Asparagus

Asparagus can be found year round, but in Spring it’s at its peak. You want to look for beautiful long stems that are grassy-green in color with tight purple tinged tips. You can also find asparagus in a white variety, which we will talk about in another post.

Asparagus is so good and so good for you too. Filled with great nutrients like folic acid, potassium and B6; it’s low in sodium and has no fat or cholesterol. Aside from all that goodness, it can be prepared in hundreds of different ways: grilled, steamed, sautéed; and sound in soups, stews and even crudité platters.

If you were not planning to cook them right away, the best way to keep these beauties fresh from the market would be to trim about a half-inch from the bottom and set them upright in a shallow bowl or pan of water. They will keep in the ‘fridge for about 3 to 4 days.

The bunch I brought home today were a little on the thicker side, so I decided to peel them. That can be accomplished easily using the right type of peeler. Because of their shape and size you want to use the kind I have pictured, to make it very simple and quick.

One half I grilled and the other I made a yummy soup. To grill them all you need to do is toss with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss on to a hot grill. Once you see some nice char marks you are done. Drizzle with a little more oil, a sprinkle of seasoning and you are good to go. I even topped mine with a few grates of fresh parmigiano cheese. Very tasty! 

For the other half of my bunch I decided to make a soup. Emerging from Winter I am always in the mood for lighter soups. I tend to make a lot of thick purees and stews, which are perfect for that season. Spring calls to lighten things up! The following is my riff on the Vietnamese soup Sup Mang Cua. 

Asparagus, Mushroom and Crab Soup

Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons of coconut oil

1 spring onion, cleaned, white bulb and green top separate

1” knob of fresh ginger, about the size of the top of your thumb

6 oz shiitake mushrooms

1 large garlic clove

1 quart of good chicken or vegetable stock

1 juicy lime

¾ lb fresh asparagus, stalks peeled if thick

7-8 oz lump crab meat, drained, checked for random shells and broken slightly

¼ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Kosher salt and white pepper

¼ - ½ teaspoon of Sambel Oelek, optional

Before you get started you want to get your vegetables prepped and organized. This soup will come together very quickly, so having everything ready and lined up on your cutting board is key!

• ·      Spring onion: keeping the root end together, cut in half then in thin slices. You should have about ½ cup. Take the green part and slice that thin, keep separate from the white part.
• ·      Shiitakes: remove the stem, leaving ¼ from the base, then slice in ¼ “ pieces.
• ·      Asparagus: cut the asparagus stalks in 1 inch angled pieces. Take the tops and slice in half, if thick, and set aside.
• ·      Peel and grate the ginger, thinly slice the garlic clove, and zest the lime, cut in half and juice in to a small cup.

In a small heavy bottom stockpot heat the coconut oil. Take care to not bring the heat too high, as this type of oil has a slightly lower smoke point.  Sauté the onion, ginger, garlic, ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper until soft and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
 Add the mushrooms, and another ¼ teaspoon of salt and pepper and sauté until soft. Keep an eye on the vegetables, you don’t want the bottom to burn. When the mushrooms are soft and their liquid is slightly released, add the stock and bring to a boil. 
Toss in the lime zest, juice and asparagus stem pieces and lower the heat. Simmer for about 5 minutes. 
Add the crab, asparagus tops, ¼ cup green part of the onion, cilantro and chili paste (if using) and simmer for another few minutes to heat the crab and cook the asparagus tops. 
Taste for seasoning and serve. 

For white asparagus you need to first peel them. This is a must. While the skins can stay on the green variety, leaving them on the white will render your dish bitter. Again, using the right peeler will get this done in no time.

Cooking these beauties could not be simpler, either. After peeling them I set them in a pot of boiling water that was salted with a couple of pats of butter and a few slices of lemon. Let them simmer for about 8-10 minutes, depending on the thickness, and your taste.

To finish I simply tossed them with a little extra virgin olive oil, a few grates of lemon zest, salt, pepper and a thinly sliced ramp (wild leek) I had in the ‘fridge. (We will talk more about ramps in a few weeks!)

