Creamy Asparagus Soup

Ever since I got my food processor, I am convinced that I can turn anything into a soup.  I had 2 pounds of asparagus and a half box of mushrooms left over from an event last Friday, and I thought to myself, why not whiz this up with some broth and cream and see what happens! The result? A soup mug full of creamy delight! 

Creamy Asparagus Soup

Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes

* Since this was for a quick weekday supper, and I was starving, I didn't bother cutting off the tips and reserving them for garnish.  Nor did I run the soup through a sieve.  Since we are being honest, I didn't add vermouth either, because I didn't have any on hand.  But it still tasted amazing!  Okay, fine. Maybe I didn't even do the recipe. I just copied and pasted the picture from the website. JUST KIDDING!! I diiiidddd.... hehe.   

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs asparagus, trimmed of woody stem bottoms
1 large yellow onion, chopped (1 1/2 to 2 cups chopped)
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup water
Leaves of 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp dry vermouth
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper


METHOD
1 Cut tips from the asparagus 1 1/2 inches from top and halve tips lengthwise if thick. Reserve for garnish. Chop the remaining asparagus stalks into 1/4-inch rounds.

2 Melt the butter in a 4 to 5 quart pot on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped asparagus (not the spear tips) to the onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Cook another 5 minutes.



3 Add the broth, water, and thyme to the pot. Increase the heat to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer, covered, until the asparagus are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. At the end of cooking, stir in the chopped parsley.

4 While the soup is cooking, blanche the asparagus tips in a small pot of boiling, salted water (about 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt per quart of water), until the tips are just tender, about 2-4 minutes, depending on the size of the asparagus. Drain. Rinse with cool water to stop the cooking. Set aside.



5 Use an immersion blender to blend the soup until smooth. (If you use an upright blender, work in small batches, fill no more than a third the blender bowl at a time, and hold down the lid while blending.) For a creamy texture, if you want, press the puréed soup through a sieve or food mill. Stir in the cream. Stir in the vermouth and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with asparagus tips. 
Yield: Serves 4-6.

Veganication - Teaching at the Whole Foods Tribeca Wellness Club

I know I can sometimes be a little bratty when it comes to cooking vegetarian.  The truth is, I'm actually starting to warm up to other realms of protein.  It doesn't always have to be riblets and lamb chops at the dinner table.  Sometimes, especially after yoga, you'll see me indulge in a big bowl of bulgar salad, or a nice winter squash hash accompanied with a nice seitan steak (mleh, not really. That actually sounds really gross).  

You'll most likely find me flex my veggie muscles while teaching my Wellness Class at the Whole Foods Tribeca.  It is there where I teach students how to make tasty vegan Cambodian treats without using any of my usual decadent ingredients (such as bacon and butter). Below are my favorite recipes!  

Hot and Sour Soup

5 Cups Vegetable stock

1 large Jalepeno  

2 Stalks of Lemongrass — smashed

4 Kaffir Lime Leaves — Bruised 

4 Cloves of Garlic

2 tablespoons of Soy Sauce

1 tablespoon Agave Nectar

Juice of One Lemon

4 oz Oyster Mushrooms — Coarsely Separated 

1 bunch of Cilantro

Directions

Add lemongrass, kafir lime leaves, garlic to vegetable stock and allow to simmer for ten minutes.  Add the mushrooms,soy sauce, agave nectar and lemon juice and simmer, stirring well until the mushrooms are just cooked but still al dente. Pour into a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.

Cambodian Tempeh Lettuce Wraps

Sauce

¼ cup lime juice

2 tbs agave

2 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

1 Tbs. rice vinegar

Filling

2 8-oz. pkg. plain tempeh, broken into chunks

1 Tbs. vegetable oil

2 Tbs. minced fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

¼ cup lime juice

2 Tbs. chopped shallots

1 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

1 Tbs. rice vinegar

2 tbs. agave

1 tsp. chile sauce, such as sriracha

Toppings and Wraps

½ lb. green beans, thinly sliced

2 cups bean sprouts

1 cucumber, peeled into thin strips

1 large carrot, shredded

Fresh mint, cilantro, and basil

18 whole large lettuce leaves

½ cup chopped peanuts

1. Sauce: whisk together all ingredients in small bowl.

2. Filling: Coarsely crumble tempeh. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Add tempeh and broth, cover, and cook 
5 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and cook 10 minutes, or until liquid has evaporated. Stir in remaining ingredients.

