A Lighter Spinach and Parmesan Egg Drop Soup

I made this for a recent Food52 contest and thought I'd share.  It was named a Community Pick and the Food52 people took a beautiful photo of it!

See the photo and recipe here:

https://food52.com/recipes/32333-a-lighter-spinach-and-parmesan-egg-drop-soup

Leek and Spinach Risotto

We didn't have a normal Thanksgiving this year...I lost my Dad on November 22 and most of the family had out of town guests in for the funeral.  We all split up for the Holiday because of this. Normally we fry two turkeys for dinner and then three more the next day. We did fry a turkey for Marge and her guests and then one for us on Thursday.
And we did manage to fry two more turkeys yesterday to stash in the freezer and also decided to try a couple of small Cornish Game Hens.  They were great!  I made this risotto to serve along side.  

Makes about 4 servings

4 Tbl butter divided 3/1
2 small leeks, white and pale green parts only, diced
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken broth
5 ounces chopped baby spinach
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium sauce pan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter.  Add the diced leeks and sauté until softened.  Add the rice and stir to coat all the grains.
Over medium heat, pour in the wine and stir until most of the liquid is absorbed into the rice.  Now start adding the chicken broth, a little at a time, stirring all the while.  Each time the rice absorbs the liquid, add more broth. Keep doing this until you've added all the broth.  The rice should be creamy.
Stir in the last tablespoon of butter, the spinach and the cheese.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Easy Bean and Bacon Soup

It's getting colder and colder so more soups are on the menu.  Here's and easy bean and bacon one...


Makes almost 4 quarts

3/4 pound dry Great Northern white beans
6 slices bacon, diced
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped 
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbl sweet Hungarian paprika
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
7 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the beans overnight in water.  Drain and rinse and then cover them in fresh water and simmer them until done, about 45 minutes.
Saute the diced bacon in a Dutch oven or soup pot until the fat is rendered and the bacon just starts to crisp.
Place the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in a food processor and process until everything is finely chopped.
Add the vegetable mixture along with the paprika and crushed red pepper to the pot of bacon and sauté for 5 to 10 minutes.
Add the beans and chicken broth to the pot, bring up to a boil and then simmer for about 15 minutes.
Remove about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the beans to a shallow bowl and mash them thoroughly with a fork.  Return the mixture to the pot and simmer the soup for about 10 more minutes.  Taste and add salt and pepper if you like.

Cajun Chicken Stew

Not quite gumbo but a nice comforting slightly spicy Cajun stew....

Serves 4

1  1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in 1 1/2 inch pieces
3 tsps of your favorite Creole/Cajun seasoning(divided)*
2 Tbl vegetable oil
4 ounces andouille sausage cut into a small dice
1 large onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves minced garlic
2 heaping tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded, cored a finely diced
Cooked rice for serving


Season the chicken thigh pieces with 1 tsp of the Creole seasoning.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or stew pot and then brown the chicken pieces a bit.Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
Add the diced sausage to the pot and sauté over medium heat.  Once the sausage starts rendering some of it fat, add the onion, green pepper and celery. Saute until softened.  Add the garlic and sauté a minute or two more.
Now stir in two teaspoons  of the creole seasoning along with the flour and sauté for just a couple of minutes.
Stir in the chicken broth and the chicken pieces and bring up to a boil and then down to a simmer.  Simmer, partially covered for 15 minutes. Stir in the green onion, parsley and tomato and simmer five minutes more.  Serve over cooked rice.

