Sichuan DanDan Noodles

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If you like noodle soup and you like spicy food, you should definitely try this (and if you have never tried, why the hell haven't you?).

Dandan noodles/Dandanmien/Tantanmen hails from Sichuan province in China, known for their cuisine's bold flavors and spiciness. With its sweet pungent aroma, mouth-numbing and piquant flavors, all in delicious savory broth, the soups is literally an assault on your senses.

But a good assault. Because you will be addicted to this.

Because you will wake up the next morning and feel sad because you don't have any leftover.

Because you realize that your regular noodle soup just won't do anymore.

Ingredients:

For Sichuan Chili Oil (Hong You) aka happiness in a jar:

• 1 cup canola oil
• 1-inch fresh ginger, sliced
• 5 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 stalks green onion, sliced
• 4 star anise pods
• 2-inch cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons Sichuan peppers (preferably red and green mix), crushed
• 4 tablespoons red chili flakes

For the noodle soup:

• 1/2 pound pork, coarsely minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine/rice wine
•  2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 4-5 tablespoons Pixian Doubanjiang/spicy broad bean paste (it looks like this)
• 4 tablespoons sesame paste
• 6 cups chicken stock
• Asian dried noodles
• Cilantro for garnish

Directions:

To make Sichuan Chili Oil (Hong You):

• Combine all of the ingredients in a sauce pot. Cook over medium heat and fry the ingredients until garlics and green onions are browned, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and continue cooking until the oil turns darker color. Remove from the stove and set aside.
• Transfer oil to an airtight jar. Store in the cool part of the kitchen until ready to use.

* The leftover chili oil stores very well and can be used for other dishes such as this one.

To make the noodle soup:

• In a large bowl, mix pork, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and rice wine until well combined. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pot. Add pork and cook until brown. Stir in Douban and sesame paste, cook for about 1 minute. Add chicken stock into the pot, bring to simmer. Taste the soup, season with salt and white pepper if necessary.
• In a separate pot, boil water and cook dry noodles per package instruction. Drain the noodles and divide into 4 individual bowls. Ladle the broth over the noodles, sprinkle with a lot of cilantro. Drizzle generous amount of chili oil before serving.

Quick and Easy Italian Wedding Soup

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Mr. Wikipedia says that the term "wedding soup" is a mistranslation of the Italian language phrase "minestra maritata ("married soup")," which is a reference to the fact that green vegetables and meats go well together. 
But mistranslation aside, Italian wedding soup is one of my favorite dishes. Not only that the soup is full of healthy ingredients, it is easy to make and it's darn tasty.

There are many many versions of this soup, but 2 things don't change; meatballs and greens. In this version, I use turkey meatballs but feel free to use any kind of meat.
Same goes with the greens. Spinach, escarole, kale, swiss chard, any kind of green vegetable will work beautifully.
Since I honestly hate making meatballs, I always try to double or triple the batch and keep the unused meatballs in the freezer. They come in handy whenever I need them.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 8 cup chicken stock
• 12 ounces baby spinach, washed 
• 1 cup dry pasta
• 1 can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• Salt and pepper
• Grated parmesan for sprinkling

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. 
• In a large bowl, mix turkey, egg, bread crumbs, cheese, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper until well combined. Roll meat mixture into 1-inch balls, place them on a lined baking sheet (you should have about 30-35 meatballs), bake for 30 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.
• In a soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic, sauté until soft. Add chicken stock into the pot, bring to boil. Add beans and dry pasta into the boiling stock, cook for 5-6 minutes until the pasta is almost tender. Add meatballs, season the soup with salt and pepper, simmer for 1 minute. 
• Stir-in the spinach, cook until just wilted, about 1 minute. Ladle soup into individual bowls, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.

Dublin Coddle

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Being sick stinks. 

But that's what I have been experiencing this past week, together with my oldest offspring. In fact, big C got it worse than me. His flu was so bad he had to stay at home and missed his rowing practices the entire week. 

The house was beyond messy, but I didn't care. Our meals consisted of whatever quick and easy I could manage to whip up. Mostly stir-fry stuff. 

