Warming up for a new week: Cauliflower soup

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend & I must apologize for my unintended weeklong hiatus - sudden work travel & deadlines kept me from going online much. But I'm so looking forward to visiting!

Meantime, what could be better for fortifying ourselves against a new week than warming soup? My significant other greeted my return with this soothing recipe - perfect for body and soul!

~ Wishing you a perfectly soothing week ahead! ~

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CREAMY CAULIFLOWER SOUP (Serves 4 to 6)
Adapted very slightly (skim milk, not whole) from a Cook's Illustrated recipe I jotted down ages ago. This soup can be pureed in one batch in most 5-7 cup blenders. 

• 2 tablespoons (~30g) butter, olive oil, or vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, 3 medium shallots, or 1 medium leek (white and light green parts only), chopped
• 2 tablespoons (~30ml) white wine
• 1 medium head (about 2 pounds, or 32 ounces) cauliflower, stems discarded and florets cut into bite size pieces to yield 5 cups
• 2 cups (~500ml) chicken or vegetable stock
• Salt and ground white pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon (~5g) ground coriander
• 1/2 to 3/4 cups (~125-155ml) skim (fat-free) milk
• Optional: minced fresh chives or parsley

Heat butter or oil in a large (easily-pourable) saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute until golden, about 5 minutes. Add wine & cauliflower; stir until wine evaporates, about 30 seconds.

Add stock, salt and pepper to taste, and ground coriander to saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer; cover & cook cauliflower until tender, about 12 minutes.

Pour or ladle cauliflower mixture into blender. Add 1/2 cup milk; blend until very smooth. Return soup to saucepan; cook over low heat until warmed through. If soup is too thick, stir in more milk. Adjust seasonings.

Ladle soup into individual bowls. Garnish with minced chives or parsley and chow! (Preferrably with crusty bread :)).

Little notes:
If you don't have a standard blender for pureeing, the next best thing is a handheld immersion blender, but don't use a food processor because it tends to leak hot liquid. (I think I mentioned this tip in the past, but since I keep making this silly mistake myself, I thought it was worth repeating!)

(Images via  Mixed Greens Blog and Parade.)

The Cheat: Almost-instant corn soup

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For those terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days when you've barely enough energy to think about food (never mind cook!), this is warming, light and almost-instant.

~ Have a warm weekend, full of peace and relaxation! ~

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ALMOST-INSTANT CORN SOUP (Serves 2-3, Time: 10 min)
A simplified version of the corn soup you find in most Chinese restaurants, but without the artificial flavourings. 

• One can (~14.75 ounce) cream style corn (total cheat - using canned/tinned ingredients!)
• Using the can from the corn, about 1 can of water or chicken stock (for thicker soup, use less)
• One egg, lightly beaten
• Fresh-ground black pepper, salt, butter
• Optional: Bit of cornstarch or flour mixed with water for even thicker soup (~1/2 to 1 teaspoon mixed well with ~1/4 cup water)
• Optional: Chicken breast, minced (or canned crab meat)
• Optional: Scallions (green onion), cilantro/coriander or other favorite vegetables, chopped

If using, mix minced chicken breast with water to cover and set aside. In saucepan, mix water or chicken stock and cream corn. Stir well and boil. Add optional chicken breast (or crab meat), stir well until mixture boils again.

Slowly add optional corn starch mixture, stir until everything boils again. Add beaten egg and turn off heat, stirring constantly until egg turns opaque. Add pepper, salt, butter to taste + veg. Stir well & chow!

Extra notes:

I confess, I know people either cringe at cream style corn, or embrace it and run with it (e.g., dressing this up with fancy white asparagus, fresh ginger, saffron etc). I'm the latter - I'll embrace anything that makes my eating life easier, *especially* if it's reasonably healthy! :)

Broccoli Rabe with Sausage and Grapes

I fell a little in love with this comforting dish after a friend made it one autumn. The sharp broccoli rabe is a great contrast with sweet grapes & people always ask for the recipe - a creation of the NY Times's Mark Bittman, a fave (see gossipy notes below :)).

