Category: Soups & One Dish Meals

Soups, one dish meals, casseroles
Asian Soul Food: Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage & Mushrooms

Asian Soul Food: Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage & Mushrooms

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Dinner in the Time of COVID.  I find myself not just cooking more but cooking more of the dishes I grew up eating.  Favorite dishes that my father and grandfather cooked for us.  We all need a little bit of comfort these days, ain’t that the truth.

A favorite in our house is Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage and Mushrooms.  This time it was part of a meal that is as down-home as it gets.  We started with Kid-favorite Corn Soup,  Steamed Pork with Salted Egg, and Sauteed Asparagus.  I was exhausted from all the prep!  How my Dad pulled off dinners like this nightly after a full day’s work, continues to amaze me.

The keys to Delicious Steamed Chicken with Chinese Sausage & Mushrooms

Use bone-in chicken if possible.  The flavor is better when the meat is left on the bone…is there a scientific reason? Who knows, but I’m not about to buck my dad’s advice.  But, don’t let that stop you from making this dish, by all means, if all you have is boneless chicken, use it.  It will still be onolicious.  I like to use wings, but any part of the chicken will work.  Breast meat is a little trickier, it is less forgiving than dark meat and can overcook. 

Chinese Sausage

Also known as Lop Cheung, a delicious sweet and slightly savory preserved meat that is found in tons of Chinese dishes.  I love Lop Cheung, when I am craving an easy comfort dish, I’ll throw a couple on top of the rice right before turning on my rice cooker, as the rice cooks so do the Lop Cheung.    You can find Lop Cheung at most Asian markets and at some of the larger supermarkets in the Bay Area.  There are several different varieties including pork, pork & chicken, and pork & liver.  Unless you grew up with Chinese Sausage, stay away from the liver one which is gamier and stronger in flavor.  The meat is marinated, stuffed into casings, set to dry, and then kept cool.  I still head to SF Chinatown to buy my Lop Cheung from Mow Lee or Wycen.   Old School all the way.

I hope they survive COVID19.  

Pre-cook stage

The Dried Stuff

Dried Shiitake or Black Mushrooms, Cloud Ears (Dried Fungus), and Lilly Buds or Golden Needles round out the dish.  Soak the dry ingredients in warm water 15-30 minutes until soft.  Each provides flavor and texture to the dish.

Shiitake Mushrooms  Back in the day, shiitakes only came in dried form.  Nowadays you can get fresh shiitake mushrooms easily, they’re delicious BUT for the most part, in Chinese cooking we use the dried form.  Why? Concentrated flavor.  The flavor of the mushroom is intensified and that flavor is essential to the dish.  Soak the mushrooms first, (keep the soaking liquid for stocks and soups), trim the stems that can be kind of woody, and slice into desired thickness.

Cloud Ears or Black Fungus is just another kind of mushroom.  It doesn’t have a ton of its own flavor but adds texture, in the form of CRUNCH and absorbs the flavor of the marinade-YUM.  After soaking, pinch the stem-tip off.  The tip is where the stem connected to the tree, it’s a little crusty.  

Lily buds add an earthy flavor and texture.  After soaking the lily buds, pinch or cut off the ends (it will look a little darker than the rest of the bud and tie a knot in the middle of each strand.  Yeah, don’t know why, but I do it because my Dad told me to.

Don’t forget to add the green onions and cilantro at the end.

There you go, all the components to a down-home soul food dish.  

Microwave Madness 

Microwave directions

I bought microwave cookware, Anyday Cookware, on Dave Chang’s recommendation (Mr. Momofuku), boy, that guy can sell a product.  Pros and cons? Pros-no steamer set up, no pan with water, hassle-free steam cooking, and one bowl cooking. Cooking time cut by more than half.  Cons?  Finding space to store new bowls plus a major hit on latte money, lol.

Anyways, follow the same steps until you get to the point of putting the dish* in the steamer.  Instead, *put all your ingredients into a microwave cooking container and forget the steamer. 

Cover, vent, and place your dish in the microwave.  My microwave’s power output is 700watts (which is on the low side).  For this dish, I use full power for about 8 minutes.  You will have to adjust according to your microwave wattage.  The Anyday site has an interactive basic guide that allows input of wattage to determine cooking power and time.  In general, if your microwave wattage is higher, shorten the cooking time or reduce the power level and keep the same time.  You will need to experiment a little with your microwave.  I add 1-2 tablespoons of the saved mushroom liquid so I’ll have some sauce in the dish.

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Steamed Chicken with Lop Cheung and Mushrooms

Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Steamed Chicken
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1.5 pounds chicken breast or combination of chicken pieces, bone-in cut into bite-sized pieces or chicken wings separated into drummettes and flats.
  • 2 Chinese sausages thinly sliced on the diagonal
  • 3-4 black mushrooms soaked in warm water until soft and julienned
  • 2 Tbsp Cloud ears soaked and root ends pinched off
  • 12 Lily buds soaked, ends pinched off and a knot tied in the middle, skip the knot tying if you want
  • 1-2 stalks green onions cut into 1-inch pieces, reserve some of the green part to finish the dish
  • 1/4 bunch cilantro for garnish

Marinade

  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce AP Pref chinese LKK Premium Soy Sauce
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce LEE KUM KEE with the kid and mom in boat
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing Wine or Chinese Rice Wine
  • 2 slices ginger julienned
  • 2 tsp oil I like peanut oil, but any vegetable oil will work
  • 2 tsp cornstarch
  • 1/2-1 tsp sesame oil optional, if you have it, definitely use it
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper

Instructions

  • Combine ingredients for marinade.
  • Add chicken, mushrooms, sausage, cloud ears and lily buds to marinade. Stir to combine well. Marinade for 15- 30 minutes. Place in a heatproof dish such as a shallow bowl or pie plate. Top with some of the diced green onions.
  • In a steamer or a stainless wok, set up steamer rack, fill with water up to but not touching the steamer rack. Place on heat and bring to boil.
  • Place chicken on steamer rack.
  • Steam for 25-30 minutes. Watch water level in pan, do not let it dry out.
  • Garnish with cilantro and extra green onions. Serve with plenty of rice.

Notes

If you don't have lily buds omit, don't make a special trip.  You can also place the ingredients on rehydrated lotus leaves (usually used as a wrap.  It imparts a nice flavor to the chicken.
Other additions dried red dates 2-3 soaked and smashed.  Add with mushrooms.
Guilt Free Shopping- Farmer’s Market Soup

Guilt Free Shopping- Farmer’s Market Soup

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My guilty pleasure during the time of COVID has been Sunday morning outings to our local farmer’s market. A chance to get out of the house and meet a friend.  Not to worry we are adhering to the CDC guidelines for masks, distance, and handwashing.  For the most part fellow shoppers at the market are doing the same.  We do a quick perusal of the market, decide what we want, shop, and then go and sit on the retaining wall to chat and drink our coffee, all in our six-foot bubble.

