Apologies...

I am a bad bad blogger and I repent for my sins...

It's not that I haven't been cooking, I've hosted big dinner parties and simmered slow braises and uncovered the grill on nicer days...

It's not that it hasn't been post worthy, with fabulous roast beef in a port wine dijon reduction, white pizza with sausage, fried eggs and truffle oil, aged gouda mac and cheese, classic fish and chips. With so much good food coming out of my kitchen I have no excuse.

I guess the truth is that blogging was just too daunting for someone inundated with coursework, grading, entertaining, mentoring, wedding planning and renovating.

And I stand by my earlier statement (see last year) that March is evil.

So I'm begging you not to give up on me, not to write me off as dead, at least to the blogging world. I promise I'll be back, and probably posting almost every day again next summer. And for now, to stave off metaphorical hunger, here's the recipe for what L calls "the absolute best chicken soup I've ever tasted". It's light, with a good amount of bright acid, plenty of heat from peppers (feel free to reduce to your taste), the richness of the tender chicken and creamy contrast of fresh avocado.

Mexican Chicken Soup


1 large sweet onion, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 chipotles in adobo, minced
1/2 cup light colored beer
3 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
14 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 1/2 Tbsp adobo seasoning
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ancho chile powder
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
1 cup basmati rice
13.5 oz. canned low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup banana pepper rings and about 1/8 cup of the vinegar they come in
1/4 cup lime juice
2 cups torn leftover roasted chicken (rotisserie chicken is good for this)
2/3 cup frozen corn kernels
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 large avocado, chopped

Saute onions in olive oil until soft. Add garlic and chipotles and saute another minute. Deglaze with beer. Add chicken stock, tomatoes, seasonings and rice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until rice is cooked. Add black beans, peppers and their juice, chicken, lime juice and corn and bring to a simmer. Turn off the heat and add cilantro, tomatoes and avocado right before serving.

Chicken Soup for the Thai Soul

Although most of the wedding details still need to be worked out, the honeymoon is booked - which we all know is the most important thing! We will be spending what promises to be an amazing week on the edge of Yellowstone National Park in Montana. We have a little cabin by a stream reserved on a nearby all-inclusive ranch, with a week full of horseback riding, hiking, fly fishing, canoeing, whitewater rafting and spa treatments. I absolutely cannot wait! This is the trip I've been wishing for my whole life!

Back here in Baltimore, summer seems ages away. This chicken soup will warm your soul and cut through any stuffy nose. I make some version of this soup every couple of weeks, often for a quick lunch. Sometimes I make it with shrimp instead of chicken, or noodles instead of rice. You can add greens or other veggies, or even some tofu, or substitute vegetable broth as you like. It is quick, simple and incredibly delicious each time.

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup


1 quart chicken stock
2 cups beef stock (you can use all chicken, but I like the depth of flavor this adds)
1 6-inch piece of thick lemongrass, cut into 4 pieces
3 kaffir lime leaves
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp seracha
1 Tbsp tom yum paste (optional, but strengthens the flavor)
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2/3 cup rice
1 chicken breast, sliced into thin strips
1 13.5 oz can light coconut milk
1 Tbsp pre-made basil pesto, preferably without the oil
1 large Hass avocado , diced
2 large or 4 small scallions, sliced on the bias

Combine stocks, lemongrass, lime leaves, fish sauce, lime juice, seracha, tom yum paste, sugar and seasoning in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add rice and simmer until rice is cooked to al dente. Add chicken and simmer until it's cooked through and rice is tender. Remove from heat, remove lemongrass and lime leaves. Add coconut milk, pesto, avocado and scallions. Best when served immediately, although the lime juice in the soup does prevent the avocado from browning quickly.

Loaded

The universe was taunting me yesterday.

I had to take my Environmental students outside to make some measurements at the forest buffer surrounding our stream to determine if it is sufficient.

It started snowing 5 minutes before my first section. Not a few small flakes, but full white out flurry. In Maryland. In November. When even my relatives back in the Northeast haven't really had snow yet. So we went out in the snow, slipped and slid and almost had a couple of kids in the water. Came back in, feet soaked, hair wet, and thoroughly chilled, and it instantly stopped snowing. Of course.

Then the sun comes out and all the fallen snow melts away. It's supposed to stay warmer. But when 7th period rolls around, it starts up again, even thicker than before. So shoes get sloshier, banks are slippier, and once again, as we walk inside, it stops snowing.


Well fine. If the universe is laughing at me I can laugh back. It's suceeded in chilling me to the bone. What it didn't count on is my secret weapon. A thick, creamy, heartwarming and oh so filling loaded potato soup. So hah! You may have won the battle, but you lost the war!

