Parmesan Broth with Kale and White Beans

 Source

Serves 10-12

Ingredients:

Broth

1 lb cheese rinds, any paper at the ends removed
12 cups water
2 large onions, peeled and quartered
6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
2 Handfuls of flat-leaf parsley
Salt, to taste

Soup

5 to 6 ounces tuscan kale (also known as black or lacinato kale; this is the thinner, flatter leaf variety), washed and patted dry
2.5 cups cooked white beans
Thin slices of baguette, toasted
Olive oil and parmesan for serving

Method:

Make the broth: Bring all broth ingredients to a boil in a large pot, then reduce it to a simmer. Simmer for one hour. Pour broth through a strainer. Your yield should be approximately 9 cups. You can use this right away or cool it before storing it.

Turn the broth into soup: Prepare kale by removing tough stems and center rib (I often use kitchen shears for this), then cutting the leaves into thin ribbons. Add them to the broth, along with the beans. Add bean cooking liquid if you wish; this not only stretches the intense parmesan broth further but adds a gorgeous extra depth to the soup. Simmer ingredients together for 10 minutes, until kale leaves wilt and beans are warmed through.

To serve: Ladle a small amount of beans, kale and broth into a bowl. Top with a slice of toasted baguette. Drizzle baguette and soup lightly with your favorite olive oil and grate some fresh parmesan cheese over. Eat immediately.

SIP Recipe - Tom Kha Gai Soup

Tom Kha Gai Soup

Yields 6 bowl

Source - go here to see how to use protein other than chicken

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. coconut oil
1/2 onion sliced
2 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 red jalapeno pepper sliced, or a couple Thai chiles, halved
3 quarter-inch slices slices galangal or ginger
1 lemongrass stalk pounded with the side of a knife and cut into 2-inch long pieces
2 teaspoons red Thai curry paste
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups canned coconut cream or coconut milk
2 medium chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
8 oz. white mushroom caps sliced
1-2 Tbsp. coconut sugar
1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp. fish sauce plus more to taste
2-3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
2-3 green onions sliced thin
fresh cilantro chopped, for garnish

Method

In a medium pot, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, jalapeno or chile, galangal or ginger, lemongrass, and red curry paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until onions are softened.

Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce head and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

Strain out the aromatics (the garlic, onions, lemongrass, and ginger) and discard. Add in coconut cream or milk, chicken breast (or tofu or shrimp), and mushrooms. Simmer until chicken breast pieces are just cooked through, then add fish sauce, coconut aminos, and lime juice, plus more of each to taste.

Cook 2 minutes, then ladle into serving bowls and top with sliced green onions and fresh cilantro.

Miso Soup with Shrimp and Tofu

Source: Food and Wine

Miso Soup

Ingredients

10 cups water 

1/2 cup white or red miso 

Salt 

2 cups frozen shelled edamame 

8 ounces baby spinach (8 cups) 

1.5 pounds shelled and deveined medium shrimp, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 

14 ounces firm tofu, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 

2 scallions, thinly sliced 

Steamed short-grain rice and toasted sesame seeds, for serving

Method

In a small bowl, whisk 2 cup of the water into the miso. In a medium saucepan, bring the remaining 8 cups of water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Add the edamame, cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach in bunches and stir to wilt. Add the shrimp and tofu. Stir the miso mixture and add it to the soup. Simmer just until the shrimp are cooked through, about 1 minute. Season the soup with salt and stir in the sliced scallion. Ladle the soup into deep bowls and serve with steamed rice and toasted sesame seeds.

Summer Corn Soup

By Dorrie Greenspan via Bon Appetite

10 Servings

Ingredients 

Soup
4.5 cups whole milk
5 small or 4 large ears of fresh corn, kernels cut from cobs, cobs broken in half and reserved
3 tablespoons butter
1.5 large onion, chopped
1.5 large carrot, peeled, thinly sliced
1.5 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, pressed
3 cups water
3 large fresh thyme sprigs
3 fresh rosemary sprigs
2 bay leaf
Ground white pepper

Garnish (pick whatever sounds good to you!)
3 thick bacon slices, diced and fried until crisp
Fresh corn kernels cut from one ear of corn
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Cayenne pepper
Crème fraîche, stirred to loosen

Method

Soup
Bring milk and corncob halves (not kernels) just to boil in heavy medium pot. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep while sautéing vegetables.

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; sprinkle with salt and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes (do not let onion brown). Add corn kernels, carrot, celery, and garlic; cook until vegetables are soft, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes.

Add 2 cups water, herb sprigs, bay leaf, and milk with corncobs. Increase heat and bring to boil. Cover partially, reduce heat to low, and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors.

Discard corncobs, herb sprigs, and bay leaf. Cool soup slightly. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until very smooth. Strain into large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Season soup to taste with salt and white pepper.

DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Divide among bowls. Sprinkle garnish (bacon, corn kernels, green onion, and/or pinch of cayenne) over, if using, drizzle with crème fraîche, and serve.

Celery Root Bisque with Walnut Gremolata

Source: Epicurious and Food and Wine

We will serve this first, like an appetizer, in small ramekins.  People can top the soup themselves with the Gremolata.  If you like the idea, you could bring other toppings for the soup, like bacon, croutons and cheese, and people can doctor their own soup to their tastes. Let me know if you have any questions.

