Calalou and Basil Soup

It's been too long since I posted. No excuse other than my cute 4-month old. :) Haven't cooked any very interesting foods for awhile. Figuring it was high time I stopped with the excuses and started cooking real food again!

I remember when we had a farm share last year Lora and I had greens coming out of our ears. Kale chips, soups, greens and beans where our go-to recipes for all the excess. Last week a friend shared her favorite "greens" soup recipe and I had to try it. So the great part is this recipe would work with any green you want to cook down and get out of your fridge! I added tomatoes and basil because that's what I add to everything in the summer. Wish I had this recipe last year!

When I went to the market last week I expected greens to be at every stand. It was bizarre, nothing. No spinach, swiss chard, kale... nothing!! Guess its only a spring thing, but our farm last year produced all of it all summer long.

Well, It was the last thing on my list and Abel I were racing to see who could spot green first. Finally, I saw some collard greens and another big huge barrel full of this light large leafed green. The woman behind the bench was watching me, "You know what that is, Honey?"

"No." I replied. "Is it good in soup?"

"Why, yes!" She beamed. "It's calalou."

So there you have it. It's delicious but anything else you have in your fridge will work too.

Mangia~

Tracey

Calalou and Basil Soup

makes 2 hearty servings so you probably want to double or triple it!

2 large handfuls of any green leafy veggie, deveined and rinsed

7 or so large leaves of basil

1 large onion chopped coursely

3 cloves garlic sliced coursely

olive oil

2 fresh tomatoes chopped into course chunks or 1 can diced tomatoes

2.5 cups chicken broth or more if you like thinner soup

salt and pepper

Saute onion and garlic in about 4 Tablespoons olive oil for 2-3 min over medium heat. Add greens and basil and cook until tender. Add tomatoes and chicken stock, bring to a boil. Cook down for a few minutes and flavor with salt and pepper. Blend in food processor or blender until smooth, add more stock if needed and heat through before serving. A swirl of heavy cream would be great but I didn't have any... was still good. :)

Maine Corn & Fish Chowder

I took a cooking class in Bar Harbor, Maine last week. The instructor, Sharon Joyce, shared recipes for blueberry muffins, popovers, steamed mussells, and this chowder. Sharon explained the traditions and food culture of the region, while whipping up a feast for the class, with our occasional assistance.

This chowder recipe was my favorite of those shared (all were delicious, but I think this is the one I'll make with the most regularity - um, sans lobster). This recipe is almost 100 years old (if not older), and was given to Sharon by a woman who worked as the head house keeper to a very wealthy Maine family many years ago. When the family would travel for business or pleasure, they would always request this chowder (with corn or white fish) for their first meal after arriving home. It's so simple, no bacon (sniff) or stock, I can see why it was a go-to dish.

Even though it was warm outside, I made this chowder while we were still in Maine so we could capitalize on the low-cost seafood. I am SO jealous of Mainards and their ability to buy lobsters and still afford to eat for the rest of the week.

I love this recipe because you can also make it with haddock or grouper - more realistic for an upstate New Yorker.

This is a loose chowder, so if you are looking for a thick one, you'll have to find a different recipe. I don't think adding a roux to this one would work well. It uses water for the majority of the liquid.

This recipe is so simple and can be made really inexpensively as a plain corn chowder. It's one of those "file it and make it in a pinch" type recipes.

Thanks to Sharon for sharing her stories and recipes!

Mangia~

Lora

Maine Corn & Fish Chowder

1 large onion

2 tbsp butter

2 cloves garlic

2 potatoes - such as yukon gold, peeled

Fresh thyme, or pinch of dried to taste (it doesn't need any herbs, but I had thyme on-hand so I added it)

Fresh corn from two cobs and/or a couple of filets of white fish

1-2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup cream

Saute 1 large onion chopped in 2 tbsp butter, until translucent (do not brown)

Add 2 garlic cloves, minced (honestly, I added this. you can't make ANYTHING without garlic!!)

Saute for 2 mins and add 2 large yukon gold potatoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces

Stir the potatoes and coat with the butter and onions

Add water just to cover potatoes and simmer (do not boil) until potatoes are tender

Add fresh corn, and/or white fish chopped into bite-sized pieces

Add whole milk to cover the corn and/or fish (about an inch or so)

Simmer for 7-9 mins until corn and/or fish are cooked through

Salt and pepper to taste

Add 1/2 cup of cream and simmer for a few minutes more.

