Chinese Hot and Sour Soup

One of my favorites!  If you like it spicy; add more chili oil and if you like it sour; add more rice vinegar. 

Chinese Hot and Sour Soup:

1/4 C Dried Mushrooms
1/2 C Hot Water
4 Ozs Wood Ear Mushrooms, cut in strips
12 Ozs Shitake Mushrooms (or combination of mushrooms), cut caps in strips
4 Oz Firm Tofu, diced in 1/8 cubes
1/2 C Bamboo Shoots, sliced in thin strips
3 Q Vegetable Stock
1 t Grated Ginger
1 T Sugar
1/3 C Rice Vinegar
2 T Soy Sauce
1/2 t Chili Oil
2 T Cornstarch
2 T Water
2 Egg Whites
1 t Sesame Oil
Salt to taste
2 T Scallions, thinly sliced

Directions:
1.  Soak the dried mushrooms in the hot water for 30 minutes.  Drain  and save the soaking liquid.  Slice into small bits.
2.  In soup pot, add stock, mushrooms, dried mushrooms, soaking liquid, tofu, bamboo shoots, ginger and wood ears.  Bring to a boil; turn down heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
3.  Add sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce and chili oil. 
4.  Mix cornstarch with water and add mixture to soup; until thickens. 
5.  Beat egg whites and pour slowly in a stream into the soup; stirring constantly.   Cook the egg; it will turn white.  Turn heat off.
6.  Add sesame oil and salt to taste.
7.  Garnish each bowl with fresh scallions.

Serves 8-10

Fun Fact:  Mushrooms take in oxygen for digestion and give off carbon dioxide.  They are low in calories, fat and sodium. 

We grew our own mushrooms this year; Nameko mushrooms (see photo).  I added some into this soup but feel free to add any additional mushrooms that you love.

Potato Leek Soup

Potato Leek Soup:

1/3 C Butter
1 Onion, diced
3 Leeks, sliced white part only
1 Clove of Garlic
10-12 Medium Potatoes, peeled and diced
2 Q Vegetable Stock
1/2 C Heavy Cream
1/2 C Buttermilk
1 T Fresh Chives
Salt to taste

Directions:
1.  Saute onions, leek and garlic in the butter with a little salt until translucent; about 3-5 minutes.
2.  Add the potatoes and continue to saute for 5 more minutes.
3.  Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
4.  Puree 1/2 of soup in a food processor or with an immersion blender.
5.  Return to soup pot on low heat.  Add cream and buttermilk. 
6.  Salt to taste.
7.  Serve in bowls with fresh chives on top.

Serves 6-8

Fact: The average American eats 137 pounds of potatoes per year.  That includes fresh, potato chips and dehydrated potatoes.

Soup Queen's Vegetable Stock

Soup Queen's Vegetable Stock:
4 Q Water
3 Carrots, peeled and cut in half
1 Onion, peeled and cut in half
1 Shallot, peeled and cut in half
3 Cloves of Garlic, peeled
3 Celery Stalks, cut in half
5-7 Mushrooms, cut in half
5 Sprigs of Thyme
5 Springs of Parsley
1 T Salt
2 t Olive Oil

Directions:
1.  Mix all ingredients in a soup pot. 
2.  Bring to a boil and lower heat.
3.  Simmer for about 2 hours.
4.  Run through a strainer.

Makes about 3 Quarts

Tip:  If you are not going to use your stock right away, it is best to freeze it for a later use.

Italian Bean Soup

I have been getting a lot of requests for a “bean” soup.  My mom used to make a wonderful bean soup around New Years and I have decided the re-create it with some lovely chard we found at the Farmers Market this week. 

Italian Bean Soup:

1 Bunch Swiss Chard, sliced in ¼ inch pieces

2 T Olive Oil

1 Leek, sliced white part only
1 Shallot, diced 

2 Cloves of Garlic

6 C Chicken Stock

4 Whole Tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
1 T Tomato Paste

1/2 C Carrots, sliced
1/8 t Ground Pepper

1 T Fresh Rosemary

2 C Cannellini Beans, cooked

1/4 C Orzo Pasta

1/4 C Fresh Parsley, chopped

Parmesan Cheese, grated
Salt to taste

Directions:

1.  Slice the chard and keep the leafy tops aside.

2.  Heat olive oil in a soup pot.  Add a little salt, shallots, leek and garlic, saute for 3-5 minutes; until translucent.

3.  Add chard stocks, chicken stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, carrots, pepper and rosemary.

4.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes.

5.  Add beans, orzo, parsley and chard tops.  Simmer for 10 more minutes.

6.  Serve with fresh grated Parmesan on the top.  Salt to taste.

Serves 6-8

Tip:  Cannellini beans are often referred to as white kidney beans.  They have the same basic taste.

Winter Root Vegetable Soup

I got to use my Christmas present for the first time today; my immersion blender.  What a wonderful tool and it makes this soup so easy to puree.

Winter Root Vegetable Soup:

3 Leeks, white part only; cut into strips
1/4 C Unsalted Butter
2 T Olive Oil
3 Fresh Springs of Thyme
2 Sprigs of Fresh Parsley
2 Bay Leaves
4 Whole Parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/4 cubes
2 Small Celery Roots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
2 Pounds Potatoes (about 4 large), peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
2 Cloves of Garlic
8 C Vegetable Stock
3/4 C Heavy Cream
Salt
Garnish:
White Truffle Oil
1 T Olive Oil
8 Mushrooms, sliced

Directions:

1. In soup pot, heat butter, 2 T olive oil and a pinch of salt.  Saute leeks until translucent; about 5 minutes.
2. Stir in thyme, parsley and bay leaves. Saute for 3 more minutes.
3. Stir in potatoes, parsnips, celery root, garlic and stock. Add a pinch salt.
4. Bring to a boil and turn down heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes.
5. Add cream and simmer for 10 more minutes.
6. Remove thyme, parsley and bay leaves.
7. Puree soup in a blender or with an immersion blender.

8. Pour soup through a mesh strainer/chinois and salt to taste.
9. In a fry pan, heat the olive oil and saute the mushrooms for 3-5 minutes.
10. Pour soup in bowls, drizzle with truffle oil and add 3 sauteed mushrooms per bowl.

Serves 6-8

Tip: If truffles are in season, this soup is great with a shaving of black truffle too.

Parsnip

Red Lentil and Mint Soup

I decided to make a lentil soup for the New Year.  Eating lentils on New Year's often is associated with good luck and dates back to the Romans.  I used red lentils, which are more common in the Mediterranean and added fresh mint for more flavor. 

Red Lentil and Mint Soup:

2 C Red Lentils, rinsed
3 Q Vegetable Stock
1 Large Onion, finely chopped
2 T Olive oil
1 C Bulgur, medium (#3 or #4), rinsed
4 T Unsalted Butter
1 T Tomato Paste diluted in 1/3 C warm water
3 Tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped
1 t Smoked Paprika
1/8 t Cayenne
4 T Fresh Mint
Juice of lemon (optional)
Salt

Directions:
1.  In soup pot, saute onions in olive oil and 1 T butter until translucent. 
2.  Add the stock, lentils, bulgur, remaining butter, tomato paste, tomatoes and salt. 

3.  Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes.
4.  Reduce heat and simmer for about an hour and a half.
5.  Stir in paprika, cayenne and mint.  Cook for 5 more minutes.
6.  Salt to taste.  Serve and add lemon if desired.

Serves 6-8

Tip:  You can find red lentils in the dried bean section.  You always need to rinse and pick through them for any "odd" lentils.