Soups

Posole Rojo

(serves 6-8)

For posole corn:

1 – 12 ounce package of white corn posole
1 T salt
Water

Allow posole corn to soak overnight in a bowl of water. The next day, drain water off and place corn in a large pot. Add salt and cover with water by at least 2 inches. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 2- 2 1/2 hours adding additional water to maintain the coverage by 2 inches or so. The final texture will be “toothy” but tender. Drain. Reserve cooking liquid.

For chile puree:

1/3 C vegetable oil
5 Ancho Chiles (stems removed, seeded and torn into smaller pieces)
7-8 Chile Arbol (stems removed, seeded and broken into smaller pieces)
1 yellow onion, diced
6-8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 corn tortillas (each cut into six pieces)
1 T cumin
1 T dried oregano
1 box of chicken stock

In a preheated skillet, add oil. Once shimmering, add remaining ingredients and sauté until chiles, onion and garlic have softened. Moderate your heat to prevent burning on the bottom of the skillet. Enjoy this process! The fragrance is heavenly. Once softened, allow cooling. Slowly, puree mixture in a blender using chicken stock. Adding stock slowly forces a “grinding” of the ingredients. The puree will look like mole. A very silky texture is what you’re looking for.

Chile Ancho – Chile Arbol

Remove stem end and shake out seeds.

Break into smaller pieces.

For pork:

2 pounds pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into chunks
1/4 C vegetable oil
Salt and pepper

In a preheated Dutch oven, add oil. In batches, brown pork pieces seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside.

I used pork tenderloin. Pork shoulder, pork loin are acceptable of course.

Season pork pieces with salt and pepper just before browning.

Final cooking:

1 carton chicken stock
2 t salt
Several ladles of posole cooking liquid

Combine posole corn, chile puree, browned pork, chicken stock salt and posole liquid into the Dutch oven. Mix well, cover and place into a preheated 275 degree oven for 2 – 2 1/2 hours. Remove and allow cooling for about 20 minutes, uncovered.

Ladle into bowls and top with traditional garnishes.

Traditional garnishes:

Pass these garnishes at your table. They all add a distinctive punch. Don’t forget the squeeze of lime.

Thinly shredded green cabbage
Radishes, small dice
White onion, small dice
Cilantro
Dried oregano
Lime wedges
Crispy tortilla wedges

Cut corn tortillas in half. Brush with oil. Spritz with chili powder and salt.

Bake for 15 minutes at 325.

The combination of the deeply rich, flavorful broth with the raw garnishes is so delicious. This can be made three days out. It also freezes well for later use. It’s a journey but SOOOO worth the effort. There are times when you need a quick meal on the table and there are times when a process is just as rewarding as the meal itself. This recipe represents the latter. Tightly focus on each step and you will be rewarded with a heart-warming bowl of goodness.

Ganzo Banzo

(serves 8)

Soup:

2 medium-sized red onions, quartered
1 bunch cilantro, divide in half
2 pieces of fresh ginger about 2” long, peeled and trimmed
6 garlic cloves, divided in half
2 serrano chiles, one seeded and coarsely chopped and one coarsely chopped

1/2 C olive oil

1 – 28 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes, pureed

1 T paprika
1 T ground cumin
2 t ground turmeric
1 t fennel seeds
1 T garam masala

Garam Masala can be hard to find. Check out Penzey’s Spices online. Great source.

5 – 15 ounce cans of garbanzo beans
2 t salt
1 – 28 ounce can of water

Raw Veggie Topping:

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely diced, rinsed and dried
2 serrano peppers, seeded and finely diced

Combine ingredients.

Greek yogurt for garnish on top

Lime wedges

Directions:

Make two piles of aromatics: red onion, cilantro, ginger, garlic and chile.
Pulse each pile separately in the food processor until finely chopped. ONLY PULSE. You will need to scrape down sides and continue to pulse until you have a uniform consistency. Remove pile one and repeat for the second pile.

