No Shortcuts

Every year, I join the many folk who prepare for the holidays by preparing baked treats. I would venture that most of us have family favorite recipes we are implored (or even ordered) to make.

For me, it's butterscotch pie (from a recipe my mother-in-law gave me) and pumpkin pie made the Pennsylvania Dutch way.

And, it is especially Scottish Shortbread. There are no shortcuts to making shortbread. This simple tasty treat is a hand-mix all the way kind of recipe.

I got the recipe years ago from my Aunt Arlene. I lived with my uncle Arthur (my dad's brother) and his wife Arlene while my parents were on their last term as missionaries. I wrote a bit about her here--she was the aunt who urged me to buy the practical coat. While she could be abrupt and severe, she could also bake up a storm.

Every Christmas, she made wonderful shortbread. And one year, she taught me how. I have tried to teach various family members who are interested--it really is a teach by doing kind of recipe.

So, here goes.

AUNT ARLENE'S SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

The ingredients:
5 cups flour-take out 2 heaping tablespoons, replace with 2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup white sugar
Pinch of salt
3/4 pound of butter COLD from the frig

Slice butter into flour mix and work with hands until all flour disappears and it begins to stick together. Form a ball of dough in your hand, then break it apart. When it is thoroughly mixed, the dough will crumble into the size of small peas--

Put into a flat pan (I use one about 10 by 14)--

Press in very firmly and evenly--

Prick with a fork--

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes--

Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees and bake until it is the color of rich cream--

Remove from oven, sprinkle with sugar --


Cut immediately--

into pieces about an inch wide by three inches long--

Place in an airtight tin.

Now the terminology in the recipe is exactly as my aunt had written out the recipe. I can tell you from years of experience making shortbread that it takes about 10 minutes after reducing the oven heat for the shortbread to become the color of rich cream.

I love that description--the color of rich cream--but it assumes an experience few of us have had. When whole milk was delivered from house to house, the milk bottles would sit at the door, and the milk would slowly settle. By the time the housewife (most likely) brought the milk inside, it would have settled. And the rich cream--a pale yellow--would have been on top. If this ritual happened long ago, the cream would be skimmed off and used for special food preparation.

Sadly, today, our milk is put up in plastic bottles, and most of us are so far removed from its production we have no clue what color rich cream is.

I also like the detail of the dough crumbling into pieces the size of small peas. Maybe that's how you can recognize an authentic recipe--homey little details such as these.

If you are a pie dough whiz, I think you will do well at making shortbread.

But, don't take any shortcuts!

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Apologies on the photo orientation--Blogger got very weird and would NOT let me rotate some of the photos for correct view.

Return of Saturday Soups...and More!

My husband and I began decorating for Christmas right around Thanksgiving. We are not really trying to rush the season--it's just that with us both (mostly) retired, we can do things on our own schedule.

Today, we finished up with the last touches on the Christmas tree. It began snowing in the morning, and all day a light gentle snow fell--not enough to accumulate, but enough to give a cheery Christmas look to the outdoors. Trees both indoor and out are decorated.

So, herewith, the pics, and then soup--I promise.

Now to soup. Tomorrow is our church's annual Soup Bistro. I have written about this topic before, explaining that everything is donated--the supplies, and the volunteer time. The beneficiary is a local organization that helps people in need.

We made the New England Fish Chowder--yum. Lots of chunky vegetables, and fish (of course) along with whole milk and cream. Oh, oh, oh. . .

Tomorrow we will be tired--but tonight we are happy.

NEW ENGLAND SEAFOOD CHOWDER
12 SERVINGS

Ingredients

8 bacon slices, chopped
2 large onions, chopped
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
2 bay leaves
4 cups seafood stock or clam juice
1 tsp. saffron threads **
2 cups diced peeled white potatoes (1/2 inch dice)
3 cups diced peeled butternut squash (1/2 inch dice)
1 lb. chopped frozen kale
5 cups whole milk
1 cup half and half
2 tsps. salt
3 lbs. mixed fresh white fish, cut into ¾-inch pieces.

Method

Saute chopped bacon in heavy soup pot until fully cooked and all fat is rendered. Remove bacon from pot and discard bacon fat, leaving only a small amount of fat for sautéing onions.

Add onions to the pot and sauté til soft, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and bay leaf and stir over low heat. Add seafood stock and saffron and bring to a simmer.

Carefully place potatoes and butternut squash cubes into the hot broth. Bring the broth just back to a simmer. Add chopped frozen kale. Immediately add the milk, the half and half, and the salt. Add bacon back into the soup. Bring to a low simmer.

Add fish pieces to soup and turn off heat immediately. Simmer until all the ingredients are cooked through.

** On the off chance you don't buy saffron threads every week, I would suggest you can skip these. A small portion--a teeny tiny amount in a regular spice bottle--cost us about $15 in a local grocery store. I gulped, but bought it anyway. Since it adds just a touch of flavor, and mostly is used for the yellow color--I would say. . .skip it. Really.

