Friday, January 30, 2009

4 Recipe #43: Azorean Kale Soup (Vegetarian Version)

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The other day I got inspired after watching Anthony Bourdain's "No Reservations." This particular episode featured the regional cuisine of the Azores, a small chain (or archipelago) of islands off the coast of Portugal.

(As fate would have it, I was actually supposed to visit these islands on a business trip several years ago, but through some long convoluted story that'll have to wait for another time, didn't get the chance to go. So it was nice to live vicariously through Tony to see what I'd missed. :) It was a beautiful place & maybe some day I'll visit, but for now, there are other places to see that take precedence on my "must-see-urgently-or-else" checklist.)

Anyhow, let's get back to food. This soup is hearty & rich, while still being healthy & relatively low-fat. It's the perfect thing to serve on those those bone-chilling days of winter when all you & your family want to do is get toasty by the fire & warm up with a nice, satisfying bowl of soup! It will no doubt taste especially wonderful accompanied by a chunk of rustic wholewheat, multi-grain, or dark-flour bread like rye or pumpernickel. :)

Kale soup is something of a specialty in Portugal. However, the mainland typically prepares kale soup as a purée, instead of the traditional Azorean style, i.e., the much more rustic, "chunks-o'-veggies" type of preparation. The Azores also have a very distinct geography & culture of their own, (i.e., there were many visitors to the islands & over the years, many of these travellers from far-away lands became permanent settlers), & this is reflected in their food as well. The cultural influences of the Azores have created a virtual "potpourri" of diverse traditions on its various islands.

And not surprisingly, as island dwellers, the Azorean people also cook with a lot of seafood/shellfish. On that note, I bet this soup would also taste good as a fish chowder. Hmmm, maybe with some cod & lemon juice. Anyhow....

At first, I looked on the web for a decent vegetarian version of this soup, but couldn't find any versions that I liked. Most of the vegetarian versions I found seemed to stray from the traditional preparation, minus the "oink" ingredients of course. :)

It was very important to me to preserve the essence of this traditional soup, & at my first go, not try to get too creative until first finding a basic recipe that I knew worked well. After all, I was seeking an authentic first experience, or as much as could possibly be done using vegetarian ingredients, & without first having to hop a plane to the Azores to get it. ;-)

So, as usual, since I couldn't find anything out there that fit the bill, I created my own vegetarian version from scratch, paying close attention to the use of authentic Azorean-style ingredients as closely as I could. In other words, I tried to keep the soup as traditional as possible, with the notable exception of the usual "oink-fest" (of chourico/linguica, pork shoulder bone broth, etc.) that typically is so common & prodigious to this dish, as well as to most Spanish, Latin American, & Portuguese food in general. :)

Anyhow, this soup might've started out with very humble origins, but its many complex flavors give it a sophistication all its own. Anyhow, enough blabbing; here's the recipe. :)


Just made the above-pictured soup fresh for dinner tonight. Happily, it was a huge hit in our household.

Check out that rising steam, eh!? In this gigantic pot, it looks like this soup could serve an army of 500! ;-) Am going to refrigerate part of it & freeze the rest for later use.


Azorean Kale Soup (Vegetarian Version)

Ingredients:
1 red onion, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 carrot (about 1/2 a cup), chopped
1 celery stalk (about 1/2 a cup), chopped
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (i.e., approximate measurement; as usual, I just eyeballed it instead of using exact measurements. ;-) )
1/2 - 1 c. red wine (Note: I personally prefer to use closer to 2-3 cups of decent red table wine, & have even been known to use up to a half a bottle at times in soup recipes, but of course it's a matter of personal taste. If you are going to use more wine, please allow for additional cooking time, as using larger quantities considerably extends the amount of time it will take to reduce the alcohol in the soup! Also, I wouldn't recommend using Cabernets or Merlots. The former is too "woody" & the latter is often way too sharp & acidic. A nice mellow red, i.e., not too acidic or dry, will do the trick nicely.)
2 red potatoes, boiled & then peeled & cut into small chunks
1 c. dried yellow split peas (i.e., yellow lentils)
8 c. water (or more)
2 cups (or more of) kale, roughly chopped (Note: Pre-washed & pre-chopped kale in 16 oz. bags can be purchased in many grocery stores. I usually toss the whole bag in. It's actually not too much because, like spinach, the kale cooks down to a much smaller amount.)
1 15.5 oz. can kidney beans
3 vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped (about 16 oz.)
3 large bay leaves
1-2 dried red chilis, crushed
salt & pepper, to taste

If using dried, about 1 Tbsp. of each of the following:
thyme leaves
oregano leaves
parsley leaves

(IMPORTANT NOTE: If you've got fresh spices, then all the better. A word of caution: Since fresh spices are typically much more potent/pungent, it's usually best to go easy at first when adding them into your soup. After all, you can always add more as you go along. Plus, should your soup need more ingredients, water, or spices, there's plenty of time to add more while the soup's cooking. :) Of course, it's always easier to add flavor than to take it away. :) Otherwise, you might have to make a whole lot more soup to even everything out! LOL.)

