On the Menu This Week

Greetings blog buddies and fellow soup-aholics!

This week we have five new selections on the menu that I hope you'll enjoy. Two of which are reader submitted!

Corn Chowder, Peanut Soup, Wickramasingha's Curry Vegetable Soup, Mushroom Tomato Bisque, and Yucatan Lemon Soup.

Sounds pretty darn good, doesn't it? I thought so, too.

Hope you enjoy!

Corn Chowder

Reader submitted recipe from Valerie of Columbia, S.C. and is husband approved! Thanks again for your emails and recipe suggestions.

Corn Chowder (this makes approx. four large bowls)

Cut corn off the cob, four ears depending on size and set aside. When corn is out of season I use the frozen. Place the cobs in a pot and cover with chicken stock, salt and pepper. Simmer for a good hour. In another pot sweat a diced onion, carrots and a leek in olive oil and butter. Add 2-3 tablespoons of flour and cook for a few minutes. Slowly add the corn broth and the reserved corn, stirring well. Simmer until veggies are done. If too thick, add some more chicken stock. At the last minute add a can of cream of corn and some fresh parsley.

Peanut Soup

From Cooking with an African Flavour by Rosanne Guggisberg. The book was published by Mt. Kenya Sundries and was submitted by blog reader, Valerie. Thanks for this recipe and your emails :-)

250 g skinned and ground peanuts
1 chopped onion
1 stick celery, but into pieces
3 cups stock
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoon cream
salt and pepper to taste

Combine nuts, onion, celery and milk. Simmer for 1 hour, rub through a sieve or put into liquefier. Make a sauce with butter, flour and stock. Add nut vegetable mixture, bring to the boil again, check seasoning. Jut before serving, add cream. If liked, sprinkle with some coarsely ground roasted peanuts.

I have copied this word for word out of the book. (Since the stock is not named, I used chicken.) It is very rich but yummy.

Wickramasingha's Curry Vegetable Soup

Kumar Wickramasingha's own Curry Vegetable Soup is featured in the January/February issue of "The Iowan." It is also available at Alpha's on the Riverfront restaurant.

Kumar Wickramasingha's Curry Vegetable Soup

1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 cup chopped onions
1 tsp. chopped garlic
6 cups chicken broth
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
4 teaspoons curry powder
2 Tablespoons flour
A half of a cup of chopped cilantro
One-fourth of a cup of heavy cream

Put all the celery, carrots, mushrooms, garlic and one half of a cup of the onions with chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer until vegetables are soft.

When the vegetables in the broth are slightly cool, puree the soup. Once it turns into a velvety texture, return the soup to the pan and bring it to a gentle simmer,

In a skillet, heat the oil and fry the rest of the onions until they turn caramel brown. Stir constantly to prevent burning.

Add curry powder and flour to oil and onion while stirring rapidly.

Add this mixture to simmering soup while stirring constantly to prevent lumping.

Simmer until the soup is thickened. Add cilantro. Just before serving, add a dash of heavy cream to each bowl.

Mushroom Tomato Bisque

Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1-1/4 cups chicken broth
1/3 to 1/2 cup tomato paste
Pinch sugar, optional
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Method:
Place tomatoes cut side down in a greased 15-in. X 10-in. X 1-in. Baking pan. Brush with 3 tablespoons oil. Combine garlic, salt, basil, oregano and pepper; sprinkle over tomatoes. Bake, uncovered, at 450 for 20-25 minutes or until edges are well browned.

Cool slightly. Place tomatoes and pan drippings in a blender. Cover and process until blended; process 1 minute longer.

