Classic Chicken Noodle Soup – Thank Goodness We Had Roasted Chicken Broth Around!

In case you haven’t been following along, let me catch you up. On Wednesday we made a gorgeous roasted chicken broth for the expressed purpose of making this soul-warming soup. Here, we used that wonderfully flavorful broth to complete the recipe, and let me tell you, it was incredible.

You know how much I hate to complicate a recipe, and I'll always err on the side of too few ingredients vs. too many, so when I make this chicken noodle soup it’s a constant battle to not add other “stuff.”

Not that’s there’s anything wrong with stuff, per se, but if properly made, this soup is just too amazing in its pure and natural state for any distracting, supercilious additions. By the way, a little advice to you young up-and-coming food bloggers; never use “per se,” and “supercilious” in the same sentence.

Yes, other than the mirepoix, and a tiny pinch of fresh thyme, the rest of this soup is basically chicken and noodles. Speaking of the noodles, I’m hoping you go with the wide ones I used. I was only half-kidding about this soup being a meditation, and egg noodle wrestling is half the fun.

Like I said in the video, this will work with regular chicken stock, but if you do decide to make this, I sincerely hope you go ahead and make the roasted chicken broth first. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4-6 servings:
1 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp rendered chicken fat

1/2 cup diced carrot

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced celery

1/4 tsp fresh thyme leaves or pinch of dried thyme

2 quarts roasted chicken broth

1 pound cooked chicken breast, cubed

4 oz dry wide egg noodles

cayenne, salt and black pepper to taste

Roasted Chicken Broth – Part 1 of The Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup!

People throw around the word “ultimate” these days with total disregard for its actual meaning…and I’m no different. I was planning on posting my "ultimate" chicken noodle soup today, but then decided to show you a from-scratch roasted chicken broth first, which made the recipe too long for one single video.

So, we’ll finish this schmaltzy mini-series on Friday, and with all kidding aside, it really is the ultimate chicken noodle soup. And what makes it so much more ultimate than all the other ultimate chicken noodle soups is this deep, rich broth.

We’ve done classic chicken stock before, but this time we're roasting the chicken first, as well as using all of the dark meat to fortify the broth. By the way, it’s the meat addition that turns a “stock” into a “broth,” as stocks are made only using bones.

Regarding the ketchup addition, which will for some bizarre reason raise eyebrows (in particular, those bushy European ones). Sure, you can use a little real tomato, or tomato paste, but I really believe the ketchup is superior. I want those trace amounts of aromatic spice to be subtly present in the aroma as you sip on the broth.

Anyway, get your broth started, and you’ll be ready to complete this amazing soup on Friday. Stay tuned, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 1/2 lb whole chicken (no innards)

2 tsp kosher salt for seasoning chicken skin

1 onion, quartered

1 rib celery, cut in pieces

3 cloves garlic, bruised slightly with flat of knife

1 tbsp ketchup

2 quarts cold water

Creole Crab & Corn Chowder – Let the Good Clichés Roll!

It’s so trite to say that something is only as good as the ingredients that go into it. Everyone knows that, right? It’s just common sense. Except, there I was, eating a very good bowl of crab and corn chowder that could have, should have, been very great; but it wasn’t because I didn’t remembered that old cliché.

As I mention numerous times in the video, this would ideally be made in the middle of summer, with ears of fresh, sweet-as-sugar corn. If that’s not seasonally possible (i.e., you’re doing a Mardi Gras themed recipe in winter), you can make a perfectly fine version using a premium-quality, extra-sweet, frozen corn. Or, you can do what I did.

I used an old bag of budget-brand corn I found in the freezer. The odd thing is, I’m not sure where it came from, or what it was purchased for. There are things like vodka and fair-trade coffee beans that somehow appear in my icebox as if placed there by invisible kitchen gremlins (btw, that would make a pretty cool name for a band), and I can only assume that’s how the corn got in there.