Directions:
1. Thoroughly wash & then soak yellow split peas (i.e., lentils) over night. To speed up process, you can soak them in a boiling water. I like to boil water in a kettle & then just pour the boiling water over top. If you put them in a sauce pot with a lid, it helps soften the lentils even faster.
2. Put chopped onion, garlic, celery, & carrots into a large (& very deep) pot. (And I mean large!) Use the largest pot you can find, preferably one with two handles (i.e., like the one in the picture). (These type of two-handled pots are also commonly known as "dutch ovens.") Drizzle with olive oil & cook on medium-heat until translucent (about 10+ minutes or so). Stir frequently to avoid ingredients sticking to the bottom of the pot &/or burning.
3. Add all spices next & stir a few times to mix in well.
4. Add red wine & stir to deglaze bottom of sauce pot. Bring to a boil & then reduce by half. After wine is reduced, feel free to add a bit more water if necessary. It's important to keep enough liquid in the pot to avoid burning.
5. Meanwhile, boil (unpeeled) potatoes in salted water in a separate sauce pot for about 15 minutes, or until skin is soft & potato flesh is semi-soft. Drain, peel, chop into 1 inch pieces, & then put aside. (If potatoes are too hot to handle, it helps to run them under cold tap water, or give them an ice bath. This also makes the potatoes easier to peel.)
6. Add soaked lentils & remaining water to soup. Cook for another 20 minutes or so.
7. Add kale, kidney beans, & (cooked, peeled, & diced) potatoes to soup. Cook approximately another 10 minutes or so.
8. Add chopped tomatoes & cook another 10-15 minutes.

Yield: Unknown. Yep, I'm being serious. :) Didn't take the time to measure this, as I was too preoccupied with getting dinner ready to pay any mind to this sort of stuff. Might update this after we've finished the soup. Will let you know. Let's just say, it could easily feed a family of 10 for dinner. :) That being said, probably best to dole out however many portions you need & freeze the rest for future meals. You know, on those days you don't feel like cooking. When you'd rather just defrost & reheat. ;-)

Serving Suggestions: Shred asiago or parmesan cheese & sprinkle on top of hot soup. And if you'd like to have a chunk of bread to go with your soup, I recommend loaves of rustic wholewheat, multi-grain, or dark-flour bread like rye or pumpernickel. Even sourdough might work. However, please note, this is not the type of soup that takes kindly to wimpy slices of bread. :) That kind of stuff will just disintegrate into the soup like "bird-bites" thrown into a pond at a duck feeding. And heaven forbid you use that pre-sliced & over-processed commercial stuff. Yes, I am talking about those thinly sliced packages of whole wheat & white bread & the like. And don't even get me started on the sugar & nutritional content issues I have with many of these types of breads & their ilk. Hell, bake your own bread if you must, but absolutely NO white bread please, or I might have to reach out from cyberspace & smack some sense into you myself. :) Not that I feel strongly about it or anything. LOL.

You see, using this sort of flimsy bread would totally ruin the total eating experience & really, the whole point of enjoying this soup. I really don't care if I sound like the "soup nazi." There's very clearly a right & a very wrong way to serve this soup. This soup is meant to be "rustic peasant food," but we are talking old-style Portuguese connotations here. And so, it needs a rustic bread to accompany it. End of statement.

Alternative Preparation Ideas: If you add cod & lemon juice, you could have a nice fish chowder; haven't tried it yet, but knowing what I do about soup bases, it'd probably be rather tasty. Or, you could try adding clams or mussels. This soup would probably also make a great minestrone. All it needs is pasta. :) Or, alternatively, you could use white potatoes instead of red, & drop the carrots, which'd take some of the natural sweetness out of the soup. (Don't get me wrong; it's not like you're drinking liquid candy, OK? The soup still has an overall savory taste to it.) And there's yet another way of making this soup.

Chef's Notes: Please note, that unlike many of the recipes listed here in this blog, this is not a quick-prep type of soup. So make sure you give yourself enough time to make this soup, especially if you plan to serve it for lunch or dinner in the same day & still get other stuff done. :) It takes atleast 15 minutes of prep time & at a bare minimum, at least another 30-45 minutes of cooking time. This is the kind of soup you probably want to make on the weekends, when you'll have plenty of time to cook in a more leisurely fashion, or at least have enough time to cook it & refrigerate it for serving later that week. Of course, you can always freeze it, if you'd like to have it several weeks or months later. (Best to date frozen soups & put in a freezer-burn-proof container.)