But finally today, we said we want something different. No more stir-fry, let's have something soupy and comforting, but still easy to make.

Then Dublin coddle came to mind.

This slow-cooked Irish stew filled with bacon, sausages and potatoes is not only easy to make, but also tastes great. This is the kind of dish that makes you warm and fuzzy inside. 

Because the dish only calls for a few ingredients, make sure you only use the good quality sausages and bacon you can find. The better the ingredients, the better your stew will be. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 5 thick-cut/slab bacon (or rashers), cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 5 links pork sausages
• 10 unpeeled gold potatoes, washed and halved
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 small cabbage , cut into 8 sections (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions:

• In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Brown the sausages on both sides, transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Add bacon and onion into the saucepan. Cook until the onion has softened, about 5-10 minutes. Return sausages into the pot, add potatoes and pour the stock into the pot. Add cabbage into the pot as well, if you're using. Season with salt and pepper.
• Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low,. Cover the saucepan and simmer for about 1 hour, until the potatoes are tender.
• Ladle soup into individual bowl and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve hot with good crusty bread.

Spicy Corn and Pepper Soup

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Meals for meatless Mondays don't have to be bland.

Simple corn soup, for instance, can be taken up a notch by adding some spiciness and smokiness into it. The result is this warming, comforting, and delicious one-of-a-kind soup that will be your family's newest favorite dish.

Ingredients:

• 4 ears fresh corn
• 3 fresh red Jalapeño peppers, stemmed and seeded
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup cream
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Husk and remove silk. Brush corn and red peppers with some olive oil, and place them on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes or until the corn and peppers are tender and slightly charred on top. Remove from the oven and cool down.
• With a sharp knife, slice the kernels off the cobs, set aside. Cut red peppers into small dices.
• Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cook until tender and translucent. Add corn, pepper, and smoked paprika, stir to mix. Gradually add chicken stock into the pot, bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Add cream, salt and pepper,  and mix well. Turn off the heat.
• Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle chopped cilantro on top. Serve with bread, if desired.

Serves 4-6

Spicy Miso Ramen with Pan-Fried Pork

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Ingredients:

For the broth:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 cup red miso paste
• 3 tablespoons Sichuan chili paste
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons Mirin
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 3 cup cooked ramen noodles

For the soft-boiled eggs (Ajitsuke Tamago):

• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sake
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons sugar

For pan-fried pork:

• 1 pound pork shoulder
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon Shimichi Toragashi powder
• Salt and pepper

For chili-garlic oil:

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 10 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons Sichuan Douban chili sauce

Directions:

• First let's prepare the pork. Rinse and pat dry the pork. Brush with oil and rub the pork with toragashi, salt and pepper. Brown both side of pork on a hot pan, about 7 minutes on each side. Transfer pork to a roasting pan, cover with foil. Place pork in a 350 degree oven and cook until very tender, when internal temperature reach about 190 F. Shred the pork using hands or pork. 
• To make soft-boiled eggs: Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Pierce the bottom of each egg with a needle to create a very small hole (this will prevent the eggs from cracking). Slowly lower the eggs into the boiling water, reduce the heat to simmer, set the timer for 6 minutes. Meanwhile, mix all of the marinating ingredients in a bowl. Transfer the eggs to the sink and peel carefully under cold running water. Place eggs in the bowl to marinate, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• To make the broth: In a large saucepan, heat vegetable and sesame oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook until tender. Transfer into a food processor and pulse until smooth, return onion paste to the same saucepan. Add miso paste and chili paste, stir to blend. Add stock, mirin, and sesame seeds into the pan. Simmer broth over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes. Season with salt, if necessary.
• To make chili-garlic oil: In a small saucepan, heat vegetable and sesame oil. Add garlic, chili sauce and sesame seeds, and cook until garlic are done and slightly crispy. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool down.
• To assemble: Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add shredded pork and cook until brown and slightly crispy. Divide ramen noodles into 4 individual bowl, ladle broth over the noodle. Add shredded pork and about 1 tablespoon of chili-garlic oil, sprinkle with chopped green onion, and serve with soft-boiled egg. Enjoy!