As winter fades and the market blossoms with an array of beautiful fruits and vegetables…

I Can’t Resist

I’m like a kid in a candy store, I want everything I see, I end up with way too many fruits and veggies for the week.  Friday rolled around and I still had a crisper full of fruits and veggies from last Sunday’s market.  If I wanted a guilt-free excursion to the market this coming weekend I had better empty that fridge now.

I took inventory-a bunch of broccoli, a couple of florets of cauliflower, half an onion, a lonely leek, two potatoes, hmmm this has the makings of delicious soup.  I pulled out the frozen homemade chicken stock I had squirreled away a couple of weeks ago and I was in business.

Farmer’s Market Soup

This soup starts much like my favorite soup, Potato Leek Soup.  I dice the onions, leeks, potatoes, smash a couple of cloves of garlic, and separate the broccoli and cauliflower into manageable florets.  I heat my pot, add a knob of butter and a swig of olive oil, and sauteed my onions and leeks until soft.  Season with salt, add garlic cloves and saute for a couple of minutes before adding the stock.  Pile your broccoli, cauliflower. and potatoes into the stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the veggies or super tender.  If I had seen the half bag of spinach left in the fridge, I would have thrown that in too. How easy is that?

At the Finish Line

Once it is finished simmering, puree the soup either by carefully transferring the soup to a blender or using a hand blender.  Make sure the head of your hand blender is fully immersed in the soup or you will end up painting your walls or worse, splattering yourself with hot soup, nooooo.  Blend to desired consistency, less for a chunky country soup or more until “souper” smooth-your choice.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, throw it in a bowl and you’re done.  The potatoes thicken the soup naturally but you could still add some heavy whipping cream (the taste bump is self-explanatory) or even yogurt/sour cream.  Stir in some shredded cheese for a Broccoli and Cheese Soup.  You’re done!  Assemble a nice cheese board, grab a glass of wine, your loaf of No-Knead Bread, and ENJOY.

Dress the Soup, Toppings a Bowl

Hello?!  Of course, you need toppings on your soup.

A swirl of yogurt or sour cream and some chives or green onions.

A sprinkling of shredded cheese, especially if you have added cheese to your soup.

Toasted croutons or a baguette slice with melted cheese.

I garnish with a little lemon zest too, just for a little zing.

Everyone’s fav, crispy CRUMBLED BACON.  So good.

And that’s how you get ready for guilt-free shopping at the Farmer’s Market this coming weekend!

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Farmer's Market Soup

An easy, tasty soup made from the veggies in your fridge! Healthy and delicious
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword Broccoli Soup, soup, Vegetable Soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings

Equipment

  • Hand blender

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 onion diced or 1/2 onion if you using leeks
  • 1 leek white part only, washed and thinly sliced
  • 4 cups chicken broth or stock homemade or low sodium commercial broth
  • 1-1/2 cups water
  • 1-1/2 pounds broccoli florets ~2 bunches of broccoli, cauliflower works too
  • 2 potatoes, any kind peeled and diced into large cubes
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded (or other cheese of choice)
  • 1/2 cup cream or milk

Instructions

  • Heat butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and leeks saute for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and saute for additional minute
  • Add broth/water, broccoli, potato, salt and pepper. Bring just to a boil, turn the heat down to medium, cover and cook for 20-30 minutes, until the broccoli is soft.
  • Turn heat off (but leave on stove). Puree using a stick blender until desired consistency
  • Stir in cream or milk then or add cheese, stirring to melt. All optional, all good.
  • Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed
  • Ladle into bowls.

Garnishes

  • Sour cream or yogurt
  • Chopped Chives
  • Shredded cheese
  • Crispy crumbled bacon (family favorite)
  • Serve with nice crusty bread and glass of wine.
Melting Pot, Instant Pot, Matzo Ball Soup

Melting Pot, Instant Pot, Matzo Ball Soup

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In the time of COVID-19 seems like we are all craving comfort food.  I find myself yearning for dishes like soups, stews, foods from my childhood, and all things carb seems to be my mantra.  Apparently, I’m not the only one, bread baking has become a national pastime making it really difficult to find flour and yeast.

My cooking and baking reflect my Californian roots. A typical day “in the life of” will find us having an All-American breakfast of bacon and eggs, followed by a Carne Asada Burrito or lamb shawarma for lunch, and sushi or pho for dinner.  I’m lucky to live in such a diverse community-a melting pot.

Hmmm, ultimate comfort food.  Let the Soup Games begin

On an overcast, gray day last week, I had a hankering for a big steamy bowl of soup.  I had just wished friends a Happy Passover so I had matzo ball soup on the brain. I pulled out a fresh chicken from the Korean grocery store, a variety of vegetables I had picked up at the Farmer’s Market, and my Instant Pot.

Insta-Matzo Ball Soup-Pot

The recipe from Spruce Eats (another great site!) for Instant Pot Matzo Ball Soup served as the basis for my soup.  I started with a small fresh whole chicken 2.5-3 pounds and lots of vegetables including onions, carrots, celery, leeks, garlic, and potatoes, feel free to use whatever vegetables you like.  Add the chicken, cut vegetables, and seasonings to your Instant Pot, turn the lid and close the vent. Set the timer to 25 minutes.  Voila, that’s it, easy-peasy.  Note, it will take a while to get to pressure, approximately 20-25 minutes in addition to the cooking time of 25 minutes.  Once it is done, let the pot natural release for 15 minutes.  You can also use cut-up chicken for the stock, I prefer a whole chicken.  Don’t limit yourself to Matzo Ball soup. This is killer chicken soup, throw in a handful of rice or pasta instead of matzo balls-delicious alternatives.

Put chicken in first and pile veggies on top. Fill pot with water.

Two Schools

Do you like your matzo ball soup with just broth and matzo balls?  When I was a student in LA, a LONG time ago, I loved going to Canter’s Deli on Fairfax. An iconic joint, a classic Jewish deli, with great sammies (Killer Reuben) and traditional matzo ball soup-just rich savory broth and a giant matzo ball.  After a long night of studying, a bowl of soup at Canter’s was always a treat.

BUT, if you like lots of STUFF in your soup (which I am a big fan), remove the chicken and veggies when the stock is done.  Let the chicken cool so you don’t burn your tootsies when shredding it.  Cut the reserve veggies into bite-sized pieces. Set the shredded chicken and cut veggies aside to add to the stock later. This transforms your soup into a substantial meal. A glass of wine, a slice of homemade bread to go along…now you’re talking.

