WGBH - Soups RSS

Chicken Soup with Lime and Hominy

Fri, 04 May 2012 12:14 PM +0000

This is a quick and easy version of sopa de lima, a comforting yet refreshing Yucatan chicken soup made tangy with fresh lime juice. Tasty garnishes include fried tortilla strips (or tortilla chips), diced avocado, and fresh cilantro.

Serves four.

Ingredients.

12 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 small white onion (8 oz.), chopped
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 small jalapeño, minced
1 quart lower-salt chicken broth
1 15-oz. can hominy, drained
1 tsp. dried Mexican oregano, crumbled if the leaves are large
4 to 5 Tbs. fresh lime juice
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2-1/2 oz. cotija or feta cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (1/2 cup)

Directions:

Cut each chicken breast crosswise into 1-1/2-inch-wide pieces.

Heat the oil in a 6-quart pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and jalapeño and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add the broth, hominy, oregano, and chicken. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a simmer, until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a plate. Using two forks, shred the meat into bite-size pieces and return to the pan. Bring the soup back to a simmer over medium heat, stir in the lime juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, top with the cheese, and serve immediately.

Nutrition information (per serving):

Calories (kcal): 320; Fat (g): 12; Fat Calories (kcal): 100; Saturated Fat (g): 4; Protein (g): 29; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 4; Carbohydrates (g): 27; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 3; Sodium (mg): 680; Cholesterol (mg): 65; Fiber (g): 4;

Susie Middleton is editor at large for Fine Cooking magazine.

Smoky Tomato Soup

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 14:15 PM +0000

Yields 4

A combination of bacon and smoked paprika gives this tomato soup a strong profile that goes perfectly with a gooey grilled cheese sandwich. Go with the sweet pimentón for a rich taste with little heat, or try the hot for a spicier kick in the soup.

Ingredients.

1 Tbs. olive oil
3 thick strips bacon (about 3 oz.), thinly sliced
1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1-1/2 cups)
Kosher salt
1 Tbs. unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. sweet or hot pimentón (smoked paprika)
One 28-oz. can whole tomatoes and their juices (3 cups) (preferably San Marzano)
2 cups lower-salt chicken broth
2 Tbs. heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Put the oil in a large saucepan, add the bacon, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the bacon renders most of its fat, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels; let drain and cool, and then coarsely chop. Add the onion and 1/2 tsp. salt to the pan and cook, stirring, until the onion softens and starts to brown lightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, 2 tsp. thyme, and the pimentón, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and the flavors meld, about 15 to 20 minutes. Using an immersion blender or working in batches in a regular blender, purée the soup. Return the soup to the pan, stir in the cream, and bring to a boil. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed, ladle the soup into serving bowls and serve sprinkled with the bacon pieces and the remaining thyme.

Serving suggestions:

What better partner for tomato soup than a Classic Grilled Cheese? Or to mix it up a little, try a Grilled Goat Cheese Sandwich with Tapenade.

Susie Middleton is editor at large for Fine Cooking magazine.

Pasta E Fagioli By Annie Copps

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 16:37 PM +0000

When the stars make you drool, just like a pasta fazool, that's amore… Or so the big Dean Martin song goes. Once you try this recipe for pasta e fagioli, a hearty and delicious soup made from pasta and beans, I think you'll find some love in a bowl.

This take on the classic soup comes from by dear friend Anthony Giglio, who is a bit of a renaissance man with an encyclopedic knowledge of wine, story telling abilities of a bard, and the generosity of a saint. His recipe comes from his Neapolitan grandmothers who made this cucina povera staple when cranberry beans were fresh in the markets, or for Friday suppers that weren't during meatless Lent.

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 rib celery, diced
4 pork spare ribs
1 cup crushed plum tomatoes (peeled and seeded)
2 8-oz cans cranberry or red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
4 cups beef broth (low sodium)
kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound tubettini or small shells pasta
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus extra for garnish
Garnish

Directions
In a large soup or sauce pot over medium high heat, saute onion in olive oil until golden, then add carrot and celery, stirring to coat well. Cook 2 to 3 minutes.

Push vegetables to the edges of the pan and add pork chops, browning them gently on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir well, scraping up any stuck bits from the bottom of the pan.