In a large saucepan, sauté mushrooms and onion in remaining oil for 5-8 minutes or until tender. Stir in broth, tomato paste, sugar is desired and tomato puree. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat; stir in cream. Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

From Taste of Home

Yucatan Lemon Soup

Makes 4 servings, 1 cup each
ACTIVE TIME: 20 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 medium onion, cut into quarters
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and quartered
8 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
3 tablespoons finely grated Meyer lemon zest (see Tip)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 4-inch cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
1 pound raw shrimp (26-30 per pound), peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice (see Tip)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste (optional)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Bring broth, onion, jalapenos, garlic, zest, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves to a simmer in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Cover, reduce heat, and continue to simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the broth (discard solids).
2. Return the broth to the pan and bring to a low simmer. Add shrimp, lemon juice, salt and hot sauce (if using). Cook until the shrimp are pink and firm, about 3 minutes. Stir in cilantro and serve.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 149 calories; 2 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 177 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrate; 27 g protein; 0 g fiber; 600 mg sodium; 234 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Selenium (61% daily value), Vitamin C (15% dv), good source of omega-3s.
0 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 4 very lean meat

TIP: Meyer lemon juice concentrate can be purchased online from perfectpuree.com. Although nothing can replicate the distinct sweet, tart, floral taste of a Meyer lemon, you can use 2 tablespoons regular lemon juice plus 1 tablespoon orange juice to replace the 3 tablespoons juice in this recipe, and regular lemons for the zest.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: The spiced broth (Step 1) will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. Defrost and return the broth to a simmer before continuing with Step 2.

Recipe From EatingWell.com

Greetings Soup Lovers!

Hi it's another week of soups and stews!

As you probably guessed I like adventure and trying new meals. But I am anxious to hear from YOU! Have you tried any of the selections recently?

Or more importantly do you have a unique recipe to share? If so Contact Me and I'll be happy to post it.

This week, they finally served after many months, my favorite Chicken n' Dumpling soup at the deli I frequent. It's actually the restaurant quality frozen soup by Campbell's. I have been lucky enough to purchase this product from them in the past every so often to make at home myself. It's a very thick soup and a cup is good with a small salad.

Braised Italian Beef Stew

Servings: 6

Ingredients:
5 pounds (or so) boneless beef chuck, shoulder or blade (see note)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon (freshly ground) pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ribs celery
2 carrots
1 medium onion
6 large cloves garlic (about 2 tablespoons minced)
2 cups dry white wine, red wine or beef broth
28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes (about 1 1/2 cups, approximately)
2 teaspoons thyme
1 bay leaf
Directions:
Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper.

Place it in a wide, deep baking pan (like a turkey roaster). Preheat the broiling element of the oven, put the rack 4 inches from the heat (or enough room to allow for the pan). Put the meat under the broiler element, and, leaving the door ajar so the element remains on, broil the meat for 15 minutes, or until deep brown. Turn it over, and broil five minutes more.

As the meat cooks, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Mince celery, carrots and onion, adding them to the skillet as you mince. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until softened (if vegetables begin to burn or stick, turn the heat down).

Peel and mince garlic. Add it to vegetables, reduce heat to medium or medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, another 5 minutes.

Scrape the vegetables into pan with meat. Add broth or wine, tomatoes, thyme and bay leaf.

Heat oven to 300 degrees.

Place foil over the pan, and crimp it tightly. Bake for 3 hours.

Remove from heat, and remove meat to serving platter. Remove and discard bay leaf from sauce. Put the sauce into a blender, or use a hand-held immersion blender, to blend the liquid and vegetables into a smooth sauce. Cover meat with sauce, and serve. Serve with mashed, baked or au gratin potatoes.

Note: It's often difficult to find a 5-pound boneless beef chuck; getting two smaller roasts will work fine in this recipe.
Recipe from Gannett News Service.

Crab Soup at Cross Street Market

Serves 12 to 15

4 quarts water
5 cups peeled tomatoes or 2 cans (28 ounces each) tomatoes
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup pearl barley
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon Chesapeake seasoning (Old Bay)
3 stalks celery, diced
1 large onion, chopped
2 ham hocks
1 beef bone
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 live blue crabs, cleaned and quartered, backs reserved (see note)
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups fresh or frozen mixed vegetables, such as diced carrots, cut-up green beans, corn kernels, shelled peas and lima beans, in any combination
2 pounds claw crab meat, picked over

Combine the water, tomatoes, tomato sauce, bay leaves, barley, parsley, Chesapeake seasoning, celery, onion, ham hocks, beef bone, salt and pepper in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour.