So, while I could have just walked two-blocks, and bought an expensive bag of something sweet and delicious, I instead went ahead and used a product that only a prison warden could love. The good news is that even with the almost-flavorless corn, this chowder was very good, so if you do as I say, and not as I clichéd, yours will certainly rock.

If you’re from New Orleans, I’d love to hear if they make anything similar to this. As I admit in the video, this is not my take on some iconic Creole recipe, but a simple soup inspired by those ingredients and style of cooking. Anyway, I hope you give it a try soon, and laissez le bon (corn) temps rouler!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon melted butter

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced bell pepper, or jalapeno, or combination of any sweet/hot peppers

1/2 cup diced celery

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay

1 1/2 tbsp flour

3 1/2 cup water or stock, divided (2 1/2 for the pot, and 1 cup for the blender)

1 pound sweet corn kernels, divided
2 cloves peeled garlic

8 oz fresh crab meat, divided

1/4 cup cream

1 tsp sweet Spanish paprika, or to taste

green onion to garnish

Tomato Soup with Parmesan Cheese Croutons

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

This delicious homemade herb-flavoured tomato soup is healthy, creamy and easy to put together. It is best enjoyed with some cheesy croutons. The recipe calls for the canned tomato, so pick the best quality canned tomatoes you can find, for example, Roma, San Marzano.

Garlic Parmesan Croutons	Soup
3 Hard rolls, cubed 2 Garlic cloves, minced Freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 tbsp Olive oil 1 tbsp Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped 3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated	2 tbsp Olive oil 1 Onion, chopped 2 clove Garlic, finely chopped 1 stalk Celery, chopped 1 Small carrot, chopped 1 can / 400 g Diced tomatoes 1-2 tbsp Tomato paste 250 ml Vegetable broth 1 Bay leaf Pinch of clove 1/3 tsp Dried basil Salt and pepper to taste 120 ml Soya cream, room temperature Some shaved Parmesan, optional 1 tbsp Chives, chopped, optional

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Place the cubed bread in a large bowl, add in minced garlic, 2 tablespoons of the grated Parmesan, black pepper and olive oil, and toss until the bread is evenly coated.
   
2. Pour the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Remove, and stir the croutons. Return to oven, and cook for 20 more minutes or until browned and crunchy. Remove and toss thoroughly with the rest of grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.
   
3. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth, bay leaf, a pinch of clove and dried basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until carrots are very tender, about 30 minutes.
   
4. Discard the bay leaf. With an immersion blender, puree soup until smooth or puree in batches in a food processor fitted with knife blade. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in soya cream and heat through over the low heat.
   
5. Ladle into bowls and place a few pieces of croutons in each, topped with a slice of shaved Parmesan cheese. Place under broiler until cheese is melted. Sprinkle the chopped chives on top if used.

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Happy Lunar New Year 2012! 祝福大家龙年行大运，行运一条龙！Happy Dragon Year 2012!

Fennel Potato Soup with Saffron

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Once the winter chill comes in, many of us long for some comfort food. Soups are a healthy and satisfying choice of the season.

Today I am sharing with you an easy broth-based soup filled with fennel, potato, soya cream (optional) and flavoured with saffron. If you prefer a lighter version, just leave out the soya cream at the final step.

Fennel bulb is an excellent source of vitamin C, which is the body's primary antioxidant and a necessity for the proper function of the immune system. In addition to its vitamin C, fennel is a very good source of fiber and potassium.

300 g Fennel bulb, trimmed and diced 100 g Potatoes, peeled and diced 2 Small shallots, finely diced 2 tbsp Olive oil 350 ml Vegetable stock 1/8 tsp Saffron threads 1 Bay leaf 60 ml Soya cream (or heavy cream) Salt and pepper to taste

1. Trim the fennel by removing the thin stalks and the thick base. Cut the bulb into 1cm pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut into 1cm pieces too. Finely dice the shallots.
   
2. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and add in the diced shallots. Cook until aromatic and softened. Add in prepared fennel and potatoes. Sautee for 3 minutes. Add in vegetable stock, saffron, and bay leaf. Bring it to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
   
3. Remove the bay leaf and puree the soup with an immersion blender. Stir in the cream and season. Serve in hot bowls with some chopped fennel fronds on top.

