Hearty French Onion Soup

I love autumn in New England, especially because I get to enjoy my favorite soups. This soup is so filling that you can have just one bowl as a meal. It makes a great weekend lunch, or a simple weekday dinner. I just love the pull of the cheese with each spoonful.

The secret to this dish is a rich stock. This time I made it using lamb stock for a full flavor, but you can use chicken, beef, or turkey stock. I also used my Tasty Crouton Recipe instead of toasted french bread to add more flavor.

Ingredients:
For 2 BIG servings

• 1 Cup Dry Red Wine
  
• 2 Quarts Lamb, Beef, Chicken, or Turkey Stock
  
• 1/2 Cup Croutons or sliced toasted French bread
• 6 oz Swiss Cheese, shredded
  
• 2 Cups Mushrooms, sliced
• 1-2 Onions, sliced and separated.
• 1 tbsp Chopped Garlic
• 1/2 tsp Fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• 2 pats of butter.
• 1/2 tsp salt, only if the stock has no salt. If you use a commercial stock that contains salt, omit this.
  
• 1 tsp of Soy Sauce
• 1/2 tsp of Worcestershire sauce.
  
• 1 tbsp General purpose flour

Directions:

1. Place the wine and stock into a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Keep boiling while you perform the rest of the steps. You will want to reduce it to about half of its original volume.
   
2. Pre-heat a large fry pan and cover the bottom with olive oil.
3. Add the sliced onions and fry until they are golden brown.
   
4. Slide the onions to one side of the and pan melt the butter in the open side.
5. Add the mushrooms to the butter and mix in. Stir in the garlic.
   
6. Saute the mushrooms until brown, mix with the onions.
7. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture, mix in and saute until brown.
8. Stir the pepper and cumin into the stock. Add the Soy, Worcestershire and salt (if any) to the stock.
   
9. Pour the mushroom and onion mixture into the stock, bring to a simmer. The flour will thicken the broth.
   
10. Add some croutons (or toast) to each oven safe bowl, sprinkle with some cheese
11. Ladle the soup into each bowl and top with the rest of the cheese.
12. Place the bowls on a cookie sheet and broil on high for 3-5 minutes.
13. Let stand for at least 5 minutes before serving.

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Copyright © 2007, 2008 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

Quick and Tasty Spicy Hot and Sour Soup

This is one of my favorite Chinese soups. There are many variations to this soup. We like ours on the spicy and sour side. We like the combination of these ingredients because it really reminds us of the soup we used to order at a local Chinese restaurant. The restaurant has long closed. So we set out to recreate the flavor and texture of our favorite Chinese soup and I think that we captured the essence of the soup. All of the ingredients are sure be available at your local Asian market and many might be available at your local supermarket.

You can also make this soup totally vegetarian, I will point out how to make it vegetarian as I go.

I always judge a Chinese restaurant based on its Hot and Sour Soup. If the soup is good, the rest of the meal is usually a real treat. The Szechuan restaurant where we used to have this soup also had outstanding Gong Pao Chicken, Szechuan Spicy Shrimp and Vegetarian Delight. I promise to make and publish all of those dishes too and you can have your own Chinese feast.

When we made the soup at home I ended up eating enough to make a meal out of it. I was also surprised to find that it microwaved just fine the next day for lunch. I took a little vinegar/sesame oil mixture and some fresh scallions to wake up the flavor after reheating. It made a great workday lunch. Satisfying, yet not too heavy.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups of chicken broth, substitute a vegetable broth for the vegetarian version.
• 1 tbsp of garlic chili paste (use more if you like it really spicy)
• 1/4 cup of rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup of white wine or rice wine
• 1 tbsp of toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce
• 2 tsp of minced ginger root
• 3-4 minced green onions
• 1/4 cup of chopped dried wood ears
• 1/4 cup of day lilly buds (found in most Asian stores in with the dried mushrooms and wood ears)
• 1/2 cup of dried black mushrooms, increase for vegetarian version.
• 1/2 cup of chopped bamboo shoots
• 6 oz of firm tofu, increase to 10 oz for the vegetarian version.
• 6 oz of lean pork, omit for vegetarian version.
• 2 tsp of soy sauce
• 1 tsp of sesame oil
• 2 tbsp of cornstarch or tapioca starch
• 1 egg (optional)