Go here for a homemade Creole/Cajun seasoning:
http://inpatskitchen.blogspot.com/2011/06/red-beans-and-rice.html

Sesame Orange Glazed Broccoli and Water Chestnuts

Try this orange and sesame flavored broccoli side the next time you roast salmon...sweet and tangy!

https://food52.com/recipes/31253-orange-sesame-glazed-broccoli-and-water-chestnuts

Shrimp Cocktail Gazpacho

Here's a starter for a summer dinner...cool, zesty and refreshing!

https://food52.com/recipes/30621-shrimp-cocktail-gazpacho

What To Do With Huge Zucchini

If you grow zucchini in your summer garden, you know where I'm coming from here.  At least one gets the best of you...you find this HUGE squash hidden under the leaves.  What to do with it?  Stuff it!
This isn't really a recipe but might give you some ideas...I had a zucchini that was fat and about 14 inches long.  I sliced it lengthwise and scooped out the seeds and some of the flesh, brushed the cut sides with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper  Then into the oven to bake and soften that baby up for about 20 minutes. (about 350F)

Then I browned ground beef, onions, green pepper and garlic and added a couple of small diced tomatoes and about a cup of tomato sauce. Season with whatever herbs you like...I added dried basil, oregano, salt, black pepper and some crushed red pepper flakes.  I let the mixture cool a bit and then stirred in some olives and shredded mozzarella.

Pile the zucchini boats with the ground beef mixture and bake, covered, for about 30 minutes.  Uncover and place some provolone slices on top and return to the oven, uncovered, to let the cheese melt.  Dinner's ready!

Pictured is just before going in to the oven.

Summer Vegetable Chowder

Take advantage of beautiful summer produce!

See the recipe here:

https://food52.com/recipes/30443-summer-vegetable-chowder

Creamy Cauliflower and Tomato Soup

This one is good warm or chilled.  It's creamy but has no cream!  Great on its own or with a sandwich!

Makes about 2 quarts

1 to 1 1/2 pounds cauliflower florets
3 Tbl olive oil for roasting plus one more for sauteeing the onion and garlic
Salt and pepper
One medium onion, diced
Three cloves garlic, minced
One cup of your favorite tomato sauce (I used Marcella Hazan's)
Seven cups chicken broth

Pre heat the oven to 350F. Place the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet and toss with the 3 Tbl olive oil.  Salt and pepper liberally.  Roast the cauliflower for about 3o minutes or until the edges just start to brown.  Remove from the oven.

In a medium soup pot warm the 1 Tbl olive oil and add the onion and garlic.  Saute until everything softens and becomes fragrant.

Stir in the cauliflower and tomato sauce and bring up to a simmer.  Add the chicken broth, bring up to a simmer and simmer for about 10 minutes. 

Blend the soup in batches in a regular blender or right in the pot if using an immersion blender until smooth. Serve warm or chilled.

'Maque Choux" Pasta Salad

A spicy pasta salad for a warm summer day!

https://food52.com/recipes/28349-maque-choux-pasta-salad

A Lovely Squash Find

At Costco the other day, I found a 2 pound bag of baby zucchini and pattypan squash.  I grabbed them and made this twice!

1 pound baby zucchini and pattypan squash, each piece cut in half

3 Tbl butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large saute pan and add the minced garlic.  Saute over medium heat for just a minute and then add the zucchini, squash and red pepper flakes.

Saute until edges just start to brown but be careful not to burn the garlic!  Salt and pepper to taste.

Peperonata Turkey Burgers

Grill some burgers tonight!

https://food52.com/recipes/29223-peperonata-turkey-burgers

Quick Mustard Pickles

Here's a quick pickle you can make in one day and will be ready to serve. Place a dish on a buffet, use them in sandwiches or serve with a little salmon gravlax.

1 large English cucumber
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup rice vinegar
4 Tbl granulated sugar
1/2tsp fine sea salt
1 Tbl plus 1 tsp yellow (ballpark) prepared mustard
1/4 cup minced fresh dill



Slice the cucumber thinly and place in a medium size bowl.  In a small sauce pan, heat the water, vinegar, salt and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
Off the heat, whisk in the mustard and stir in the dill. Pour the liquid over the cucumber and give everything a stir.
Place everything in a zippered freezer bag or a container with a lid and refrigerate over night. As you pass by the fridge, mix or shake them up a bit.

