Salmon Chowder Recipe

When the recipe starts looking like this...

from 50 Chowders by Jasper White, p.106

It's time to type up a clean version here!

Salmon Chowder
8 servings

ingredients:

• 4 oz bacon (if slab, rind removed and 1/3" dice) optional
• 4 tb butter or bacon fat
• 1 med onion, chopped (or leeks, ramps, shallots)
• 1 fennel bulb, sliced optional
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp fennel seed (if no fennel bulb)
• 1 tsp dry tarragon (or. 2-3 sprigs fresh)

• 2 lbs potatoes, sliced or chopped
• 1 large carrot, sliced optional
• can corn, optional
• 4 c stock (fish, veg, chicken...)
• salt + pepper

• 3 lbs salmon or salmon parts, cut into large chunks
• 1/2 (+) heavy cream or Mexican crema

• fennel leaves, chopped garnish if have

method:

• Heat large heavy pot, add bacon. Cook until crisp. If no bacon, heat butter or bacon fat
• Add onion, garlic, fennel. Saute until soft
• Add herbs, stir about 1 minute
• Add potatoes (and other veg), cover with stock. Bring to a boil, cover, boil about 10 minutes.
• Add seasoning and salmon, cook for 5 minutes
• Stir in cream, let sit for up to 1 hour (if you can wait that long) or at least 15 minutes
• garnish with fennel leaves

Tom Kha Soup with Corn

This is recipe is a combination of 

Seonkyoung Longest's online recipe and one from Victor Sodsook's True Thai cookbook

It's mainly for the flavors of the soup broth, the protein is up to you!

tom kha soup

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups broth (chicken, veg, seafood, etc)
• 1 tbsp minced or 1 large OR 2 small lemongrass, pounded
• 2 oz ginger, minced OR galangal, pounded
• 2 medium or 4 small shallots, diced OR 1 small onion

• 2 tsp brown OR palm sugar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
• 1 large tomato
• (5 oz mushrooms - suggested: oyster or beech mushrooms but you can use your favorite mushrooms) [didn’t use]
• 6 kaffir lime leaves
• 1 to 3 Thai chilies, pounded OR 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste

• 1 lb shrimp and/or fish OR tofu
• 1 15oz can corn [my nontraditional addition, inspired by NEP Cafe]

• Handful cilantro, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (approximately 2 to 3 limes)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour broth into a wok or medium size pot. Add lemongrass, ginger and shallots. Bring it to boil over medium high heat
2. Add palm sugar, fish sauce, coconut milk, tomatoes, mushrooms, lime leaves, chilies, tamarind pastes. Stir gently and bring it to a light simmer, then reduce heat to medium and gently simmer for 6 minutes 
3. Add protein, simmer until cooked
4. Add green onion and cilantro. Turn off heat. Lastly, add lime juice. 1/4 cup if you like more creamier soup and 1/3 cup if you want more tangy flavor in your soup. Stir gently one last time and serve with warm cooked jasmine rice! Enjoy!

Gluttony in Vancouver

I went to Vancouver to meet up with a bunch of over-40 Style bloggers.
We had a really great time!
Most of my posts about the weekend are over on SpyGirl.
I'm covering my Vancouver food experiences here on the Glutton.

Can't read the menu? Get a magic loupe from Wendra (on left). Melanie is loupey too.

I arrived late Friday, missing the pizza dinner and the postprandial mayhem at a speakeasy.
That was OK. I was a little under the weather from eating one too many fig bars on the drive up.
I opted for chicken soup up in my room, ordered from the Blue Horizon's inhouse restaurant, Abode.

Saturday, I arose early (my usual 4am) and had a solo breakfast while waiting for everyone to wake up.

The oatmeal (great) came with a delicious Blueberry Compote, spiced with clove -- must replicate at home.

Our lobby call was for 10:00, to gather before embarking for some coffee and shopping on Granville Island. On Granville, our meetup spot was Blue Parrot Coffee.

I got a cold coffee frappe and a veggie wrap. Hey -- that rhymes!

Arty Waterlogue of the wrap. Part of my "100 Days of Gluttony" series, which has now gone way beyond 100

Granville Island has a large area of food purveyors along with all the shops.
Beautiful displays of fresh fruits:

Impressive stacks of Ranier cherries, arranged like Mt Ranier:

Next, Louisa, Pat, and I went over to the Gastown district and had some nibbles at Purebread.
I had this pizza bruschetta thingie:

I posted my dessert over on my Dessert Safari blog. Yes, eventually you will visit all my blogs.

After an exhaustive exploration of the sewing emporium Dressew, Pat and I ambled back to the Hotel for the group clothing swap. Find that on SpyGirl soon.

Next on the agenda -- dinner!
We gathered at Earl's one block down the street.

