Egg Drop Soup

Sorry I missed a couple of posts; hubby and I were both sick, so we pretty much didn't cook for a week and a half.  For most of my  life, I never understood why soup was considered the perfect food for sick people; I certainly never craved it when I was ill.  But something has changed.  While I was lying miserably on the couch, watching movie after endless movie, all I wanted to eat was gumbo.  While sick, hubby wanted egg drop soup (though he never got it).  After we mended, I was talking to my mom and she asked if I knew how to make egg drop soup.  It seemed like fate.  It was even more fated because the next day was chilly and wet and perfect for soup.  

 Now, I've always wanted to like egg drop soup, but every time I try it, I feel like I'm just drinking an egg yolk.  Ick! So I knew off the bat that I wanted our soup to be less thick than you get at a restaurant, but I had to balance that with the fact that hubby likes the thickness.  So, we worked together to find a consistency that worked for us.  That's what is so great about making such dishes for yourself!

I did a quick google search for recipes and chose this one because it was simple.  I then did a bit more searching on technique and found this site quite helpful! The egg drops turned out perfectly, both silky and wispy.  If possible, two people do this quite nicely. 

Egg Drop Soup

• 4 cups chicken broth/stock
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• salt to taste
• optional : a few drops of sesame oil
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/ cup water
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1-2 green onions, minced (omitted because I had none)

In a wok or saucepan, bring the 4 cups chicken broth to a boil.  Add white pepper and salt, plus sesame oil, if you're using it.  Cook for another minute.  If you'd like to thicken the soup, dissolve the cornstarch into the water.  Slowly pour it into the broth, stirring as you go, until you reach your desired consistency.  I probably used 2/3 of the mixture for ours.  Right before you add the egg, turn off the heat.  

This is where having a second person comes in handy.   One person holds a fork about 8 inches from the broth.   Slowly pour the egg through the fork tines.  While this is going on, the second person stirs the broth at a leisurely pace (hubby says "definitely not fast.... definitely not slow).  After a moment (it really takes no time at all), the egg drops are ready and the soup is finished.   (If you don't have a second set of hands handy, the author at the site I visited balanced the fork on a box of crackers and poured the eggs with one hand and stirred with the other.  Talent!)

Of course, you can garnish it with those minced green onions if you're fancy enough to have them.  =)

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Well, the weather has begun to cool and that means it's gumbo time.  I started craving gumbo really badly a couple days ago and got it into my head that I was going to make some.  Even though I grew up in southern Louisiana, my family cooked southern and not Cajun food most of my childhood.  Even as my parents embraced Cajun culture and cuisine as I got  into my teens, they only made gumbo from box mixes.  Homemade gumbo was something enjoyed at other houses.  After I reached adulthood, my dad started to make a really good gumbo, but I never got him to show me while we lived together.  About a month ago, hubby's mom made  some gumbo (which she was kind enough to share)  and I asked a few questions about how she did it.  That's about it when it comes to my gumbo-cooking education.  Any time you have gumbo at someone's house, it's been cooking for hours so you don't get to see how they make it.  Ideally, I wanted to go to hubby's grandparents' house and watch while they made some gumbo, but I got impatient.  I wanted gumbo and I wanted it now.  So with much trepidation, I headed into the kitchen for one of the most rewarding cooking experiences I have had.

For those who don't know, gumbo is a hearty soup that is roux-based.  (Roux being a thick paste made from almost burning equal parts of oil and flour).  There are many variety of gumbos, the most common (in my experience) being: chicken and sausage, shrimp, and seafood.   Gumbo is thickened with the use of either okra (which is how the dish got its name) or file.  For any additional information, I'm sure you know how to use Google. =)

My favorite gumbo is chicken and sausage.  It is simple and comforting, yet so delicious I can't help but go back for more and more.   Everyone  has their own way of making gumbo.  Some make the roux from scratch and some use the kind in a jar (which is much more convenient).  The roux can be light, medium, or dark.  Really, no two pots of gumbo are alike.  I took a chance and decided to go all the way, making the roux from scratch.  I didn't find it as daunting as I had imagined it to be, but I also wimped out and went with a lighter roux than I had planned.  That being said, this gumbo was amazingly delicious  and I am so pleased with myself!  Hubby didn't even let me freeze the leftovers because he wanted to eat more tomorrow.  

