Gourmet Meals in Crappy Little Kitchens
Page 6
1 English cucumber, medium dice
1 red onion, medium dice
6 Roma tomatoes, medium dice
1 green bell pepper, medium dice
1 jalapeno, seeded, small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
40 ounces tomato juice
¼ cup extra gold tequila
cup fresh squeezed lime juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 limes, cut into wedges
1 Mix all the ingredients together, except for the salt, pepper, and lime wedges, and chill for several hours until icy cold. Lightly puree half of the soup in a blender, and then add the rest and puree both portions together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
2 Serve cold with a lime wedge propped on the rim of each bowl of soup.
Did You Know This Crap?
Gazpacho originated in the Andalusia region of southern Spain. Usually prepared from a pureed mixture of fresh tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, onions, celery, cucumber, bread crumbs, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and sometimes lemon juice, gazpacho makes a perfect hot weather soup.
Tahitian-Style
Corn and Crab Soup
Yields 2 quarts (6 servings)
If possible, you can grill the corn on the cob, but in my Crappy Little Kitchen, I just roast it, because grilling on a crappy little fire escape is illegal! Don’t forget the squeeze of fresh lime at the end, it adds a spark of freshness to the finished product.
6 ears of corn, freshly shucked or 3 cups frozen corn kernels
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 garlic cloves, chopped
6 shallots, chopped
1 stem lemongrass, smashed with your chef’s knife
1 tablespoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
14 ounces lump crabmeat, save 6 nice size lumps for garnish
1 teaspoon shaved palm sugar or light brown sugar
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup coconut milk, canned
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
2 limes, cut into wedges
1 Preheat your oven to 500°. Place your ears of corn on a sheet tray and roast them in the oven until all the kernels are bright yellow and some have begun to brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Allow them to cool completely and remove the kernels. If you use frozen corn, place the kernels directly on the sheet tray and roast as above.
2 In a 12-quart stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, and add the garlic, shallot, lemongrass, and ginger, stirring for 5 minutes. Add the roasted corn kernels, and, stirring often, allow the corn to cook for 15 minutes.
3 Add 12 ounces of crabmeat, palm sugar, vegetable stock, and coconut milk to the pot, and allow the mixture to come to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and cook the soup for another 45 minutes. Remove the lemongrass.
4 Use your blender to puree the soup, and then strain the soup into a pot over low heat. You’ll need to do this in batches. Discard what is left in the strainer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve the bisque hot, with a lump of crabmeat in the center, and squeeze a lime wedge over each bowl.
Wish I Was a Little
Bisque Taller
Yields 3 quarts (10 servings)
The dry sherry in this recipe adds a subtle dimension to this soup, elevating it to its gourmet status (feel free to substitute brandy if that’s what you have).
1 pound medium shrimp, shells on
1 tablespoon plus ½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup minced yellow onion
1 garlic clove, minced
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ tablespoon Spanish paprika
¼ cup all-purpose flour
6 cups fish or vegetable stock
1¼ cups heavy cream
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons dry sherry
1 Set a large and a medium mixing bowl in front of you. Standing over the large bowl, peel the shrimp and drop the shells into the large bowl while placing the shrimp meat in the medium bowl. Run your paring knife down the back of the shrimp to expose the vein. Use the knife or your fingers to remove the vein, and throw it away.
2 Put your 12-quart stockpot over medium heat, and add 1 tablespoon of butter. When the butter has melted, add the peeled shrimp and cook them on both sides until they are pink and just beginning to curl. This should only take 3 to 4 minutes—please do not overcook them. Overcooked shrimp are tough and rubbery and ruin a gourmet meal. Carefully remove the cooked shrimp with your tongs, and set them aside.
3 Heat the rest of the butter in the pot, and when it’s melted, add the shrimp shells. Cook them, stirring occasionally, until they are bright red, about 10 minutes. Add the onions and cook for another 5 minutes, and then add the garlic to cook for 1 minute. Season them lightly with salt and pepper.
4 Continuously stirring, add the tomato paste and paprika and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flour to make a roux, and cook for about 6 minutes while stirring constantly.
How to Make a Foolproof Roux
A roux is a mixture of flour and fat (in this case butter) that is cooked slowly over low heat and is used to thicken mixtures such as soups and sauces. The trick to making a roux successfully is to measure carefully (there is science going on here after all) and stir it rigorously. All the flour must be incorporated into the fat or it will not only be lumpy but it may also separate later on.
5 Gradually add the stock, stirring vigorously or the soup will be lumpy. Once all of the stock is incorporated, bring the soup to a very low simmer, and cook for 45 minutes, occasionally skimming any foam off the top with a large spoon and then stirring gently.
