Caldo Verde

In this era when not only do we crave flavor, but value the health benefits of the various ingredients that make up that wonderful dish; in this wintertime when we look for foods that will warm us there is nothing better than a good hot soup.

We’ve adapted the following recipe from various sources to come up with our own kosher, nutritious, delicious version:

Photo from: http://www.slowtrav.com/blog/deborah/2009/01/sss_week_8_portuguese_caldo_ve_1.html

Caldo Verde is a traditional Portuguese soup, made mainly from kale and potatoes.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 medium russet potatoes or other floury baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks.
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound kale, leaves trimmed from the thick stems, rinsed and finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Put the potatoes in a saucepan with 8 cups water and add a little salt. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Mash the potatoes lightly with a fork, leaving them in the water.
2. Cook the kale in a pan of boiling water for 3 – 4 minutes. Drain and stir into the potato broth with the olive oil. Simmer for 1 – 2 minutes. Season to taste and serve hot.

–XoX–

Variation

Photo from: http://flavorsofbrazil.blogspot.com/2011/07/recipe-caldo-verde-take-one-caldo-verde.html

Ingredients

• 2 Jack’s Gourmet Mexican Style Chorizos, sliced

Directions

1. Heat up a small amount of olive oil over medium heat. Add chorizo slices and brown. Once browned remove and set aside.
2. Follow step 1 in the vegetarian version above.
3. Add the Jack’s Gourmet chorizo slices and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the kale and let cook until desired level of doneness.
4. Serve immediately.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Gazpacho Soup

In this hot weather what could be better than an easy to make absolutely refreshing soup? We featured a very different recipe for Gazpacho (by Chef Laura Frankel), about two years ago, and I felt it was time to revisit it.

Gazpacho

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 9 ounces white bread slices, crusts removed
• 1 pound 9 ounces tomatoes peeled and chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 2 red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeced and chopped
• 5 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 5 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 9 1/2 cups water
• salt and pepper
• 4 ice cubes, to serve

Directions

1. Tear the bread into pieces and place in a blender. Process briefly to make breadcrumbs and transfer to a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, garlic, bell peppers, cucumbers, olive oil, vinegar, and tomato paste. Mix well.
2. Working in batches, place the tomato mixture with about the same amount of measured water in the food processor or blender and process to a puree. Transfer to another bowl. When all the tomato mixture and water have been blended together, stir well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but noi more than 12.
3. When ready to serve, pour the soup into chilled serving bowls and float an ice cube in each bowl.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Red Lentil Soup

This past Shabbos we read Parshas Toldos, in it we have the episode of Eisov selling his first born rights to Yaakov for a pot of red lentils. We will never know what recipe Yaakov made but on scouring the web I found some delicious sounding variations of Red Lentil Soup, which I can’t wait to try:

Red Lentil Soup with Lemon

Recipe and photo from: superspark.wordpress.com

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, more for drizzling
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pinch of ground chili powder or cayenne, more to taste
• 1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• Juice of 1/2 lemon, more to taste
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons oil over high heat until hot and shimmering. Add onion and garlic, and sauté until golden, about 4 minutes.
2. Stir in tomato paste, cumin, salt, black pepper and chili powder or cayenne, and sauté for 2 minutes longer.
3. Add broth, 2 cups water, lentils and carrot. Bring to a simmer, then partially cover pot and turn heat to medium-low. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes. Taste and add salt if necessary.
4. Using an immersion or regular blender or a food processor, purée half the soup then add it back to pot. Soup should be somewhat chunky.
5. Reheat soup if necessary, then stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Serve soup drizzled with good olive oil and dusted lightly with chili powder if desired.

(makes 1 quart; 4 small servings)

Food Network.com’s website has the following recipe, among others:

Red Lentil Soup

Recipe and photo from: http://www.foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup red lentils, washed and soaked for 1 hour, drained
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 green serrano chile, split and seeded
• 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• Kosher salt
• Honey, to taste
• Chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

In medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine the drained lentils, onion, tomato, chile, ginger, garlic and enough water to cover. Bring to boil, then lower the heat and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. Whisk the cooked lentils to release some of their starch and break them down further.

In small saute pan, warm the canola oil over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they are sizzling and spluttering. Stir in the turmeric and paprika. Pour the seasoned oil into the lentils (be prepared for a big sizzle). Stir to combine, add salt, to taste, and a small drizzle of honey. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with cilantro.