Saturday Soups-- Last Soup of Winter Season 2008/9

We come to the end of our soup recipes for the winter 2008/9 season.

Each day, the sun creeps a little higher on the horizon--the sunsets are a lovely coppery orange glow. With the promised return of spring, soup season (while not necessarily over) is winding down.

Last week, I suggested that I should have posted a RED soup, in honor of Valentine's Day in case you missed the reference. Well, here it is today--I know, I know--a week late, but hold on to the recipe until next year. Or, consider it comfort food for now. What can be more comfort food than tomato soup.

Classic Tomato Garlic Soup
Makes 12 servings.
This is an adaptation of a MOOSEWOOD recipe.

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup olive oil
10 garlic cloves, pressed (or very finely minced)
2 T. paprika
12 cups tomato juice (two 46 oz. cans)
2 cups water or homemade vegetable stock
1/2 cup dry sherry
3/4 lb. Fresh or frozen tortellini

HERBED CROUTONS:
6 cups small bread cubes pinch of dried thyme
3 T. olive oil pinch of dried marjoram
2 T. butter

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2) In a non-reactive soup pot, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté, stirring constantly, until sizzling golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the garlic!

3) Sprinkle in the paprika and cook for about 30 seconds more; be careful not to scorch the paprika or the soup will have a bitter flavor. Add the tomato juice, water or stock, and sherry. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a boil; then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

4) While the soup simmers, make the croutons. Spread the bread cubes on an unoiled baking sheet and bake until crisp and dry, 10 to 15 minutes.

5) In a very small saucepan or in the microwave, heat the olive oil, butter, thyme, and marjoram until the butter has melted. Pour the herbed butter over the toasted bread cubes and toss to coat well. Let the croutons cool and crisp on the baking sheet.

6) Serve the soup topped with croutons, grated Parmesan, and parsley. Or for a different twist, add cooked tortellinis.

While in our household, I am unlikely to make this recipe with the garlic (my husband has an aversion to garlic) I have eaten this soup, and enjoyed it.

High on our list of comfort foods are tomato soup and toasted cheese sandwiches.

What are some of your favorite comfort foods?

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Credits--photo from http://thebarefootkitchenwitch.typepad.com/the_barefoot_kitchen_witc/2008/02/valentines-da-1.html

Saturday Soups-- # 12 Winter 2008/2009

Last week, I indicated I am winding down the season of Saturday soups, but that I would take a request or two, should there be any.

Well, this one is for Laurie. She requested a split pea soup recipe--I confess that split pea is one of my favorite soups.

Today is also Valentine's Day--I suppose based on that fact, I should have posted a RED soup--I will do that next week, unless someone has a very special request.

Of special note this week are the anniversaries of two important births: by coincidence Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin share a birthday--February 12, 1809. Much has already been written about this convergence in history, so I won't try to add to it.

Then, yesterday I celebrated my birthday.

Now today--Valentine's Day. . .and my aunt's birthday. When I was growing up, I thought having your birthday on Valentine's Day would be great. She has told me that she hoped I would be born on her birthday--but I rushed things a bit.

Split Pea with Rosemary
Makes 12

Ingredients

3 cups green split peas
4 tsp. olive oil, divided
4 cups chopped onion
2 cups diced carrot
2 bay leaves
2 T. (about 6 cloves) garlic, divided
2 T. minced fresh rosemary, divided
2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 T. tomato paste
2 T. soy sauce
8 cups water
4 cups chicken broth (low-salt if using canned)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1) Sort and wash peas; cover with water to 2 inches above peas, and set aside.

2) Heat 2 tsp. of oil in a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and bay leaves; sauté 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

3) Add 1-1/2 T. of garlic, 1 T. of chopped rosemary, paprika, and pepper, cook 3 minutes.

4) Add tomato paste and soy sauce; cook until liquid evaporates, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.

5) Drain peas. Add peas, 8 cups water, and chicken stock to onion mixture; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 1 hour, stirring often. Discard bay leaves.

6) Place soup in blender or food processor (in batches); process until smooth. Pour puréed soup into a bowl. Repeat with remaining soup.

7) Combine 2 teaspoons oil, 1/2 T. garlic, 1 T. rosemary, and parsley. Stir parsley mixture into soup.

8) Options--you can use vegetable broth, if you want a completely vegetarian soup. Or, if you want a meatier soup, you can add chopped ham.

Saturday Soups-- # 11 Winter 2008/2009

Several years ago, my husband and I went on a cruise--our daughter and her now fiancé were along. The ship sailed to Bermuda, so we had several days at sea, and then several days to explore Bermuda.

Bermuda was the first place out of the United States that my husband and I ever visited together--and we have been there a couple of other times. It is a lovely, entirely manageable island. When we first went there, we were charmed by its beaches, and its overall island beauty. Since then, we have begun to travel more internationally, so Bermuda is no longer a destination we long for.

