3 cups diced roasted chicken
3 slices mortadella, chopped
1 egg, slightly beaten
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 (12-ounce) package of wonton wrappers
1 small bowl water
cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian parsley
Make the chicken stock first.
In a food processor, combine ¾ cup of diced roasted chicken, the mortadella, egg, nutmeg, cheese, and salt. Process until smooth.
Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray to lay your filled wontons on.
Lay out 18 wonton wrappers on the counter. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of the chicken mixture in the middle of a wrapper. Dip both of your index fingers in water, and run them along all four sides of the wonton wrapper to moisten. Fold the wrapper in half on the diagonal, pressing the sides together to create a triangle. Bring the two corners nearest the fold together in the back, and press them together firmly.
Place the wonton on the cookie sheet. Repeat this process until all of the wontons are complete.
Bring the soup to a gentle boil, and add the soy sauce. Add the wontons and the remaining diced chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Ladle the hot soup into warm bowls, putting two wontons into each bowl. Sprinkle with scallions and chopped parsley.
COOK’S NOTE: Each 12-ounce package of wontons contains 60 wrappers; you will need 36 for this recipe. Wrap the leftover wonton wrappers tightly in plastic wrap, and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
SOBA NOODLES
IN LEMON-GINGER
CHICKEN BROTH
6 TO 8 SERVINGS
Everyone loves noodles, and this soup has plenty of long, thick ones that fill practically the whole bowl. I can get all of the ingredients from my pantry and in less than 30 minutes have a hot, steaming bowl of soup. Add extra fresh or frozen vegetables if you like.
4 quarts Roasted Chicken Broth (Roasted Chicken Stock) or store-bought organic chicken broth
1 tablespoon sesame oil
¼ cup soy sauce
1 stalk lemongrass, hard wooded top cut off, tender stalk split down the middle
Juice from ½ lemon
1 (8-ounce) package soba noodles
2 chicken breasts, skin removed and cut into bite-size pieces (you can use the chicken you put aside when you made the stock)
20 sugar snap peas
1 cup matchstick carrots (most markets carry them), or slice 2 carrots into very thin 3-inch-long slices
2 scallions, minced
4 sprigs parsley
4 sprigs cilantro
Make the chicken stock first. Pour the prepared stock into a large stockpot and bring to a gentle boil. Add the sesame oil, soy sauce, lemongrass, and lemon juice, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the soba noodles and chicken and gently boil for 5 to 6 minutes or until the noodles are cooked.
Add the sugar snaps and carrots and gently boil for 3 to 5 minutes.
Adjust the seasoning, adding salt if needed.
With a pair of tongs, gently lift soba noodles into a soup bowl. Ladle in the hot soup. Garnish with scallions, parsley, and cilantro. Adjust seasonings as necessary. If you want to add a bit of spice, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to each serving.
AVGOLEMONO SOUP
WITH ORZO
6 SERVINGS
My husband is Greek, so I make this soup often for my family and dinner guests. Since I always have chicken stock in the fridge or in my pantry, eggs and roasted chicken in the fridge, fresh lemons in my fruit bowl, and orzo in my pantry, I can conjure up this soup anytime. It’s full of flavor, and the tang from the fresh lemons gives this soup its distinctive flavor.
2 quarts Roasted Chicken Stock (Roasted Chicken Stock) or store-bought organic chicken broth
1 ½ cups uncooked orzo
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
Kosher salt
Pepper
1 cup diced chicken breast, covered and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use (you can use the chicken you put aside when you made the stock, any leftover chicken you have on hand, or chicken pieces from the deli)
2 fresh lemons, thinly sliced (12 slices)
Make the chicken stock first.
In a large saucepan, bring 5 cups of water plus 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add the orzo and mix. Cook until soft, drain, rinse, and set aside.
In a stockpot, bring the chicken stock to a boil; turn down the heat to medium.
To temper the egg yolks, add a ladleful of the hot chicken stock into the bowl with the egg yolks while constantly whisking to prevent the yolks from curdling. Add lemon juice and lemon zest.
Reduce the heat under the stock to low. Using a whisk, slowly add in the tempered eggs. When all the yolks have been whisked in, use a wooden spoon and stir constantly until the soup is slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the cooked orzo, diced chicken, and mix. Do not let the soup boil again, because it will promote curdling, and you want the soup to have a thick, creamy consistency. Simmer gently on low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until the chicken is heated through. Adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary.
Ladle the soup into warm bowls, and garnish with parsley and 2 thin slices of lemon. Serve immediately.
ROASTED BUTTERNUT
SQUASH SOUP
4 TO 6 SERVINGS
Butternut squash makes a creamy, satisfying bowl of comfort. I caramelize the onions to help bring out the natural nutty taste of the squash. You’ve probably noticed by now that I use low-fat or nonfat cream cheese in a lot of my vegetable soup recipes. That’s because the cream cheese helps with the consistency and adds a deeper, richer, fuller flavor to soup.
