Italian Wedding Soup

The cold has really started to set in here in Chicago!  I grew up in Boston and went to school in Michigan, so I'm no stranger to the cold, but somehow 3 winters in DC has made me a little unprepared for the cold.  I've been wearing what was my DC-winter coat for two weeks already! And it's only getting colder from here...  I can't complain too much though, it is October.  But seriously, when did that happen? Wasn't it August like, yesterday?

A quick note: I wrote this post about a week ago, when it was still 40 or 50 degrees outside.  Since then, we've had a couple of really gorgeous days (today it might even hit 80!) and I have been so appreciative.  But there is no denying that the cold weather is coming back and there will be much more soup to come!!



Anyways, there is one great thing about the colder weather.  It's soup season!!!  I have been on a bit of a mini meatball kick for a few weeks now.  It started when I had a sudden urge to make rigatoni with mini meatballs a few weeks ago (and yeah, that was amazing) and is continuing with this soup.  The only thing I don't like about mini meatballs is rolling all of them.  It takes forever and my hands get so dried out with meat.  If you have kids, this is where I recommend bringing them into the kitchen and putting them to work!! (Or sending them over to me, I'll put them to work! Just be sure to take them home with you after, please.)



I never used to be a huge kale fan, but I like it a lot in this soup!  If you buy it at Trader Joe's, it's already washed and perfectly cut for this soup. However, they give you more than you need in a bag, so use only like half a bag.  It wilts down, but not so much.  Just use your best judgement.



The first soup of the season was a tasty one!  The Monkey Scientist said, "That's a good soup!"  I liked that it had so many components - vegetables, pasta, and savory meatballs.  It is leaps and bounds above the canned Italian wedding soup, which in my opinion isn't even worth eating.  If you like this soup, be sure to check out my Mini Chicken Meatball soup.  It's similar and delicious in it's own way!

Italian Wedding Soup

adapted from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

Ingredients

12 c low-sodium chicken broth (I made my own!)
4 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 tbsp (about 3 cloves) minced garlic, divided
1 bunch (half TJ's bag) kale, stems removed, leaves cut into thin strips
1/2 c grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c Panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
5-6 dashes worcestershire sauce
1 lb ground turkey
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 c ditalini pasta (or other small shape)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line 2 large baking sheets with foil. Brush with olive oil.
2. In a large Dutch oven, combine chicken broth, carrots, garlic, and kale. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower and simmer 30-40 minutes until the carrots are tender.
3. Combine the cheese, eggs, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and worcestershire in a medium bowl.  Add meat and combine with your hands but don't overmix.  Roll into 1" balls and line along the cooking sheet.  Drizzle over the top of the meatballs with olive oil.  Bake 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through.
4. When the carrots are tender and the meatballs are still cooking, add the pasta to the Dutch oven and cook 10 minutes (or according to package instructions).  Turn off the heat and, once cooked, add the meatballs to the soup.
5.  Serve immediately, topped with extra Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Chicken with Pepperoni Sauce

One of my favorite parts of DC is the number of former Top Chef contestants who are always buzzing around.  The really famous chefs, like Jose Andres, might leave their signatures on the menus, but these chef-lebrities are around town - at Nat's Games, walking down the street, and often at their restaurants.  It's a lot of fun!

Mike Isabella was not one of my favorites on his first season of Top Chef, but by the time he was on All Stars, I was a fan.  Since then we've seen him a number of times around town.  He just opened a new Mexican tapas restaurant, Bandolero, so we're going to visit for my birthday dinner tonight!  However, last night, we made our own Mike Isabella dinner - we whipped up his famous pepperoni sauce.  This could be spread on almost anything and it would be absolutely delicious.  We put it on some pan seared chicken and it was a delight!  Hopefully tonight's dinner will be just as good - maybe I'll even get Mike Isabella to sing Happy Birthday to me!