6 Using your blender and strainer, puree the soup (shells and all. These will be discarded when strained from the soup in the next step), and then strain it into another pot. Put the pureed soup over lowmedium heat and stir in the cream, Worcestershire, cayenne, and sherry. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm with a cooked shrimp floating in the center of each bowl and freshly cracked pepper.
Chefology
BISQUES
What separates bisques from other soups is that they’re usually very simple and have a crustacean or vegetable puree base. Classically thickened with butter and flour (known as a roux) and finished with cream, they can also employ rice, potato, or even cornstarch for thickening.
Not-for-Chickens
Chicken Soup
Yields 1½ quarts (8 servings)
My good friend Maria makes a wonderful tomatillo and chipotle sauce in which she simmers chicken. Far too spicy for the likes of me, I decided to mellow it by turning the sauce into a soup, and this soup has become the most requested one in my repertoire. Using precooked chicken turns it into a one-pot wonder!
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups large diced red onion
4 carrots, large dice
1 green bell pepper, large dice
1 red bell pepper, large dice
3 garlic cloves, chopped
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
15 ounces diced tomato, canned
1 cup Latin Salsa Verde (p. 218)
4 to 6 chipotle peppers, canned in adobo sauce (medium to very hot) and finely chopped
3 tablespoons adobo sauce from can
8 cups vegetable stock
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 whole roasted chicken, shredded
8 pieces corn bread (about 2-inch squares)
1 Place a 12-quart stockpot over medium to high heat and add the vegetable oil. When it begins to smoke, add the red onion, stirring until it begins to soften. Add the carrots, bell peppers, and garlic, season lightly with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Then cover to sweat the vegetables for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, making sure all the water drains
back into the pot, and sauté the vegetables 10 minutes, stirring often.
2 Carefully pour in the diced tomato, salsa verde, and finely chopped chipotle peppers, and stir to mix well. Stir constantly to keep it from scorching, and allow it to cook for 5 minutes. Add the adobo sauce and all but ¼ cup of the vegetable stock.
3 Stir the cornstarch into the ¼ cup of cold vegetable stock, making a slurry. Pour the slurry into the rest of the soup and allow it to come to a simmer. Stir occasionally as it simmers and thickens for about 20 minutes.
4 Stir in the shredded chicken and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Eat warm with fresh corn bread served family style.
Avant-Garde Avocado
Yields 1½ quarts (5 servings)
Some people erroneously assume avocados are bad for you and high in fat. Not true. The avocado only contains 4 grams of saturated fat per serving and provides lycopene, beta-carotene, and lutein to help prevent heart disease, eye disease, and some cancers. Not too crappy!
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, smashed
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
4 ripe avocados, cubed
¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
4 cups vegetable stock
2 roasted red peppers, sliced (see page 30)
1 In your 12-quart stockpot heat the olive oil over medium heat, and add the onion and garlic clove. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and turn the heat to low, sweating the onions and garlic for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, but make sure the liquid that has collected in the lid falls back into the pot.
2 Leave the burner on low heat, and add the cubed avocado and lime juice. Stir until the avocado begins to break down and is completely covered by the lime juice. Add the vegetable stock, stirring constantly, until the avocado has begun to incorporate into the stock.
3 Use your blender to puree the soup in batches and pour it into another pot. Do not strain the soup. Place the pot of bisque over low heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.
4 Serve the avocado bisque warm and with a tablespoon of roasted red peppers sprinkled along the edge of the soup, or just use your leftover Pico de Gallo Salsa (p. 215).
Have-Some-Broccoli-with-
That-Cheese-Soup
Yields 1 gallon (12 servings)
I chose the cheeses in this recipe for their defining characteristics: cheddar for its sharpness, fontina for its nuttiness and strong aroma, Brie for both its buttery and pungent flavor, and Parmigiano for its sharp, nutty, and salty personality.
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 cup small dice yellow onion
½ cup small dice carrots
½ cup small dice celery
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
¼ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups whole milk
2 pounds broccoli florets, fresh
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 pound fontina cheese, shredded
½ pound Brie cheese, rind cut off
Tabasco sauce, to taste
½ pound Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
1 In a 12-quart stockpot, heat the butter over medium heat. When the butter has completely melted, add the onion, carrot, and celery, and stir to coat with the butter. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover, and allow the vegetables to sweat for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, and make sure the liquid that has collected in the lid goes back into the pot.
2 While stirring constantly, add the flour to create a roux. Slowly add the chicken stock while whisking vigorously, or you will have a lumpy soup. Once all of the stock is in, you can whisk in the milk and bring the soup up to a simmer.
Swap It
MY FRIEND JAY always wants shredded chicken in this soup. I think it’s better without it, so my recipe does not include it. If you are like Jay, simply add the shredded meat of one rotisserie or roasted chicken at the very end.
3 Once simmering, add the broccoli and the cheddar, and stir until the cheddar has completely melted. Next, add the fontina and Brie, and stir until they have melted.
