Get Your Veg On

I've been on a soup kick lately.  To feed my addiction, I created a variation to my soba noodle soup.  This soup is a bit heartier but it's just as fast and equally as satisfying. 

Here's the recipe:

Kale & Pasta Soup

-3 cartons of low-sodium vegetable stock
-1 small bunch of kale, chopped
-3/4 of a can of chick peas, rinsed
-2 carrots, peeled and chopped
-2 celery stalks, chopped
-1/2 yellow onion, chopped
-1 clove garlic, chopped
-1-2 T. olive oil
-1 cup of pasta
-1-2 bay leaves
-salt and pepper to taste

Sauté carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in olive oil until slightly soft.  Add stock, bay leaves and bring to boil.  Once boiling, bring back down to a simmer and add chick peas and kale once the veggies are soft.  Add pasta that you've cooked separately.  Serve with crusty french bread/rolls.  Serves 4-6

Soba Noodle Soup

 

At long last, I'm posting a recipe for my ridiculously easy soba noodle soup.  

Ridiculously Easy Soba Noodle Soup

-3 containers of vegetable stock (the large size)

-a handful of soba noodles (no exact measurement, it's just how you like it)

-1 cup of shelled edamamme

-2 carrots, peeled and diced

-2 celery stalks, diced

-1/2 onion

-1 clove garlic, minced

-1 T. minced fresh ginger

-2 T. olive oil

-1-2 bay leaves

-salt and pepper to taste

Sauté diced vegetables, garlic and fresh ginger with olive oil.  Once softened, add vegetable stock.  I usually add one carton of low-sodium stock.  Let boil and then bring to simmer until vegetables are softened.  Add soba noodles and edamamme (I buy them frozen and toss them in the pot to defrost).  Done!  Makes about 4-6 servings.

How to Take the Chill Away

Today was nothing but cold and rainy and after a day full of running errands outside, all I wanted to do was enjoy a warm bowl of soup while watching a movie.  I was feeling a bit lazy but refused to buy ready-made soup so I made this recipe from scratch.  Admittedly, I did take one shortcut and bought a roasted chicken to add to the soup.

Roasted Chicken & Egg Noodle Soup

-1 roasted chicken, about 2 lbs. (meat cut up into bite-size pieces)
-1-2 T. olive oil
-2 medium-sized carrots, peeled and chopped
-1 cup onion, diced
-3 celery stalks, chopped
-1 t. garlic, chopped
-2 cups egg noodles (I actually used German spaetzle b/c it was in my cupboard but any egg noodle will do)
-1 bag fresh spinach
-2 T. fresh dill, chopped
-8-10 cups chicken broth

Sauté onion, celery, garlic and carrots in stock pot w/ olive oil.  Once slightly tender, add chicken stock and bring to boil.  Add egg noodles and cook until cooked through.  While noodles are cooking, chop up roasted chicken meat into pieces and add to soup.  Add washed spinach and simmer until wilted.  Garnish with fresh chopped dill.  Enjoy!

 

A Winter Warmer

It's officially winter in Southern California.  What that really means is that we've encountered a few sprinkles and the temperature has dropped to 50 degrees in the morning.  I'm not going to complain; we've got it good.  You may actually think I'm crazy when I say this but I actually miss a good ol' Nor'Easter.  You know, the kind of storm that looks good from the inside of a frosted window.  The kind  that calls for snow days and a steaming cup of hot chocolate.  So to remind myself of those blustery nights, I like to cook up a big pot of soup.  I found this recipe on Tasting Table, a subscription site that dubs itself the "free daily email for adventurous eaters everywhere."  In other words, it's well-edited site full of local dining, wine, shopping, recipe and food travel recommendations.


A recent post featured former sous chef Chris Bradley from famed NYC restaurant Gramercy Tavern and his delicious recipe for Curry Cauliflower soup.  Consequently, he is now running the show at a new restaurant in the Whitney Museum of American Art.


I changed the recipe according to my specifications.  Instead of vegetable stock I used chicken stock and I omitted the yogurt (b/c I don't like mixing any dairy in my soup).


Hope you like!


Curry Cauliflower Soup

Yield: 6 Servings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 heads cauliflower, cut into florets (about 10 cups)
• 1 onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• ½ leek, white and light green parts only, diced (about ¾ cup)
• 2 large carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
• ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ bunch cilantro, chopped (about 2 cups)
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon mild curry powder
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• ¾ cup plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Reserve 1 cup of small cauliflower florets, ¼ cup of onion, ¼ cup of leeks and ¼ cup of carrots for garnish.

2. In a large pot, warm ¼ cup of the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the remaining onion, leek and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have begun to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook until soft, about 10 minutes longer.

3. In a small skillet over medium-high heat, combine the coriander and cumin seeds and toast until they are fragrant and slightly browned, about 2 minutes. In a square of cheesecloth, combine the toasted seeds and the cilantro and tie into a bundle, securing it with a piece of kitchen twine. Add the spice bundle, turmeric, curry powder and garlic to the vegetables in the pot and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. Add the vegetable stock, bring a simmer and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the cheesecloth bundle, then puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the puree to the pot and keep warm.

5. In a large skillet, warm the remaining 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the reserved cauliflower, onion, leek and carrots and cook until the vegetables are just tender and lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and reserve.

6. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil and lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

7. Divide the hot soup among 6 deep bowls, garnish with the reserved vegetables and drizzle with the yogurt mixture. Serve immediately.