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Minestrone Soup is a Once in a Lifetime Experience

I always feel a little apprehensive when I post a recipe like this minestrone soup. It’s the type of dish I never make the same way twice, and the fear is that someone will watch and assume that this is my “official” version.

You don’t need a recipe for minestrone, just like you don’t need a recipe for a great sandwich, or an epic salad. To make minestrone soup precisely same way every time, using a very specific list of ingredients and amounts, is to trample on the soul of this Italian classic.

Having said all that, what if you happen to make it so incredibly delicious one time that you want to experience the exact same shuddering soupgasm in the future? That seems like a perfectly sound reason for why you should write down the recipe…except cooking food doesn’t work that way.

Your perception of how a recipe tastes involves so many factors above and far beyond the list of ingredients. Remember that time you made that super awesome whatever, and it was so perfect, and then you made it again, exactly the same way, but somehow it just didn’t taste as great? This is why.

So, I hope you give this amazing minestrone recipe a try soon…but only once. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 oz pancetta

2 tbsp olive oil

1 diced onion

1 cup diced celery

4 minced garlic cloves

4 cups chicken broth

1 (28-oz) can plum tomatoes, crushed fine

2 cups water, plus more as needed

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp dried Italian herb blend (mine was thyme, oregano, rosemary, basil)

red pepper flakes to taste

1 cup freshly shucked cranberry beans (aka shelling beans)
2 or 3 cups chopped cabbage

1 (15-oz) can garbanzo beans, drained

1 bunch swiss chard, chopped

2/3 cup raw ditalini pasta

extra virgin olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and fresh Italian parsley to garnish the top

Jamie Oliver's Parents’ Spicy Butternut Squash Soup… Because I Have Gas Problems

I had a lovely apple-braised pork shoulder recipe all set to post today, but was unable to finish it off because PG&E turned off the gas line to do repairs on our street. So, stay tuned for that tomorrow, but in the meantime, here’s a great butternut squash soup video from Trevor and Sally Oliver, parents of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. Jamie’s one of my favorites, and not only are his parents adorable, but you can see where he gets some of his skills from. Enjoy!

This video was originally posted on Thisisbrandculture's YouTube Channel, February 22, 2011.

Ham and Potato Soup – Tuberlicious!

This title is dedicated to all those who chimed in on our root vegetable gratin video to let me know that a potato is a tuber, and not a root, even though I mentioned that fact in the video and the post! Bless your hearts. ;-)

I know we did a black bean soup not too long ago, but I had a piece of leftover ham that needed to be used up, and this time of year you just can’t have too many soup recipes. In addition to being a proven antidote for Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), the recipe is definitely filling enough to serve as a main course.

The version I presented here is a little on the lighter side, but by adding more meat (including bacon, sausage, etc.), and finishing with cheese, you can significantly increase its heartiness.

By the way, if you do want to finish this with some nice sharp cheddar, or perhaps a pepper Jack, do NOT add it until you’ve turned off the heat. Cooking the cheese is never a good thing, unless you want an oil slick floating on the surface of your soup. There will be plenty of residual heat to melt shredded cheese, so turn off the heat, stir it in, and dig in.

If you’re one of these vegetarian types, may I suggest you caramelize some diced mushrooms to a dark meaty brown first, and then proceed with the rest of the procedure as shown. Either way, I hope you give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb gold potato (or any other kind will work)

1 onion

1 carrot

1 celery
8 oz diced smoked ham

3 cloves garlic

3 tbsp butter

1/4 cup flour

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1/2 cup cream

salt and pepper to taste

cayenne

chives

Quick and Easy Black Bean Soup – Something from Almost Nothing

This black bean soup saved me during a recent attack of, “Oh my God, there is nothing in kitchen to cook with!” Even though it sometimes seems that way, there's rarely, literally nothing to cook with. I quickly found a few slices of bacon, a couple cans of beans, and an onion, and with the help of a spicy lime and green onion relish, turned it into a very decent bowl of soup.

