Black Bean and Vegetable Soup

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Peg

Hello delicious! I’ve embarked on a quest to get just a tad healthier as my big sixtieth is staring me squarely in the face. So I’ve been hoarding vegetarian cooking journals as of late. Tried this over the weekend and it was a smashing hit with both td and me. Most of you know that I adore soups of almost any variety, so I love finding new ones to stir around! Added bonus…it’s luxury on a budget. Nice earthy aroma and taste too. It may be a secret, but I’m sharing it!

3 stalks celery, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
3 Tbs olive oil
1 t dried oregano
1 t dried cumin
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1/2 t celery seeds
3 cloves minced garlic
15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 bay leaf
20 oz diced tomatoes

Heat olive oil over medium high in soup pot.
Add celery, carrots, and onion.
Cook 5 minutes, turning heat to medium low after first minute.
Add oregano, cumin, red pepper flakes, celery seeds, and garlic.
Cook 1 minute, stirring.
Add black beans, bay leaf, and tomatoes.
Add 4 cups water.
Bring to full simmer.
Turn heat to low and cook 45 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

Thank you Melissa d’Arabian for including this in the October issue of Food Network Magazine.

Corn and Crab Chowder

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Peg

There’s no nip in the air quite yet; but you’ll want to treat yourself to this goodness soon. So I’m hooking you right up with the recipe. Keep this in your back-to-school trapper keeper!

3 Tbs butter
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 small sweet onion, diced
1 can cream style corn
1 can cream of potato soup
2 cups milk
1/2 lb crab meat

Melt butter in medium size soup pot over medium high.
Add green pepper and onion and sauté until tender, approximately 3 minutes.
Add corn, potato soup, and milk.
Stir to combine and heat until heated through, approximately 5 minutes.
Add crab and heat another 2 minutes, until crab is warm.
* If you are serving this in a demitasse, you may want to add 1/2 cup milk to thin it to sipping consistency.
Pour into bowls or demitasse and sprinkle with pepper.

Serves 4 as entrée or 8 as appetizer in demitasse.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

Posted on August 4, 2014 by Peg

Happy Monday!

Slam dunk! I know, I know. It isn’t basketball season; nor is it hot soup season. That being said, I have a couple of friends who needed a little extra sustenance last week…and there’s little more nourishing than chicken soup. So I whipped up this version incorporating the currently abundant fresh tomatoes. Truth be told, it now holds the championship title.

©PEGhardee

Breast meat of rotisserie chicken, chopped
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
5 stalks celery, 1/4 inch slice
8 carrots, 1/4 inch slice
1/4 t kosher salt
1/3 t fresh ground black pepper
3/4 cup rice
4 oz can tomato paste
14 oz can diced tomatoes, juice included**
1 1/2 cups frozen green peas
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

Combine chicken broth, celery, carrots, salt, and pepper in soup pot.
Cover and bring to simmer over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
In separate pot, combine 2 cups water, rice, tomato paste, and diced tomatoes.
Whisk together until tomato paste in incorporated into mixture.
Cover and bring to boil over medium high heat.
Reduce to low and cook until rice is tender, 15 minutes, stirring often.
In blender, puree rice mixture until smooth.
Whisk in to broth and vegetable pot.
Add chicken, frozen peas, cream, and parsley.
Simmer on low heat 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Serves 6 to 8.
400 calories per serving.

**I used my sweet canned tomatoes rather than the grocery canned. This added extra color to the pot; so don’t worry if your version is less “pink”!

Chilled Tomato Basil Soup

Posted on July 28, 2014 by Peg

Need something else to do with all of those tomatoes? Well this is the real deal. Give it a whirl for a refreshing lunch or serve as a cool appetizer before a summer supper. 80 cals for 3/4 cup serving and 30 for demitasse serving! Now you simply Can’t Touch This! Thanks MC; it’s Hammer time!

©PEGhardee

4 medium size ripe red tomatoes, cored and quartered
2 green onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
3/4 cup fat free buttermilk
6 fresh basil leaves, torn
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs sugar
1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t black pepper
2 Tbs plain reduced fat yogurt, for garnish
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

In a blender, combine all ingredients except the yogurt and basil for garnish.
Puree until smooth.
Makes 6 3/4 cup servings, or 12 demitasse appetizers.
*Note: I use the garnish only when serving in a soup bowl. In a demitasse the garnish tends to glide straight to that upper lip!

