Soups

Winter Jambalaya

By Love & Flour in Soups 1 Comment Tags: , ,

Winter Jambalaya 003 Edited Winter Jambalaya

It snowed on Saturday. I spent the morning and most of the afternoon catching up on my blog reading and cleaning out the refrigerator. To digress for just a moment, how does the inside of a refrigerator get so dirty? I’m seriously beginning to wonder if the Pee-Wee’s Playhouse refrigerator was not a fictional rendition. All I do is put the food in and take the food out, yet the refrigerator needs cleaned every other week. The only explanation I can come up with is the fruits and vegetables I put in there play football and have dance parties when I shut the door.

Some of the vegetables in my refrigerator looked a bit grim. I buy vegetables with the best of intents, but then I ignore them until it is nearly too late. In an effort to use them before they are beyond the point of hope, I simply chop them up, toss them with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper and roast them in the oven. I find this is an easy way to add vegetables to the continual rotation of scrambled eggs and rice I eat during the week.

Oh, about that snow. I never think it is going to snow in Charlotte because the news media is always like, “Aaaahhhh, it’s going to snow! Take shelter! Stay off the roads! The snow is coming, the snow is coming, THE SNOW IS COMING!” And then one snowflake falls from the sky.

Winter Jambalaya 010 Edited Winter Jambalaya

I grew up in the Midwest, so I had to learn how to drive in the snow. I once got my car stuck in a snow drift in our lane (the thing we drive up to the house on is so long it is a lane, not a driveway), and I was so pissed off about it, I stomped all the way up to the house and promptly took a nap. When it was dark, I finally asked Dad to help me get the car out of the driveway.

I can’t imagine Dad was all that pleased with how I handled that situation. But I was not all that pleased about the snow drifts blocking my safe passage between the road and home. Hence, I learned to drive in the snow (though one may argue I did not learn to drive in the snow all that well) and moved to the South as soon as I was able. Given native Ohioans most likely outnumber native Charlotteans in this great city, I was not alone in my thinking to escape the winter.

Yet part of me misses a good winter snow. I don’t need five months of the junk, but a day or two is fine. So on Saturday I got right out in our little snow, which turned out to be not all that little with over an inch falling in just a couple of hours. I went to the grocery store, not to buy milk and bread, but to buy some more vegetables to roast for this delicious winter Jambalaya.

Sausage and seafood are typically found in Jambalaya. This version of the dish replaces those meats with root vegetables. Yes, you read that correctly. I want you to give up spicy sausage and the fruit of the sea for carrots, parsnips and potatoes. The sweetness of the roasted vegetables and the spiciness of the broth pack such a flavor punch you won’t even miss them. But if you don’t believe me, you can always make Jambalaya Pizza instead. Enjoy!

Winter Jambalaya 007 Edited Winter Jambalaya

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Winter Jambalaya
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Serves: 4-6
 

Ingredients
  • For the Root Vegetables
  • 1 cup peeled and chopped carrots (approximately 2 large carrots)
  • 1 cup peeled and chopped parsnips (approximately 1 large parsnip)
  • 1 cup (peeled and) diced yellow potatoes (approximately 1 medium potato)
  • 1 cup peeled and diced sweet potatoes (approximately 1 medium potato)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • For the Rice
  • 2½ cups water
  • 1 cup rice
  • For the Broth
  • 1 cup yellow onion (approximately 1 medium onion)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons tomato paste
  • 3 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes

Instructions
  1. Toss the peeled and chopped vegetables with the olive oil and salt, and distribute them in an even layer across a baking sheet.
  2. Place in an oven heated to 350 degrees F and roast for 40 minutes. Stir every 10 to 15 minutes to ensure even-roasting. They will be soft when done.
  3. While the root vegetables roast, prepare the rice and the broth.
  4. In a medium pot, bring the water to a boil and then stir in the rice.
  5. Cover and allow to simmer for 35-40 minutes until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender.
  6. In a deep skillet over medium low heat, combine the onion, the olive oil and the seasonings.
  7. Saute until the oven is soft, 5 to 8 minutes.
  8. Stir in the tomato paste, vegetable stock and the can of chopped tomatoes (along with their juice).
  9. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, then remove from heat and set aside.
  10. Once the vegetables are roasted and the rice is cooked, stir them into the broth.
  11. Serve and enjoy.

