Miso Soup + Seaweed Harvest for Outdoor Wedensday

"Tis the season to be jolly...." True, but wretched excess robs the body of strength and the mind of clarity. That's scary because the holiday season has only just begun and weeks of revelry remain before the firm resolve of the New Year kicks in. Eating sensibly can be difficult and its hard to find nutritional balance on holiday tables. Truth be told, I don't always look for balance, but I do watch what I eat. It's not a diet in the true sense of the word, but when I know dinner will be heavy, lunch will be light, sometimes very light. While I know there are celebrities who advocate regimes of fast and purge, that's not my style. I have to eat something. My something can be light and the portion can be small but it has to be there or my inner diva surfaces. Even I don't like her much. To keep her quiet, I made miso soup for lunch today. In Japan miso soup is a culinary staple. It is very light and usually served at the beginning of a meal. The soup, developed by Buddhist monks in the 7th century, was a favorite of Samurai warriors who chose it for its nutritional content. It is still a favorite in Japan today where it is called misoshiru. The soup is made with a stock called dashi and a soft miso paste. Other ingredients can be added according to whim or availability. Miso paste is made from a mixture of soybeans, a starch such as rice or barley, salt, a smidge of water and yeast. Fortunately, miso paste can be found in most large grocery stores. It comes in four forms: red, white, barley, and soybean. I use a commercially available white miso to make my soup. Unfortunately, I have to make my own dashi. While that's not hard to do, it requires some forethought and advanced planning. When I make it, I make lots and freeze it. If you are unable to get the ingredients for dashi, a vegetable or chicken broth can be used. I add very little else to my soup. I usually settle on a handful of green onions, some Wakame seaweed and tofu. While it is not necessary, I add tofu to "beef" up the protein content of my soup.







Wakame is an edible seaweed that can be farmed or harvested from the ocean. It is high in nutrients and low in fat and cholesterol and, when fresh, is a glorious leafy green in color. I have no access to fresh Wakame, so, I use a dried, dehydrated form. Today's recipe is a two step procedure. The first recipe is for dashi, a Japanese fish stock. The second is for the soup itself. I know it's hard to make something from scratch when dehydrated packets of it are available in grocery stores. I make my own to keep a handle on the sodium content of my soup. I hope you'll give this version a try. Here are the two recipes.

Dashi - Japanese Fish Stock

Ingredients:
4 cups cold water
1 (6-inch) piece konbu (edible kelp), cut into 2-inch pieces
1/3 cup bonito flakes (bonito is a member of the mackeral family)

Directions:
Put water and konbu in a pan. Let konbu soak for 20 minutes. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in bonito flakes and remove from heat. Let sit for at least 10 minutes. Press and strain through a fine mesh sieve. Yield: 4 cups.

Miso Soup

Ingredients:
4 cups hot dashi (see above)
1/3 cup miso paste
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1 cup medium-firm tofu
2-1/2 tablespoons pre-soaked Wakame seaweed

Directions:
Bring miso to a simmer. Slowly spoon miso paste into soup. Do not boil. Stir in softened Wakame, green onions and tofu. Serve hot: Yield: 4 cups.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Japanese Clear Soup with Carrots and Daikon Flowers - Kahakai Kitchen
Nabeyaki Udon - Tasty Trix
Vegetable Wonton Soup - Seriously Soupy
Soba Noodle Soup - The Hunger Struck
Chinese Egg Drop Soup - Curious Eats
Tom Yum Goong - Las Vegas Food Adventures

This is being linked to:
Outdoor Wednesday - A Southern Daydreamer

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

A soup to brighten gray and foggy days.



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The hillside into which our house is built is no stranger to fog. Normally, it burns away and we can go about our business in an unhampered fashion. Occasionally, the fog refuses to lift and we are marooned, at least until our driveway, which was not designed for the feint of heart, is visible again. That happened last week. We were buried in a fog so thick you could cut it with a knife. Trite but true. Save for missing fog horns, I'd have sworn I was on the coast of Maine. The sheer grayness of the day demanded counter measures. With a fire lit and loaves on the rise, I decided to make a soup du jour. I played with the idea of making a pea soup, but our fog lacked the characteristic yellow color of a true pea souper, and I wasn't sure the Silver Fox, who was suffering from cabin fever, would appreciate my humor. I still had broccoli and, because we always have a ready supply of cheese, I knew where I was going. I had to be a bit inventive because a lack of cream precluded using my usual recipe for a broccoli and cheese soup. The soup I came up with was easy to make and surprisingly good. The recipe is straight forward and you can't go wrong unless you allow the soup to boil once the cheese has been added to the pot. The cheese will break and curdle and, while that won't affect taste, it's not a pretty sight. While the soup can be reheated, it's best eaten the day it's made. If it becomes too thick, use additional chicken broth to thin it out a bit. This is a very nice soup and I think you'll enjoy it. Here's the recipe.

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 pound of fresh broccoli florets
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup finely chopped carrot
2/3 cup finely chopped onion
6 cups chicken broth, divided
1/2 cup flour
3 cups whole milk
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
8 ounces Colby cheese, shredded
4 ounces sharp Cheddar, shredded

Directions:
1) Melt butter in a large saucepan set over over medium heat. Add onions and carrots and saute for 5-6 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
2) Add 2 cups chicken broth to pan and heat until boiling. Add broccoli and cook, covered, until broccoli is tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Using a spoon, break broccoli into small pieces. Reduce heat to low. Add remaining 4 cups chicken broth to pot.
3) Mix flour and milk in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Add mixture to pot. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking over low heat until soup thickens - about 5-6 minutes.
4) Add cheese, handfuls at a time, and stir constantly over low heat until smooth and creamy - about 10 minutes. If soup becomes too thick, add additional chicken stock. Do not let soup boil. Serve hot. Yield: 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup - Taste and Tell
Creamy Mushroom Soup - Really Hungry
Spicy Southwestern Turkey Soup - A Spoonful of Thyme
Matzo Ball and Hanukkah Soup Recipes - Seriously Soupy
Italian Wedding Soup - Kalofagas
Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli, or Pasta and Bean Soup - La Bella Vita

Stracciatella - Roman Egg Drop Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This soup makes a delightfully easy and delicious light meal. It is not substantial enough for everyone, but most folks enjoy the soup as a separate course or as part of a larger meal. While this recipe is Roman, the Chinese and the Greeks have nearly identical soups in their repertoires and I sense we'd be in trouble if we try to assign the soup a country of origin. There's not much to this. It consists of a good broth into which eggs, mixed with semolina and grated cheese, are dropped. The eggs are stirred vigorously, causing them to break them into the characteristic flakes or shards that resemble rags. The rags, called straccetti in Italian, are what give the soup its name. Years ago, the soup was eaten at least once a week, but it popularity has waned in recent years. That's a shame. It is a lovely restorative soup. I hope you'll try it at least once. Here's the recipe.

