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Post by hwinpp on Jan 21, 2012 9:02:34 GMT
Ok, I'll try it that way. Still needs an hour or so.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2012 11:40:27 GMT
Hi HW! When either I or my husband make split pea soup we do the onion together with celery,green pepper,and a tiny bit of garlic along with the yellow or white onion sauteed in the pot before adding the broth and the dried peas and ham/pork seasoning. I am a strong advocate of caramelizing onion separately before adding to most recipes,meatloaf a prime example, but, in the case of the pea soup, do it all together with the other seasonings. Another little tidbit that adds to the flavor of this soup is a teaspoon of dried mustard. I hope yours came out satisfactorily,do let us know!
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Post by hwinpp on Jan 22, 2012 5:37:32 GMT
I'll be using the caramelized onions the next time, yesterday I used raw onions. Of course we didn't finish the whole pot, I'm looking forward to the second half, that's been sitting in the fridge since yesterday
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Post by bixaorellana on Jan 22, 2012 16:43:01 GMT
My experience with putting raw onions in with food already cooking is that a certain jarring note of rawness always remains. I wouldn't say the onions need to be caramelized, but they definitely need to be sauteed first.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2012 0:10:46 GMT
Ditto,saute is adequate. Don't need to caramelize I agree.
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Post by mockchoc on Feb 2, 2012 11:28:42 GMT
Last weekend I made a Szechuan hot and sour soup which tasted just like from the restaurant if not better since I added what I wanted. I didn't use a recipe but a combination of a few so just jotted down what I used but no quantities. I'll make it again. Costs me a fortune buying it so I should do it more often for my lunch at work.
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 2, 2012 17:16:49 GMT
One of my favorite soups, Mockchoc. I make it, but so far haven't mastered a really sublime version.
Night before last I made a soup with huitlacoche (corn smut). This was one of those things that would either turn out okay or have to be thrown out. It was really quite lovely! I sauteed onions & a little chile, then added real beef stock & pieces of beef + potatoes, the huitlacoche, some epazote dipped in then removed, and stirred in massive amounts of chopped cilantro and parsley at the end.
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Post by mockchoc on Feb 4, 2012 20:53:53 GMT
Wow bixa, that is something I'd like to try. You can't get it here. I'm cilantro crazy too and can't understand why some people hate it so much... like MrC.
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 5, 2012 20:37:19 GMT
It was just a thrown together little soup, but came out well. You might try making it with mushrooms & maybe a touch of truffle oil to deepen the flavor. Depending on the season here, it can be impossible to not buy too much cilantro. In season, the vendors make the bunches bigger. I hate to wind up throwing it away, so besides using it as a salad green (don't try on Mr.Mockchoc!), I've been using it as a cooked green in some dishes. It wasn't used that way in the huitlacoche soup, but turned into a cooked green when I reheated the soup & was quite nice. You can sneak it into something to see if it gets past the mister's taste buds. See what you think of this Diana Kennedy recipe. It's one of my favorites. Hope you can get the dried peeled favas. In the intro to the recipe, she says: Even those who say they can't stand coriander leaves will eat them in this soup -- providing you don't tell them they are in it.Caldo de Habas dried fava bean soup1/2 pound dried, peeled yellow fava beans 2 tablespoons peanut or safflower oil 1 small onion, roughly chopped 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 1 medium tomato (@6 oz.), peeled and chopped 10 cups hot water, approximately 6 sprigs fresh coriander, leaves only, roughy chopped (I've never known what individual recipe writers mean by "sprig", so I just use the amount I think I'd like -- Bixa)2 teaspoons salt, or to taste Garnish: 6 tablespoons fruity olive oil; 2 chiles pasillas, fried & crumbled Rinse the beans well, picking out any loose pieces of skin or fiber. Heat the oil on high & fry the beans along w/the onion & garlic until beans are lightly browned & the onion & garlic are translucent. Add the tomato & cook on high, stirring constantly, until the mixture is almost dry -- @3 minutes. Add the water, coriander, & salt & let the soup cook on low until the beans are mushy & almost disintegrated, @3 1/2 hours.. Serve each bowl with a tablespoon of the olive oil & some of the crumbled chile on top. Here's a somewhat more elegant version of the same thing. I haven't tried this, but it should be good: www.101cookbooks.com/archives/dried-fava-soup-with-mint-and-guajillo-chiles-recipe.html
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Post by Don Cuevas on Feb 6, 2012 12:57:01 GMT
We had Sopa de Habas while at La Casa de Los Sabores Cooking School, in Oaxaca a few years ago. I think it was made with a dried fava powder. I have some of that around, and hadn't until now thought of it. Maybe I'll make some, if I can figure out how to substitute it in the DK recipe.
Also got some beautiful, but expensive ($25 MXP a kg) sweet red peppers yesterday in the Pátzcuaro mercado. I've made a soup from these once before. It can be served either hot or cold.