Great menu graphics

Sage advice

My salad.

I made a wise choice: Field Greens + Fennel Salad with
Apples, grapes, spiced candied pecans, in champagne vinaigrette

I DO regret not ordering the Sticky Pudding. I got a meh ice cream sundae for dessert.

Sunday, another 10am lobby call and then a stroll to Forage.

I opted for the Two Rivers turkey sausage hash etc. Delicious.

Eat, drink, and be merry. Yep, we covered it.

Lentil Soup Recipe

I've been cooking up a storm of late. Here's a great lentil soup that's perfect for this cold time of the year.
I got the original recipe from Epicurious, and have been gradually modifying it ever since I downloaded it in 08.

Lentil Soup
makes about 12 cups

ingredients
• olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 med onion, chopped
• 2 med carrots, 1/8" slices
• 2 celery ribs, chopped [I don't add because I don't like celery]
• 3 - 4 small boiling potatoes, 1/2" dice
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 1/2tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp ground sage

• 8 c stock
• 16 oz lentils

• 1/4 c basalmic vinegar
garnish

• splash of olive oil
• fresh parsley, chopped fresh [not in photo -- didn't have]
• grated parmesan

Saute the first set of ingredients in a large saucepan until onion is soft
Add stock and lentils
Let come to a boil
Simmer for 20-45 min
NOTE: can add other veggies in a timely manner (so they don't turn to mush). Next time I'm including frozen spinach.
After lentils are cooked, remove from heat and add vinegar
Serve and add garnish

wonton soup

IMG_2467
Originally uploaded by anne m bray
My current favorite wonton soup. Extra garlicky!

Culver Cafe
www.yelp.com/biz/culver-cafe-los-angeles

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Cream of Broccoli Soup
Originally uploaded by anne m bray
this recipe is a variation on this one from epicurious

Cream of Broccoli Soup
makes 4c

2 tb olive oil
med onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced or chopped
1 carrot, sliced thin
2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 head broccoli, chopped coarse
3 c chicken or veg broth

1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
greek yogurt or sour cream

saute 1st group of ingredients until soft
add broccoli + broth
simmer, covered 15-20 minutes until broccoli is tender

puree with immersion mixer
add lemon juice

serve garnished with yogurt or sour cream

notes:
freezes well
a good way to use overcooked steamed broccoli (adjust proportions as needed) -- use the cooking liquid

gringa albondegas

Makes about 10 servings

I freeze the leftovers in pint size containers, 5 balls in each

This is a combination of various recipes, mostly this one from the Simply Recipes blog.
I reduced the fat by eliminating sauteeing the onion + garlic in oil before adding the stock... start that way if you wish! My version is also doubled on the meatballs on typical proportions.

Use a large stock pot for cooking and large mixing bowl for mixing meatballs

Broth:
3 quarts of chicken or veg stock
1 large onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 15oz can chopped tomatoes or 2 10oz cans Ro-tel
2 large carrots, sliced

Meatballs:
2/3c raw bulgar (or rice)
water
2 lbs lean ground beef (I use 94/6)
1/2c chopped fresh mint leaves
1/2c chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
2 raw eggs
salt
pepper
dash of cayenne

More vegs:
2 med potatoes, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
2-3 summer squash (zucchini, yellow, calabacita, etc), sliced
whatever else suits your fancy
1/2c chopped fresh cilantro

-------

Put bulgar into 4c pyrex measuring cup. Pour boiling water over to 1-1/3 line. Let fluff up. (If using rice, you can skip this)

Put broth items in large stockpot. Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer.

While that is cooking, prepare meatballs. Mix everything thoroughly.

Form mixture into 1" (walnut size) balls. Drop into broth one at a time as they are formed. Stir to evenly distribute them.

Add potatoes + oregano. Cover and let simmer for at least 30 min. Add remaining items near end of cooking time so they don't get mushy.

When serving, garnish with more fresh cilantro if you have the energy to chop more. A squeeze of fresh lime is nice too.

Moosewood Gypsy Soup

this is a delicious, warming soup from Mollie Katzen's Moosewood Cookbook
features chickpeas + sweet potato or squash


3-4 tbs olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2-5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 c chopped sweet potatoes (or any orange squashy veg)*

2 tsp paprika
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
dash cinnamon
dash cayanne
1 bay leaf
3 c stock

1-2 cans chickpeas, drained + rinsed (or 1.5c cooked)
1 c chopped tomatoes
1/2 c chopped chiles (I subbed a can of Rotel Original )

in a soup pot,
saute onions , garlic + sweet potato for about 5 min
add seasonings, stock
simmer, covered, 15 min
add chickpeas, vegs
simmer at least another 10 min (until vegs cooked)

*I used kobacha that had been previously roasted