Posts filed under 'soup'
Besides being very tasty and satisfying, this soup is wonderful for the sheer lack of effort required to make it. Relying on canned and frozen goods instead of fresh (gasp!), it’s the perfect “I don’t feel like cooking” or “I don’t want to have to run to the store to make dinner” soup. But don’t be fooled! I enjoy this soup so much, I often make it even when I have a refrigerator full of fresh ingredients to work with. But maybe that’s just because I’m silly.
Coconut, Corn, and Black Bean Soup
Makes 4 lunch sized portions
2 Cans Black Beans
1 Cup Pureed Stewed Tomatoes (canned)
1/2 Cup Coconut Milk
1 Vegetable Bullion Cube
1 Cup Frozen Corn
1 tsp Smoked Paprika (please actually use the smoked kind!)
1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp of your favorite herb(s) (pictured with fresh thyme)
Add both cans of beans with their liquid to a heavy soup pot. Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, bullion cube, paprika, corn and herbs. Simmer for at least 20 minutes, but it can cook on low, covered, for much longer if needed. A few minutes before serving, add the corn. Garnish with some fresh herbs, if available, and/or a splash of coconut milk.
You may consider adding shredded carrot, fresh baby spinach, pasta, rice, lentils, or even a diced potato if you feel like jazzing it up a bit. It’s a very versatile soup, and I find it refreshing change from the vegetable broth and tomato based soups I usually make.
January 20th, 2007
Sweet Potato Soup
She served us a sweet potato soup that we decided to have at the wedding. It was so good, I couldn’t get it out of my head. I went home and feverishly tried to recreate it. These are my results. When I had the soup again at our wedding, I realized that either it wasn’t as good as I had remembered, or I had unknowingly created something even better (and much cheaper!). Here’s the recipe:
Stewart My Sweet Potato Soup
3+ Cups (575 g) Sweet Potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 Can Coconut Milk (not the low fat stuff!)
1 Cup Vegetable Stock or Water
1 Vegetable Bullion Cube
1 tsp Celery Salt
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp Allspice
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Cardamom (optional)
2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 1/2 Tbs Maple Syrup
1 Tbs Olive Oil
In a large heavy bottomed stock pot or cast-iron dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add sweet potatoes and caramelize the chunks on all sides over medium-high heat. Deglaze the pan with the vegetable stock or water, scraping the bits from the bottom, then add the coconut milk and bullion cube. Simmer covered until potatoes are soft and can be mushed with a spoon, about 20 minutes.
Transfer soup to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Please be careful during this step! If you’re not positive your machine can fit all the soup in one go, blend it in batches. No one wants boiling soup exploding all over them! Unfortunately I speak from experience here.
When the soup is blended, transfer back into your pot and add the spices, vinegar and syrup. Simmer for 5 minutes more and serve.
Garnish with maple syrup and fresh cracked pepper. It would also be great with a little cranberry sauce!
Serves 2-3 main courses, 3-4 sides
December 30th, 2006
Chipotle, Corn, and Black Bean Stew
I also added a bunch of baby spinach at the end to wilt into the soup once mixed. I think that this not only preserves the nutrients in the spinach since you’re not cooking them directly, but it also looks pretty for serving. We almost always have a package of baby spinach sitting in the fridge, so we throw it into a lot of the things we make.
It’s almost as if we make soups and stews as an excuse to have Jessica’s Brick Oven sourdough round. We discovered this bread at our local food co-op one day, and it’s quickly become our favorite. I’m not exactly sure where else Jessica’s breads are sold, but if you see them, do bring home a loaf. You won’t be disappointed!
I think I’m going to make a sourdough starter and see if I can convert the No Knead Bread recipe to use a sponge instead of commercial rapid rise yeast. As good as Jessica’s is, I’d love to be able to make a loaf of sourdough at home with the ease of the No Knead recipe.
December 26th, 2006
Chili
If you want to follow the recipe, you might have to go out and buy some stuff you don’t normally keep in your kitchen. There are some pretty fun ingredients in here that I think are worth a try. Since they keep well and aren’t too expensive, there’s no reason not to, right? I’ve linked the ingredient list to pictures of the products so you can more easily pick them out at the grocery store. I get all of these things at Whole Foods:
1/2 Onion, Minced
2 Cups carrots, roughly chopped (about 3-4 carrots)
1 Package Yve’s Good Ground
3 Cans of Chili Beans (or 1 can of each: pinto, kidney, black)
1 Can Tomatoes
1/4 - 1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo, MINCED (according to heat desired)
1/2 Bullion Cube
5 Tbs Low Sodium Tamari
2 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 Capful Liquid Smoke
2 Tbs Jerk Sauce
1 - 2 Tbs Molasses
2 Tbs Earth Balance
1/2 Vegetable Stock (optional)
Spice Mix:
2 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Coriander
1 tsp Sage
1 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Parsley
Sauté onions slowly with olive oil in a heavy cast iron or stock pot until brown and caramelized. Add carrots and cook until the carrots begin to turn the oil orange. Add spice mix and stir for 1 minute.
Add tomatoes to pot and bring to a simmer. Open the cans of beans and drain most of the way, but not completely. Add the semi-drained beans and Good Ground to pot and stir.
Add all remaining ingredients except vegetable stock, mix well. If the chili is too thick for your taste, add stock or water until it reaches the desired consistency.
Cover chili and simmer, stirring occasionally (it will stick to the bottom if you forget to stir!) until carrots are cooked and spices have blended, about 15-20 minutes. My little note card reads “cook covered until carrots are soft and it looks like yummy.” You be the judge.
Serve with a dollop of Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream and/or some shredded Follow Your Heard Vegan Gourmet Cheese. Sourdough bread and beer are also a nice addition!
Serves 4 Monsters, or 6 adults.
December 19th, 2006
Cauliflower Soup
The first time I bought Patak’s I got “extra hot” and oh man, was that a mistake. They aren’t messin’ around. I find that mild in the US usually means no heat whatsoever, but their mild paste had a nice warming zing to it. Quite good for a jar!
December 11th, 2006
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