(Healthier) Chicken and Smoked Andouille Gumbo

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To celebrate the upcoming Mardi Gras, here I'm presenting you some chicken and smoked Andouille gumbo. 

Well, no. Not really.

We were just in the mood for some hearty stew to warm us up, considering it's been raining for a few days here, again. It just so happened that gumbo comes to mind. 

But here comes the dilemma. 

We love gumbo, but we don't love the amount of fat that normally goes with it. I mean, a cup of fat for a cup of flour, that seems like a lot.

Browning the flour, or dry-frying, provides a simple solution to the problem. Using only 2 tablespoons of oil, the dish still has nice dark copper color and more importantly, still retains all of the flavors we all love from our beloved gumbo.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large green pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 pound chicken meat, diced
• 1 pound smoked Andouille sausage, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon gumbo file
• 8 cups chicken stock
• Salt to taste
• 2 scallions, chopped for garnish

Directions:

• Place the flour in a skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the flour turns dark brown. Set aside.
• In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and green pepper. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, stir constantly, until the vegetables are cooked through and the onion become translucent. Add brown flour, bay leaves, thyme, creole seasoning, and cayenne pepper into the saucepan and mix thoroughly. Gradually add chicken stock into the pot, stir continuously to make sure that the soup is well blended. Bring the soup to boil, reduce the heat to low and cook covered for about 30 minutes
• Add chicken and sausage into the gumbo. Cook uncovered for another 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Add gumbo file and mix well. Season with salt. Turn off the heat. Ladle gumbo into serving bowl, sprinkle with chopped green onion. Serve hot with steamed rice.

Serves 4

Chicken Tortilla Soup

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It's been raining here in Northern California. Not really big rain, just some persistent drizzle that's been lasting for several days now. The temperature dropped a little and it feels more like California winter nowadays.

I don't mind it. Parched Bay Area needed the rain badly.

The kids went to school with their coat on this morning. It's such a stark contrast to their usual 't-shirt and shorts' school attire they had been wearing for months. The downside of having rainy days is, at least according to little C who's in 5th grade, that they've been having indoor recesses. He thinks that sitting in the lunch room and playing board game is utterly boring. He wants to play outside and hanging upside down from the monkey bar.

But the principal says no.

Big C is also not liking this cold wet weather very much. 

He's been doing competitive rowing since the beginning of January, and goes to practice 6 days a week. Being on the water in the rain just adds misery to an already gruesome exercise.

But I'm hoping that this rain will alleviate our drought situation, that we'll have plenty of water throughout the summer. And my water bill will stay low.

In the meantime, here is some chicken tortilla soup to help you warm up :)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded and cooked chicken meat (leftover rotisserie chicken works wonderful for this)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon chile powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 can (14-oz) canned diced tomatoes
• 1 can (14-oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 6 cups chicken stock
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
• 6 corn tortillas, cut into strips and deep fried until crispy
• 2 avocados, diced
• Lime wedges
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Sour cream
• Grated cheddar
• Hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and peppers into the pot. Cook and stir the vegetables for about 3 minutes, until tender. Add cumin and chile powder, stir to combine. Add shredded chicken, black beans and diced tomatoes into the pot and mix.
• Gently pour chicken stock into the pot and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer soup for about 30-40 minutes, uncovered
• Season with salt and pepper. Turn off the that and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
• Ladle soup into individual bowls. Top with crispy tortilla chips, chopped red onion, and avocado. Garnish with cilantro and a lime wedge. Serve with sour cream, cheddar and hot sauce.

Serves 4 as main dish

Thai Curry Chicken Noodle Soup

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Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 inch fresh galangal (Kha), or 1 inch fresh ginger
• 3 ounces dried red Guajillo chillies, soak in warm water for 30 minutes
• 5 red bird chili peppers, seeds removed
• 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 can coconut milk
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar, or brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (Nam Pla)
• 1 large lemongrass, white part only, bruised
• 5 Kaffir lime leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound chicken breast, slice into strips
• 5 ounces mushrooms (straw, clamshell, or crimini mushrooms)
• 5 ounces snow peas, trimmed
• 1 cup loosely packed basil leaves
• Cilantro sprigs and cracked cashews/peanuts
• 1 pound uncooked rice stick noodles

* For those who choose more traditional route, red bell pepper, Thai eggplants and bamboo shoots may be used in this recipe. But really, you can use almost any vegetable you like.