Stracciatella - Roman Egg Drop Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 quarts chicken broth
4 eggs
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano
1 tablespoon very finely minced parsley (optional)
3-4 tablespoons semolina (optional)
A pinch of freshly ground nutmeg (optional)

Directions:
1) Combine eggs, semolina, grated cheese, parsley and nutmeg in a small bowl. Add a ladle of cold broth and beat mixture lightly with a fork or whisk.
2) Bring remainder of broth to a boil. Add egg mixture all at once, stirring vigorously with a whisk or fork so as to break egg mass into small flakes or shards. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, and serve, passing additional grated cheese. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Lemon Soup - 400 Calories or Less
Soupa Avgolemono - Living the Gourmet
Chinese Egg Drop Soup - Sea Salt with Food
Mushroom Egg Drop Soup - Simply Life
Stracciatella alla Roma - Memorie di Angelina
Enoki Miso Soup - Indonesia Eats
Avgolemono - One Perfect Bite
Ginger Egg Drop Soup - White On Rice Couple

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This soup is a wonderful way to use the last of summers bounty. It's flavorful, quite easy to assemble and its wonderful color belongs on an artist's palette. The only downside to all this is that you'll need a blender or food processor to puree the vegetables. If you are fastidious you'll also want to pour the soup through a fine mesh strainer to capture those odd bits and bobs that escape the blender blades. The soup can be served warm or cold and it's perfect to pack in a thermos to offer as a warmer at the game. I prefer to serve the soup warm, but it was actually developed to be served cold. Remember cold soups require more salt than those that are served warm, so adjust seasonings accordingly. Hot or cold the soup should be allowed to rest and ripen before it is served. I think you'll enjoy this. Here's the recipe.

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2-1/4 pounds Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise
3 large red bell peppers, quartered, seeded
1 onion, cut into thin wedges
4 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
2 cups water (approximate measure)
Heavy cream (optional)
Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 450°F. Arrange tomatoes (cut side up), bell peppers, onion and garlic cloves on large baking sheet. Drizzle oil over; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables until brown and tender, turning peppers and onion occasionally, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool.
2) Transfer vegetables and any accumulated juices to processor. Add thyme leaves. Puree soup, gradually adding enough water to thin soup to desired consistency. Chill soup for 3 to 24 hours. Reheat if serving warm. If soup becomes too thick, thin with additional water.
3) Adjust seasoning. Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with heavy cream if desired. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if using. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Bacon and Potato Soup - Yum Sugar
Black Bean and Pumpkin Soup - Smitten Kitchen
Split Pea Soup with Pancetta - Bread and Honey
Spinach White Bean and Turkey Sausage Soup - Closet Cooking
Pureed Sweet Potato Soup - Saveur
Bacon and Cabbage Soup - Epicurious


This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Double Celery Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a light soup, but it is also substantial enough to be filling. A bit of a contradiction I know, but it really is a perfect soup to fill stomachs while bridging the seasons. When it's too cold for gazpacho, but too warm for a heavy bean soup, you'll be glad to have this recipe in your rotation. I must admit this soup surprised. I made it only because a neighbor had left celeriac on our porch and I had to figure out a way to use it. I have a handful of food writers that I go to when I'm exposed to new ingredients. Patricia Wells is one of them, and, sure enough, she had just what I was looking for. You can have this soup on the table in a little over an hour. You'll be delighted with it's flavor and its texture and you'll be especially pleased by how quickly it comes together. Celeriac, or celery root, is not always available in my community, so I snatch it up when I can get my hands on it. The root doesn't freeze well, but the soup does, so I usually make a double batch to assure I have some on hand. While there are herbs that add to the length of the ingredient list, the soup is made with just four real ingredients. It has made it to my top ten (soup) list and that doesn't happen often. I hope you'll try it. I know it sounds bizzare, but it is really, really good. Here's the recipe.

Double Celery Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Patricia Wells

Ingredients:
1 medium celery root (about 1 pound) peeled and diced
10 celery ribs, cubed
3 leeks (about 9 ounces) trimmed, well rinsed and cut into thin rounds
Bouquet garni: 1 large sprig of thyme, 3 bay leaves, several sprigs of parsley, tied with a string
2 quarts (2 liters) chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground pepper
A handful of chopped fresh herbs for garnish: including chervil, chives, flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
In a large saucepan, combine celery root, celery, leeks, and bouquet garni. Add stock, and season gently with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.Simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 25 minutes. Adjust the seasonings. Pour into warmed shallow bowls. Sprinkle with the chopped herbs and serve immediately. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque - Petit Foodie
Pumpkin, Barley and Sage Soup - Noble Pig
Roasted Pumpkin Soup - Gourmet Girl
Creamy Tomato Basil Soup - Louanne's Kitchen
Tomato Leek Soup - Living the Gourmet
Creamy Tuscan Bean Soup - Italian Food Forever

Soupe Au Pistou

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is, of course, Julia Child's classic version of the simple, but fragrant Provencal vegetable soup. The soup is a summer favorite in the Mediterranean. It's then that herbs and sundry beans come to market and hawkers push their bounty shouting, "Mesdames, faites le bon piste, faites le pistou!" I'm not much for summer soup, so it's fortunate that the vegetables used to make this span the seasons. What sets this soup apart from others of its ilk, is the freshness of its vegetables and the use of pistou, a sauce made with garlic, basil, tomato and cheese. This is one the first recipes I made as I worked my way through the first volume of Julia's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It is foolproof, and the only thing that can be done to spoil it, is to overcook the vegetables thrown into the pot. If you love peasant food, this soup is one you'll find hard to resist. You'll never forget its unique aroma, and its color, taste and texture will allow your imagination to run wild. With any luck, you'll find yourself sitting at a scrubbed, worn table in a farmhouse kitchen enjoying the bounty of your French host's garden. The fantasy would be perfect if Julia were also there to entertain. Here's her recipe, in case you missed it first time around.