However, at this time of the year--mid-February with the dreary days of winter dragging on--some Bermuda sun would be welcome.

In its place, I offer a recipe for Bermuda Fish Chowder. Perhaps the pepper will help warm you (along with the rum and sherry peppers).

Bermuda Fish Chowder
Makes 10 servings.
This recipe is adapted from A COLLECTION OF RECIPES FOR OUTERBRIDGE’S*

Ingredients:

5 white fish fillets
1 tsp. salt
1 T. black peppercorns
2 tsp. dried thyme
2 bay leaves
8 whole cloves
3 large onions
8 stalks celery, chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed
2 green bell peppers, chopped
28 oz. canned whole tomatoes, chopped
10 oz. canned beef consomme
1 cup ketchup
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
2 T. chopped parsley
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
6 carrots, chopped
Dark rum, to taste
Sherry Peppers Sauce*, to taste

1) In a large pot, simmer fish fillets in 4 quarts of water with salt and a sachet bag composed of peppercorns, dried thyme, bay leaves and whole cloves.

2) In a large frying pan, sauté onions, celery, garlic and green bell peppers. Add tomatoes and consomme. Simmer 1/2 hour. Add to fish.

3) Add ketchup, parsley, Worcestershire sauce,
lemon juice, potatoes and carrots.

4) Add the dark rum and Sherry Peppers Sauce to taste and simmer 3-1/2 hours.

*Sherry Peppers Sauce is available online at Outerbridges, but the best way to get it is to visit Bermuda yourself!

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I plan to post one or two more soup recipes for this season, then turn my attentions elsewhere--such as planting flowers in the spring. So, if you have any requests for a particular type of soup--let me know.

Saturday Soups-- # 10 Winter 2008/2009

The last soup that I featured--the hearty winter soup--was so popular that several of you indicated you tried it. And liked it! Great.

And I learned one blogger was inspired to post a bread recipe--it would go great with a soup to make a meal. Check it out here.

Well, that puts the pressure on me to post an equally appealing recipe. Don't know if this will do the trick or not. BUT, this soup is half of what I am making for Super Bowl Sunday--the other half is chili with beef.

Now before anyone mentions it, yes, I did post a turkey chili earlier in the season. That one featured black beans and shoepeg corn. Plus the seasonings were a little different. Anyway, making turkey chili again can't hurt.

White (Turkey) Chili

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

2 pounds ground turkey meat
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf
1 (28-ounce) can tomatillos, drained and chopped
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles, drained
2 cups chicken broth
1 15- to 16-ounce can cannellini (white kidney beans)
1 can black-eyed peas
Chopped cilantro (optional)
Grated Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
Sour cream (optional)

1. In a large heavy-bottomed pot brown turkey meat over medium high heat.

2. Drain and set aside. Add oil and reduce heat to medium.

3. Add peppers and shallots and cook until softened but not browned.

4. Add browned turkey, coriander, cumin, oregano and salt and stir well to combine.

5. Add bay leaf, tomatillos, chiles, jalapeño and broth, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 45 to 50 minutes.

6. Gently stir in beans and cook for another 30 minutes. Garnish individual bowls of chili with cilantro, cheese or sour cream, if you like.

(I just finished making it, and tasted it--YUM!)

So, now that I have posted a recipe, I can move on to the subject I really want to talk about.

GO STEELERS!

GO STEELERS!

GO STEELERS!

Saturday Soups -- # 9 Winter, 2008/9

Soups have been on vacation! And now, soup recipes are B-A-C-K. So, for the next 4 Saturdays, I will post Saturday Soups. By the time March comes around, we will all be thinking of spring, so I will stop then, for the soup season.

This soup gives you lots of options: with meat, without meat; and the base ingredients are a dried mixture you make yourself. It could even be fun for children to help with putting the dried ingredients together.

HEARTY WINTER SOUP
Makes 12 servings

This soup calls for a dried mixture—you can mix your own to your liking. Use a combination of barley, brown rice, dried minced onions, green split peas, lentils and a pasta such as alphabet macaroni. If you mix together more than the 2 cups called for in the soup, you can save that in an airtight container for future soups.

Ingredients

Soup meat (optional)--either beef or chicken, already cooked
2 cups dried mixture (See note above)
10 cups beef broth
28 oz. canned chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
dash of pepper
2 medium carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped fine
Cabbage chopped or other leafy vegetable such as kale

1) Cook dried mixture, beef broth, tomatoes slowly in a pot for about 1-1/2 hours.

2) Add parsley, bay leaves and pepper. Cook another 1 hour.

3) Add all vegetables and cook 15 to 30 additional minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

4) If you wish, add cooked poultry or beef toward the end of the cooking time.

Serve with a hearty bread, and you have a complete meal.

Saturday Soups-- # 8 Winter, 2008

Tomorrow, which it almost is, ushers in winter. Hee hee--some of you are already deeply mired in winter. Snow up to where?