Directions:

• Using mortar and pestle, grind the first 7 ingredients until they turn into paste. Alternatively, you can use food processor to make the paste.
• Heat oil in a dutch pan over medium heat. Add curry paste, lemon grass, lime leaves and stir fry until fragrant. Pour coconut milk into the pan, stir to combine and bring to boil. 
• Reduce the heat to medium-low. Continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes, stir often to prevent burnt bottom, until the sauce is reduced and starting to become oily.
• Increase the heat to medium-high. Add chicken, cook and stir for about 1 minute. 
• Add chicken stock into the pot, stir to combine. Bring to simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. 
• Meanwhile, boil and cook noodles per package directions. Drain and rinse under cool water to prevent sticking. Divide and transfer noodles into 6 individual bowls.
• Add vegetables into the soup. Season with fish sauce, palm sugar, salt and pepper. Stir until the sugar dissolved and everything is well blended. Cook covered for another 5 minutes, then turn off the heat. Stir in basil leaves.
• Using a ladle, pour curry onto the noodles, top with cilantro sprigs and sprinkle with cracked cashews/peanuts. Serve hot.

Makes 6 bowls of noodle soup, served as main dish.

Feijoada Completa

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Feijoada is not your everyday kinda meal. 

I mean, there is a reason why Brazilians say that they eat Feijoada on Saturday, so they can have a day to digest and rest.

This thing, while unbelievably delish, sits like a brick in your stomach.

And don't even think about calories, because the moment that first spoonful made it into your mouth, you can kiss your dreams about wearing cute bikini next summer goodbye.

But behold.

That's why we need to eat it with Couve, guys. Yep, that garlicky stir-fried shredded collard green is the antidote to Feijoada fattening attributes. And those orange slices should bring the calories down to 200 per-serving.

At least, that's what I'm telling myself and I chose to believe it wholeheartedly...

Serve Feijoada with sautéed collard greens, toasted Manioc meal, steamed rice, orange slices and hot sauce, if desired.

Feijoada:

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dried black beans
• 1/2 pound carne seca (Brazilian salted beef), cubed
• 1/2 pound ham hocks
• 1/2 pound beef, cubed
• 1/2 pound pork, cubed
• 1 pound Linguiça or Calabresa or Chorizo, sliced
• 4 strips smoked bacon, sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• Soak the beans overnight. In the morning, boil the beans for about 4 hours over low heat, until tender. Set aside to cool down. Take about 1/3 of the cooked beans and mash using food processor. 
• Boil carne seca, ham hocks, beef, pork, and sausages in a large dutch pan. Reduce the heat and cook the meat until tender but not shredded. Drain the water and excess fat. Set aside.
• Using the same dutch pan, heat the oil, sauté onion, garlic and bacon until well cooked. Add mashed beans, the remaining black beans and cooked meats into the pot. Add bay leaves, season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat, continue cooking for another 20-30 minutes.

Sautéed Collard Greens (Couve Refogada)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 bunches of collard greens, thinly sliced, or shredded
• Salt to taste

Directions:

Heat the oil in a frying pan, add garlic and sauté until cooked. Add collard greens, season with salt. Cook until greens are tender, about 3 minutes.

Toasted Manioc Flour (Farofa)

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups manioc flour
• 1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Melt butter in a medium pan. Add onion and cook until soft. Stir in manioc flour, cook for about 3-5 minutes until well toasted. Season with salt and pepper.