Serve with crusty bread or Maine's traditional popovers!

If you happen to have a lobster - this is how we cooked it before we added it to the chowder:

Place a 1 1/2 - 2 lb lobster in the freezer, for approx 30 mins prior to boiling (seen as a humane way to end the little guy/gal's journey on earth)

Bring a large stock pot filled with water to a rolling boil

Salt the water heavily

When the water is at a rolling boil, place the lobster in the pot and cover with a lid

Set your timer for 12 mins

Once the timer rings, place the lobster in a shallow bowl and allow it to cool for several minutes, until you can comfortably handle it.

When cool, pick it up and crack the tail away from the body. The green goop inside should be removed (once thought edible, it's no longer recommended you eat it). The body of the lobster actually has hardly any meat, and it's not really worth the effort of getting at it. Pull the tail meat out and chop. Crack the claws and pull out the meat. The leg meat can be eaten by cracking them at the joints and then using your teeth to push the meat into your mouth (kind of like a freezy pop - but much more delicious).

Lentil & Sausage Soup (Stew), Two Ways

Not really sure why I don't typically pay attention to recipes on food packaging, but I'm glad I didn't ignore this one. I've been on the hunt for a great lentil recipe (ever since I read they are one of the healthiest things to eat, which explains why my mom fed them to us till they came out of our ears), and ever since we went on vacation and ate the most delicious lentils in the world.

So this recipe isn't nearly as delicious as the lentil salad that we had at Chez Panisse, but it is a hearty, flavorful and an easy way to get more nutrients into your body (and kids seem to like it).

This is pretty much the same recipe that's on the back of the Goya lentil package (found in the Goya section, of course!), I just added more veggies (quantity), more garlic (shocked?), more sausage, added tons of fresh thyme (because, what isn't better with fresh thyme?), and removed the bouillon cube. I've even made this with just water (didn't have broth or stock on hand), I just added some Goya adobo seasoning, and it was really good.

I love this soup because of its earthy, sausage-y flavor. And also because it thickens so well. You can add more stock to loosen it if you prefer, or you can leave it thick and eat it like a hearty stew. For a second dinner, you can put it over noodles, rice or Tracey even put it over perogies once. Great one pot-two dinner thing going on here.

I've made this at least 6 times in the past 2 months, and Rich hasn't asked me to take it off the list yet. That's a great sign. ;)

Mangia~

Lora

Lentil & Sausage Soup

1lb lentils (rinsed)

3 glugs of olive oil in a soup pot

1 large sweet onion, minced

4 largish stalks celery, chopped fine

4 largish carrots, chopped fine

10 sprigs of fresh thyme - leaves picked

1lb sausage

3-4 largish cloves of garlic, minced

2 bay leaves

8-9 cups vegetable or chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Saute onions, celery, and carrots in olive oil for 5-7 minutes until slightly soft (add fresh thyme immediately after all three are in the pot). Sprinkle veggies with salt and pepper. Add sausage and brown. Then add bay leaves and garlic. Saute 2-3 mins more.

Add lentils and saute for 1 min - then add the stock. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover and lower to a simmer. Simmer until lentils are cooked through and soup thickens a bit. Add more hot stock if you want it looser. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve with warm biscuits or crusty bread.

Chicken, Cheese, and Apple Chili

It's tempting to call this more of a stew but there is chili powder in it and beans, so I suppose it is an actual chili. Cheesy and dreamy chili. There is a slight kick from the mexican chili powder I used but it is well balanced by the sweetness of the apples. Great with a side of toasted tortillas.

I'm not sure what makes the bulk chili powder my mom bought for me "mexican", but the result is probably a little spicier than the traditional. I finally remembered to ask her the name of the company she gets her spices from, and then promptly forgot it. So hopefully she'll comment on here as a resource for anyone looking for some great online spice shopping. I recommend their cinnamon, cumin, and cloves, oh and the above chili powder, of course. And ginger too.

