It's a Cold February Night...

My husband kept mentioning this homemade chicken & rice soup, his mom used to make for him all the time when he was a child. So here’s my attempt at making a Filipino dish called Arroz Caldo and I have to admit I really loved it too! What a great dish to make on a cold February night…

Chicken Congee (Arroz Caldo)

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 onion, chopped
1 rotisserie chicken, deboned, chopped
1 cup long grain rice
7-8 cups of water or chicken stock
2 tablespoons patis (fish sauce)
½ tablespoon black pepper
1 chicken bullion cube
3 stalks green onions, chopped
Fried minced garlic
1 lemon, sliced into wedges

Directions

In a pot heat oil, then sauté garlic, ginger and onions. Cook until onions are softened and translucent. Add chicken and heat through. Add rice and stir to coat with oil. Pour in chicken stock to cook the rice. Season with patis, black pepper and bullion cube (if used water instead of chicken stock).

Continue cooking over low heat until rice is done. Approximately 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve topped with chopped green onions, fried garlic and a wedge of lemon.

Enjoy!

Portuguese Comfort Food for a cold & wintery day...

So we've been getting a range of weather over the last couple of weeks, from the very warm to the very bitter cold. I think I've finally found the perfect soup recipe "Sopa de Couves to get us through those cold winter nights.

Sopa de Couves (Kale Soup)




Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon pimento paste
8 cups of water (or low-sodium chicken stock)
1 leg of Portuguese chouriço sausage
8 mini white potatoes, peeled and quartered
½ bag of baby carrots, cut in thirds
1 tablespoon coarse salt or to taste
1/3 cup elbow macaroni pasta
½ bunch fresh kale or collard greens, rinsed and sliced thinly
1 pound (2 1/2 cups) dried red kidney beans soaked overnight covered by cold water

Directions

Heat olive oil. Add onion until soft and fragrant. Then add garlic, tomato paste and pimento paste and sauté for 1 minute.

Add 8 cups of water and chouriço. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes.

Remove chouriço and cut into quarters. Add back to the water. Add potatoes and carrots. Cook for 10 minutes.

Add salt, pasta and kale to the pot and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Add beans, reduce heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Soup is ready when the pasta is done and the kale is tender.

Note: Add a touch of red wine to soup and serve with crusty bread.

Enjoy!

Wonton Soup

This is always a very quick soup to make and great for those cool and brisk November days...

Shrimp & Pork Wonton Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons oil
1 medium onion, minced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups of reduced-sodium chicken stock
4 cups of water
1 package (300g) Leek & Pork Wontons
½ cooked chicken breast (leftovers), chopped
2 teaspoons fish sauce
¼ cup chopped green onions

Directions

Heat the oil in a pot. Saute the onions until transparent, 2-3 minutes, then add garlic and sauté until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

Pour in the chicken stock and water and bring to a boil. Add the wontons. Stir them slowly (in case they stick to the pot).

Bring water to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and cook for 4-5 minutes. After they float to top, add the chicken and shrimp. Simmer until the shrimp turns pink, another 1-2 minutes.

Season with fish sauce and garnish with green onions.

Day After Thanksgiving

My cousin has recently gave birth to twins and after having celebrated Thanksgiving with 2 turkeys she was at a loss as to what to do with all the leftovers. So during a recent visit, I thought I'd help out by using those leftovers and leaving behind a quick meal. So I made the following:

Thanksgiving Soup

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small bag of baby carrots, roughly chopped (340g)
2 stalks celery trimmed and chopped
1 medium onion peeled and chopped
900 ml (reduced sodium) chicken broth
2 cups roasted turkey diced
2 tbsps of hot pimento paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 lemon juiced

Directions

In a heavy saucepan heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and add carrots, celery and onion; cook until soft and golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add chicken broth, turkey, and pimento paste; bring to a boil. Simmer soup uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Before serving squeeze in the juice of a lemon.

You can also add leftover rice, corn or any fresh vegetables you have on hand to this basic soup recipe.

Enjoy!

Comfort Food on a chilly Saturday

The chill is settling in the air ever so slightly and as a result, today I'm all about the comfort food. I'll start with a Portuguese Caldo Verde - a potato and vegetable puree. Very traditional and you've probably tasted it as the first course at a typical Portuguese wedding.

Caldo Verde (Creamy Portuguese Potato & Greens Soup)

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil
2 large onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
250 grams spicy chouriço (or spanish sausage)
4 medium potatoes, peeled and halved (750 grams)
8 cups chicken stock
1 tsp of salt
2 cups of finely shredded collard greens
4 cups water

Directions

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add all the ingredients except the water and collard greens. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 45-50 minutes.

In a separate pot, combine water, 1 tsp of salt and collard greens. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Drain greens and place in a pot.

When the potato mixture is cool enough to handle, remove chouriço, slice it thinly and set aside. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and purée. Return to the pot. Add the greens and combine well. Season with salt and pepper if necessary. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with crusty bread.

Enjoy!