Soupe Au Pistou...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Julia Child

Ingredients:
Soup
3 quarts water
2 cups diced waxy potatoes
2 cups diced carrots
2 cups diced onion or white of leek
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups canned white navy or kidney beans, drained
1/3 cup broken spaghetti
1 slice stale white bread, crumbled
2 cups fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Optional : pinch of saffron
Pistou
4 cloves crushed garlic
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 to 1/2 cup fruity olive oil

Directions:
1) To make soup: Bring water, potatoes, carrots and onions or leeks, and salt to a boil in a 6-quart soup pot. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. About 20 minutes before serving add white beans, broken spaghetti, bread, pepper and saffron to the soup and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the green beans and simmer 5 to 10 minutes more, until they are cooked through but still crunchy. Again adjust salt and pepper to taste.
2 ) To make pistou: While the soup is simmering, place the garlic, tomato puree or paste, basil and cheese in a soup tureen or another pot. Pound to a paste with a wooden spoon, then beat in olive oil, drop by drop.
3) To finish and serve: Whisk a cup of hot soup into tureen containing pistou. When smooth add rest of soup and stir well to combine. Serve hot with French bread or croutons. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

You might also like these recipes:
Root Vegetable Soup with Honey and Sage - The English Kitchen
Quick Tortilla Chicken and Vegetable Soup - 101 Cooking for Two
Vegetable Bean Soup - The Bake-Off Flunkie
Vegetable Beef Soup - Never Enough Thyme
Healthy Tomato and Vegetable Soup - Taste
Late Summer Vegetable Soup with Basil Pesto - Food Blogga
Roasted Vegetable Soup - In Danny's Kitchen
Minestrone for All Seasons - Italian Food Forever
Vegetable Soup - Niya's Kitchen

Zuppa di Finocchio - Creamy Fennel Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm still able to buy fennel very cheaply. Last weekend I bought several large bulbs to try an idea I'd been mulling over. I wanted to make a creamy fennel soup that had an unmistakably anise flavor, but had the same grainy texture as a properly made potato soup. How hard could it be? I set to work and did the requisite dicing and slicing and had my pot on the stove in 30 minutes. In addition to fennel, the pot contain a large potato to help with thickening, some celery and, most importantly, finely ground caraway seeds to boost the anise flavor. I let the contents of the pot simmer for about an hour, then pureed the contents of the pot using an immersion blender. I thinned the soup with light cream, garnished it with fennel fronds and served it warm with seeded rye croutons. It was really good and I'll definitely be making it again. I gave it an Italian name to give it more panache. I thought some of you might enjoy the recipe. Here's how it's made.

Zuppa di Finocchio - Creamy Fennel Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored and coarsely chopped
1 (8 to 12-oz.) large Idaho potato, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 to 1 teaspoon teaspoon pulverized caraway seeds
4 cups low-sodium Chicken broth
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup light cream
Garnish: fennel fronds

Directions:
1) Heat olive oil in a large (4 to 5-quart) pan. Add fennel, potato, celery, and garlic. Cover pan, reduce heat, and sweat vegetables until soft but not brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add pulverized caraway seed, chicken broth, bay leaf and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, partially covered, for 50 minutes. Remove bay leaf
2) Puree soup with an immersion blender. Strain soup if desired. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fennel fronds. Serve with seeded rye croutons. Yield: 5 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Mussels in Fennel Cream Sauce - Blissful Bites
Fennel, Olive and Orange Salad - The Creative Pot
Fennel Roasted Carrots - Handle the Heat
Apple Fennel Salad - Jenny Learns to Cook
Bouillabaise de Poulet - One Perfect Bite
Raw Beet and Fennel Salad - For the Love of Food

Chicken Gumbo - Filé Gumbo

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had a small, surprising triumph tonight. Before going any further, I want to extend an apology to any of my Southern friends who might find my victory lap or bow a bit premature. I stepped into their territory, if not their kitchens, and made gumbo tonight. Despite my years in the kitchen, this was a first for me. I love gumbo, but I found the making of roux off-putting. Armed with great directions, which you can find here, I decided to give it a try and I think I did alright. I made minor alterations to a recipe developed by Emeril Lagasse and was really pleased with the results. My only caution is that you need time to make this. It really is not difficult to prepare, but it needs watching and some of its elements take longer to cook than the recipe would have you believe. Most significantly, it took an hour, rather than 20 minutes, for my roux to become the color of chocolate. The trick is to get it to that chocolate color without burning the roux. If it burns you'll have to toss it. Despite that, I highly recommend this gumbo and hope you will try it. Here's the recipe.


Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo with White Rice...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 pound smoked andouille sausage, cut crosswise 1/2-inch thick pieces
4 pounds bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped bell peppers
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3 bay leaves
9 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1 tablespoon filé powder (ground sassafras leaves)- see Cook's Note
.
Cooked white rice
Hot sauce

Directions:
1) Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy pot set over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until brown, about 8 minutes. Remove sausage from pan and drain on paper toweling. Set aside.
2) Season chicken with Creole seasoning. Brown, in batches, using pot in which sausage was cooked. Remove from pan. Let cool and refrigerate until ready to use.
3) Add flour and reserved 1/2 cup oil to pan in which chicken and sausage browned. Cook, stirring slowly, for 20 to 25 minutes to make a chocolate colored roux. I had to cook mine for an hour to achieve this color.
4) Add onions, celery, and bell peppers and cook, stirring, until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add reserved sausage, salt, cayenne, and bay leaves, stir, and cook for 2 minutes. Stirring, slowly, add chicken stock, and cook, stirring, until well combined. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
5) Add reserved chicken to the pot and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, skimming off any fat that rises to surface.
6) Remove pot from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken thighs from the gumbo and place on a cutting board to cool slightly. Remove and discard bay leaves. Pull chicken meat from bones and shred, discarding bones. Return meat to gumbo and stir in the green onions, parsley, and filé powder.
7) Spoon rice into bottom of deep bowls or large cups and ladle gumbo on top. Serve with hot sauce if desired. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Cook's Note: File powder has a very earthy flavor that tastes like a combination of thyme and savory. It can be found in the spice aisle of large food chains. The powder comes from grinding dried sassafras leaves. If you would like to make your own filé powder, instructions can be found here. Filé powder is added at the end of cooking to thicken the gumbo. To add it sooner can cause the gumbo to become stringy. It can also be passed and added at the table.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo - The Bake-Off Flunkie
Chicken Gumbo - Louanne's Kitchen
Quick and Easy Sausage and Okra Gumbo - Sing for Your Supper
Shrimp and Okra Gumbo - Felice in the Kitchen
Pancetta and Shrimp Gumbo - Chow and Chatter
Cajun Gumbo Soup - The Teacher Cooks

Corn Soup a la Patricia Wells

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Please, Please, Please.... If you haven't had this soup, try it now while fresh corn is still available. I can't say enough good things about this very simple starter. Freshly shucked corn is scraped from the cob and simmered, along with the cobs, in a low fat milk. The flavor of the corn infuses the milk which thickens slightly as it cooks. The mixture is then pureed to almost perfect smoothness before being seasoned with salt and pepper. The soup is finished with a garnish of fresh cilantro and a sprinkling of smoked Spanish paprika. It's the creation of Patricia Wells and it is another example her simply elegant handling of ingredients. I've made no changes to her recipe. I do, however, capture and use all the "milk" from the scraped cobs and let the soup steep for an hour more than the recipe suggests. I rarely get excited about recipes, but this one made my socks go up and down. I've frozen a more than adequate quantity for our Thanksgiving dinner. It is easy, inexpensive and would make a perfect first course for a holiday meal. The sprinkling of smoked paprika takes the soup to another level, so be sure to use it. It adds flair and a unique flavor component to the soup. I know you'll love this. Here's how it's made.

Addendum: This recipe works only with fresh sweet corn. The cob and "milk" both add additional flavor that gives the soup its intensive corn taste.

Corn Soup a la Patricia Wells...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Patricia Wells

Ingredients:
3 ears fresh corn, shucked
6 cups 1% milk
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1/4 fresh cilantro leaves (for garnish)
about 1 teaspoon hot smoked spanish pimentón de la Vera

Directions:
1) With a sharp knife scrape kernels off corn cobs. Be sure to catch any milky liquid that is released while you do this.
2) Place kernels, cobs and milky liquid in a saucepan or skillet large enough to hold them in a single layer. Add milk and salt. Cover and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook at a bare simmer for 45 minutes. I let mine simmer for an hour and then sit for an hour before proceeding.
3) Remove corn cobs, and put milk and corn mixture in a blender and puree until corn is broken up but still maintains a bit of texture. Adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.
4) Just before serving, garnish with pimentón and cilantro. Serve warm or cold. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Farmer's Market Corn Salsa - Christine's Cuisine
Buttermilk Corn Bread - Sea Salt with Food
Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup - Closet Cooking
Fresh Corn and Tomato Pie - Sass and Veracity
Fresh Corn and Tomato Saute - The Parsley Thief
Corn Fritters with Maple Syrup - Meats, Roots and Leaves
Corn and Edamame Succotash - One Perfect Bite
Sweet Corn Ice Cream - One Perfect Bite

Cauliflower Soup - Blue Monday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We all lose our heads from time to time, but not with the same finality as Madame du Barry lost hers. While not a royal, the comtesse, once mistress to King Louis the XVth , was guillotined following the false testimony of her chef who detested her imperious behavior. Many dishes in classic French cuisine, especially those containing cauliflower, are appended with her name. Not because she lost her head, but because her coif resembled a head of cauliflower in color and appearance.This is a simplified version of Creme du Barry. Almost all the butter and cream have been removed from the recipe and caraway seeds are, instead, added to provide flavor. The soup is simple to make and uses only a handful of readily available ingredients. It is really quite lovely. I know those of you who try it will enjoy it. It's an easy way to use the cauliflower that is flooding markets at this time of year and it would be a perfect first course for a holiday meal. Here's the recipe.

Cauliflower Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
1 medium all-purpose potato, cubed
6 cups chicken Stock
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Garnish: Chopped chives or parsley

Directions:
1) Warm oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add onions and caraway seed and cook, stirring, until onions are soft but not brown, about 10 minutes.
2) Stir in cauliflower, potatoes, and stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are very tender. Remove form the heat and allow to cool slightly.
3) Transfer to a blender or a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until smooth. Transfer to a clean saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.Add lemon juice and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Thin soup with stock or milk if too thick. Pour through a fine mesh strainer. Pour into warm bowls. Garnish with chives or parsley. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
White Bean Cauliflower and Bacon Soup - Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice
Cauliflower and Potato Salad - Guilty Kitchen
French Cauliflower Salad - Pham Fatale
Cauliflower Curry - The Spamwise Chronicles
Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup - One Perfect Bite
Gobi Manchurian - One Perfect Bite
Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry - Closet Cooking
Roasted Cauliflower with Tomatoes and Black Olives - The Recipe Girl

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Peanut and Pumpkin Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is the easier of the two recipes I have for peanut and pumpkin soup. I love to serve this as a starter for meals that are simple and need a bit of a jolt. Most peanut soups are associated with West Africa, but French settlers in Louisiana and Southeast Asia also made peanut soups that can be memorable. The trick, of course, is to temper the peanut taste so it does not overpower other ingredients in the soup. Many folks use peanut butter to achieve this unique taste, but I prefer to use a peanut milk and curry powder to get the flavor I'm looking for. A peanut milk can be made by combing 2 parts of chicken broth with 1 part roasted peanuts and blending them until the mixture is perfectly smooth. You'll need six cups of peanut milk for this recipe. It is very easy to make and adds a perfect nutty taste to this very simple soup. I also cheat a bit with the pumpkin puree. Mine comes from a can and it works perfectly well in this recipe. The soup keeps well, but it will thicken as it stands, so you will probably have to thin it if you do not serve it immediately. Here's the recipe I use for this fairly uncommon soup.

