Recipes Discovered - Recipes

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup onions, diced
• 1 cup carrots, diced
• 1 cup frozen green beans, Italian-cut
• 1 cup celery, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 30 ounces cannelloni beans, drained
• 30 ounces diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 cups fresh baby spinach
• 4 ounces (1 cup) small shell pasta
• Water, as needed

Directions:

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Saute onion, celery, garlic, green beans, and carrots in the oil for 5 minutes or until onions begin to turn translucent. Add vegetable broth to pot, plus tomatoes, beans, and spices. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
Add spinach leaves, pasta, and, if needed, 1-3 cups of water, and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until desired consistency.

Makes about 12 cups (8 servings).

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Olive Garden Copy Cat Recipes.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes
• Tomato juice
• 1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

Directions:

Fill a 6-quart pot halfway full of water, set over high heat and bring to a boil.

Make an X with a paring knife on the bottom of the tomatoes. Drop the tomatoes into the boiling water for 30 seconds, remove and transfer to an ice bath and allow to cool until able to handle, approximately 1 minute. Remove and pat dry. Peel, core and seed the tomatoes. When seeding the tomatoes, place the seeds and pulp into a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl in order to catch the juice. Press as much of the juice through as possible and then add enough bottled tomato juice to bring the total to 1 cup.

Place the tomatoes and juice into a large mixing bowl. Add the cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, garlic clove, olive oil, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire, cumin, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the mixture to a blender and puree for 15 to 20 seconds on high speed. Return the pureed mixture to the bowl and stir to combine. Cover and chill for 2 hours and up to overnight. Serve with chiffonade of basil.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I pureed 3/4 of the mixture.

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 fresh thyme sprigs
• 3 quarts low-sodium chicken broth
• 5 parsley stems, plus 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
• 4 black peppercorns
• Salt
• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for garnish
• 1 medium onion, diced
• Olive oil
• 6 links organic chicken-apple sausage meat
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 handful fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 pounds frozen cheese tortellini, store bought
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Set a large stock pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, half the garlic, carrot, onion, celery, bay leaf, and thyme and gently saute until fragrant, about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour in chicken broth, add parsley stems, black peppercorns and salt, to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer while you work on meatballs and tortellini.

For the meatballs:

Caramelize the diced onion in a saute pan with a little olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage, egg, onion, thyme, parsley, and cheese to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they all come together. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet with a few tablespoons of olive oil until just smoking. Use a small ice cream scoop to drop meatballs onto skillet. Cook, turning, until golden brown.

Drop tortellini straight from freezer into soup. Cook until they float. Once meatballs are browned, add to pot of chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Give soup a final seasoning and serve in shallow bowls with a small shower of Parmesan, olive oil, and parsley.

Serves 6.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

The soup was good, but I prefer my mom’s chicken noodle soup. I also could not get the meatballs to stay together and ended up with bits of meat in the soup instead.

Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence .

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound leeks, white part only, quartered lengthwise, sliced crosswise and washed well
• 1 pound potatoes, peeled, quartered and sliced thin
• 1 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups frozen green peas
• 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped, or a pinch of dried, crumbled
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a large saucepan cook the leeks and the potato in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and add the broth. Bring the liquid to a boil and simmer the mixture, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potato is very soft. Stir in the peas and the mint, season the soup with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer it for 5 minutes. In a blender or food processor puree the soup until it is smooth

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

To mellow the soup, I reduced the stock slightly and then stirred in 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of buttermilk at the end of cooking.

Recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup:

• 1 (1 1/2 pound) butternut squash, peeled seeded and rough chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup Italian sausage, removed from the casing
• 1 cup small dice onion
• 1/2 cup small dice carrot
• 1/2 cup small dice celery
• 1/2 cup small dice leeks
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 11/2 quarts chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped sage leaves

Roasted Parsnip Soup:

• 1 pound parsnip, peeled and roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked white pepper
• 1/4 cup diced ham
• 1 cup small dice onion
• 1/2 cup small dice carrots
• 1/2 cup small dice celery
• 1/2 cup small dice leeks
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 11/2 quarts chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Tarragon Oil:

• 1/2 cup tarragon leaves
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Directions:

To make the Roasted Butternut Squash Soup:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the chopped squash in a medium-size mixing bowl. Drizzle the squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place the squash on top of the sheet pan. Set the sheet pan into the oven and roast for 30 minutes, or until the squash is lightly caramelized and tender.

Remove the squash from the oven and set aside. Place a 1-gallon saucepan over medium high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and render the Italian sausage. Cook, stirring often until the meat is caramelized and has released most of its fat, about 3 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, celery and leeks in the pan and sweat, stirring often for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and sweat for 1 minute stirring continuously. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and add the chicken stock to the pan. Place the squash in the pan with the maple syrup and sage.

Bring the pan to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook the soup for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are all tender. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup to a smooth consistency and velvety texture. Alternately, you can puree the soup in batches using a blender. Taste the soup and re-season if necessary with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Keep warm until serving.

To make the Roasted Parsnip Soup:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the chopped parsnips into a medium-size mixing bowl. Drizzle the parsnips with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of fresh cracked white pepper. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place the parsnips on top of the sheet pan. Set the sheet pan into the oven and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the parsnips are lightly caramelized and tender.

Remove the parsnips from the oven and set aside. Place a 1-gallon saucepan over medium high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and caramelize the ham. Cook, stirring often until the meat is caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, celery and leeks in the pan and sweat, stirring often for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and sweat for 1 minute stirring continuously. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and add the chicken stock to the pan. Place the parsnips in the pan with the honey and thyme.

Bring the pan to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook the soup for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are all tender. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup to a smooth consistency and velvety texture. Alternately, you can puree the soup in batches using a blender. Taste the soup and re-season if necessary with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add the cream to the soup and return the soup to a clean saucepan and keep warm until ready to serve.

To make the Tarragon Oil:

Place a 1-gallon saucepan filled with water over a medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Blanch the tarragon leaves in the boiling water for 5 to 10 seconds. Remove from the water and place in a bowl of ice water to shock. Pat the tarragon leaves dry with paper towels and place in a blender. Pour the oil over the tarragon leaves and puree on low speed for 30 seconds. Place the tarragon oil in a non-reactive container. The oil will keep for weeks refrigerated in an airtight container.

To serve:

Using 2 half-cup measures, each filled with 1 of the soups, pour the soups side by side, simultaneously into a small heated soup cup or bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the tarragon oil and serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I omitted the meat in both soups and also used dried herbs (except the tarragon). I only added 1 quart of chicken stock to each soup. Even with the extra liquid (the milk) in the parsnip soup, it was thicker than the squash soup. I really liked the parsnip soup though, but I’ve had better butternut squash soup. Together though, they complimented each other very well and the tarragon oil was delicious.

Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound dried black beans
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
• 1/4 bunch fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 sprigs fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 smoked ham hock
• 1 jalapeno, split
• 1 3/4 quarts low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Crema:

• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons lime zest
• Lime wedges, for garnish
• Cilantro sprigs, for garnish

Directions:

Pick through the beans and discard any debris - wash under cold running water. In a food processor, add garlic, onion, bell pepper, and cilantro for a minute or two, until very wet.

Set a large pot over medium heat and add olive oil. Add the oregano and cumin. Add vegetable puree and saute until just fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. Add beans, ham hock, jalapeno, stock, and bay leaves. Slightly cover and simmer for 3 hours until beans are tender.

When cooked, remove bay leaves and take out ham hock. Cut ham meat off the bone, cut into pieces and set aside.

Using a blender or immersion blender, puree just enough of the beans and stock (about a third of the total pot) to thicken up the soup and bring everything together. Season with salt and pepper and fold ham meat back into the soup.