It got me thinking about all those long shelf life, must-have pantry and fridge staples you can count on to produce a meal when lacking supplies. My short list is olive oil, beans, pasta, bacon, Parmigiano-Reggiano, eggs, tomato sauce, anchovies, salami, capers, garlic, onions, potatoes, and fresh citrus. As long as those things are close by, I can still look forward to a great meal no matter how sparse the rest of the provisions.

By the way, this will work with any smashable bean, and rumor has it that a handful of sausage in place of the bacon is a great variation. With wet, chillier days ahead, I think you’ll have occasion to give this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 Servings:

6 slices bacon

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups chicken broth or water

2 cans black beans, rinsed, plus 1 can of water

pinch dried oregano

pinch cayenne

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp black pepper

salt and pepper to taste

For the relish (note – I only made a little bit in the video. This is enough for 4 servings):

1/3 cup minced green onion

2 tsp crushed or minced red chilies

juice of one lime

green onions to garnish

sour cream to garnish

Gumbo a Go Go – Duck, Andouille Sausage, Smoked Pork Hock, Gulf Shrimp and Langoustine Gumbo

It’s not easy to pry gumbo-making secrets from a cook in New Orleans, but you should have better luck if you slip them some truth serum, in the form of several well-made sazeracs. 

This particular gumbo, featuring duck, andouille sausage, smoked pork hock, gulf shrimp, and langoustine, was inspired by my recent trip to New Orleans, where I sampled a half-dozen varieties.

One rye whiskey-induced tip was to cook the famous Cajun roux in some duck fat instead of the more common and mundane vegetable oil. The roux is the soul of the gumbo and one of the challenges of this recipe is giving the fat and flour enough time to turn into that deep brick red-brown color.

My little trick here is to add a couple extra spoons of flour after the roux is browned. The dark roux gives the gumbo its signature flavor, but it doesn’t have much thickening power. I just cooked it a couple minutes, and then stirred in the stock.

Another tweak is using pickled okra instead of fresh or frozen. This particular perversion was born out of necessity rather than some brilliant thought on my part. Of course, if this technique catches on, that story will change. The pickled okra gave the gumbo a great flavor and added a little bit of acidity, which is always welcome in something this substantial.

This can be made with hundreds of different combinations of smoked meats, game, poultry, and seafood; and in my opinion, the more the merrier. As usual, I’d love to hear about any variations you may come up with. As you’ll see, the procedure is pretty straightforward, although you’re talking about a full day’s project. This is a dish that takes time, but I still hope you give it a try. Enjoy!

2 duck legs

1 tbsp vegetable oil, more as needed

1 cup flour, plus 2 tbsp for second addition
6 cups chicken broth

1 pound andouille sausage

1 large onion, chopped

4 green onions chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup diced peppers (any combination of sweet and hot)

1 cup diced tomatoes

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 smoked pork hock
2 cups water, or as needed
1 cup sliced okra, fresh, frozen or pickled
1 pound gulf shrimp
1 pound crawfish tail meat or langoustine
rice to garnish

Orange Roasted Pumpkin Soup

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

This bright golden-coloured, creamy pumpkin soup is perfect for a light lunch with some crusty artisan bread rolls. Roasted pumpkin, potato and spices work together creating a rich depth of flavour and creamy texture without addition of heavy cream.

1 kg Hokkaido pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, cut into 1cm pieces 3 tbsp Walnut oil 1 Potato, peeled and diced 1 Onion, halved and thinly sliced 1 clove Garlic, chopped 1 Cayenne chilli pepper, deseeded and diced 1 tbsp Curry powder 1 tsp Coriander powder

1 l Vegetable stock 250 ml Orange juice 100 ml Milk Salt and cayenne pepper to taste 1 tbsp Lime juice Roasted pumpkin seeds Chives Chilli threads

1. Preheat oven to 190C/375F. Place pumpkin and potato in a roasting pan. Drizzle over 2 tablespoons of walnut oil and toss to coat. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender.
   