Bring to boil, then lower heat to simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add beans, stir well, and cook for 5 minutes. Add broth, bring to gentle simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove meat from bones, roughly chop, and return to soup.

Scoop out half the beans and pass through food mill over the pot, or pulse in blender and return to pot. Season with salt and pepper.

Before adding pasta to soup, make sure soup is liquid enough to handle the pasta (if somewhat thick, add a half cup of water, bring to boil), then add pasta and stir frequently to prevent sticking. (Soup will thicken as pasta absorbs the liquid). Remove from heat just before pasta is cooked through, al dente—about 6 minutes.

Add butter and cheese and stir well. Ladle soup in to warmed soup bowls and let rest at least five minutes; it will thicken more as it cools.

Swirl olive oil in a circle over each bowl and served with a pepper mill and bowl of cheese to pass at the table.
___________________________________________________________
Annie B. Copps is a senior editor at Yankee Magazine. Annie oversees the magazine's food coverage, both as an editor and as a contributor of feature stories and columns.

Maha's Lentil Soup By Annie Copps

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:22 PM +0000

My sister-in-law is a great cook and from a family of great cooks including her mother, three sisters, and sister-in-law. Every meal she has ever prepared for me, mostly traditional foods from her native Syria, is a feast for the senses—she is an instinctive cook and an artist by training and my personal favorite, her lentil soup is my favorite.

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients
4 medium onions, finely chopped
½ cup olive oil
4 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
6 to 8 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dry coriander
1 pound dry lentils, rinsed and picked through
2 to 3 tablespoons cumin
Kosher or sea salt
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ pound vermicelli or angel hair pasta, broken into 1-inch pieces
2 fresh lemons
Serve with fried pita chips or unseasoned croutons

Directions
This is a traditional soup from Syria and Lebanon adas hisem (which translates to "unripe grapes/lentils") it is both vegetarian and vegan, and surprisingly hearty. Start with lots of chopped onions in a healthy amount of olive oil. Then add carrots and lots of garlic. Once the vegetables are softened, stir in some fragrant dried coriander and bright and lemony cumin, as well as dried lentils and enough water to cover the mix by a few inches. Once the lentils have cooked, add a bunch of Swiss chard and toasted vermicelli noodles that have been broken into bits—they cook up and add a creamy flavor and texture. Ladle into serving bowls and give the soup a healthy squeeze of lemon and you are good to GO.

In a large soup pot over medium high heat, saute onions until translucent.

Add garlic and carrots and cook 2 to 3 minutes.

Add coriander, stir well to coat the vegetables, and cook about 2 minutes or until very fragrant.

Add lentils and stir well to coat.

Add enough water to cover the ingredients by 3 inches (about 8 cups). Stir in cumin.

Cook about 30 minutes or until lentils are al dente (softened, but not completely cooked).

Season with salt (about 1 tablespoon).

Add Swiss chard and cook about 10 minutes.

Remove 1 cup of broth and whisk in flour, then whisk back into soup pot.

In a saute pan over medium high heat, saute pasta until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add pasta to soup mixture and cook about 8 minutes more. Ladle into soup bowls and squeeze about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice over the top.

(Courtesy: Yankee Magazine)

___________________________________________________________
Annie B. Copps is a senior editor at Yankee Magazine. Annie oversees the magazine's food coverage, both as an editor and as a contributor of feature stories and columns.

Creamy Parsnip and Potato Chowder With Parsnip Croutons By Annie Copps

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:58 PM +0000

I fully understand that it is potentially blasphemous for me, as a proud New Englander, to suggest chowder be made without seafood. But this really lovely recipe for a parsnip chowder—it does have potatoes—does that count?

Okay even though no clams or other seafood ar ein this recipe, but I really love this chowder—it is too thick and rich to be a soup. That richness comes from potatoes and parsnips and just a bit of cream, so all this deliciousness doesn't come with a health advisory!

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 small Russet potato, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup light cream or whole milk, as needed
Fresh lemon juice Pinch sugar

Directions
Set aside 1 large or 2 small parsnips for the "croutons." Coarsely chop the remaining parsnips.

Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a soup pot or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and sautê until tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chopped parsnips, potato, thyme, coriander, and salt and pepper to taste. Sautê, stirring a few times, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add the wine or vermouth, bring to a boil and reduce by half, about 4 minutes. Add the stock, cover partway, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the parsnips and potatoes are tender enough to mash easily against the side of the pot with a large spoon, about 40 minutes.

Let the soup cool, uncovered, for at least 10 minutes (this makes it a little safer to blend). Filling a blender no more than two-thirds full, puree the soup in batches. Rinse out the soup pot and return the pureed soup to it. The soup may be made ahead up to this point and kept refrigerated (well-covered) for up to 2 days.

Meanwhile, make the parsnip “croutons:" cut the reserved parsnip(s) into 1/4-inch dice. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter stops foaming, add the diced parsnips. Season with salt and pepper and a large pinch of sugar. Sautê, stirring and shaking the pan often, until the parsnips are nicely browned. Transfer to paper towel to drain. Set aside until ready to serve. The croutons may also be made ahead and refrigerated in a single layer for up to 1 day.

To serve, gently reheat the soup, adding the cream or milk until you achieve the consistency you're after. Taste for salt and pepper. Just before serving, add a squeeze or fresh lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon), to taste. Ladle into soup bowl, garnish with parsnip "croutons" and remaining fresh thyme.

(Courtesy: Yankee Magazine)

___________________________________________________________
Annie B. Copps is a senior editor at Yankee Magazine. Annie oversees the magazine's food coverage, both as an editor and as a contributor of feature stories and columns.

Creamy Parsnip and Potato Chowder with Parsnip Croutons By Annie Copps

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 15:05 PM +0000

I fully understand that it is potentially blasphemous for me, as a proud New Englander, to suggest chowder be made without seafood. But this realllllly lovely recipe for a parsnip chowder—it does have potatoes—does that count?

Okay even though no clams or other seafood ar ein this recipe, but I really love this chowder—it is too thick and rich to be a soup. That richness comes from potatoes and parsnips and just a bit of cream, so all this deliciousness doesn't come with a health advisory!

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 small Russet potato, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup light cream or whole milk, as needed
Fresh lemon juice Pinch sugar

Directions
Set aside 1 large or 2 small parsnips for the "croutons." Coarsely chop the remaining parsnips.

Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a soup pot or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and sautê until tender and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chopped parsnips, potato, thyme, coriander, and salt and pepper to taste. Sautê, stirring a few times, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add the wine or vermouth, bring to a boil and reduce by half, about 4 minutes. Add the stock, cover partway, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue to simmer until the parsnips and potatoes are tender enough to mash easily against the side of the pot with a large spoon, about 40 minutes.

Let the soup cool, uncovered, for at least 10 minutes (this makes it a little safer to blend). Filling a blender no more than two-thirds full, puree the soup in batches. Rinse out the soup pot and return the pureed soup to it. The soup may be made ahead up to this point and kept refrigerated (well-covered) for up to 2 days.

Meanwhile, make the parsnip “croutons:" cut the reserved parsnip(s) into 1/4-inch dice. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter stops foaming, add the diced parsnips. Season with salt and pepper and a large pinch of sugar. Sautê, stirring and shaking the pan often, until the parsnips are nicely browned. Transfer to paper towel to drain. Set aside until ready to serve. The croutons may also be made ahead and refrigerated in a single layer for up to 1 day.

To serve, gently reheat the soup, adding the cream or milk until you achieve the consistency you're after. Taste for salt and pepper. Just before serving, add a squeeze or fresh lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon), to taste. Ladle into soup bowl, garnish with parsnip "croutons" and remaining fresh thyme.

(Courtesy: Yankee Magazine)

___________________________________________________________

Annie B. Copps is a senior editor at Yankee Magazine. Annie oversees the magazine's food coverage, both as an editor and as a contributor of feature stories and columns.

Chicken Noodle Soup By Annie Copps

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:24 PM +0000

It's almost universal: our appeal for chicken soup. I don't have any hard evidence that it cures anything, but I do know it's what I turn to when I've had a rough day.