This coming Saturday (April 14, 2012) you will find me at the Chappaqua Indoor Farmers Market from 10:00-Noon creating a yummy asparagus dish for the shoppers. If you are in the neighborhood please stop by. In addition, if you have any favorite vegetables you are interested in finding more about in my upcoming posts, please let me know. 

Buon Appetito!

Spring has (almost) sprung!

Spring has arrived! Well, almost ... in just five days to be exact. Time for a little Spring cleaning. I have decided to morph my little blog into something new and exciting for my followers: in just a few weeks I will be debuting posts that will offer a weekly glimpse of seasonal ingredients along with simple, straightforward recipes. I'm very excited about this new phase of my blog, and hope you will be too!

Stay tuned!

New Years Resolutions

January is one of my favorite months. It represents many things to many people: it’s the first of the year, starting over, beginning anew. Everyone is hopeful that the New Year will bring prosperity, health, happiness; you name it.

January for me is the same, and more. I also see it as a new beginning, and it’s also my birthday month so a bit of celebrating always ensues. This month, however, it’s a milestone birthday year for me. In addition, this year, actually next month, Elinor is celebrating a milestone birthday too; she will be 21. I remember turning 21 like it was yesterday. I remember 30 and 40 … the ones in between, not so much.  I never imagined myself being 50 back when I was 21, but I like this age. I feel like I’ve done a lot – but have so much more to do.

I came across an interesting quote by Carl Jung the other day which seemed to speak to the whole “resolution” idea that has been swirling around in my head:  

            Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you call it fate.

It is something to think about. I have always believed that you control your destiny. Nothing is predetermined – you have free will, and you choose your path. That is exactly what I did almost 5 years ago when I decided to become a full time chef.  

Let’s get back to resolutions … for me, it’s to take better care of myself by eating healthier and being a bit more diligent with my Pilates classes. I also resolve to be better about keeping up with this blog, and hopefully inspiring you to head to the kitchen and do a little creating.

To that end, I have a new recipe to share with you. I happened to be watching a great episode of Giada at Home, on the Food Network, which was focused on her New Year’s resolutions. (I have a link for her recipe below.) After watching the episode I was inspired to make this great soup, but took it a bit further. I dug around my ‘fridge and found a few extra things to jazz it up. I think what I have for you is pretty darn tasty. The best part of her recipe, and mine, is that it’s a totally flexible dish. You can change this up in a lot of different ways. Whatever you have available will work. 

Turkey, Kale and Farro Soup

Makes about 8 servings

1 – 1 ½ cups cooked Farro

2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

3 large Shallots or 1 small onion, cut into ½“ pieces (about 1 cup)

3 medium Carrots, cut into ½” pieces (about 1 cup)

1 large Bell Pepper, cut into ½”pieces (about 1 cup)

2 cloves of Garlic, minced

8 ounces ground Turkey Meat, (freeze the rest if you get it in a 1 lb package)

1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence

4 cups low-sodium Chicken Broth, plus more as needed

1 15-ounce can Diced Tomatoes

1 – 1 ½ cups cooked Farro

1 small bunch Kale, coarsely chopped (about 4 packed cups)

Kosher Salt

Freshly ground Black Pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Parmesan cheese, optional

First thing you want to do is get your farro on the stove. It will take about 20 minutes to cook, and while that is happening you can get all the veggies chopped. In a small pot bring 4-cups of water to a boil and add 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the farro and reduce the heat to a low boil. Cook the farro until it is a little al dente. It’s going to cook more when you add it to the soup, so don’t worry if it’s not totally done.  I used farro but you can use brown rice, as Giada did in the original recipe. I didn’t have brown rice – so I used what I had in the cabinet. You could switch this up even further and use cannellini beans if you want. One can would be plenty – and add at the end. 

