CARAMELIZED CARROT SOUP

Posted in Soups, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

Emeril Lagasse had his trademark “BAM!” Rachael Ray goes with “Yumm-o,” and Anne Burrell chimes in again and again: “Brown food tastes good!” When they are overused these expressions get on my nerves, but I can’t argue with the importance of browning your food to pump up its flavor. So, what is happening to the food? It all reduces to a series of chemical events known as the “Maillard reactions,”named after the French chemist who discovered them, Louis-Camille Maillard (pronounced “mah-yar”).

Maillard reactions involve proteins and sugars. These molecules may react with each other if they contain atoms on their surfaces with a net positive or negative charge. Proteins consist of tens or hundreds of amino acids linked together, but the constituent amino acids of a native protein are not very reactive, because they fold into a stable 3-dimensional structure. However, subjecting the protein to high energy (heat) or a basic (high pH) environment destabilizes its structure, exposing the charges of many of its amino acids. If present, a sugar will react with the charged amino acids to produce all sorts of different compounds, many of which taste great! Note that boiling water won’t do the trick: the Maillard reactions need much higher heat, like in a skillet with hot oil, or on a grill. As we all know, these are the best approaches to browning foods.

Caramelization and Maillard reactions are often used interchangeably, but this is wrong because the former refer to what happens to a sugar alone upon heating, whereas Maillard reactions always involve proteins and sugars. The two processes are cosmetically and conceptually similar, in that both produce a brown color, but they arise from different chemistry.

and… brown food DOES tastes good! 😉

That brings me to a recipe for caramelized carrot soup, in which just a few simple ingredients….

… come together to create an incredible depth of flavor. Here increasing both the heat (a pressure cooker works its magic), and the pH (baking soda to the rescue) optimizes the Maillard reactions. Chemistry never tasted so good!

CARAMELIZED CARROT SOUP (adapted from Food and Wine magazine)

1/3 cup low fat yogurt

1 teaspoon chopped tarragon

1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds, chopped

salt and pepper

6 tTbs unsalted butter (divided in 4 + 2 Tbs)

1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups fresh carrot juice (see notes)

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

In a small bowl, mix the yogurt with tarragon, caraway seeds, a touch of salt and pepper, and reserve. In a pressure cooker, combine 4 tablespoons of the butter with the carrots and cook uncovered until the butter is melted. Stir in the salt and baking soda, cover and cook at full pressure for 10 minutes.Carefully move the pressure cooker to the sink and run cold water over the lid until the temperature drops down and the pressure is equalized (one minute under cold water will definitely be enough). Open the pressure cooker, add the carrot juice (or a mixture of carrot juice + water), and stir to release caramelized bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Transfer the contents of the pan to a blender or food processor, add the ginger, the remaining 2 Tbs of butter, and puree until smooth. Season the soup with pepper and pour into bowls. Garnish with a small dollop of the reserved yogurt, sprinkle some fresh tarragon, and serve.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Don’t be alarmed by the look of the carrot/butter mixture once you open the pressure cooker. The brown bits stuck to the pan will dissolve easily and they give this soup the most intense carrot flavor ever!

The box of carrot juice I used had a little less than 2 cups so I completed the volume with water. If you have some V8 juice around the pantry, it could be a nice addition. This technique won me over, I wonder if other soups could benefit from this treatment. Caramelized broccoli? Butternut squash? Only future experiments will tell… 😉 At any rate, this will be my favorite soup recipe for the year 2011. Hands down!

ONE YEAR AGO: Miso-Grilled Shrimp

TWO YEARS AGO: A Special Holiday Fruitcake

3Nov2011

A SOUP WITH MEMORIES OF LOS ANGELES

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Soups by sallybr

During our sabbatical year at UCLA, we often went to a restaurant in our street, Beverly Glen Blvd, right at its junction with Mulholland Drive. It was a small Italian restaurant called Fabrocini’s, almost hidden in a little corner, but always packed with folks from the neighborhood. The restaurant is affordable (for L.A. standards, that is), has an extensive menu, and the moment you sit at the table the waiter greets you with a small bowl of their focaccia. Interestingly, each time we went there, the focaccia was just a little different, as if the baker loved to improvise. We were obviously hooked!

One evening I was not very hungry and ordered a small bowl of their stracciatella soup for my dinner. From the first spoonful, I was equally hooked. Their version had spinach and a little pasta added to the basic egg-drop preparation, in a light and delicious broth. I loved it so much that before we left L.A. I wrote an email asking for the recipe, but they never even replied to it… 😦 Undeterred, I went on my own quest to make it at home, and finally found a good version on a Food and Wine magazine.

SPINACH STRACCIATELLA SOUP
(adapted from Food and Wine magazine)

1 cup tubetti, ditalini or other small pasta
1 quart chicken stock, preferably home made (recipe follows)
1 garlic clove, cut in 4 pieces
3- 4 ounces baby spinach
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Cook the pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well.