Just about every culture has their version of chicken noodle soup which is a simple saute of onions, carrots, and celery, chicken stock and pasta. Once you get the basics, noodle around yourself using different shapes of pasta, or stir in some spinach or kale, or try grating some ginger, lemongrass, and some chile flakes for an Asian twist that open any stuffed nose or go Greek and whisk in a beaten egg and some lemon juice. Either way, make some chicken noodle soup.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
6 cups chicken stock, home made or low-sodium store bought
2 ounces angel hair pasta cooked al dente
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions
In a large soup or sauce pot, heat oil over medium heat.

Cook carrots, celery, and garlic 3 to 5 minutes, being careful not to brown the garlic.

Add stock and raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover and let simmer 5 minutes.

Add noodles and cook 5 minutes. Remove from heat; add parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Variations on Chicken Soup
Noodle around with different pasta shapes: little ones love pastina or alphabet shaped pasta (no need to pre-cook); try cooked egg noodles for richer flavor; or flavored pastas such as tomato or spinach.

For an Asian twist add 2 tablespoons grated ginger, 1 stalk lemongrass (smash the stalk to release some of its flavor), and a few pinches of dried red pepper flakes when you are sautéing the other vegetables. (Remove the lemongrass before serving.) This may not cure a cold, but it will certainly open your nasal passages and offer some relief—oh, and it tastes great.

Go Greek and make avgolemono soup. Substitute 1 cup cooked rice for the pasta and whisk together 2 eggs and the juice of one lemon. Add one cup of hot broth to the egg and lemon, whisk well, then whisk back the mixture back into the larger pot—do not boil again.

(Courtesy: Yankee Magazine)

___________________________________________________________

Annie B. Copps is a senior editor at Yankee Magazine. Annie oversees the magazine's food coverage, both as an editor and as a contributor of feature stories and columns.

Molly's French Onion Soup By Annie Copps

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 19:04 PM +0000

Ooh la la have I got a winter warmer that will beckon you in from the cold: French Onion Soup! A classic bowl of oniony goodness that will fill you up, warm you up, and delight you.

Forewarned is fore-armed... you are going to have to slice 3 pounds of onions. If just the thought makes you want to cry, you can use a food processor to get through the pile you'll be using. That being said, it may seem that you have far too many onions, but don't worry they'll cook down to about one-quarter of their original volume.

So, in a wide soup pot, melt butter and slowly cook down Mount Onion until they become soft and start to turn deep blonde in color&151;it's important that they not brown.

Stir in some flour and cook that for a bit, then add some wine, then beef (or chicken) stock, a sprig each of thyme and parsley and a bay leaf and simmer away for about a half hour.

Now, let's get serious. Ladle into bowls, lay toasted bread slices on top then grate some Gruyere cheese and until the cheese gets all melty, gooey, and glorious.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 to 3 1/2 pounds of yellow onions (about 6 large; larger onions means less peeling), thinly sliced
kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons flour
1 cup dry white wine
8 cups homemade beef or chicken stock or low-sodium store bought
1 sprig parsley
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf tied together in a bundle
1 baguette, cut into ½[[[.5]]-inch rounds 1 ½ cups (about 6 ounces)
Shredded Gruyere cheese

Directions
In a large, wide soup pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook the onions gently, stirring frequently, until they are very soft and have begun to turn a deep blonde, about 40 minutes (it is important they do not brown or cook too long).

Stir in flour and cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently.

Pour in wine and increase heat to medium-high, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any caramelized juices.

Cook until liquid is almost completely reduced. Add broth.

Tie herbs together with string or inside a piece of cheesecloth. Add herb bundle and bring to a simmer.

Season lightly with salt and pepper and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, the onions should be soft but not falling apart.

The soup may be made ahead up until this point and held for several hours or even a few days before serving.

To serve
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put baguette slices on an oven rack, and toast lightly, 7 to10 minutes. Set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.

Set six ovenproof soup crocks on a heavy baking sheet, and ladle hot soup into crocks. Float the toasts on the soup and top each with a handful (about 1/4 cup) of Gruyere.

Bake until the cheese is melted, bubbly and just barely golden, 10 to 12 minutes.

Serve immediately when the cheese is gooey and the crock is very hot.

(Courtesy: Yankee Magazine)

___________________________________________________________

Annie B. Copps is a senior editor at Yankee Magazine. Annie oversees the magazine's food coverage, both as an editor and as a contributor of feature stories and columns.