Chicken with Pepperoni Sauce
from Mike Isabella at Graffiato

Ingredients
6-oz. pepperoni, cut into thin slices
4-oz. yellow onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 teaspoon chili flake
1 teaspoon fennel seed, toasted
4-oz. crushed San Marzano tomatoes, chopped
4-oz. chicken stock
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 lb chicken breasts, hammered until thin
1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions
1. In a pot, sweat onions in olive oil for five to seven minutes. Add garlic and continue to sweat for two minutes.
2. Add the pepperoni and cook for about three more minutes. Add spices and cook for an additional minute.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes with the juice and cook for five more minutes. Lastly, add chicken stock and simmer for 40 minutes.
4. Remove the mixture from heat and puree in a blender. Season with salt and pass it through a fine china cap. Finally, add the splash of vinegar.
5. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Pan sear on each side until just cooked through. Top with pepperoni sauce and serve immediately.

Salmon with Cherry Sauce

There has been a theme lately on cooking shows and in cooking magazines - making a restaurant-style meal at home.  The Chew and Simple & Delicious both featured some amazing meals you can make at home with ease that would be as elegant as going out to an expensive restaurant.  The Monkey Scientist and I frequently try to save money by eating at home, and it's nice every once in a while to splurge a little bit more on an upscale dinner at home.



Even though this is one of the more expensive meals I make, it's still about a quarter of the price of getting a similar meal in a restaurant!  Salmon can be expensive, especially if you live in the middle of the country, but we waited and it went on sale for $6.99/lb which made it about the same price as the meats we usually make.  I estimate 1/2 lb per person, so for the 2 of us I bought just under a pound of fish.  The only other expensive ingredient is the cherry preserve.  I recommend a high quality preserve like Bonne Maman (it has been on sale 2/$7 at Giant lately), but if you'd like to make your own from fresh cherries this summer (especially if you're a Michigander), I bet it would be even better!



The best part is how quickly and easily this meal comes together.  I've actually made it twice in the last couple weeks (that's how good it is).  Each time we started cooking after 7 and were still able to eat before 8!  I'd estimate the total prep and cooking time around a half hour.  That's it! It's even quicker than going out to eat.  Even the busiest mom can find time to delight and impress your family with this meal.



I like to serve this recipe over my favorite creamy polenta.  I have a wonderful recipe I'll share with you later this week!  Usually I only make polenta with red meat, but it complements the salmon fabulously.  The cherry sauce mixes with the polenta to make it tangy and sweet.  Polenta is incredibly easy and inexpensive to make, but, if you prefer, you can serve this with roasted root vegetables or potatoes instead.



The key to making this feel like a fancy meal out is making this meal look as good as it tastes.  When you plate it for everyone, it's very impressive looking.  There are beautiful colors - pink salmon, yellow polenta, and dark purple cherry sauce.  A friend was over the first time we made this and she was so impressed that in such a short period of time we put together a plate that looked so delicious.  The next time you have a few friends over for dinner, they will be very impressed if you bring this to the table.  If you wanted to add a vegetable, roasted asparagus would complement this dish very well and add a bit of green.



My review of this recipe is, of course, is that it is wonderfully delicious.  The mild salmon is complemented well by the sweet and tart cherry sauce.  If you serve it with polenta, the soft and creamy texture works well with the flaky salmon.  Salmon is one of the healthiest foods on the planet - high in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D and selenium - so you can feel good about eating this meal, too.  This week, give your family a high quality, ultra delicious and healthy meal - at home!



Salmon with Cherry Sauce
from Emeril

Ingredients
4 Salmon fillets, skin-on, 6 ounces each, scaled and scored
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons minced shallots
Pinch crushed red peppers (we use about a teaspoon)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup cherry preserve (I like Bonne Maman best)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chicken stock

Instructions
1. Preheat a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet with the olive oil over medium to medium high heat. Season one side of the fillets with half of the salt, pepper and sugar; flip them over and season the other side with the remaining seasonings.
2. Place the salmon in the pan, skin side down, and cook until it is nicely browned and caramelized, 3 minutes. Flip over and cook on the other side for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from the pan and store in a low temperature oven (175-200 degrees F is fine) to keep warm, skin side up.
3. Using the same pan, add the shallots and crushed red pepper and saute, stirring, until just tender, 15 to 20 seconds.
4. Add the wine, red wine vinegar and cook until it is almost completely evaporated, 30 seconds.
5. Add the chicken stock and cherry preserve, stir to incorporate and let it simmer to slightly reduce it, 1 minute.
6. Stir in the butter and remove the pan from the heat.
7. Plate the salmon fillets and spoon the cherry sauce on top.  Serve over polenta or roasted vegetables.