While the farro cooks start chopping your veggies. Get your celery, carrot, shallot, pepper and garlic chopped. Place in a medium size pot with the olive oil, ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and sauté until the veggies are soft and have taken on a little color. That should take about 10 minutes. Keep checking your farro, once it reaches al dente drain in a colander and set aside.

Next you want to work on the kale. Remove the tough rib and chop the leaves. The bunch I got at the market, for only $1.50, yielded 8 cups chopped. (I took what was left, wrapped in a paper towel, and placed in a zip lock bag. I ended up sautéing it a few days later with some mushrooms.) Set aside your 4 chopped cups.

Once the veggies are nice and soft add the turkey to the pot and break it up with a wooded spoon. Add the Herbs to Provence and ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. (Remember, you must season as you go!)

Once the turkey is fully cooked, add the tomatoes and kale. Cook for about 5 minutes until the kale wilts slightly.

Add the chicken stock and farro and bring to a simmer. Depending on how thin you like your soup, you can add a little more stock, or water.

Finish the soup with your chopped parsley and top with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

This is a great hearty soup, for a cold day. The best part is it’s super light and won’t weigh you down. All together this soup cost well under $10, and you will get at least 8 good portions from it.

Here is the recipe Giada created: Turkey Kale and Brown Rice Soup

Surely the Apple is the Noblest of Fruits*

Last weekend my darling girl made a trip to a local apple orchard and requested a recipe or two for apples. Ahh .. the apple ... little kids love the juice, grown-ups love pie ... so many recipes, so little time. I especially had fun this week researching this lovely fruit, and learned many new things! 

Just Google the word “apple” and pages of links appear bearing stories, descriptions and recipes galore. So what is it about the apple that is so intriguing? We identify it as the “forbidden” fruit, yet it’s not specifically mentioned in the Book of Genesis. (They were painted into our consciousness by artists of the millennia.) Apples appear in Greek, Norse and Celtic mythology tied to gods and goddesses bribing, tempting and fighting over each other for them; Snow White bit hers and fell into a deep sleep; Irish folklore says a continuous peel from an apple tossed over your shoulder will bear the initial of a future beloved; in King Arthur’s mythical time the mystical isle of Avalon is believed to be the Isle of Apples; upon witnessing an apple falling from a tree Sir Isaac Newton developed his theory on gravitation, and an amusing one: Danish folklore says that an apple will whither around adulterers.   

Let’s deal with today. Apples come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, 7,500 of them to be exact. Whether they are called mela, manzana or pomme it’s a yummy and delicious fruit - and oh so good for you. We’ve all heard the proverb "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Research suggests that apples may reduce the risk of many types of cancer and are a rich source of antioxidant compounds. The fiber contained in apples reduces cholesterol by preventing reabsorption, and (like most fruits and vegetables) they are bulky for their caloric content. We use them in all sorts of ways: snacking, desserts, sauces, juice and liquors. After reading many things about this ubiquitous ingredient I wondered what I could do that was just a little bit different? 

First, lets focus on just a few that you will come across everyday: Red Delicious,  a crispy apple great for snacking; Golden Delicious: an all purpose apple that has a rich flavor, great for baking and making applesauce; MacIntosh: tart and soft, great for apple pies; and last the Granny Smith: a crunchy, sweet and tart variety great for snacking (because it’s a little firmer and will take longer to to cook). 

Applesauce is just about the easiest thing to do with your apple, other than cutting it up and dipping in caramel sauce or peanut butter. All you need to do is peel, chop and place in a pan with about a half inch of water. Then cook over medium to low heat. Add a squeeze or two of lemon juice to keep the color pretty and a bit of brown sugar to sweeten it and voila! you have fresh applesauce. 

I wanted to take it a step further, but still be something easy. I had in my mind that for this exercise I wanted to show you something savory, rather than sweet. Start to finish, my active time on this dish was probably about 30 minutes. After I finished making it I decided that I was hungry and cooked up a pork chop. (Which by the way only cost about $2.50. Bone-in pork chops are around $4.99 a pound and usually come in a package of two.) A culinary match coined by W.C Fields and perpetuated by Peter Brady, of the Brady Bunch: “pork chops and applesauce.” Anyway, into the frying pan my chop went, seasoned lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper. Basically in less than an hour I was eating my lovely dinner. 