Rice & Lentils by Lidia Bastianich

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 18:42 PM +0000

Riso e Lenticchie

Serves 8 or more as a first course or soup

Ingredients
2 ounces pancetta or bacon, cut in pieces
1 cup onion cut in 1-inch chunks
1 cup carrot cut in 1-inch chunks
1 cup celery cut in 1-inch chunks
6 fresh sage leaves
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup dry white wine
8 to 10 cups hot water
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 ½ cups lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 ½ cups Italian short-grain rice, such as Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano
1 cup chopped scallions
½ cup grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for passing

Directions
Drop the pancetta or bacon pieces into the food-processor bowl, and pulse several times, to chop the meat into small bits. Scrape all the chopped pancetta right into the heavy saucepan. Put the onion, carrot, and celery chunks and the sage leaves into the empty food-processor bowl, and mince together into a fine-textured pestata.

Put the butter and olive oil into the saucepan with the minced pancetta, and set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, as the butter melts and the fat starts to render. When the pancetta is sizzling, scrape in the vegetable pestata, and stir it around the pan until it has dried and begins to stick, 4 minutes or so. Clear a space on the pan bottom, and drop in the tomato paste, toast it in the hot spot for a minute, then stir together with the pestata.

Raise the heat, pour in the white wine, and cook, stirring, until the wine has almost completely evaporated. Pour in 8 cups of hot water and the tablespoon salt, stir well, and heat to the boil. (Add all 10 cups of hot water if you want to serve the rice and lentils as a thick soup rather than a denser riso.)

Cover the pan, and reduce the heat slightly, to keep the water at a moderate boil, and let it bubble for 20 minutes or so, to develop the flavors.

Stir in the lentils, return to a gentle boil, and cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils just start to soften, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the rice, return to a bubbling simmer, and cook, cover ajar, until the rice is al dente, 13 minutes or so. If the dish is thickening more than you like, lower the heat and cover the pan completely. If it seems too thin and wet, remove the cover and cook at a faster boil. When the rice and lentils are fully cooked, turn off the heat. Stir in the scallions and grated cheese.

Serve in warm bowls, passing more cheese at the table.

Clam Chowder
By Annie Copps

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 17:06 PM +0000

I'm a New Englander through and through and ergo, I enjoy clam chowder. But with apologies to my mother, I'm offerng my own recipe for this comfort food classic. This recipe includes all the traditional ingredients of true New England clam chowder: It's rich and thick without being glunky because we've all had that bad bowl of glue.

Ingredients
7 pounds cherrystone clams, well-scrubbed and rinsed
3 cups water
4 strips bacon, finely chopped
1 medium Spanish onion, diced small
2 tablespoons flour
3 large red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 cup heavy cream

Directions
In a large soup pot over high heat, add clams to 3 cups water. Bring to a boil and cook just until clams open, about 10 minutes. Remove clams from broth and set aside. (Discard any clams that don't open.) Strain broth through a sieve lined with a coffee filter and set aside.

Clean your soup pot; then over medium-high heat, sauté bacon until it's browned and fat is rendered. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a paper towel. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat.

Add diced onion to the pot and sautê until translucent. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute, being careful not to brown. Whisk in reserved clam broth. Add potatoes and thyme, and simmer 10 minutes.

Remove clams from shells, reserving liquid, and chop roughly. Strain liquid; then add clams and liquid to the pot. Stir in parsley and cream and cook just long enough to heat clams through, about 3 minutes.

(Courtesy: Yankee Magazine)

___________________________________________________________
Annie B. Copps is a senior editor at Yankee Magazine. Annie oversees the magazine's food coverage, both as an editor and as a contributor of feature stories and columns.

Maitake Hot and Sour Soup
By Ming Tsai

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:15 PM +0000

In ancient times, maitake mushrooms were considered both precious and rare. (In fact, shoguns once traded them pound for pound with silver.) These days, they're considered a precious source of vitamins B1, B2, and D, as well as vegetable fiber and polysaccharides. Health benefits aside, maitakes have an amazing taste. The rich, woodsy flavor and the firm, meaty texture of the flesh make them the stand-out ingredient of any dish — including today’s dish! This is no ordinary hot and sour soup, as it uses the tart citrus of blood oranges. Let's get cooking!