Red Bean Turkey Chili with Andouille

A few weeks ago I made a basic chili with ground turkey and red beans but added some andouille, that spicy somewhat garlicky sausage that's so popular in Cajun and Creole cuisine. A little extra spice never hurts in my book!

See the recipe here:

http://greaterdc.wholefoodsmarketcooking.com/recipes/14873_red_bean_turkey_chili_with_andouille 

Whipped Artichoke Spread

I was looking through the latest Zingerman's catalog (I love Zingermans!) and found a product for artichoke cream described as whipped with spices and vinegar.  I thought it sounded like something I'd like to try but when I went to order they were out.  I was determined to have some artichoke "cream" and checked the pantry and found 2 cans of artichoke hearts packed in water.  And so I made this spread....good on crackers, vegetables, pita chips and even as a spread for sandwiches. A little tart but if you like artichokes you may want to give it a try!


Makes over 2 cups

Two 14.5 ounce cans artichoke hearts packed in water
2 roasted garlic cloves
Juice of one small lemon (Meyer lemon is especially good)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Drain and rinse the artichokes and then place them in the bowl of a food processor along with the garlic, lemon juice, salt, white pepper and 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs.
Start processing while drizzling in the oil.  Process until fluffy and add a little more bread crumb if you'd like the spread a little sturdier. Place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for several hours to let the flavors marry.

Balkan Potato, Paprika and Green Bean Stew

This recipe brings many memories of my childhood...stews with lots of paprika simmering on the stove, sometimes with lamb, sometimes with pork....but always with paprika and rice or potatoes.  This stew stands alone but feel free to ladle it over braised lamb or pork for a more substantial meal.

Makes about 4 servings

2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 large leek (white and pale green part only), diced
8 large cloves garlic, halved
2 Tbl sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
One 14.5 ounce can plum tomatoes crushed a bit with your clean hands
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 pound of fresh young green beans, trimmed and halved
5 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered
1 Tbl minced fresh dill plus more for garnish

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or soup pot, add the diced leek and saute until softened.  Add the garlic halves, salt, pepper and paprika and continue to saute for a minute more.
Stir in the tomatoes, chicken broth and green beans, bring up to a boil and then down to a slow simmer and simmer, partially covered for about 30 minutes until the green beans are soft.  Give everything a stir a couple of times while simmering.
Add the potatoes, bring back up to a simmer and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
Off the heat, stir in the tablespoon of dill.  Serve in bowls, garnish with a few dill sprigs.

Asian Pear and Burrata Salad with a Lemongrass Glaze

This weeks' contest theme at Whole Foods Market Cooking is lemongrass.  I made a salad of Asian pears, spinach, burrata cheese with a lemongrass syrupy glaze.  Made for a wonderful lunch for the two of us.

Here's the link to the recipe:

http://nyc.wholefoodsmarketcooking.com/recipes/14660_asian_pear_and_burrata_salad_with_a_lemongrass_glaze 

Roasted Tomato and Basil Quinotto

I'm harvesting beautiful grape and cherry tomatoes right now and thought about a risotto like dish using quinoa.  Add some basil and a little cheese and you've got "Quinotto"!


Serves 3 or 4

For the roasted tomatoes and garlic:

2 cups grape or small cherry tomatoes (or a combination of both)
2 large cloves garlic left in their skins
4 Tbl olive oil
Salt and pepper

Place the tomatoes and garlic cloves in a small roasting pan and add the oil and a little salt and pepper.  Roll everything around to coat and then roast in a 400F oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the tomatoes begin to shrivel a bit.  Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

For the quinotto:

1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained well
3 Tbl butter
The previously roasted garlic cloves
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups warm chicken broth (I think vegetable broth would also work)
The roasted tomatoes
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Squeeze the garlic from their skins and then mash and chop it.
Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan and then add the quinoa and garlic and stir to coat all the grains.
Over medium heat, add the wine and cook while stirring frequently until the wine is absorbed into the quinoa.
Now add a ladle of chicken broth and stir while cooking until the broth absorbs into the quinoa.  keep repeating until the quinoa is cooked (You may not need all of the broth) This may take about 30 minutes.  You want the mix to be loose and not dry.
Gently stir in the cheese, tomatoes and basil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.
NOTE TO COOK: You can stir in a bit of cream at the end for a creamier version...I'd say about 1/4 cup.
 

