Category Archives: Soups

Lamb curry

Saucy, aromatic, meaty foods are what life is all about. Well, my life, anyway.

Lamb curry

Forget chicken soup. This is what your soul needs.

(Yield: 4 large or 6 smaller portions)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb lamb shoulder, cut off the bone, fat trimmed and discarded

1 large yellow onion, roughly diced

1 large carrot, sliced

1 orange bell pepper, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

8 oz canned tomato sauce

1 tbsp yellow curry powder

1 tbsp (2 tbsp for spicy food lovers) canned Panang curry paste, which looks like this 

1 14 oz can unsweetened coconut milk

1/4 c water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure: Rinse meat and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 1″ cubes. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over a high flame and add lamb. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until browned on all sides, about 3 min, flipping once. Remove meat from pot, reduce heat to medium and add vegetables. Season with a pinch of salt and cook until slightly softened, about 5 min, stirring frequently, making sure to scrape bits from bottom of pot. Next add tomato sauce, garlic and curries. Stir and cook for 1 min. Then add coconut milk and water. Stir, cover pot tightly with a lid and bring to a boil. Once boiling, crack lid, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 min, stirring occasionally. Then remove lid and simmer for another 10 min. Turn heat off. Taste and re-season if necessary. Serve hot; over rice, if desired.

Weekend recap and a recipe for Leftover Turkey Gumbo

I hope you have all had a pleasant long weekend; or at least a pleasantly long one.
Since we don’t have many  relatives who live nearby (let alone on this side of the Atlantic), my parents usually have Thanksgiving dinner with their friends and I have it with mine. Screw my birthday or New Year’s – friendsgiving in the best day of the year, because there’s nothing like spending a whole day preparing a feast to share with my favorite people in the world. But as it turned out this year, I had a small dinner with my parents instead. My mom and I got to cook together and it was nice. I did get to see my friends later at night though, since we decided to go shopping at midnight. None of us urgently needed to buy anything but I was just curious what Black Friday would be like, since I’ve never done it before. The funny thing is that most of the stores didn’t really have special deals – they were just open at a strange time – but people were still stuffing their shopping totes and pulling plastic out of their wallets as if in preparation for the apocalypse. It’s amazing how much humans love to hoard possessions and how willingly we succumb to tricky marketing strategies.

New sweater and necklace thanks to Black Friday

The following day I had to go downtown to the passport office and submit a renewal application, where I waited on line for an hour and a half. It wasn’t the best place to hang out on a Saturday afternoon but at least Rene was there to keep me company, God bless his heart. When we finally got out, we headed straight to the Shake Shack nearby. I got to indulge in one of my favorite treats – Shake Shack’s perfectly crispy crinkle fries dipped into their silky custard. Some of you will probably think this is gross but it will only be those that haven’t tried this yet. I ordered the custard special of the day, which was called “Pumpkin pie, oh my!” – vanilla custard blended with a whole slice of pumpkin pie. Eating this completely erased my memory of the previously annoying 1.5 hrs. “Oh my!” indeed.

Later I got around to making this soup, which is another Thanksgiving tradition I have. It’s a simple recipe and it is the best way to use up leftover turkey.

(Yield: 4-6 servings)

Ingredients:

3 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp flour

1 yellow onion, diced

1 large carrot, diced

1 celery stick, diced

1 green or red bell pepper, diced

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

4.5 c turkey or chicken stock

1 c shredded turkey meat (or chicken, if made year-round)

Salt/pepper

1 c prepared white rice

Chopped scallions

Procedure: Heat a large enamel soup pot over low heat. Add oil and flour and whisk together for 2 minutes, until the roux is a light caramel color and smells nutty. Add vegetables with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, and other seasonings. Stir with a wooden spoon and cook for about 10 min, until vegetables have softened, stirring occasionally. Then add stock, stir, cover pot tightly with a lid, increase heat to high, and bring soup to a boil. Once boiling, remove lid, turn heat down to medium-low and simmer for 15 min. Then add meat and simmer for another 15 min. (Soup should thicken slightly). Serve soup hot, topped with white rice and scallions.

How was your weekend?

Do you have any experience with Black Friday?

What Thanksgiving traditions do you have?

Aztec-ish soup

The other day I was craving Aztec soup from Los Mariachis, my favorite Mexican restaurant here in Brooklyn, but actually going there didn’t seem like a possibility. Actually going outside and getting ingredients for it wasn’t appealing either. So I improvised.

Los Mariachis’ Aztec soup consists of a tomato base, lots of spices, tortilla crisps and diced avocado. My soup didn’t turn out to be what I was craving but it was equally as, if not more so, awesome. There are tomatoes and avocados in my version too but instead of tortilla, I decided to make Parmesan crisps. I also added bacon because, well, it’s bacon.

*This was my first time making Parmesan crisps so they weren’t ideal. I made them far too thick so instead of gracefully floating in the soup, they kind of sank in it. But, they did do their job of providing the salty, crunchy element.