Add the crabs and backs. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes.

Add the cabbage, potatoes and mixed vegetables. When the vegetables are tender, remove the ham hocks and pick the meat off the bone. Return the picked meat to the soup. Discard the bay leaves and backs.

Add the claw meat and simmer 10 minutes longer. Serve at once.

Note: Blue crabs used in soup recipes are usually whole blue crabs that are female or too small for steaming. To prepare crabs for use in a soup, drop the crabs into a pot of boiling water and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Rinse in cold water until cool enough to handle. Remove top shell of crabs, reserving shells for soup, as they add flavor to the soup as it cooks. Clean the body of the crab by removing the gills and innards. Break the crabs into quarters, and they are ready for use in a soup.

From "Cooking With John Shields," by John Shields

Per serving (based on 15 servings): 234 calories, 31 grams protein, 2 grams fat, trace saturated fat, 23 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber, 118 milligrams cholesterol, 819 milligrams sodium

Indian Lentil Soup

Servings: 6

Ingredients:
1 pound red lentils (see note)
2 teaspoons salt
2 medium sweet potatoes (see note)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion
1 red bell pepper
2 carrots
2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 6 large cloves)
1 tablespoon finely minced or grated ginger
2 tablespoons good quality curry powder
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
Directions:
Combine lentils with 8 cups of water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until they are very soft, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, poke the sweet potatoes in several places. Put in a 350-degree oven. Bake until they are very soft, about 1 hour.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Peel and mince onion. Add to pan. Core and seed bell pepper, chop and add to pan with onion. Mince carrots and add to pan. Stirring occasionally, cook vegetables about 15 minutes. They should be quite soft and reduced in size. Add garlic and ginger and cook 5 minutes more.

Scrape the vegetables into the lentils. Add curry powder and red pepper flakes and continue cooking. When the potatoes are soft and you can handle them (either let them cool or use a pot holder), slice open the skins and scoop the meat into the soup. Use a hand-held immersion blender to blend the mix into a puree or puree the soup in batches in a regular countertop blender. Serve with a squeeze of lemon juice or 1 teaspoon or so of apple cider vinegar.

Note: Red lentils cook very quickly -- they'll be soft in 20 minutes or so. We suggest baking sweet potatoes before putting them in soup because long baking brings out the best flavor. If you want to dice them and put them right into the soup without baking, that's OK; they're still plenty delicious and good for you.
Recipe from Gannett News Service.

Minestrone With Italian Sausage

Ingredients:
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium leek (white portion only), chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 cups beef broth
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic
3 cups shredded cabbage
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup uncooked small pasta shells
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method:
In a soup kettle, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the carrots, celery, leek and garlic; cook for 3 minutes. Add zucchini and green beans; cook 2 minutes longer.

Stir in broth, tomatoes, cabbage, basil, oregano and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover; simmer for 45 minutes.

Return to a boil. Stir in garbanzo beans, pasta and parsley. Cook for 6-9 minutes or until pasta is tender. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

From Taste of Home Prize-Winning Soup Recipes

Vichyssoise

Servings: 8

Ingredients:
1 stick (4 ounces) butter
5 cups chopped leeks
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
3 to 4 cups roughly chopped potatoes
2 quarts chicken stock or water
2 cups heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
Directions:
Melt butter in a large saucepan, add leeks, celery and onion and stew slowly until golden and soft, about 10 minutes. Do not brown. Add potatoes and chicken stock or water, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are cooked through, 20 to 40 minutes, depending on potatoes' age and how finely they're chopped.

Puree soup till totally blended. Add cream, season with salt and pepper to taste, cover and chill for at least 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving. Garnish with a sprinkling of chives on each portion.

Recipe by Marian Morash's classic "The Victory Garden Cookbook" (Knopf, 1982).

