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February 09, 2008

Thai Coconut Soup with Chicken and Mushrooms

Ingredients
1 thumb fresh ginger, minced
1 stalk of lemongrass, diced
3 cups chicken broth
1 lime, zest only
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 pound chicken
1 1/2 cups of coconut milk
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeño pepper, diced

Directions
1. In a stockpot, cook chicken for a couple minutes then combine the ginger, lemongrass, chicken broth, lime zest, lime juice, and fish sauce and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Gently simmer until the chicken is cooked, then stir in the coconut milk, mushrooms, cilantro, and jalapeño.

2. Bring the soup back to a simmer but don't boil and cook long enough for the chicken to cook through.

Posted by Rosa at 08:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 15, 2007

Potato Leek Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large leeks, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced
1 baking potato (1/2 pound), peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
5 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the leeks and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the potato and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer over low heat until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the cream and simmer for 10 minutes longer. Puree the soup in a blender, then return it to the pan. Season the soup with salt and pepper.

Posted by Rosa at 01:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 09, 2007

Sancocho

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 large tomatoes, cored, peeled, seeded and chopped
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 pounds chicken thighs, skin and excess fat removed
2 pounds beef flanken ribs (also called cross-cut ribs)
2 green plantains, peeled and cut into 2-inch long pieces
2 ripe plantains, peeled and cut into 2 inch long pieces
1 large bunch fresh cilantro, stems tied together with kitchen twine
14 cups chicken broth, homemade or canned low-sodium broth
1 1/2 pounds small red or white potatoes, peeled
3 cups diced pumpkin or butternut squash
10 (2-inch) long pieces frozen yucca
4 ears of corn, husked and quartered


Directions

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the onions and garlic and cook until they're soft and transparent, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, and thyme and continue to cook 5 more minutes. Add the chicken and the beef ribs and cook until the tomatoes have disintegrated, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally and skimming the foam from the top of the broth when necessary. Add the green plantains, cilantro, and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the plantains are tender, 30 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside. Add the potatoes, pumpkin, ripe plantains, yucca and corn and simmer, uncovered, until both are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the cilantro and the bay leaves and return the chicken to the pot to re-heat it. To serve, arrange a piece of chicken, some beef, plantains, and a few pieces of yucca and potatoes on each plate.

Serve the broth in a small bowl, and the aji sauce on the side, along with a bowl of rice, corn, some avocados and

Posted by Rosa at 10:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Butternut Squash and Leek Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 leeks, white and tender green parts only, coarsely chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 quart chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (3 cups)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 large bay leaf
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions
1. Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan. Add the leeks, celery and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the stock, squash, tomato paste and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and simmer over moderately low heat until all the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and add the parsley.

2. Puree the soup in a blender, then return it to the saucepan. Stir in the cream and cook just until heated through. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

From Food & Wine

Posted by Rosa at 09:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

July 22, 2007

Vegetable Soup with Fideo

This soup is perfect with alphabet pasta which can be found at some grocery stores and all Mexican grocery stores. The recipe is very similar to sopa de fideo.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 small onions diced
3 celery ribs diced
4 carrots thinly sliced
1 garlic clove minced
3/4 teaspoon chopped thyme
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 bay leaf
2/3 cup alphabet pasta
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons snipped chives
salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat the oil over moderate heat in a large saucepan and add the onions, celery and carrots and cook for 6 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and pasta and cook for 3 minutes. Add the broth, water and bay leaf and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 23 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Stir in the peas and chives. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Note: Veggies can be replaced with whatever is left over in your fridge

Posted by Rosa at 03:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

January 11, 2007

Sopa de Fideo

Sopa de fideo is made of thin spaghetti-like pasta that you buy at the Mexican store but you can always substitute vermicelli broken up into 1 inch long segments. The soup has a delicate chicken and tomato broth and is usually garnished with freshly sliced avocado and queso fresco. I usually skip the garnishes.

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
5 ounces dry fideo noodles
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes or 1/2 cup diced can tomatoes
2 garlic cloves minced
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
3 cups chicken broth or about 2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon

Directions
Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook until transparent, then add the fideo and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

Remove from heat. In a blender, liquefy garlic, cumin, salt and tomatoes. Return skillet to heat. Add liquefied mixture and simmer for five minutes. Stir in broth. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until fideo is cooked. Add water, as needed, if sauce gets too dry.

Quick Version:
1. In a saucepan add oil and cook onion until translucent. Then add the fideo and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Add the canned tomatoes and chicken bouillon with some water or chicken stock. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until fideo is cooked.

Posted by Rosa at 06:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)