Loaded Golden Potato Leek Soup


4 slices thick cut hickory smoked bacon
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 leeks - white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced thin
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
2.5 - 3 lbs. yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and sliced thin
8 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 parmesan rinds
1/2 cup eggnog (yes - eggnog! heavy cream would work too)
1/3 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

For serving;
shredded cheddar cheese
chopped scallions
sour cream
crumbled bacon

Fry bacon in the bottom of a large stockpot until crisp. Remove and save for topping. Add butter to bacon fat, then saute leeks until soft. Add seasonings and potatoes, then stock. Bring to a boil. Add bay leaves and rinds and simmer until potatoes are really soft and falling apart.

Remove bay leaves and rinds. Use a hand blender to blend to the desired consistency (I like it still a little chunky). Bring back to a simmer just long enough that it gets really thick. Remove from heat, stir in eggnog, sour cream and season to taste.


Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of bacon, cheese and scallions. Chase away the cold!

Sausage Soup For the Soul

Sometimes life is just crumby. When the day is so exhausting, I find myself without the motivation to cook anything. Hence my sitting out on Daring Bakers this month (plus I'm the anti-vegan, i could give up meat but never eggs or cheese, and I couldn't even think of any appetizing dips to go with the crackers). Also hence the nights of takeout, L playing chef instead and peanut butter sandwiches for dinner.

Luckily, this soup is quick and easy, and soothing enough to warm away the troubles of the day. Plus it helps to boost the immune system with tons of good vitamins and fluids. Just the thing to keep you up and running in the middle of a long, hard week.

Sausage & Escarole Soup


4 slices bacon, chopped
1 cup sweet onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 medium yukon gold potato, diced
1/4 cup cream sherry
2 cups vegetable stock
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups pork stock (this can be hard to find - Better than Bouillon makes a pork base that works well)
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1/2 cup chopped parmaggiano reggiano rinds (should been unwaxed)
1 tsp crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste
3 bay leaves (dried)
1/2 lb. small pasta such as elbows
1 lb. chopped escarole
2 artichoke and basil or similarly flavored chicken sausages (sliced if precooked, squeezed into pot in little crumbles if not)
1 13oz can small white beans (low sodium if possible), rinsed and drained
1/4 cup grated parmaggiano reggiano

In a large stockpot over medium heat, saute bacon until it's rendered its fat. Add onion and carrots and saute until they start to soften. Add garlic and potato and saute 2 minutes. Deglaze pan with sherry. Add stocks and seasonings (including parm rinds) and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until about 2 minutes before al dente. Add escarole and sausage and continue to cook 3 minutes. Turn off heat. Add white beans and cheese. Serve hot in copious amounts!

I Wonton Some Soup Please!

I've been dreaming of wonton soup for weeks now. Not just craving, or wanting or wishing for, it is literally haunting my dreams. So when a cool Sunday night provided the perfect opportunity, I seized it and made some velvety wontons bathed in rich buttery broth. I don't have much to say about this dish, except that it is the most perfect wonton soup I've ever had. You must try this as the seasons change and the air gets cooler!

Shitake & White Corn Wonton Soup


Wontons
Makes about 3 dozen wontons.

3/4 pound ground pork
1/2 cup minced shitake mushrooms
2 Tbsp Chinese black vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sriracha
1 small scallion, sliced thin
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
ground pepper

36 - 40 square wonton wrappers
water

Combine all ingredients for wonton filling in a small bowl and use your hands to mix it well. In each wonton wrapper, place a generous tsp of filling in the center. Dip your finger in water and use it to moisten the edges of the wrapper. Fold the wrapper diagonally over the filling, forming a triangle. Press edges together, then fold two side flaps down and seal with water. Repeat until all the filling has been used.


Wonton Soup

1 tsp unsalted butter
1 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups sliced shitake mushrooms
1 cob of white sweet corn, kernals removed (cob reserved)
1/2 cup cream sherry
2 quarts chicken broth
2 cups beef broth
2 cups water
1 porcini bouillon (see pantry essentials sidebar for sources)
1 Tbsp mirin
1 Tbsp grated ginger
1 tsp lemongrass paste
2 tsp salt
wontons and additional wonton wrappers, torn into strips
2 large scallions, sliced diagonally
2 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil

In a stockpot over medium-high heat, melt the butter with olive oil. Saute the mushrooms and corn kernals until slightly softened and mushrooms have absorbed most of the fats. Add sherry to deglaze, then broths, water, boullion, mirin and corn cob. Bring to a boil. Add ginger, lemongrass, salt, wontons and extra wrappers and boil until all wontons have risen to the top and wrappers are translucent. Turn off the heat, remove corn cob and add scallions, spinach, and sesame oil. Serve immediately with large spoons.

What the summer sun tastes like....

Summer squash has been hiding at the back of my veggie drawer for the past two weeks. I usually grill it up, but I've been insanely busy and relatively meat free, and hence my grill has been in hibernation. I came across this recipe from Smitten Kitchen and I just had to try this summer squash-sweet potato combination. Of course, being me, this barely resembles Deb's recipe, but I sure am glad she inspired me to try it!

Let me tell you- this soup is dreamy! Silky smooth, rich and full of flavor, it showcases the best flavors of what's in season right now! After blending, it was already delicious, with no spices added. I needed something to take it over the top, and Maryland's favorite Old Bay does just that! The creaminess of this reminds me of a lobster or crab bisque. I myself gave a little gasp when I saw for the amount of butter called for, but it gives the soup a lovely finish, and really isn't much when divided into 8 portions.

Maryland Summer Vegetable Bisque



1 pint grape tomatoes

6 Tbsp butter
2/3 large sweet onion, sliced thin
1 cup leeks, sliced into thin rings
2 slices center cut bacon, chopped fine (optional - leave out for vegetarian version)
3 medium sized summer squash, sliced thin
1 large sweet potato or yam, peeled and sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
1 cup baby carrots
1 Tbsp pork soup base (leave out for vegetarian)
1/2 cup dry sherry
3 bay leaves
6 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian)
salt to taste (I used about 2 tsp)
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8 pyrex baking dish. Empty tomatoes into dish and roast until softened, caramelized and somewhat dehydrated. Set aside.

In a large stockpot, melt butter over medium high heat. Let butter cook until the solids brown slightly and the rest takes on a golden hue. Add onions and bacon and saute until bacon has rendered most of its fat. Add other vegetables and saute 2 minutes. Add soup base, sherry, stock and bay leaves and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for at least 20 minutes, or up to 45 minutes.

Add roasted tomatoes. Use a stick blender to puree until smooth. Strain if desired. Add seasonings to taste.

Serve topped with thinly sliced tomatoes and drizzle with chile oil.

My Tried and True

We all have our fallback meals. Those things we make when we just aren't up to being creative but we still want something tasty, that we pull out of our back pockets on the fly, because we know they have to power to impress. My number one go-to can serve as breakfast, lunch or dinner and sometimes winds up being all three. It's something my dad always loved when I was a kid, and I bring it to every potluck brunch. For some reason it has a reputation that is less then spotless, so I try not to call it by name until that first forkful has past their lips. It has unlimited potential, with an endless array of ingredients, and it's perfect for cleaning out the fridge. I can whip it up in as little as 40 minutes, with most of that being cooking time. What is this magical food? It is, quite simply, my quiche.

This time it took a cajun twist, with spicy andouille sausage, and leftover rice. It made a lovely breakfast.

Cajun Quiche



1 storebought pie crust, thawed and unrolled

1 tsp butter
1/2 large sweet onion, sliced
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
1/3 cup sherry
8 oz. andouille sausage, casings removed and diced
1 cup leftover spicy rice
2/3 cup leftover veggies (I used my corn and tomato salsa)
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp italian seasoning
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 cup shredded colby jack cheese
5 eggs
1/3 cup reduced fat sour cream
1 Tbsp water
1/4 cup lightly packed flat leaf parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp grated parmesan
coarse kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika for sprinkling on top


Preheat oven to 400. Grease a pie plate with nonstick spray. Lay pie dough in pan, press to fit. In a nonstick pan, melt butter and saute onions until softened, then add garlic and saute 1 minute. Deglaze pan with sherry, add rice, veggies and seasonings and cook until warmed through, then remove from heat. Sprinkle 1/3 shredded cheese on pie crust, top with mixture from pan and another 1/3 cup cheese. Beat eggs, sour cream and water together. Pour into pie. Top with parsley, then the remainder of the cheese, parmesan and spinkle with seasonings. Bake for 35-50 minutes on the bottom rack of the oven, or until egg is set and pie crust is fully cooked.





Another tried and true, which I cannot believed I have never posted before now (just wait - I'll discover the previous post right after publishing this one) is classic pasta e fagioli. I always have these ingredients on hand, and it is just as good with some mushrooms instead of meat. This is hearty and satisfying, versatile and quick. I have been known to eat this for breakfast.



Pasta e Fagioli

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
4 slices center cut hickory smoked bacon, chopped
3 links sweet italian turkey sausage, removed from casings
5 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp italian seasoning
2 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp rosemary garlic seasoning
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp sea salt
3 bay leaves
1 cup diced parmeggiano reggiano rind (the good stuff has no wax and is safe to eat)
1/2 cup sherry
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 32oz can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
1 13 oz can small white beans, rinsed and drained
1 13 oz can small red beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups vegetable stock
4 cups beef stock
2 cups water
2 cups dried small to medium size pasta - I use pipette rigati, but I find salad size pastas work best




Heat olive oil in a stockpot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onions, carrots and bacon and cook until onions soften. Add sausage and break up into small crumbles as it cooks. Once bacon and sausage is completely cooked, add garlic, tomato paste and seasonings. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add parmesan rind, sherry and vinegar. Pour in tomatoes, beans, stock and water. Bring to a simmer. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente. Serve in big bowls with plenty of bread for dipping.

Liquid Comfort: French Onion Soup

If you've ever had homemade french onion soup you wonder why anyone ever bought the canned kind. It's so simple, relatively hands off and deliciously comforting. Since it was 50 degrees out today (somehow fitting in May after 80s in April), I needed something warm and nourishing for dinner.

French Onion Soup

2 Tbsp butter
7 large vidalia onions, sliced into rings
1 Tbsp salt
1 cup cream sherry
2 quarts beef stock
2 cups water
1 porcini bouillon cube
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder

slices of rustic style bread
slices of swiss, jarlesburg or gruyere cheese

Over medium heat, melt the butter and add the onions and salt. Saute, stirring occasionally until onions are dark mahogany and reduced by at least half. (45 minutes to an hour). Add sherry and turn heat to high until sherry hs become syrupy. Add remainder of soup ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer 15-20 minutes.

Cut bread to the size of oven safe soup crocks. Toast bread. Portion soup into crocks, top with bread and cheese. Broil until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Soup Among the Cherry Blossoms

Everything here is in bloom, fragrant with nectar and painting the yard with splotches of pigment that Monet would be proud of. With all this beauty and new life, I'm craving fresh, light and aromatic food. This soup cuts the chill of spring evenings while resounding the crisp and beautiful notes of springtime. For best results, enjoy in the garden at dusk.

Spring Mussel Chowder



12 oz. cleaned thinly sliced leeks (pale parts only)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
12 oz. beer (preferably lager)
24 oz. water
3 lbs. of new zealand mussels, thawed, meat removed from shells and chopped, reserving shells
1 tbsp. dried thyme
2/3 cup orzo
1 cup fat free half and half
1/4 cup Pernod liquor
salt and pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 barely ripe avocado, diced
18 grape tomatoes, halved


Saute leeks in butter in a stockpot over medium heat until translucent, about 8 minutes. Deglaze the pot with beer and water and bring to a boil. Add shells and boil 5 minutes. Remove shells and discard. Keeping the liquid boiling, add thyme and orzo. Cook until orzo is about one minute from al dente, then add chopped mussels. After one minute, turn off the heat and add half and half, Pernod, salt and pepper and dill. Place one quarter of the tomatoes and avocado in the bottom of a bowl. Pour soup over the mixture.

Souper Food

I had a sleepless night last Sunday, and after going all day Monday on an hour and a half of shut eye, I was feeling pretty crummy. My immune system was about to crash and I really needed something warm and comforting with a lot of nutrients. This is my version of Caldo Verde, a spicy Portuguese sausage and greens soup, traditionally made with cherizo, hard to find here in MD. I grew up near New Bedford, MA (Emeril's hometown) and I felt like I was one of two non-Portuguese people in town. Luckily, their food is amazing. This soup is pure nourishment for body and soul.


Caldo Verde

2 tsp olive oil
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup onions, chopped
2 1/2 cups diced waxy potatoes
16 oz. Turkey Keilbasa
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2/3 cup sherry
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs of rosemary
small bunch fresh thyme
1 tsp. liquid smoke
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water
4 packed cups kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. Chianti vinegar
Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, potatoes, garlic and keilbasa. Saute until fragrant and vegetables start to soften. Add sherry and seasonings and cook another minute. Add stocks and water, bring to a boil. Add kale and turn down to a simmer, cooking until kale has softened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and vinegar and serve hot.

Maryland Cream of Crab Soup

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 bottle clam juice
3 cups seafood stock
1 pint backfin blue crab meat, picked through for any remaining shell
1 pint heavy cream
1 1/2 Tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning
salt and pepper
1 cup jumbo lump blue crab meat, picked through


Directions:

Saute onions in butter until soft. Add flour and stir to make a roux, until flour is light golden. Deglaze with white wine. Stir in clam juice and stock. Bring to a boil and add in backfin meat, cream, and seasonings. Reduce heat and blend using a stick blender until smooth. Stir in lump meat and serve.


My two cents:
Don't be fooled by this soup's plain appearance - it packs some great flavor. We went out for Luke's birthday and split a bowl of this soup. It was so creamy and rich, but simple in its flavors. This is our attempt to recreate it and we think we got it just right. It's my new favorite way to eat crab. Expect to spend at least $30 on the crab, but it is worth it!