Minestrone a.k.a. Ed's Good Soup

This recipe is courtesy of my beautiful sister and her hubby, who are always cooking up fun things in the kitchen.  It is the perfect soup to have on a cold night or would be delicious for a weekday lunch.

Ok, so technically this is Ina's recipe, but Ed made it and liked it so it is now referred to in our house as "Ed's Good Soup."  This soup is actually better after it sits so I recommend cooking all the way through Step 4 and then allowing the soup to cool and refrigerating it overnight.  When you are ready to serve, reheat the soup, then continue on to finish it off in Step 5.  We served this on Superbowl Sunday with some crunchy bread and sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

Minestrone a.k.a. Ed's Good Soup (adapted from Ina Garten's recipe)
4 ounces pancetta, 1/2-inch-diced
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
2 cups diced carrots
2 cups diced celery
2 1/2 cups (1/2-inch-diced) peeled butternut squash
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
2 teaspoons dry thyme
1 (26-ounce) can or box diced tomatoes
6 cups vegetable stock (recipe here!)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked orzo
8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
1/2 cup good dry white wine
2 tablespoons store-bought pesto
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

1.  Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven. Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.

2.  Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.

3.  Add the tomatoes, wine, and stock, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper to the pot

(*please note, the last time Ed made this he used 1 1/2 TABLESPOONS of pepper - I do not recommend using tablespoons when the recipe calls for teaspoons - use 1 1/2 teaspoons*).

4.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the beans and cooked pasta and heat through. 

5.  When you are ready to serve, add the spinach and cook just until the spinach leaves are wilted and stir in the pesto.

We did not give any to Penny but I included a picture of her anyway!

Editor's Note:  Penny is my favorite niece because she always seems to be giving my sister the same annoyed look that I am always giving my sister. 

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Cold Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup

Fresh yellow bell peppers operate in much the same way my cell phone minutes operate.  Use 'em or loose 'em.  My mom brought a bag of beautiful yellow peppers on vacation and we needed to use them up pronto.  But while we are on vacation, I don't really want anything hot.  This cold soup turned out to the the perfect, refreshing lunch or first course for dinner while we were there.  It was unique and made our leisurely vacation lunches feel special, but it was simple to make and suited everyone perfectly.  I'm sure I will be making this again when I have another batch of peppers on hand.  It would be nice with orange or red peppers too (I don't know how much I'd want to eat a green soup, though) and you can certainly serve it warm if you prefer.  The sweetness from the peppers is brought out through roasting them in the broiler.  Then you have a smokey charred flavor from the broil and depth from the cumin and curry powder.  This soup keeps nicely and also freezes very well.  I made a big batch (enough for 4-5 large bowls).

Cold Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup
Ingredients:
5 yellow peppers
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp each paprika, curry powder, cumin
salt and pepper

1.  To roast the peppers, arrange them on a baking sheet and set them under the broiler.  No oil, salt or pepper at this point.

2.  Broil them for 4-5 minutes per side and then flip the peppers to the next side.  You'll need to broil each side so that the skin is blackened and blistered.

3.  I then run them under cold water in the sink which makes the skins easily peel right away.
4.  Coarsley chop the onion and garlic.  Toss with 1 Tbs. olive oil and salt and pepper.  Roast for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

5.  Put the roasted peppers, onions, and garlic into the blender with sour cream, wine, and water.  Add spices and another sprinkle of salt and pepper.