Anyway, I'll keep the soup recipe REAL simple this time--not one from my church bistro which, I admit, can be arduous at times to prepare. This recipe is so easy, even a caveman. . .oops. I don't want to be guilty of specism.

We have snow forecast for tonight, and somehow on a snowy evening nothing pleases me more than honest to goodness simple potato soup. So, here it is--this is pretty much the recipe my mother followed when making potato soup. . .

Potato Cheese Soup

Serves 4 (please note, this is less than the usual recipes I post)

Ingredients:
4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup water
1 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
3 Tbsp. butter (or margarine) melted
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
Dash of white pepper
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese (or cheddar)

1. In a saucepan, bring potatoes, onion,water and salt to a boil.

2. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until potatoes are tender. DO NOT DRAIN.

3. Mash potatoes slightly.

4. Stir in milk.

5. In a small bowl, blend melted butter, flour, parsley and pepper. Stir into potato mixture.

6. Cook and stir over medium heat until soup is thickened and bubbly.

7. Remove from heat; add cheese and stir until almost melted.

Stay warm, and enjoy.

I will suspend posting soup recipes for a couple of weeks--I send Seasons' Greeting to you all and wish for you a Joyous Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa--whatever you celebrate.

And I pray for a better New Year than we have seen for a while.

Saturday Soups-- # 7 Fall, 2008

Our church's Soup Bistro is over for another year.

The setting is our Fellowship Hall which is magically transformed into a friendly bistro.

As promised, this week's recipe comes from the event. I tried two soups (eating, not making). This week's recipe is most unusual, but I can vouch for the soup being wonderfully tasty.

So, here it is!

SHRIMP QUINOA BISQUE
Serves 12

Ingredients:

4 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1-1/2 lb. thawed, peeled, and deveined medium shrimp (reserve the shells!!!)
1-1/2 cup chopped onion
½ cup celery, chopped
½ cup carrot, chopped
½ cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp. brandy
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 4-inch piece of lemongrass, diced
2 cups cold water
1 qt. seafood stock
1 14-oz can. lite coconut milk
8 oz. water
1 cup quinoa*
½ Tbsp. salt
1 cup cubed zucchini

1. Melt butter in large saucepan. Add 1 Tbsp. canola oil. Add shrimp shells to the pan and saute for a few minutes until shrimp shells become fragrant. Add onions, carrots, and celery to saucepan and stir to coat. Sauté until vegetables start to soften, about 3 minutes.

2. Add ½ cup dry white wine and 2 Tbsp. brandy and cook until liquid is nearly evaporated.

3. Add 2 cups cold water, cover pan, and simmer ½ hour. You should have about 1-1/2 cups very fragrant broth.

4. Strain broth carefully to remove shells and other solids. Reserve this broth.

5. In a large saucepan, sauté ½ cup chopped onion in 1 Tbsp. canola oil. Add lemon grass and ginger and sauté briefly. Add shrimp broth to pot and simmer for 5 minutes.

6. Add seafood stock, coconut milk and water to pot. Bring to a gentle boil.

7. Add quinoa and reduce to simmer. Cook 3 minutes. Add zucchini cubes and cook for about 1 minute. Add shrimp to pot. Add salt to taste.

To serve the soup, cook shrimp until finished. You may garnish with chopped scallion, toasted coconut, or cilantro.

*You will need to wash your quinoa before using by gently rubbing the grains between your fingers while running it under cold water.

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This is one tasty soup. But since I haven't made it, I can't predict for its ease of preparation.

Saturday Soups-- # 6 Fall, 2008

Sorry for my relative silence the past several days. I am g-r-a-d-i-n-g research papers, and grading and grading and grading. Yeccchhhh.

Now, normally, reading research papers should be interesting--all that free expansion of knowledge. But, remember, these are freshman papers. And, mostly, they are sorry excuses for research. The requirement is to research a topic and then write a 10 page paper, complete with in text cites and a Works Cited list. The topic should relate to the essays we read over the past semester. Simple? You think! Apparently too many students don't (think, that is).

Anyway, I have so far found TWO students who plagiarized whole chunks of their papers--automatic zeros for them. And one student turned in a three (yup--3) page paper. Add to these irritations the usual number of misspelled words (aloud for allowed; crouches for crutches; fronds for friends) and I am right grouchy.

I realized how bad it is for me when I read the opening line of an obituary today: "Sadly and peacefully, So and so died"--and I catch myself muttering misplaced modifier.

Anyway--SOUP. A vegetarian one as promised!

WINTER MINESTRONE (VEGETARIAN)

The pesto recipe may be served as a bread-spread or on hot pasta as well as a delightful topping for this soup.