*Please note we used a good deal of meat in this gumbo because hubby likes it that way.  Feel free to use less.  

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

• 4 oz (roughly 1/2 cup) vegetable oil
• 4 oz (roughly 1/2 cup)  all purpose flour
• 4 quarts water
• 1 lb okra, chopped into 1/3 inch rounds (I used the precut frozen kind)
• 1 large onion, coarsely diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, coarsely diced
• 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken, cut into large chunks*
• 1 lb sausage, cut into 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch rounds
• 6 boiled eggs, peeled
• 1 tsp Tabasco
• salt to taste

* I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts to cut down on time, but the meat wasn't as tender as I wanted.  Next time, I'll do it the proper way and throw in some skinless chicken quarters.  This just requires pulling the bones out of the gumbo, removing all the meat, and returning it to the pot.


In a large pot, over medium heat, heat the oil until it is smoking.  Stirring quickly and constantly, add in the flour a bit at a time.  It might chunk up a bit, but it will smooth out if you just keep diligently stirring.  You want your roux to be a thick paste, almost pudding like.  Over medium heat and stirring constantly, cook the roux until it is at least the color of peanut butter and at most the color of mahogany.  My roux took about an hour and looked like milk chocolate. 


Once the roux is finished, slowly pour in the water, whisking constantly.  It is imperative that you keep whisking and don't add too much water at once.  If you do, everything will separate and look horrid and disgusting and you'll have to start all over again.  (This said from experience.)   Once the water is whisked in, bring it all to a boil and keep it going for at least an hour.  


Add in the okra, onion, bell pepper, chicken, and sausage.  Cook at least an additional hour and a half, until everything is tender and melding together.   


Thirty minutes prior to serving, drop in the boiled eggs, whole.  It sounds weird, but trust me, it is divine.  You may also add green onions and parsley at this point.

Serve gumbo ladled over a good portion of rice.   Enjoy!

Corn and Crab Bisque

After buying the crab for my sushi roll, I had most of the container leftover, which was great as it meant I could finally make corn and crab bisque.  I have wanted to for awhile now, but the price of crab has inhibited me.   Woo inhibitions lost!

Corn and crab bisque is one of my favorite foods; it's thick and creamy and filling.  The sweetness of the corn and crab are balance by a slight spicy kick. Mmmm. I wish I had some now.   I've found a few recipes here and there for the soup, but decided to check out Emeril Lagasse's because I knew his recipe was bound to be good.  

Corn and Crab Bisque
(Emeril Lagasse, Food Network, link here)

• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup minced onions
• 1 cup uncooked sweet corn from the cob
• 2 tablespoons minced shallots
• 1 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons minced celery
• Essence, recipe follows
• 1 cup crab stock or fish stock
• 3 bay leaves
• Salt and pepper
• 2 cup milk
• 2 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoons liquid crab boil
• 3 tablespoons blond roux
• 1 cup lump crab meat, picked over for shells and cartilage
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• Chives for garnish

In a large sauce pot, heat the olive oil. When the oil is smoking hot, add the onions, corn, shallots, garlic, celery and saute for 1 minute. Season with Essence. Add the stock, and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Whisk in the milk, cream, and crab boil.Bring back to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 5-7 minutes. Whisk in the roux, 1 tablespoon at a time. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook, whisking until the mixture thickens. Stir in the crab meat, green onions, and Worcestershire and simmer for 6-8 minutes. Reseason if needed. Ladle into a shallow bowl and garnish with chives.

Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Jacques Pepin's Black Bean Soup

I don't have cable anymore, which sadly means I don't get Food Network. Luckily, IPB has a channel called Create that features many amazing cooking shows. One of my favorite chefs on Create is Jacques Pepin. He's wonderful. I was absolutely thrilled when I found one of his cookbooks at the used bookstore I frequent.
Shortly after purchasing the cookbook, hubby requested black bean soup. Lo and behold, the cookbook had one. Score! I've always had black bean dishes in a spicy context, so I approached the recipe with some trepidation. Hubby likes spicy, so I feared he would reject this Frenchman's soup.
My fear was misplaced. Hubby and I both enjoyed the soup. It's versatile, which is always a good thing in my book.