Homemade Vegetable Broth

Posted on May 20, 2014 by Peg

Now this is some Southern know how! One reason I love this so much is that it contains under 20mg of sodium per cup compared to 800mg (yes…800!) of that ~~stuff~~ broth in a box. Bonus…It also weighs in at under 20 calories a cup. Can’t beat that friends! PLUS, it just tastes so fresh and real. Use it in your summer (and winter) soups; cook your rice in it; sauté your dinner veggies in it; the uses are endless. Now, I’ll quit my health rant and give the recipe to you. Make it…soon! You’ll be so happy that you did; that’s a promise.What you Need:
2 Tbs olive oil
4 celery stalks, with leaves
2 carrots, peeled, and coarsely chopped
2 onions, chopped
1 leek, rinsed and sliced
6 garlic cloves
1 tomato, chopped
2 bay leaves
Handful parsley sprigs
Handful thyme sprigs
12 whole black peppercorns
1/4 t salt

How to Do It:
Heat oil in large soup pot.
Stir in celery, carrots, onions, and leek.
Reduce heat to medium low.
Cook covered 12 to 15 minutes, until vegetables are soft.
Add remaining ingredients.
Add 9 cups water.
Cover and bring to a boil.
Skim the surface with a spoon.
Lower heat to low, and simmer partially covered 20 minutes.
Turn heat off.
Leave pot on burner thirty minutes to allow more flavor to develop.
Strain stock through fine colander.
Discard all flavorings.

Stock is ready for use.
It may be stored in airtight container in refrigerator for 2 days, or freezer for 6 months.

Cream of Cauliflower Soup

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Peg

Yummy!! Just to show my love, I am sharing this with you good people. Remember…I LOVE soup! So, here’s another one. Terrific all seasons of the year…as appetizer, lunch, first course, casual supper, anything! I also really enjoy serving soup in shot glasses, remember?! This is P.E.R.F.E.C.T for passing at a standing cocktail soiree! Dig it!

Here’s Grandmother Naomi’s Rose Medallion again. I’m currently lobbying Mother for the remainder of the set!

1 large head of cauliflower
2 Tbs butter
1 Tbs olive oil
1 large baking potato, peeled, and roughly chopped
1 onion, peeled, and chopped
5 cups chicken broth
1 3/4 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/8 t sea salt
1/4 t fresh ground black pepper
Truffle oil for drizzling
Homemade croutons

For croutons:
2 slices day old brown bread, cubed (I like Arnold’s Healthnut)
2 Tbs olive oil
Heat oil in skillet.
Add bread and fry, constantly flipping cubes, until browned, about 1 minute.
Drain on paper towels.

For soup:
Remove stalk from cauliflower, and cut into florets.
Heat butter and oil in large soup pot.
Stir in florets, potato, and onion.
Cover and allow all to sweat on low 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add broth and bring to a boil.
Add milk, cream, salt, and pepper.
Simmer uncovered 10 to 12 minutes, until vegetables are soft.
Puree in blender in 2 batches.

To serve:
Ladle soup into shallow bowl.
Sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper.
Sprinkle a few croutons on top.
Drizzle with truffle oil.

Makes 12 one cup servings.
Fabulous in shot glasses for a cocktail party.

From Gordon Ramsay’s Christmas with Gordon.

Sweet Potato Soup

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Peg

Hey dudes and dudettes. Last Sunday brunch I was sipping champagne at Cinque Cento in Boston with sweet Gray and Liam; this Sunday found me in my own kitchen. Following church, and prior to that little golf thing in Augusta, I made this fantastic soup! It’s supposed to be rainy here in ENC Tuesday and 55ish degrees on Wednesday, so ponder this for a midweek “pick you up.” Why? Because we love soup!2 lbs sweet potatoes, halved lengthwise (appx 4 large potatoes)
1/4 cup water
1 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, onion
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t crushed red pepper
4 cups unsalted chicken stock
6 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, shaved

Place potatoes, cut sides down, in a 7 by 11 microwave safe baking dish.
Add 1/4 cup water.
Cover with plastic wrap.
Microwave on high 15 minutes, or until tender.
Cool slightly.
Scoop potato out of skin into bowl.

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium high heat.
Add onion and sauté 1 minute.
Stir in cumin and red pepper.
Add stock.
Bring to a boil, and simmer 3 minutes.
.
Place half of sweet potato and half of stock mixture in blender.
Remove center piece of blender lid to allow steam to escape, but cover with towel to avoid a mess.
Puree until smooth, about 20 seconds.
Pour pureed soup into large bowl.
Repeat blending procedure with remainder of potatoes and stock mixture.
Divide soup among 6 soup bowls.
Sprinkle with bacon and Parmesan.

230 calories per serving as entree.
May also serve in demitasse.
Makes 16 demitasse servings at 75 calories per serving.

Cooking Light, November, 2013.