Serves 12

Ingredients:

2 Tbsps. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 head cabbage, preferably Savoy, chopped
1 Tbsp. dried thyme leaves
1 bunch fresh basil stems (leaves removed), tied together with string
1-1/2 tsps. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
12 cups canned vegetable broth or homemade vegetable stock
1 butternut squash (about 1-1/2 lbs.), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 red skinned potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 Tbsps. tomato paste
1 (3-inch) piece Parmesan cheese rind
1-1/2 cups uncooked radiatore or any spiral pasta
1 cup basil pesto (see recipe below)

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sweat for 4 minutes, until tender.

2. Add the cabbage and sweat for 4 minutes, until wilted.

3. Add the thyme, basil stems, salt, and pepper and stir to coat the vegetables.

4. Add the stock, squash, potatoes, tomato paste, and Parmesan rind and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

5. Add the pasta and cook for 10 minutes (for Bistro recipe, only cook pasta for 1 minute).

6. To serve, remove basil stems and Parmesan rind, ladle the soup into bowls, and top with a dollop of pesto and some chopped scallions.

RECIPE FOR BASIL PESTO

1-1/2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup olive oil

1. Combine the basil, Parmesan, pine nuts, garlic, and salt in a blender or food processor.

2. Process until finely chopped.

3. With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil and process until a smooth paste forms.

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Tomorrow is our church's Bistro--so next week, I will feature one of the soups from that event. And maybe a charming photo or two.

Saturday Soups-- # 5 Fall, 2008

Thanksgiving is over--did you notice it was just about the latest it could be? Since Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November (here in the U.S.), only one day could be later--November 27. So if you feel as though Christmas is rushing toward you --assuming you observe Christmas--you would be right.

Thanksgiving is such an enjoyable holiday. The emphasis is on food, fellowship, family and friends. Oh, yes, and football.

On the off chance you eat meat--not everyone does (as Delia's thoughtful post reminds us)--and also on the off chance you aren't sick to death of turkey, here's a turkey soup recipe. Sadly, it does NOT feature using left-over turkey, which many of you may have in your refrigerators. Maybe you can adapt the recipe to use some.

TURKEY CHILI W/ BLACK BEANS & CUMIN YOGURT
Serves 12

4 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2-1/2 lbs. ground turkey breast
1-1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
2 Tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon each of: ground cinnamon, dried basil, chili powder, freshly ground pepper,
and ground sage
2 cans (19-3/4 oz. each) black beans, rinsed, drained and divided
2 cans (13-3/4 oz. each) fat-free, low sodium chicken broth
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies, drained
2 cups frozen white shoepeg corn kernels

Cumin Yogurt garnish (see recipe below)

1. In large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed stock pot, heat 2 Tablespoons of oil. Add ground turkey in batches and brown. Drain fat from pan and set turkey aside.

2. Add remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil to the pan. Stir in onion and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and the spices; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3. In a blender, puree 1 can of beans with 1 can of chicken broth until smooth. Add to the pot with the remaining beans, the chilies, and the corn.

4. Bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Return turkey to the pot and heat through 2 minutes. Add up to one additional can of chicken broth if chili seems too thick.

Garnish each serving with cumin yogurt.

Cumin Yogurt Garnish:

1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Place 1 Tablespoon on each chili serving.

In honor of non-meat eaters, next week--a vegetarian recipe.

Saturday Soups-- # 4 Fall, 2008

How about a nice seafood chowder for this week? Apropos of nothing in particular, unless you think that the first Thanksgiving meal had a seafood chowder. It may very well have--given the location on Cape Cod, no doubt seafood featured prominently in the diet of the early Pilgrims.

Here's a History channel site that suggest what might have been on that first meal. I don't know--it's not a Thanksgiving meal without cranberry sauce or pumpkin pie.

Enjoy the chowder.

New England Seafood Chowder
Makes 12 servings.

8 bacon slices, chopped
2 large yellow onions, chopped (about 3 cups)
1 T. curry powder
4 8-oz. bottles clam juice
4 cups 1/2-inch dice peeled white potatoes (about 3 lbs.)
4 cups 1/2-inch dice peeled butternut squash (about 3 lbs.)
2 bay leaves
2 cups chopped kale leaves
5 cups milk
1 cup half and half
2 tsp. dried, crumbled thyme (or 2 T. minced fresh thyme)
3 lbs. mixed fresh fish (cod, halibut, haddock, and/or scrod) cut into 3/4-inch pieces

1) In a large heavy-bottomed pot, place bacon and saute over medium heat until thoroughly
cooked. Drain approximately 1/2 of the fat from the pan (leave 1-2 T.) in the pan along with the bacon. Add chopped onions and saute for two minutes. Add curry powder and cook mixture until very fragrant (about 5 minutes).

2) Stir clam juice into the pot and bring to a boil. Add potatoes, butternut squash, bay leaves, and chopped kale. Cook for 15 minutes until all vegetables are just soft.

3) Add milk, half and half, and thyme to the pot. Warm gently, being careful not to boil after
adding the dairy products.