Peanut and Pumpkin Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 cups pumpkin puree
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup coarsely chopped red onions
2 teaspoons curry powder
6 cups peanut milk
2/3 cup fruit chutney
3 cups chicken broth

Directions:
1) Combine oil and butter in a frying pan set over medium heat. When the mixture shimmers, add red onion and saute until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder and toss with onions until well mixed and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2) To make peanut milk: Combine 3 cups of peanuts with 6 cups of water or broth in jar of a blender. Process until perfectly smooth. Set aside.
3) In jar of an electric blender, combine pumpkin, chutney and onion mixture. Pulse until smooth, adding peanut milk as needed to process.
4) Combine pumpkin mixture with remaining peanut milk and chicken broth in a large saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes longer. Serve hot or warm. Yield: 8 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Thai Pumpkin Soup with Coconut Milk - Le Delicieux
Moroccan Chicken and Pumpkin Soup - Kitchen Wench
Coconut Curry and Pumpkin Soup - Flavor Diva
Pumpkin and Peanut Butter Soup - Chef In You
Gingered Squash Soup - eCurry
Pumpkin-Sage Soup - Streaming Gourmet

Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had guests for dinner last evening and I wanted to share the lovely soup we had to start the meal with you. It is French in origin, and has a highfalutin name that makes it sound more formal and pretentious than it actually is. I do, however, work on the theory, that those who know a language are entitled to use the name with which they are most familiar. Lovers of France and the French language call this potage, Soupe Crème de Choux-Fleurs et Pomme au Curry. Those of us who lack the requisite language skills will call it Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup. Julia Child would have loved this recipe. It's based on one developed by Daniel Boulud and I think you'll love it too. It's actually easier to make than any of Julia's recipes and were you to eliminate the garnish, the soup is no harder to make than good old tomato soup. Really. Our local farmer's markets have shelves bending under the weight of cauliflower and it's also being tucked into CSA boxes. This is a wonderful way to use it up. The recipe has been developed to provide six servings and uses a cup of heavy cream. None of you need my permission to swap light for heavy cream. It changes the texture of the soup but it is still lovely. The recipe can also be doubled if you have a gang to feed. When I make the soup for family I omit the garnish, but I do use it when we have guests around the table. I use saffron when we have the queen to dinner. Those of you who try this are in for a sweet and spicy treat. It's smooth and creamy, and, like most cream soups, can be made well in advance of serving. Here's the recipe.

Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Daniel Boulud

Ingredients:
Soup
4 cups chicken stock
1-1/2 tablespoons sweet butter
1 cup chopped onions
2 teaspoons curry powder
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads or 2 pinches saffron powder
1 cup tart apples, such as Granny Smiths or Golden Delicious, peeled, split, cored and sliced
4 cups cauliflower (about 1 medium head), greens and stem discarded, head broken up
into small florets
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon chives, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Curried Apple Garnish
1 cup Golden Delicious apple, peeled, split, cored, cut in 1/4 inch dice
1 teaspoon curry powder
Optional: 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads or 1 pinch saffron powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
1) For soup: Warm chicken stock over medium heat. Melt butter in a heavy bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add onions, curry powder, and saffron and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add sliced apple and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often. Add cauliflower and warm chicken stock and bring to a boil. Boil until cauliflower is tender when pierced with a knife, approximately 20 minutes. Add cream and cook for 3 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Transfer soup in batches to a blender or food processor and purée at high speed until very smooth. Strain through a fine sieve. Keep warm until ready to serve or refrigerate when cool and reheat just before serving.
2) For garnish: Place diced apples with 1 tablespoon of water in a pan over medium heat. Add the curry powder, saffron, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well, cover with a lid, and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Strain and keep warm.
3) To serve: Ladle soup into warm soup bowls or cups. Sprinkle garnish over top. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

You might also like these recipes:
Yellow Cauliflower - One Perfect Bite
Gobi Manchurian - One Perfect Bite
Roasted Spicy Cauliflower - Kalyn's Kitchen
A Tale of Two Cauliflower Soups - Becks and Posh
Cauliflower Soup - Annie Blogs
Simple Cauliflower Soup - Simply Recipes

Asparagus Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The asparagus crop here in Oregon appears not to have been hurt by our strange spring weather. I have so much of it that I've had to research ways in which to use it. I came across an asparagus soup recipe develop by Emeril Lagasse that sounded good enough to eat. It turned out to be that and more. The soup is decidedly understated and could be elegant if served in small cups or terrines. I opted to serve bowls of it as part of a salad supper. This is a creamy soup that achieves its smoothness without the addition of large quantities of milk or cream. No part of the asparagus is wasted in its preparation. Even the woody stalks are simmered to make the both in which the other vegetables are cooked. I will make this soup again during asparagus season. It would be prohibitively expensive at other times of year. The recipe can be halved or doubled depending on your needs. This soup would also be delicious with the addition of a good curry powder. Here's the recipe as it was originally developed.