While the Instant Pot is doing its thing, make your matzo balls.  I could lie and post a recipe for homemade matzo balls but I won’t…..I USE A BOX MIX and I’m not afraid to admit it.  A tweak I learned from a friend is to use one whole egg and two egg whites in place of two whole eggs-lighter, fluffier matzo balls. Use an ice cream scoop to portion your matzo balls.  To shape each ball and make the outside smooth, roll each one by hand.  Wet your hands so the matzo balls don’t stick to them while rolling.

Remove the chicken and vegetables when the stock is done.  Switch the Instant Pot to saute’, and bring it to a boil.  Add your matzo balls, bring it back to a boil then reduce the heat to low.  Cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes.  Add reserved shredded chicken and vegetables to warm.  Ladle out all that goodness into bowls and enjoy!

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Instant Pot Matzo Ball Soup

Delicious and comforting, Matzo Ball Soup made in an Instant Pot!
Course Soup
Cuisine Jewish
Keyword Chicken, Instant Pot, matzo ball soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes

Equipment

  • Pressure Cooker

Ingredients

Chicken Stock

  • 1 whole chicken about 3 pounds with bone and skin, sub 2.5 pounds of chicken thighs
  • 8 cups water
  • 4 ribs celery with leaves, cut into 2-inch lengths
  • 1 onion, large, chopped or use a combination of leeks and onions
  • 4 carrots peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 1 potato, peeled and cut into quarters Yukon Gold
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
  • 4 sprigs parsley
  • 1 bay leaf large, or 2 small leaves
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt or to taste
  • Black pepper freshly ground, to taste or as desired

Matzo Balls

  • 3 large eggs divided 1 whole egg, 2 egg whites
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil use chicken schmaltz or duck fat
  • 1 pkg matzo ball mix manischewitz matzo ball mix

Instructions

  • Place the chicken in Instant Pot, followed by the water, celery, onions, carrots, potato, garlic, parsley, bay leaf, kosher salt and pepper. Lock the lid in place and turn the valve to the sealing position.
  • Select the manual setting, high pressure, and set the timer for 25 minutes. When the time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Carefully release the remaining pressure.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the matzo ball mixture as the chicken and vegetables are cooking.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the 1 egg and 2 egg whites until slightly beaten. Add eggs, vegetable oil or fat to matzo mix and stir to combine. Refrigerate mix for 15 minutes.
  • Use an ice cream scoop to portion out matzo balls. With moistened hands, further shape the matzo mixture into small balls. You should have about 10-12 matzo balls. Refrigerate until ready to cook.
  • Carefully remove the chicken and vegetables to a large bowl and set aside. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer, discarding the solids (garlic pieces, leaves, etc.) keep carrots, potatoes and onions.
  • Pour the broth back into the Instant Pot; set it on sauté and bring to a boil.
  • Drop the matzo balls into the boiling broth, add additional veggies at this point. Turn the sauté function to the low setting. Cover the pot and simmer the matzo balls for 20 minutes.
  • As the matzo balls cook, dice the reserved cooked vegetables. Remove the chicken from the bones and discard the skin and bones. You don't need all of the chicken for the soup. You could reserve breast meat for chicken salad or a pasta dish.
  • Shred the chicken. Return the chopped vegetables and chicken to the broth with the matzo balls and heat through.
  • Ladle soup into bowls. Include two to three matzo balls to each serving.
  • Remove leftover matzo balls from the soup and refrigerate them in a separate container.

Notes

When planning this soup, make sure you factor in enough time for the buildup and release of pressure. It will take about 25 to 30 minutes for the soup to reach pressure.  
Chicken fat, or schmaltz, is a popular fat for matzo balls, but vegetable oil or duck fat are fine alternatives.  A way to get rendered chicken fat is to make the broth and then refrigerate it until the fat solidifies on top. Skim fat to use for matzo balls.
Everybody Have Jjigae Tonight (Kimchi Jjiggae-Korean Kimchi Tofu Soup)

Everybody Have Jjigae Tonight (Kimchi Jjiggae-Korean Kimchi Tofu Soup)

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Y’all know I love soup, right?  I have about a dozen recipes for different soups on 3jamigos and now I am adding one more, Kimchi Jjigae or Kimchi Tofu Soup.  It is easy to make, super delicious and something a little different.  It’s a hearty soup with lots of yummy stuff. Along with kimchi, the soup has beef, or pork, tofu, mushrooms, onions, cabbage, basically, anything your little heart desires.  Jamie and I collaborated on this recipe (she made it, I ate it).  It is a mash-up of various recipes we found online.  If you like Korean food and would like to try making it at home, there are some really good blogs and Instagrammers you can check out, Korean Bapsang, and My Korean Kitchen.  Instagrammer @Christy_l_kitchen’s video for kimchi tofu soup served as ground zero for Jamie’s delicious soup.

First, let’s run through the ingredients for Kimchi Jjigae.  If you live in the Bay Area, it will be easy to find the ingredients for this tasty pot.  Actually, any major metropolitan area probably has an Asian market and there are online sources. (Or call me, happy to take anyone Asian food shopping)  Once you have assembled the ingredients, putting the soup together is a SNAP.

Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start…

Kimchi, or fermented cabbage, is essential to the soup.  It is the cornerstone of the soup providing umami, texture, and spice. Asian stores and larger supermarkets often carry Kimchi in their cold boxes.  My favorite brands are Ocinet and Im Soon Ja.  Use the one you like.

Tofu-made from soybean comes in various densities from super soft to extra firm.  Normally, SoonDubu Jjigae uses a very soft “silken” tofu. PERFECTLY acceptable to use firmer tofu if you like.  Tofu in tubes by Pulmone is a great choice. Kithcn has a nice primer on tofu that helps sort out the different varieties.

For protein, we used pork belly but again you can substitute beef or seafood such as shrimp or clams. Mushrooms are amazing and if you pull out the protein, the perfect vegetarian version.  Jamie added King Mushrooms (pictured) and Enoki Mushrooms (teeny tiny mushrooms), very tasty.

Gochugaru, Korean red pepper adds sweet, spicy, fruity, smoky-irreplaceable, look for it at Korean markets or online.  I like to use Gochujang (spicy sweet chili paste) along with the powder.

The soup can be made with water but if you want depth of flavor, use stock.  Traditionally an anchovy stock is used but we improvised by using a Japanese Shiro Dashi (fish-based stock) concentrate which I love.  In a pinch use chicken broth or a mushroom broth.  The recipe calls for 1 cup of liquid, I LOVE soup so I usually increase the amount of liquid 1.5-2 cups.  If you do too, taste for seasoning, you may want to increase the chili powder.