In a preheated soup pot, heat olive oil. Once it shimmers, add processed aromatics to the pot. Add 1 t of salt. Sauté over medium heat until fragrant and veggies have softened. Do not rush this process. A bit of sticking is ok. Additional oil can be added.

In the empty processor, add canned tomatoes. Process until smooth.

Add paprika, cumin, turmeric, fennel seeds, and garam masala to the aromatics. Continue to sauté until flavors have melded and the aroma is intense. Add pureed tomatoes to the pot. Add garbanzo beans, including the liquid, to the pot. Add remaining 1 t of salt and can of water. Bring mix to boil. Lower heat and simmer for an additional 25-30 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with veggie topping, a dollop of Greek yogurt and lime wedges. Serve this with grilled Naan. This is a vegetarian dish that is very satisfying.

PLEASE NOTE: The video refers to 4 cans of chickpeas. It’s 5! The recipe is correct. I made the change after the preparation.

It needed more garbanzos. Roll with me!!!

Spanish Seafood Stew

(serves 4)

1/4 C olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
3-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
5-6 small sweet peppers, sliced

1 t dried thyme
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1 1/2 t smoked paprika

1/3 C white wine for deglazing

2 pinches of saffron threads, ground in a mortar and pestle

3 C homemade tomato marinara ( if store bought, use a chunky marinara)

2-3 cups seafood stock

4 large new potatoes, cut chunky style and parboiled

3-4 ounces of Spanish chorizo, diced

2 t sugar

1 t salt

3 cod filets

12-14 – 31/40 shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 dozen mussels, rinsed

Chopped parsley for garnish

In a preheated stock pot, add oil, onion, garlic and peppers. Sprinkle with salt and cracked black pepper. Sauté until vegetables soften. Add thyme, red pepper flakes and smoked paprika. Continue to sauté until fragrant and some sticking starts to occur on the bottom of the pan. Increase heat and add wine. Reduce wine down and scrape up any bits which have stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Grind saffron threads. Add about 1/3 C of water. Add saffron water to pot. Add marinara and stock. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and add potatoes, chorizo, sugar and salt.

(Note for potatoes: bring a sauce pan of water to boil and very carefully add 1 t of salt and 1 t of baking soda to water. Lower cut potatoes into water and bring to a boil. Boil for about 2-3 minutes. Drain.)

Add cod filets to the simmering stew. Once the filets start to loosen up and flake, add shrimp and mussels. Cover and continue to simmer until mussels open and shrimp are done. Discard unopened mussels. Serve with chopped parsley and rustic bread for sauce sopping.

Moroccan Spiced Lentil Soup (Vegetarian) with Harissa

1/3 C olive oil
1 large onion, diced small
3 celery stalks, diced small
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 T fresh ginger, grated

1 T ground coriander
1 T smoked paprika
2 t cumin
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped and divided in half
1 bunch curly parsley, finely chopped and divided in half

4 C vegetable broth
4 C water
1 – 15 ounce can of garbanzo beans, rinsed
1 C lentils, rinsed
1 – 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes

4 ounces kale, chopped chunky style
1/2 C orzo
Juice from one lemon
S & P to taste

Add oil to a preheated soup pot. Add onion, celery, garlic and ginger. Add a sprinkling of salt and cracked black pepper. Sauté over medium low heat until translucent.

Add coriander, smoked paprika, cumin, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, half of the cilantro and half of the parsley. Sauté until fragrant and well blended. A little sticking on the bottom of the pan is good.

Add broth, water, garbanzo beans, lentils and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil.

Add 2 teaspoons of salt, lower heat to low and cover. Simmer until lentils are tender.

Add kale and cook until tender.

Just prior to service, add lemon juice, the remaining parsley/cilantro and orzo. Continue to simmer until orzo is tender. Adjust seasoning.

