VIETNAMESE ALPHABET SOUP

From Katie's Test Kitchen, via chrissstttiiine

Ingredients:

Meat mix:

1 lb ground chicken (beef is traditional)

1 or 2 shallots, diced

2 t sugar

1/2 t ground black pepper

1/2 t ground white pepper

1 T mushroom seasoning (or knorr)

1/2 t salt (omit salt if the mushroom seasoning is salty)

1 T fish sauce

3 T shallot oil

Soup:

(1/2 t salt) Salt to taste, as the mushroom seasoning may have enough salt

1 t sugar

2-3 t mushroom seasoning

12 oz letter pasta, or stelline/pastina, cooked 2 minutes less than package directions, drained

Toppings:

Fried shallots

2 scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced

Large handful cilantro leaves and stems

Ground black and white pepper

Methodology:

Combine the meat mix well and set aside for 15 minutes to marinate.

Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the meat mix and sauté, breaking the meat up, until it's just cooked through.  Add 10 c boiling water, and remaining soup ingredients, and simmer on low 15 minutes.

To serve, add all of pasta to dutch oven, cook to heat through, and serve, topped generously with herbs, shallots and pepper.

MANHATTAN FISH CHOWDER

Adapted from Myrecipes, via the wayback machine

Ingredients:

3 T butter

3 medium onions, chopped (about 2 3/4 c)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c tomato paste

1 c dry white wine

3 c water

3 medium carrots, chopped (about 1 c)

3 celery stalks, diced (about 3/4 c)

3 medium red or gold potatoes, chopped (about 2 c)

3 c shredded kale

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, with juice

1 T chopped fresh or 1 t dried thyme

1 t salt

1/2 t ground pepper

1 bay leaf

1/2 t smoked chipotle chili flakes

1 t smoked paprika

2 lb halibut fillets, skin removed and cut into 1/2" pieces

Methodology:

Melt butter over medium heat in a large dutch oven.  Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden.  Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 2 minutes.  Add tomato paste, and cook for 1 minute.  

Pour in white wine, scraping up any tomato paste that is stuck to the bottom of the pot.  Cook until the pot is almost dry.  Add all remaining ingredients but fish, and bring to boil, then simmer for 30 minutes, or until potato is tender.  

Add fish, cover and simmer 10 minutes, or until fish flakes easily.

Serve with crusty bread.

SCALLION, GINGER, CHICKEN SOBA SOUP

Recipe adapted from the Carbivore cookbook

Ingredients:

2 T shallot oil, or olive oil

2 T minced ginger

8 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated

2 shallots, quartered and thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1/2 t ground coriander, or the same of whole coriander

4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, skin removed from half

8 c chicken broth, or a mixture of water, better-than-bouillon, and knorr chicken cubes

2 T soy sauce

4 baby bok choy, torn into quarters

2 T rice vinegar

2 t toasted sesame oil

10 oz soba (or 3 bundles), cooked according to package directions, drained and rinsed

1/2 c cilantro stems and leaves, chopped

Methodology:

Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat and add the oil.  Add the ginger, white scallion parts, and shallots, and sauté until just turning golden, 2 or 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and coriander, and cook, stirring, until it takes on the slightest color, 2 more minutes. 

Deglaze with broth, nestle in the chicken, and simmer until the chicken is done, 30-45 minutes.  

Remove the chicken to cool.  Once cool, shred the meat.

Add the bok choy to the broth and cook for 4 minutes.  Return the chicken to the pot, until reheated, and remove from heat.  Add vinegar and sesame oil, and serve over soba, garnished with cilantro.

CHICKEN CHILI VERDE

 Vaguely adapted from the Trader Joe's recipe

Ingredients:

3 T olive oil, divided

3 leeks, light parts only, cleaned and cut into 1/4" half moons 

1/2 t salt

6 cloves garlic, finely sliced

1/2 t whole cumin seeds

1/2 t ground coriander

1 jar Trader Joes Salsa Verde sauce

1 lb boneless, skinless, chicken thighs (approx. 4 thighs)

4 poblano peppers, broiled, peeled, deseeded, and chopped

2-3 jalapeño peppers, deseeded, chopped into 3/8" pieces, divided*

1 T chicken better than bouillon

4 c cooked beans, from 1/2 lb dried beans

To serve:

Brown rice

Sour cream

Cheddar cheese, shredded

Cilantro, sliced

Sliced Avocado

Lime wedges

Corn tortillas, warm

Methodology:

Heat 2 T of the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add the leeks and salt, and cook, stirring, until the leeks begin to slump, but haven't taken any color.  Move the leeks to the side.  Add the remaining 1 T oil, the garlic and the spices, and stir continuously until the garlic begins to lightly toast.