Fisherman's Stew with Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise

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Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons roasted garlic purée (recipe below)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• Salt and ground white pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and thinly sliced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups fish stock, or bottled clam juice
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• Ground black pepper and salt
• 2 pounds white fish such as halibut or monk fish, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• Finely chopped fresh chives for garnish

Directions:

• In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, garlic purée, lemon juice, salt and white pepper to taste, and mix well to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• In a large dutch oven over medium heat, heat the oil. Add leeks, carrot, and fennel and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute longer. Add the stock, wine, tomatoes with juice, saffron, and salt and pepper to taste and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover partially, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from heat. Using a handheld or standing blender, coarsely purée the soup, making sure to leave some texture.
• Return the pot to medium heat. Add fish pieces and cook until the fish is opaque throughout, 6-8 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
• Ladle the stew into warmed deep bowls and top each serving with a spoonful of garlic mayo. Garnish with chopped chives and serve immediately.

* To make garlic purée, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Using a small sharp knife, cut off the top of each garlic head, exposing the cloves. Place the head in a small roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and roast until the garlic is very soft when pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool briefly. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins and mash with a fork to make smooth purée.

Recipe is adapted from Williams-Sonoma Soup and Stew Cookbook

Brotchan Foltchep (Oatmeal Leek Soup)

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March in our household is almost synonymous with Irish (themed) food, at least on the days leading to St. Patrick's day, and a few days afterward.

This year, I brined my own corned beef (very good!), made Baileys panna cotta (wonderful!), and baked Irish car bomb cupcakes (spectacular!).

When I found this one soup recipe from my Irish Food and Cooking cookbook authored by Biddy White Lennon and Georgina Campbell, I got very excited and thought that I was perfect for out meatless Monday meal.

Despite of the fact that it only has 6 ingredients, the soup certainly did not disappoint.

Serve with bread and some jam, if preferred.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/4 cup pinhead oatmeal (also called Irish steel cut oatmeal. I use McCanns brand)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 leeks, washed, trimmed, and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mace
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• In a large pot, bring the stock and milk to boil over medium heat. Sprinkle the oatmeal, stir occasionally to prevent lumps forming, simmer gently.
• Melt butter in a separate pan, cook sliced leeks over low heat until softened slightly. Add leeks into the pot with the stock mixture. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes, or until the oatmeal is fully cooked. 
• Season with ground mace, salt and pepper. Ladle soup into individual bowls and serve hot. 

Pepper Pot

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One fantastic recipe from Saveur magazine. Decided to give it a try and ended up loving it a whole lot! 

This spicy, rich, and warming soup will definitely make it's way back to our dining table again, and again, and again. 

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces pork shoulder
• 12 ounces beef shoulder
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• 1/4 habanero chile, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
• 1 pound taro root, or cassava, or potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4" cubes
• 1 cup chopped scallion
• 16 cups beef stock
• 1 tablespoon ground allspice, preferably freshly ground
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pound collard greens, rinsed and chopped

Directions:

• Place beef and pork in a bowl; rub heavily with salt. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Rinse meat, dry with paper towel, and cut into 1/4" cubes. Heat oil in an 8-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add pork and beef; cook until browned, about 10 minutes. 
• Add garlic, onion and habanero; cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add taro and scallion, cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add stock, allspice, pepper, thyme, and bay leaves; boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook until meat and taro are tender, about 30 minutes. Add collard greens; cook until wilted, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Gingery Sweet Potato Soup

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Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 inch fresh ginger, minced
• 3 medium sized sweet potatoes
• 3 cups milk
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• cilantro sprigs for garnish

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a fork, prick a few holes on sweet potatoes to prevent bursting. Place sweet potatoes on the baking sheet and roast for about 45-60 minutes, or until potatoes are tender but not mushy. Remove sweet potatoes from baking sheet and cool down.
• In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger, cook until tender and translucent. Remove from the saucepan and transfer to a food processor. 
• Peel the skin off the potatoes, cut into smaller pieces and transfer to the food processor. Pulse until smooth, return sweet potato puree into the saucepan. Add milk, season with salt and pepper, simmer for about 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until well mixed. Transfer to individual bowls, sprinkle with crumbled feta and garnish with cilantro leaves. 

Mexican Style Chicken Corn Soup

Chicken corn soup with a kick! Leftover roasted chicken turns sexy!

