Noodles with Poached Egg, Bok Choy and Mushrooms

 2 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 scallions, trimmed whites and greens separated and thinly sliced

8 ounces fresh shitake mushrooms, stemmed and caps thinly sliced (about 3 cups)

kosher salt

1 medium bok choy (about 4 ounces cut into bite size pieces)

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, plus some for drizzling

3 bundles (about 7 ounces total) somen noodles or any thin wheat or rice noodle

2 large eggs

1.  Bring a large saucepan of water to a simmer.

2.  Heat the vegetable oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the scallion whites and        mushrooms season with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 6 minutes.

3.  Add 3 cups water to the pot with the mushrooms, increase the heat to medium high and bring to a simmer.  Add the bok choy and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute.  Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil and season to taste with salt.  Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.

4.  Meanwhile, cook the somen in the large saucepan of simmering water according to the package instructions.  Using a slotted spoon, divide the noodles among bowls, leaving the simmering water in the saucepan.  Crack each egg into its own small bowl, discarding the shells.  Swirl the simmering water in the saucepan, creating a vortex by stirring with a wooden spoon.  Add the eggs, one right ofter another, and cook over medium-low until the whites are set, about 3 minutes.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs the bowls of noodles.

5.  Ladle the hot shittake broth into the bowls.  Top with the scallion greens, drizzle with sesame oil and serve.

Creamy White Bean and Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Enjoyed this chili/soup with buns with the Calgary Crew during our Christmas concert/band/swim meet visit 2019.  Amy prepared it ahead of time and all Grandmaman needed to do was add the cream and warm the buns.  A perfect meal on a cold but "busy" winter's evening.  

I took a photo of the soup but my camera lost some photos. Here are a couple of concert/swim photos instead. 

1 1/2 lbs ground turkey thigh (or left-over turkey)

2 (15 oz. cans) cannellini beans

2 carrots finely chopped (1 1/2 cups)

2 stalks celery

1 tbsp. ground coriander

2 garlic cloves

1 onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree, unsweetened

1/2 tsp. red chili

2 tbsp. fresh thyme

2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

kosher salt to taste

1 tbsp. ground paprika

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Pour the oil into a 4 or 5 quart soup pot or Dutch oven and place over medium heat.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until the vegetables are softened, stirring occasionally.

2.  Add the garlic and all the spices through the black pepper, stirring to coat in the oil.  Add the turkey and cook until it's no longer pink, stirring and breaking the meat up with a spoon, about 8 minutes.

3.  Add the herbs, pumpkin, beans, broth and 2 teaspoons salt.  Bring to a simmer, partially cover and cook 25 minutes adjusting the heat so it doesn't boil.

4.  Remove from the heat and stir in the cream.  Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.  Serve in bowls.

To make this chili in a crockpot or slow cooker:

1.  Follow step 1 and 2.  Transfer the mixture to your slow cooker and add the herbs, pumpkin, 1 1/2 cups broth and salt.  

2.  Set to cook on low for 6 hours or 3 hours on high.

3.  Stir in the cream and serve.

Serves 6.

Split Pea Soup

Save your Christmas or Easter ham bone and leftover ham to make this heartwarming soup on a cold winter day.

1 ham bone

saved pieces of ham

1 tbsp vegetable oil 

1 large onion, finely chopped 

2 each carrots and stalks celery, finely chopped 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

2 bay leaves 

1/2 tsp each salt and pepper 

4 cups (1 L) sodium-reduced chicken stock (gluten free if desired)

2 cups yellow split peas 

In Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-low heat; fry onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, salt, pepper and ham bone, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.


Add stock, peas and 2 cups  water; bring to boil over medium-high heat, skimming off any foam. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until peas break down, about 1-3/4 hours. 

Remove ham bone. Any ham left on bone can be taken off and used in soup. Discard ham bone and bay leaves. In blender (or immersion blender right in pot) puree half of the soup; return to pot along with ham . Ladle into bowls.  Can be garnished with green onions.

Minestrone

olive oil

4 ounces pancetta, 1/2 inch diced 

1 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

2 cups carrots (3 carrots 1/2 inch diced)

2 cups celerry (3 stalks 1/2 inch diced)

2  1/2 cups peeled butternut squash (1/2 inch diced)

1 1/2 tbsp. minced garlic (4 cloves)

2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 (26 ounce) can diced tomatoes

6 to 8 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

2 cups cooked small pasta

8 to 10 ounces fresh baby spinach 

1/2 cup good dry white wine

2 tbsp. pesto

Serve with Garlic Bruschetta

Freshly grated parmesan

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy pot or dutch oven.  Add the pancetta and cook over medium-low heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.  Add the onions, carrots, celery, squash, garlic, and thyme and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.  Add the tomatoes, 6 cups of the chicken stock, the bay leaf, 1 tbsp salt, and 1 1/2 teapoons pepper.  Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.  Discard the bay leaf.  Add the beans and cooked pasta and heat through.  The soup should be quite thick but if it's too thick, I add more chicken stock.