4 Taste the soup at this point and season it to taste with Tabasco, salt, and pepper. Serve warm with a sprinkle of Parmigiano over each bowl.
Chefology
CHEESE
With hundreds of varieties, textures, colors, and flavors, the cooking possibilities with cheese are endless. Cheese compliments wine, vegetables, most proteins, and even the most discriminating child lights up at the notion of cheese. The Crappy Little Kitchen mascot, cheese can sit in your fridge for days, and when the mold forms, you just shave that crap off and eat the rest!
Smokin’ Leftover Turkey Soup
Yields 1 gallon (12 servings)
Thanksgiving leftovers never tasted so good (and that’s saying a lot!). If you have leftover stuffing in addition to the turkey, toast it into croutons instead of the sourdough. The family is going to think you’re a genius.
½ cup unsalted butter
½ cup roughly chopped green onion
½ cup small diced carrots
½ cup small dice celery
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
¼ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken stock
4 cups whole milk
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup cubed sourdough bread
1 pound smoked Gouda, shredded
1 pound smoked cheddar, shredded
½ pound Brie, rind cut off
4 cups shredded roasted turkey, white and dark meat
¼ cup chopped chives
1 Preheat oven to 400°. In a 12-quart stockpot, heat the ½ cup of butter over medium heat. When the butter has completely melted, add the onion, carrot, and celery and stir to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Sweat the vegetables gently for 10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.
2 While stirring constantly, add the flour to create a roux. Cook the roux for 5 minutes. Slowly add the chicken stock while whisking vigorously, or you will have a lumpy soup. Once all of the stock is in, you can whisk in the milk and bring the soup up to a simmer.
3 Stir together the minced garlic and 3 tablespoons melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Toss the cubes of bread with garlic butter and put them on a baking sheet to toast in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
4 Once the soup is simmering, add the Gouda, cheddar, and Brie, and stir until the cheese has completely melted, then incorporate the shredded turkey.
5 Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm with a few croutons in the center of each bowl and garnish with chopped chives.
Grilled Cheese Sandwich Soup
Yields 2½ quarts (8 servings)
This is my whimsical version of a grilled cheese sandwich with sliced tomato. It also contains my favorite elements of Welsh rarebit: a great English appetizer comprised of melted cheese sauce poured over toasted bread usually paired with crabmeat and apples. If you’re feeling cheeky, garnish this with diced apple instead of tomato.
¼ cup unsalted butter
½ cup medium dice yellow onion
½ cup diced cremini mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dry mustard
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
¼ cup all-purpose flour
5 cups chicken stock
2 cups beer (preferably a lager)
½ cup heavy cream
2 pounds sharp cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Cayenne pepper, to taste
2 Roma tomatoes, small dice
1 In your 12-quart stockpot, heat the butter over medium heat. When the butter has completely melted, add the onion, mushrooms, garlic, and dry mustard. Stir to coat the vegetables with the
butter and bloom (that’s chef-talk for hydrate) the mustard. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover and allow the vegetables to sweat for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, and make sure the liquid that has collected in the lid goes back into the pot.
2 While stirring constantly, add the flour to create a roux. Slowly incorporate the chicken stock while whisking vigorously, or you will have a lumpy soup. Once all of the stock is in, you can whisk in the beer and heavy cream, and bring the soup up to a simmer. Add the cheddar cheese and Worcestershire sauce to the simmering soup, and stir until all the cheese is melted.
3 Taste the soup at this point and season to taste with cayenne, salt, and pepper. Serve this soup warm with diced tomato sprinkled on top of each bowl.
Miso Feelin’ Better
Yields 2 quarts (6 servings)
A staple in Japanese cooking, miso contains a healthy dose of isoflavones, a family of proteins known to prevent heart disease, breast cancer, and osteoporosis. To gain the most benefit from the healing properties of this recipe, do not bring the soup above a simmer once the miso is added or you will kill all the protective enzymes and deplete the flavor the miso provides. This soup garnishes itself.
6 cups vegetable stock
cup uncooked spaghetti, broken into 1-inch pieces
2 chicken breast fillets, large dice
½ cup roughly chopped green onions
½ cup fresh shitake mushrooms, no stems
½ cup chopped Napa cabbage
4 tablespoons white miso paste
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1 In your 12-quart stockpot, heat the vegetable stock over high heat. Once the stock has begun to simmer, turn the heat down to medium-high and add the spaghetti. Allow the noodles to cook for 10 minutes and add the chicken.
2 When the chicken has cooked through, which should only take about 5 minutes, add the onions, mushrooms, and cabbage. Turn the heat down to medium and add the miso one tablespoon at a time, until all the paste dissolves, being careful to keep the soup below a boil.
3 Taste the soup at this point to see if it needs any salt or pepper. Miso pastes vary in salty flavor, so always taste before adding any salt. Serve warm and right away.