Apple - Red Onion Taboulleh

Makes 4-6 servings

1 1/2 cups Bulgar Wheat 

1 1/2 cups of boiling water

1/2 cup Red Onion, 1/4” dice

1 Garlic Clove, minced

1 cup MacIntosh Apples, 1/4” dice

Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon, divided

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt 

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

2 tablespoons Thyme, roughly chopped and divided

1 cup Arugula, optional

1/2 cup chopped Hazelnuts, optional

Combine the bulgar wheat and boiling water in a bowl. Wrap tightly with plastic and set aside for about an hour. 

My onion is quite huge, and as you can see just half of it yields well over a cup. Go ahead and chop the half, but you will only use 1/2 cup for this recipe. I placed the rest in 2 zip lock bags for another use. 

Sweat the onion on medium heat for about 5 minutes with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. (Lets talk briefly about “sweating”: in a previous recipe I described “caramelizing” the onion, making it golden brown. For this recipe we are only going to “sweat” it,  or just bring it to a soft stage. It’s another cooking technique, this time giving you a mellow flavor to the onion.) Add the garlic and soften as well, for about 2 minutes. 

Add the apple and juice from half of your lemon. Cook slightly and then turn off the heat, leaving the pan on the burner. The goal is to warm the apple through, keeping the integrity of the texture. We don't want mushy here! Add in 1 tablespoon of thyme and let the pan cool. 

Going back to our bulgar wheat. The bowl should be cool and the water completely absorbed in the grains. Fluff it up with a fork, then add the zest of 1/2 of the lemon, the juice of the other half of the lemon and 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon of thyme, 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine.

Add in the cooled apple mixture and toss gently. Taste for seasoning. Add the nuts and arugula if you want at this point, serve, and enjoy!

I refrigerated the leftovers that night and the next day it tasted even better. By the way this dinner came in under $5.00!

I hope you like this recipe, please feel free to send me ideas and thoughts on my blog. I’m looking to give it some personality and a new name! 

Buon appetito tutti!

* Henry David Thoreau

Slow Food $5.00 Value Meal Challenge

What a great long weekend Larry and I had not only in Upstate NY, but also our favorite city in Vermont, Burlington! Notwithstanding the gorgeous landscape of the green mountain state, we got to see our very special college girl and meet her lovely friends … but more on that later!

Lets chat about Slow Food: the Slow Food movement was founded in Italy by Carlo Petrini in 1986. It is basically promoted as an alternative to fast food, and strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine by encouraging the use of local farm products like vegetables and livestock. from its roots in Bra, Piemonte it’s grown to over 132 countries with nearly 800 chapters, 360 of which are in Italy. When I was in culinary school, in 2007, part of my practical training took place just outside of Parma, in a village called Colorno. From there we took field trips every week. One of the weeks we did a tour of Piemonte and I visited the University of Gastromomic Sciences, that was created in 2004 by Carlo Petrini and Massimo Montanari. It was quite amazing, I must say.

So how does all that tie in with this week? Well, Slow Food has issued a challenge to create the equivalent of a $5.00 “value meal” that is found in a fast food restaurant, using local fresh ingredients. (Slow Food Challenge) It sounds like it might be difficult, but as you will see below I managed to do exactly that, with some money to spare! Let me also say that many of the ingredients can be found in the grocery store, and some found at the farmers market. While farmers markets are just about the most awesome things on the planet – some of you may not be near one. Like I said in the previous blogs, look at everything before you buy it and make sure it’s fresh!

