Tag Archives: soup

Doukhobor Borscht

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We spent 2 years living in Castlegar, BC – Doukhobor territory – and I was determined to leave there with the best authentic borsch recipe I could.  Here it is – written out in this format so that you follow each step exactly.   This is a very rich, creamy and delicious version of Borscht – nothing at all like the beet borscht. 

It is a labour of love to make, but you will be so glad you did it.  Perfect for a rainy or cold day when you are going to be inside anyway!

Boil 2 ½ quarts of water in large stock pot.  Add ½ can tomatoes.  When water is boiling, add 1 tbsp salt, drop in 5 or 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in half.  Add ½ cup each of grated carrot and beet, and 1 medium onion, finely chopped.

While this is cooking, get yourself another large pot or cast iron pan – melt 3 tbsp butter and add ¾ cup finely chopped onion and let sauté for a few minutes until very soft and translucent – but DO NOT brown.  Add 3 cups of canned tomatoes, and let simmer until it becomes a thick sauce.  (Cooking this well removes the acid from the tomatoes so your cream won’t curdle)

Into yet another frying pan melt 3 tbsp butter and add 2 cups shredded cabbage.  Saute but do not brown.  Allow to cook until cabbage is soft and tender.  Shred another 2 cups of cabbage to add (raw) to the borscht later.

When potatoes are tender, remove them to a large bowl, add 2 tbsp butter and mash well until they are nice and creamy – slowly adding 1 small carton of cream.  Mix well and set aside.

Add 1 1/2 cup diced raw potatoes to stockpot and ½ of the tomato sauce mixture along with 2 tbsp butter.  When diced potatoes are tender add the uncooked shredded cabbage and bring to boiling point, but DO NOT BOIL!!  When cabbage is tender, add the fried cabbage, the rest of the tomato sauce and mashed potatoes.  Add ½ cup chopped fresh green pepper and black pepper to taste.

The finishing touch is stirring in some chopped fresh dill.

Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream and a dill sprig for garnish.  We like this with piping hot biscuits right out of the oven.

Tan Tan Noodles

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This has been one of our family favorites for years, and one the girls always request when coming home – I hope you like it just as much!

Cooking with Asian ingredients may look intimidating at first, mainly because the ingredient list is so lengthy, but once you have all the supplies it is quick and easy to do so many different dishes.  I always recommend having all the ingredients chopped, and at hand before you start cooking.  Wok cookery is quick!

 

BROTH

  • 2 tbsp peanut oil
  • 6 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp chile oil
  • 8 tbsp Chinese black bean paste
  • 6 scallions (green onions) chopped finely
  • 2 tbsp Chinese chile paste
  • 5 tbsp LOW SODIUM soy sauce
  • 6 tbsp peanut butter
  • 4 tbsp tahini paste, even better with Chinese Sesame paste
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

For Tan Tan deluxe – 1 pound ground beef or pork

ASSEMBLY

  • thin asian noodles, cooked and drained
  • green onions – sliced thin
  • cilantro – chopped
  • peanuts – chopped and toasted
  • bean sprouts – rinsed well

METHOD

In a medium saucepan, with heavy bottom, heat the oil over moderate heat.  Add the ginger and garlic and cook for about 3 minutes – or until they begin to turn golden brown – watch carefully so they don’t darken too quickly (burnt garlic is bitter).  Add sesame oil, chili oil and the black beans.  Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add green onions and cook 2 minutes.  Stir in the chile paste and soy sauce – stir to create a smooth sauce.  Add the peanut butter and tahini, again stirring to create a smooth paste.  Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.

It’s important to take time to cook all the above ingredients as listed, it helps build the flavor.

Add the broth slowly and reduce the heat to medium low.  Let the sauce simmer for at least 15 minutes to allow flavours to blend and the broth to thicken.  Taste, taste, taste!!  You should have a rich broth, full of flavour and layers of tastes.  If you like it richer, play  with all the broth ingredients until you get the balance you personally prefer – you may like it spicier so go ahead and add more chili oil or even some chili flakes.  If you like more of a peanut flavour, add more peanut butter – all so easy to do and get your preferred flavour balance.

To serve place noodles in bowl, add broth.  Scatter green onions, cilantro, bean sprouts and peanuts over top.

If you like the Deluxe Version – brown the ground meat and drain off any fat – add 1 or 2 ladles of the broth and allow the beef to soak up the liquid.  When serving, sprinkle the meat on top of the noodles before adding the broth.

 

Have everything ready before you start cooking. Yes, I know broccoli isn’t listed, but I couldn’t resist serving some steamed broccoli on the side.
If you want the rich flavour, stop here, if you want it more soup like, add more chicken stock.