The big challenge is having real stock on hand. I've made both chicken and beef stock several times, using a variety of recipes, and it seldom comes out truly rich and flavorful as I would like. The recipes also yield so little, it's usually gone in one usage! Lots of work and time, and for what?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2012 14:23:32 GMT
I had one of the best New England Clam Chowders last night I have ever had. I think they used leeks in it which made it sublime.
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Post by imec on Feb 6, 2012 15:11:29 GMT
I had one of the best New England Clam Chowders last night I have ever had. I think they used leeks in it which made it sublime. New Wales version perhaps...
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 6, 2012 15:13:19 GMT
$25MN is not that bad for nice bell peppers here, DonC. In the big market, you either won't see them at all, or they'll be wizened and expensive, but there might be one vendor with really nice ones at a decent price.
I've never seen dried fava powder here, but dried garbanzo powder is quite common. Casa de los Sabores may simply have taken the next logical step with dried fava beans. However, that soup recipe pretty much cooks down so much, it could turn into something that might seem to have come from a powder.
I discard any recipe that uses too much time and effort for a very small yield. Sheesh -- I've seen bean recipes calling for a half cup of beans! When I make the fava bean soup, I use the whole package of beans -- 500 grams, so doubled.
To get the kind of chicken broth as for caldo de pollo, you gotta boil the whole clucker.
Leeks are lovely! I wish I saw them more often around here.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Feb 7, 2012 23:04:04 GMT
Quick and Easy Sopa de Ajo.
I was weary, finishing up making Fennel Sausage and Italian Meatballs. I needed something good but easy for our late lunch. I remembered Sopa de Ajo. This is my improvisation.
As I was finishing baking the meatballs, I had about a cup of fine, dry breadcrumbs left from breading them.
I sliced up 5 or so large cloves of garlic, heated some olive oil, slowly sweated the garlic as well as a half cup of chopped onion left from the MBs.
As the garlic and onion slowly cooked, I added all the breadcrumbs and slowly cooked them until toasty.
Then I added 1 1/2 liters of water and 3 cubes of Knorr Suiza Costilla jugosa. (Beef stock cubes.)
Some Pimentón de la Vera agridulce, a few grinds of pepper, and a slug of dry sherry cooking wine.
Meanwhile toasting some wood fired oven teleras (flattish sandwich rolls). Just to be fancy, I threw in some chopped parsley.
It occurred to me that our comida was short on protein, and I didn't want to add the traditional poached eggs at that point, so I plunked a still warm meatball in each bowl of soup.
I ended up eating 3 MBs. They were above and beyond their usual goodness.
Some Chilean vino tinto, and we were all set. Now I need Nap # 2 of the afternoon.
I was too done in to take photos, and anyway, the soup isn't especially pretty.
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 8, 2012 4:00:58 GMT
You really took the traditional Spanish sopa de ajo up a level! That's been one of my favorite soups for years, but I make the super simple, bread-cubes-browned-in-olive-oil -&-garlic with water & paprika added. The meatball addition was a touch of genius.
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Post by mockchoc on Feb 8, 2012 8:29:43 GMT
Bixa your soup at #151 wouldn't go past him but it might if there was some meat in it. Any suggestions?
Should be able to get the dried favas here.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Feb 8, 2012 12:04:06 GMT
You really took the traditional Spanish sopa de ajo up a level! That's been one of my favorite soups for years, but I make the super simple, bread-cubes-browned-in-olive-oil -&-garlic with water & paprika added. The meatball addition was a touch of genius. I'd had eggs for breakfast, and I had just taken the meatballs out of the oven, so I just rolled with the idea. ;D
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Post by bixaorellana on Feb 9, 2012 15:57:26 GMT
sing: ♩ ♩ On top of soup de ajo all covered with parsley, I rolled my nice meatball ♫, a real good idea.