2. Heat the remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until soft. Add in garlic, pepper, curry, and coriander powder. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until aromatic.
   
3. Add in pumpkin, potato, stock, orange juice and milk. Cook, covered, over medium heat for about 25 minutes. Blend the mixture in a food processor or with a handheld blender until smooth. Season with salt, cayenne pepper and lime juice. Ladle among serving bowls. Top with roasted pumpkin seeds, chopped chives, and chilli threads.

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

http://schneiderchen.de | © 2011 | http://angiesrecipes.blogspot.com

Fresh Tomato Gazpacho – Crumbled Stale Wet Bread Sold Separately

I feel kind of bad posting a recipe that leaves out what is arguably the most important ingredient, and such is the case with this gazpacho. This garden salad masquerading as a cold soup was originally a way for field hands to stretch their resources by crumbling up stale bread into a mixture of crushed tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers.

Sorry, panzanella, but I’ve never been a big fan of the whole wet bread thing. Even versions I’ve had where the crumbs where completely pureed in, weren’t as pleasing to me as all-veg versions. Besides, some culinary traditions are simply leftover from a time when people had to do it that way, you know, so they wouldn’t starve to death. I call this the rutabaga syndrome.

Happily, most of us can now survive just fine without fortifying our gazpacho with such additions. Having said that, if you grew up eating that style, I’ll assume you think I’m insane for even suggesting there’s another way to make it, as you rightfully should.

Like I said in the video, this is not even worth trying unless you’re going to use some killer, end-of-summer, super-sweet tomatoes. After a long wait, we finally have some decent ones here in San Francisco. There just isn’t any substitute, so happy hunting, and I hope you find some so you give this a try. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 large vine-ripened tomatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 English cucumber, diced

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/4 cup minced green onion

1 large jalapeno, seeded and minced

2 cloves minced garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

pinch dried oregano

cayenne to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 pint “Sweet 100” cherry tomatoes

1 lime, juiced, or to taste

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

chiffonade of fresh basil leaves or cilantro

Spicy Coconut Shrimp Bisque – It's the Besh!

This spicy coconut shrimp bisque recipe was inspired by a similar soup I saw Chef John Besh make during a demo I attended at the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival. As I watched him make it, I couldn't wait to get back to San Francisco to give it a try.

How close is this to his version? I have no idea, as I was drunk on tequila. Besides the coconut milk, I can barely remember what he put in it. After doing a pre-show shot with his assistants, Besh jokingly instructed the floor staff to pour the audience a shot. Minutes later, much to his delight, shots of tequila were distributed throughout the room.

Just that would have made for an amusing anecdote, but it didn't stop there. By the time the demo ended 45 minutes later, we had enjoyed five rounds of drinks, with Besh and his sous chef more than keeping pace. Remarkably, when the show ended, the well-oiled chef had managed to produce a seriously delicious looking bisque with dumplings. What a show off.

Anyway, I know it's been a while since I posted a real video recipe, but I really think this one will have been worth the wait. I loved how this turned out, and I think you will as well. I hope you give it a try, and maybe tweak it with some different combinations of seafood and garnishes. Cheers! Err, I mean, enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 pound shrimp, shells reserved

2 1/2 cups water

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1/3 cup diced celery

1/4 diced jalapeno

1/4 cup flour

2 cups prepared tomato soup

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/4 teaspoon red curry paste, or to taste

salt and/or fish sauce to taste

basil chiffonade

rice crackers

Carrot and Lentil Soup

A glorious, flavoursome, and healthy carrot soup loaded with beta-carotene, which is believed to have antioxidant properties and help to reduce cancer, low in cholesterol and high in dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Potassium, Thiamin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate and Manganese to boot. So what are you waiting for? Say YES to carrots!

