Appetizers
Tortilla Soup
Dish It Up!'s Linda McGillvray
olive oil
2 lbs. chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 red bell pepper, seeded, medium dice
1 large or 2 medium zucchini, medium dice
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 to 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (1 for med. and 2 for hot heat level)
1 large can crushed tomatoes, 28 ounces
3 cups chicken stock
1 small bag frozen corn, thawed (about 2 cups)
1 avocado, diced right before using
tortilla chips, approximately 4 cups
1 cup shredded cheddar or jack cheese
sour cream
Heat a dutch oven over med. high heat. Add olive oil to coat bottom of pan and add chicken pieces, cumin and poultry seasoning. Cook until chicken is just done (no pink remaining) stirring often. Add red pepper pieces and cook 5 min. Add zucchini pieces, onion and garlic and cook another 2 min. Add chipotle pepper, crushed tomatoes, chicken stock and salt and pepper to taste. Bring soup to a bubble then reduce heat to med. low and cook 20 min.
After the 20 min add the thawed corn and diced avocado. (If someone in your group doesn't care for avocado, this can be served as garnish to the soup. Dress the avocado in a little lemon juice to keep from browning). Cook an additional 5 min. to heat through.
To serve: Crumble tortilla chips in a soup bowl, ladle soup over chips and garnish with grated cheese, sour cream or avocado pieces, if reserved for garnish. A simple cheese quesadilla goes great with this soup.
Soup can be frozen for 3 months if avocado was not added as a main ingredient.
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Chestnuts and White Truffle Oil
Chef John Neumark--Serafina
For 6 as a first course
1 c washed, sliced leeks
2.5 c peeled fresh Jerusalem artichokes
½ c diced turnip
1 c peeled diced granny smith apple
s&p to taste
1 c peeled chestnuts
2.5 qt. water
1 bay leaf
2 Tablespoons butter
½ c heavy cream
White truffle oil
Sweat the leeks in butter until softened (7-10 min) over medium-low heat; add the turnip, apple, Jerusalem artichokes, bay and cook 3-5 minutes; add the water, bring to a simmer; add the chestnuts and simmer gently until chestnuts have fallen apart. You may have to add more water. Puree soup in food processor or food mill, reheat and adjust seasoning. Just before serving, add cream allow the soup to come to a simmer and serve in heated bowls with a float of truffle oil.
Root Vegetables and Leek Bisque with
Roasted Garlic and Crispy Kale
Birgitte Antonsen—Nature’s Way Food
Makes about 3 quarts
Serve 6
Stock:
8 c filtered water
6-8 stalks fresh thyme
2 bay leave
10 pepper corns
Top of the leeks
To make the stock, place all ingredients in a pot, let it come to a boil. Reduce until 4 cups left, about 30 minutes. Strain through a fine strainer of use cheesecloth.
Soup:
1 ½ - 2 pounds leeks (3-4 leeks), use the white part for the soup, finely sliced, and save the top for the stock
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
1 ½ pounds Yucon gold potatoes, pealed and chopped
¾ pound celery root, pealed and chopped
¾ pound parsnip, pealed and chopped
1 cup roasted garlic cloves*
4 cups home made stock, see above
1 quart vegetable broth
1 can organic coconut milk or use ¾ cup cashew nuts blended with 1 cup filtered water
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch green kale or other leafy greens, stem removed and finely chopped
To make the soup, place leeks and thyme in a medium soup pot together with the oil and sauté for about 10 minutes. Add the root vegetables, roasted garlic, homemade stock and vegetables broth. Let it come to a boil, reduce the heat and let it low simmer for about 1 hour. Use a potato masher to break down the vegetables. Add the coconut milk or cashew nut milk and taste with salt and pepper.
Add the leafy greens and let it all simmer for another 15 minutes, or follow the instructions on how to make crispy greens. Serve hot
The soup freezes well.
OPTION:
Instead of adding the greens, try to make crispy greens in the oven.
Use curly kale, remove stems and rough chop the leaf. Place in a mixing bowl and add 1 tablespoons virgin olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix well to oil the leaves. Place in a baking tray and bake at 300?f for about 15 minutes, stirring a couple of times. When they are crisp, remove from oven to cool. Serve as a garnish on top of the soup. |