Before I sign off, a big thank you to Tanya at A Taste of T and A Whole Lotta Love for passing on a blog award! More soon!

~ Have a sweet and lovely weekend! ~

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BROCCOLI RABE WITH SAUSAGE AND GRAPES

(4 servings, ~30 min)

From Mark Bittman's "How To Cook Everything," I've included some broccoli rabe prep instructions (it's a separate section in Bittman's book) here.

• About 1-1/2 pounds (24 ounces) broccoli rabe (rapini), trimmed and cut-up [Do this by stripping stalk of leaves - you can cook these leaves if you like. Remove bottom inch of stalks, or wherever it's dried out. Peel tough outer skin of stalk as best as you can without going crazy. Cut stalk into equal size pieces and break head into florets.]
• About 1 pound (16 ounces) sweet, garlicky sausage
• 2 cloves garlic, slivered
• About 1/2 pound (8 ounces) seedless grapes
• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Bring salted water to boil in medium saucepan. Boil broccoli rabe stalk sections ~2 minutes, add florets and cook ~2-6 more minutes until bright green or tender. Drain and plunge into cold water for a few moments, or run under cold water.

Cook the sausage over medium heat in a large, deep pan (note from me: I like to use a bit of olive oil in the pan), pricking it with a fork or knife a few times, and turning occasionally until nicely browned.

Remove sausage from pan (don't worry about it being done) and cut into bite size pieces. Return it to pan, over medium heat; cook, turning occasionally, until all sides of the cut sausage are nicely browned, about 5 more minutes.

Squeeze excess liquid from broccoli rabe and chop it coarsely. Add it to the pan along with the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes. Add the grapes and heat through. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Gossipy notes:

OK, there was just one time a bunch of us lost our appetites for Bittman's recipes - it was after he broke up with a woman he was dating on our street in the most ungentlemanly manner. Needless to say, I've come round to using his recipes again!

(Image via Serious Eats. Thanks Eugenia!)

Popovers

Popovers are so easy to make, you could engage a child in the activity (and he or she would probably love it!). For a time, I made these from scratch in the mornings, before work.

Popovers are best piping hot from the oven. They've a light, airy feel - and make a nice alternative to 'heavier' breakfast breads.

~ Have an easy, relaxing weekend! ~

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POPOVERS (Yields 12 popovers)

Time: 35-40 minutes of mostly baking time

Adapted from "Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes" by Mollie Katzen and Ann Henderson; this child-friendly version appeared in NY Times Magazine (as usual, I never wrote down the issue)

About 2 tablespoons (~30g) butter

2 eggs

1 cup (~240ml) milk

1 cup (~130g) all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon (~1g) salt

Extra butter, jam, honey or maple syrup for popovers

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (~190 degrees Celsius or moderate/medium-hot oven). Melt the butter. Brush insides of 12 popover or muffin cups with melted butter. Break eggs into a mixing bowl, add milk & beat well. Add flour & salt and whisk until reasonably well blended - it doesn't have to be perfect.

Use a 1/4 cup (~60ml) measure with a handle to pour batter into each popover/muffin cup. They should be a half to two-thirds full. Bake 30 minutes without opening the oven. Remove popovers and prick with a fork to let steam escape. Serve immediately with butter or jam. (They also taste great dipped in honey or maple syrup).

(Images via Just a Taste and twenty-two pleasant.)

Simple creamy potato soup

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I admit, the first time I saw Cook's Illustrated magazine, I was intimidated - it looked like an encyclopedia! But it turned out user-friendly & I've made their warming, simple pureed soup for years.

~ Have a wonderful weekend! ~

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SIMPLE CREAMY POTATO SOUP (Serves 4 to 6)
Adapted slightly (skim milk not whole, extra garnishes) from a 1990s Cook's Illustrated (I sadly never wrote down which issue). This soup can be pureed in one batch in most 5-7 cup blenders.

