Category: Soup

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Soup · Vegetable-related

Cold pea and basil soup

Belinda

I have just made a batch of this as it’s something you can do ahead of time. It can be tarted up with a dollop of sour cream and some finely shredded fresh basil at the end and the beauty is that you use good old frozen peas!

Serves 4

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 small or 1 large yellow onions, peeled and finely diced (about  1 cup)
4 cups frozen peas
1 quart Vegetable stock
12 large fresh basil leaves, and 3 extra for garnish
freshly ground black pepper and salt
sour cream, to garnish

Heat the olive oil in a small soup pot over medium heat, add the onion and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
Add the peas and vegetable stock, bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add the whole basil leaves and salt and pepper to taste.
Put the soup aside and let it cool for about 1 hour, then whizz it in the blender until smooth.
Cool in the fridge for at least 3 hours.

Serve garnishes with a spoonful of sour cream and the finely sliced basil.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Poultry · Soup · Whole30 compliant

Eternal slow-cooker chicken broth

Belinda

I was reading about this today and went straight to the freezer where I had a bag of two organic roast chicken carcasses waiting for recycling.
What a great idea and to have the slow cooker on all day every day for a week (making the house smell divine) and just top up the slow cooker with water when necessary.
When removing any broth for use, strain it through some cheesecloth or a (spare) reusable coffee filter, so that all the herbs, chicken bits and vegetables stay behind, also producing a clearer broth, then replace the used broth with more filtered water.
Do this for up to a week, extracting every bit of goodness from that chicken carcass then throw it all away and start all over again with a new roasted chicken carcass or whole chicken.

This recipe is for you to improvise. It gives a guide to what you can put in the broth, but you can make an Asian broth by adding fresh ginger, lemon grass, star anise etc

1 whole chicken (or the carcass of a roasted chicken)
4 bay leaves
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp white peppercorns
1 large onion, chopped into chunks
2 carrot, chopped into chunks
3 stalks of celery, chopped into chunks
1 or 2 leeks, chopped into chunks
bunch of fresh thyme, sage and Italian parsley, stalks and all
Filtered water

Put the chicken or chicken carcase into the slow cooker then pile in everything else, stirring and mixing together.
Cover with the filtered water and cook on your lowest setting for ONE WEEK.
After 24 hours or so, you may begin using the broth.
As you need it, simply dip a ladle into the broth to remove the stock. Pour it through some cheese cloth or a fine mesh strainer.
Replace the broth with an equivalent amount of filtered water.
If you are using a whole chicken, you can remove the chicken meat as you need it and use it in other dishes, like stir fries, soups or sandwiches.

At the end of the week, strain off any remaining broth, save or freeze, then discard or compost the bones. The bones by this time will pretty much crumble when pressed between your fingers.
The softness of the bones shows that most of the nourishment (minerals, amino acids etc) have leached from the bones into the broth you’ve been enjoying all week.

Wash the insert of your slow cooker and start al over again!

Asian flavors · Fish · Gluten Free · Soup

Spicy coconut mussels with lemongrass (CleanCuisine)

Belinda

Thank you to the NY Times for this recipe. it is divine and one can’t stop slurping the sauce and mopping it up with chunks of baguette!

Serves 2
Takes about 35 minutes

2 tbsp coconut or safflower oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 stalk lemongrass trimmed (outer layers of leaves removed) and finely chopped
1/2-1 small hot chile,(like Scotch Bonnet, Jalapeno, Thai bird or Serrano) seeded and finely chopped
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 lbs fresh mussels, rinsed well
zest of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp lemon juice, or to taste
1/2 tsp Asian fish sauce, or to taste
1/2 cup whole cilantro leaves
lots of fresh baguette

Heat the oil in the bottom of a large pot until hot.
Add the shallot, garlic, lemongrass and chile, cook over a medium heat until soft, about 3 minutes.
Add the coconut milk and the mussels. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook until the mussels have opened, about 5 to 7 minutes. Discard any mussels that remain closed.
Remove from the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer the mussels to a large bowl, leaving the liquid in the pot.
Stir the lemon zest and juice, fish sauce and cilantro into the pot. Taste and add more fish sauce and/or lemon juice if needed. (The fish sauce provides the salt)

As the mussels are cooking, halve the baguette lengthways and heat the broiler. Place the halved pieces cut side up on a baking sheet. Heat under the broiler until just golden.
Put the mussels in two wide, shallow bowls, ladle the broth over them and serve with the baguette.

Do-ahead · Nuts · Soup

Bobby Flay’s chilled white gazpacho

Belinda

Very refreshing and luxurious!

1/2 cup lightly toasted almonds
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 & 1/2 cups white seedless grapes
1 cup white grape juice
1/2 cup water
2 cups country white bread, crusts removed and cubed
1 cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
2 – 3 tbsp verjus (vermouth, champagne vinegar or a medium white wine are all good substitutes)
2 -3 tbsp walnut oil
chopped chives for garnish
toasted slivered almonds for garnish
small, champagne grapes are also lovely for a garnish

Place almonds, pine nuts, garlic, grapes, grape juice, water and bread in a blender and puree until smooth. Strain the mixture into a bowl. Chill the soup for at least 30 minutes.

Remove soup from the refrigerator and fold in the cream to the soup.
Finish with a tablespoon a few tablespoons each of the walnut oil and “verjus”
Ladle into serving bowls and garnish each with chives, almonds and grapes if desired.

 

Asian flavors · Fish · Gluten Free · Soup · Whole30 compliant

Steamed mussels with lemongrass, thai basil, chilies and coconut

Belinda

This is divine and exotic!

Adapted from “Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges”


INGREDIENTS:

1 lb mussels (washed and bearded)

6 stems of Thai basil leaves (use only the leaves)

1 clove garlic (minced)

1 clove shallot (minced)

3 bird’s eye chilies (finely chopped)

1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
FOR THE BROTH:
 3 cups coconut milk
1/2 inch galangal/ginger (lightly pounded)

1 lemongrass stalk (trimmed, smashed, and chopped)

3 bird’s eye chilies (smashed)

1/2 teaspoon grated fresh lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt to taste
METHOD:
Bring the coconut milk, galangal/ginger, lemongrass, and smashed bird’s eyes chilies to boil over high heat. 
Add the lemon zest and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste. 
Remove from the stove, strain the broth and set aside. Discard the aromatics.
Heat up the cooking oil in a wok or deep saucepan that can later be covered.
Add the minced garlic and shallots and cook until lightly browned. 
 
Stir-in the chopped bird’s eye chilies, then add the mussels and the broth. 
 
Add the basil leaves, cover and cook until all mussels are open. 
 
Add salt to taste, dish out and serve hot with steamed rice.