HARISSA

6 T EVOO
6 cloves of garlic, minced
2 T paprika, not smoked
1 T ground coriander
1 T ground Aleppo pepper
1 t cumin
3/4 t caraway seeds
1/2 t salt

Place all ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Cook over low heat until fragrant and blended. Drizzle over soup.

Green Chile Chicken Soup with Lime Cilantro Rice

(recipe serves 6-8)

1/4 C olive oil
3 small yellow onions, medium dice
4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
S & P

1 T ground cumin
1 T dried oregano

6-8 tomatillos, skin removed and rinsed, quartered
2 large ears fresh corn, cut from the cob
1 – 4 ounce can fire roasted green chiles. diced
1 – 15.5 ounce can white hominy, rinsed
1 – 15.5 ounce can kidney beans, rinsed
8 C chicken stock
1 T chipotle puree
2 bay leaves
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
Juice of one large lime

2 large chicken breasts with rib meat and skin on – about three pounds
olive oil
S & P

For soup:

In a preheated soup pot, add olive oil. Oil should shimmer. Add onions, garlic and a pinch of salt and cracked black pepper. Simmer until onions become translucent. Add cumin and oregano. Mix in well. Stir until fragrant. Add remaining ingredients. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer until tomatillos soften. Use the back of a large spoon to break them up. Add reserved chicken.

For chicken:

Rinse chicken with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. (Make sure to sterilize your sink after rinsing raw chicken. Use some bleach and soap for a thorough cleaning.)

Rub chicken breasts with a generous dose of olive oil. Liberally season with Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Place chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet and place into a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 15 minutes, rotate sheet and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until done. Allow cooling and shred into large pieces.

Lime Cilantro Rice

1/4 C fresh lime juice
1 small bunch of cilantro, large stems cut off
3 large cloves of garlic, trimmed
1 1/2 t salt

2 1/2 C water

2 T olive oil
1 1/2 C of converted white rice (like Uncle Ben’s)

In a blender, add lime juice, cilantro, garlic, salt and about 1/4 C of the water measure.
Blend well. Scrape down sides and blend again. Add remaining 2 1/4 C of water to blender and blend on high-speed.

In a preheated skillet, add olive oil. Oil should shimmer. Add rice and stir to lightly toast. Add cilantro water. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or until water is mostly absorbed. Pour rice onto a baking sheet for cooling.

Notes from the kitchen:

Soup and rice were prepared a day ahead. For service, warm rice in the microwave. Ladle warmed soup into bowls, add a scoop of rice and a lime slice. Great texture, fresh flavors and a little spice make this soup very satisfying.

Lentils with Chorizo

serves 8-10

1/4 C or more olive oil

1 large yellow onion, diced small
5-6 celery stalks, diced small
5-6 carrots, peeled and diced small
5-6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

3 T tomato paste

1 C red wine

1 – 28 ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes (crushed with your hands)

4-5 bay leaves
5-6 whole cloves
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 T plus 1 t dried thyme
2 t salt

1 pound bag of green lentils, rinsed

12 C chicken stock or broth

Spanish chorizo links, diced

In a large preheated soup pot, add olive oil. Add onion, celery, carrots and garlic. Spritz vegetable mix with salt and pepper. Sauté over medium heat until vegetables soften and meld. You may need to add some additional olive oil.

Add tomato paste. Continue to sauté until vegetables and paste begin to stick to the bottom of the pan.

Increase heat and add red wine. Reduce red wine until almost completely evaporated. You should draw a line on the bottom of the pan and it should stay dry. See photo.

Add crushed tomatoes. Add bay leaves, cloves, red pepper flakes, thyme and salt. Mix well. Add lentils and stock. Bring soup to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until lentils have softened. At this point, add chorizo and simmer an additional 15-20 minutes.

I prepared the soup a couple of days before I served it. I chilled the soup in the refrigerator, uncovered, overnight. The next day, I covered the soup for an additional day of storage. Before service, I reheated and added the chorizo.