  Just before serving, reheat the soup, add the spinach, and toss with 2 big spoons (like tossing a salad).  Cook just until the leaves are wilted.  Stir in the white wine and pesto. Depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock, add another teaspoon or two of salt to taste.  Serve large shallow bowls of soup with a bruschetta on top.  Sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil and serve hot.

Grandmaman and Papa enjoyed Jenny's minestrone while visiting this winter.  

In place of bruschetta Jenny served Papa's favorite homemade bread. 

Gazpacho

This delicious cold soup was a perfect meal for this hot August day.  Grandmaman and Papa enjoyed the soup and "dinner on the deck".

1/2 red onion diced

 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 large cucumber, diced

5 roma tomatoes, diced

1 zucchini, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 dash salt to taste

3.8 liters tomato juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/8 cup red wine vinegar

2 tbsp. white sugar

6 dashes tabasco

1 dash black pepper to taste

In a food processor combine the minced garlic with half the red onion, half the cucumber, half the tomato, half the zucchini, half the celery, half the tomato juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar, tabasco and salt. Pulse until well blended.

Pour into a large bowl and add the rest of the tomato juice, and half of the remaining onion, cucumber, tomato, zucchini and celery.  The rest of the diced vegetables will be used for a garnish.

Stir the mixture together and check the seasonings, adding more salt if needed.  Chill the soup for at least a couple of hours.
Stir mixture together and check seasonings, adding salt if needed. Chill soup for at least a couple of hours; soup needs to be very cold!
Remove the soup from the fridge and stir. Check the seasonings one last time. Ladle into a bowl and garnish with remaining diced vegetables, a sliver of fresh avocado, sour cream, and cilantro. Finally, place a grilled shrimp on the top and serve with slices of bread grilled with olive oil.

These are the shrimp before we grilled them.  We grilled them for 2 minutes on one side, then turned them and grilled them for another 2 minutes.

Mexican Tortilla Soup

1 tbsp butter

4 small shallots, finely chopped

1 large tomato, peeled and finely chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

6 cups chicken stock

1 lime, juiced

pinch sugar

2 cups cooked chicken 

(buy half a rotisserie chicken at the supermarket deli, 

remove and discard skin, shred meat)

1 ripe avocado, cubed

Tortilla chips

1 tbsp cilantro, chopped

In a large saucepan, melt butter, then add shallots and sauté for several minutes, until tender.  Add tomato and jalapeno and cook for another 2 minutes.  Pour in stock, then add lime juice and sugar.  Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add chicken and heat through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, add avocado, a handful of tortilla chips and a sprinkling of chopped cilantro to the soup.   

Not From a Can? Tomato Soup

Trying to grow a garden in Canada is tedious at the best of times.  If the weather cooperates and the growing season is moderate, you can usually get a few home-grown items before the snow flies.  It doesn't stop us however from getting excited each Spring, looking forward to giving gardening another go.  The following is a few snapshots of our yard/garden over the last few years.  Tomatoes are a staple in my garden and in my pantry.  The tomato soup recipe that follows is worth the effort of making it from scratch.

Creamy Tomato Soup

1 can whole tomatoes (or 8 medium tomatoes, see note at bottom of recipe)

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt + Pepper

1 Tbsp butter

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves

1 medium carrot, diced

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or parsley

Preheat the oven broiler.

Strain tomatoes, reserving the juices.  Cut the tomatoes in half and spread over a small rimmed baking sheet.  Drizzle with 1 Tbsp of oil and season with salt and pepper.  Broil until the tomatoes begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes.

In a large pot, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp oil and the butter over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic, and carrot and cook until softened, about 10 minutes.  Add the roasted tomatoes, reserved juices, and red pepper flakes and simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir in cream and remove from the heat.  Puree soup until smooth.

Garnish with basil or parsley and serve immediately.  Cooled soup can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or soup can be frozen for up to 1 month.

NOTE:  If using fresh tomatoes, cut them in half, squeeze juice out of tomatoes, reserve juice.  Roast as per instructions, and add reserved tomato juice as per recipe.  I don't bother peeling the tomatoes as I like the extra texture it provides to the soup.  The soup may be a little thicker, so you may want to add a little extra water or vegetable stock.

Love,

Twin B
xoxoxoxoxo

White Bean with Bacon Soup

The Ski House Cookbook by Tina Anderson and Sarah Pinneo was full of delicious recipes.  If it's got bacon in it, our family will probably eat it.  This recipe warmed our tummies after a cold winter play!

White Bean with Bacon Soup

5 slices of bacon
2 onions, diced
1 celery rib, diced
1 carrot, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini or other small white beans
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
2 bay leaves
Salt + Pepper

In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp.  Remove the bacon to drain on paper towels.

Remove all but 2 Tbsps of the bacon fat from the pot.  Add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic to the pot and cook until tender.  Add the broth, beans, thyme, and bay leaves and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the beans begin to fall apart.

Puree the soup until smooth.  Season with salt + pepper.

Crumble the reserved bacon.  Serve the soup immediately, topped with bacon.