Deglaze with the salsa verde and 2-3 c water.  Add the chicken, peppers (see * note) and chicken bouillon, making sure the chicken is below the water line.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 45-60 minutes, until the chicken is tender.

Remove the chicken and shred with two forks.  Meanwhile, add the beans to heat through.  Return the chicken to the pot, bring back to boil, and serve.

______

* Not all jalapeño peppers are spicy.  If yours are not spicy, or if only one is spicy, reserve the spicy one for adding at the table.  If they're all spicy, only use one in the soup, and pass the remaining two at the table. 

BORSCHT

Adapted from the SFC and Food Wishes

Ingredients:

Leftover brisket, cut into 1/4" x 3/4" pieces
Leftover onion-apple gravy
4 T leftover beef tallow, or butter, divided

Group 1:
3 large beets, peeled and cut into 3/8" cubes
3 bay leaves
3 sprigs thyme
3 yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/4" cubes

Group 2:
4 carrots, diced
1 leek, dark and light parts cut in 1/4" slices, separated
4 stalks celery, cut in 1/4" slices

1/4 head red cabbage, cut into 1/4" x 1/2" pieces

Toppings:
Dill
Sour cream
Dark bread


Methodology:

Add 4 c water to the onion-apple gravy in a large soup-pot.  Add the bay leaves, thyme and beets and bring to simmer, cooking until the beets are firm-tender.  Add the potato and continue simmering until the vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, saute the dark leek slices in 2 T tallow in a large lidded skillet until softened (cover with a lid for the first few minutes), then add 2 more T tallow and the carrots, leek and celery.  Saute uncovered, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender.

Add the group 2 veg, sliced brisket, and red cabbage to the group 1 pot.  Simmer for a few minutes, and serve topped with sour cream and dill.

This soup is also delicious served atop the leftover mashed potatoes from the previous night's brisket meal.

LENTIL SOUP with a HAM HOCK

Recipe adapted from The Spruce Eats

Ingredients:

1 smoked ham hock
1 qt (4 c) chicken stock (or better than bouillon)
1 qt beef broth (or better than bouillon)
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme
1/2 t black pepper

1 c carrots, diced
2 c onion, diced
1 c celery, diced
2 c dry lentils, picked over and rinsed

Red wine vinegar, to taste


Methodology:

Add the hock, both liquids, bay leaves, thyme and pepper to a stock pot, and bring to a boil.  Simmer on low for 2 hours.

Add the carrots, onion, celery and lentils, and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes.  Remove the hock from the pot, remove the meat from the bones, shred into small pieces, and add back to the pot.  Taste for seasoning, and add vinegar if you'd like.


******
Great served over spätzle!

KALE, SAUSAGE & CANNELLINI SOUP

Adapted from Cup of Jo (the combination), AllRecipes (sausage),  and Epicurious (the beans).

Ingredients:

Beans: (or substitute with 1 30oz and 1 15oz can cooked beans)
1 lb dry cannellini beans
2 bay leaves
1 piece of kombu
1 1/2 t salt
1 head garlic, cut in half

Sausage: (or substitute with 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage)
1 lb. ground pork
1 T red wine vinegar
1 t salt
1/2 t fennel seeds
1/4 t brown sugar
1 t black pepper
1 t dried parsley
1 t dried basil
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
3/4 t paprika
pinch dried oregano
pinch dried thyme
pinch red pepper flakes

2 t olive oil
1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and chopped*
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Grated parmesan cheese

4 garlic cloves


Methodology:

Beans:
Sort and rinse the beans, and bring them to boil, covered by ~2" of cold water.  Remove from heat, cover and soak for 1 hour.  Add the remaining ingredients and bring to boil, then uncover and simmer, until the beans are creamy, about 1 - 1 1/2 hours, adding more water if necessary.

Sausage:
Crush the fennel seeds, salt and sugar with a mortar and pestle. Add remaining herbs and spices and mix well.  Combine all sausage ingredients in a large bowl and knead until the spices are uniformly distributed.