(Yield: 6 servings)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

2 strips bacon, chopped

1 yellow onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

14 oz crushed tomatoes

3 c low-sodium chicken broth

1 heaping tsp corn starch

Salt/pepper

2 avocadoes, diced

About ½ c grated Parmesan cheese

Procedure: Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add oil and bacon. Render fat out of bacon and cook until crispy, about 4 min. Remove bacon with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Set aside. Add onion to pot, with a pinch of salt, and cook until translucent, about 2 min. Then add carrots, celery, bell pepper, garlic and cayenne, and season with salt and pepper. Sauté vegetables until softened, about 6 min. Then add tomatoes and chicken broth, raise heat to high, cover tightly with a lid, and bring to a boil. Then crack lid, turn heat down to low and simmer for 30 min.

Remove from heat and blend with immersion blender until smooth. Return to heat and bring back to simmer. Re-season if necessary. In a small dish, stir corn starch with 1 tbsp of water. Add to soup and cook for another 3 min.

Procedure for crisps: Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with silicone pad (or aluminum foil and non-stick spray). Pour a heaping tbsp of cheese on sheet and pat down lightly. Repeat with remaining cheese – ½ c should make about 6 crisps. Cook for 6 min, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.

Assembly: Divide soup into 6 bowls. Top with avocado, bacon and crisps. Serve hot.

Pumpkin Curry w/ Chicken

This idea came from… Wait, I’m gonna let you guess…

Why yes, it was Bon Appetit magazine! But I only used it for inspiration this time, the recipe is entirely mine. I should just rename this blog “Bon Appetit-Inspired Recipes by Sasha.”

Also, note this beautiful, asymmetrical serving dish, which was another part of my birthday present. My friends sure do know me well.

(Yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 orange bell pepper, diced

1/2 tsp cumin

1 heaping tsp yellow curry powder

Cayenne pepper, to taste

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree

2 1/5 c chicken stock

1 13 oz can coconut milk

1 chicken breast, thinly sliced

A generous pinch of saffron (soaked in 2 tbsp water 10 min prior to use)

Chopped scallions for garnish

Cooked white rice

Procedure: Heat oil in heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onion, pepper and garlic with a pinch of salt. Saute, stirring frequently, for 10 min. Add stock, pumpkin, curry, cumin and cayenne, and bring to a simmer. Cover loosely with lid and simmer for 5 min. Then take off heat and puree with immersion blender (or food processor, with the chute left open!) until smooth. Return to heat and add coconut milk. When it’s back at simmering point, taste and re-season if necessary. Then stir in chicken and saffron (in its water). Cover loosely and simmer for 10-12 min, until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Turn heat off and re-season again if necessary. To serve: ladle into bowls and top with rice and scallions.

I’m quite proud of myself for executing this dish perfectly on the first try, considering I’ve never made curry before. I’ve also done some research since my first saffron run and concluded that it should be soaked in a little water 10 minutes prior to use to better release the bright orange color and slightly metallic flavor.

Final words: This dish is easy to make and the flavors and textures are maaahrvelous. Try it!

Corn and kidney bean soup

Not to toot my own horn but I must say that my soup skills have seriously improved since I first started blogging over two years ago. Here is yet another new favorite.

(Yield: 4-6 servings)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 large carrot, peeled, diced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

1 tsp chili powder

1 pinch cumin

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 c beef broth

1 19 oz can red kidney beans, drained, rinsed

3/4 c frozen corn kernels

Salt/pepper

Sour cream, for garnish

Heat the oil on low heat in a heavy pot. Add onion, carrot and a pinch of salt and let soften, about 5 min, stirring frequently. Add garlic, stir and cook for 30 sec. Add tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, black pepper and vinegar. Raise heat to medium, stir, and cook for 2 min. Add broth, cover with lid and bring to a boil. Then remove lid, lower heat and simmer for 10 min. Take off of heat and puree with immersion blender. Put back on heat, add beans and corn and let cook for 3 more min, until the corn is ready.

Tomato-Based Vegetable Soup

Yet another victory for my immersion blender. I was thinking of what to make for dinner tonight and ended up cleaning out my fridge. I threw a bunch of leftover ingredients into a pot and viola!

Isn’t it just beautiful?

(Yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

1 medium carrot, peeled, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 15oz can diced tomatoes

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

4 c chicken broth

1 Yukon Gold potato, peeled, cubed

1 sprig rosemary, off the stem, finely chopped

1/4 c evaporated milk

1 c fresh baby spinach

Salt/pepper

Heat the oil in a soup pot on low heat. Add onion, carrot, bell pepper, pepper and a pinch of salt. Stir and cook for about 5 min, until veggies start to sweat. Add garlic and cook for another min. Add cayenne, tomatoes and stock. Turn heat up, cover and bring to boil. Then crack lid, lower heat to a simmer and add the potato. Cook for about 20 min, until the potatoes are cooked through. Take off of heat, re-season if necessary, and add rosemary. Puree with blender. Put back on heat, add milk and spinach. Cook until spinach wilts, about another min.

Asian-Style Pork Noodle Soup

Here is my newest soup recipe. The ingredients and preparation are really simple, and the result is delicious, healthy and filling.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb pork loin

1 yellow onion (whole) + 1/2 onion (sliced)

1 carrot

1 celery stick

1 tbsp salt

1/2 box spaghetti, broken in half*

2 c baby spinach leaves

1 tbsp soy sauce

*Egg noodles will work too.