• 2 tablespoons (~30g) butter, olive oil, or vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, 3 medium shallots, or 1 medium leek (white and light green parts only), chopped
• 2 tablespoons (~30ml) white wine
• 2 large potatoes (about 1-1/2 pounds, or 24 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch (~1.25cm) dice to yield 4 cups
• 2 cups (~500ml) chicken or vegetable stock
• Salt and ground white pepper to taste
• 1 to 1-1/4 cups (~250-310ml) skim (fat-free) milk
• Optional: 2 teaspoons (~10g) minced fresh chives
• Optional: Minced white or light green part of 1 leek (cooked gently in oil or butter a few minutes until softened)
• Optional: Heavy (whipping) cream to drizzle, fresh-ground black or pink peppercorns

Heat butter or oil in a large (easily-pourable) saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute until golden, about 5 minutes. Add wine & potatoes; stir until wine evaporates, about 30 seconds.

Add stock, and salt and pepper to taste, to saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer; cover & cook potatoes until very tender, about 20 minutes.

Pour or ladle potato mixture into blender. Add 1 cup milk; blend until very smooth. Return soup to saucepan; cook over low heat until warmed through (can also cook optional leek garnish at this point). If soup is too thick, stir in more milk. Adjust seasonings.

Ladle soup into individual bowls. Garnish with minced chives and/or leeks. Drizzle some cream, grind fresh pepper and chow!

Little notes:
If you don't have a standard blender for pureeing, the next best thing is a handheld immersion blender, but don't use a food processor because it tends to leak hot liquid (I tried once just to see - even though the recipe warned against it! - because I often do stupid things :)).

Nostalgia post: Childhood comfort food

Did you have any? That you still crave? Lately, I've been really craving mashed potatoes, a childhood staple (it was fun to shape them into "volcanoes" with melted butter for "lava").

I also loved peanut butter jelly sandwiches, while my (British) significant other enjoyed crisp sandwiches (eh?)

CRISP SANDWICH
A British childhood classic
Take a small pile of slightly-crushed crisps (potato chips) and squish them, with raw sliced onions, between two generously buttered slices of (I quote) "the most unhealthy white bread you can find." Voila!

Note:

For non-Brits, I *totally* understand if this sounds crazy! :)

P.S. Classic crisp sandwich (key to a (British) man's heart?)...

(Images via yumsugar, myrecipes and Crisp sandwiches.)

Easy way to dress up ice cream

Take chocolate, hazelnut, coffee and/or vanilla bean ice cream, top with fresh raspberries and drizzle with some Kahlua. Stick in a bonus Stroopwafel to nibble on. Nibble away!

P.S. Ice cream seems to (weirdly) taste better when the weather's colder...and the warming effects of Kahlua never hurt. :)

(Images via Bloguez, Raspberries US, Serious Eats, One+Infinity.)

Mango mousse

{Image via Cookie Shutter - this mousse uses optional saffron sauce}

I used to eat mangoes off trees as a kid, but it's fiendishly hard to find good mangoes outside Hawaii. A few times, desperate, I had supermarket mangoes - but only after they were made into this intensely-flavoured mousse (to take the edge off. :))

~ Have a wonderful, flavourful weekend! ~

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MANGO MOUSSE (serves 4)

Adapted slightly (with my extra notes) from New York Magazine's 1996 food issue, featuring recipes by top NYC chefs - this one's by Marcio Araujo at Circus 

• 4 large mangoes, peeled (plus 1 extra for garnish if you like)
• 2-1/2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin powder (a tad less is okay - makes the mango flavour slightly more intense)
• 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cups (~500ml) heavy cream (double cream)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Optional garnishes: fresh mint sprigs, diced mango, chopped pistachios, or saffron sauce to deepen the delicate mousse colour

Cut 4 mangoes into medium-size pieces. Puree in a blender until smooth. Strain (this is the most time-consuming part) through a fine sieve. Place 1/2 cup mango puree and gelatin in a small saucepan over low heat; stir until gelatin dissolves (~5 minutes).