Mini Chicken Meatball Soup

My mom, since she's so wonderful, sent me a Valentine's Day care package.  I felt like I was at camp again.  It was amazing.  Does everyone else feel totally special when they get a package in the mail?  Even if I order something from Amazon, I get excited when it comes.  But when Mom sends something, that's the absolute best.



This Valentine's Day, she sent heart-shaped Junior Mints, a special pack of Starburst, the adorable red slotted spoon below, and the absolute cutest pasta I have ever seen (above).  Check it out - little hearts!  I've been saving it for a special occasion, and when I saw a recipe that called for small pasta I thought it was just the time to break it out.  Fortunately, this recipe only calls for a little bit of pasta, so I still have some left for a second recipe!



This recipe called to me because of the little meatballs.  Mom absolutely loves Italian Wedding soup, and although the kind that comes in a can just entirely freaks me out, I am a fan myself when it's fresh.  How can you not just love meatballs floating in soup.  It reminds me of matzoh balls, but with more flavor.  Fantastic.



I have to admit, I got a little bit wary adding water into this soup.  When I make soup, I like to use all stock. That's where all the flavor is at!  Next time, I probably would use all stock, but it was still really good.  The broth picked up a lot of flavor from the meatballs and veggies while it was simmering, plus I seasoned it well with Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper.  It was not the spice-fest that the Monkey Scientist loves, but it had a lot of flavor.



The most flavor in this recipe, though, came from the meatballs.  They were jam packed with flavor!  I had a jar of chicken seasoning in my pantry for a while now, and I was excited to get to use it.  It really brought out the meatiness of the chicken and made the meatballs hearty and delicious.  Even though it wasn't a soup day (it was in the mid 60s in DC), I was glad we squeezed this recipe in before soup season ends.  We both thought it was quite delightful.

Arroz con Pollo

Last week was a big week!  Not only was it Valentine's Day, but it was also the Monkey Scientist's birthday.  We celebrated with lots of delicious food!  This was the start of the week - a romantic and easy-to-pull-together dinner.  Nothing says romance like serious comfort food.



Of course, this dish was just a little bit selfish.  The very short list of things that the Monkey Scientist won't eat includes olives.  I get it - they're super salty and definitely an acquired taste.  Dad despises them too.  But, since the olives are still big, he was able to pick around him and he didn't mind at all.  I liked the flavor they added to the dish, but it wasn't so strong that it ruined it for him.



I did let him add his own touches, though.  Any time you see "salt and pepper" below, you can assume we added a good tablespoon of red pepper flakes as well.  It wouldn't be a good dinner without a little bit of heat around here! I enjoyed this addition, and if you're a spice lover I recommend you make this addition as well.



As for difficulty, this really couldn't be easier to make.  I was worried because the rice wasn't cooking after 30 minutes (it was still quite hard) but I just kept adding 1/2 - 1 cup of broth at a time, putting another 10  minutes on the clock, and eventually it cooked to perfection.  When it was "done" there still appeared to be a little broth that wasn't absorbed, but once I stirred the rice up it soaked right in.  Even though I was adding time on, the chicken was super moist - not a bit overcooked.



When it was finally done, it was super delicious.  The rice was cooked perfectly - warm, tender, and loaded with flavor.  The chicken was perfection.  We don't usually eat thighs but for Valentine's Day this was a special treat and absolutely worth it.  The Monkey Scientist said he thought it was delicious as well (especially because I managed to avoid getting any olives on his plate!).  After we finished, we ate the bits of rice that had become crispy on the bottom of the pan.  It was absolutely the best part!  Valentine's Day might be over this year, but you can make this for your honey any day of the year!