NOTES:

The soup will develop more flavor when it has a chance to rest in the refrigerator. The soup can be made several days out. Add the chorizo just prior to service.

Aurelia’s Spanish Chorizo (available online and at HEB) is delicious. I ended up using a Chorizo purchased at Whole Foods. Perfectly fine.

For service, I toasted up a baguette. Brush baguette slices with olive oil and bake until crisp. Also, I added some chopped parsley and parmesan cheese to top.

The soup freezes well too. Would not freeze with chorizo.

Red Lentils with Herbed Basmati Rice and Smoked Paprika Oil

(recipe serves 8)

Soup:

1/4 C olive oil
2 small yellow onions, small dice
6-8 cloves of garlic, minced

3 T tomato paste
1 T ground coriander
1 1/2 t cumin
1 1/2 t ginger
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t red pepper flakes

3 C red lentils, rinsed
10 C chicken or vegetable stock

Juice of one lemon
2 t salt
1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

In a large preheated soup pot, add olive oil, onions and garlic. Sauté until onions are translucent and garlic is aromatic.

Add tomato paste, coriander, cumin, ginger, cinnamon and red pepper flakes. Stir well and continue to sauté until a slight sticking occurs and flavors bloom.

Add lentils and chicken stock. Scrape up any bits on the bottom and bring soup to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and add lemon juice, cilantro and salt.

Cover soup and simmer until lentils “open up” and soup thickens. Adjust seasoning and serve with basmati rice and smoked paprika oil.

Soup will reveal more depth of flavor after an overnighter in the fridge. This is most always my recommendation. Adjust seasonings after reheating.

Herbed Basmati Rice:

2 C basmati rice, rinsed
4 C filtered water

1 t salt
2 t dried mint
2 t dried dill

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Cover pan with tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove rice from heat, with lid on, and allow 10 more minutes of “steaming”. Fluff with fork and serve.

Smoked Paprika Oil:

1/3 C olive oil, not extra virgin
1/2 t smoked paprika

Place olive oil and paprika in a small space pan. Bring to a slow boil. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to steep.

Drizzle over soup.

Serving suggestions:

Lots of warm naan, a simple tossed salad and you have a very satisfying meal. A Pinot Noir would would be a tasty accompaniment along with a few logs on the fire and a good movie on the tube. Enjoy!

Ratatouille Soup

(serves 8)

1/4 C olive oil
5 large cloves of garlic, chopped
1 yellow onion, diced

3 T tomato paste
2 T dried basil
1 1/2 t red pepper flakes

1 red bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
2 zucchini, chopped
2 yellow squash, chopped
1 large (or 2 small) eggplant, chopped
1 small container of Cremini mushrooms, stems removed and chopped

1 – 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes (San Marzano brand is delicious)
Juice of 3 lemons
8 C chicken or vegetable stock
2 t salt

In a large preheated soup pot, add olive oil. Add onion, garlic and a generous spritz of salt and black pepper. Sauté over medium high heat until garlic is fragrant and onions are translucent. Add tomato paste, basil and red pepper flakes. Continue to sauté until tomato paste darkens in color and begins to stick to the pan. Add a small amount of the stock to “deglaze”.

Add bell peppers, zucchini, squash, eggplant and mushrooms. Add tomatoes, lemon juice, remaining stock and salt. Bring soup to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until vegetables are tender.

Serve over orzo pasta and garnish with basil pesto.

Sweet Potato Chili

quick | easy | flavorful

serves 4-6 depending on serving size

whole grain | protein | fiber | complex carbohydrate | oh my

1/4 C olive oil

1 large yellow onion, medium dice

6 large cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

2 T chile powder (make sure it is fresh)

2 t ground cumin

2 T tomato paste

1 t red pepper flakes

2 – 15.5 ounce cans of fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 – 14.5 ounce can of kidney beans, rinsed well

1 – 14.5 ounce can of black beans, rinsed well

4 C chicken or vegetable stock

1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

1 fresh jalapeño, chopped (I left seeds and membrane in for spice.)