Ingredients

Bisque

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup coarsely chopped shallots (about 3 large)
2 pounds celery roots (celeriac), peeled, woody parts trimmed and discarded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 5 1/2 cups)
1 10-ounce russet potato, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1/4 cup whipping cream
Additional chopped fresh thyme

Walnut Gremolata

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/2 cup walnuts 

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 

1/2 cup coarsely chopped parsley

Method

Soup

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add celery; cover and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add shallots; sauté uncovered 3 minutes. Stir in celery root cubes and potato, then broth and 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme. Increase heat to high; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 40 minutes. Cool slightly.

Working in batches, transfer soup to blender and puree until smooth. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate.)

Stir cream into soup and bring to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with additional chopped thyme and serve.

Gremolata

Preheat the oven to 375°. Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden. Let cool, then finely chop and transfer to a bowl. Add the oil, parsley and grated cheese and mix well.

Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli, C and C

This yummy soup was prepared by C and C.

Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Bean Soup)

Found at this website.  No estimates on prep time nor how many this serves provided

Ingredients:

• Olive oil (to saute the vegetables)
• 5 stalks of celery, including leaves, cleaned with thick white end cut off, and then chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots (optional)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 big bunch of Italian parsley, cleaned, stems cut off, and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 3 quarts water
• 1 6-oz. can tomato paste (add more until your desired level of 'red' color and tomato flavor is reached)
• 2 cans red kidney beans (I prefer dark red) ~ if you use fresh beans, they must be soaked in water overnight (you can also use pinto beans or a white bean variety)
• Pasta (in this case I used mini-farfalle), but often 'ditalini' pasta is used
• Freshly ground sea salt and black pepper.
• Freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
• Fresh, crusty, artisanal Italian bread

Method:

1. If using dried beans, cover them completely with water in a pot and soak overnight.
2. Drain water the next day.
3. In a large, heavy 4 - 5 quart pot, saute the onion, carrots, and celery in the olive oil.
4. Add the parsley and garlic and saute for one more minute.
5. Fill the pot with the water.
6. Add the tomato paste/ tomatoes and bring to a boil.
7. Add the kidney beans, reduce the heat just slightly and cook until slightly tender.
8. Bring back to a boil and add the pasta noodles and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes.
9. Remove the soup from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. Let stand 5 minutes.
11. Serve in warmed bowls.
12. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
13. Serve with freshly, grated Parmigiano cheese and fresh bread.

THIS SOUP IS BETTER IF allowed to rest for 2 hours before serving; it thickens up nicely.  It is even better the NEXT day when all of the flavors are allowed to marry and blend!  If you choose to do this, don't put the pasta in until the soup is re-warmed and THEN boil your pasta for 7 minutes/until al dente. If you have the pasta noodles in for a long time, they become very large from absorbing the soup liquid.<

Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup - C & C

Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup 

Source: Simply Recipes

This recipe yields 6 entree size servings.  I believe it yield enough for 9 first course servings.

Ingredients 
3 medium carrots, peeled and quartered lengthwise
2 large tomatoes, quartered
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges or 4 or 5 slices
1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick wedges
6 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 cups or more of vegetable broth
4 cups of finely chopped kale
3 large fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 15 oz can of Great Northern white beans, drained

Method
Preheat oven to 400°F (reduce heat by 25°F if using convection oven). Brush rimmed baking sheet with a thin coat of olive oil. Arrange carrots, squash, tomatoes, onion, and garlic on sheet. Drizzle with more olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast vegetables until they are brown and tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Cut squash and carrots into 1/2 inch pieces; set aside. Peel garlic cloves; place in food processor. Add tomatoes and onion; puree until almost smooth. Pour 1/2 cup broth onto the baking sheet; scrape up any browned bits. Transfer broth and vegetable puree to large pot. Add 5 1/2 cups broth, kale, thyme and bay leaf to pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until kale is tender, about 30 minutes.

Add carrots, beans, and squash to soup. Simmer 8 minutes to blend flavors, adding more broth to thin soup if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf.

Can be made a day ahead.

Vietnamese Pho, Jan 9 2010

Chicken Pho with Fresh Herb Salad

Pho ingredients
1 pound Foster Farms frozen fresh chicken tenderloins, thawed according to package directions
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup peeled and thinly julienned carrot
1/2 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
5 cups chicken stock, homemade or low-sodium canned
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 tablespoon peeled and grated ginger
Chinese hot chili paste or Sriracha hot chili sauce

Herb salad ingredients
1 small bunch basil, leaves separated from stems
1 small bunch cilantro, separated into small sprigs
1 ½ cups mung bean sprouts
1 Serrano Chile, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
1 lime, cut into wedges

1. Cook rice sticks in boiling water until tender,3-4 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain again, then divide among 4 large soup bowls.

2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté, turning to brown both sides, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. During the last couple of minutes, sprinkle with garlic, turning chicken a few times. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and slice.

3. Scatter chicken, carrots and onions over the noodles, dividing evenly among the soup bowls. Put chicken stock in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add fish sauce and ginger; simmer for about 5 minutes.

4. To prepare Herb Salad, arrange all ingredients on a platter.

5. To serve, ladle simmering broth into each bowl. Pass salad and hot chili paste for diners to add to their own soup.

Makes 4 servings