• 2 tsp Cumin seeds
  
  
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
  
  
• 650 g Carrots, rinsed, peeled and coarsely grated
  
  
• 120 g Green lentils
  
  
• 1100 ml Vegetable stock
  
  
• 150 ml 1.5% Milk
  
  
• Salt and pepper
  
  
• Plain yogurt, to serve
  
  

1. Heat a saucepan and dry fry the cumin seeds for 1 minute until they start to jump around the pan and aromatic. Remove half of the seeds and reserve. Add in oil, grated carrots, lentils, stock and milk. Bring it to a boil. Simmer for about 15 minutes until lentls are softened.
   
   
2. Remove the soup from the heat and process the soup with a stick blender until smooth. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Heat the soup through over the low heat. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with yogurt and sprinkle the reserved cumin seeds.

This French Onion Soup Brought to You by Homemade Beef Stock

When you make homemade beef stock, and you have Gruyere cheese in the fridge that needs to be used up, you know French onion soup is in your future.

Such was the case today, and I so thoroughly enjoyed this amazing bowl of soup, that I decided to rerun this French Onion Soup video recipe. I thought this may inspire a few of you to give it a go. Enjoy!





Click here for the original post entitled, "French Onion Soup - So Good it Will Make a Mime Chatty." There you will find the ingredients list and a lot more info.

Curry Lentil Soup

Lentils are loaded with nutrients, fiber, complex carbohydrates, and folic acld. Lentils are a low calorie, low fat, and cholesterol free food.

There are hundreds of varieties of lentils, with as many as fifty or more cultivated for food. They come in a variety of colors, with red, brown, and green being the most popular. Lentils have an earthy, nutty flavor, and some varieties lend a slight peppery touch to the palate.

Lentils are also an important source of iron. Eating lentils with foods rich in Vitamin C, such as tomatoes, green peppers, broccoli, and citrus fruits or juices, helps the body absorb iron more efficiently.

Lentils are also protein rich. They lack only one protein, methionine. Adding grains, eggs, nuts, seeds, meat, dairy products, or egg will provide a complete protein.

Soluble fiber in lentils acts as a scrub brush, cleaning the digestive system. This type of fiber also decreases serum glucose and cholesterol, and decreases insulin requirements for people with diabetes. from Lentil Facts & Lore

300 g Green lentils 3 tbsp Butter 2 Garlic cloves, minced 1 Sweet onion, peeled and chopped

1 Carrot, peeled and grated 1 tin /320 g Tomatoes, crushed 2 tbsp Curry powder 2 tsp Vegetable bouillon powder 6 cup Water Salt and black pepper to taste

1. Rinse lentils thoroughly under cold running water and drain. Heat butter in a skillet until melted. Add in minced garlic and chopped onion, stirring until soft and fragrant. Add grated carrot, crushed tomatoes and curry powder. Stir briefly.
   
2. Add in lentils, vegetable bouillon and water to the skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes or till the lentils are soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Cream of Mushroom Soup – Pure Liquid Moon-Soaked Earth

I can't believe I haven't posted a video recipe for cream of mushroom soup! It's such a classic cool weather staple, and quite simple to make – as long as you have a few hours to spare.

The secret to this deep rich potage is a long slow caramelization, the key to unlocking the mushroom's magic. Oh, and by the way, I mean that literally. Mushrooms are by far the most mysterious and magical things we eat.

Scientists still don't really understand how and why they grow like they do. While every other food you eat gets its energy from the sun, Agaricus bisporus, the common button mushroom, does not. Some believe mushrooms are powered by the moon, which I find fascinating to contemplate.

This is a very minimalist formula, and meant to transform the browned bits of fungus into pure earthy essence of mushroom. You can use whatever exotic mushrooms you can get a hold of, but it works quite well with the ubiquitous white button mushroom. Enjoy!




Ingredients:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 pounds white or brown button mushrooms, sliced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 rounded tbsp flour
6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied into a bundle with kitchen string, plus some picked leaves to garnish
2 cloves garlic, peeled, left whole
4 cups chicken broth or stock
1 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Cream of Cauliflower with Blue Cheese Fritters – The Best Soup I've Ever Made?