The best part of having toasted tortillas around is that any leftovers are reserved for dessert. Slathered with jam. :)

Mangia~

Tracey

Chicken, Cheese, and Apple Chili

adapted from Everyday Magazine

2 lbs chicken breasts or tenders cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 apples cut into 1/2 inch peices
1 med onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
salt and pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/4 flour
4 tablespoons butter
2 cans of white beans drained and rinsed
2 cups monterey jack cheese shredded or colby jack blend
toasted tortillas
olive oil

In a dutch oven type pot heat 2 T olive oil over medium heat, add chicken, cumin, and chili powder. Cook for a few minutes and then add chopped garlic, cook another couple of minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and transfer chicken to bowl. Salt and pepper the chicken.
In same pot add another 2 T of olive oil over medium heat and cook the apples and onions together until soft, about 6 minutes. Remove apples into bowl with cooked chicken.
In same pot melt butter and add flour. Whisk together for one minute over medium/low heat. Add milk and broth and whisk over medium heat for several minutes until thickened.
Add chicken and apple mixtures and bring to a simmer, then add beans and cheese. Stir until heated through.

Entry #5: Mama Rae's Italian Sausage Clam Chowder

This is a family favorite. Mama Rae used to make a triple batch of this unbelievably good soup for family picnics when we were small. We have dreams about it.

3 lbs ground sweet italian sausage
1/2 lb ground hot italian sausage
1 "huge"can of chopped clams from BJs (you'll have to ask her for the actual size!), reserve juice
2 large onions chopped
1 red pepper chopped
1 "small" can chicken broth (see above)
2 large containers sliced mushrooms (see a pattern here?)
2 heads of garlic chopped (that one is for real!)
3-20+ oz cans of crushed tomatoes
3 cups hearty burgandy wine

Brown sausage and then add mushrooms, chop them up into meat as they cook. Add a little water or broth to prevent mixture from sticking. Once mushrooms are browned and tender remove meat mixture from pan. In same pan saute onions, garlic, and pepper, over medium heat until sweated.
In large stock pot combine both mixtures. Add cans of tomatoes and rinse contents of cans with chicken broth and empty into pot. Drain clams and set aside. Add clam juice to soup. Add 1 cup of wine and simmer soup for 25 minutes. Add another cup of swine and continue to simmer.
15 minutes before serving add clams and the last cup of wine.

Entry #4: Tracey's Chorizo and Potato Soup

Adapted from Emeril's Kale and Chorizo Soup

I added many more potatoes and much less kale than the original recipe. I like soft but hearty potatoes in my soup, and lots of them. I thought more kale than what I used made the soup too bitter and took away from the great flavor of the broth.

2 T olive oil
1 pound chorizo sliced in 1/2 inch slices, if I make this again I will use fresh chorizo
1 large onion chopped
4 large cloves garlic chopped
5 large white potatoes peeled and cute in bite sized pieces
3 quarts chicken stock
2 cups chopped kale, stemmed,
2 bay leaves
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt/pepper to taste
parmesan for topping

In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the chorizo and onions. Saute the mixture for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and potatoes and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the stock and kale and bring the liquid up to a boil. Stir in the bay leaves, thyme and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and skim off any fat.

Entry #3: Shawnie's Savory Winter Soup

Shawnie's original recipe entered into our Christmas Soup Simmer Competition.

1 large carrot
1 large sweet potato
1 large parsnip
olive oil, salt and pepper
garlic powder
fresh rosemary
2 packages baby bella mushrooms
butter
3 chicken and spinach sausage links
3 green onions
1 link smoked chorizo
2 cups small cooked pasta
3 quarts chicken stock

Slice carrots, parsnips, and sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch slices. Coat veggies with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, and a dusting of garlic powder. Then sprinkle with fresh rosemary. Roast at 450 for 15 min, then flip on tray and roast for another 15 min. Set aside.

Slice mushrooms into thick chunks and saute in a bit of butter and olive oil combined until browned. Set aside.

Add about a tablespoon of olive oil into saute pan and cook chicken sausage 7-8 min on each side. Let cool and slice into 1/2 inch slices. Set aside.

Chop 3 green onions and smoked chorizo into small bits. Set aside.

If using home made stock (see Shawnie's recipe below), then take stock out of fridge and skim the fat from the top. Place fat into a large frying pan and begin to warm. Once bubbling add 1/4 flour stirring until smooth. Add 2 cups stock, whisking until smooth and thickened. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

In separate pot warm chicken stock and add gravy to thicken and stir. Add all the roasted veggies, sausage, and onions. Heat through. Add 2 cups small cooked pasta, (tubetti, orzo, etc.) right before serving.

