Ginger-Spiced Chicken Soup
February 5, 2015
Aunt Suzy says . . .
It’s early February and that means cold where we live – perfect weather for soup. This week, I felt I might be coming down with a cold, so I thought a soup with ginger in it would really hit the spot. I recently filed away this recipe from Bon Appetit, so when I searched for something to make it was at the top of the pile. Randy and I both agreed that we would make this again. Once the ingredients were assembled, it came together in about 45 minutes. Who can ask for more on a cold weeknight?!
Ginger-Spiced Chicken Soup
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced in half-moons
1/2 to 1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons peeled fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 quarts chicken stock or broth
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups baby spinach
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Cooked small pasta, optional
Lime wedges (for serving)
Warm Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Salmon
March 26, 2012
Aunt Suzy says . . .
This dish is a “Wow!” in so many ways. First and foremost, it’s delicious! But also easy, with a minimum of fuss. I made a few adaptations from the original recipe in Bon Appetit. This is also a great option for use of leftover cooked salmon instead of cooking the salmon specifically for this dish.
You can see that we enjoyed it with a French rose wine, which was a perfect complement. We served it with this favorite quinoa salad, Lemony Quinoa with Crunch, which also was a great companion. The whole meal screamed spring, although I can’t wait to make it later in the summer when tomatoes are in season!
Recipe makes 4 main course servings
The Salmon
EV olive oil
2 small garlic cloves
Salt and pepper
1/2- 3/4 pound salmon fillet, preferably wild caught
Pre-heat the oven to 450° and place the oven rack in the top 3rd of the oven. Line a baking sheet with foil. Coat the salmon with a thin layer of olive oil. (If using farm raised salmon, you can skip this step.) Press the garlic through a garlic press and spread over the salmon, then season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 8-12 minutes, depending on thickness of the salmon, until salmon is medium rare (or to your desired doneness). Cool slightly and then remove the skin and dark layer of flesh. Set aside.
The Salad
3 tablespoons EV olive oil
Chickpeas from one large or two small cans, drained, rinsed
2 cups chopped tomatoes (we used baby heirlooms from Trader Joe’s)
1/4 cup Niçoise olives or other small black olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2-3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon capers in brine, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4-1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas and remaining ingredients except basil. Stir until tomatoes start to soften and the juice has thickened, 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the basil. Place desired quantity of salad on individual serving plates. Tear salmon into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces and scatter over the salad. Can be served warm or at room temperature.
Pasta with Cauliflower and Brussels Sprouts
October 27, 2011
Aunt Suzy says . . . .
I saw this recipe in Food & Wine this month and since it has fall vegetables paired with some of my favorite aromatics and ingredients, I thought I’d give it a try. I thought it sounded good, but was delighted by how delicious it was – it way outstripped my expectations! Of course, I made adaptations – I can’t help but tinker! I thought this would be too difficult to eat with bucatini, so instead used a my favorite small pasta shape, fusilli bucati. I think other small pasta shapes would be excellent, or you might want to try the bucatini of the original recipe. (Actually, I think this would make a great side vegetable dish without the pasta.) You might be inclined to skip the toasted breadcrumbs, but I would advise against this. They added both flavor and texture and, to me, really made the dish. A bonus is that this took only about 30 minutes start to finish! We served this with roasted salmon and an Italian Orvieto white wine. I will definitely make this again!
Ingredients
3/4 pound cauliflower florets, cut in 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
3/4 pound brussels sprouts, halved or quartered if large (about 3 cups)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion, finely diced
2-3 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons chopped rosemary
1-1/2 teaspoons chopped thyme
Directions
In a small skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the bread crumbs and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and transfer to a bowl and set aside.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
While the pasta is cooking, heat 1/4 cup of the oil on medium-high heat in a large saute pan. Add the cauliflower and brussels sprouts and season with salt and black pepper. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until lightly charred and crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the oil to the skillet along with the onion, garlic, crushed red pepper, rosemary and thyme; cook, stirring, until the onion is slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Cover and cook over low heat until the cauliflower and sprouts are tender, about 3 more minutes. Keep warm.
Add the pasta and reserved cooking water to the vegetables and cook over moderate heat, tossing, until the water is nearly absorbed. Remove from the heat and stir in the 1/2 cup of grated cheese. Serve the pasta in wide bowls, passing the bread crumbs and additional cheese at the table. (Alternatively, you can skip stirring the cheese into the pasta and add it instead to individual servings along with the bread crumbs.)
Sweet & Savory Kitchens 