3. Mound vegetables, herbs, and tempeh mixture on platter. Let diners fill lettuce leaves with Filling and Toppings. Serve with bowls of Sauce and peanuts.

  

Extreme Makeover: Risotto Edition

Egad, it is the beginning of December and it was only 56 degrees outside last night.  In my early years, I would have been gallivanting around town like a stilletoed banshee thirsty for fancy fizzy drinks, savoring the unseasonable warm(ish) nights that has been gifted to us before we had to endure the inevitable violent winters ahead. But since I passed the big 3-0 mark,  my desire for urban exploits are now limited to only culinary adventures that will allow me to remain nestled comfortably within the confines of my own toasty kitchen, wearing my favorite fuzzy pink socks. 

I had a ton of shiitake mushrooms left over from the last dinner party I hosted, so I thought to myself, why not finally try to make risotto?  I've seen it done multiple times on my favorite food competition shows, but never tried to do it myself. The ingredients were basic pantry staples, so all I needed was to purchase the abboro rice.  

Don't throw away the stems! Use them to flavor
 your broth!

Why I waited so long to make this dish, is beyond me.  The preparation was fairly easy and the result was beautiful and complex.  The trick is to keep it simple! Use beautiful, fresh, fragrant ingredients and let them do their thannng. Have left overs? The next day, mix in more parmesan cheese, panko and eggs, drop into hot oil.  Serve with a delicate poached egg, boom. Brunch. 

Shiitake Mushroom Risotto 

Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp butter
2 cups flavorful mushrooms such as shiitake, chanterelle, or oyster mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and cut into half inch to inch pieces
2/3 cup brandy, vermouth, or dry white wine
5-6 cups chicken stock* (use vegetable stock for vegetarian option)
1/3 cup of peeled and minced shallots (OR 1/3 cup of yellow or white onion, finely chopped)
1 3/4 cups arborio rice or other risotto rice
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or chives
*If cooking gluten-free, use homemade stock or gluten-free packaged stock.

METHOD
1 Bring stock to a simmer in a saucepan.

2 Melt the butter in a deep, heavy, medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and shallots and sauté about 5 minutes (if using chanterelles, dry sauté first for a minute or two and let the mushrooms cook in their own juices before adding the butter). Add the rice and stir to combine.

3 Add brandy, bring to a boil, and reduce liquid by half, about 3-4 minutes. Add simmering stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring enough to keep the rice from sticking to the edges of the pan. Stir the rice almost constantly — stirring sloughs off the starch from the rice, making the creamy sauce you're looking for in a risotto. Wait until the stock is almost completely absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. This process will take about 25 minutes. The rice should be just cooked and slightly chewy.

4 Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or chives.

Yield: Serves 4-6.

Crispy Risotto Cake with 

Poached Egg

Ingredients

Leftover Risotto

3 Eggs

2 cups of Panko

1 cup of Parmesan Cheese, Shredded

Canola Oil 

Chopped parsley for garnish

1. Pour oil in skillet, at lease 1 inch deep.  Turn pan on High/Medium. 

2. Mix risotto with 1 egg, 1/2 cup of panko, and cheese, form into patties.

3. Spread the rest of panko on a flat plate, and whip two eggs in another bowl.

4. First dip patty in egg, then coat with panko, gently place patties in skillet with oil.  Repeat with other patties. Make sure you don't crowd your pan.  Flip once one side is brown. Lay patties on plate layered with two paper towels and keep in a warm oven until ready to serve. 

5. Top with poached egg. Sprinkle with parsley, serve immediately.    

Deep Fried Avocado

I had no idea which direction this dish was going to take.

I just made the plunge (literally, in oil) 

and crossed my fingers praying that 

it doesn't turn into greasy mush.  

You see, when you own a deep fryer, you have a tendency to adapt this way of thinking.  This tastes amazing on its own, 

but seriously... 