Chicken Stock

1 whole chicken
2 celery stalks
2 large carrots
4 cloves garlic
1 large onion
10 peppercorns
1 sprig rosemary

Put all ingredients into a large stock pot. Fill pot with cold water until it just covers the chicken. Simmer uncovered for two hours or until chicken falls off the bone. Strain out chicken and vegetables. Cool stock in the fridge.

Soup Stock

Hardly anything is more satisfying (or better smelling) than a big pot of something simmering on your stove. Sauce, stock, soup, stew…

That reminds me.

I saw a commercial this week that really got my goat. It promoted Lean Cuisine's latest brainchild, Market Creations. Have you seen it? It starts of with the sound of a knife chopping against a cutting board and goes on to dismiss the idea of using cooking to de-stress after a long day.

Seriously?!

There is nothing more relaxing for me than cooking. OK, honestly? A massage would probably beat chopping in an arm wrestle… But come on!! Can advertisers dumb up the American public any more?

I think the eras of convenience (enter the 50's and 60's) ruined most American home cooks. Ads shouted at our moms and grandmas, "Hey, you! Yeah, you lady! Don't get stuck in the kitchen a minute longer than you have to! Leave it up to the professionals." Yeah, the guys in lab coats who crafted condensed soups, tv dinners and who now genetically engineer our food. Those professionals.

We all know we are smarter and more capable than any commercial portrays, but we are consistently inundated with messaging that claim otherwise.

Cooking CAN be a stress-reliever and cathartic. Cooking puts you in touch with the ingredients that enter your body. It allows you to care for yourself, and offer nutrition to those you love. And it results in deliciousness! Yes, it can take longer than "a few minutes" (the time-frame Lean Cuisine claims your dinner will be ready), but it probably won't take longer than 30-40 mins.

I made stock for the second time this weekend. It brought me full circle. Creating stock empowers you. It shows you that you can take a raw product and create several delicious, healthy meals with your two hands with no pre-conceived spice packets or powders.

We are all busy, and we all deserve time-savers. But our society has robbed us from one simple truth: We can cook healthy, flavorful meals at home, and they do not take hours to prepare (after the two hours on Saturday afternoon when you simmered your stock, of course :).

It's easy and worth the time. Dare I say, it feeds your soul.

Do you agree? Disagree? I'd really like to know what M&M readers think (use the comment section to post your thoughts).

Well, here's Tracey's recipe if you have (or plan to have) a turkey or chicken carcass hanging around.

Miss out on the turkey remains? Roast a chicken! ;)

~Mangia

Lora

Stock

1 chicken or turkey carcass (don't ya love that word?)

Any veggies you might have roasted with the bird (and reserved)

And/ or some fresh veggies, like: halved onions, celery stalks, carrots, smashed garlic

Herbs. I used dried rosemary, thyme, and sage.

Bay leaves

Peppercorns -0r just some ground black pepper

Healthy sprinkling of salt

Cover everything with water

Bring to a boil

Lower to a simmer and cover

Pour a glass of wine

Put your feet up

After 1 or 2 hours (whenever you feel the broth has a rich color and flavor) turn of heat and let cool

Strain then pour into multiple containers and refrigerate or freeze.

P.S. Since I'm currently obsessed with chipotles in adobo, I added one when I made turkey soup (pictured above) using this soup recipe today. I just used shredded turkey meat instead of meatballs and the homemade stock. The chipotle added the appropriate kick in the pants. Highly recommend it.

Fall Fare

We obviously took the rest of the summer off! But we are back in full swing.

Tracey and I were lucky enough to come into a farm-share in September. Every Monday, one of us treks out to Mud Creek Farm in Victor, NY, where we select a specified amount of fresh, organic produce from the previous week's harvest.

Recently, this has meant beets, carrots, garlic, onions, salad greens, swiss chard, and delicata squash. I've never cooked beets or delicata. Which makes me sad that I've missed out on these lovely vegetables for so many years. I think I'm making up for lost time.

I thought I'd share this recipe for beet salad that was inspired by a restaurant salad I had recently (and allowed me to use my excessive amounts of salad greens), and I'm sharing a picture of meatball soup. I posted the recipe a while back, but never added an image. I included the delicata squash and tons of fresh thyme this time round. I cooked the squash in a pat of butter separate from the other veg in the soup because I was afraid it will fall apart otherwise. It was a lovely addition.

Cheers to all things fall!