Brown the sausage in the olive oil, in two batches if necessary.  Add the beans, kale and enough water (6c?) and bring to boil.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  Add lemon zest and half of juice, and taste for seasoning.  Serve, topped with parmesan cheese** and fried garlic, recipe below.


*Consider replacing the kale with collard greens next time.
**Consider topping with croutons.

Fried Garlic

4 cloves garlic

1/4 c olive oil

Thinly slice the garlic vertically and gently cook in the oil until the garlic begins turning golden.  Take garlic pieces out one by one, if necessary, so all pieces are golden.

WHOLE CHICKEN SOUP

Parts of the recipe from this nytimes recipe. 

It's best to start this the day prior to serving it. 

Ingredients:

For the broth:

1 whole chicken, 3-4 lbs, broken down into pieces

2 carrots, cut into chunks

1 large yellow onion, cut into quarters

3 celery stalks, cut into chunks

2 garlic cloves, smashed

1" ginger, peeled and smashed

12 sprigs parsley

2 sprigs thyme

8 peppercorns

1 star anise

2 bay leaves

For the soup:

1 large carrot, cut into small dice

1/2 celeriac, cut into small dice

1 yukon gold potato, cut into small dice

Chicken from the whole chicken, chopped

Dill, finely chopped

Chives, finely chopped

Methodology:

Place all the broth ingredients in a large pot and cover by 1" with water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to gently simmer for 1.5-2 hours. 

Using tongs, remove the chicken pieces from the pot and cool on a baking sheet.  Using two forks, tease the chicken meat from the skin and bones.  Place the meat in the refrigerator.  Return the bones and skin to the pot and continue to simmer, reducing, for another half hour.  Strain the broth and cool, then refrigerate it.  Discard the solids.

---- The next day ----

Skim the chicken fat from the top of the chilled broth and store for another use.

Pour the chicken broth into a pot and bring to a simmer.  Add the carrot, celeriac and potato, and simmer until they're cooked, about 15 minutes.  Add as much chopped chicken as you want (I don't usually use all the meat) and heat until warm. 

Serve over spaezle, sprinkled with dill, chives and freshly ground black pepper.

CHILI WITH BAKED POTATOES

Cobbled together from these two recipes: 
Beef Chili
Three Bean Chili

Ingredients:

3 T. olive oil
2 onions, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced

2 lbs. ground beef, or ground turkey

Spices:
2 T. chili powder (urfa is good)
1 T. dried oregano
1 T. smoked paprika
1 T. ground coriander seeds

1 28-oz can of chunky tomato sauce, fire roasted
3 1/2 c. water
1 T. better than bouillon, beef var.
1/2 c. pinto beans
1/2 c. black beans
1/2 c. kidney beans
2 bell peppers, diced

1 T soy sauce

2 T. apple cider vinegar

Salt & pepper
Cheddar cheese
Sour cream
Chives


Methodology:

Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a large, heated soup-pot.  Add the onions and stir over medium heat until the onions are translucent, 5-10 minutes.  Add the carrots and garlic, and cook 2 minutes, stirring.

Add the ground beef to the pot and cook until no longer pink, stirring and breaking up the meat with a large spoon.  Add the spices and cook for another minute.

Add the tomatoes, water, bouillon, beans, peppers, and soy sauce, and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are softened, about 3 hours.  Check water level occasionally, adding more water to taste.

Once beans are soft, add vinegar.  Correct seasoning and serve with cornbread, or over split baked potatoes.  Top with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream and chives.



BAKED POTATOES

Ingredients:

Russet potatoes
olive oil
Salt & pepper


Methodology:

Scrub and dry the potatoes.  Prick all over with a fork.  Rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place on a foil-covered baking sheet in a 425°F oven for 1 hour, then check for doneness by piercing with a knife.

Split and cover with chili.

POTATO LEEK SOUP

Ingredients:

1/2 C olive oil
6 russet potatoes, unpeeled and cut into 1/8" slices
1 bunch leeks, 4-5, thoroughly cleaned and sliced, including fibrous dark green parts 
5-6 C chicken stock
Salt and pepper
Sumac and dried garlic flakes to garnish


Methodology:

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat, and add the potatoes, sauteeing until they begin to smell like potato chips, stirring frequently.  Add the leeks and continue cooking and stirring until the leeks are tender.

Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are tender.

Check for seasoning.

Serve garnished with sumac and garlic flakes, accompanied by toasted bread and butter.


***edited 9/18/18 to change potato width, add dark greens of leeks and add garlic flakes***