Barlotti Soup

From T. Cook's at the Royal Palms

1 cup Barlotti beans (white beans) soaked, or use 1 cup canned white beans
1/4 cup diced pancetta
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup carrots, diced
1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup zucchini, diced
1 clove chopped garlic
1 can (12 ounces) tomato juice
2 pints chicken stock
1/2 ounce chopped thyme
1/2 ounce chopped oregano
1/4 pound tubettini pasta, cooked according to package directions

If using soaked beans, put in pot and cover with water to about 1 inch above the beans. Boil gently with the lid tilted until tender, about 1 hour. If using canned beans, drain and set aside.

In a large saute pan, saute the pancetta on medium high. Allow it to release some oil, then add vegetables and garlic to the pan and saute for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. In a large stockpot, combine pancetta, vegetables, beans, tomato juice and chicken stock. Simmer for 1 hour, adding herbs and cooked pasta for the last 10 minutes. Serve.

Makes 8 servings.

Approximate values per serving: 159 calories, 1 g fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 10 g protein, 27 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 1,434 mg sodium, 57 percent calories from fat.

The resort is at 5200 E. Camelback Road, Phoenix. (602) 840-3610

Mediterranean Bean Soup

Servings: 6

Ingredients:
1 pound dried cannelini or navy beans
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion
2 bell peppers
2 carrots
1 rib celery
2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 6 large cloves)
1 bunch fresh kale
14 to 16 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Directions:
Rinse beans and pick out any debris. Put the beans in a slow cooker set on high. Add salt and 8 cups water. Cook 8 hours or overnight (or cook in simmering water on the stove for a couple of hours).

Heat the oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Peel and mince onion and add to pan. Core and seed bell peppers, dice the peppers and add to pan with onion. Mince carrots and celery and add to vegetables. Stirring occasionally, cook vegetables about 15 minutes over medium heat. They should be quite soft and reduced in size. Add garlic and cook five minutes more.

Scrape the vegetables into the beans. Rinse the kale, remove any big stems. Chop the leaves and add to the soup along with tomatoes, basil, rosemary and red pepper flakes. Cook until kale is wilted and tender.

Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup (Pho Bo)

This traditional soup is usually made with beef knuckle bones. This is a modified recipe for easier soup making. Featured in the Oregonian.

Makes 6 to 10 servings

4 pounds beef chuck, trimmed of visible fat and cut into 3 to 4 pieces
6 quarts water
3 tablespoons salt
2 5-inch pieces fresh ginger, unpeeled
2 yellow onions, peeled
10 whole star anise
8 whole cloves
1/4 cup fish sauce
5 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 pound dried small rice stick noodles, soaked in hot water 20 minutes then drained

Accompaniments:
1/4 pound raw top sirloin, thinly sliced (optional)
1 yellow onion, sliced paper-thin
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 pound fresh bean sprouts
24 fresh Thai basil sprigs
1 dozen sprigs fresh saw-leaf herb (optional)
2 limes, cut into wedges
3 fresh red or green jalapeno chiles, sliced
Fish sauce

Fill a very large stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Add the beef chuck pieces and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain off the water to discard impurities. Return the beef to the pot and fill with the 6 quarts of fresh water. Add the salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and skim the surface occasionally to remove impurities.

While the stock is cooking, dry-roast the ginger and 2 onions by placing them in a skillet over high heat. Turn so the skins are evenly charred but not cooked, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove from heat and add to the soup stock. Then add the star anise, cloves, fish sauce and sugar and continue to simmer until the meat is tender, about 11/2 hours.

Remove 1 piece of chuck from the pot and set it aside to cool. Continue to simmer the other 2 or 3 pieces to create a rich beef broth, about 30 minutes more. (Don't be alarmed if the broth seems salty. Once the rice stick noodles and condiments are added, the seasonings will balance.)

Meanwhile, arrange the accompaniments on a platter and set aside. Cut the reserved piece of chuck roast into thin slices.