There you have it, all the ingredients for a pot of yumminess.

The hard part is over!  It’s downhill from here.  Saute’ your onions and pork, add kimchi and seasonings, stock, shrooms, and then the tofu. Top with green onions, Badda bing Badda boom, done.  Just a couple of minutes of work and dinner is served!  Koreans have a special little pot to cook Tofu Soup in, it retains heat, when you bring it to the table the soup is still bubbling furiously. Drop a raw egg in and let it cook in the piping hot broth.  We don’t have a special pot so we dropped the egg on top before taking the saucepan off the stove.

Variations on a Jjigae theme.  Did I mention we threw in mandu for good measure?  Because who doesn’t love dumplings!  To increase the veggie content without adding more kimchi, add sliced fresh cabbage or more mushrooms.

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Korean Tofu Soup Kimchi Jjigae

Korean comfort food, Soondubu Jjigae or Tofu Soup. Tofu, pork, beef or seafood and Kimchi are the building blocks for this delicious, easy to make soup.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Asian
Keyword kimchij jigae, tofu soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced pork belly or beef can sub seafood, shrimp or clams.
  • 1/2-3/4 cup thinly sliced kimchi
  • 2-3 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced or enoki mushrooms, 1 small pkg
  • 1-2 T red chili pepper flakes gochugaru add more for a spicier stew
  • 1 T Gochujang (chili paste)
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil use a little more if using more gochugaru
  • 10 ounces soondubu extra soft/silken tofu, 1/2 carton of tofu
  • 1 cup anchovy broth can use water, dashi or chicken broth
  • 1/2-1 T soy sauce
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons juice from kimchi
  • pinch black pepper, dash of salt
  • 2 scallions divide white and green parts, finely chopped, add white part to yellow onion mix saute', reserve green part for garnish
  • 1 egg

Instructions

  • Heat 1 tsp oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion, scallions (white part) and pork or . Stir-fry until the meat is almost cooked, 3 - 4 minutes.
  • Add the kimchi, chili paste, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil to pot. Stir to combine and saute for 1-2 minutes.
  • Pour in broth, juice from the kimchi and pepper flakes. Bring it to a boil, add mushrooms and continue to boil for 3 - 4 minutes.
  • Add the soft tofu in big chunks. Stir in salt to taste (I rarely add salt), start with 1/4 teaspoon, and black pepper.
  • Cook for 4 -5 minutes. Add chopped scallions just before removing the pot from the heat.
  • If desired, crack an egg into the soup to serve while it’s still boiling hot.
  • Serve with rice.

Notes

Shiro dashi concentrate is seasoned, reduce salt and/or soy sauce if used.
Kindness of Strangers: Three Amigos Soup (Beef and Vegetable Soup)

Kindness of Strangers: Three Amigos Soup (Beef and Vegetable Soup)

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Last week I headed up to the City to run some errands, check on my mom’s house and visit her at the assisted-living home.  We moved mom to a care facility after a couple of health emergencies and declining cognitive ability, sadly she could no longer live independently.

I arrived at her place around lunchtime and it was such a beautiful day, I decided to take her to Los Trinos, a little hole-in-the-wall down the block that serves delicious El Salvadorean food.  Using the walker to steady herself, we slowly made our way to Los Trinos.  The most difficult part of the walk is the Mission Street crossing.  She made it across like a real trooper.

A Hole in the Wall but Not in My Soul

Los Trinos, a tiny unassuming place with about 10 tables, serves the surrounding neighborhood.  It’s down-home cooking-Pupusas, Tacos, Churrasco, Sopa de Res, all made in a tiny family-run kitchen.  We settled on Carne Asada Tacos, pupusas filled with cheese and chicken, and a bowl of their Sopa de Res (beef and vegetable soup).  The soup is the epitome of comfort food, filled with carrots, chayote, zucchini, corn on the cob, and chunks of beef, it nourishes the body and the soul.  Beef shank is part of the leg, the meat is tough, sinewy, and lean (it does a lot of work after all) but with long slow cooking, morphs into tender and flavorful morsels and develops into a tasty stock.  Oxtails would be a good (but pricey) substitute for both flavor and texture.

On the way back, mom’s legs gave out and she collapsed crossing the street (Mission is a big fast street). I frantically tried to pick her up while grabbing her walker.  Immediately 3 guys came running to help us, literally carrying mom to the corner out of harm’s way. Luckily there is a bus stop there with seats. I told her I would run and grab a wheelchair.  One of the guys immediately said he would stay with her until I got back. I was so grateful to them. With all the craziness going on right now its acts of kindness and decency that restore your faith in people. They probably won’t see this but I wanted to thank the three of them who without hesitation jumped in to help us.

I got mom back and settled her in, told her she almost gave me a heart attack, she laughed.  She Was OK

In appreciation of the three guys who helped us, I have named my version of Caldo or Sopa de Res, Three Amigos Soup. It is soul food.  Comfort food made with love and made to be shared with family and friends.  My mom, notorious for not being a great cook (she left the cooking to my dad), somehow could fill a pot with water and like magic turn it into the most delicious soups.  Her beef and veggie soup, one of my favorites, starts like Three Amigos soup with beef shanks but veers Asian with the addition of ginger and shiitake mushrooms.

Inspired by the three gentlemen who helped me it felt right to make a pot of soup.  I made the soup in a pressure cooker and it takes half the amount of time.  If you have a 6-quart pressure cooker like me, half the recipe.  If you have the big Kahuna of Instant Pots, you can make the full recipe.

Confession time, I cheat by adding a heaping tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon Base, totally optional.  Or start with beef broth or stock instead of water for a richer flavor.