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 pounds butternut squash
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground cloves
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
5 scallions, chopped
2 quarts chicken stock, homemade (Roasted Chicken Stock), or store-bought organic chicken broth
2 teaspoons dry sherry or dry white wine
8 ounces nonfat or low-fat cream cheese, room temperature and cut into pieces
6 to 8 tablespoons sour cream
3 teaspoons chopped scallions
1 ½ teaspoons diced jalapeños, for garnish
Cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon truffle oil, extra-virgin olive oil, or walnut oil
Preheat the oven 325°F.
In a rimmed baking sheet, spread out the sliced onions and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Set aside.
Place the squash in a roasting pan, drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the top, and use your hands to rub the oil all over the squash to coat.
Place the tray with the squash and the tray with the onions in the oven. Roast the onions for 45 minutes or until the onions have caramelized and are mostly a deep golden brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
Roast the squash for 1 hour or until you can insert a paring knife through the middle easily. Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes.
Slice the squash in half, scoop out and discard the seeds, and scrape out the flesh and place it in a stockpot. Add the caramelized onions, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, scallions, chicken stock, and sherry. Simmer gently for 30 minutes.
In a blender, in batches, add 2 ladlefuls of soup and 2 ounces of the cream cheese at a time, and blend until smooth, for 1 minute. Pour into a clean stockpot. Continue this process until all of the soup and all of the cream cheese is used. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
To serve, heat the soup until hot but
not boiling, and ladle into heated bowls. Garnish each bowl with 1 teaspoon sour cream, ½ teaspoon chopped scallions, a pinch of finely chopped jalapeños, and a dash of cayenne pepper. A drizzle of truffle oil will put this over the top. If you don’t want to use truffle oil, try olive oil or walnut oil.
PUMPKIN SOUP
6 TO 8 SERVINGS
This is the perfect cold-weather soup, hot and creamy, without the calories! It’s one of my very favorite soups to serve all winter long. On Thanksgiving I offer it to my family and guests when they first arrive. I serve it in a demitasse cup or small coffee cup or teacup. It gives everyone something warm and satisfying to whet their appetites while waiting for the big meal.
Soup
cup olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
4 scallions, chopped
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 (29-ounce) can pure pumpkin
1 quart homemade chicken stock (Roasted Chicken Stock) or store-bought organic chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) package low-fat cream cheese, cut into small pieces
Garnish
6 to 8 tablespoons low-fat or nonfat sour cream (1 tablespoon per serving)
4 scallions, finely chopped
1 small jalapeño, sliced thin (optional)
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
Walnut oil or olive oil for drizzling (optional)
¼ cup toasted pumpkin seeds
On medium-high heat, heat a saucepan or stockpot until hot. Add the olive oil; then quickly add the onions and scallions and stir. Turn heat down to medium. Sauté until the onions start to caramelize (about 10 to 12 minutes). Add sherry and stir. Add the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, cayenne pepper, and pumpkin, and mix well. Add the chicken stock and stir until all of the ingredients have blended together well. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the soup starts to thicken slightly. If the soup is too thick, add more chicken stock or water, ½ cup at a time. Turn off heat.
Fill a blender halfway with the soup and half of the cream cheese. Blend until smooth. Pour into a soup pot. Continue the process with the rest of the soup and the cream cheese until everything has been blended.
Place the soup pot back on the stove and heat through.
Serve soup piping hot, garnished with a dollop of sour cream, finely chopped scallions, chopped jalapeño, pomegranate seeds, a drizzle of walnut or olive oil, and pumpkin seeds.
COOK’S NOTE: To toast the pumpkin seeds, place ¼ cup seeds in a small dry frying pan and heat until the seeds start to brown. They will release their oils and a lovely aroma.
BACON, LETTUCE,
AND TOMATO SOUP
4 SERVINGS
I came up with this soup one night when I craved a BLT sandwich. It was freezing cold that night and I wanted something warm and soothing. I thought if I combined my favorite sandwich ever with a creamy tomato-based soup, I would satisfy all my cravings in one big bowl of steaming love. I made my favorite sandwich into a delicious soup!
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced thin
2 scallions, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
8 Roma tomatoes, chopped small
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups Roasted Chicken Stock, homemade (Roasted Chicken Stock), or storebought organic chicken broth
¾ cup whole milk
10 pieces bacon, fried crisp, crumbled
1 cup head lettuce, chopped small
1 heirloom or round tomato, chopped into 1-inch pieces, seeds discarded
2 slices sourdough bread, toasted, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon mayonnaise mixed with
4 drops Tabasco or hot sauce
5 fresh basil leaves, sliced thin
Cracked pepper
Heat a stockpot over medium-high heat until hot. Add the olive oil, onion, and scallions, and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes, just until the onions start to soften. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium, add the chopped Roma tomatoes and salt, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until some of the water from the tomatoes has evaporated. Pour in the chicken stock and gently simmer for 40 minutes. Remove the garlic and discard.