Dilled Zucchini Soup for All Seasons

A lot of zucchini coming out of the garden right now and I'm thinking of all sorts of ways to prepare it.  Cooler nights this week so soup was in order.  I took one of those zucchini and added potatoes, dill and chicken broth and made this soup.  The next day I tasted the leftovers chilled and it was just as good!  Truly a soup for all seasons!!

Makes about 2 quarts

2 Tbl butter
2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 medium red skin potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 4 cups) or more:see note below
1 medium zucchini grated on the large holes of a box grater (about 3 cups)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 Tbl minced fresh dill or 1 Tbl dried
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
Thinly sliced green onion for garnish(optional) if serving warm
Finely diced cucumber for garnish (optional) if serving chilled

In a 4 quart soup pot, melt the butter along with the olive oil, add the diced onion and saute until the onion softens bu doesn't brown.
Add the diced potatoes, shredded zucchini, salt, pepper and dill and continue to saute while stirring for 3 or 4 more minutes.
Add the chicken broth, bring up to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.
Cool the soup a bit and then puree with an immersion blender or blend in batches in a regular blender.  To serve warm, bring the soup just barely to a boil and whisk in the sour cream.  garnish each bowl with green onion if desired.  To serve cold, after whisking in the sour cream, cool the soup to room temperature and then chill in the fridge for several hours (or overnight) before serving and garnish with cucumber.
NOTE:  For a thicker soup add a few more potatoes to the mix.

Roasted Tomato, Whipped Burrata and Basil Oil Soup

Yes   this is a simple roasted tomato soup, but what puts it over the top is a dollop of whipped burrata cheese and a drizzle of basil oil in the finish.  Summertime...Summertime!

Makes 1 1/2 to 2 quarts

 For the soup:
2 pounds Roma tomatoes
2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
A sprinkling of sea salt and pepper
4 Tbl butter
2 large shallots
2 large cloves garlic
2 Tbl AP flour
5 cups rich chicken broth
2 large basil leaves
Additional salt and pepper to taste

Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and seed them.  Place the halves, cut side up, on a parchment or Silpat lined rimmed baking sheet.  Drizzle them with the 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle a little salt and pepper over.  Roast in a 350F oven for one hour.  Remove from the oven and set aside.
Finely dice the shallots and garlic.  In a 4 quart soup pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter, add the diced garlic and shallots and saute until they soften up and become very fragrant.  Stir in the 2 tablespoons of flour and then saute for another minute or two.
Add the chicken broth and roasted tomatoes to the pot, bring up to the boil and then simmer the mixture for 20 minutes.
Let the soup cool a bit and then, in batches, puree the soup in a blender until quite smooth.  During one of those batches, add the 2 basil leaves so they get pureed also.
Now...you can certainly strain the soup into a clean pot, but I don't mind the few stray bits of tomato that might remain, so I leave it a little "rustic".  In any event, return the pureed soup to a clean pot.

For the burrata, basil oil and putting it all together:

1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 eight ounce ball of fresh burrata cheese
The roasted tomato soup

Place the basil leaves, olive oil and salt in a blender and then blend until the mixture gets as smooth as you can get it.  Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract all of the oil.  Set aside.
Break up the ball of burrata and place in a mini food processor and process until light and fluffy.
Gently reheat the soup, ladle into serving bowls and top each with a dollop of whipped burrata and a drizzle of the basil oil.