Instructions:

1. For the vegetarian version skip steps 2, 3, and 13. I know it's obvious, but just want to be clear.
2. Chop the pork into long thin strips about 1/4 inch thick.
3. Marinade the pork in the 2 teaspoon of soy and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Set aside.
4. Rinse the mushrooms, wood ears and lilly buds under cold water.
5. Heat the chicken broth on low and keep it on a low simmer. Using about 1 cup of the warm broth, soak the wood ears and mushrooms together. If they soak up all the liquid, just add a little more broth.
6. Using about 1/2 cup of the warm broth, soak the lilly buds. Add a little more broth if necessary.
7. Cut the tofu into strips about 1/4 inch thick.
8. To prepare the flavoring, combine the vinegar, wine, sesame oil, chili paste, soy sauce and the minced ginger together.
9. When the mushrooms are soft drain them and the wood ears. Reserve the liquid.
10. Drain the lilly buds and reserve the liquid.
11. Cut the mushrooms into thin strips.
12. Turn the heat up and when the broth begins to simmer again, add the flavoring. Mix thoroughly in.
13. Wait until the flavored broth starts to simmer again, carefully add the pork and mix it into the broth.
14. Let the meat cook for about 5 minutes.
15. Once the broth starts to simmer again, add the mushrooms and wood ears.
16. Add the lilly buds and the bamboo shoots. Allow the broth to come back up to a simmer.
17. Add the tofu and continue to simmer the soup.
18. Add the reserved liquid from the lilly buds.
19. To the reserved liquid of the mushrooms add the cornstarch and thoroughly wisk into the liquid.
20. Add to the soup and thoroughly mix it in.
21. Continue to simmer for about 30 minutes this will allow for all the different flavors to blend together and soak into the goodies.
22. This is totally optional, whisk the egg with about one teaspoon of water and slowly swirl the mixture into the soup. Gently mix the egg into the soup. I haven't added the egg to my soup for quite sometime and I find that I don't really miss it.
23. Add 1/2 of the minced green onion and stir it into the soup.
24. Plate the soup and garnish the top with a handful of minced green onion.
25. For a totally vegetarian version of the soup, just increase the amount of tofu and dried mushrooms, and of course omit the pork.

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Copyright © 2007, 2008 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

Vegetarian Ragin' Cajun Red Bean Soup

You don't need cold weather to enjoy a hearty bowl of soup. This spicy red bean soup is a meal in itself. It is also a very economical meal. This recipe costs less than a single gallon of gas, but provides a healthy and delicious meal for the whole family. Add a salad or sandwiches and you can even feed a large family.

This meal is also very practical. You can leave it simmering in the crock pot all day while you are at work, and it will be ready for you when you come home. The leftovers are also a great workday lunch because they microwave so well.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Red Kidney Beans
  
  
• 1 Carrot, sliced.
  
  
• 1 Onion, coarsely chopped.
  
• 1/2 Bunch Parsley, coarsely chopped.
  
• 1 Leek, sliced.
  
• 2 scallions, sliced.
  
• 1 Head of Garlic, peeled.
  
• 1 28 oz can of whole peeled tomatoes.
  
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Adjust to taste.
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dry coriander.
  
• 1 teaspoon dry oregano.
  
• 1 teaspoon cumin.
  
• 1 teaspoon Hungarian paprika.
  
• 1-2 teaspoons sea salt.
  
• 5 Black Peppercorns.
  
• 4 Cups warm water.
  