Mockchoc, the cilantro cooks down to nothing, especially if you chop it first. However, no reason that fava bean soup made with chicken stock & some chicken meat, or perhaps pork stock & meat wouldn't be delicious.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jul 18, 2012 7:43:27 GMT
This is a basic cream soup recipe guideline. It's thickened with potato, not flour. There's no roux. You have many options within the basic framework. Yesterday I made Crema de Berros (watercress) but you can do this with cilantro instead. I am fairly confident that it could be done with spinach, but very careful cooking of the spinach would be required. Crema de BerrosStart with two or more large bunches of fresh watercress. (In the Pátzcuaro, Mexico mercado, the bunches range from the size of a small baby's head on upward. More is better.) Pick the leaves from the coarse stems. Discard the stems and then wash the leaves well. Disinfect in a Microdyn and water solution. Let soak 10 minutes, then drain thoroughly in a colander. You should have 5 or more packed cups of watercress leaves. Meanwhile, peel and finely slice or cube two medium potatoes. Put them to boil in a liter of water along with about 1/2 cup white onion, finely cut. Optional: put one Knorr-Suiza cubito de pollo (stock cube) or a teaspoon or two of the granular form in the water. If you have good, homemade or purchased chicken stock, you may use that, leaving out the water and the Knorr-Suiza.) Bring the water/stock to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are very tender. Have on hand a kilo of Carnation Evaporated Milk (somewhat more than a liter) or you may use part half and half. I don't. Heat the milk separately and add to the potatoes and the water. Reheat gently. When the combined liquids come to a simmer, remove from the flame and put the pot on the counter or other stable work surface. I usually place a folded kitchen towel underneath. This needs to be near an electrical outlet, away from the sink or the stove burners. (I will admit that I have at times done the next step over the stove burner.) I recommend wearing an apron. Get out an immersion stick blender and gradually blend the liquid and potatoes and onion until no visible pieces remain. When that is accomplished, gradually add the watercress by handfuls, blending thoroughly after each addition. Continue until all the cress is used. Optional: grate a little nutmeg in, but don't overdo this. A 1/4 teaspoon or less is good. Put the whole pot of soup back over the flame of the stove and gently reheat. Taste for seasoning. It probably won't need any salt, because of the Knorr-Suiza. You may add some ground white pepper if you wish. I didn't this time. Serve hot, warm or cool. I garnish each bowl with a swirl of crema (Creme Fraiche) and a sprig of cilantro, or of cress, if you had the foresight to set aside a little at the beginning. This earlier version was garnished with chopped toasted almonds and a swirl of yogurt. It obviously had more cress in it. That's good. You are free to use toasted hazelnuts or not.Yesterday's soup was foamy, a result of the aeration by the immersion blender and the starch content of the potatoes. It was not an unwelcome characteristic.
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Post by tod2 on Jul 18, 2012 9:54:17 GMT
Don that looks amazing - but I am just as taken with the beautiful blue soup plate! Would you give me the English word for 'Caldo' - I have stock cubes with 'Caldo de Marisco', and know they are prawn or shrimp stock from the picture on the box. I thought it was a Portuguese word for STOCK, as I also have cubes with 'Caldo de Peixe' and know they are fish stock because of the picture.
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jul 18, 2012 10:51:35 GMT
tod2, "caldo" is "broth" or thin, clear soup. "Stock" will work, too.
The soup plate is part of a now greatly diminished heirloom set. It is called the "Currier and Ives" pattern.
My wife tells me that my mother in law got them years ago as part of a promotion at the A&P supermarket in their midwestern home town. There are only three soup plates left. A sister in law may have a sugar bowl in that pattern.
I never paid them no mind until now.
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Post by bixaorellana on Jul 18, 2012 15:16:15 GMT
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Post by Don Cuevas on Jul 18, 2012 19:48:54 GMT
Igualmente. I posted a few notes on what little I know about this camera.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2013 13:00:09 GMT
I make soup from scratch more and more rarely, but I am incapable of using a package or carton of soup without adding my own little touches.
Yesterday I bought a big jar of fish soup, but I sautéed some chopped celery and parsley in butter in the bottom of the pan before I put in the soup to heat. Did not add any salt, but I added plenty of pepper.
I could have used some nice little croutons, but I didn't have any.
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Post by htmb on Jan 6, 2013 18:32:26 GMT
Now that I've finally made it out to the store, after developing a craving thanks to this thread, I've got a nice pot of bean soup cooking on the stovetop. To the mixture of beans I added some small chunks of potato, ham, and corn, as well as onion, celery and garlic that had been sautéed in a litte olive oil. A seasoning packet came with the beans so I am cooking with that and will adjust later if necessary.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2013 0:31:50 GMT
With real winter weather on the way, I think I'll be making some potato and leek soup this week.
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Post by joanne28 on Jan 14, 2013 2:48:37 GMT
I'm planning on making potato and leek soup tomorrow.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 14, 2013 7:12:16 GMT
So far I have all of the necessary ingredients except the leeks!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 15, 2013 14:15:44 GMT
So far I have all of the necessary ingredients except the leeks! Okay, the pot just went on the stove -- 1 big leek 2 potatoes 2 turnips 2 carrots 1 green onion parsley various garlic pods quite a bit of the spice cupboard That should do for a start. I will refine the seasoning once the vegetables have cooked.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2013 17:10:48 GMT
My first soup was so excellent that it did not last long enough, so I made a second soup with:
1 medium leek 1 large potato 4 small turnips 4 baby corn cobs 1 1/2 broccoli heads (I had already used half of one) 1 green onion tons of garlic pods juice of one lemon most of a bunch of wilting cilantro
And of course I also threw in a lot of my spice cupboard.
Puréed in my blender, the result was different and greener, since I had no carrots. Still tasted great, but the first soup was better.
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