Brandied Mushroom Soup

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Peg

Back in the day I used to order a portobello mushroom sandwich at Mickey Mantle’s in NYC, just lazing at the bar with The Don, Su-Su, and Will. Not a fancy spot, but one of Will’s favorites as he loved MM, the Yankees, and frequented their Fantasy Camp. Guess I have always loved properly prepared mushrooms. Throw a dart…I’ll eat any of them. For this soup, start with a large pile of mushrooms; you’ll get them out of the frying pan, into the blender, and into a bowl in no time at all! Try it; you’ll like it.

1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 Tbs butter
12 oz assorted fresh cremini, porcini mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, stems removed; and chopped
1 1/2 t snipped fresh thyme
4 Tbs brandy
1 Tbs all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream
White truffle oil
1/8 t sea salt
1/4 t cracked black pepper

In large saucepan cook onions in butter over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add mushrooms and thyme.
Cook and stir 8 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
Remove saucepan from heat.
Add brandy.
Return saucepan to heat; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Stir in flour.
Cook and stir 1 minute.
Stir in broth and whipping cream.
Bring just to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
Cool mixture slightly.
Transfer mixture, half at a time to food processor.
Cover; blend until smooth.
Return soup to saucepan. Heat through.
Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with white truffle oil; top with salt and black pepper.

Serves 6 as main soup course.
Serves 16 in demitasse.

*Note: For chunkier soup, puree only half the mixture; return to pot and combine with remaining soup.

From the Files of Jeffrey Selden of MarciaSelden.com.

Vegetable Orzo Chicken Soup

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Peg

Altho it feels like spring today here in ENC, I just betcha we have another cool spell headed our way. So, let’s make some soup! Last weekend the don and I were in Boston for a fun visit with Gray, Marc, and Liam. During nap-time for the wee one, I spied flour, too the cookbook by Chef/Owner Joanne Chang of Bostons’ flour bakery+cafe. It is filled with savory offerings, this being one of my instant favs. Drool worthy! Get ready Joanne…I’m coming to visit and drift through my Saturday morning at your South End location on Marathon weekend. Swoon.

Breast meat of 2 roasted chickens
2 48oz cartons low fat, low sodium chicken broth (12 cups)
3 Tbs olive oil
1 sweet onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
4 celery stalks, sliced
1/2 fennel bulb, chopped (leafy top removed)
3/4 cup orzo
1 zucchini, quartered
1 t kosher salt
1 t fresh ground black pepper
1/2 t paprika
1/4 t cayenne pepper
2 Tbs finely chopped fresh thyme
2 t finely chopped fresh sage
2 t finely chopped fresh rosemary
4 green onions, white and green parts, sliced
4 cups baby spinach leaves

Shred chickens breasts, and set aside.
Heat olive oil over medium high heat in large stock pot.
Add onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and fennel.
Reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring often, for 6 minutes.
Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.
Add orzo, and reduce heat to low.
Simmer 12 minutes, until orzo is almost tender.
Add zucchini, salt, pepper, paprika.
Simmer 2 minutes.
Add chicken, thyme, sage, rosemary, green onions, and spinach.
Cook 2 minutes, until chicken is heated through, and spinach is wilted.

Soup may be stored in airtight container in refrigerator for 3 days, or in freezer for 1 month.

*Author’s note: I really love this without the chicken. So that’s the cook’s choice!

Adapted from flour, too by Joanne Chang.

Pepper Jack Soup

Posted on January 22, 2014 by Peg

Check out the funcicles!

Ladies and Gentlemen…it snowed in ENC last night. Wonder of wonders, Miracle of Miracles! (Thank you Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick for those lyrics from Fiddler on the Roof.) It IS a rare occurrence here, but a fun one! It is cold out and I yearned a bit for a cozy soup. Being too lazy to clean off my car and venture to the grocery, I scanned the fridge and cupboard for ingredients on hand. Felt the creativity surging and came up with this wonderful warmness. Mmmm. Much better than Campbell’s discontinued version!

PS…I made this earlier in the winter to add to a chicken recipe…I’ll share that next week! It gets so busy in this head!

2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs all purpose flour
Small sweet onion, grated
6 cloves garlic, minced
14.5 oz can low fat, low sodium chicken broth
2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1/4 t Tabasco
1/4 t fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

In large skillet, melt butter.
Stir in flour and cook until flour begins to turn golden brown.
Add onion and garlic.
Cook 3 minutes, until onion softens and becomes translucent.
Slowly whisk in chicken broth, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes, until thickened and smooth.
Remove from heat.
Immediately whisk in shredded cheese until melted, and soup is smooth.
Season with Worcestershire, Tabasco and pepper.
Ladle into bowls.
Sprinkle with cilantro to garnish.

Serves 6 as meal or 18 in demitasse.

PSagain! Sorry, I can’t find the pic of this. But you don’t need it. You’ll be just fine!

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