In large bowl, combine both purees with condensed milk. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Whip heavy cream with sugar until stiff; fold into mango mixture. Pour into containers and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving (or freeze for 20 minutes).

Little extras:

You can garnish with mint and diced mango, chopped pistachios, or top with an optional saffron sauce that will give the pale mousse a richer orange colour (saffron recipe here)...though I love the original delicate colour too.

Wild mushroom and chicken soup

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(clockwise from top left: shiitake, oyster, chanterelle & crimini)

I made this for my significant other in our first month of dating; he still asks for it 5 years later. Soup seems unromantic, but this one is quite aphrodisiac (those ingredients:)) and earthy-cozy to boot!

And before I sign off, a big thank you to Amber Blue Bird for sweetly passing on blog awards! More soon:)...

~ Have a cozy and wonderful weekend! ~

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WILD MUSHROOM AND CHICKEN SOUP (Serves 4)
Adapted slightly (by omitting time-consuming morel soak) from a Great Soups feature in New York Magazine's 1996 Food Issue, with top chefs' recipes (though I sadly can't find the chef's name.)

• 1 onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 4 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme, stems discarded, or ~1-1/4 teaspoons (~1/5oz or 6g) dried thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 cups (1.5 litre) chicken stock
• 8 chicken drumsticks and/or thighs, skins removed
• 1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced into 1/2-inch-wide (~1.5cm-wide) strips
• 1/2 pound (8oz or 240g) crimini mushrooms, with stems, sliced in half
• 1 cup (~225g) shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced 1/4-inch (~0.5cm) thick
• 1 cup (~225g) oyster mushrooms, stems removed, quartered
• 1 cup (~225g) chanterelles, tips of stems removed, quartered
• Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons (~10ml) balsamic vinegar
• Optional: 1-2 cups (~225-450g) peas
• Optional: 1 bunch chives, finely chopped

Bring the first 7 ingredients to a boil in a soup pot. Add drumsticks and thighs, simmering for 30 minutes. Remove drumsticks and thighs; set aside. While soup continues to simmer, debone chicken when cool enough to handle, discarding bones.

Add chicken breast and peas to soup. Simmer until the breast meat is cooked, about 7 to 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and the meat from the drumsticks and thighs. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until mushrooms soften a bit (a few minutes or so); stir in vinegar & chives and chow!

Little notes:
As always, feel free to play with the recipe! If you have leftover wild rice, that's also nice to add; if you're pressed for time, you can easily skip the chicken breast, etc.

Pseudo paella

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I've posted before about my pseudo paella: This recipe would make a true connoisseur weep sadly, but is full of yum ingredients and won't take too long (35-45 min., instead of hours over coals).

Note: This recipe was adapted from Isabel Allende's "Aphrodite" and has a special story. After publishing "Paula," a sad but beautiful account of her daughter's illness, Allende said her days were grey with grief. But one night, she dreamt in Technicolor of eating Antonio Banderas wrapped in a burrito (!) and realized her senses were re-awakening; thus "Aphrodite" -- a celebration of the senses (and life) through food, and vice versa -- was born.

~ Have a wonderful weekend! ~

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PSEUDO PAELLA (Feeds 2 hungry people)
Adapted from Isabel Allende's "Aphrodite"

• 1-2 tablespoons (~15-30g) minced onion
• 3 tablespoons (~45ml) olive oil
• 1 pinch turmeric
• 1 pinch saffron
• 1 pinch paprika
• 2 cups (~450g) mixed seafood (squid, shrimp, scallops, others) --> I know it's sacrilegious, but seafood straight from a frozen pack saves LOTS of time & works in this recipe
• 1 small tomato, chopped into medium chunks
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 cups (~500ml) fish stock (ideally) or other stock
• 1 cup (~250ml) white rice
• 1 red bell pepper (sweet pepper or capsicum), cut in strips
• Optional: 1 cup (~225g) peas
• Optional: 6-8 mussels in shell
• Optional: Lemon wedges to squeeze over seafood