I arrived back to San Francisco late last night, weary from traveling, and my very busy week in NYC, and despite planning to sleep in, I woke up very early, excited to finish this amazing cream of cauliflower with blue cheese fritters video recipe.

Either that, or I'm still on east coast time. Soup is not usually a subject associated with thrilling culinary experiences. Soup is comforting, soothing, soul-warming – not something that chefs normally day-dream about. This soup was a different story. It may be the single greatest soup I have every made.

Sometimes an idea for a recipe pops into my head and even before I make it, I have a pretty good idea on what the results will be like. But, when I went over this combination in my head, I really had no idea how successful it would be. To say I was happy with the results would be a serious understatement.

I was pretty sure blue cheese would be a nice addition to cauliflower soup, but the challenge was what would be the best delivery system for the sharp, funky cheese. I looked at many fritter recipes, but nothing was inspiring me. Then, for whatever reason, I thought about Pâte à choux.

Pâte à choux is an old-school, eggy pastry dough used to make things like éclairs and cream puffs. I though this would make a much lighter fritter than the traditional flour and baking powder versions, and that certainly turned out to be the case.

The dough fried up perfectly – beautifully golden brown outside, yet tender and moist inside – the perfect enclosure for the molten blue cheese. The combination of these light puffs and the earthy soup was magnificent. I can't remember ever being so happy eating a soup.

I really hope you give this a try, and even if you can't summon the courage to make the fritters (what's wrong with you?), I still think the soup alone is well worth making. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
For the fritters (a small batch - about 12 fritters):
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
pinch of salt
1 egg
2 oz crumbled, very firm blue cheese

For the soup:
1 onion
2 tbsp butter
1 clove garlic
salt to taste
1 head cauliflower
1 quart water or stock
nutmeg to taste
cayenne to taste
1/2 cup cream

Hot Soup

Michele and I stopped for some Korean food on the way home from a thoroughly enjoyable trip to Berkeley Bowl. Sahn Maru, in Oakland, CA, is one restaurant that will never have a customer send back a bowl of soup for not being hot enough!

Directly below, you'll see the iPhone video I took of our spicy soft tofu soup. My phone was off at the time, so this was after it had cooled for a minute! It was the hottest soup I've ever been served.



When I posted to YouTube, I was amused to see that many others had filmed this same soupy scene, so I gathered a small collection. There is something mesmerizing about watching this soup boil in the cast iron pots. Below these, I've posted a video recipe for how to make this super-delicious soup! (you just need to find the pots!)


How to Make Korean Soft Tofu Soup (aka Stew)

Snow Fungus Wolfberry Soup

Snow fungus, or white fungus, contains iron, vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus. Stewed snow fungus lubricates the colon and stimulates peristalsis. They aid blood production and bring more circulation to the skin to give you a moisturized-complexion. That's part of the reasons that we eat lots of them in China. Snow fungus is also believed to be beneficial for the lungs, effective in healing dry cough and clearing heat in the lungs. They can be prepared with gingko, pears, Chinese dates, lotus seeds, or wolfberries.


Good quality snow fungus has a pale and yellowish white color. It is often used in soups and desserts. The consistency of a stewed snow fungus soup should not be watery but viscous.

• 15 g Dried white fungus
  
  
• 1 tbsp Chinese Wolfberriesangiesrecipes
  
  
• 4 cup Water
  
  
• Honey or rock sugar

1. Soak white fungus in water until soft, about 10 minutes. Rinse the wolfberries. Cut off any hard parts from the white fungus and discard.
   
   
2. Place the softened white fungus and wolfberries in the pot of your electric pressure cooker. Fill in the water, close the lid and turn the knob to soup cycle. After cooking is done, it will release steam naturally. Do not try taking the lid off until the pressure release completely.
   
   
3. The soup tastes best when served cold. Sweeten the soup with honey or rock sugar syrup to taste. I usually drink them without adding any sugar. However, you can add papaya, pears or pineapple to the soup, so that the soup will taste sweet and refreshing.