Asparagus Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients:
3 pounds fresh asparagus, rinsed
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup minced shallots
1 cup minced leeks, whites only, well rinsed
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, garnish

Directions:
1) Trim attractive top tips from asparagus, about 1 to 1-1/2-inches in length. Cut woody stem ends from each spear and reserve. Cut remaining tender stalks into 1/2-inch pieces.
2) In a medium pot, bring stock to a boil. Add tough woody stems, lower heat and simmer to infuse with asparagus flavor, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and discard, reserving stock.
3) Add decorative tips to stock and blanch until tender, about 1 to 1-1/2 minutes. Remove with a strainer and refresh in an ice water bath. Drain on paper towels and reserve for garnish. Reserve stock.
4) In a medium stockpot, melt butter over medium-high heat. When foamy, add shallots and leeks and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chopped asparagus stalks, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add reserved broth and simmer until the asparagus are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
5) With a hand-immersion blender or in batches in a food processor, puree soup until smooth. Adjust the seasoning, to taste. If serving right away, return to medium heat and add cream and reserved asparagus tips. Cook, stirring, until soup is warmed through, about 3 minutes.
6) Alternatively, if serving soup later, do not add cream and let cool at room temperature (or in an ice water bath). Cover and refrigerate. Before serving, add cream and asparagus tips, and warm soup gently over medium heat, stirring occasionally. To serve, place soup in a soup tureen and sprinkle with cheese. Ladle into demi-tasse cups or small coffee or tea cups, and serve. Yield: 8 (1-cup) servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Asparagus and White Bean Salad - One Perfect Bite
Penne with Asparagus and Lemon Sauce - One Perfect Bite
Savory Asparagus and Goat's Cheese Tart - One Perfect Bite

Creamy Onion and Blue Cheese Soup - Meatless Monday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The weather turned cool and wet on Saturday. Really wet. It was not a day for salads, so I pulled an untried soup recipe from my files and had a go at it. This turned out to be a nice soup, perfect for a rainy Saturday or Meatless Monday, but I must warn you, it is not for the feint of heart. To say it is strongly flavored is an understatement, but if you love French onion soup, beer and blue cheese I suspect the first spoonful will make you a rabid fan. The recipe is much like any other you may have for French onion soup, save for the addition of lots and lots of blue cheese. The cheese gives the soup its creamy texture. I suggest you add it in increment and taste as you go along. Start with four ounces and work you way up the suggested range of measure. Eight ounces would have been ideal for me, but Bob preferred it with a full twelve ounces. The soup also uses beer instead of wine to boost flavor. A bit of caution should be exercised here. To avoid bitterness, use something that is mellow. I have, for years now, used a specific non-alcoholic beer for cooking that gives flavor without bitterness. I'm not a teetotaler. The Belgian beer that I prefer is not available in this area, but I've found that O'Doul's Amber Ale has a hops finish and is a reasonable substitute. I also puree roughly half of the soup to give it substance. While this will never replace my favorite French onion soup, I can recommend this soup to any who love strong flavors are looking to try something a bit out of the ordinary. Here's the recipe.

Creamy Onion and Blue Cheese Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted fro The Spoon

Ingredients:
6 (8-oz.) yellow onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon sage
6 cups vegetable stock or water
1 (12-oz.) bottle O'Doul's Amber Ale
4 to 12 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

Directions:
1) Heat olive oil and butter in a large pot or Dutch oven until butter melt and mixture sizzles. Add onions and stir to coat. Cover pan and cook at a medium-low temperature for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and translucent. Uncover, raise heat to medium-high, and stir in salt and sugar. Cook, stirring only to prevent burning, until onions are a deep golden brown, about 30 to 45 minutes.
2) Lower heat to medium, stir in flour to form a paste with onions. Cook, stirring constantly, until flour is lightly brown, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of vegetable stock or water, stirring to blend stock with onion mixture. Add thyme, bay leaf and sage along with remain stock and beer to pot. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook slowly for 30 to 40 minutes. Place 1/3 to 1/2 of soup in a blender jar, Puree, being careful not to burn yourself. Return to pot. Add cheese in 4 ounce increments to taste. Add salt and pepper as required. Continue cooking over low heat for 30 minutes longer. Do not allow soup to boil once cheese has been added. Serve piping hot. Yield: 6 servings.

You might also enjoy these meatless entries:
Vegan Red Lentil and Pepper Flan - One Perfect Bite
Vegan Red Lentil Soup - One Perfect Bite
Pasta Primavera - One Perfect Bite

This recipe is being linked to Meatless Monday at My Sweet and Savory

Salmon Soup with Tomato and Dill

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is another light soup developed to span the seasons. It's substantial enough for a meal but lacks the heaviness associated with winter soups and chowders. It's often served in fishing camps and it's familiar to folks who live in Oregon and Washington, especially those who live on the islands in San Juan archipelago. This is really simple to assemble and its another great way to use the tail ends of whole salmon. The one ingredient that might cause some consternation is the fish stock. It can, of course, be purchased, but there are less expensive alternatives that can be used. Bottled clam juice, diluted with an equal measure of water, is the easiest alternative, but my favorite substitute is a light broth made from shrimp shells. We have shrimp frequently and rather than throw the shells away I freeze them until I need fish stock. I simply cover the shells with cold water, bring it to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. Once strained, it makes a perfect stock for soup. I keep the other ingredients in this soup to a minimum so the flavor of the salmon stays the star. If you prefer a thicker soup, puree a portion of the soup, just before adding the salmon. Here's the recipe for this spring favorite.