Make the crema by combining sour cream and zest. Serve each soup with a spoonful of lime crema, a squeeze of lime and some fresh cilantro.

Serves 6.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I didn’t add the ham hock, but for the smokey flavor, added a splash of liquid smoke.

I gave this a thumbs up, but not really for the soup… it’s a great base for tacos, a great dip for tortillas, or great on a sandwich with some shredded chicken.

Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups garlic cloves (4-5 heads)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion (1/4-inch dice)
• 1 cup finely chopped leek, white part only
• 1/2 cup diced celery (1/4-inch dice)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 1 cup diced, peeled, russet potatoes
• Freshly ground pepper
• 4 to 5 cups chicken stock or canned low salt chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 cups roughly chopped spinach leaves
• 1 cup heavy cream

Directions:

Peel the garlic cloves, cut in half lengthwise, and remove the central greenish core. Put in a small pan of salted water and bring to a boil. Drain and repeat twice to remove the garlic’s heat and leave only the sweetness behind.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, leek, celery, bay leaf, and a little salt to draw the water out of the onion. Cover and cook until the vegetables are soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes. Add the blanched garlic and stock. Season with salt and pepper and oregano (only if using dried), to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes. Add the oregano (if using fresh), spinach, and cream and cook 1 minute to wilt the spinach. Transfer to blender and carefully blend until smooth.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I only used 3-4 cups of chicken stock and about 1/2 cup of milk (not cream).

Recipe courtesy of Michael Chiarello.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound Swiss chard, stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
• 1 russet potato, peeled, cubed
• 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
• 2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium beef broth
• 1 ounce piece Parmesan cheese rind
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, pancetta, and garlic. Saute until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and potato; saute for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and rosemary sprig. Simmer until the chard is wilted and the tomatoes break down, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, blend 3/4 cup of the beans with 1/4 cup of the broth in a processor until almost smooth. Add the pureed bean mixture, remaining broth, and Parmesan cheese rind to the vegetable mixture. Simmer until the potato pieces are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Stir in the whole beans and parsley. Simmer until the beans are heated through and the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Discard Parmesan rind and rosemary sprig (the leaves will have fallen off of the stem.)

Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I omitted the pancetta and used fried rosemary.

Recipe courtesy of Giada DeLaurentiis.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 packages Ramen noodles
• 1/2 cup dried mushrooms, chopped
• 20 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup sliced scallions
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup mirin
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 4 teaspoons sesame oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Divide ramen noodles evenly in center of each of the 4 pieces of aluminum foil. Stack the following ingredients on top of noodles, in this order: mushrooms, shrimp, onions, scallions, red pepper flakes, and salt. Pull sides and corners of pouch up to form a small basket shape leaving an opening at the top to pour in liquid.

In small bowl, combine vegetable broth, mirin, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Distribute liquid evenly among packs. Press foil together, leaving a small opening to allow steam to escape. Place on cookie sheet and bake in oven for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I did make some changes to my pouches. I used a portobella mushroom that I removed the gills from and chopped up. I also used twice as many shrimp in each pouch. I cut down on the sesame oil as well by about half.

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 8 slices bacon, chopped
• 6 cups chopped yellow onions (4 large onions)
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 12 cups chicken stock
• 6 cups medium-diced white boiling potatoes, unpeeled (2 pounds)
• 10 cups corn kernels, fresh (10 ears) or frozen (3 pounds)
• 2 cups half-and-half or milk
• 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter to the fat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain. (If using frozen corn you can skip this step.) Add the corn to the soup, then add the half-and-half and cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with a garnish of bacon.

Serves 12.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I only used 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease. After cooking the potatoes, I used an immersion blender to puree the soup (Seth likes creamy coup), and then added the corn. I didn’t use quite all the milk. Since the recipe makes so much soup, I sprinkled cheese on top of each bowl of soup instead of melting it in the pot so the soup could easily be reheated.

Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten.