Miso Vegetable Soup

It's so cold outside! I love it. This will warm you right up. 

Miso is pretty neat. Salad dressings, glazes, soups - oh my! And depending on its processing and fermentation methods, miso is alive with friendly bacteria that's medicinal for your belly and body. Fermentation guru, Sandor Katz sums it up well in an interview with NPR's Terry Gross:

Bacteria in our gut enable us to live. We could not survive without bacteria. They allow us to digest food, to assimilate the nutrients in our food; and they play a huge role, just beginning to be understood, in our immune functioning and in many other processes in our bodies. All life has evolved from bacteria and no other form of life has lived without bacteria. Our bacteria perform all sorts of essential functions for us, and because we are continually attacking them effectively with all of these chemicals in our lives, simply replenishing and diversifying these populations has a benefit for us.

So, if you're hankering for some instant, soothing soup, instead of reaching for a box-of-anything, try some miso. Just make sure to get an organic, non-GMO, gluten-free fresh paste. I prefer the red type since it is more nutrient dense than the yellow or white varieties.

INGREDIENTS
filtered water (4 cups)
fresh ginger (4 T) grated
garlic cloves (1-2 large) crushed
onion (1) very thinly sliced; I use my mandoline
carrots (1-2) sliced into coins
celery (1-2) sliced 
mushrooms (1/2 box)
miso paste (4 T)
vegetables got any veggies in your fridge you'd like to use? throw 'em in there! bok choy, broccoli, green onions, have fun!

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour your water into a pot, add grated ginger, bring to a boil. (The medicinal properties of ginger are released when it's boiled or dried, so you want to let that ginger boil while prepping your veggies.)
2. Prep all your veggies if you haven't already.
3. Throw everything in except for any super soft elements, like mushrooms. Reduce heat and simmer until veggies are softened to preference.
4. Turn off heat. Add mushrooms. 
5. After a minute, stir in the miso. (Water that is too hot will break down the medicinal properties of miso.)

That's it! Enjoy! xo, J

Caulifower Soup

I picked up an onion and a head of cauliflower at the farmers' market this morning in anticipation of making a Paul Bertolli "Genius Recipe" I had seen on Food52. After less than $5 and 5 minutes of "active time," I had a luscious, velvety soup.

Please forgive me, but:

It tastes creamy and rich, but is vegan and quite healthy with just olive oil, onion, cauliflower, water and salt and pepper. All the online comments voiced initial incredulity about the ease and simplicity of the recipe followed by later admissions that it turns out delicious.

Here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

olive oil (3T)
onion (1 medium), sliced thin
cauliflower (1 head very fresh, about 1-1/2 pounds), broken into florets 
salt, to taste
water (5 1/2 cups, divided)
extra virgin olive oil, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Warm the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Sweat the onion in the olive oil over low heat without letting it brown for 15 minutes.
   
2. Add the cauliflower, salt to taste, and 1/2 cup water. Raise the heat slightly, cover the pot tightly and stew the cauliflower for 15 to 18 minutes, or until tender. Then add another 4 1/2 cups hot water, bring to a low simmer and cook an additional 20 minutes uncovered.
   
3. Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender to a very smooth, creamy consistency. Let the soup stand for 20 minutes. In this time it will thicken slightly.
   
4. Thin the soup with 1/2 cup hot water. Reheat the soup. Serve hot, drizzled with a thin stream of extra-virgin olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.

 My only change was to use an immersion blender to puree the soup. I did blend for a quite awhile to ensure it was as smooth as possible.

This is warming and satisfying on a grey, drizzly afternoon such as today. Enjoy!

--Simran

Lebanese Collard Greens & Cinnamon Lentil Soup

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com by Farah Momtaz. I can't find much about her other than 1) she hails from Beirut, Lebanon and 2) she concocted this mean soup recipe I really love. The ingredients are simple with a very flavorful result. 


INGREDIENTS
olive oil
onion (1 large) chopped
salt (2 generous pinches)
dry red lentils (1 cup) thoroughly rinsed
water (6 cups)
collard greens (1 bunch) stems removed (they are bitter) and thinly sliced
ground cumin (1 T)
ground cinnamon (1 t)
garlic (2 T) minced
lemon juice


INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a soup pot, saute the onions and salt until translucent. Add the lentils and stir for a minute. Add water, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cover until lentils soften, about 15 minutes.
2. While lentils are cooking, saute collards until wilted.
3. Add collards, spices and garlic to lentils. Simmer for 10 more minutes or so. Serve with freshly squeezed lemon juice, maybe some zest.

xo, J

Farmers Market Stew with Fennel, Saffron and Chickpeas

(From the warm and wonderful Simran!) I go to the farmers market every week and buy a bunch of veggies. During the winter, I like to put all of these into a stew or soup that will last all week. First, I clean the veggies and use the trimmings, an extra onion and a few carrots and celery spears to make a quick stock. Then, I wash out my only big pot and start on the stew or soup. This all takes an hour or two on Sunday and I have enough to reheat for several days. Some may call this lazy, but I think of it as efficient and economic.