You may continue to let the broth simmer, but remove the spices and onions from the broth. The ginger can remain. (Cooking the spices too long will make the broth dark and too pungent.) If the meat looks like it's going to fall apart in the broth, remove it and discard, or save for another use.

Just before serving, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place a handful of noodles in a sieve with a handle and lower into the boiling water. Using a fork or chopsticks, stir often and cook until just done, about 2 minutes. Remove the sieve and shake a bit to drain well. You may cook 2 to 3 portions of noodles at a time. Transfer noodles to large warmed soup bowls.

To serve, place a few slices of chuck roast and sirloin on the noodles. Top with about a tablespoon each of sliced yellow onion, green onions and cilantro. Ladle a generous amount of boiling beef broth on top (To enjoy pho correctly, it is crucial that the bowl be large enough to hold about 1 part noodles and 4 parts soup.) Serve with your choice of the remaining accompaniments, allowing each guest to top the soup as desired.

-- Adapted from "The Best of Vietnamese and Thai Cooking" by Mai Pham

Low Fat Asparagus-Leek Soup

1 pound leeks
1 pound asparagus
1 tablespoon butter
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 large onion, diced
6 cups fat-free chicken broth
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fat-free half-and-half
Fresh lemon juice, optional

Cut the root end and the green part off the leeks. Split the leeks length-wise. Place in a large bowl or sink full of water. Pull out each layer of leek to remove any sand in between the layers. Let the sand sink to the bottom, then rinse the leeks thoroughly. Slice thinly and set aside.

Chop the asparagus and place in a separate container. Melt the butter in a heavy soup pot. Add the leeks, celery and onion, and saute until soft, adding chicken broth as needed to remain moist.

Add 4 cups of the chicken broth and the asparagus. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until very soft, about 30 minutes.

When fully cooked, allow to cool slightly before blending. Place small batches in a blender. Remove the vent from the lid and place the lid firmly on the blender, covering the top with a towel. Puree, then place the pureed soup in another pot and continue, adding chicken broth if needed as you go, until all the soup is pureed.

Return the soup to the stove, add the remaining chicken broth and pepper, and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the fat-free half-and-half and adjust seasoning, adding a few drops of lemon juice if desired. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains: Original recipe: 315 calories; 28 gm fat; 85 mg cholesterol; 1,270 mg sodium; 11 gm carbohydrates; 7 gm protein; 2 gm fiber.

Revised recipe: 97 calories; 2 gm fat; 5 mg cholesterol; 379 mg sodium; 14 gm carbohydrates; 5 gm protein; 2 gm fiber.

Land of Enchantment Posole

This is a traditional Mexican soup but with two kinds of chilies: chopped green chilies and jalapeño peppers. This dish is a winning recipe featured in Taste of Home.


Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds pork stew meat, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 cups beef broth
2 cans (15-1/2 ounce each) hominy, rinsed and drained
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped, optional
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
Tortilla strips, optional

In a soup kettle or Dutch oven, cook the pork, onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the broth, hominy, chilies, jalapeno if desired, salt, cumin, oregano, pepper and cayenne.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes or until meat is tender. Stir in cilantro. Serve with tortilla strips if desired.

Old Country Cabbage and Pork Soup

This week I received a recipe from Barbara in Caledonia, MI for Old Country Cabbage and Pork Soup. She says it is excellent and from The Complete Book of Soups and Stews by Bernard Clayton, Jr. Thanks Barbara for sending this one in and sharing it. I can hardly wait to try it as I love cabbage.

Old Country Cabbage and Pork Soup

3 med pork shoulder or blade chops (1 1/2 pounds)
1/4 pound salt pork or bacon
1 large onion, chopped
3 quarts beef stock
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 turnips, cubed
3 carrots, chopped
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 pound garlic sausage (or kielbasa) I used Andouille
2 medium (1 1/2 pounds) cabbage, shredded
freshly ground pepper to taste
salt to taste

Cut meat from chops, discard excessive fat and cut meat into bite-sized pieces. Place meat and bones in a medium (4 QT) saucepan. Cut salt pork into chunks and add to pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring until meat browns.

