Miso Egg Drop Soup

In celebration of the first day of summer I made soup... Logical, I know.  Maybe in celebration of July I'll make ice cream or something that is actually seasonally appropriate.  For now, I'm making a salty, satisfying vegetarian egg drop soup recipe.  Happy summer folks.

Non-Dairy Clam Chowder

It's been raining the last four days, so I have been seriously craving clam chowder- trouble is dairy has been really upsetting my stomach lately.  Hence this tasty creation!  If I'm gonna go without cream in my clam chowder a little bacon grease is allowed, no?  If that's too much work feel free to sub in margarine, but you'll be missing out on some delicious flavor!

• 3 Tbs bacon grease
• 2 Tbs flour
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups potatoes, diced
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 2 6 oz cans minced clams
• 2 cups almond milk
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp parsley
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Pepper to taste
• green onion

1. In a large sauce pot heat bacon grease over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic, and cook 3-5 minutes or until soft.  Sift in flour, stirring to incorporate.
2. Add water, almond milk, thyme, parsley, clams and juice, and potatoes, cover and bring to a boil for 25-30 minutes, or until potatoes are fork-tender.
3. Add corn, and cook another 5 minutes uncovered.
4. Garnish with green onions, and serve.

Yields 4 servings.

Carrot Lemon Soup with Ginger

This morning I had a strange craving for avgolemono soup, but I was out of eggs.  Further my poor little food processor hadn't seen much love lately. 

So I devised this quick, refreshing soup recipe.

Only the greatest addition to my kitchen, ever.

• 1 Tbs olive oil
• 3 large carrots, shredded (~2 cups)
• 1/4 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
• Zest of ~1/2 lemon
• 1/3 cup rice
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• Salt
• lemon wedges

1. In a large pot, over medium heat soften the onion in olive oil for about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, and cook another 2 minutes.  Add ginger, carrots, rice, lemon zest, and vegetable stock.
2. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until rice is fully cooked.
3. Transfer contents to a blender (or use an immersion blender) and carefully pulse 3-5 times.  
4. Return to pot, stir in lemon juice, salt according to taste, and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes:

• Fresh ginger makes a big difference- what isn't used can be tossed in the freezer in a zip lock bag and used later.

Yields 4 servings

Turkish Red Lentil Soup with Mint

This may sound like a strange combination, but it is DIVINE.  Ever since first going to a Anatolia, a Turkish restaurant, nearly two years ago I have been hunting for an accurate-seeming recipe, and I finally encountered one!  So, after many failed attempts to duplicate Anatolia's Red Lentil Soup this recipe finally succeeded!

Avgolemono Soup

• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup long grain rice, or orzo pasta
• 4 eggs, seperated
• Juice of 3 lemons
• Black pepper, to taste

1. In a large pot bring stock to a boil, and add rice. Simmer about 20 minutes, or until tender. For orzo the cooking time will be shorter, refer to package directions for exact time.
2. When the rice is near tender, in a medium-large bowl whisk the egg whites until medium peaks form. Add the egg yolks and lemon juice, continuing to whisk.
3. When the rice is tender, slowly add 2 cups of the hot stock to the lemon-egg mixture, continuing to whisk.
   
4. Once the stock is incorporated, begin to slowly add the lemon-egg mixture to the pot of stock and rice, stirring constantly, so scrambled eggs don't form.
5. Stir in the black pepper, and serve.

Notes:

• If you find the eggs scrambling when you add the two cups of stock you can strain the mixture before transferring it to the soup pot.

Yields 8 servings.

Everything Italian Beef Stew

• ~1 lb stew beef
• ~1 lb tortellini
• 1 can white beans (great northern beans)
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 LARGE can tomato sauce, or 2 regular size cans
• 2 Tbs sugar
• 1 bag frozen green beans (~12 oz)
• ~10 oz frozen spinach
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 4 Tbs Italian seasoning
• 1 Tbs onion powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1-2 Tbs butter
  

1. The day before, in a crock pot add stew beef, 2 Tbs Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder and enough water to cover. Cook until the beef easily shreds, 3-6 hours on high, or 5+ on low (I just leave mine overnight the day before I intend to make the stew...)
2. Once cooked, remove the beef and shred, and strain the cooking liquid into a bowl. (I just strain the liquid into the bowl housing the beef.)
3. Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat, add onion, carrot, zucchini, salt and pepper. Cook until onion softens.
   
4. Add the beef, reserved liquid, chicken stock, tomato sauce, tomatoes, white beans (liquid drained), green beans, spinach, sugar, remainder of the Italian seasoning, and garlic powder to taste.
5. In a separate pot, cook tortellini according to package instructions.
6. To the stew pot add between 1-2 cups water, depending on the concentration of the tomato flavor of the stock.
7. When ready to serve, add the tortellini to the stew.

Notes:

• Cooking the tortellini in the soup, or leaving them in it for an extended amount of time often leaves them rather sad and soggy.
• Feel free to omit the beef, just add a bit more chicken stock to compensate.
• This recipe can also be made vegetarian omitting the beef, and replacing chicken stock with vegetable stock.
  

Miso Soup

• 2 teaspoons dashi granules
• 4 cups water
• 3 tablespoons miso paste
• 1 (8 ounce) package silken tofu, diced
• 2 green onions, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine dashi granules and water; bring to a boil.
   