Tomato Vegetable Soup

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Feeling like a hearty bowl of soup on a cool night?  This is perfect!  

Serve with Baking Powder Biscuits for a complete meal.

1 large onion – minced                          

3 carrots, sliced

3 stalks celery, sliced

1 large potato, diced

1 small turnip, diced

1/2 cup green beans, sliced

1 cup green zucchini, quartered and sliced

1 14 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes

4 cups vegetable stock

2 tbsp basil, chopped

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

olive oil

Any other vegetables are always optional, and always welcomed to a pot of soup!

Heat a large soup pot, then add just enough olive oil to cover the bottom.  Add diced onions and allow to cook long enough to soften and become translucent.  Add potatoes, carrots and celery.  Stir and allow to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add tomatoes and vegetable stock – season to taste with salt and pepper.

Allow to simmer until vegetables are just barely fork tender.  Stir in green beans and zucchini and cook just until they are cooked through.  Add fresh basil and any other herbs you feel like adding!

Options:  Use more vegetable stock and add barley when the potato mixture goes in or cook some pasta separately and serve the soup over the cooked pasta.  (I like to cook the pasta separately so it doesn’t get too mushy.) If you want a chicken soup, use chicken stock instead of the vegetable stock and add some chopped up chicken with the stock.

Crispy Gouda Herb Cornmeal Muffins

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2 cups cornmeal

2 cups flour

2 tbsp plus 2 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 (rounded) tsp cumin

1 tbsp minced fresh basil

2 sticks unsalted butter – softened

2 large eggs

2 cups milk

3 cups shredded gouda cheese

Preheat oven to 400.  Grease or line 2 12 cup muffin tins.

Combine all dry ingredients, including basil – set aside.

In large bowl beat butter until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs 1 at a time.  At low speed beat in half of the milk, then half of the dry ingredients.  With rubber spatula fold in the rest of the milk and the dry ingredients – stir in cheese.  Do not over mix.

Spoon batter into baking cups – I like to add a bit more grated cheese to the top and a sprinkling of freshly ground salt and pepper.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden and pulling away from the tin.  Transfer to a rack to cool.

Fantastic served with soup (try Roasted Potato Fennel Soup!) on a cool night.

Baking Powder Biscuits

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Okay, here they are – by popular demand … my fantastic baking powder biscuits.  

Once you get this down pat you will rely on these biscuits for anything from a summer morning with fresh peach jam or a winter evening served with a family favourite – chili, soup, stew … every household has their own comfort dinner!

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

4 tsp baking powder

Stir to blend and then with pastry blender, or 2 forks, blend in 1/2 cup cold butter (my tip: freeze the butter for 15 min ahead of time, and use the large holes on a box grater to grate the butter – instant flakes of butter)

Lightly beat 1 egg in a 1 cup measure, then stir in enough milk to reach the 1 cup mark.

With a fork, stir the egg/milk mixture into the dry ingredients – only enough to have it start to hold together.  Turn onto floured surface and … oh so gently … without overmixing … pat it together, and then into a solid shape, about 1 inch or so in height.  Using floured biscuit cutter (or your favorite glass) cut out shapes and place on floured baking sheet.

These are so flexible – if you want to add any herbs, or cheese – do so at the dry ingredient stage.  Go ahead and experiment – makes these your own family favorite!

To guarantee extra tall, fluffy biscuits, pop them into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes.  The combination of hot oven and cold butter creates magic!

Bake at 400 for 15 – 20 minutes (depending on your oven – check it at 15) until lightly golden and very fluffy!  Image

Yam Chipotle Chowder

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  • 5 medium yams, peeled and cubed
  • 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tbsp chipotle pepper, finely minced
  • 1/2 cup red pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 1 tsp adobo sauce (from the chipotle peppers)
  • 1/2 – 1 lime, juice and zest of
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • GARNISH – crispy bacon bits and thinly sliced green onion

Put yams and enough stock to cover in saucepan.  Boil until yams are soft, about 1/2 an hour.

Heat oil in sauce pan, saute onion, garlic, chipotle and red pepper until tender – set aside.

Remove 1 cup of chopped yams and set aside.

Puree the rest of the yams and stock together until smooth  – either with an immersion blender or in a traditional blender – (remembering to leave the lid ajar to let steam escape!).

Return to saucepan, add onion/red pepper mixture, the corn and the cubed yams.

Add juice and zest of lime – start with 1/2 the juice, and season with salt and pepper.

If it is too thick, add a bit more stock.