As you also know, from my previous posts, this blog is devoted to helping new apartment dwellers, in college or just out, learn to manage their way through the kitchen on a limited budget. I knew my work was cut out for me last weekend when I opened Elinor’s ‘fridge on Friday night and found mostly half used condiment jars, a prehistoric box that at one point contained a pizza and an empty butter dish. (Sorry for calling you out, babe.) No one said that balancing your budget was going to be easy. Choices are what life is all about. That’s what it all comes down to … a pack of cigarettes is about the same amount of money as a box of eggs, loaf of bread and a container of milk. However, my goal is to not be “preachy” -- everyone has to figure it out on their own – I certainly had to do so at your age. My goal here is to present you with tasty and healthy recipes for meals that are not going to break the bank!

So on Saturday night Larry and I asked Elinor and Julifer to invite some friends over for a “Slow Food” dinner. I was cooking a little “on the fly” (to use a kitchen term) that night with things they had in their pantry. After getting their input and comments, which were thoughtful, sincere and invaluable! I tweaked the recipes when I got home. So this post is dedicated to them! 

You will notice inside the recipes I went through the exercise of estimating the value of all of the food, to give you an idea of how little these items really end up costing, in the final analysis. Also, each of the recipes are based on 4 servings. You could break them down to 2, but it’s just as easy to make enough for 4. If you have leftovers each of these dishes freeze extremely well and can be reheated easily. These recipes also take into consideration that you have a few things in the pantry and ‘fridge we discussed a few weeks ago. If you do need to buy a few of these items, they won’t push your budget too much.
Quinoa Cakes with Caramelized Vegetables
Serves 4

3/4 cup of Quinoa ($1.87)
1 1/2 cups of Water
Kosher Salt ($.03)
Ground Black Pepper ($.02)
3 Carrots, 1/4” dice ($.99)
1 Celery Rib, 1/4” dice ($.15)
1/2 Onion, 1/4” dice ($.25)
1 Garlic Clove, minced ($.04)
1 Egg, beaten ($.20)
2 tablespoons Corn Meal ($.19)
Carrot Greens, from the carrots
Canola Oil ($.24)

Add ½ teaspoon of salt and quinoa to a pot with the boiling water. Once the water comes back to a boil lower the heat and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes covered. Lay the quinoa out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and let it cool completely. This will take about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile sauté the vegetables with ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Sauté for 5-10 minutes until caramelized. Remove from pan and mix in with the cooling quinoa.
 

Once the quinoa mix is completely cold add to a mixing bowl with the egg and sprinkle the cornmeal over it. Add another ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and about 2 tablespoons of finely chopped carrot greens. (You will have more greens left to use with the chicken recipe below.) Mix well and form into 4 patties. Let the patties rest for about 5 minutes. In a non-stick pan heat 2 tablespoons of oil and gently place the patties in a hot pan. Cook for about 2-4 minutes on each side to get a nice golden crust. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Total cost of ingredients is $3.98, or .$99 per person.

Chicken, Kale and Mushroom Roulades
Serves 4

½ Onion, ¼” dice (.$25)
1 Garlic Clove, minced ($.04)
8 oz of Mushrooms, sliced ($1.99)
1 bunch of Kale, about 1 pound, rib removed and sliced very thin ($.99)
1 17 oz carton of low sodium Chicken Stock ($1.00)
1 lb thin sliced Chicken Breast Cutlets, rinsed and pat dry ($3.99)
2 tablespoons Butter ($.24)
2 tablespoons Corn Meal ($.19)
2 tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese ($.35)
Kosher Salt ($.03)
Ground Black Pepper ($.02)
2 tablespoons Chopped Celery Greens
Olive Oil ($.50)

In a large pan sauté the onions with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. When they just begin to get soft add the garlic, mushrooms and the 1 tablespoon of chopped carrot greens from the previous recipe. Add another ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and sauté until the mushrooms become golden and most of the liquid evaporates. Add the kale to the pan gently tossing with the mushrooms. Add another ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and ½ cup of stock. Cover and steam for 5 minutes, or until the kale is soft. Remove from pan and allow to cool on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Lay your chicken out on a plastic cutting board. Brush both sides with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle each piece with a little corn meal and parmesan cheese. Divide the cooled kale mix evenly between each of the thin cutlets leaving a 1/4 edge around each. (The filling will spread out a little when you roll it.) Roll each firmly and fasten with either a toothpick in one or two places to hold the rolls together, or with kitchen twine. 