In a saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a simmer with the garlic; simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the garlic using a slotted spoon, add the pasta and spinach and cook over medium heat until the spinach wilts. Season with salt and pepper. Gently stir in the eggs, breaking them into long strands. Simmer the soup until the eggs are just firm, about 1 minute. Stir in the Parmigiano cheese. Ladle the soup into bowls, and serve with additional cheese grated on top.

to print the recipe, click here

ONE HOUR CHICKEN STOCK
(adapted from Mark Bittman, and other sources)

8 – 10 chicken wings
10 cups water
1 onion, cut in half
4 whole cloves
6 black peppercorns
4 green onions, cut in half
1 piece of ginger (1/2 inch thick)
1 bay leaf

Stuck 2 cloves into each onion half, add all ingredients to a large stock pot, bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and cook, uncovered for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove the layer of foam that eventually floats to the surface during the initial stage of cooking, using a slotted spoon.

Drain the stock, discard all vegetables and meat. Let it cool slightly, refrigerate, and remove the congealed fat from the surface before using. Freeze 1 or 2 cup aliquots. Season with salt and appropriate spices when using for soups, risottos, or sauces.

to print this recipe, click here

The beginning…..

Almost at the end of cooking….

The reward… Liquid culinary gold!

I am no food snob, in the sense that I use store-bought chicken stock on a regular basis. However, for this soup to be really special, I went the extra mile and made my own. I’ve made many types of chicken stock in the past, using chicken bones, or a whole chicken. But once I found this shortcut version at Bittman’s book “From Simple to Spectacular,” I adapted it to my taste and it’s been my method of choice because it is fast and produces incredibly rich and dense stock. Usually I make my first batch when the weather turns cold, and save a few cups in the freezer.

This simple soup, with very few ingredients, definitely benefits from a home made stock, but in a pinch, I’d still use a good quality store-bought version. Do what suits you best, but make this soup, it’s a winner… 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Sabu’s Spicy Coconut Chicken

TWO YEARS AGO: Poolish Baguettes

31Oct2011

SECRET RECIPE CLUB: PASTA E FAGIOLI

Posted in Pasta & Noodles, Secret Recipe Club, Soups by sallybr

I am so excited about this post, because it’s my first time taking part of “The Secret Recipe Club”. If you haven’t heard about it, it is a group event in which each month you are assigned one food blog to cook a recipe from and another blogger will be matched with your blog. The assignments are distributed a few weeks in advance, but every post must be published on the exact same day and at the exact same time! How cool is that? 😉

This event grew so much that now they have 4 different groups with “reveal days” a week apart. Today is THE DAY for group D. By the way, we are all newbies in this group, this is the first reveal for our group. I was assigned the blog Tami’s Kitchen Table Talk, and you can visit her nice virtual spot by jumping here. Tami not only is a member of The Secret Recipe Club, but the hostess of group D, so of course it added a lot of hyperventilation to my first time in the event. Getting to cook from your boss’ blog, so to speak… WOW!

Tami has two kids, 8 and 13 years old, so her blog is perfect for those with young kids and/or teenagers, who must face all the stresses of an extra-busy life, and still bring a nice meal to the table. In her blog, you will find a lot of sweets, cookies, and countless options to feed the whole family. I spent quite a bit of time reading it, and finally decided to make her “Pasta e Fagioli”. First, because it is a classic Italian recipe I’ve always wanted to try. And second, because the weather is perfect for it right now. Since I have no choice but accept that the days of temps in the upper 90’s are over, I might as well make soups and stews… 😉

PASTA E FAGIOLI
(slightly modified from Tami’s Kitchen Table Talk)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pancetta, diced
2 (4 to 6-inch) sprigs rosemary, left intact
1 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 large fresh bay leaf
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 small carrots, finely chopped
1 rib celery, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, chopped
salt and pepper
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans
1 + 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes (with juices)
2 cups water
1 quart chicken stock
1 + 1/2 cups ditalini pasta (I used half ditalini, half elbows)
grated Parmigiano cheese for serving

Heat a deep pot over medium high heat and add oil and pancetta. Cook until the pancetta pieces are golden brown, add the rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, chopped veggies and garlic. Season everything lightly with salt and pepper (pancetta is already quite salty, so keep that in mind).

Saute everything together for a couple of minutes, add the beans, crushed tomatoes, water, and chicken stock. Increase heat to high, when boiling add the pasta, and reduce to medium heat. Cook stirring every once in a while, until the pasta is al dente (8 to 10 minutes). Remove the rosemary stems and the bay leaf before serving.

Laddle soup on bowls, and serve with a nice piece of bread, with plenty of cheese grated on top.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

This was a perfect meal for an unexpectedly chilly evening, in which we almost had to turn our heating system on. One of the reasons we didn’t was this warm and soothing soup, that made us feel all cozy and comfy. Thanks, Tami! Leftovers were my lunch for the two following days. On the last day, it became almost a regular pasta dish, I did not add additional liquid, just shaved some more cheese on top and enjoyed it immensely that way too. The beans give extra creaminess and substance to the dish, and the pancetta a subtle “meaty” presence.

If you want to go make this soup vegetarian-friendly, simply omit the pancetta, and use vegetable stock instead of chicken broth. It will still be wonderful, I guarantee it.

Tami, it was nice to “meet” you through this event, I will be reading your culinary adventures from now on!

Note added after publication: at the end of this post you will find a little icon with “Links in collection” – just click on it to see the full list of blog posts from our group, all published this morning, at 7am US central time. And if you want to see who got my blog, click here to visit Jenni’s site… She made one of my favorite recipes! 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Mesmerizing Lemon Bars

TWO YEARS AGO: Pizza Napoletana

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