And lastly, as Gordon Ramsey likes to say, any competent chef worth his or her salt MUST taste their food. This is especially important when making soup. So get in there & start sipping at various stages to make sure your soup has been flavored properly & has the right consistency. If not, there are several tricks you can use to correct both of these factors. I'm not going to go into those tips in detail here at the moment, but if you need additional cooking tips regarding this recipe, you are welcome to leave your comments & questions at the end of this post & I'll do my best to provide additional advice/guidance. Thanks & enjoy!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

0 Learn More About Southern Indian Cuisine

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To learn more about Southern Indian cuisine, check out the following video:

Gourmet's "Diary of a Foodie" - Episode 21 - Southern India: The Spice of Life

The above episode features food writer, Shoba Nayaran, who is from Bangalore.

(Click here if you wish to view the original Gourmet website.)

Monday, January 26, 2009

2 A Great Discovery: "Madhuran's Eggless Cooking... Eggless Yet Tasty!"

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As most of you who regularly follow this blog already know, I am a HUGE fan of Indian food/cooking. Only in India could someone come up with the expression that "the best dishes contain atleast 56 distinct flavors." :)

So those of you who are likewise fans of food from the Subcontinent will probably likewise be happy to discover the following site, Madhuram's Eggless Cooking, which has since been added to my blogroll under the category, "Indian" (recipes). This site has some amazing recipes, all of which happen to be vegan. However, you don't have to be a vegan to appreciate/enjoy these dishes. :)

And, while you're at it, you might be interested to check out the other wonderful Indian recipe sites listed on my blog roll, which I've decided to reprint below for your convenience.

Indian:
Bawarchi (GREAT site!)
Bohra Recipes
Cuisine Cuisine
Food India
I-Child Cookbook
Knowledge Hunter
Krsna Prasadam
Madhuram's Eggless Cooking
Recipe Delights
Sailu's Kitchen
Suvir Suran's Recipes
Vah Reh Vah

Cheers,
-C

Sunday, January 25, 2009

0 Recipe #42: Minestrone di Verdure alla Toscana (Tuscan Vegetable Minestrone)

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Minestrone di Verdure alla Toscana (Tuscan Vegetable Minestrone)

Ingredients:
1/2 c. dry, uncooked macaroni, mini shells, or acini de pepe
4-6 c. lightly salted water, seasoned with a drop of extra virgin olive oil (for boiling pasta)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. yellow onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
2 large garlic cloves, peeled & minced
1/2 c. baby carrots, sliced into rounds (about 12 baby carrots)
1/2 c. celery (about 1/2 stalk), chopped
1 large bay leaf
1/2 c. red wine
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, julienned (about 6 large leaves)
2 Tbsp. fresh flat leaf parsley, finely minced
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano, leaves only (about 1 sprig)
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, leaves only (about 8 springs)
1/2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, leaves only, finely minced (about 1/2 sprig)
1 tsp. dried marjoram leaves
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
8 c. water or low-sodium vegetable stock
1 c. red-skinned potatoes, skins intact, scrubbed & cubed (about 1 small potato)
1 c. zucchini, cut into rounds & then quartered (about 1 small zucchini)
1 1/2 c. raw green cabbage, shredded
4 vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
1-6 oz. can of tomato paste
1 c. canned kidney beans, drained & washed
16 oz. fresh raw spinach (pre-cooked) (makes about 1 c. cooked)
1/2 c. raw green beans, snapped (destemmed) & cut into thirds (about 12 green beans)
ground black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
Asiago cheese shavings (Vegans can substitute with a sharp-tasting, vegan imitation cheese.)

Directions: Cook 1/2 c. pasta in lighted salted water, seasoned with a drop of olive oil to prevent pasta from sticking together, until al dente. Cooking time varies depending on pasta type/brand, so follow package instructions. (Barilla brand macaroni takes about 9-11 minutes.) Then drain, & set aside. While pasta is cooking, sauté the onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil on low-heat in a large sauce pot (i.e., 8 qts. or larger) until soft. Season with a small pinch salt to reduce faster. Add bayleaf. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pot for about 3 minutes on high heat. Make sure to scrape off any ingredients still sticking to the bottom of the pot. Next, add all fresh & (remaining) dried herbs. (Do not add salt & pepper at this stage.) Cook for another  minute, and then add the chicken stock. Stir well. Next, add potatoes, and cook for another few minutes, until they just start to soften (but are still somewhat firm to the touch). Next, add zucchini, cabbage, tomatoes, and tomato paste, and continue to cook until ingredients start to soften. Then add kidney beans, spinach, and green beans. Green beans are put in last because they should still retain a bit of their crunch when the soup is served. (There's nothing worse than mushy green beans!) Taste the soup at various stages of cooking, and adjust seasonings accordingly; this should also help you avoid overcooking the vegetables. (Vegetables should retain their color and have a consistency much like lightly steamed vegetables.) When finished, remove from heat and set aside. Remove bayleaf, season with salt & pepper to taste, and combine with cooked pasta, mixing thoroughly. Ladle soup into bowls, adding Asiago cheese shavings while soup is still hot (causing the cheese to melt). Garnish each bowl with the tender shoots (the tops) of a rosemary sprig.

Yield: Makes approximately 8 qts. of soup.

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