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Three Amigos Soup (Caldo de Res)

Food for the soul, this beef and vegetable soup is nourishing, comforting, and just plain delicious. Filled with a variety of vegetables, including, carrots, potatoes, chayote and onions it makes a wonderful meal in a bowl.
Course Soup
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Beef and Vegetable Soup, Beef shank, Caldo de Res, Carrots, chayote, comfort food, food for the soul, onions, potatoes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Instant Pot 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 10

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients

The Stock

  • 10 cups water divided, for a richer stock, use beef stock instead of water or 1:1 water:stock
  • 2 pounds bone-in beef shank Substitute 2-2.5 pounds of oxtails, or a mix of both, chuck roast cut into 2-3 inch chunks would also work
  • 4 cloves garlic peeled
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1.5 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
  • 1-2 Tbsp Better than Bouillon Beef Base optional, not necessary if using beef stock

The Veggies

  • 1 white or yellow onion Diced
  • 2 potatoes cut into eighths (Idaho, Russet or Yukon Gold)
  • 2-3 medium ears of corn shucked and cut into 2 inch pieces
  • 2 zucchini cut into thick chunks
  • 4 carrots sliced into thick coins
  • 1/2 head cabbage cut into eighths, leave the center stalk to keep cabbage together
  • 2 fresh tomatoes, cut in wedges optional but recommended, adds sweetness

Garnishes

  • 1 cup chopped cilantro for serving
  • 4 limes cut into wedges for serving
  • diced jalapenos, optional for serving

Mom's Beef and Vegetable soup

Omit bay leaves, chayote, lime and jalapeños

  • 4-6 dried Shiitake Mushrooms, Cleaned and soaked in warm water for 10-15 minutes. reserve soaking liquid to use as stock for soup
  • 4 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger Smashed Or cut into slices, in place of bay leaves
  • 1/4 Cup Rice wine or Shaoxing Wine Add with beef
  • 1-2 Fuzzy melons or piece of winter melon (1.5 pounds) Daikon or Korean radish would also work In place of zucchini and chayote,
  • 1 Tbsp Light soy sauce Just before serving, stir into soup
  • 1-2 Green onions sliced, to add when serving

Instructions

  • In a large dutch oven or soup pot, add 10 cups of water, beef shanks, garlic, bay leaves, and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a low simmer and continue cooking for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the meat Is tender.
  • Skim off and discard any white or brown foam floating at the top of the pot as well as the bay leaves and garlic cloves. Transfer the cooked bone-in beef shank to a medium bowl and set aside to cool slightly.
  • Add the onions, potatoes, corn, zucchini, carrots, cabbage and remaining 2 cups of water to the pot.
  • Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer and continue cooking until all the vegetables are tender and cooked through, about 15 minutes.
  • While the vegetables are cooking, remove the bones and any tough sinewy parts from the beef shank and discard. Cut the tender meat into small bite-sized chunks. When the vegetables are fully cooked, add the meat.
  • Stir everything together and taste. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
  • Ladle soup into large bowls, each bowl should have bit of everything. Garnish each bowl with cilantro, freshly squeezed lime juice and diced jalapeño peppers or a few dashes of Tobasco hot sauce (optional).

Instant Pot Version

  • Place beef, shiitake, garlic, salt and 1/2 of diced onions in pot. Fill pot to 10 cup line.
  • Seal pot and set to cook at high pressure for 35-40 minutes. NPR for 10 minutes
  • While soup is cooking, prep vegetables. Remove meat from stock and add vegetables to Instant Pot, you might have to leave some out, it’s a lot of veggies. Seal and set cooktime for 15 minutes.
  • Quick release, season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup and goodies into large bowls. Garnish with cilantro and green onions and serve. Enjoy!
Bi Bim Bap It! Homecoming in Seoul

Bi Bim Bap It! Homecoming in Seoul

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Off to see Jorge in Korea!

Do you have a bucket list of things to do when traveling, if so, what’s yours? I’d love to know.  Here’s ours when we travel:

FIRST DAY- a tour of the city on bikes.  It’s a great way to get an overview of the city you are visiting and get a bit of exercise (guilt-free eating for the day, yay!)  It does have it’s heartbeat quickening moments when you ride in traffic and every big city in the world has traffic.  But we have biked in Rome, London, Boston, DC, Paris, and Seoul without mishap, just a couple of choice words from drivers.  But hey, I get that here too.

SPORTS:  We have watched rowing on the Thames, soccer in Italy, and now baseball in Korea and Japan.  BOSS, so much fun and gives you a taste of the folks that live there.

EATS:  Street food, hole-in-the-walls, local joints, my kinda food.  Ok, occasionally, a meal that breaks the bank.

I push the envelope sometimes with my search for local food.  I have waited in line for 90 minutes for Egg Tarts in Macau, meandered down small alleys looking for Won Ton Soup in Hong Kong or Okonomiyaki in Osaka.  Unfortunately, the combination of spotty maps and my non-existent sense of direction means a lot of wandering around and spewing expletives at my phone when looking for those food gems. Good thing my family loves me, or at least I think they do.

HOME COOKING:  Do you get tired of eating in restaurants?  Miss your kitchen? Take a cooking class!  We have made pasta and gelato in Florence and now homemade kimchi, seafood pancake-pajeon and Bi Bim Bap in Seoul.

Early morning at a local street market

Our cooking class with Joungy began with a visit to the market to buy ingredients, a Korean Veggie primer!

I was mesmerized watching this gentleman grind chili peppers into Gochugaro powder.

We made Seafood Pancakes or Pajeon, fresh kimchi, and my favorite bowl meal, Bi Bim Bap.  Bi Bim Bap starts with a pile of fluffy, warm rice and topped with julienned carrots, cucumbers, squash, spinach, mushrooms, yesterday’s banchan, seasoned beef or chicken.  You get the picture, you can use anything you desire for toppings.  For Joungy’s class, we had a wonderful array of veggies, carrots, cucumbers, daikon, shiitake mushrooms, shredded beef and a chiffonade of Perilla leaves.  Delicious!

The secret to her Bi Bim Bap is the extra attention given to the sauce.  Her Gochujang paste included corn syrup, a bit of soy sauce, and chopped garlic, stir-fried briefly. This brought the sauce to a new level.

Season each component, stir-fry, and place on top of the rice in neat little separate piles-kid-friendly, lol.  Top your masterpiece with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and a dollop of sauce.  It’s colorful, delicious, easy to prepare, flexible…what more could you ask for?  If you can’t find Perilla leaves, garnish with chopped green onions are good too.

A great primer for Bi Bim Bap can be found at My Korean Kitchen which has instructions to season the blanched bean sprouts and spinach.

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Bi Bim Bap (Korean Mixed Rice)

Korean Rice Bowl, Easy to Make and Delicious!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Bi Bim Bap, Korean, Rice Bowl
Prep Time 20 days
Cook Time 45 days
Servings 1 serving

Ingredients

Bi Bim Bap Rice (proportions for 1 bowl)

  • 50 gm thinly sliced beef
  • 1 clove garlic finely chopped
  • 1/2 t brown sugar
  • 1 t corn syrup
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1 T soy sauce
  • 1/2 t sesame oil
  • 2 fresh shiitake mushroomes, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 carrot, julienned
  • 1/4 c daikon, julienned or bean sprouts
  • 1/8 t pepper powder Gochugaru
  • 1 handful spinach leaves or sub 1/4 cup thinly sliced zuchinni or Persian cucumber
  • 5 perilla leaves aka sesame leaves can sub shiso leaves, julienned
  • vegetable oil for frying, 1/2 T for each vegetable
  • 2 cups Cooked white rice I use a rice cooker, its your call how to cook the rice!