Notes
The peeled portion of the yellow potatoes requirement is written in parentheses because I never peel white or yellow potatoes. Even when mashed, I leave the skins on. Feel free to remove the skins if desired, but the jambalaya will turn out just fine if they are left on. Unless you have a very deep skillet, adding the roasted root vegetables to the broth mixture while still in the skillet will likely cause it to overflow. If you have a Dutch oven, using it in place of the skillet should work. I do not have a Dutch oven, so I prepared my broth in a cast iron skillet. I then poured it in a stock pot along with the roasted root vegetables. As for the rice, you can add rice soaked overnight (and then drained) into the skillet after the onion is soft and before the addition of the tomato paste. If you go this route, allow the rice to cook for a few minutes to evaporate any water leftover from its long soak. The rice will then cook along with the broth. I used the method but was not impressed with al dente texture of the rice, therefore I have written the recipe to suggest preparing the rice separately and then stirring it in along with the vegetables.

 

Souper Bowl Sunday: Spiced Carrot Coconut Soup

By Love & Flour in Soups No Comments Tags: , ,

Spiced Carrot Coconut Soup 016 Edited Souper Bowl Sunday: Spiced Carrot Coconut Soup

Green cardamom pods? Two years ago, I would have taken a look at this recipe, saw that it called for green cardamom pods and moved on. In all likelihood, I probably would have  moved on from any recipe that called for cardamom regardless of  its form. Now that I have made an ongoing effort to prepare something more than rice or eggs or cereal for dinner, this ingredient did not seem so daunting. And if I can overcome the “fear of the unknown ingredient”, anyone can.

I have the luxury of living in a city with a shop dedicated solely to spices, so green cardamom pods were surprisingly easy to come by. I recognize this is not the case for everyone, so I peppered the nice shop employees with questions about this spice when I was in the store. I learned the pods are ideal when a recipe calls for infusing the flavor of cardamom throughout a liquid. Because of this, it is common to steep cardamom pods in homemade tea. I do not know a thing about making teas, so I signed up for a class about how to make tea at home while I was there. I hope to tell you more after the class next month.

Unfortunately, there is not hard and fast rule to substituting cardamom pods for ground cardamom, but it is possible. Ground cardamom is prepared from the seeds within the pods, so the ground form of the spice is a bit more potent than the pods. In this soup, I would start with 1/4 teaspoon and increase the amount by 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon to taste as the soup simmers. The recipe calls for only two pods. I bought two tablespoons worth, so if you really want to try this recipe but do not want to invest in the pods, message me and I will mail you a few.

Spiced Carrot Coconut Soup 023 Edited Souper Bowl Sunday: Spiced Carrot Coconut Soup

Cardamom pods: the dark seeds in the split pod are used to make the ground spice.

To further complicate matters, this recipe called for a thumb of ginger. Does this mean the size of my thumb, or does it refer to the nodules that grow from the ginger root? Cookthink explains it is the latter. Just as one could use ground cardamom in place of pods, ground ginger can be used in place of ground ginger. However, I would strongly recommend using ginger root. It is fairly inexpensive and, in my grocery store, easily found near the potatoes in the produce section. A note of caution, the ginger flavor is a feature of this recipe, so if you do not enjoy its warm spiciness, this soup is not for you.

Lastly, the coconut milk lends this soup a very rich flavor and creamy consistency. Coconut milk seems to have become more popular in recent years, but if it remains unfamiliar in your kitchen, it should be fairly easy to find in either the baking or international foods aisle. I enjoyed this soup warm, as it was intended, but its colorful look and fresh flavor leads  me to believe it would serve well as a cold gazpacho come summer. Enjoy!

