Thai Sweet Potato Soup

I've been really negligent. Last posting was back in February. I'd love to say that many wonderful, exciting things have been keeping me from posting, but it's just regular ol' life. Bad blogger...bad, bad blogger.

But, the good news is, I've been cooking quite a bit! I've got a few recipes and other information I'm hoping to catch up on, so here we go...

Believe it or not I do make more things than soup, but given the season, I thought I'd tiptoe back into the water with a wonderful little concoction that was inspired by a package of store-bought Pacific brand Thai Sweet Potato Soup.

I first tried a carton of this that I found at my local grocers. The velvety tanginess of the interplay between sweet potatoes and lemongrass intoxicated me, and I knew that I would have to try to make it. After looking around, I found a recipe that sounded pretty close, so I used that as a jumping off point, and added my own spin to it.

Thai Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 6 cups Vegetable Stock (eliminate the mushrooms and broccoli stems, and add in 2 stalks lemongrass, peeled, trimmed and cut into 3" long pieces and 1 T cardomom pods)
• 2 pounds sweet potatoes, roasted, peeled and diced (divide in half)
• 2 T fresh ginger, minced
• 1 med onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and cut into 3-4 inch lengths, divided
• 1 can Coconut milk
• Chili Paste
• Curry Paste (I used powder)
• Brown Sugar
• olive or vegetable oil
• Lime (optional)
• Cilantro or Thai Basil (optional)

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Preheat oven to 400 and roast 2 # sweet potatoes for 40 min (or until easily pierced with fork). Peel and finely cube them. Set 1/2 of the cubed sweet potatoes aside.

Soup

1. In stockpot, sauté onions, garlic and ginger in olive or vegetable oil until translucent
2. Add lemongrass, stock and half of the sweet potatoes and bring to  boil, then reduce to simmer for 10-15 minutes
3. Remove lemongrass stalks and set aside (we’ll add them in again)
4. Using immersion blender or food processor, puree the soup mixture until smooth
5. Add coconut milk, 2-3 teaspoons of curry paste/powder, 1-2 teaspoons of chili paste and 1-2teaspoons brown sugar. Blend together, taste and adjust seasonings (Warning: Curry paste/powder and chili paste tend to start off relatively mild, then increase in flavor/spiciness over time. My first attempt I forgot this, and got a soup that was nearly too spicy to eat after the flavors had a chance to develop).
6. Add in remaining sweet potatoes and re-add lemongrass
7. Bring to boil, then reduce and let simmer for 30 minutes
8. Remove lemongrass stalks and discard. Serve soup garnished with fresh lime and cilantro or Thai basil

Enjoy this with some nice crusty bread or an Asian-inspired salad.

What the Pho?

I admit it...I've been a little obsessed with Pho (pronounced "fuh") of late. Ever since I saw one of the Top Chef cheftestants make it, I've been wanting to try it. I found a vegan recipe of Pho online, but since I hadn't actually tasted it anywhere, wanted to wait till I had tried it before I tried making it. So, I found the website Pho Fever and searched for restaurants in Indianapolis that serve this tasty Vietnamese noodle soup, and so far I've only tried two of them. But I'm in love with this flavorful, aromatic bowl of yumminess! I must say that I do enjoy the traditional beef version, however since I'm trying to be supportive of my vegan wife, here's the version for the non-meat-eaters:

Pho (serves 4)


Broth

• 8 cups Vegetable Stock
• 3 Tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce (you can use the full sodium variety, or substitute Bragg's liquid amino's)
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 inch gingerroot, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise pods
• 2 large bay leaves

Soup Ingredients

• 1 lb rice noodles
• 8 oz. seitan or tofu, drained and cut into bite size pieces OR
• 1 sliced portabella mushroom
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves (stems removed)
• 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (stems removed)
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 1 green chile or jalapeno pepper, sliced thin
• 1 lime cut into wedges
• Sriracha Sauce
• Soy Sauce
• Hoisin Sauce