Juice from 1 lemon

2 t salt

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut chunky style

Cook up 1 cup of quinoa according to package instructions.

Beginning to end, 30 minutes of prep time and cutting boards are clean!

For sweet potatoes:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil. Coat foil with non-stick pan spray. Place sweet potatoes on cookie sheet and oil them up with about 2 T of olive oil. Make sure the potato pieces are not touching to insure even cooking and crisp edges. Spritz with salt and cracked pepper. Place into the oven. Roast for 10 minutes. Rotate cookie and sheet and roast for an additional 10 minutes. Remove and cool.

For soup:

Place 1/4 C of olive oil in a preheated soup pot. Add garlic slices and sauté over medium heat until fragrant. Add onion. Add a spritz of salt and pepper. Sauté until onion starts to become translucent. Add chile powder, cumin and tomato paste. Mix well while continuing to sauté. Spices should become fragrant. Flavors are “blooming”. Add red pepper flakes. Add tomatoes, beans and chicken stock. Stir to combine. Add jalapeño, lemon juice, cilantro and 2 teaspoons of salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer as flavors meld.

For service:

Add roasted sweet potatoes to soup pot and warm. Place a scoop of quinoa in each bowl. Ladle chili over quinoa. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, chopped scallion and diced radish.

Serve chili with a mango/jicama salad: diced mango, jicama, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and salt

Serve chili with a mango/jicama salad: diced mango, jicama, jalapeño, cilantro, red onion, lime juice, olive oil and salt.

Sweet Potato Soup with Pasilla Chiles

(recipe serves 8)

1/4 C of olive oil

4 carrots, peeled and diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1 1/2 small yellow onions, diced
6-7 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
S & P

1/4 C apple cider vinegar

4-5 Pasilla chiles, torn into pieces, seeds and stems removed
2 Gala apples, peeled and chopped
4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunky pieces

2 cinnamon sticks, bundle with kitchen twine
4 bay leaves
4-5 whole cloves
1/2 t red pepper flakes
1 heaping teaspoon of chipotle puree
2 t salt

Puree a small can of chipotle in adobo sauce. If necessary, add a small amount of water.

8 C chicken stock
1 C orange juice

In a large preheated soup pot, add olive oil, carrots, celery, onions and garlic. Add a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Do not stir. Allow the vegetable mixture to caramelize over medium high heat before stirring. A LITTLE BIT OF PAN STICKING IS GOOD. You can smell the caramelization occur. Continue to cook vegetables allowing for a generous browning. Adjust heat down if burning begins to occur. Adding salt to the mixture will extract water from the vegetables. You want to continue to cook the aromatics until the water evaporates and browning occurs.

Add cider vinegar. Scrape up pan bits. Add 4 C of stock. Add chiles, apples, sweet potatoes, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, red pepper flakes, chipotle puree and salt.
Mix well. Add remaining 4 C of stock and orange juice. Bring to a boil. Cover and lower heat to medium low. Simmer until potatoes, apples and chiles are tender. YOUR HOUSE WILL SMELL FANTASTIC 😉

Remove from heat. Allow soup to cool before placing in the refrigerator, uncovered, for overnight magic!

The next day, remove soup and puree. Using a blender, puree the soup in batches until smooth. Place soup back into a pan for reheating. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If consistency is too thick, add an additional amount of stock.

Garnish with orange creme fraiche, pumpkin seeds and golden raisins. A chili corn chip makes a nice garnish.

I used the combo corn/flour tortillas. They create a perfect texture when baked. Available at HEB.

For chips: Lightly brush each side of the tortilla with olive oil. Sprinkle chili powder and Kosher salt on one side. Cut tortilla in half and place on a cookie sheet. Place into a preheated 375 degree oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate cookie sheet and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Make sure your chili powder is not too old. Fresh chili powder is the ticket for full flavor.