Add onion and cook until translucent. Stir in stock. Add garlic, turnips, carrots, and potatoes.

Cover and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about an hour or until veggies are tender.

While pot is simmering, remove casings from sausages and cut the meat into small pieces. Fry briefly in hot skillet to render out fat, and discard fat. Set meat aside.

Coarsely shred cabbage (slicing disc of food processor) and set aside.

After simmering 1 hour, discard pork bones and add sausage pieces and cabbage. Return to boil by immediately reduce heat to a simmer.

While soup simmers, taste for seasoning and add pepper and salt if desired. Cover and simmer until cabbage is done, about 20 mins.

Spoon off shiny fat globules from hot soup or, ideally, chill soup and allow hard disc of cooled fat to form on top, then lift off fat and discard. Reheat soup to serve.

Heat both soup bowls and tureen before ladling soup into them.

This soup freezes well.

Blake's Noodle Egg Drop Soup

2 cans (10 3/4 oz.) chicken broth
4 cups water
1 1/2 cup fine egg noodles (uncooked)
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
2 Tbsp. butter

Bring broth and water to a boil. Gradually add the noodles, stirring occasionally. Cook 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in eggs and simmer three minutes. Remove from heat, add parsley and butter, and serve piping hot.

Southwestern Turkey Stew

(You can also make this recipe with chicken thighs.)

Southwestern Turkey Stew

1 turkey thigh, skinned, boned and cut into bite-size chunks (see note) or 4 large skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size chunks
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 large shallot, chopped
1 medium poblano chile, cored, seeded and finely chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14 to 15-ounce) can hominy, drained
1/2 teaspoon medium chili powder
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced

Place turkey in a bag with flour, salt and pepper to taste. Shake well to coat turkey. Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed skillet. Add turkey chunks and brown over medium-high heat, about 2 minutes per side. Remove turkey. Add garlic, shallot and chile to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes or until chile is tender. Add tomatoes and scrape up any browned bits in skillet. Stir in hominy, chili powder, bay leaf, cinnamon, oregano, cumin, salt and pepper to taste.

Return turkey to skillet. Add sweet potato. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until sweet potato is tender, stirring one or two times. Serves 2.

Note: Use a tight-fitting lid on the skillet so the stew doesn't dry. If necessary, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken broth to prevent burning.

Note: To bone a turkey thigh, lay the piece skin-side down so the bone-side is up. Insert a sharp boning knife into the flesh just where it meets the bone. Work the knife under the bone and down and around the joint on one end to loosen it from one joint to the second joint. Trim away any fat, cartilage and skin. Don't worry if you don't carve the thigh into one large piece, since you're cutting it into chunks.

Per serving: 622 calories; 25 g fat (6 g saturated fat; 36 percent calories from fat); 50 g carbohydrates; 148 mg cholesterol; 1,364 mg sodium; 47 g protein; 7 g fiber.

Bev Bennett is the author of "30 Minute Meals for Dummies" (John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2003).

Green Chili Soup

Recipe by Stacy Feather that is multi-purpose.
You can eat this in bowls as a soup, or use a slotted spoon and place the mixture in tortillas.

1 bone-in pork roast
4 cans Rotel tomatoes
3 cans green chilis, chopped
Water, added to desired thickness (begin with one can of water)
Salt and pepper to taste
Flour and corn tortillas

1. Place roast, Rotel, chilies, water in a crock pot on high. Shred the pork in the soup, or fill tortillas with the pork mixture.

Onion Soup With Pretzel-Cheese Dumplings

Time:

1 1/2 hours, plus 1 hour's infusing

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 pounds onions, sliced thin
1 tablespoon sugar
12 ounces dark ale, preferably altbier
6 cups chicken or beef stock
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
4 branches fresh thyme
2 cups packaged pretzel nuggets
11/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese, more for serving
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard.

Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan. Add onions and sugar and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until onions are golden, about 40 minutes. Add 1 cup ale and stir, scraping pot to release caramelized particles. Add stock. Simmer 30 minutes. Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Add thyme and set aside one hour or longer to infuse.

Pulse pretzels in a food processor or place in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin to make coarse crumbs. Mix in a bowl with cheese. Lightly beat eggs, whisk in mustard and remaining ale and stir this mixture into pretzel crumbs and cheese. Form mixture into 18 dumplings about the size of Ping-Pong balls, place on a platter and cover until ready to cook.

About 20 minutes before serving, fill a 3-quart saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil. Drop dumplings into water and simmer gently 15 minutes. While dumplings simmer, remove thyme from soup. Reheat soup.

Ladle soup into bowls. Use a slotted spoon to transfer 3 to 4 dumplings to each bowl. Serve, with additional grated cheese on the side.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Found in New York Times

La Casa Sena's Chocolate Red Chile Dessert Soup

(Serves 4 as starter)
1 quart heavy cream
11 ounces premiummilk
chocolate, chopped
1⁄2 teaspoon Chimayó
red chile powder
Salt to taste

For serving: whipped cream, toasted piñons, fresh berries.
Heat heavy cream to just below scalding. Add the chopped milk chocolate and remove from heat. Mix until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve into a bowl. Stir in the chile, cover and chill overnight. Serve cold garnished with freshly whipped cream, toasted piñons and fresh berries.

By Patrick Gharrity, the restaurant's executive chef.
Found at freenewmexican.com

Change of Schedule

Dear friends,

I've decided to make a change in my schedule regarding posting.

Instead of publishing a recipe 5 days a week I will now post all 5 recipes on a Monday. In doing so it saves me a bit of time and it saves subscribers time as well.

Blu

(Art print by Aline Gauthier)

Tomato-Coconut Soup

Serves 6

1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
one 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons oregano
pinch of cinnamon
one 12-ounce can coconut milk
salt and pepper, to taste
sugar, to taste (optional)
1/4 cup toasted coconut (see note)

Add the olive oil to a 5-quart soup pot and heat until hot. Add onion and celery and saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Add canned tomatoes, water, bay leaf, oregano and cinnamon and bring to a boil.

Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in coconut milk and remove bay leaf. In a blender, working in batches of no more than 2 cups, puree the soup.

Place the soup back on the stove and season with salt, pepper and a little sugar (optional). Garnish with a sprinkle of toasted coconut on top.

Note: To toast the coconut: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread flaked coconut evenly on a cookie sheet and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. If necessary, stir coconut to brown evenly.

Per serving: 270 calories, 4 grams protein, 24 grams fat, 14 grams saturated fat, 16 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 200 milligrams sodium

Cream of Broccoli Soup

2 pounds broccoli
1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1-1/4 cups)
1 celery stalk, chopped about (1/2 cup)
1 leek, white and light green parts, chopped (about 1-1/4 cups)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 quarts chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream, heated
Fresh lemon juice, to taste
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Separate the broccoli into stems and florets. Trim away the tough outer parts of the stems. Set aside 1 cup of small florets. Coarsely chop the remaining broccoli florets and stems. Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, leek and chopped broccoli. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the flour and stir well to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, 4 minutes.

Add broth to the pot gradually, whisking to work out any lumps of flour. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook, 45 minutes. Stir frequently and skim as needed. Strain the solids, reserving the liquid. Puree the solids, adding liquid as necessary to facilitate pureeing.

Combine the puree with enough reserved liquid to achieve the consistency of heavy cream. Strain the soup through a fine sieve (optional). Return the soup to a simmer. Meanwhile, steam or boil the reserved broccoli florets until just tender. Remove the soup from the heat and add heated cream. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve in heated bowls, garnished with florets. Makes eight servings.

From "The Culinary Institute of America Books of Soups" (Lebhar-Friedman Books, $17.95).