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

Summer Vegetable Soup with Pesto

Sure, we don’t eat meat during the Nine Days, but we still can have food that is nutritious and delicious!

From Pam Reiss‘ Soup – A Kosher Collection:

The soup itself is light on flavor-but serve bowls up with a dollup of the pesto on top and you’ll be amazed. You can add any vegetables you like-see what your garden has to offer.

Serves 6
Ingredients

Pesto

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves (freshly packed)
• 1-2 cloves garlic(1 tsp), crushed
• 2 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 5 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan Cheese

Soup

• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1/2 small yellow onion, peeled and sliced into thin strips
• 1 small carrot, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch
• 5-6 small new potatoes, skin on, cut in half and sliced into 1/4 inch
• 1/4 lb button mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/4 cup green beans, tips cut off, then cut on diagonal into pieces
• 3-4 spears asparagus, cut on diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 small zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch half -circles
• 1 cup firmly packed spinach leaves (2 oz), cut into thin strips

FOR THE PESTO, place the basil, garlic, pine nuts, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. Puree for 30 seconds and then scrape down the sides. With the machine running, slowly pour in the olive oil and keep pureeing until you have a nice paste-don’t worry if it’s not liquified, you want to see a few small pieces of basil and garlic. Scrape this mixture into a bowl and mix in the Parmesan cheese. Cover and refrigerate.

For the soup, bring the stock to a boil in a covered pot over high heat. Add the onion, carrot, potatoes, mushrooms, green beans, asparagus and salt and pepper-reduce the heat and simmer gently for 7 minutes.

Add the zucchini and spinach and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Serve each bowl of soup with a large spoonful of pesto.

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