Directions:

1. Soak the beans in warm water over night. This step is optional, but will cut down on the cooking time if the beans start off soft.
   
   
2. Place the tomatoes, complete with juice, into the crock pot. Mash with a potato masher.
   
   
3. Add the spices and mix into the tomato.
   
4. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix thoroughly then add the water.
   
   
5. You may be tempted to add more water, but wait until the end to decide. The vegetables will release their own juice. Adding water at the end, or when you reheat works great with this soup.
   
6. Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or until the beans are really soft. Really, the longer it cooks the better the flavor, but that's the great thing about the crock pot, set it and forget it.
   
7. When the beans are soft, puree with a hand blender. If you don't have a hand blender you can ladle it into a regular blender, puree it and then ladle it back. If you don't have a blender, the soup is perfectly good as is ! Chunky soup has its own charm.
   
   
8. Serve with a squeeze of lime and a drizzle of hot pepper oil for extra zing.
   

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Copyright © 2007, 2008 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

Smooth and Satisfying Lentil Soup

This is a completely vegetarian dish with no eggs or dairy products, yet it has a hearty and satisfying taste and texture. The secret is the lentils themselves which are an excellent source of protein and have a rich flavor.

When I was little my grandmother would make this dish for my grandfather and I in the winter time. We had it with toasted bread and a squeeze of lime to bring out the flavor. It was a complete supper and left us sleepy and satisfied.

This dish is also a great way to use up your not so new vegetables. I use the day old tomatoes, slightly wilted celery, yesterday's cut-up onion, etc. The quantities of ingredients don't need to be exact, so use what you have. I give the quantities that work for me.

I used a crock pot to cook my soup, but you can certainly cook it on low heat on top of the stove.

This recipe makes enough to serve 4 people as a meal, or 6-8 people as a starter dish.

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Red Lentils
  
• 1-2 Large tomatoes or 1 1/2 cups of cherry tomatoes, or a combination. Diced.
  
  
• 1 stalk of celery, sliced. Use the leaves too, they add flavor.
  
  
• 1 carrot peeled and sliced.
  
• 1-2 onions, chopped. I used a mixture of red and white onions because I had some left over from another meal.
  
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and coarsely sliced.
  
• a handful of fresh parsley, and/or cilantro. I love both, but some people prefer one over the other.
  
• 2 teaspoons sea salt.
  
• 3 cups of water.
  
• 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns. Use less or omit if you don't want it spicy.
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin.
  
• 1 pinch ground coriander.
  

Instructions

1. Rinse the lentils and place in a crock pot.
   
2. Add the rest of the ingredients. Mix.
   
3. Add the spices and the water, stir thoroughly.
   
4. Cover the crock pot and set on medium or high heat . If you are using a stove, use low heat (electric setting 3).
   
5. I like to cover the crock pot with a glass bowl over the cover to increase the insulation. This will make it cook slightly hotter.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Cook for about 5-6 hours, or until all the vegetables are tender.
   
7. Puree with a hand blender, or pour into a blender and puree.
   
8. If using a hand blender, you may get tomato skins caught in your blender. This is not a problem, but you may want to clean them off periodically as it will make blending faster. I usually just dump the peels back into the soup and chop them up.
   
9. After you are done blending, stir and taste the soup for final spice adjustments.
   
10. Keep the soup on low heat for another 5 minutes to rest.
    
11. Serve with toasted garlic bread, limes, and throw a pinch of chopped parsley on each serving for extra panache.

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Copyright © 2007, 2008 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

SCRUMPTIOUS, HEARTY MUSHROOM, BEEF AND BARLEY SOUP

SCRUMPTIOUS, HEARTY MUSHROOM, BEEF AND BARLEY SOUP

Its cold, windy and nothing warms you like a hot bowl of soup. I use the different types of mushrooms because they all have different and rich flavors that make the soup really tasty. If you don't have all these mushrooms on hand, then just use what you have. The dried shittake mushrooms will add a lot of flavor to the soup, so if you can don't do without. You can substitute onions for leeks. While, I use beef in the soup, this is one soup that can be made totally vegetarian and still be very hearty and tasty. I would increase the amount of portabello mushrooms since they have rich meaty taste that can fool the most discerning of meat taste buds. Use a vegetable stock instead of beef.