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cans sweet corn, drained
• 1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1 2/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 cups milk
• 2 medium red tomatoes, seeds removed and cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon Ancho Chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Directions:

• In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic, sauté until translucent and tender. Transfer onion and garlic into a blender. Add 1 can of corn and chicken stock, blend until smooth. 
• Transfer corn puree into a large soup pot. Cook over medium heat. Add milk, the rest of the corn, cooked chicken, chile powder, cumin and oregano. Bring to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Turn off the heat, stir in tomato cubes. Transfer soup into individual bowls, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings as main dish.

Creamy Tomato-Basil Soup Shooter with Grilled Brie Sandwich

Tomato-Basil Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes 
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

• In a soup pot, heat the oil. Add onions and garlics, cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onions turn translucent. Add milk, chicken stock, tomatoes, chopped basil into the pot. Stir to blend. Reduce the heat, simmer the soup for about 10 minutes, or until the soup thickens a little bit.
• Transfer the soup to a blender and pulse until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide soup into shooter glasses or small bowls. Serve warm with mini grilled brie sandwiches.

Grilled Brie Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 8 slices white bread 
• 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 4 ounces Brie (1/2 wheel), rind/white part removed, and sliced thinly

Directions:

• Butter one side of each slice of bread and place 2 on a hot pan, buttered side down.
• Top each bread with sliced Brie, cover with bread, buttered side up.
• Grill until the cheese has melted and the bread turns golden brown, about 2-4 minutes per side.
• Transfer sandwich to the cutting board. Remove the crust, and cut the sandwich into smaller pieces. Serve warm with tomato-basil soup.

Crab and Corn Chowder with Bacon and Sautéed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 6 ears fresh yellow corn
• 4 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 3 cups whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 7 bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 2 medium)
• 3/4 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 3/4 pounds white skinned potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 ounces fresh mushrooms (chanterelle, oyster, etc)
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 pound fresh crab meat
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

• Cut kernels off corn cobs. Set kernels aside. Combine cobs, broth, and cream in a heavy large saucepan. Simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add bacon and sauté until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towel to drain. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons pan drippings; add onion, leeks, celery, and fennel seeds to pot. Sauté until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in potatoes. Discard cobs from cream mixture; strain cream mixture into potato mixture. Simmer until potatoes are almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Stir in corn kernels. Simmer chowder until potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes longer.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in sherry and thyme. Add mushroom mixture to chowder. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Sauté crab meat in the same skillet over medium-low heat just until heated through, about 3 minutes. Divide crab meat, reserved bacon, and parsley among bowls. Ladle chowder over and serve.

Make 6 to 8 servings 

Recipe was taken from Bon Appetite magazine January 2003 edition

Spinach Noodle Soup with Sautéed Chicken and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

For sautéed chicken and mushrooms:

• 2 chicken breast, diced
• 1 cup sliced canned button mushrooms
• 1 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 3 cloves garlic. minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• salt and ground white pepper to taste

For the broth:

• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh garlic
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• salt and ground white pepper to taste
• 2 stalks green onion, chopped

For the noodles:

• 1 pound spinach egg noodles
• 2 quarts of water
• 2 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

• To make the sautéed chicken and mushrooms: In a large heavy skillet, heat the cooking oil and sesame oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic, stir and cook until fragrant. Add diced chicken and sliced mushroom, cook until the chicken are done and no longer pink. Season with soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper. Add chicken stock, stir and continue cooking until the stock is reduced to half. Transfer chicken and mushrooms to a large bowl and set aside.
• To make the broth: In a large saucepan, heat up the oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger, stir and cook until fragrant. Pour the chicken stock into the saucepan, season with soy sauce, salt and pepper. Add chopped green onions, bring the broth to boil and let it simmer.
• Place water, oil and salt in a different large saucepan. Heat it up and bring to boil. Add the noodles into boiling water, and cook until tender but not mushy (about 3 minutes). Drain the noodles and separate them into 4 bowls. Top each noodle with some chicken-mushroom, and ladle some broth over the noodle. Serve immediately.

Serve 4 as main course

Chicken Wontons in Chili-Kaffir Lime Leaf Broth

Your traditional wonton soup, with a twist!