Per Serving: Calories: 273; Fat: 8g (Saturated Fat: 0.5 grams); Protein: 14g; Carbohydrates: 37g; Sugar: 7g; Fiber: 8g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 131mg

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Cioppino

This past Monday eve, SYR and I attended Lévana‘s Dinner and a Show: Light Italian Feast. As usual it was enjoyable, educational and absolutely DELICIOUS! Certainly one of the best cooking classes I’ve ever attended.

We especially liked the Cioppino and Lévana graciously allowed us to post her recipe:

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic
• 4 ribs celery, peeled
• 2 red peppers
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 1 fennel bulb, quartered, centers removed, sliced-thin
• 3 leeks, darkest parts removed
• 1 large can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 6 cups water
• 6 bay leaves, or 1 teaspoon ground
• 2 good pinches saffron
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon anise and fennel seeds
• Good pinch cloves
• Good pinch red pepper flakes
• 2 2-ounce can anchovies, drained and rinsed

• 1 side salmon (about 3 pounds), cut in large cubes
• 1 pound flaked mock crab
• 1 large bunch flat parsley, minced

Directions

Heat the oil in a heavy wide bottom pot. In a food processor coarsely grind the garlic, celery, pepper and onion. Add the ground mixture to the pot, with the leeks, and sautè until translucent. Reduce to medium and cook for 30 minutes. Add the fish and parsley and cook just 5 more minutes. Ladle into soup bowls, and serve with good toasted bread or croutons.

Though it took me more 60 years to even taste fish, I can assure you (as does, SYR) that these was an incredibly tasty soup with a rich array of subtle flavors. Considering the ingredients… I can actually say…. it’s good for you, as well!

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Soups as Comfort Food – Part 2

Yesterday we posted the first part of our soup posts, but there so many great soups that it certainly merits a multi part series.

On 101 Cookbooks I found this great recipe adapted from The Essential New York Times Cookbook:

I had it last night... Mmmmmmmnnn! Photo from: 101 Cookbooks

Carrot and Fennel Soup

…it’s easy to make a meal of this by serving it topped with a poached egg. Alternately, you can make this soup vegan by omitting the Parmesan.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed fronds reserved, thinly sliced
• 2 1/4 pounds / 36 ounces farmer market carrots, thickly sliced
• 2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 10 cups good-tasting vegetable broth or water
• salt to taste
• 3 cups / 12 oz cooked wild rice
• 2 tablespoonsblood orange olive oil or 5 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (OPTIONAL)

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in your largest soup pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add the fennel and cook for 3-4 minutes, until softened a bit.
3. Stir in the carrots and cook another 10 minutes, just long enough for them to soften a touch and start taking on a bit of color.
4. Stir in the garlic and cook another 30 seconds.
5. Stir in the broth. Bring to a simmer and simmer, covered, until the carrots are very tender, another 15-20 minutes or so.
6. Stir in the wild rice, bring back to a simmer, taste and add more salt if needed
7. Remove from heat and stir in the blood orange olive oil or orange juice. Taste and add more if needed.
8. (OPTIONAL) Serve dusted, generously, with freshly grated Parmesan, and a sprinkling of the reserved fennel fronds.

Serves about 6.

Inspired by the Carrot & Fennel Soup in The Essential New York Times Cookbook by Amanda Hesser.

Just remember, if you do use Parmesan Cheese YOU MUST wait 6 hours before you can eat any meat!

I like cream soups, especially if they include mushrooms, I found this delectable soup on the Better Recipes site and changed the butter to margarine and took out the whipping cream.

Photo from: Better Recipes

Creamy Leek Mushroom and Risotto Soup

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons margarine
• 2 cups sliced leeks
• 16 oz whole mushrooms, washed and cut into quarters, but not sliced
• 1 package shiitake mushroom risotto mix
• 30 oz chicken broth
• 1 cup finely chopped tender roasted chicken
• 1 sprig sage
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 cups whipped cream (Rich’s is what I use, but it needs to be whipped)
• 3 tablespoon flour
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flake
• Salt and cracked pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large soup pan or Dutch oven, saute leeks for 4 minutes over medium high heat.
2. Add mushrooms and risotto rice, without the flavoring packet, then saute until leeks are almost tender, about 6 minutes.
3. Pour in broth and add chicken and seasoning flavor packet.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Tie together herbs and add to broth. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
5. Check occasionally and stir to make sure rice does not stick. Test the rice for tenderness. If not tender, cook another 3-4 minutes.
6. Add the whipped cream and red pepper flakes, then heat through.
7. Ladle 1 cup of broth into a medium bowl and whisk in flour until well blended.
8. Gradually add mixture back to soup. Heat through, stirring frequently, until broth is creamy and thickened.
9. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