Place the pork in a soup pot and fill with just enough water to cover the meat. Bring to boil and spill water out. Replace with new water (about 5 cups) and add the whole onion, carrot, celery and salt to pot. Bring to boil again, then turn heat down and simmer for 40 minutes with a cracked lid.

Discard the onion, carrot and celery, and remove meat from pot. When cool enough to handle, shred the pork by hand or with fork. Set aside.

While the broth is boiling, add the pasta, stir and cook until al dente, about 6 min. Then add soy sauce, sliced onion, pork and spinach. Stir and cook until spinach is wilted, about 1 min. Re-season if necessary.

New Toy.

I’ve been wanting to buy an immersion blender for my kitchen since I first made discovery of its existence, and upon my return from Europe, my mother bought me one. I guess she missed me ; )

To Christen it, I decided to make this Pureed Vegetable Soup.

(Yield: 6-8 servings)

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

2 carrots, peeled, diced

1 zucchini, peeled, diced

1 orange bell pepper, diced

1 tomato, diced

¾ tsp dried basil

1 tsp corn starch

4 c beef broth

1 large potato, peeled, cubed

1 pinch yellow curry powder

2 tbsp minced parsley

Salt/pepper/sugar

Heat oil in large soup pot on low heat. Add onion, season with pinch of sugar and salt, and sauté for 10 min, stirring frequently. Add carrots and cook 2 min. Add zucchini and bell pepper, season with salt and pepper, raise the heat to medium and cook for 10 min. Then, add tomato and basil, and cook 2 min. Stir in corn starch until fully incorporated. Add beef broth to pot, raise heat to high, cover with lid, and bring to a boil. Once rolling boil is achieved, add potato, lower heat to simmer and cook for 30 min, stirring occasionally.

Turn heat off. Add parsley and curry. Re-season if necessary. Immerse hand blender into pot and puree until desired consistency is reached. *Add cream or butter for extra luxury.

Kharcho.

Kharcho [kh='h' sound] is one of my favorite soups. It is served in most Russian/Ukrainian restaurants though it’s really Georgian (the country, not the state). There are many ways to prepare this hearty, aromatic soup but most versions have a beef or lamb base, rice, a tomato element, lots of garlic, and fresh herbs.

*I usually cook this soup with hot sauce but recently I was introduced to Thai red curry paste so I used that instead, which was definitely a good move. I found red curry paste in an Asian food market – if you can’t find it, use hot sauce.
*This recipe includes making your own beef stock. If you don’t have the time/will, just use the store-bought kind and make a meatless version altogether – just use more rice.
(Yield: 6 servings)
Ingredients:
Beef Stock:
3/4 lb brisket
Water
1 tbsp salt
1 yellow onion, peeled
1 large carrot, whole
Bouquet garni – a handful of fresh herbs, tied together with string

Soup:
3/4 c white rice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp Thai red curry paste
Salt
1/2 c chopped herbs (parsley, cilantro and/or dill)

The stock: place the beef in a pot and fill with just enough water to cover it. Cover with lid and bring to boil. Spill the water out and replace with new water, about 6 cups. Bring to boil and add remaining ingredients. Reduce heat to a simmer, crack the lid and simmer for 1 hour. After the hour, discard the vegetables and remove beef from the pot.

The soup: once brisket is cool enough to handle, cut it into bite-size pieces and set aside.
Heat butter and oil on medium-low heat in a skillet and add the onion and garlic. Season with a pinch of salt and sweat out for about 7 min. Add 3 tbsp of the stock along with the tomato and curry pastes. Stir until homogeneous and turn heat off. In the meantime, bring the stock back to boiling point and add the rice. Turn the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the sauteed mixture and meat to pot, stir and taste for seasonings. Simmer for another 10 minutes, uncovered. Then turn the heat off, cover with a lid and let sit for 15 minutes, in order for the rice to release its starch. Then stir in the herbs and serve.

P.S: If your neighbors come a knockin’, don’t be surprised. Kharcho will make your house smell like garlic heaven ; )

Friday Soup

Today is Friday, which is the end of the week, which means refrigerator clean-up time.

I decided to throw whatever ingredients I had in my kitchen into a pot and 40 minutes later, this delicious soup was born.

(Yield: 6 servings)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 medium carrots, chopped

1 ½ c broccoli florets

4 c chicken broth

8 oz tomato sauce

4 oz canned kidney beans, drained, rinsed

½ c dry noodles (I used Russian-style vermicelli)

Chopped fresh herbs (for garnish)

Salt/pepper

In a medium soup pot, heat the oil on medium-low heat. Add the onion and season with a pinch of salt. Cook until translucent, about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 20 seconds until fragrant. Add the carrots and broccoli and cook for 3 minutes. Add the broth, turn the heat up and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil and add the tomato sauce. Turn the heat back to medium-low, crack the lid and simmer for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add the beans and noodles and simmer until the noodles are cooked. Salt and pepper to taste and garnish with herbs.