Salmon Soup with Tomato and Dill...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1-1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
3 cups fish stock
1 cup chicken stock
1-1/2 cups crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon died thyme
2 cups cubed potato
1 teaspoon lemon juice
12-oz. salmon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or parsley

Directions:
1) Melt butter in 4-5 quart saucepan or soup pot over medium heat. Add onions and saute for 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Add fish stock, chicken stock, tomatoes, sugar and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add potatoes, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, covered, until potatoes are tender but still retain their shape, about 12 minutes.
2) Stir salmon into soup and cook until fish flakes easily, about 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with dill. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Spring Salmon and Leek Soup - One Perfect Bite
Salmon Chowder - One Perfect Bite
Shrimp Chowder - One Perfect Bite
How to Make Shellfish Stock - Simply Recipes
Homemade Italian Shrimp Stock - New Italian Recipes

Spring Salmon and Leek Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I was digging through my freezer today, searching for the last vestiges of some salmon I knew was hiding at the bottom. Salmon season is here and it's time to use the old to make room for the new. It proved to be a good day to undertake the search. The arctic blasts of winter are past, but our weather can still be unpredictable. Late this afternoon, our glorious weather changed and we had a fierce, if short, hail storm followed by heavy rains and rapidly dropping temperatures. It turned into a perfect day for soup. I used the tail ends of the resurrected salmon, quite literally, to make two soups we love. Both are fast, simple and light. They are what I call cusp soups. They are much lighter than the heavy soups of winter but have enough substance to make a meal. I thought we'd do one of them tonight and the other next week. This is the lighter of the two soups and it's my personal favorite. The recipe calls for fish stock. I make mine from shrimp shells that I freeze until I need stock. You can also dilute bottled clam with water to make a serviceable fish stock. Here's the recipe for a light and lovely salmon soup that's perfect for spring.

Spring Salmon and Leek Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 large leek, white and tender green, sliced
1 large potato, diced
2 cups fish stock
3 cups water
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
3/4 pound skinless salmon cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup cream or half and half
Optional: lemon juice, parsley for garnish

Directions:
1) Heat oil in a heavy bottomed soup pan over medium heat. Add onions and leeks and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
2) Add potatoes, fish stock, water, bay leaf and a large pinch of salt to pan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf.
3) Let soup cool slightly. Transfer half of soup solids to a blender and puree until smooth. Be careful not to burn yourself. Return to pan. Heat soup to a simmer. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Add salmon to soup and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in cream. Adjust to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with parsley. Serve warm. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipe:

Tortilla Soup - One Perfect Bite
Yucatan-Style Soup with Chicken, Lime and Orzo - One Perfect Bite
Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup - One Perfect Bite

Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup - Passato di Peperoni

A golden soup to brighten a stormy day on the Oregon coast.









From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Storms pass, but when you're in the midst of one it's wonderful to have a meal that will warm the cockles of your heart. Bob is grilling a chicken to accompany this wonderfully light soup that originated in a Florentine trattoria. Its molten color evokes summer and the soup captures the heady flavor of peppers that have ripened under the Tuscan sun. Served hot or cold, Passato di Peperoni, is a perfect first course, and a wonderful way to begin a meal. This is really simple to make. The trick to making what could be an ordinary soup spectacular lies in the roasting of the peppers. No short cuts should be taken here. I've found I get the best flavor if the peppers are drizzled with olive oil and placed in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes before they go into the stockpot. Once that's done, you're on your way to having one of the best soups you've ever tasted. I highly recommend this. As a matter of act, I happen to love this soup. Serve it with a lovely salad, some great bread and plain grilled meat or poultry for a peasant feast that kings will envy. Here's the recipe.

Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup - Passato di Peperoni...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Patricia Wells

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil + olive oil for drizzling
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 large celery stalk, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 pounds thick-skinned yellow peppers, roasted and sliced
Salt and pepper
2 medium-size baking potatoes, peeled and diced
1 quart water
2 cups chicken broth

Directions:
1) Combine olive oil, carrot, celery and onion in a stockpot set over medium heat. Saute until vegetables are soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add roasted peppers and cook for 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper. Add potatoes, water and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
2) Use an immersion mixer or a blender to puree soup. If using a blender puree soup in batches to prevent burns. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve in soup bowls, drizzling each portion with a generous amount of olive oil. Yield: 6 to 8 serving.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Tuscan Bean Soup - One Perfect Bite
Avgolemono - One Perfect Bite
Tortilla Soup - One Perfect Bite
Easy Black Bean and Chorizo Soup - Stacy Snacks
Roasted Red Pepper Soup - Klutzy Chef
Roasted Cauliflower Red Pepper and Garlic Soup - Savoring the Thyme
Creamy Corn and Red Pepper Soup - Simply Life
Pepper Soup - eCurry
Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup - One Perfect Bite

Yucatan-Style Chicken, Lime, and Orzo Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite..."Come tip toe through the tulips with me." Really. I'm serious. We spent the day at a tulip fest held by a grower in our area and we had a really fantastic time wandering through 3000 acres of gorgeous, glowing color. We left early and returned late, so dinner, while necessary, was problematic. The cast iron stomachs of youth are just that and after a day of corn dogs, currywurst, and elephant ears, our digestive systems need some pampering to neutralize the grease and sugar we managed to consume while making merry. I'm like Mrs. Pac Man at these events. I have to taste everything that's being sold. I am not fond of corn dogs, but they smell so good my olfactory senses convince my brain that the culinary equivalent of a miracle has occurred and this time the corn dog will be delicious. Of course they never are and they are just the beginning of the problem. Smell those curly fries? I'm there in seconds. Blue cotton candy? I'm weak in the knees. Bob jokes, I hope, that it's less expensive to take me to the opera than a fair. After a day of such excess something light and palate cleansing is in order and this soup is perfect on both those counts. It's a quick fix meal that is perfect for a light spring supper. I found the recipe years ago in a copy of Bon Appetit magazine. They say the soup comes from the Yucatan. That may be, but I suspect it came from a resort rather than a native kitchen. Regardless, it is a lovely soup. I hope you'll try the recipe.