Ingredients:

For the wontons:

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 2 stalks green onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• salt and pepper to taste
• 40 to 50 wonton wrappers

For the broth:

• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) chicken stock
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 2-5 whole dried chili peppers (depending on how spicy you want the broth to be)
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound green beans
• 20 sliced of lotus roots (optional)

Directions:

• To make the wontons: Place the ground chicken, corn starch, chopped green onions, ginger, salt and pepper in a large glass bowl and mix to combine. Put a teaspoon of the filling in the center of a wonton wrapper and brush the edge with the water. Press the edges firmly to seal. Continue the process with the rest of the ingredients. Arrange the wontons on a lightly dusted (with corn starch) cookie sheet in a single layer. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to cook.
• To make the broth: In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger, cook until fragrant. Add chicken stock into the saucepan, followed by kaffir lime leaves, dried chili peppers and soy sauce. Bring to boil and simmer for another 10-15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove the chili peppers from the broth.
• In a different saucepan, bring water to boil and 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Place the lotus roots in the saucepan with water, cook for about 5 minutes, remove from the pan, drain and set aside. Repeat the process with the green beans, cook until just tender but don't overcook them. Drain and set aside.
• In the same saucepan, place a few wontons at the time and cook for 3 minutes or until the wontons start to float to the surface and cooked through. Set aside.
• To serve: place green beans, lotus roots and few wontons in individual bowls. Pour the broth over the wontons and vegetables. Serve hot.

Serve 8 as main course

Pork Stew with Fennel and Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds 2-inch trimmed pork shoulder (Boston butt)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped thinly sliced pancetta (about 4 ounces)
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
• 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 2 large fresh fennel bulbs; fronds chopped and reserved, bulbs cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
• 20 1 1/2-inch cubes peeled butternut squash (part of 3-pound squash)

Directions:

• Place pork in a large bowl. Mix next 6 ingredients in small bowl; sprinkle over pork, turning pork to coat evenly. Let stand 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium heat. Add pancetta and sauté until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to medium bowl. Add half of pork to pot, sauté until brown, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pork to bowl with pancetta. Repeat with the remaining pork. Add onions and garlics to pot, sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, broth, wine and pork mixture. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits.
• Cover pot, place in the oven. Cook stew for 1 hour. Add fennel bulbs, chopped fronds and squash cubes to stew. Cover and cook in oven until pork and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer meat and vegetables to large bowl; cover. Boil sauce over medium-high heat until thickened enough to coat spoon, about 25 minutes. Return pork and vegetables to sauce; season with salt and pepper. Serve over cooked noodles or by itself.

Note: Recipe was adapted from Epicurious.com

Shrimp Gumbo

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces vegetable oil
• 4 ounces all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 pounds raw, whole, head-on medium-sized (31-50 count) shrimp
• 2 quarts water
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup diced green peppers
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup peeled, seeded and chopped tomato
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon file powder

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the vegetable oil and flour into a 5 to 6-quart cast iron Dutch oven and whisk together to combine. Place on the middle shelf of the oven, uncovered, and bake for 1 1/2 hours, whisking 2 to 3 times throughout the cooking process.
• While the roux is baking, de-head, peel and devein the shrimp. Place the shrimp in a bowl and set in the refrigerator. Place the heads and shells in a 4-quart saucepan along with the 2 quarts of water, set over high heat and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour or until the liquid has reduced to 1-quart. Remove from the heat and strain the liquid into a container, discarding the solids.
• Once the roux is done, carefully remove it from the oven and set over medium-high heat. Gently add the onions, celery, green peppers and garlic and cook, moving constantly for 7 to 8 minutes or until the onions begin to turn translucent. Add the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaves and stir to combine. Gradually add the shrimp broth while whisking continually. Decrease the heat to low, cover and cook for 35 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the shrimp and stir to combine. Add the file powder while stirring constantly. Cover and allow to sit for 10 minutes prior to serving. Serve over rice.

Note: Recipe taken from Alton Brown's Good Eats gumbo recipe. I choose to make my roux on the stove top, with lots of stirring until the roux turns dark copper color.  

I also sometimes add 1/2 pound of Andouille sausages, browned on the greased skillet and added to gumbo together with the shrimp.