RELATED POSTS

Soups as Comfort Food

Soups as Comfort Food

It’s winter, last evening we had our first snowfall of the year. It was not a heavy snow but it was followed by verrrry cold weather, is there a  better way to warm up than having some nice hot soup? Below is one of my favorites:

Creamy Potato Soup

Yields 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 8 medium potatoes, mashed
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup flour
• 6 cups soy milk
• 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• Parsley and basil for garnish

Directions

1. Peel, cube, boil, drain and mash.
2. In separate pan, melt butter, add flour and cook while stirring for about a minute or so.
3. Add half the milk and stir until lumps are out of flour mixture.
4. Add remaining milk and on med-high heat, bring to a boil.
5. Stir almost constantly or it will scorch.
6. After boiling, turn heat off and add the mashed potatoes.
7. Sprinkle some parsley and basil, serve.

Having scoured the web, we bring you a few easy to make recipes but are truly delicious.

At Foodista.com – The Cooking Encyclopedia Everyone Can Edit I found the following recipe by Alisa Escanlar:

Vegetable Beef Soup

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons cooking oil
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef
• 1 can (14 oz) whole tomatoes, broken up, with juice
• 10 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
• 1 cup onions, chopped
• 4 cups water
• 1 tablespoon beef bouillon powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme, ground

Directions

1. Heat cooking oil over medium heat in large saucepan and add ground beef.
2. Scramble fry until browned and crumbly.You can remove excess oil. Drain the hamburger and add back to pot.
3. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Then, cover and simmer in medium to low heat.
4. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender but not too soft.
5. Serve with crackers.

From South African cooking blog: KOEK! we bring you:

Photo by: Koek! blog

Pappa Al Pomodoro

Ingredients

• 8.5 ounces olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 leeks, finely chopped
• 34 ounces meat stock (made with beef and chicken)
• 64 ounces puréed canned tomatoes
• Half a loaf of bread, thickly sliced
• Generous handful basil leaves, torn
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle

Directions

1. Warm the olive oil and garlic in a medium cooking pot. When the garlic has coloured slightly, add the leeks. Saute over a low heat for 20 minutes, adding water as necessary to keep the vegetables from turning brown.
2. Stir in the stock and puréed tomatoes and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
3. Turn off the heat and add the bread, pushing it into the liquid with a wooden spoon. Stir in the torn basil leaves and season to taste with salt and pepper. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
4. Now whisk the soup energetically until it has a porridge-like consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
5. 5. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Vegetable Beef Soup

18 Restaurant

Eighteen ‘s marketing team has an innate business sense predicated by one important rule of the game; know your  customers’ tastes and quickly adapt accordingly. Just open three weeks,  18 is taking off like gang-busters. Inheriting a great restaurant design modified with red accents, its managing team created an upscale, sophisticated 21st century deli, with a few marvelous twists.  They’ve hired a terrific sushi chef from Salt Lake City, who creates one mouth-watering roll after another. Chef Haim Dadi, the main chef,  flips so many fat burgers-to-go, it’s making Popeye’s Wimpy cry (it’s the quality of the meat, baby! They buy top-of-the-line.).  Chef Haim kept the best of the Moroccan-Israeli fare, kept the great fish and salads, and offers a great assortment of grilled steak entrees.

Located where Turquoise used to be, 18 Restaurant (240 E 81st St, New York NY10065; Tel: 212.517.2400), opened its doors barely three weeks ago. We felt a welcoming warmth as soon as we walked in…

...a partial view

We sat on a corner next to the turquoise wall that once made the late Turquoise so distinctive. SYR and I started the meal with their Salt Lake City Sushi Roll.

Salt Lake City Roll, colorful, delicious!

It came with tuna, avocado, cucumber, tempura crumbs, soy glaze and a spicy masago. Neither, SYR nor I have been great fans of sushi BUT this roll was amazing!

We both followed with the Yemenite Soup with Meat.

