROCCOLI SOUP
(reprinted with permission from Mark Bittman‘s Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times)

2 cups broccoli florets
3 cups chicken stock (I substituted water)
1 garlic clove, peeled and cut in half
1 cup yogurt
salt and freshly ground black pepper
slivered almonds (optional)

Combine the broccoli and stock in a saucepan and simmer until tender (about 10 minutes). During the final minute of cooking, drop the garlic in the pan.

Puree the contents of the pan in a blender until very smooth, working in batches if needed (and be careful blending hot liquids, don’t fill your blender’s cup too much). Once the soup is fully pureed, add yogurt and reheat very gently, adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper.

If desired, top the soup with slivered almonds, or croutons.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Mr. Bittman says you can use leftover broccoli cooked by any method as a starting point for this soup. Remove excessive dressing or sauce, boil some stock, add the garlic and the cooked broccoli together for a couple of minutes, then proceed with the recipe. Instead of yogurt, you can finish it with milk or cream, but of course those will increase the fat content. I made this soup to take to work for lunch, so I kept it as light as possible, just added some slivered almonds for extra crunch.

ONE YEAR AGO: Marbled Rye

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7Feb2010

CHICKEN SOUP on a CHILLY EVENING

Posted in Soups by sallybr

While rummaging through the 2,675 loose recipes around my house, I found one from 2006 that was whispering my name: a simple soup from the Mean Chef collection, which was perfect for one of last week’s chilly evenings.

YUCATAN-STYLE CHICKEN SOUP WITH ORZO AND LIME
(adapted from Mean Chef’s recipe)

3/4 cup orzo pasta
1 T olive oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 serrano pepper, finely minced
2 chicken skinless chicken breasts, sliced into matchstick pieces
5 cups chicken broth (preferably home-made)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup of diced tomatoes (I used organic, fire-roasted Muir)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Cook the orzo until al dente (do not overcook). Drain well and reserve.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan and saute the onion and serrano pepper for a few minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and chicken pieces, and saute for a couple of minutes longer.

Add the chicken broth, lime juice, and tomato. Bring to a boil and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through. Mix in the cooked orzo, season with salt and pepper, then add cilantro just before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: I’d love to say that I always use homemade chicken stock, but it’s not true. In a pinch I may use packaged stock, because it makes life easier. But, in two instances I stay with my precious homemade version: when making soups or risotto. The flavor of the broth is powerful in these dishes, and your taste buds will appreciate the high road, as illustrated by this soup.

Orzo is my favorite pasta shape, but the same soup also shines with cooked rice. In Brazil we call that version “canja.” It’s a soup with firm roots in Portugal, and my mom’s basic strategy to fight almost any kind of illness. I guess some things are the same all over the world… 😉

Please don’t skip the lime or the pepper, because without them this simple soup will be bland. We like the flavor of cilantro, but members of the Cilantro Haters Association may skip it. I never understood the advice to substitute parsley for cilantro, because apart from color, they have little in common. But, I suppose a little parsley won’t hurt anything in this soup.

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