6.  Chill in the fridge and then serve.  I like it with a small dollop of sour cream and chopped scallions.

French Onion Soup

This recipe is dedicated to my very sweet friend, whose eyes light up whenever she thinks about French Onion Soup. I never knew anyone who loved French Onion Soup as much as my friend Courtney. I know Court has been cooking a lot more now that she is an old married lady, so maybe this would be a good one for her! French Onion Soup is really one of those things that you want in the original, no muss, no fuss form. French Onion Soup is cheesy and rich so it is not an every day indulgence. If I want to eat French Onion Soup, I want it to taste like the classic. I don't want some deconstructed mess. If it's not broke...you know, why bother trying to fix it? Here is my best version of the classic. It serves 2 for a large dinner portion, or 4 for a smaller, starter portion.French Onion Soup
Ingredients:
3 medium onions
1 Tbs. butter
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 carton beef broth
1 dark beer
1/2 loaf french bread
1/2 cup Swiss cheese (most people use Gruyere)
grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
salt and pepper

1. Thinly slice the onions into thin half-moons. You want the onions to the thin so that they almost melt in your mouth while you are eating the soup. You don't want huge chunks.
2. Over medium heat, melt the butter and add the onions. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme, and sugar and stir together.
The idea is to caramelize the onions slightly before adding your liquids so that you develop lots of flavor in the onions and so that they soften. This should take about 8-10 minutes.
3. Add beer and the beef stock to the pot.
4. Bring to a simmer and allow them to simmer together for 45 minutes to an hour so that the flavors develop and so that your onions are super tender.
5. While the soup is cooking, you want to toast up some slices of bread for your soup. Line up your bread slices on a baking tray that you spray with non-stick spray. Bake under the broiler for about 3-5 minutes per side until they are nicely browned on both sides.
6. Ladle the soup into oven-safe bowls or ramekins. Make sure to get equal-ish amounts of onions and broth for everyone.
7. Top with toast. It doesn't have to be perfect. Just make it work.
8. Top the toast with 3 Tbs. each (just eyeball it if you want - more cheese never hurt anyone) of grated Swiss cheese and a 1/4 tsp. sprinkle of Parmesan.
9. Put the ramekins under the broiler for 5 minutes or so, until the cheese is melted and beginning to brown. Keep a close eye on them once the cheese melts. They brown up quickly.

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Sweet Bobby's Mulligatawny Soup

When everyone's favorite Brazilian Superstar is in the kitchen, we all take notice. Well, I take notice and Mark gets all snarky and gives Bob a hard time. Poor Mark had to eat his words when Bob brought this soup into work for our lunch last week. It was amazing. Not good...absolutely, without a doubt the most amazing soup I've ever eaten. Bob shut it down. This soup has the perfect balance of savory, spice, tender vegetables, succulent chicken, and a rich broth. Bob mentioned (one...or seventeen times) that this is no small feat in the kitchen. There is a lot of prep work (chopping lots of vegetables), but if you are up to the task, the reward is well worth all the effort. I think it lends itself to a weekend task. It is perfect for the cold weather and it will make the world right. My pictures don't do it justice because Bob is a lazy, terrible friend who wouldn't take pictures, but the Mulligatawny Soup was so amazing that I forgive him. Also, I can't wait for Bob to make it again! Sweet Bobby's Mulligatawny Soup (adapted from Emeril's recipe)
Ingredients:
4 Tbs. clarified butter
1 1/2 pounds diced boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 Tbs. garam masala
1 3/4 tsp. salt
2 cups small diced onions
1/2 cup small diced carrots
1/2 cup small diced celery
2 Tbs. minced garlic
2 Tbs. minced ginger
2 cups peeled, cored and diced Granny Smith apples
1 cup peeled and diced Yukon gold potatoes
1 cup peeled and diced sweet potatoes
1 cup dried red lentils
6 cups chicken or beef stock
3/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup diced zucchini
3/4 cup diced yellow squash
1 cup tightly packed baby spinach
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
1 cup peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
3 cups steamed white basmati rice
1/2 cup toasted, finely ground cashews
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. Set a 4 or 5-quart saucepan over medium heat and add the clarified butter. While the it is heating, season the chicken with the garam masala and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
2. Once the butter is hot, add the chicken and cook, turning often, until golden brown and fragrant, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool.3. While the chicken is cooling, add the onions, carrots and celery to the hot pan and saute until lightly caramelized, about 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, ginger and apples to the pan and saute until the apples are caramelized, about 7 to 8 minutes.
5. Add the potatoes, sweet potatoes, and lentils to the pan, along with 4 cups of the chicken stock. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook the soup until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
6. Add the reserved chicken, the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, the pepper, remaining 2 cups of chicken stock, zucchini, squash, spinach, coconut milk, and tomatoes.7. Continue to cook the soup at a simmer until the lentils and chicken are both tender, 10 to 15 minutes longer.
8. Remove from the heat and stir in the cider vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
9. To serve the soup, place 1/4 cup of the rice in a warmed bowl...
Pour soup over the rice...
Garnish with cashews and cilantro.