Spicy Chicken, Barley, and Sweet Potato Soup

I think that cold snap has officially happened.  My toes are chilly.  More importantly, my soup cravings are in full swing.  Soup has been on my mind even more often than usual because my bestest friend is cooking through a soup cookbook.  If only I was living in Chicago and could eat along with her!



Speaking of Jewish women making great soup from scratch...DC-ers, have you ever tried SouperGirl? Sara Polon, the SouperGirl, and her mom are living my dream.  They make homemade soup every week and deliver it to locations all over the District, as well as selling it out of her newly-opened store in Tacoma Park. Each week, she emails out adorable and cute descriptions for 2 soups - one pureed and one chunky - which you can place an order for and pick up the following week.  Her soups are certified Kosher, frequently if not always vegan, and use fresh, local, and organic ingredients.  While I always encourage you to cook at home, if you want to buy something pre-made, her stuff is the good stuff.



OK, I have to admit, I've never actually ordered her soup.  I get her emails every Monday, but I'm way too spontaneous in my eating to know what I'm going to want to eat the next week.  Plus, I just love making soup. Every week I very seriously think about ordering from SouperGirl, but I haven't quite made the leap yet.  Instead, I let her be my inspiration in the kitchen.



On Halloween morning, SouperGirl sent me an email about Soul Warming Barley Sweet Potato Soup.  I have always been a believer that the only reason we eat soup is to warm the soul, so I was very intrigued.  I did a little google searching and found a recipe that included all the ingredients that Sara used in her soup (plus chicken, which I assume she left out to keep it vegan).  The recipe I found called it Spicy Chicken Barley Soup with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach, and I knew it was meant to be.  Spicy is basically a synonym for "something the Monkey Scientist would love."



Not only did the Monkey Scientist love this soup, but I did too! I got a little nervous when I was making it because high heat + lots of spices = spice in the air.  My roommate and I were coughing up a storm from inhaling too much cayenne.  It was actually quite spicy when I tasted it after step 4 (I may have added some extra cayenne beyond what you see below), but when it finished cooking it had mellowed out a bit.  This soup is very hearty, especially the next day when the bulgar has soaked up a lot of the liquid.  With the perfect amount of spice, sweetness from the sweet potatoes (I may or may not have used yams instead, oops), protein from the chicken, and lots of nutrition from the spinach, this soup is definitely a winner! It makes a great meal on a chilly night, like slippers for the soul!



Soul Warming Spicy Chicken, Bulgar, and Sweet Potato Soup
adapted from Stylish Cuisine

Ingredients:
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp. sweet paprika
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. chili powder
¼ tsp. ground coriander
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp of cayenne
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, chopped
6 cups low-sodium or homemade chicken broth
2 cups water (+ additional for adding later)
1 cup bulgar, rinsed well
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
5 oz. (1 bag) baby spinach
½ cup chopped fresh mint (I actually left this out)
freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions:
1. Heat the oil in a large soup pot over high heat. Add the onion and salt and sauté until limp, about 3 minutes.
2. Add all the spices and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3.Add the tomato paste and sauté for another minute, until darkened but not burned. (If the tomato paste looks too dark too quickly, lower the heat.) Add the garlic and continue to sauté for 1 minute longer.
4. Return the heat to high if you lowered it, then add the broth, 2 cups of water, and the bulgar to the pot. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Add the sweet potato and continue to cook until the bulgar and sweet potatoes are soft, about 30 minutes or more, adding more water if needed. (I added about another cup here)
6.Add the chicken, partially cover the pot, lower the heat, and simmer about 10 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Add the spinach and mint and simmer until wilted. Add the lemon juice and season to taste with salt (I used smoked salt from Trader Joe's).
Serve with the lemon wedges on the side.