1. Place Vegetable Stock, Soy Sauce, garlic, ginger and onion into large stock pot and bring to low boil
2. Once broth comes to a boil, reduce to simmer and add cinnamon, anise and bay leaves. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, then remove the solids with fine mesh skimmer or slotted spoon (or strain broth through strainer)
3. In separate sauce pan, bring 4 cups water to boil, then turn heat off and add rice noodles. Stir frequently until they are tender. Drain and divide them into 4 large bowls
4. Prepare seitan, tofu or mushrooms and layer them on top of noodles in bowls
5. Clean and prepare cabbage and scallions and layer in bowls on top of noodles and protein
6. Clean and de-stem Thai basil and cilantro, slice pepper and cut lime into wedges, and arrange onto a platter or in separate bowls with the bean sprouts
7. Making sure broth is steaming hot, ladle about 2 cups of broth over the noodles in each bowl. Serve immediately with the platter of garnishes and the Sriracha, Soy and Hoisin sauces. 
8. Each person flavors their own bowl with whichever garnishes they want, stirring the soup gently till ingredients "cook" in the broth. 

Be sure to squeeze a little lime in to give the soup a little zing! Oh, and you may want to just go ahead and double the recipe...I ended up using a bit more broth in each bowl 'cuz it's so tasty! Besides, it's really good the second day!

White Bean & Kale Soup

When I was a kid, my grandmother used to make a navy bean soup with ham. I used to look forward to that with some homemade cornbread dripping with butter. Nothing was better on a winter's day.


Even though this has been a mild January, I was inspired by that memory of my grandmother's soup this week, and started craving a different type of bean soup - White Bean and Kale. This perfect-for-winter soup is rich, hearty and goes well with cornbread, a good crusty roll or any other bread that you can use to sop up the wonderful broth. Plus, it smells amazing when cooked all day in the crock pot. Here's my vegan-style take on this Italian classic:


White Bean and Kale Soup





Ingredients:

• 1 pound dry cannellini beans (sorted and soaked overnight)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 2 small onions, coarsely chopped
• 2 cups carrots, coarsely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 cups vegetable stock
• 1 quart water
• 3 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 large bunch kale, stems and center ribs discarded, coarsely chopped

1. Heat olive oil in saute pan over medium high heat, and saute celery and onions together with one teaspoon of the salt till soft and fragrant (5 minutes)
2. Add garlic and saute for one minute
3. Place soaked beans, stock, water, the onion/celery/garlic mixture and the rest of the ingredients (EXCEPT the kale!) in the crock pot, give it a stir, cover and cook for 6-8 hours
4. Add the kale in for the last 15-20 minutes so that it becomes tender without overcooking
5. Adjust seasonings and enjoy with some good bread

If you don't have a crock pot, place ingredients in large stock pot. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce to simmer for about an hour  uncovered (until beans are tender). Add kale for last 15-20 minutes.

For non-vegans/vegetarians, add a good sized piece (2-3 inches) of Parmigianna cheese rind to the soup while it's cooking, and maybe add in some sliced, browned smoked sausage as well.

(Note: Like most soups, this is best if made a day or two ahead. Be sure to cool soup completely uncovered, then refrigerate covered. If the soup becomes too thick, you can thin it with a little water or vegetable stock.)

Vegan Spaghetti Squash Casserole

OK, I know the word "casserole" brings up visions of church basement suppers and family get-togethers, but this one has a little twist in that the shell of the spaghetti squash becomes the dish that it's served in. I saw a version of this topped with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives (Guy Fieri rocks!) and decided to give it a shot, with a vegan twist. It's a pretty easy recipe, and super-tasty!


Vegan Spaghetti Squash Casserole

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-to-large spaghetti squash
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 leek, sliced (white and green parts)
• 1 24 oz. jar vegan marinara sauce
• 1 cup vegan panko bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. With sharp knife, carefully cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds
3. Bake, cut-side down, on foil-lined cookie sheet for approx. 40 minutes (once you can pierce flesh with fork, it is done)
4. Let squash cool for approx. 10 minutes, then using fork, carefully scrape out "strands" of squash into a bowl moving from end to end, leaving about 1/4 inch of the squash in the shell (not only will this provide structure to the shells when they are being baked, but it's also very satisfying to scrape the "spaghetti" from the shell as you eat). Retain the squash shell halves.

5. In large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat
6. Saute garlic in oil until fragrant, taking care not to burn

7. Saute zucchini and mushrooms until just tender (approx. 5 minutes)

8. Add a dash of salt and diced red pepper and continue sautéing approx. 5 minutes

9. Add leeks and continue to saute until leeks soften and begin to wilt

10. Add in approx. 1 1/2 cups of marinara and toss till mixed

11. Add spaghetti squash and toss with vegetable mixture, adding just enough sauce to coat mixture and adding salt and pepper to taste

12. Divide mixture into squash shells, topping with remainder of marinara sauce

13. Mix panko bread crumbs with approx. 2 tablespoons of olive oil (panko should be moistened, but not mushy)
14. Spread bread crumb mixture over top of "casseroles" (sorry about the blurry photo - I was getting excited!)

15. Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes (panko bread crumbs should be golden brown and toasty and marinara should be bubbly)
16. Carefully remove each "casserole" to plates and enjoy! (no photos available - we ate it too fast!)

Brussels Sprouts Panini

I hope you took my recommendation to make extra brussels sprouts, because this is my favorite way to eat the leftovers! It's a very simple, healthy lunch served with a fresh salad.


Ingredients:

• 6" baguette, italian roll or other crusty bread
• 1 cup leftover Brussels Sprouts
• 2 slices Provolone cheese
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Cooking spray

Preheat a sandwich press or panini grill to medium high. Slice bread in half lengthwise and drizzle with olive oil. Place 2 slices of Provolone cheese on bread, then arrange brussels sprouts on top of cheese. Press sandwich lightly with your hands, then place on grill sprayed with cooking spray. Close sandwich press and grill for 3-4 minutes, remove and slice in half on diagonal. Yum!

The BEST Brussels Sprouts

I admit it...brussels sprouts used to freak me out. Don't get me wrong, I've always LOVED these tasty little morsels, even as a kid. I used to pretend that I was eating miniature cabbages.


What freaked me out was this - if bean sprouts grow up to be beans, and alfalfa sprouts grow up to be alfalfa, then what do brussels sprouts grow up to be? Also, I never had fresh brussels sprouts till I was an adult. I only had the frozen variety that you dumped in boiling water, or steamed in a microwave. Yet, I still loved them, preferably soaked in butter.


As an adult I've experimented with fresh brussels sprouts: steaming, roasting, sautéing, with bacon - they're all good, but this has been my favorite "go-to" recipe for a while.

(shown with roasted pepper quinoa)










Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (I use baby portabellas)
• 1 pound fresh brussels sprouts, trimmed, cleaned and cut in half
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup butter (optional)
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar (optional)
• Salt
• Coarse sea salt for garnish

In large skillet (with tight fitting lid), heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium high heat and saute onions till soft. Add mushrooms and saute for 3-4 minutes till soft. Reduce heat to medium and move onions and mushrooms to sides of skillet and place brussels sprouts, cut side down in skillet. Let them cook without turning for 2-3 minutes, or until they sear to a golden brown. Toss brussels sprouts and mushroom/onion mixture together, seasoning with salt for 2-3 minutes, then add the vegetable stock directly to the mixture and cover, allowing the mixture to steam for 5 minutes. Uncover, toss the mixture a few times (adding optional butter and cider vinegar) and serve garnished with a sprinkling of coarse sea salt.


Consider making a double order and use the rest for Brussels Sprouts Paninis!

Mise en Place

If you watch any cooking shows, eventually you'll hear a strange French term - Mise en Place (meez-on-plahs). This translates to "putting in place" or "everything in place." This simply refers to making sure your prep work is done before you start to cook - the meat and vegetables are cleaned, portioned or measured and cut to size, each in it's own separate container. The spices and dry ingredients are pre-measured and placed in small ramekins or cups. The oven and grill are preheated, the pans are heating. The oils, butters and stocks are all portioned out.


While some may say that this adds too much time to your already-over-scheduled life, not to mention all the extra containers that need to be cleaned up afterward, my experience has been that the effort is not only worth it, but it also saves time in the long run, and prevents discovering at the most inopportune moment that you are missing a crucial ingredient.


Like most home cooks, for a long time, my preferred method of cooking was to pull some things out of the fridge or pantry, set them on the counter and then start going. I figured I would wash, peel and chop vegetables as I needed them, and measure out ingredients on the fly. Inevitably I would discover I was low or completely out of an ingredient, requiring me to make a trip to the store while my half-cooked meal wilted on the stove, or I would just skip that ingredient. I would discover that I needed to wash and dry measuring utensils as I was going. Cooking became a chore, and the results were oftentimes less than desirable. Once I discovered the importance of making sure I had "everything in place" before I started cooking, the process was less stressful, and the results were fantastic!