Ingredients for Sauce for servings

  • 5 T Gochujang chili paste
  • 2 T Corn syrup light
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 T brown sugar
  • 1/2 T vegetable oil

Instructions

For Sauce

  • In a nonstick skillet, add oil and chopped garlic. Turn heat onto medium high. Saute until garlic is brown color, don't burn!
  • Add remaining ingredients for sauce and stir over medium low heat for approximately 5 minutes. Set aside.

For Vegetables and Rice

  • Cooked medium grain white rice
  • In a small bowl combine soy sauce, brown sugar, corn syrup, pepper powder and chopped garlic. Add beef and stir to combine.
  • Stir fry each vegetable-mushroom, carrot, daikon, separately until tender crisp. Season with salt to taste. Place each vegetable on a platter, keep separate. Stir fry mushrooms in 1/2 T sesame oil, remaining vegetables can be saute in 1/2 T vegetable oil or a blend of sesame oil and vegetable oil
  • If using bean sprouts or spinach, blanch in hot water until tender crisp about 1 minute
  • Stir fry beef until cooked through.

Building Your Bowl

  • Divide hot rice between 3-4 bowls
  • Place vegetables in bundles around the bowl in a radial pattern. Place beef in the center.
  • Garnish with sesame seeds and perilla leaves and approximately 1 T sauce for each bowl. Place extra sauce in a bowl and serve along side bowls.
  • Optional (mandatory for me): Fry an egg for each serving, sunnyside up, and place on top of beef

Notes

Bi Bim Bap and creative expression.  The only absolutes for Bi Bim Bap is the rice and the sauce.  You could sub brown rice in place of white rice, but you need rice. The recipe from Joungy's class goes the extra mile by sautéing the red pepper paste with garlic and seasonings.  You could use Gochujang straight out of the jar, but the cooked sauce is really tasty.
Use whatever vegetables your little heart desires.  Great way to use extra Banchan you boxed from K-bbq the night before.  Why not? 

So good!  Bowled over by Bi Bim Bap!
Bowled Over, Udon Want to Miss My Newest Obsession (Udon)

Bowled Over, Udon Want to Miss My Newest Obsession (Udon)

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Hang on to your hats, imagine Times Square, with all its neon signs and flashing lights dedicated solely to FOOD.  Yep, that’s the only way I can describe the Dotonbori area of Osaka.  Swarms of people, whose sole purpose is to find all things delicious to eat.  A giant 3-D crab, or shrimp or potsticker over the door of a dining establishment making it easy to figure out their specialty.  The delicious aromas swirling around, changing with every step as they walk by tempura houses, ramen joints, crab feasts and yakitori vendors.

Welcome to Crazy Town for food

Yep, we bit.  Drawn by the people, hypnotized by the lights, we ate our way down the street.  We tasted Takoyaki, octopus cakes, (not really cakes, I just couldn’t bring myself to call them balls).  Think Ebelskiver with octopus bits.  We munched on skewers of yakitori, sampled matcha and black sesame soft serve and found taiyakis, fish-shaped cakes filled with red beans.

Udon want to miss the noodles

Our last stop was the perfect cap for the evening.  Walking back to our hotel we found a local shop in Namba with a trio of old cooks serving up delicious udon noodles.  We decided what toppings we wanted on our noodles, slipped our yens (=TWO DOLLARS A BOWL) into the machine, and handed the tickets to the chef.  Minutes later 3 hot steaming bowls of udon were placed in front of us.

Unlike ramen, the noodles are much thicker with a definite chew.  The broth is flavorful but clear and light, fish-based, different than the rich, heavy broth that you find with ramen.  Toppings are simple-fried tofu (abura-age), a raw egg that cooks in the steaming hot broth, a single tempura shrimp, or a clump of shredded seasoned beef and a sprinkling of green onion.  We slurped our noodles and tipped the bowls to spoon out the last drops of broth.  You’d think we hadn’t eaten all day.  Ha!

 

Oyako-Udon combo set

Thus My Obsession with Udon Began…

As soon as I got home plus 12 hours of catch-up sleep, I pulled out my copy of Japanese Soul Cooking by Tadashi Ono.  A gem of a book on homey Japanese comfort food.  I flipped to the udon section and then I was off to the market to look for ingredients.  I had purchased a delicious Dashi base in Tsujiki Market in Tokyo, perfect for my udon.  To make your own Dashi here is a great primer from Just One Cookbook. OR, Kikkoman makes a soup base Hon Tsuyu that makes a pretty good dashi broth base.

Working down my list, next the udon noodles. Udon comes fresh, frozen, and (if you can’t find fresh or frozen udon) dried.  Sigh, just not the same.  I also found abura-age or fried tofu skin which is used to make Kitsune Udon. The fried tofu skins are flattened and seasoned with soy sauce and placed on top of the udon.  Really delicious, and substantial enough for a satisfying vegetarian bowl of udon. It can be difficult to find abura-age though and in that case, Inari-age, seasoned deep-fried tofu pouches used to make Sushi Rice balls, is a convenient and easy substitute.  No need to season, just plop them on top of the cooked noodles.  Confused about tofu? Serious Eats’s Tofu primer is your ticket.  The carnivore in me though, bought some thinly sliced beef (sukiyaki beef is perfect) to make Niku Udon, yummo.

Making udon is very approachable.  It’s perfectly acceptable to start with a broth made from Dashi bags and pre-made noodles.

Udon Ingredients

Travel to Eat

People travel to buy clothes and souvenirs, I buy food, Dashi, Furikake’, Soba Boro cookies…yep, travel driven by food.

Studying up, here’s the scoop, on udon.

I used Dashi packets to make the Tsuyu.  This is your base,  add soy sauce and mirin to flavor the Tsuyu.

Optimally, use Sanukiya noodles, most likely found in the frozen section of your favorite Asian market.  The noodles are a bit firmer and hold up well.  The pre-cooked noodles only take a couple of minutes to separate and heat in hot water, presto-dunzo.  There are Korean versions of Udon noodles too, and they are very good.

Toppings for udon can be as simple as an egg, gently poached for the raw egg-squeamish, Abura-age, tempura, fishcake, or really ANYTHING you feel like putting on your noodles!