Serves 4

Ingredients
5 slices ginger
2 onions, sliced
1 bunch scallions sliced thinly, separate white and green
4 ribs of celery sliced on bias
1 large head maitake, florets broken off and stem julienned
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
4 blood oranges, juiced
Juice of 2 lemons
3 tablespoons naturally brewed soy sauce
3 quarts chicken stock
Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
Canola oil

Directions
In a stockpot over medium-high heat coated lightly with oil, sauté the ginger, onions, scallion whites, and celery, then season. Add the maitake stems and sauté for 3 minutes. Season with white pepper, add orange juice, lemon juice, naturally brewed soy sauce, and chicken stock, and check for flavor. Add maitake florets, simmer, and reduce by 20%. Serve in large bowls garnished with scallion greens.

Drink pairing suggestion
Mas de la Dame Rose du Mas 2007
Provence, France

Taste: Subtle flavors of fresh berries and fennel with a flowery finish

Aroma: Fresh strawberries, peaches and roses

—Pairs nicely with barbecue, pesto pasta, salads, fish and grilled meat
—50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 20% Cinsault
—Certified organic (Agriculture Biologique) by Qualite France

__________________________________________________________________________________
Chef Ming Tsai is the host and executive producer of public television series Simply Ming. Each week, Simply Ming brings mouthwatering recipes inspired by the combination of East and West into homes across the US.

Bloody Mary Scallop Ceviche
By Ming Tsai

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:30 PM +0000

If you've ever eaten at a Korean restaurant, you’ve probably tasted kochu jang, a chile bean paste that packs more flavor in its pinkie than most condiments.

Today I’m using it in my master pair with one of the West’s top sauces, Worcestershire, another flavor monster. Together, they’re a force to be reckoned with, as you’ll see in today’s recipe: My Bloody Mary Scallop Ceviche. It brings one of my top drinks and one of my favorite appetizers together.

Serves 4

Ingredients
2 cups V-8 or tomato juice
3 tablespoons kochu jang
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup 1/4-inch-diced celery
1 shallot, minced
pinch celery salt
4 limes, 3 juiced, 1 reserved for garnish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 pound fresh Bay scallops, foot removed, rinsed, drained (or use quartered sea scallops)

Directions
In a large bowl, combine V-8, kochu jang, Worcestershire sauce, celery, shallot, celery salt and lime juice. Check flavor and season, if necessary. Add scallops and stir to combine. Cover and place in fridge for 10 minutes. Serve in chilled martini glasses garnished with lime wedge.

__________________________________________________________

Ming Tsai is the host and executive producer of public television series Simply Ming and chef/owner of Blue Ginger restaurant in Wellesley, Mass.

Miso Butter Pork Udon Noodles
By Ming Tsai

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:23 PM +0000

One of the most satisfying meals I’ve ever had was a big bowl of Japanese udon noodles topped with—are you ready for this—miso butter. Yes, a combination of Japan’s traditional miso paste blended with our own very western butter. It’s a rich, savory marriage made in heaven—or nirvana—and today I’m am going to show you how to make it.

So without further ado, Miso-Butter Pork Udon Noodles, an all-in-one noodle dish that enhances one of my favorite duos, pork and apples. Let’s get cooking.

Serves 4

Ingredients
3 shallots, minced
1 pound ground naturally fed pork
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, white and green separated
1/2 cup mirin
2 quarts chicken stock
1 apple, skin on, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons shiro miso
1 pound fresh ramen noodles, blanched
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
Canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions
In a stockpot coated lightly with oil over medium high heat, saute shallots and pork. When pork is cooked through, add scallion whites and deglaze with mirin. Add chicken stock. Add apples and check for flavor. When simmering, whisk in miso over a strainer and check for flavor. Add ramen noodles and heat through. To serve, divide noodles and broth amongst 4 soup bowls and top each serving with scallion greens and pat of butter. Serve immediately.

__________________________________________________________
Ming Tsai is the host and executive producer of public television series Simply Ming and chef/owner of Blue Ginger restaurant in Wellesley, Mass.