Yemenite Meat Soup

It comes with potatoes, carrots and meat, its aroma and taste linger on for quite a while. This is a new favorite of mine!

Next we shared a large Israeli Combination Platter consisting of hummus, babaganush, Turkish salad and tahini, we dipped our Morrocan Cigars and the baguettes in it for new combinations of rich flavors. Their delectable Israeli Salad with chopped cucumber, tomato w/parsley, lemon and olive oil proved that fancy ingredients are not always necessary to create wholesome, delicious salads but… freshness is!

Next, SYR had the Eighteen’s Beef Burger, 8 ozs topped with mushroom and sitting on a bed of fried onions inside a brioche bun. It came with sides of a sliced sour pickle and French fries. It looked great, and tasted superb. It was obvious why this particular dish is one of their bestsellers.

I followed with Romanian Tenderloin Steak, it came with fresh grilled peppers and superb Yukon gold mashed potatoes.

Romanian Tenderloin

As I’ve said before, I grew up in Uruguay where steak was an almost daily dinner staple, I know steaks!  This one was tender, very juicy and full of flavor. Even my mother couldn’t have made it any better!

Whatever you do, don’t miss their Yemenite meat soup.  It’s delicioussssssssss! The portions are generous, the prices more than reasonable. What more can you ask?!?

CS

Shavuos Recipes – Part 1

Being a foodie, I’m always scouring the net or pestering friendly Chefs for new interesting creations. Here are two superb Shavuot recipes. The incomparable Lévana will always find a way to do it different, to make it easier and keep it delicious!

Ricotta Almond Pie

Anyone looking for a nice departure from the traditional all-American Cheesecake? This is for you! light and ethereal, with a wonderful almond crust and scented with lemon peel. I just made it for a fundraiser demo and watched it disappear with great pleasure!

Almond crust ingredients:
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup brown sugar
Dash salt
2 cups flour (any flour, including Gluten-free)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut in pieces
2 tablespoon very cold water, or a little more if needed.

Filling ingredients:
3 cups ricotta
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons brandy or rum
2 tablespoons lemon zest

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make the crust: finely grind the almonds with the sugar. Add the salt, flour, vanilla and butter and pulse just until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the water and mix just until the dough comes together. Working quickly, spread into an 11inch springform pie plate, coming up the sides.

Whisk all the filling ingredients together. Pour into the pie crust. Bake about 40 minutes, or until set.

For a long time I wanted a great kosher recipe for French Onion Soup Recipe… I finally found it:

Every single ingredient in this wonderful soup is in on the secret of its success: All the members of the onion family are present; fresh thyme; The mixture of dark miso and dry red wine do wonders to imitate the beef broth that is the trademark of onion soup but that is off-limits to Kosher and Vegetarian Cooking; The cheeses must be freshly grated.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, sliced very thin (food processor)
4 large shallots, sliced very thin (food processor)
2 large leeks, white parts only, sliced very thin (processor)
6 large cloves garlic, minced (food processor)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cups dry red wine (liquor stores)
1/2 cup dark miso paste (health food stores)
6 sprigs thyme, leaves only (or with their stems, but remember to fish it out)
2 1/2 quarts (10 cups) water
Good pinch nutmeg
Salt and freshly grated ground pepper (very little salt if at all)
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
1 cup smoked cheese, cut in small chunks
1 cup grated parmesan
A dozen slices baguette, cut on bias, toasted. (375 degrees oven, for about 20 minutes, until light brown)

Directions:
Heat the oil in a heavy pot, and in it fry the onions, shallots, leeks and garlic on a medium flame, about 30 minutes, until dark. Add the sugar and cook two more minutes until caramelized. Add wine, miso, thyme, water and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium and cook covered another 30 minutes.  Stir in the ground pepper and nutmeg. Pour the mixture into individual oven-proof soup crocks. Float a slice of toasted baguette in the center of each bowl, and a handful of the mixed grated cheeses, and run under the broiler for just a few seconds. If you don’t own the crocks, no problem, just stir in the cheeses at the end and cooking, right in the pot, and top each serving with a slice of toast. It won’t look as dramatic, but it will be every bit as delicious!

Enjoy these folk, I know I will.

CS

related posts

shavuos recipes – part 2 

shavuos recipes 

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shavuos recipes – part 2

For prize winning cheese cake recipes: and the winner is…