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Kitsune Udon

Simple, satisfying, soulful, best describes a bowl of Udon, thick, slurpable, noodles, in a clear broth.
Course noodles, one bowl meal, One dish meals
Cuisine Asian
Keyword Kitsune, Udon
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

Abura-age (Tofu)

  • 1 package Abura-age or 4 Abura-age

For Simmering Abura-age:

  • 3/4 cup dashi soup stock
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp. mirin

For Soup:

  • 5 cup dashi soup stock
  • 3 Tbsp. mirin
  • 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
  • Salt adjusting the amount of salt to your preference

Noods and Garnishes

  • 4 packages pre-boiled udon noodles
  • Optional: 4 slices kamaboko fish cake for topping
  • green onions, sliced

Instructions

  • Heat dashi, mirin, sugar, and soy sauce in a medium pan and bring to a boil. Adjust the flavor with salt as you like.
  • Simmer aburaage in the soup on low heat until the liquid is almost gone. Set aside.
  • Boil water in a large pan and heat udon noodles as indicated in the package.
  • Drain the udon and divide into four bowls.
  • Pour the hot soup over udon noodles.
  • Top with seasoned aburaage and kamaboko slices.
  • Garnish with green onions

OR buy the more readily available Inari age or seasoned tofu pouches and just plop those straight into your bowl. Inari age is the fried tofu pouches used to make Inari Sushi

    Or the carnivore delight…

    udon
    Print Pin

    Niku Udon

    Udon Noodles topped with stir fried seasoned beef and onions.
    Course Soup
    Cuisine Asian
    Keyword japanese, Noodle, soup, Udon
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Servings 4 servings
    Author Adapted from Japanese Soul Food

    Ingredients

    Niku Ingredients

    • 1/4 cup sake
    • 1/4 cup sugar
    • 1/4 cup soy sauce
    • 1 pound sukiyaki beef or thinly sliced flank steak, ribeye
    • 1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced optional

    Soup

    • 6 cups udon tsuyu*
    • 4 bricks fresh or frozen udon noodles can substitute dried Sanuki Udon
    • 1-2 green onion thinly sliced
    • Shichimi togarashi

    Udon Tsuyu

    • 6 cups dashi
    • 1/2 cup mirin
    • 1/2 cup Usukuchi soy sauce light soy sauce
    • 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

    Instructions

    Tsuyu

    • Prepare broth and keep warm.

    Beef

    • Combine sake, sugar and soy sauce in a bowl and stir well. Add beef and mix together, coating meat well. Marinade beef for 10 minutes.
    • Preheat dry non-stick skillet or well seasoned wok/iron skillet. If including onion, saute onion slices just until soft before adding the beef. Add beef and marinade to skillet. Spread beef in skillet to cook evenly. Cook over high heat until beef has lost its pinkness and most of liquid has evaporated, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

    Udon Noodles

    • Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add each packet of noodles. gently spread noodles out. When water comes back to a boil, the noodles are done. Drain well and divide among bowls.
    • Pour hot broth over noodles. Divide beef among bowls, garnish with green onions and shichimi togarashi. Serve immediately.

    Quick Pho Ga
    Two Pho-One Deal (Pho Ga Noodle Soup & Chicken Noodle Salad)

    Two Pho-One Deal (Pho Ga Noodle Soup & Chicken Noodle Salad)

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    Last week I posted a teaser on Instagram and FB of a really quick version of Pho Ga, Vietnamese chicken rice noodle soup. “In less than an hour, you will be sitting down to a steaming hot, delicious bowl of noodles. Recipe post tonight!”

    Sorry, stuff happens and I am a procrastinator by nature.  Tonight is NOW, finally (my humble opinion, worth the wait).

    I found the recipe for the quick and easy Pho in the Los Angeles Times.  I LOVE that paper.  When I lived in LA I religiously read the Wednesday Food Section (sometimes the front page but never the sports page-my dislike for the Dodgers never waned).  Some of my favorite recipes and stalwarts in my repertoire are from the LA Times.  I’m adding not only this Pho Ga Soup but a little gem that was tagged onto the end, a delicious chicken noodle salad, Phở Gà Trộn, made from the same ingredients, soooo good.  I almost like it more than the Pho Ga.  You can find the recipe and notes for Pho Ga Tron HERE.  Both recipes are from Andrea Nguyen, Asian cookbook author extraordinaire.

    Back to the Pho Ga.  Aside from going out to your favorite hole in the wall for pho, making pho at home is a weekend project. Making it after a long commute, on a weekday, ridiculous!  But a couple of shortcuts and whaddya know…nothing better than a delicious bowl of noodles after a horrendous commute.

    Shhhh…The secret is to start with pre-made broth.  If you have homemade-grrrrreat, if not, low sodium canned or boxed broth works well. Toasted coriander seeds, green onions, and ginger are added to the broth along with chicken, cilantro stems and salt. While the broth simmers for about 20 minutes, prep your noodles and garnishes.  Boom, you have just doctored stock into a perfectly respectable, delicious, chicken soup for pho.  For garnishes, I usually have cilantro, mint, green onions or Thai basil and limes on the table.  Don’t forget to put out the Siracha and Hoisin Sauce!

    Quick Pho Ga
    Print Pin

    Quick Chicken Pho (phở gà nhanh)

    Course Main Course, Soup
    Cuisine Asian
    Keyword Pho Ga
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 25 minutes
    Total Time 35 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 3⁄4 inch piece ginger
    • 2 medium-large green onions
    • 1 bunch cilantro sprigs
    • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons coriander seeds
    • 1 whole clove
    • 3 1⁄2 to 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
    • 2 cups water
    • 2 6- to 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh reserve one for noodle salad
    • 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 5 ounces dried narrow flat rice noodles such as banh pho, rice stick or pad Thai noodles
    • 2 to 3 teaspoons fish sauce
    • 1⁄2 teaspoon organic sugar or 1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
    • Pepper optional
    • 1/4 thinly sliced red onion optional for broth
    • 2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms optional for broth

    Garnishes

    • sliced green onions
    • chopped cilantro
    • Thai basil leaves leave on stem
    • fresh mint leave on stem
    • bean sprouts
    • lime wedges