Yucatan-Style Chicken, Lime and Orzo Soup ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients:
3/4 cup orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 jalapeño chiles, thinly sliced
3/4 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into matchstick-size strips
5 cups low-salt chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 large tomato, seeded, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh cilantro sprigs

Directions:
1) Cook orzo in pot of boiling salted water until just tender. Drain well.
2) Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and chiles. Sauté until onion begins to brown, about 4 minutes. Add chicken; sauté 1 minute. Add broth, lime juice, and tomato. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Mix in orzo, then chopped cilantro. Season soup with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into 4 bowls. Garnish with cilantro sprigs. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Avgolemono - One Perfect Bite
Tortilla Soup - One Perfect Bite
Chicken Long Rice - One Perfect Bite

Avgolemono - Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you're looking for a soup to span the seasons, I suspect you'll love this light chicken soup that's patterned after Avgolemono, a Greek soup made with chicken, rice and lemon broth. I've taken some real shortcuts with this recipe. Busy folks will love them, but they'll cost me points in my quest to earn a "foodie" merit badge. I hope you share my dislike of that word. It makes me downright uncomfortable. Someone, several years ago, decided there was an unpleasant class connotation associated with the words gourmet and gourmand. They, whoever "they" might be, wanted a word that spoke to the common man and the great unwashed. In a flash of brilliance, they plucked the word "foodie" from the rarefied atmosphere surrounding them and the era of the gourmet was put to rest. Those who love to cook and eat, and love other people who love to cook and eat, smiled and carried on, sure in the knowledge that the games and self-importance would continue unabated. I suspect we'll always remain on the outside looking in. We take shortcuts, make substitutions and listen more to table banter than the words of the current culinary super star. We - I - am a mess! I cook for fun, but I want my fun to be part of a life that revolves around more than food. I need great recipes, but I need shortcuts that make them feasible for my kitchen and family. Now here's where I'm going to get myself in trouble. I love deli chickens and canned broth. I love pre-minced garlic and, yes, I love frozen vegetables. The thing is, I want to consume my food rather than have it consume me. Now, if you want to make this soup from scratch I'll be the first to salute you. I did that once myself, and it was wonderful. It just wasn't necessary. What is necessary, is using the right kind of rice. Hopefully, you'll have access to (sushi)pearl or arborio rice. If not, use anything that works for you, save for instant or converted rice. The rice helps thicken the soup and give it its lovely creamy color. Don't overcook it. While I prefer to use fresh lemon juice for the soup, there have been occasions when I've used the bottled variety, and I'm happy to report the world didn't end. This is a very light soup and I think it works best for lunch. It takes about 30 minutes to prepare. Here's the recipe.

Avgolemono - Greek Lemon Chicken Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
8 cups canned chicken broth
1 cup uncooked pearl or arborio rice
1/2 cooked deli-chicken, skinned, boned and coarsely chopped or shredded
2 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1) Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in rice, lower heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Add chicken and simmer for 5 minutes longer.
2) Meanwhile, whisk egg whites in a small bowl until they are frothy. Stir in yolks and lemon juice and whisk to combine.
3) Remove 1 cup of broth from soup. Slowly whisk it into egg mixture. Add another cup of broth in the same manner. Remove soup from heat and pour egg mixture into it. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

You might also like these recipes:

Celery Soup - One Perfect Bite
Creamy Carrot Soup - One Perfect Bite
Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup - One Perfect Bite

Tortilla Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our weather turned damp and chilly again today. As luck would have it, Bob and I were walking along the river when it began to pour. We were at the mid-point of the trail, so our options were limited and the only certainty was we'd be drenched before we got back to the car. Spring comes early to Oregon. I retire my winter recipes and restock the pantry and freezer at the end of February and move on to lighter and more colorful meals. Days like this one make me wish I still had a soup or stew hidden away. What I did have were the ingredients for a wonderful tortilla soup developed, years ago, by Martha Holmberg for Fine Cooking magazine. The soup is wonderfully warm and filling, but the spice level is very low. If you like your tortilla soup hot and spicy, you'll have to add more chili powder or use one that has more heat. The broth that is poured over the ingredients must be very hot in order to warm them. While the recipe is scaled to feed two, it can easily be doubled or tripled to feed a crowd. You can also swap beef for the chicken that's used in the soup. It does not keep well, so don't make more than can be eaten in one meal. Here's the recipe.

Chicken and Tortilla Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Martha Holmberg and Fine Cooking magazine

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, plus another 1/2 to 1 cup for frying tortillas
1/4 cup finely chopped onion (from about 1/2 small onion)
1 tablespoon chili powder; more to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt to taste
4 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
Fresh cilantro: six 2-inch stems for the broth, plus 1/4 cup roughly chopped leaves for garnish
4 fresh corn tortillas, 6 inches across, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
1/2 cup corn kernels (canned is fine)
1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup diced fresh tomato
For the garnish:
1 ripe avocado, diced and tossed with a squeeze of lime juice
1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco, feta, or ricotta salata
2 dollops sour cream
Lime wedges for serving

Directions:
1) Place 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan or small soup pot, add onion, and cook over medium heat until onion has softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add chili powder and tomato paste and stir with a wooden spoon to mix and cook briefly; take care not to let the chili powder scorch.
2) Season chicken thighs lightly with salt and put them in skillet with chile paste, turning them once so they’re entirely coated. Add 1/2 cup broth and bring to a simmer. Cover the pan and cook chicken, turning once, until it’s extremely tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 to 30 minutes. Add more broth if pan dries out.
Remove chicken from pan and allow it to cool slightly before shredding into bite size pieces. Set aside.
3) Remove any visible grease from pan before adding remaining broth and cilantro stems. Simmer, uncovered, until broth has reduced by about one-third and is quite flavorful, 20 to 30 minutes.
4) Meanwhile, fry the tortillas: Line a plate with two layers of paper towels. Fill a small, high-sided saucepan with enough oil to come to about a 1-inch depth. Heat oil over medium heat to 375 degrees F. Add six to eight strips of tortilla. With tongs or a long fork, "scrunch" them for a second or two so they take on a wavy shape. Fry until strips are golden brown, about 1 minute. Transfer to paper towels. Repeat with remaining strips.
5) Divide shredded chicken, corn, black beans, tomato, and tortilla strips between two large soup or pasta bowls. Pour hot broth over ingredients in bowls. Serve immediately. Pass avocado, cheese, sour cream, chopped cilantro and lime at the table. Yield: 2 servings.

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Creamy Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese Soup - One Perfect Bite
Chilled Avocado Soup - One Perfect Bite
Thai Fresh Pea Soup with Green Curry - One Perfect Bite
Mexican Chicken Soup - Randomosity and the Girl
Mexican Tortilla and Lime Soup - The Perfect Pantry
Posole - Spain in Iowa