4) Add the fish pieces and cook for 3-5 minutes, until fish is just cooked through.

Saturday Soups -- # 3, Fall 2008

It occurs to me that as I start into a fall season of soups, I need to give credit where it is due. These recipes are NOT my invention in any way, shape or form. But, they have all been vetted. The recipes come from the annual fund raiser that my church has--we call it our soup Bistro.

On the first Sunday of Advent, my church hosts two seatings at Bistro. All the soups are made by members (and friends) of the congregation. In addition, people make breads, muffins, cookies and other Christmas goodies. For the seatings, we sell tickets. Everything is donated, and all the proceeds go to a local inter-church group that provides assistance to people in need.

The source of the recipes is a woman in our church, Alice Anne--she has professional training in cooking, and has worked in various food endeavors. So, all the portions have been carefully assessed for accuracy. She makes all the soups before she decides to include them in our soup offering.

Anyone have any requests for a particular kind of soup? Let me know, and I will search to see if we have ever made it.

Next up in rotation--a chicken soup. Perfect for fall evenings, and hearty too with the barley.

Chicken Soup with Barley
Makes 12 servings.

8 cups water
48 oz. canned low-fat chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried rosemary
3 pounds chicken pieces, skinned
1 bay leaf
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup potato, peeled and diced
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
1/2 cup uncooked pearl barley

1) Combine water, broth, salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, chicken pieces and bay leaf in a large stock pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Adjust heat to medium and cook 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Remove chicken and cool slightly. Remove chicken from bones and shred with two forks. Reserve shredded chicken. Skim all visible fat from the top of the broth.

2) Stir vegetables and barley into broth. Cover and bring to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Add shredded chicken to the pot. Discard bay leaf. If not serving immediately, cool and refrigerate.

Saturday Soups -- # 2 Fall 2008

I will try to remember this fall, as I post soup recipes, that I need to be mindful of rotating the soup type. Last week was a vegetable soup (and an orange one at that!). So this week, I will feature a meat based soup.

I hear tell that some places on the North American continent are having snow. Lucky. This hearty soup would go great on a snowy evening. And it has enough "other stuff" in it, should you not fancy meat too much. Oh, and it is mmm mmm good.

SAUSAGE & BEAN FLORENTINE SOUP
Serves 12

¾ lb. loose sweet Italian sausage
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
2 10 oz. packages chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 large can chicken broth (approx. 49 oz.)
1 15 or 16 oz. can Cannellini Beans
1 15 or 16 oz. can Light Red Kidney Beans
1 15 or 16 oz. can Dark Red Kidney Beans
2 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Salt to taste, if you wish

1) Brown sausage in large stockpot, breaking into fine pieces. Sausage should be completely cooked through. Drain all but one Tbsp. fat off sausage. Add garlic and onion to pot and sauté 6 minutes.

2) Add thawed, drained spinach to pot and sauté 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, dried basil and pepper flakes to pot and simmer 10 minutes.

3) After thoroughly draining and rinsing each of the cans of beans, add beans to soup and remove from heat.

Garnish with parmesan cheese, if desired.

ENJOY!

Saturday Soups -- # 1 Fall 2008

Yes, friends, it's time for me to start up the Saturday Soups blogs again. If you haven't seen any of these recipes before, all you need to do is click on the link for Soups and you may find a recipe or two to your suiting.

Since we just passed Hallowe'en, I had best begin the fall season of Saturday Soups with a pumpkin recipe. Herewith Pumpkin soup with cranberry puree. Laura had several interesting blogs about cranberries a couple of weeks ago--maybe you will find some of the cranberries she pictured for your puree.

PUMPKIN SOUP with Cranberry Puree
Serves 12

PUMPKIN SOUP:

1-1/2 cups chopped onion (1 large)
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
2 tsp. ground ginger (dried)
1 tsp. ground cardamom (or nutmeg)
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. ground pepper
4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds total)
7 cups pumpkin puree (fresh crookneck is best)
10 cups chicken stock (vary according to texture of soup)

CRANBERRY PUREE:
12 oz. bag fresh cranberries
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
2 T. brandy (optional)

1) For the soup, bake sweet potatoes at 400 degrees until they are very soft. When cooled, peel and chop roughly. (NOTE: You can do this a few hours ahead of time, if you wish.)

2) Sauté onions in butter until just soft. Add ginger, cardamom, allspice and ground pepper. Stir.

3) Add sweet potatoes, pumpkin puree and chicken stock. Simmer for 1/2 hour to combine flavors. Let soup mixture cool slightly. Puree the soup in batches until it is all smooth. The texture is important, so be sure to cook all ingredients until very soft, then puree in food processor to velvety smoothness.

4) For the Cranberry Puree, place all ingredients together in a medium covered saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes or until cranberries pop and start to thicken. Cook 5 minutes more. Cool slightly before pureeing cranberry mixture in food processor or blender. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer; reserve cranberry puree in an airtight container. This may be made several days in advance.