What would it taste like deep fried??

It may turn out to be a disaster, 

but, in my experience,the successes were always worth the risk. 

Luckily, my attempt resulted in a big win.  

The heat made the avocado nice and creamy in the inside

and the oil made the panko breading extra crispy on the outside. 

I like to reuse my oil, so each bite had 

remnants of fried chicken as well. Big win. 

Deep Fried Avocado
Serves 2 (as side dishes)
Recipe adapted from Food Republic

For the optimal deep fried avocado experience, it must be accompanied with a sauce.  You can go either way with this.  If you want to shoot for a savory dish, try serving it with my garlic tomato sauce. If you are feeling a bit adventurous and want to serve this as a dessert, I dare you to serve it with vanilla ice cream and powder sugar. Double dog dare you. 

2 large avocados
1 cup of all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, beaten
2 cups of panko
Kosher salt for sprinkling
Oil for frying

1. Slice avocados in half and remove the pit. 

2. Cut each half into three slices and peel off the skin.

3. Dredge each wedge in flour, then soak in egg (leave it in for a few seconds to allow the egg to stick to the flour), roll in breadcrumbs and place on a tray or platter.

4. Preheat fryer to 350F.

5. Fry avocado wedges in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the fryer. Remove after 5 minutes, or when they're golden-brown and crisp-looking.

6. Drain on several layers of paper towels, sprinkle with salt and serve with your favorite dipping sauce. 

Help, Batman! I'm Drowning in Vegetables!

Like Batman, I received a distress message
and was summoned to Brooklyn. 

Clara Mae James had bought a beautiful summer veggie 

basket from Llama Mamma Good Farm and was having 

trouble coming up with meals incorporating  

all of her green goodies. 

Once I arrived and laid eyes on the bright yellow squash, 

fresh fragrant thyme, and green zucchini,
I knew exactly what I wanted to make. 

"Ratatouille!"

"I love ratatouille!"

"Then we shall make ratatouille, Robin!"

"Huh?"

"Let's get started!"

Perplexed 

Pop! Bam! Pow! Punches of color!

Clara Mae James gracefully checking the cupboards for spices

 Maple Syrup screams pork dish.

At the Market to get odds and ends

Clara Mae James checking out the sales
in my bat mobile 

We are incapable of shopping like normal people.

The plan of attack?
Mix the sweetness of maple syrup with the savory flavors of Asia!  

Would you like some wine with your pork?

Presentation is one of the key
 ingredients of Ratatouille!

So, make it pretty!

Time to get saucy!

Collard Green wrapped Maple Soy Pork Tenderloins
p.s. I absolutely LOVE this plate.

Ratatouille with
Garlic Tomato Sauce 

serves 4

I wasn't crazy about the collards as a wrapping for the pork. It was a little too tough for this recipe. Being a southern gal, I like my collards nice and tender. Next time, I will use a green that requires less time to cook, like spinach.  When I revisit this dish, I will make sure to post! 

2 zucchini, thinly sliced

2 yellow squash

2 tablespoons of crushed thyme

1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, shredded 

1/2 cup of olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

1 can of crushed tomatoes

1/2 head of garlic, minced

1/2 yellow onion diced

1 tablespoons of crushed thyme

1 tablespoon of red pepper flakes 

salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Arrange 1 layer of zucchini and squash in baking dish.

2. Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme and cheese. 

3. Add another layer of squash and zucchini.  Drizzle with more oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme, and cheese. 

4. Insert tray into oven and allow to cook for approximately 40 minutes.  

5. In a medium size saucepan over med/high heat, drizzle olive oil and add garlic and diced onion.  

6. Once fragrant, add thyme, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Saute. 

7. Add crushed tomatoes and liquid.  Cover and allow to simmer for ten minutes. Serve with Ratatouille. 

Roasted Cumin Cheddar Red Potatoes

I concocted this recipe last night and decided to share.

Why?

It was outrageously awesome and EASY!  

Here is what happened. 

I had a half block of sharp cheddar cheese left over from 

Peppers Stuffed with Fiesta Turkey  night and since I had a craving for something cheesy, I knew that I wanted to use it. 