In a large pan, saute onion in oil over medium-high heat until transparent. Add the spices and saute 1 minute more. Add the seafood--but not the mussels--tomato and garlic. Cook 4-5 minutes, turning occasionally. Add stock. When it reaches a boil, sprinkle in the rice and peas. Lower the heat, cover pan and let bubble and cook gently 15 minutes. Arrange the red pepper and mussels on top, cook covered for 5-10 minutes more. Test to see if the rice is done and check seasonings. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat, uncover the pseudo paella and let steam evaporate 2 minutes before serving with lemon, then chow!

{Feel free to play with the recipe and add your fave ingredients - recipes (and food) can be freestyle, fun and personal. :)}

Pop drink

Wasn't sure at first, but I've decided this kooky concoction looks refreshing and fruity-licious...maybe as a spritzer? (Last hurrah to summer-past :))

POP DRINK
Seltzer (sparkling) water, with some cranberry or pomegranate juice (to your taste). Add ice cubes & lemon slices, swirl in a berry popsicle (ice lolly), and bottoms up!

P.S. Thanks so much to everyone for your response to my post yesterday - I was very touched by many of your comments.

(Image via Jorge Takeshita.)

Super-easy grapefruit & avocado

Just a super-easy and refreshing combo of grapefruit & avocados (I'm OD-ing on avocados) for breakfast, lunch, anytime!

~ Have a lovely, still-summery weekend! ~

GRAPEFRUIT AND AVOCADO SALAD
1 large grapefruit, peeled and each segment skinned
1 small (or medium) ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, cut bite-sized
1 cup arugula* leaves or romaine lettuce (tender bits), bite-sized
Optional toasted sesame seeds
Dressing (kinda optional too, for avo "purists"):
Bit of olive oil, rice vinegar; pinch each sugar, black pepper & salt

1) Put the grapefruit, avocado and arugula (or romaine) in a bowl
2) Mix the dressing ingredients together, adjust to taste
3) Pour over salad, add sesame seeds, toss and chow!

Little notes:
*Arugula = rocket in the UK.
I believe this recipe was first shared by a college friend's mother, but it's been so long since college I can't remember clearly. :)

(Image via Omnivore's Solution.)

Surprisingly perfect

{Kenilworth Castle ruins, Warwickshire, England, UK}

Hope you had a great weekend! Although work events foiled my plans to visit a lovely area of England (above), all was not lost.

I got to enjoy pseudo sangría...just to lubricate the brain cells. :) (My quick-and-dirty recipe* would make an afficionado cringe, forgive me)...

{I wouldn't mind these Giuseppe Zanotti's}

Dressy heels imparted a snazzier home office vibe (beats working in a robe, no?)

Soaked-up the incomparable Nina Simone (good for brain waves :)

Even savored pseudo, 35-minute paella with the pseudo sangría.*

{That's amore! Julia's pizza pie, Da Michele, Napoli, Italia}

Once the crunch ended, a friend dragged me to "Eat Pray Love" -- in all, it was a surprisingly perfect weekend.

~ Wishing you a surprisingly perfect week! ~

*PSEUDO SANGRÍA
1 bottle (750 ml) chilled red wine, a few strips orange zest and lemon zest, ~7-10 optional ice cubes (if you don't have time to chill the wine), 2 tbsp (30 ml) sugar, juice of 4 oranges, juice of 2 lemons, 3 cups (750 ml) sparkling water (a little less if using ice cubes), and optional apple and/or peach wedges. In large pitcher, mix wine, orange & lemon zest, and ice cubes. In small bowl, stir orange juice and sugar until dissolved, then add to wine. Add lemon juice, sparkling water, and apple/peach wedges to wine. Stir and muddle things up a bit to get fruit juices flowing, garnish with mint, lemon & orange slices, if you like, and ENJOY!