Spiced Carrot Coconut Soup 005 Edited Souper Bowl Sunday: Spiced Carrot Coconut Soup

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Spiced Carrot Coconut Soup
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Serves: 8
 

Ingredients
  • 3½ cups hot water
  • 1 can (400-480 ml) coconut milk
  • ½ lemon, juice of (1-2 tablespoons juice)
  • 1¼ teaspoon honey
  • ½ small to medium white onion, peeled and sliced
  • 2 green cardamom pods
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 thumb ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1⅔ pound carrots, peeled and sliced
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
  1. Stir together the water, coconut milk, lemon juice and honey and set aside.
  2. In a pot and place over low heat, combine the onion, cardamom pods, garlic and ginger and olive oil.
  3. Sweat the ingredients until the onion is soft and translucent.
  4. Add the carrots and increase the heat to high.
  5. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring every minute or so, and then add the liquids.
  6. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer.
  7. Allow to simmer until the carrots are soft, about 30 minutes.
  8. Remove the cardamom pods and use an immersion blender or food processor to puree the soup until smooth.
  9. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, to taste.
  10. Garnish with olive oil, sour cream, red pepper or whatever else your tastebuds may desire.

Notes
See the original recipe here: http://www.dailycandy.com/new-york/article/110869/Carrot-Cardamom-and-Marshmallow-Soup-Recipe-Fall-Soup-Recipes

 

Souper Bowl Sunday: Corn & Quinoa Chowder

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Popcorn Cookies 051 Edited Souper Bowl Sunday: Corn & Quinoa Chowder

The requirement to do one thing on a regular basis always makes me realize how fast time moves over the course of a week. Last Sunday, I was enjoying a beautiful warm and sunny day much like the Sunday I find myself in today. I could get used to starting each week in such a nice way!  Yet I also wonder what I did during all those cloudy days in between the sunshine. What am I doing with my time?

This question seems to creep up a lot when I do not have a clear finish line or a deadline looming ahead. I tell myself I will get to something later, but then later never happens. It is oftentimes hard to prioritize when I have no one but myself to be accountable to. Now that we are at a point in January when I am likely not alone in allowing my resolutions to gather some dust, I sit and wonder why I don’t make myself as much as a priority as I make everything else.

Popcorn Cookies 049 Edited Souper Bowl Sunday: Corn & Quinoa Chowder

Case in point , this chowder recipe caught my eye last fall, but I just yesterday got around to making it. Ever in search of a new way to eat quinoa, I wanted to try the recipe as soon as I could. This experience has allowed me to recognize the baseline for “as soon as possible” in my world is right around three months.

Preparation takes a bit of effort with the need to roast and toast the red peppers and quinoa, yet when time slows down on the weekends, I don’t mind those extra steps so much. I have learned taking a few moments to slow down when I can often repays me with the gift of time when it is needed  most. Spending a couple of meditative hours chopping and stirring yesterday resulted in a hearty soup I can quickly heat and eat for lunch or dinner during the busy week. I hope you find the time to do the same. Enjoy!

Popcorn Cookies 053 Edited Souper Bowl Sunday: Corn & Quinoa Chowder

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Ingredients
  • 3 medium red peppers
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • ⅓ cup flour
  • 4 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk, plus an additional one to two cups for thinning
  • 4 cups sweet corn (2, 15.25 ounce cans or 2, 10 ounce frozen packages)
  • 1 can black or pinto beans, rinsed and drained
  • 2 tablespoons parsley, minced
  • ½ teaspoon thyme, minced
  • 1 1 /2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper

Instructions
  1. Place the peppers on a baking sheet and broil in the oven until skins begin to blister and blacken, about five minutes. Rotate the peppers a quarter of a turn to roast until all sides are blistered and blacken. When fully roasted, remove the peppers from the oven and place them in a large bowl. Cover with a clean towel and allow to stand for 20 minutes.
  2. While the peppers cool, prepare the remaining ingredients. Begin by lightly toasting the quinoa in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, about three to five minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
  3. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil or butter over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft and the garlic is fragrant.
  4. Stir in the flour (the mixture will clump) followed by the cream and first cup of milk.
  5. Then add in the toasted quinoa, corn and beans.
  6. Prepare the peppers for the soup by peeling off the charred skins and removing the stems and seeds. Chop and place into the pot.
  7. Stir the ingredients together and bring to boil, then allow to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
  8. Finally, stir in the parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. It may also be necessary to thin the soup with additional cup of milk or more during this final step.

Notes
The three peppers I roasted yielded two cups of chopped red peppers. You could also use two cups of half-and-half in place of the one cup cream and one cup milk. However, you will likely want to have some milk on hand to thin the chowder.

 

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