 

  

In a non-stick pan with a tablespoon of oil carefully sear the rolls all the way around. This will take up to 10 minutes. Once you achieve a nice golden brown all the way around remove the rolls and cover loosely with foil to keep them warm.

Now for the sauce: In the same pan melt the butter and add the cornmeal. (When I made this in Burlington, I had to improvise when I discovered Elinor did not have flour in the cabinet to make the roux, or thickener, for the sauce. But you know what? The cornmeal added a really nice earthy quality that everyone liked.) When it gets slightly foamy slowly add the remaining stock, 1/2 cup at a time. When the sauce reaches a consistency of thin to medium thickness add the chicken back along with a tablespoon of chopped celery greens. Lower the heat and simmer for another 5 minutes bathing the chicken rolls in the sauce.

 

Cost of ingredients is $9.60 or $2.40 per person.

*Cook’s note: If you are not able to find carrots with green tops parsley may be substituted. The cost difference will be a wash as the carrots with green tops are approximately $1.99 and a regular bag plus the parsley will be about the same.

When I realized I had a little money to spare I thought I would give you one of the easiest recipes I have in my box – focaccia bread. What follows is the most basic version. I have done toppings in all shapes and sizes … olives, red pepper, cheese, meat … you name it. The pizza dough is a blank canvas and you can be as crazy and creative as you like. All you need is a little olive oil and some herbs!

Focaccia Bread
Serves 4
1 ball of prepared Pizza Dough, room temperature ($2.00)
2 tablespoons of Olive Oil ($.50)
2 teaspoons of blended dry herbs (.50)
Kosher Salt ($.03)
Ground Black Pepper ($.02)

                         

Place the dough in an oiled bowl and let rise until doubled in a warm spot in the kitchen. Punch down and press out into a small oiled cookie sheet, cover and let rise again for about 30 minutes.

Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with herbs, salt and pepper. Place in a preheated 450 degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes until puffed and golden. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

 

 Cost of ingredients: $3.05 or $.76 per person.

Let’s recap:

Quinoa Cake: $.99
Chicken Roulade: $2.40
Focaccia Bread: $.76
Total meal = $4.15 per person! 

As you can see, you even have $.95 to spare or $3.80. You can use that for a nice dessert!

My last thought I will leave you with this week: Please don’t hesitate to send me your comments, questions or suggestions. I would love to make this blog interactive with you. I would also love to hear your suggestions for dishes you would like to learn how to prepare.

Until next week, buon appetito tutti!

 

Making a Hearty Soup

Now that your pantry is set up (see posts 1 and 2), lets dive in and make a nice hearty soup. Fall is in the air, well, at least on the east coast, so it seems as good a time as any to share one of my favorite recipes. 

I will be honest and say that making a soup stock does take some time. However, it’s one of those things can can be started and left to bubble on the stove for a few hours, while you are doing other things. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon! The house (or apartment) will be filled with a warm yummy aroma, that is very cozy. 

So lets get to it. First you are going to want to start the stock. The rule of thumb here is the longer the better. But given that you are all on the move and time is precious I am suggesting at least a few hours of simmering. If you can let it go a bit longer, even better; but just at a simmer. You don’t want all of your liquid to boil away. 

Last week I talked about reading the ingredient labels and thinking about the end result. Take a close look at everything you buy. For instance, the cost difference per pound of chicken could swing .50 to .80 cents, or more. What does that mean? not all that much for a 4 pound chicken. I paid $1.79 a pound for the one I used in this recipe. The difference between that and the others I looked at came to $2.40. In my opinion buying a better products and spreading the cost over many meals will make it worthwhile in the end. Ask almost any chef the question and you will get this statement: "mediocre ingredients give you a mediocre dish."