ENJOY!

Saturday Soup 8 - 2008

I have not posted a soup recipe for quite some time. I have noted in the listing of blog subjects that "family" and "soup" as subjects are neck-and-neck. Hmmmm--with today's post, and subject entry of "soup" that topic will surge (or slosh) ahead. Oh well, I will just have to tag more entries as family--especially old photos!

This soup recipe is the one I made for our Super Bowl party this year. Every year, we have a FEW friends in. They are dedicated football fans, and cheer wildly for the game. This year, fortunately for us, they also cheered wildly for the Giants. Our daughter's fiancé is a long-time die-hard Giants' fan. So, in his honor, we cheered for the Giants. (Plus I don't like teams that cheat--ahem--any Patriots' fans out there. . .sorry.)

PORTUGUESE KALE SOUP

Serves 10

Ingredients

2 large Spanish onions, diced
1 pound linguica, sliced (Portuguese sausage).
You can substitute chorizo or, I used kielbasa since I could not find either linguica or chorizo
1 pound fresh kale
4 cups of chicken broth or stock
1 tsp. black pepper
2 T. thyme, dried
4 large potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
1 pound canned red kidney beans (or 1/2 pound dried)
12 oz. V-8 vegetable juice
12 oz. canned stewed tomatoes

Directions

1) If using dried kidney beans, pre-soak and cook according to package directions.
2) Dice onions 1/4" thick and cut sausage into thin slices. Place both in a large stockpot and cover with water. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
3) Wash kale, remove the spine from leaves, then roll leaves and slice thinly.
3) Add kale, chicken stock, pepper, and thyme. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the beans and potatoes to the pot.
4) Pour in V-8 juice and stewed tomatoes. Cook on low heat until vegetables are tender. Let soup continue to simmer for several hours on low heat. This soup may be refrigerated and keeps well for serving days later.

The recipe recommends serving this hearty soup with corn bread (which I did for the Super Bowl). All in all--a very tasty winter hearty meal. And kale is so good for you!

I will continue to post Saturday soups, but only occasionally.

Saturday Soup 8 Fall 2007

If you can stand one more turkey recipe, here is a delicious soup using turkey. However, it doesn't call for left-over turkey, but rather ground turkey.

Turkey Chili with Black Beans and Cumin Yogurt
Makes 12
servings

4 T. vegetable oil, divided
2-1/2 lbs. ground turkey breast
1-1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
2 T. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. each of ground cinnamon, dried basil, chili powder, freshly ground pepper, and ground sage
2 cans (19-3/4 oz. each) black beans, rinsed, drained and divided
2 cans (13-3/4 oz. each) fat-free, low sodium chicken broth
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies, drained
2 cups frozen white shoepeg corn kernels

1) In large Dutch oven or heavy bottomed stock pot, heat 2 T. of oil. Add ground turkey in batches and brown. Drain fat from pan and set turkey aside.

2) Add remaining 2 T. of oil to the pan. Stir in onion and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add garlic, 1 tsp. salt, and the spices; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3) In a blender, puree 1 can of beans with 1 can of chicken broth until smooth. Add to the pot with the remaining beans, the chilies, and the corn.

4) Bring to a boil; then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Return turkey to the pot and heat through 2 minutes. Add up to one additional can of chicken broth if chili seems too thick.

5) Garnish each serving with 1 T. of cumin yogurt.

FOR CUMIN YOGURT GARNISH:

1/2 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. salt

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Serve soup with a dollop of yogurt garnish on top.

Any special requests for a particular type of soup?

Tomorrow is our church's Bistro, so I will have 4 new recipes to draw on. Since I haven't tasted any of the soups, I need to do some research before I can make recommendations.

Saturday Soup 7 Fall 2007

All week, Katdoc has been mentioning. . .something about a football game? Hmmm. Wonder what that's about.

Anyway, in "honor" of Ohio State, here's an unusual meat based soup.

Cincinnati skyline

CINCINNATI CHILI

Who knows why they really serve
Chili this way in Cincinnati? But it's delicious on or off the
spaghetti. A lot of spice, without an overwhelming amount of heat in this
winner recipe. It freezes very well too.

Serves 12

Ingredients:
1 lb. red kidney beans, rinsed and picked over to remove debris
8 cups water
2 Tbsps. vegetable oil (canola or safflower is fine as well)
1 lb. ground beef
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (12 oz.) bottle beer
2 Tbsps. chili powder
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1-1/2 tsps. ground coriander seeds
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. cayenne
2 bay leaves
2 tsps. kosher salt
1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes, diced

Method:
1. Place the beans in a large stockpot. Pour over enough water to cover and place over medium high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer for 1 to 2 hours, until the beans are tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and set aside until ready to use.

2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the beef and cook for 5 minutes, until browned. Remove the beef from the pot with a slotted spoon, reserving the oil in pan; set aside.

