Main Dish Soups

One of my favorite meals is a hearty soup and with the chilly nights rolling in it is a satisfying meal at the end of the day. You can create a main dish soup with a few simple ingredients and add on any protein that you might have on hand. I often use up all the leftover vegetables in my refrigerator sauteed in a large saucepan, add chicken or vegetable broth and simmer away. Often I puree the base with an immersion blender and add chicken or fish right before serving.
Try this easy chicken soup for a quick and tasty entree.

Vegetable Chicken Noodle Soup
Serves 8

Ingredients
9 cups chicken stock or vegetable
2 cups shredded Chinese cabbage
1 red pepper, julienne
1/4 pound shitake mushrooms, sliced thinly
4 sliced scallions
2 inch piece fresh ginger, julienne
1 boneless, skinless, chicken breast, cut into thin strips
6 oz. soba noodles, cooked, drained
1 bunch watercress, tough stems removed ( Swiss chard, spinach or bok choy can be used instead of the watercress)
2 Tb. rice wine vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 Tb. cilantro leaves

Procedure
1. Bring the stock to a simmer in a soup pot. Add the cabbage, pepper, mushrooms, scallions and ginger and simmer 5 minutes.
2. Add the chicken and cook another 5 minutes. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and serve warm.
Posted by amandacooks at 11:46 AM
Labels: fall soup
0 comments:

Fall is in the Air

My new cookbook Simple Real Food is available
I hope you will enjoy the recipes as I have developed them over the fifteen years I have been teaching cooking to students from all over the country.
The recipes are easy to follow and have make ahead tips as well as alternative ingredients listed for each.
Here is a sample recipe from the book which I hope you will enjoy!

Coconut Shrimp with Pineapple Dipping Sauce
Serves 12

Ingredients
1 cup flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cayenne
3 to 4 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 1/4 cups unsweetened coconut
1 1/3 pounds large shrimp, peeled, de-veined, butter-flied
2 cups canola oil, for frying
Dipping sauce:
1 cup canned pineapple
3 scallions, white part only, thinly sliced
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
2 Tb. lime juice
1/2 jalapeno, chopped
Salt

Procedure
1. Combine the flour, salt and cayenne on a flat baking sheet. Place the egg whites and coconut on two separate baking sheets. Dredge the shrimp in the flour mixture, then the whites, then in the coconut. Press the coconut onto the shrimp. Chill for at least an hour.
2. Heat the oven to 200. In a medium saucepan heat the oil until moderately hot but not smoking. Working in batches, fry the shrimp until golden about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.
3. In a processor combine the pineapple, scallions, apricot preserves, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno and salt to taste. Process until blended and taste, adjust seasoning.
4. Serve the shrimp on a platter with the sauce in the middle in a serving dish.
Posted by amandacooks at 11:59 AM 0 comments