Fish Stock

In high school, I spent a lot of time over at my best friend's house, where her mom was always cooking up some sort of stock.  Usually it was a leftover chicken carcass boiling away on the stove with carrots, onion, and celery. The freezer was full of the stuff, and any time they wanted to make soup (or her mom's gravy) they'd pull out a tupperware, defrost on the stove, and it'd be ready in no time.

I loved this idea!  I am always spending way too much money on stock full of totally unknown ingredients.  I had only every tried making shrimp stock before, but it was so easy that I wanted to try again.  I stayed in my seafood comfort zone, but I will definitely be venturing out to chicken or beef stock next time!



Now I admit, making stock is scary. Mostly because of that scary word I used a minute ago.  You know, carcass.  But think of it as being resourceful.  Using the whole animal, not just the parts you eat directly.  And better yet, think of it as the easiest step you can take for better food at a lower cost.

There's much more to tell about how I ended up with this giant fish carcass (the story is coming, I promise) but let's just say I only paid $1 for it and it made enough fish stock for cioppino, shrimp risotto, and much more - including the recipe that's coming up later this week.  It's chocked full of flavor - definitely try it out.  And don't be scared of the picture with the fish head floating up - I just did that for effect... it is almost Halloween after all!



Fish Stock


Ingredients
20 cups water
1/4 c white wine
1 fish carcass (everything but the filets - head, bones, fins etc)
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp herbes de provence
3 small carrots, cut in thirds
1 large onion, quartered
shells from 1/2 lb shrimp
2 lemons, quartered (skin on)

Instructions
1. Bring all the ingredients to a boil in a large stock pot.
2. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, 30 minutes.
3. Remove fish head, veggies, and lemons using tongs or a slotted spoon (it's nice if you use a pot with a strainer insert and then you can pull that out and dump it).  Run through a mesh strainer to remove any remaining solids.  Use within 3 days or freeze.

Shrimp Bisque with Sherry

I woke up Valentine's day morning still fighting my chest cold and cough.  I decided the best way to fight it would be with a nice spicy soup.

Soup season is almost over in DC.  Today the temperature got up over 60.  I'm definitely not complaining!

I really enjoyed making the shrimp stock for this recipe.  I'd never made my own stock before, nevermind shrimp stock, so this was a great learning opportunity.  It was easssyyy!

I kicked up the spice - using a bunch of chili powder and red pepper flakes instead of the cayenne.  I think it could have used a little bit of garlic as well.


The soup was yummy!  I couldn't get it quite as smooth as I wanted it to be in my food processor.  I'm afraid I might have damaged the blades.  Does anyone know where I can get replacement blades for a Hamilton Beach food processor?



Happy Valentine's Day!

Silky Shrimp Bisque with Sherry

from Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

3/4 lb medium shrimp, shelled & deveined, shells reserved
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1/3 cup dry sherry
5 cups water
1 bay leaf
1 carrot, chopped
1 large stalk celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp long-grain white rice
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp tomato paste
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saucepan set over moderately high heat. Add shrimp shells and cook, stirring frequently, until the tails turn pink, about 2 minutes. Add sherry and cook, stirring frequently, until most of sherry is evaporated. Add water and bay leaf, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let the mixture simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes. Pour shrimp stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Press gently on the shrimp shells to release extra liquid. Discard shells and bay leaf.

While stock is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp are just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a bowl and set aside. To the saucepan, add 1 tablespoon olive and carrots, celery, and onion. Cook until the onion and celery are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in shrimp stock, rice, tomato paste, cayenne pepper, and salt. Cover the saucepan and simmer the mixture until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Reserve 8 shrimp and stir the remaining shrimp into the soup. Allow the mixture to cool for 10 minutes.

Using an immersion blender or a regular blender (in 2 to 3 batches), puree the soup until smooth. Take care not to burn yourself. Return the soup to the saucepan and stir in cream. Reheat on low.

Serve soup and garnish each serving with 2 of the reserved shrimp.

Makes 4 servings (appetizer size)