    Instructions

    • Peel then slice the ginger into 4 or 5 coins. Smack with the flat side of a knife or meat mallet and set aside. Thinly slice the green parts of the green onion to yield 2 to 3 tablespoons, and set aside to use as a garnish. Cut the leftover sections into 2- to 3-inch lengths, bruise, then add to the ginger.
    • Coarsely chop the leafy tops of the cilantro to yield 2 tablespoons; set aside to use as a garnish. Set the remaining cilantro sprigs aside.
    • In a 3- to 4-quart pot, toast the coriander seeds and clove over medium heat until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the ginger and bruised green onion sections. Stir until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
    • Remove the pot from heat for about 15 seconds to briefly cool, then pour in the broth. Add the water, cilantro sprigs, chicken, and salt. (optional, add mushrooms and red onions) Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately then lower the heat to gently simmer for 20-25 minutes.
    • While the broth simmers, soak the rice noodles in hot water until pliable and opaque. Drain, rinse, and set aside.  Test your noodles, they should be soft and pliable but still have a slight bite.
    • After 10-12 minutes of simmering, the chicken should be firm and cooked through (press on it and it should slightly yield). Transfer the chicken to a bowl, flush with cold water to stop the cooking, then drain. Set the chicken aside until cool enough to handle, then shred into bite-size pieces. You will only need 1 chicken breast for the soup.  Reserve second one for noodle salad. If you don't plan on making the salad, use only 1 piece of chicken. 
    • When the broth is done simmering, strain it through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium pot.  Discard the solids. You should have about 4 cups broth. Season with fish sauce and sugar, if needed, to create a strong savory-sweet note. If using red onion you may not need sugar.
    • Bring the strained broth to a boil over high heat. Put the noodles in a noodle strainer or mesh sieve and dunk in the hot broth to heat and soften, 5 to 60 seconds. Lift the noodles from the pot and divide between the 2 bowls.
    • Reduce the heat to keep the broth hot while you arrange the chicken on top of the noodles and garnish with the chopped green onion, cilantro, and a sprinkling of pepper. Taste for seasoning. Return the broth to a boil and ladle into the bowls.
    • Extra broth can be refrigerated or frozen. You will need 1/2 cup of broth for the noodle salad.

    Notes

    Each serving: Calories 457; Protein 33 grams; Carbohydrates 70 grams; Fiber 2 grams; Fat 6 grams; Saturated fat 1 gram; Cholesterol 72 mg; Sugar 2 grams; Sodium 1,363 mg

     

     

     

     

     

    Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
    Tryin’ to Squash A Cold! (Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup)

    Tryin’ to Squash A Cold! (Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup)

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    How does that old adage go? Feed a cold, starve a fever?  The thought crossed my mind as I was miserably lying in bed, achy, congested, and generally feeling like crap.  Thank goodness for laptops and search engines…I found a Scientific America article that addressed this very proverb and whaddya know, going all Mythbuster, Scientific America, not only debunked it, but concluded it really should be “Feed a cold, FEED a fever”.  Yeah baby, I love science.

    What is the perfect antidote when it is cold, when you are sick, when you crave comfort, but you are too tired to fuss?  SOUP.  Am I right?  Yep, bowl therapy to the rescue.  It didn’t take long to find a soup that fit the bill.  From the blog Creative Bites, Pressure Cooker Creamy Butternut Squash Soup.  Lucky for me I had bought a butternut squash at the market and had all of the ingredients handy.  “Kold karma” pointed me to this quick (thanks to my Instant Pot) and easy, delicious soup.

    Here’s the HARD part.  The PREP.  Yeah, no getting around peeling that butternut squash and dicing ALL THOSE vegetables.  Well,  I suppose you could buy pre-cut squash, diced onions and minced garlic, but that’s your call. It’s part of cooking therapy for me.

    Butternut Squash soup Prep

    NOW, the EASY part.  Prep was 90% of the game.  You’re now sitting pretty on 3rd base ready to score, just a mere minutes from homebowl. Get it?  I love the apples and red bell pepper, they add a nice sweetness.   Saute the veggies in your Instant Pot.  It’s important when you add the stock, really stir the bottom of pot to release all those bits of saute goodness.   The pot is very sensitive to bits stuck on the bottom and will turn off as a safety precaution if the bottom isn’t clean.  Add the stock, seal the pot, and then set the timer for 5 MINUTES.  Yep, five minutes and quick release at the end.  With the time it takes to come to pressure, you’re still only looking at 15 minutes of cooking time.  Not bad.

    I used an immersion blender in the pot to puree the soup.  There are a lot of comments online about how it doesn’t work as well as a blender.  BUTTERNUTS.  Not creamy enough?  Throw the immersion stick back in and blend some more.  I’m willing to sacrifice a bit of creaminess (though I don’t think I am) to do this, as oppose to pouring HOT soup, in batches, into my blender.  I’m saving my blender for smoothies and Margaritas.

    Butternut Squash Soup in Mugs

    Go ahead and play around with this soup recipe. It’s very forgiving.  Got thyme?  Substitute for sage.  Got time?  Skip the Instant Pot, roast the vegetables instead.  See the prepped veggies above? Throw it all in a roasting pan, give it a good swig of olive oil, toss, salt and pepper and roast at 425 for about an hour).  The vegetables caramelize in the oven and add a sweetness to the soup that’s “souper” yummy.  Creative bites calls for goat cheese or cream cheese.  I like cream cheese because it adds a whole lot of mouth feel and just a slight tanginess.  You could probably use sour cream, creme fraiche or even just a touch of heavy whipping cream instead.  This would lighten the soup but you might lose that creaminess.

    FINISH WITH TOPPING MADNESS.  Once your soup is done, garnish with ANYTHING your little heart desires.  Toasted nuts or pepitas, bacon, sliced apples, or more BACON, croutons.  Did I mention bacon?  I was sent a mix of nuts as a soup topping by my Food52 Holiday Gift Swap buddy- it was perfect.

    Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
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    Creamy Butternut Squash Soup Instant Pot

    Course Soup
    Cuisine American
    Keyword butternut squash
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes

    Ingredients

    • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
    • 1 large yellow onion diced
    • 1 red bell pepper chopped
    • 2 tsp. diced garlic
    • 1 tsp. fresh ground ginger
    • 2 lb. butternut squash peeled and cubed 1 medium squash
    • 1 medium apple peeled cored and chopped
    • 1 tsp. sage Substitute thyme or curry powder
    • 1/8 tsp. chili powder
    • 1/4 tsp. sea salt
    • 3 c. chicken stock I used additional cup to thin down the soup a bit
    • 3 oz. cream cheese Sub goat cheese
    • 1/3 c. Parmesan cheese
    • Salted Pepitas for garnish Or anything you like, like BACON BITS, spicy nuts, chives, sliced apple, sautéed wild mushrooms...
    • 1 Tbsp Brown sugar, optional To add roasted squash’s sweetness

    Instructions

    • Turn on the Saute function on Instant Pot. Add the olive oil, onions and bell pepper. Saute on high for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute. Add the cubed squash, apple, sage, chili powder, sea salt and chicken stock.
    • Place the lid on your Instant Pot and move the knob to seal. Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes and do a quick release of the pressure.
    • Using an immersion blender in the Instant Pot, puree the mixture. Add the cream cheese and Parmesan, stir to melt and continue to puree until very smooth.
    • Garnish and serve.