~Mangia

Lora

Roasted Beet Salad

Generous handful of salad greens for each person

Pecans (toasted if you have time)

Heirloom tomatoes (if you have any)

Crumbled blue cheese

Roasted beets (peel and chop 5 med beets, drizzle with evoo, s & p. roast at 400 for 30-40 mins - or until the are carmalized and soft. Let cool slightly)

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Meatball Soup

My mom has a few posts in the pipeline, one of which is her homemade chicken noodle soup. I'll never pretend I make soup as well as my mom, grandmother or grandfather. We do try, however, to make soup frequently. Rich's clam chowder is soooo good. I tried to convice him into posting it. It obviously hasn't worked yet. ;( This meatball soup recipe is one that we ate variations of throughout our childhood and I have to say it was my favorite (next to the chicken noodle).

I've only made homemade broth a few times and hope to make more in the future (Tracey makes amazing turkey broth each year after Thanksgiving...Trac - I think you should schedule a post for this in 2010!). I've found the organic, low-sodium brands to be flavorful and a viable substitute.

Mangia~
Lora

Meatballs: Prepare your favorite meatball recipe (or purchase ground, sweet sausage) and roll into tiny meatballs. Saute in olive oil in a single layer until browned.

While meatballs are browning:
In a soup pot: Saute 1 med onion, three stalks celery, 3 carrots - chopped in drizzle of olive oil until soft.
Add 6 cups broth, bring to a low boil and lower to a simmer. Add favorite veggies (I had fresh green beans, diced tomatoes, fresh spinach). Add cooked meatballs and simmer until veggies are desired doneness. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add some of your favorite pasta (I cook the pasta separately so that the pasta doesn't become soggy in the soup - trick my mom taught me). Vi likes the mini-bow ties because they look like Hello Kitty's hair accessory. ;)

Chickpea-Leek Soup

Soup is good. Soup is great when our Grandpa makes it. We have been pleading with him for years to write down his recipes. But like any good cook, he says, "Oh, you know, a little bit of this and a handful of that!" Which is endearing but not helpful when you want to make great soup like him. He must have at least 50 secret soup recipes stashed. I think it's time for a soup day. I'll let him cook while I follow him around and type away.

This soup is an easy and delicious recipe I found years ago in my Outside magazine. I've just kind of adapted it over the years but figured I couldn't really post it without measurements so I googled the idea of it and was interested to find out the recipe was originally by Jamie Oliver, the "Naked Chef" on the Food Network. Wherever it came from, it's hearty and healthy, something like what my Grandpa would throw together. It actually tastes like Thanksgiving dinner in a bowl. And who wouldn't love that?

Leek and Chickpea Soup
6 large leeks cleaned and sliced roughly (an easier way to clean them is to cut off the root end and any dark green leaves, then slice down the middle and pull the layers apart to rinse. A lot of grit can be caught in the layers.)
5 cloves garlic sliced
2 T olive oil
2.5 T butter
3 cans chickpeas
5-6 c stock
3/4 c Parmesan cheese plus more for topping
salt and pepper

You will need a blender or food processor or something to mash this to bits.

Melt butter in large heavy bottomed pot, then add olive oil over med heat. Add garlic, cook until soft. Add leeks and cook until they smell good and are soft, about 10+ min. Add 3 cups of the broth and all the chickpeas. Cook for several min. to get flavors mixing. Put mixture in blender and puree until it has your desired smoothness. I like to leave some chickpeas chunky to give it some texture, but you can also make this a 100% creamy soup. I blend 2/3 of the total amount and put it back in soup pot, then add as much of the left over broth as I need to get my desired texture. Add Parmesan and cook together for 30 min or more. Salt and pepper to taste, but only after you add the cheese, or it may get to be too salty. Serve piping hot with some more cheese on top. Makes 6 meal sized servings.

For simple stock I throw the following in a pot and bring to a boil, then simmer for hours. Well worth very little effort! If you're not up for using it right away just freeze it. Those Wegmans rotisserie chicken bones make great broth.

Simple Stock:
In large pot...
Bones, meat leftovers from 1 or 2 roasted chickens or 1 turkey
Large onion slice in half
4-5 garlic cloves peeled and smashed or not
3 carrots
2 celery stalks
salt and pepper
bundle of thyme (or any other fresh herb you like, tied together for easy trashing)
2 bay leaves if you have them
Water to cover ingredients by an inch or so
Bring to boil over high heat, stir, cover, simmer for 3-4 hours