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Carrot and Ginger Soup

This soup is the ultimate in sweet and spicy goodness. The carrots are very sweet and full of flavor while the ginger is spicy and savory. I love this classic combination and it makes for a very quick and simple soup that is healthy to boot. I had a moment where I thought I was not a wimp and I didn't remove the jalapeno seeds so mine ended up reeeeeeeeeally spicy. Like eyebrow singe worthy heat. Since ginger is already spicy, I think you should remove the seeds from the jalapeno to keep this soup balanced. I love this for lunch or for an easy dinner with a salad and roll. It freezes beautifully and keeps in the fridge for at least a week, so it is a good thing to have around when you are hungry. I mean, do you have a bag of carrots? That is really all you need. Easy!
Carrot and Ginger Soup
Ingredients:
1 bag baby carrots
1 small onion
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbs. ground ginger
1 jalapeno
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 cup water or vegetable stock
salt and pepper
1 Tbs. olive oil

1. Slice the onion, garlic, and ginger.
2. Slice the jalapeno and remove the seeds.
3. Heat 1 Tbs. olive oil in a heavy bottom pot and add the onions, garlic, pepper, and ginger. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook them for 4-5 minutes.
4. Add the carrots to the pot.
5. Sprinkle in the ground ginger and another sprinkle of salt.
6. Cook the carrots for another 4-5 minutes.
7. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes until the carrots are very tender.
8. Blend the whole mixture in the blender until very smooth. Add water, if needed, to get the consistency you want.
9. Ladle up the soup into bowls. You can top with anything you like - sour cream would probably be nice and cool.
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Yellow Tomato Soup

It looks like we are in for a very nice week here in our nation's capital. My walk to the metro this morning did not leave me totally pitted with gigantic poodle hair. Even nicer is that the nights are cooling down so that we don't have to crank to AC to the max to have a comfortable sleep. On nights like this a very crisp, fresh summer soup is very satisfying. I got a pint of yellow grape tomatoes in my CSA box and I needed to use them all up before heading out of town for the weekend. When you have summer veggies that are at the height of their flavor-licious-ness, you really don't want to cook them to within an inch of their lives and dull that fresh flavor. This soup comes together quickly and still highlights the fresh tomatoes in all their glory. If you come across yellow tomatoes, I highly recommend giving this a try. Yellow Tomato Soup
Ingredients:
1 pint yellow tomatoes
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 cup white wine
1 cup vegetable stock
salt and pepper
olive oil
basil (to garnish)
1. Heat 2 Tbs. olive oil on medium high in a heavy bottom pan. Add tomatoes to the hot oil and let cook for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add chopped onion and garlic and 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Let cook together for 5-8 minutes.
3. Add the wine and the stock and bring to a simmer. Let simmer on low for 20 minutes.
4. Put the soup into a blender and blend until smooth.
5. Pass the soup through a strainer to remove the large pieces of skin and seeds that remain whole.
6. Return to the bowl, test for salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer for another 10 minutes.
7. The soup is ready to serve. It is nice with a sprinkle of pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.
I like also to garish it with big pieces of basil so that the basil flavor makes its way into the soup.
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