For inspiration, I most often turn to Deborah Madison's excellent Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. I usually have a slightly different list of ingredients than what she calls for in a recipe, but I use her instructions as guidelines. As she says, "A forgiving food, soup happily accepts a fennel bulb where none was called for, replaces a leek with an onion, provides a home for a tasty leftover."


This recipe is based on Madison's Potato and Chickpea Stew.


INGREDIENTS
fingerling or red potatoes (1 lb) scrubbed and halved or quartered
olive oil (3 T)
onion (1 large) diced
fennel bulb (1) cut into strips, chop some fronds for garnish
saffron (2 generous pinches)
garlic cloves (2 large) minced
parsley (1/4 cup) chopped, leave some for garnish
red pepper flakes (1/4 t)
medium-dry sherry (1/2 cup) I used 1/4 cup each dry vermouth and apple juice
diced tomatoes (1 large can/box) with their juices 
chickpeas (1 can) rinsed
broth or water (3 cups)
freshly milled pepper
salt


DIRECTIONS

1. Warm the oil in a wide pot with the onion, fennel, saffron, garlic and potatoes. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring gently every now and then until the potatoes are tender-firm, about 25 minutes.
2. Add the parsley and pepper flakes and cook 3 or 4 minutes.
3. Add the sherry and cook until the juices in the pan are thick and syrupy, about 12 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes, chickpeas and broth to cover. Season with 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and plenty of pepper. Cover and cook over low heat until the potatoes are completely tender, about 20 minutes.
5. Serve with parsley and fennel fronds.

Vegetarian Phở

Whenever I was sick as a kid, the only thing I ever wanted to eat was chicken soup. I would either have a cube of bouillon with white rice and diced potatoes or my grandma would bring over matzo ball soup from Agoura's Famous Deli (she never cooked, but made sure we had plenty of bonbons, assorted Pepperidge Farm cookies, berries with sugar, and put together a mean croissant turkey sandwich). The matzo balls were soft ball size and always fell apart in the bowl. I distinctly remember their flavor. 

grandma, Jess & me

Yesterday when I was sick, I wanted my usual soup, but with a plant-based translation - so I gave homemade vegetarian phở a try. We had just visited the asian market (Mitsuwa) the day before, so we were stocked up. This is definitely a great comfort soup to include in your repertoire. It's traditionally a meat based dish, but I have always preferred the vegetarian variation. This is a slight adjustment on The Kitchn's recipe.


INGREDIENTS
onion (1) large, peeled and halved
ginger root (2" piece) fresh, peeled, halved lengthwise
cinnamon / Vietnamese cassia-cinnamon (3" stick)
star anise (1)
garlic cloves (2) thickly sliced lengthwise
coriander seeds (1 tsp)
unsalted vegetable stock (4 cups) homemade or a very clear, tasty variety
soy, bragg's or fish sauce (2 tsp)
carrots (4) peeled and coarsely chopped
rice noodles I used Miracle Noodles


GARNISH OPTIONS, any of the following to taste:
fried/baked tofu, bean curd skin
mushrooms, bean sprouts, bok choy, napa cabbage, broccoli
onion, scallions, hot peppers
mint, asian basil, cilantro
lime, chili sauce, soy sauce, bragg's, fish sauce


DIRECTIONS

1. Char onion and ginger directly under a broiler or over an open flame (holding with tongs) until slightly blackened, about 5 minutes on each side. This is key in creating the distinctly phở flavor.* Thickly slice the ginger.
2. In a large pot, dry roast cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and coriander over medium-low heat, stirring to prevent burning. When spices are aromatic, add vegetable stock, fish sauce, carrots, charred onion and ginger.
3. Bring broth to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 1 1/2 hours. The soup is even more flavorful when served hours later. 
4. Cook noodles according to package instructions. Spoon into a bowl and pour strained broth over noodles.
5. Serve with garnishes on the side. The soup is incomplete without garnishes to taste.

*This charring is a french method - phở was developed in the early 1920s to accomodate both French and Vietnamese palettes during the French Indochina period.

Enjoy! And don't get sick this season if you can help it! You don't need to be under the weather to enjoy this soup. xo, J

Cabbage Soup

There are a million cabbage soup recipes out there. This is a healthy, easy, tasty version with minimal ingredients. You can keep it simple or add carrots, beef, rice, celery - go crazy. If you guys have a killer cabbage soup that you love, too, let me know! ...And just a warning - some  tummy bloating may ensue. It's that damn wonderful cabbage. But hey, if you eat more of it, your body will adapt. 


INGREDIENTS
olive oil
onion (1) diced
garlic cloves (4) chopped
chicken or vegetable stock (2 quarts) I have only used chicken stock
cabbage heads (1-2 depending on size and density preference) cored and chopped
stewed diced tomatoes (29 ounces)
salt
black pepper


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oil in a soup pot and saute onion and garlic until onion becomes transparent.
2. Stir in chicken stock a little at a time, bringing to a boil along the way.  Bring to a boil, add salt and pepper.
3. Stir in cabbage and simmer until cabbage wilts.
4. Add diced tomatoes, return to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15-30 minutes.