Staying on that thought, the overall cost for the ingredients for this dinner will run you around $20, with items left over for other uses: chicken stock, carrots, celery, fresh herbs, tortilla chips and shredded cheese. For just this soup I am estimating about $10-$12. Not bad when you consider you get many servings from this recipe!

Chicken Stock,  Makes 4 quarts

1 4 lb Chicken, giblets removed, place in a zip lock freezer bag, in freezer.

1 medium Onion

2 Carrots, peeled and cut in 3 pieces

2 Celery Ribs, cleaned and cut in 3 pieces

2 Whole Garlic Cloves

5 whole Black Peppercorns

4 sprigs of Parsley 

3 sprigs of Thyme

Water

Rinse the chicken thoroughly under cool running water and place in a large stock pot with the remaining ingredients. Fill the pot with 10 cups of cold water. The water should almost cover the chicken. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Once you reach a boil lower the heat and simmer (little tiny bubbles) uncovered for a several hours.  Occasionally skim off the foam that rises to the top of the liquid. The foam is basically the proteins being released from the chicken. It won’t hurt you, just make your stock cloudy, so best to skim off. 

After simmering for at least 2 -3 hours turn off the heat and allow the pot to cool down for about 30 minutes, then remove the chicken to a pan. Let the veggies hang out in the water for another 30 minutes while the chicken cools down. When you are able, remove the meat from the bones and place in a bowl. You should have about 5 cups of shredded meat.  Strain the vegetables from the stock and place in a clean container.

You will have enough stock for the soup recipe below, and another. Take the stock that is left over and allow to cool completely. (You never want to put hot items in your ‘fridge or freezer!) Place it in two pint size containers, or in plastic ziplock freezer bags, and place in the freezer for future use.

This is basically my recipe for the tortilla soup base. Don’t worry about being completely exact with your measurements. If you end up with a little more or less onion and pepper it will be fine. One of the things I like best about cooking is that it’s a fluid process, unlike baking were you need to be precise in your measuring.

Mexican Tortilla Soup

Makes 6-8 servings

3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 medium Onions, 1/4” dice, about 2 cups

1 Poblano Pepper*, 1/4” dice, about 1/2 cup

2 Garlic Cloves, minced, about 1 tablespoon

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground Black Pepper, plus more to taste

1 14 oz can of Diced Tomatoes

1 bunch of Cilantro, roughly chopped

2 Limes, 1 quartered and 1 zested and juiced

4 cups Shredded Chicken

4 cups Chicken Stock

Tortilla Chips

Shredded Cheese

Avocado (optional)

* For a spicier soup 1-2 small Jalapenos can be substituted.

In a 4 quart stock pot, over medium-low heat saute the onions, pepper, garlic, salt and pepper, until the vegetables are soft. That will take about 5-10 minutes. Continue to cook it until it takes on a golden brown color. This is called “caramelization.” Caramelization is a chemical reaction by which the natural sugars in the vegetables are released during exposure to high heat, which turns them a brown “caramel” color and allows them to take on a nutty flavor. That will be about another 5-10 minutes.

Once you have achieved a beautiful caramel color add the tomatoes and turn the heat down to low. Allow everything to cook down to a nice rich pulpy texture. This step will take about 15 to 20 minutes, low and slow. 

I start the tortilla soup base once I take the chicken out of the stock and it’s cooling. At the point where you add the tomatoes to the onion mix, your chicken should be cool enough to handle and start to shred. Make sure you get every last piece of the bone!

When your base is nice and thick add in the shredded chicken, chicken stock, half of the chopped cilantro, the zest of one lime and it’s juice. Raise the heat slightly to achieve a low simmer and taste for seasoning. Add a pinch of salt and pepper as needed.

Top your soup with additional cilantro, a squeeze of lime, shredded cheese, slightly crushed tortilla chips and avocado, if desired. This is a really hearty soup that is very filling.  

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Next week I’ll be coming “live” from Elinor and Julifer’s kitchen in Burlington. We’ll see what the girls are cooking up, in Vermont! 

Buon appetito tutti!