While rummaging through my pantry, 

a potato rolled out of nowhere and fell on my left toe.

 Once the pain subsided, I knew immediately that I needed to avenge my toe and eat this potato, along with his friends.   

  

Plain loaded baked potatoes bore me... okay, let's be real. 

Loaded baked potatoes are never boring.  

I didn't have any bacon in the fridge.  

As an alternative, I decided to do roasted potatoes 

drenched in a thunderstorm of cheddar cheese and

Southwest is the Best spice mix. 

Roasted Cumin Cheddar Red Potatoes

Serves 2 

When served as a heaping side

4 medium sized red potatoes, quartered

Canola oil, enough to lightly dress the potatoes

1 cup of sharp cheddar, shredded 

2 tablespoons of Southwest is the Best spice mix

salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2. Place potatoes on baking sheet and drizzle with oil

3. Sprinkle potatoes with Southwest is the Best spice mix and salt. 

4. Toss. 

5. Once oven is heated, place potatoes in oven. Leave in oven for 

40 minutes. 

6.  After 40 minutes are up,sprinkle potatoes with cheddar and toss. Return potatoes in oven. Let cook for another 10 minutes. 

7. Allow to cool for 5 minutes (or not :)). Serve!  

Thrifty Thursday - Vegetarian Edition!

Black Bean, Mushroom & Zucchini Quesadilla with Mango & Avocado Pico De Gallo

I very rarely cook vegetarian dinners. I've always felt that a meal isn't complete unless there was a slab of something on the plate. Nevertheless, when a veggie enthusiast friend challenged me to do a vegetarian friendly Thrifty Thursday, I just had to accept!

That being said, it would be false to claim that I embarked on this meatless journey with intense enthusiasm. On the contrary, I knew I had to have a plan B before I laid one trepidatious hand on my newly purchased blazingly green produce. With curved fingers, perfectly sculpted for hamburger holding, I dialed the number to my favorite pizzeria and ordered a  slice of pepperoni pizza to be put on standby. There was no way a couple of beans and an avocado was going to satisfy my manlike appetite.

To my surprise, the final product was like a breath of fresh air for the intestines. The flavors were light, cool and crisp. Also, with the addition of mushrooms, it tasted like meat's distant step cousin was sprinkled in each bite.  In the end, I honestly did not miss the meat and my stomach was satisfied.  As for my pepperoni slice? It remained in the fridge and was later consumed the next morning.

   

Ingredients
Serves 2, $5.01 per person*

* I know that the receipt says $14.02, but I bought a chocolate bar to snack on while I was shopping and bananas to snack on my way home. Manlike appetite. 

What I already had

  2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
  1 tbls sour cream
  1/2 head of garlic
  1 zucchini, diced
  1/2 medium sized onion, diced
  Grapeseed oil
  1 tablespoons of butter
  Cayenne, Paprika, Salt and Pepper

What I bought

    1 avocado
     1 mango
  1 bunch of cilantro (you really only need a 1/2)
  1 block of monterey jack cheese (I shredded half)
  1 can of black beans
  1 lime
  1 jalapeno, diced
  1 carton of mushrooms (used and chopped half)
  1 package of whole wheat tortillas (I used 4)

Directions

1. Dice avocado, mango and seeded plum tomatoes.  Add into a bowl.  Toss in chopped cilantro leaves.  Dress salad with the juice from one lime, a pinch of salt and two minced garlic cloves.  Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

2. Heat a tablespoon of grapeseed oil in a skillet.  Once hot, add diced onions and garlic until fragrant. Next, add diced zucchini, chopped mushrooms and diced jalepeno.  Once the mushrooms are slightly browned and zucchini is soft add drained black beans.  Season with cayenne, paprika, salt and pepper to taste. Allow to simmer for about 5 minutes on medium heat.  Set aside once cooked through.

3. Melt 2 teaspoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the skillet, sprinkle evenly with cheese, then top with some of the bean mixture. Place another tortilla on top, cook until golden, then flip and cook on the other side. Melt more butter as needed, and repeat with remaining tortillas and filling. Top with reserved pico de gallo and serve with a dollop of sour cream.