3. Add the onion and garlic to the oil and sweat for 4 minutes, until tender.

4. Add the chili powder, oregano, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cayenne, bay leaves, and salt and stir to coat. Cook for 5 minutes, until the spices are fragrant.

5. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 2 minutes.

6. Return the beef to the pot and bring to a boil. Add beer and return to boil. Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

7. Stir in the beans with the bean cooking liquid and simmer for 10 minutes.

8. To serve, remove the bay leaves, ladle the chili over spaghetti, and top with grated cheddar.

Please note--based on the posting time of this blog, I have no way of knowing what the outcome of the Ohio State vs. Michigan game might be.

Oh, and, um--there's another state school also playing in Michigan today. . .let me think. Oh, yes--Penn State against Michigan State (at 3:30 p.m., in case you wondered).

THE Nittany Lion

Saturday Soup 6 Fall 2007

It's time, once again, for Saturday soup. I am trying to be more aware of rotating soup types this fall. So today's soup is an all vegetable soup. Based on some of your comments, some of you prefer vegetable soups, and have thought about how to convert some of the meat based soups to being vegetable soups. Well, no conversion needed here--all veggies all the way.

Scene from last year's Bistro

At our church, it is almost Bistro time. The Bistro is the origin of these soup recipes, so I figure it's fair game to give the Bistro a plug. I know you'd have to be in the Harrisburg area on December 2, but I know you'd be welcome if you happened to stop by. If you go here, you will see the particulars, including a set of four recipes for this year's soup picks. Obviously, I haven't tasted any, so I don't know which one will be my favorite.

Santa Fe Corn
Chowder

Makes 12 servings

5 all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 T. olive oil
3 cups finely chopped onions
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped green chilies
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cups roasted corn
1 T. dried oregano
1 T. dried basil
1/2 T. ground cumin
1/2 cup white wine
2 T. salt
1 T. course black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1) To roast corn, spread corn on a greased pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Stir occasionally.

2) Cover potatoes (both all-purpose and sweet) with water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until almost cooked. Strain off water and set aside.

3) In another pot, saute onions, celery and garlic in oil until soft. Add peppers and chilies.

4) Deglaze the pot with white wine. Add oregano, basil and cumin.

5) Add potatoes to the vegetables and cover with at least two inches of water. Bring to a boil, but do not overcook potatoes.

6) When potatoes are done, add corn, salt, pepper and stir in cilantro.

Saturday Soup 5 Fall 2007

We just returned from the last home game of the Penn State season--since I didn't get to post my Saturday soup before we left early this morning, here it is.

This soup was my all time favorite soup at our church Bistro. Several years ago, when we were doing the Best of Bistro--I begged for the committee to choose Mulligatawny soup--to no avail. I was informed that although it is tasty, it is time consuming. So I will just have to taste it in memory.

The editorial note which identifies the soup as an early American standard is a bit confusing--the source of the note is the woman in our church who is a trained chef who vets all the recipes for ingredients, quantity, directions, and such. I believe the origin of this soup was from the British Raj days of bringing foods back to England from India.

Mulligatawny Soup

Makes 12 servings.

This recipe is an early American standard, which boasts a harvest of winter vegetables and the somewhat unusual tastes of curry and almond milk. This version is somewhat time-consuming. You might want to sauté your chicken and make the almond milk ahead of time.

INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 cups chopped onion
12 T. butter
(1-1/2 sticks)
3 pounds chicken pieces
4 medium carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
4 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
10 cups chicken stock
1/2 pound blanched almonds
1 cup water
1 cup tightly packed spinach leaves
2-1/2 T. curry powder
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves

1) Melt 6 T. of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add carrots, onions, garlic and potatoes. Cook 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until onions become translucent. Remove vegetables from the pan and reserve. Wipe out the pan.

2) Add 2 more T. of butter to the skillet and melt. Sauté chicken pieces until they are nicely browned, then place them into a soup kettle.

3) Add chicken broth and bring soup to a simmer. After 30 minutes of simmering, check one of the larger dark meat pieces of chicken for doneness. The chicken should be almost ready to fall off of the bone when it is done. Remove chicken pieces from the kettle and allow them to cool slightly. Discard skin and bones and chop the chicken into small bite-size pieces. Return chicken to the pot. Return the soup to a simmer.

4) While soup is simmering, make almond milk. Toast almonds in the oven at 300 degrees for 10-15 minutes until they just turn light brown. Grind them in a blender or food processor for 2 minutes with 1 cup water. Strain mixture through fine mesh strainer (or double layer of cheesecloth). Reserve all almond milk and discard residual almonds.

5) Add spinach leaves and reserved sautéed vegetables to the kettle. Simmer for 1 minute.

6) Melt remaining 4 T. of butter in a small skillet and stir in curry powder. Add curry mixture and almond milk to the soup kettle. Add cream and cilantro and bring just to a simmer.

If you try it and like it, let me know.