Black Bean Soup
(Jacques Pepins Kitchen: Cooking with Claudine pg 240-241)

• 1 lb dried black beans
• 3 quarts cool water
• 1/2 cup brown rice (I used basmati as that's all I had)
• 8 oz pancetta or very lean, unsmoked bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I forgot this)
• 2 medium onions, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 8 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 tbsp herbes de Provence
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes in juice
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar (I substituted with apple cider vinegar)
• 1 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce (I used a similar hot sauce)

Remove and discard any debris or damaged beans, and wash the remaining beans well in cool water. Drain beans, place in a bowl, cover with cold water, and soak overnight or for 12 hours.

Drain the beans and place in a large pot with 3 quarts of cool water. Add rice and pancetta. Bring to a boil over high heat, uncovered, for approximately 20 minutes; stir occasionally. Skim off and discard any foam that rises to the top. Reduce heat to very low, cover, and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Add onions, garlic, herbes de Provence, chili powder, tomatoes, and salt to the pot, then stir well. Bring to a boil. reduce heat to very low, cover, and cook for an additional 1 1/2 hours.

Using a hand bledner, emulsify the mixture in the pot for 5 to 10 seconds. Alternatively, you may remove 2 cups of the mixture and puree it in a food processor, returning it to the pot. You want to thicken the soup a bit, but preserve its chunkiness. (I omitted this step)

In a small bowl, mox together the oil, vinegar, and Tabasco. Add to the soup.

Note: This makes a good deal of soup, so you can freeze half for later use.
Note 2: If you feel the soup is a tad bland, try adding a bit more salt. Since I didn't use bacon or pancetta, at first my soup lacked.. After adding a smidgeon more salt, it was SO much better.

Potage Parmentier, or Potato Onion Soup

After two decades of not really liking soup (other than baked potato and corn & crab bisque), I'm finally coming around. It all started with a little coffee shop's chicken tortilla soup. I was absolutely star struck. It was such a perfect blend of chunky chicken and vegetables with a smooth, slightly spiced tomato base... so good. Then I tried the same shop's chicken curry stew. Again, delicious soup! Lobster bisque, yessiree! Plenty of soups still disappoint me, but I'm willing to try them now. Most importantly, I'm willing to try to make them.

Does anyone not like potatoes? Is there really any better combination than potatoes and onions? Honest answers, guys and gals. I'm not sure there is a better food pair, so today I present you with Julia Child's Potage Parmentier (potato and onion soup). I found the recipe on this site, and it just looked so amazing that I had to try it.

This particular blogger added carrots to hers which gave it a nice orange hue and bulked hers up. I opted out of the carrots and got a rather thin soup, which was a bit sad. The flavor was amazing though.


Potage Parmentier

• 4 cups peeled and diced potatoes
• 3 cups thinly sliced yellow onions
• 2 quarts water
• 1 tbsp salt
• 6 tbsp whipping cream
• 1 tbsp softened butter
• 2-3 tbsp minced herbs, for decoration (I used scallions I had for the scallion pancakes)
  

In a large pot or dutch oven, simmer the potatoes, onions, water, and salt partially covered for 40-50 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the onions are thoroughly cooked. (Mine still had a bit of a bite).

Mash or puree the veggies with a fork, masher, hand blender, etc. Don't puree too well; you want some character to the soup texture. When I reached this step of the process, I realized my potato to water ratio was not going to create a creamy delicious soup, so I pulled out about 2 cups of the water. Then I spooned ladlefuls of potatoes and onions into my stupid Bullet blender and pureed it in there, returning it to the pot afterwards.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. I found I didn't need to; the seasoning was perfect.

Before serving, remove from heat and stir in cream and butter. Serve decorated with herbs.

Again, my soup was really thin, which was unfortunate, though the flavor was really superb. I think I might actually use this as a base for a creamy vegetable soup.