Tip: The longer the soup sits, the better it tastes and the sweet flavor of the cabbage permeates the dish.  If you eat right off the heat, much of the flavor will be too hot and freshly combined to taste.  Letting it hang out for at least an hour goes a long way and it just gets better over the next couple days.

Love, J

Smokey Kale Bean Tomato Soup

We recently bought liquid smoke and it is by far one of the most universal and fun flavorings in our cabinet. I thought we would overdose on it, but it takes on different qualities when combined with different dishes. 

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

olive oil (2 tablespoons)
yellow onion (1) diced
garlic cloves (6) roughly minced 
broth (1 box / 32 ounces)

kale (1 bunch / 4 cups) stems removed, chopped
diced tomatoes (1 large can / 14.5 ounces) San Marzano is my favorite brand
kidney beans (1 can / 14.5 ounces)

carrots (3) chopped

liquid smoke (to taste) be really careful, use in tiny increments 

paprika (to taste)

white pepper (to taste)

white gouda (to taste) thinly sliced; optional for no-dairy tummies, but it does add tremendous flavor

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot, saute onions with oil until golden. Throw in garlic, paprika, carrots and cook a bit.
2. Add broth and tomatoes, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.
3. Bring to lowest heat (to maintain firmness and flavor of the leaves) and mix in kale and kidney beans.
4. Season to taste with liquid smoke, white pepper, and paprika.
5. Serve with a slice of white gouda; it enhances all the flavors of the soup and gives it a meaty quality.

Shabbat Dinner: Veggie Soup in Beef Broth & Roast Chicken with Potatoes

Hello All, after much of Jackie's badgering, I'm finally contributing to recipe underground for the first time!


VEGGIE SOUP IN BEEF BROTH
beef shank & neck bones
spinach
broccoli
peas
carrots
corn
onion 
garlic
turmeric 
salt & pepper


Boil some water, drop in some beef shank and beef neck bones (I know - who really buys that, right? But I did and it makes the soup really tasty). Then add whichever veggies you want. I usually do some frozen spinach, broccoli, peas, carrots, corn, an onion, and some garlic. Spices are usually turmeric and salt and pepper from what I can remember. Result was a very clean tasty soup with robust flavor that was surprisingly low in fat and green and healthy.

ROAST CHICKEN WITH POTATOES & CARROTS
One of Jackie's faves, and mine too, not gonna lie.


whole chicken
salt
vinegar
brown sugar
olive oil
cracked pepper
mustard
soy sauce
duck sauce
lemon juice
thyme
rosemary
Lawry's Salt
potatoes
carrots


If you've got the time, take your beautiful whole chicken, make sure there is no junk in the middle (i.e. bag of intestines in the cavity), rinse her good, put her in a freezer ziplock with warm water, lots and lots of salt, vinegar, and brown sugar, and let her hang out in that brine for a night. If you have no time, skip that part, put her in a pyrex with some water, salt, olive oil, cracked pepper and whole peppercorns. Then I usually improv the rest based on what's in my fridge, but this is usually the concoction: mustard, soy sauce, duck sauce (Jewish style sweet asian sauce - mostly a watered down apricot marinade type of thing), vinegar, lemon juice, thyme, rosemary (don't overdo it), and whatever else tickles your fancy.  My go to seasoning is  Lawry's salt.  Fricking delicious. Then you cut up your potatoes and carrots, throw them in there, try to get them steeped in the liquid. Cover it up with aluminum and put it at 350 or so for a few hours, checking on it. Usually right before serving, I'll drain the extra liquid, leaving half an inch in there, flip the bird so both sides get a little color and put it on broil. Check back a few minutes later, take out the chicken and then try to crisp the potatoes so they are part mushy flavorful bits of heaven and part crispy cooked pieces of crack.


Let me know if you try cooking these.
x
Karine

Chicken Soup for the Blogger's Soul

whole chicken (aprox 4lbs) 
onion (1) chopped
celery (1 1/4 cup) chopped
carrots (1 1/4 cup) chopped
water until it covers the top of the chicken
olive olive 
fresh lemon juice (1/4 T) 
bay leaves (3)
garlic cloves (4)
fresh ginger (1/2" piece) sliced
majoram (1 t)
salt (1 t)
black pepper (1 t)
honey (1 T)


Heat oil with medium heat in a large pot. Add onions, celery, and carrots and cook until they soften. Add water, bring to a boil then lower to a simmer. 


Quarter chicken, remove skin, and add to pot along with seasonings. Simmer for 60-75 minutes. 


Remove chicken and let it cool until you can easily handle it. Pull chicken from bones and return the meat to the soup. Let cook at low heat for about 15-30 minutes. Let it cool and adjust seasoning to taste.


You can also cook some pasta and/or potatoes separately and add to soup before serving.