(Images from Jason Twist via Pictures of England, food network, fashion magazine, Amazon, Stockmann and EOnline.)

Easy homemade guacamole

Guacamole is so easy & summery. I've made my own for ages, but fell a little in love with Rosa Mexicano's tableside version...and judging from the reactions I saw, so did other diners! (Bonus: the Lincoln Center locale is handy for opera/dance/theater-going. :)

EASY HOMEMADE GUACAMOLE (2-3 servings)

Seen at Rosa Mexicano
Time: 5-10 min, or 60 seconds if you're Rosa Mexicano waitstaff

2-3 tablespoons (30-45g) diced onion

2-3 teaspoons cilantro (10-15g coriander), chopped fine
1 teaspoon (1/6 ounce or 5g) salt
2 small ripe avocados, pitted, peeled & cubed
Optional: 1 teaspoon (1/6 ounce or 5g) jalapeño, seeded & minced
Optional: 2-3 tablespoons (30-45g) ripe diced tomatoes

Using a bowl and spoon -- or molcajete if you feel fancy! -- mash 1 tablespoon (15g) onion with 1/2 teaspoon (1/12 ounce or 2.5g) each of cilantro, salt, and optional jalapeño. 

When onion and cilantro get more pulpy, add the avocados.  Stir gently to coat avocados with onion-cilantro paste. Then add remaining onion and cilantro, plus optional tomatoes.

Mash all ingredients slightly, avocados should stay chunky. Add more salt or jalapeño to taste, folding-in gently. Serve right away with tortilla chips or fresh, warm corn or flour tortillas and chow!

♥ Little notes ♥

The Rosa Mexicano version does not use lime juice, which is how I prefer it, but you can add a bit if you like. Also, instead of lime juice (to prevent guacamole going brown), you can apparently return the avocado pits to the guac, cover & refrigerate 3-4 hours...it should stay green-y...But who can wait that long? :-)

{Apologies in advance for my *rough* metric conversions!}

(Image via Julie and Ed.)

Summer (in the city) salad

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Way back when I was a new college grad in New York City, I made this fresh, summery salad a lot. Even now, this taste combination kind of evokes those years (funny how food anchors memory).

SPINACH, AVOCADO, AND ORANGE SALAD

Ingredients:
-3 handfuls (6 oz) of the freshest spinach leaves you can find
-A small (or medium) ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
-A small orange, peeled and each section skinned & segmented
-Extra-virgin olive oil
-Balsamic vinegar
Optional:
-A large portobello mushroom, sauteed or grilled, and sliced
-Parmesan shavings (I use 6-8, the width/length of my thumb)
-Fresh-ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Toss the spinach with avocado and orange slices
2. Lightly dress with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to your liking
3. If using, add the mushroom, parmesan and/or pepper
4. Toss everything gently and chow!

Note: Recently, I searched for a similar or "official" version of this recipe online. The closest I found was something using Asian-style dressing (reflected in the above photo), which I hadn't used before. It sounded good. For that recipe, click on -->epicurious.

Lilikoi (Passion Fruit) Iced Tea

In the spirit of summer, a refreshing iced tea! Made with yummy lilikoi (passion fruit) & served at the beautiful Ihilani Resort.

IHILANI ICED TEA
Note: Passion fruit juice concentrate is found in Latino markets

6 Orange Pekoe teabags
6-1/4 cups water
1 cup cranberry juice cocktail
2/3 cup frozen lilikoi (passion fruit) juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup honey
Optional: thinly-sliced lemon rounds

Bring water just to boil and steep teabags for 3 minutes, in heat-proof container. Remove teabags & let tea chill in the refrigerator at least 2-3 hours. Then add remaining ingredients, stir well & serve, with or without ice. Optional: Garnish with lemon.


Recipe adapted years ago from now-defunct Gourmet magazine.

(Photo of passion fruit, Hawaii. Image of tea via Recipezaar).