INGREDIENTS

• 8oz of lean beef
• 10 medium size dried shittake mushrooms.
• 3 cups of sliced portabello, crimini and white mushrooms
• 1 cup of thinly sliced celery including the tops
• 1 cup of thinly sliced leeks
• 1 tbsp of minced garlic
• 1 tbsp of minced parsley
• 1 cup of red wine
• 6 cups of beef stock
• 3/4 cup of barley
• 1 tsp of salt
• pepper to taste
• olive oil
• 1 pat of butter (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak the dried mushrooms in the stock until they are soft which should be about 30 minutes or so.Squeeze the stock out of the mushrooms and slice the mushrooms thinly.
2. Cut the beef into small bite size and pat dry with a paper towel. Salt and pepper the meat.Coat the bottom of a large pot with olive oil and heat until oil begins to shimmer
3. Place beef in the pot and sear all sides, about 1-2 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.
4. Coat the bottom of pot with olive oil and add pat of butter. When the oil start to shimmer and butter is melted, add mushrooms except for the shittake and saute until wilted.
5. Add the leeks and garlic and saute until they are fragrant and wilted.
6. Add the shittake mushrooms and saute for a few minutes.
7. Add parsley and salt, continue to cook for a few minutes.
8. Add the wine and bring to a simmer. Simmer for about 5 minutes.
9. Add the beef stock and simmer until beef is tender, about 1 hour.
10. Add the barley and cook until tender, about 30 minutes.

Serve with sandwich, salad or thick slice of rustic bread. When you re-heat the soup, you may need to add additional stock as the barley will continue to soak up some of the liquid in the soup.

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Copyright © 2007, 2008 Lizabetti.com, All Rights Reserved

YUMMY AND QUICK HEARTY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

This is a fast and quick version of chicken noodle soup which should satisfy the soup lover in all of us. The most important ingredient is the chicken stock or broth. I like to use my homemade chicken stock which has a rich taste. Mom's chicken soup is acknowledged world wide as the only cure for the common cold.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 chicken thighs
• 1 cup of diced carrots
• 1 cup of diced celery
• 1 small white onion diced
• 1 tbsp of finely chopped parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 no salt chicken bouillion (optional)
• 1 cup of white zinfandel wine
• 4 cups of chicken stock
• 1 cup of small noodles such as baby bow ties, chili-mac or alphabets (you can use regular size noodles, but kids like the small sized noodles)
• olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Salt the chicken thighs.
2. Coat the bottom of a medium size pan with olive oil and heat on medium high. When oil is shimmery, add the chicken thighs and brown them on all sides.
3. Remove the chicken and set aside.
4. Add the onions and saute until just wilted.
5. Add the carrots and celery and saute for a minutes.
6. Add the parsley.
7. Return the chicken to the pan and continue cooking with other ingredients.
8. Add the wine and let is come to a boil, turn the heat down and simmer for about 5 minutes.
9. Add the chicken stock and simmer for about 30 minutes.
10. Add salt to taste.
11. At this point, you may want to add the bouillion. It is a matter of taste. If the stock you used was not robust, you might need the bouillion.
12. Add the noodles. I like to add the noodles uncooked and have them cook in the soup. Again, this is a matter of personal preference. By doing it this way, I think the noodles are tastier since they cook in the soup broth.
13. Once noodles are cooked, soup is ready to serve. For us adults, add a handful of chopped parsley. Some might enjoy a squeeze of fresh lemon. Serve it with a thick slice of French baguette. Serves 4-6.

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