In a blender add the cooked tomatoes in batches and blend for 2 minutes each time. Strain the tomatoes in a strainer with small holes (not a mesh strainer). Discard any stray seeds and the pieces of skin that collect in the bottom of the strainer.
Place the pureed tomatoes back into the stockpot, add the milk, and mix well. Adjust the seasoning, adding more salt if necessary, and cook over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes, until hot.
Ladle the soup into bowls, and divide the bacon, lettuce, heirloom tomato, and toast among the bowls. Add 1 teaspoon of the mayonnaise on top of each. Garnish with the basil and cracked pepper, and serve immediately.
CARAMELIZED
CARROT SOUP WITH
GREEN APPLES
8 SERVINGS
Don’t toss those sad-looking carrots that have been in the fridge a little too long. Whether your carrots are crispy fresh or a little sad, the natural sugar from them and the onions makes this creamy soup slightly sweet, and the curry and garnishes provide kick and robust flavor.
Soup
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced
3 scallions, chopped coarsely
8 medium-size carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 ½ quarts chicken stock, homemade (Roasted Chicken Stock), or storebought organic chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) package low-fat cream cheese, cut into pieces
Garnish
1 jalapeño, sliced or diced
2 teaspoons Reduced Balsamic Syrup (Reduced Balsamic Syrup)
2 scallions, finely chopped
¼ cup toasted chopped walnuts
½ cup toasted coconut
1 large green apple (see Cook’s Note)
Walnut or olive oil for drizzling
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice for the apple garnish
Heat a heavy stockpot on medium-high until hot, 1 minute. Add oil, onion, and scallions, and sauté until the onions start to caramelize, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add carrots, salt, ginger, and curry powder; sauté for 1 minute. Add sherry and chicken stock. Lower the heat so the soup is just boiling. Gently boil until the carrots are tender, about 25 minutes. Test with a small knife: if you can slice through the carrot easily, it’s ready.
Puree the soup in a blender in batches: start with a couple of ladlefuls of soup and add half the cream cheese. Cover and puree. Lift the lid and slowly add more soup, a ladleful at a time, until the blender is three-quarters full. Cover and puree for 1 minute, until silky smooth. Pour into a stockpot and repeat the process until all the soup and cream cheese have been pureed.
Add salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with jalapeño, balsamic syrup, scallions, walnuts, coconut, green apple, a drizzle of walnut or olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
COOK’S NOTES: To toast the walnuts, place them in a cold skillet on medium heat and shake back and forth for about 5 minutes. The nuts are ready when they turn color slightly and release a warm, nutty aroma.
To toast the coconut, preheat the oven to 450°F. Spread ½ cup of shredded coconut on a baking sheet. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes. Check after 2 minutes, shake the pan to loosen the coconut, and flip the flakes over with a metal spatula. Bake 2 minutes more, but keep a close eye on it. Once the coconut starts to toast, it browns quickly.
To prepare the apple garnish, quarter the apple, remove th
e skin, and core and seed. Chop the apple into small chunks. Place in a bowl, pour 2 teaspoons of lemon juice over, and mix.
TORTILLA SOUP
6 TO 10 SERVINGS
I first tasted tortilla soup years ago in Dallas, Texas, at the Mansion in Turtle Creek, a rather fancy restaurant, beautifully appointed, with a menu to die for. The chef took the very simple idea of using tortillas to give a unique Tex-Mex twist to his soup. Since then, I’ve ordered tortilla soup every time I’ve seen it on a menu. I love it, and I serve it often. It’s intensely flavorful and completely satisfying.
2 quarts chicken stock, homemade (Roasted Chicken Stock), or store-bought organic chicken broth
½ cup canola oil
8 corn tortillas, cut into strips
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
½ cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped
1 cup or 1 (6-ounce) can of red plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups bite-size strips roasted chicken breast
2 medium avocados
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 fresh limes, cut into wedges
4 to 5 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped coarsely
Make the chicken stock first.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat a sheet pan with canola oil. Place half of the tortilla strips on the sheet pan and bake until golden and crisp, about 5 to 10 minutes. Set aside. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add ¼ cup of the canola oil. Add the remaining tortilla strips and sauté until they have started to turn golden. Remove the tortillas from the pan and set aside.
Add the remaining oil to the pan. Add onion, and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and cilantro, and sauté for 30 seconds. In a blender, combine the tomatoes, cumin, and onion mixture. Process until really smooth, about 2 minutes.
Cristina Ferrare's Big Bowl of Love Page 5