2. Reduce heat to medium, and whisk in the miso paste.
   
3. Stir in tofu.
   
4. Separate the layers of the green onions, and add them to the soup. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.

Notes:

• I realize this includes some obscure ingredients, but it is worth it! Dashi granules and miso paste can be found in any Asian market. The miso paste will be in the refrigerated section. I like yellow miso paste, it is creamier and sweeter. Red miso paste is saltier and stronger. Dashi granules will be in a jar or a packet, and likely with other soup bases unrefrigerated.

Yields 4 servings.

Low(er) Fat Clam Chowder

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 cups diced potatoes
• 2 carrots, shredded (optional)
• 1 can sweet kernel corn (optional)
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 Tbs butter or margarine
• 1 can evaporated fat-free milk
• 2 cans minced clams
• 2-3 cups chicken stock, or water
• 2-3 strips bacon, crumbled (optional)
• 1/4 tsp white pepper (black is okay)

1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot, add onions and cook until golden brown.
2. Remove onions from pan, and reserve for later.
3. Add potatoes to large pot, juice from clams, and enough water or stock to cover potatoes.
4. Bring potatoes to a boil, and after about 12 minutes add the carrots, onions, and corn.
5. Meanwhile, in a microwave safe bowl, melt the butter, then stir in the whole wheat flour.
6. Then add the evaporated milk to the butter-flour mix and stir well. Microwave another 30-45 seconds and stir until incorporated.
7. Add the clams (and bacon, if desired) to the pot, and stir in the milk-flour-butter mixture.
8. If the consistency is too thick, add additional stock or skim milk.
9. Optional: garnish with green onions.

Notes:

• It is not necessary to use whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour can be used, but I like the nutty flavor the whole wheat brings.
• Celery can also be added, I just really dislike celery.

Yields 8 sizable servings.

Moroccan Potato Bean Soup

• 2 cups water
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 (15 ounce) can great northern beans
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 cup fat free evaporated milk
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions (optional)
• ~1/4 cup slurry: ~2 Tbs cornstarch mixed with ~1/4 cup broth, water, or evaporated milk

Directions

1. In a medium-size cooking pot, add water, broth, and beans and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. In a frying pan, saute onions in olive oil until lightly brown.
3. To cooking pot, add potatoes, sauteed onions, turmeric, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, curry powder, and soy sauce, and cook until potatoes are tender.
4. Add evaporated milk and bring back to boil. Add cornstarch slurry, stirring until well blended. Adjust seasonings to taste. Garnish with chopped chives or green onions.

Notes:

• This soup has a fair amount of heat without the cayenne, so only add it if you really like heat.
• This makes great leftovers, I freeze individual size servings in gladware, and pop it in the microwave for a quick, healthy meal!
  

Yields 8 servings.

5-Minute Egg Drop Soup

• 2 cans chicken stock (approximately 4 cups, a tiny less)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 Tbs cornstarch
• ¼ tsp ginger
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp sesame oil (optional)
• 2 Tbs chopped green onion

1. Reserve 3/4 cup of chicken broth, and pour the rest into a large saucepan. Stir the salt, ginger and chives into the saucepan, and bring to a rolling boil. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the remaining broth and cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk together using a fork. Drizzle egg a little at a time from the fork into the boiling broth mixture. Egg should cook immediately. Once the eggs have been dropped, stir in the cornstarch mixture gradually until the soup is the desired consistency.

3. Add sesame oil, and stir.

Yields 4 cups, or 4-6 servings depending on the size.

Panera-style Black Bean Soup

I used to work at a mall with a St. Louis Bread Company (what Panera is called in St. Louis...) and the employees there knew my order, because like clockwork I would be in the same time, the same days a week, ordering the same cup of black bean soup and a sourdough roll.

When I no longer worked at that mall, there was a small cold void in my insides, that couldn't be filled with anything but that black bean soup- so after some trial and error I devised my own recipe that is pretty darn similar to Panera's.  Enjoy! :)

• 2 cans black beans ~15oz ea
  
• 1 roasted red pepper (I use canned)
• 1-2 carrots (chopped)
• 1-2 stalks celery (chopped)
• 1/2 medium onion (chopped)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder, or fresh garlic
• 2-3 cups chicken or vegetable stock (start with 2, add more if you want it thinner)
  
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Olive oil ~ 1 Tbs
• Green onions (optional)

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot, and add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and roasted red pepper.
2. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until onion is soft, then add chicken stock, cumin, chili powder, and garlic powder (if you didn’t add fresh garlic).
3. Add one can of black beans (drained) and simmer until vegetables are soft.
4. Then take off the heat for a few minutes, and carefully blend. (I use a blender, but a hand mixer will do the job).
5. Pour mixture back into pot and add the second can of black beans (You can add a third if you like it extra bean-y)
6. Let simmer a little longer, and then serve. I like to garnish it with green onion.
7. It is excellent as soup with crusty bread, or served over white rice with chicken.

Notes:

• Grate your carrots and omit celery to cut the cooking time- this soup can be thrown together in practically 15 minutes
• Spice it up with additional jalapeños, a dash of cayenne, or chipotle chili powder

Yields 4-6 servings