Category Archives: SOUP, STEW, AND CHOWDER RECIPES

BEEF STEW

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On cold dark rainy winter evenings (which granted are most winter evenings in the Seattle area) my tummy fairly screams at me to give it something warm, hearty and comforting. And not being a person who has ever denied my stomach anything, I comply as best I can while still trying to maintain some semblance of dietary responsibility. One of the dishes I make to satisfy my inner cravings is this stew. It actually took me several years to achieve just the right flavor, thickness, and proportion of meat to vegetable that I required in a perfect stew. I wanted my stew to be reminiscent of Beef Bourguignon, but contain more healthy veggies. So when I finally hit on this combination of ingredients, I was happy. (And yes, I do have a marvelous recipe for Beef Bourguignon that I will share with you at a later time.) So if you too have a desire for a healthy (bacon, not withstanding) and hearty hot dish, I recommend you build yourself a pot of stew. Chunk up a chewy baguette to go with it, pour yourself a nice glass of red wine, and try to forget (all you Puget Sound/Salish Sea inhabitants) that it has been cloudy, grey, and rainy for 47 days in a row! Take heart – the wine will help!

  • 4 slices lean bacon, diced
  • 1 lb. lean beef (round steak or top sirloin is great)
  • 2 tsp. seasoned salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 ½ tsp. paprika
  • ½ c. flour
  • 1 lg. onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 c. chopped celery
  • 2 carrots, sliced ¼-inch thick
  • 3 c. beef stock
  • 1 c. red wine (I use Hearty Burgundy)
  • 1 T. tomato paste
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
  • ½ tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
  • 1 T. dried parsley
  • 2 medium potatoes, diced
  • 4-6 c. fresh or frozen vegetables (corn, beans, peas, broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini, etc.)

Fry bacon until crisp in a large, covered soup pot. Remove bacon to medium sized bowl. Don’t discard bacon fat. Meanwhile, remove any fat or grizzle from meat and cut into bite size pieces. Sprinkle meat with seasoned salt, pepper, and paprika. Place flour in a bag and add meat cubes. Shake until well coated. Brown meat in bacon fat. As pieces brown, remove to the same bowl as bacon. If more fat is needed to brown all the meat cubes, add a teaspoon or so of vegetable oil . After all the meat has been browned, add onion, garlic, celery, and carrot slices to the pot. Stir fry for about 5 minutes, lifting brown bits off the bottom. Add beef stock, red wine, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Bring to boil and add cooked bacon, meat cubes and any accumulated meat juices. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 90 minutes or until the meat is almost tender. Stir periodically. Add potatoes and simmer until they are almost done, about 30 minutes. Add fresh vegetables and cook until crisp tender. Add frozen vegetables and continue cooking only until they are warmed through. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving steaming hot.

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CHEZ CARR CHILI CON CARNE

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When I think about fixing chili, I usually (thankfully) don’t remember the chili my dear departed parents used to serve when I was a child. Some of you had the pleasure of knowing my parents, but most of you did not have to dine (and I use the term very loosely) in their home. While their food was not burned or awful tasting, it certainly didn’t bear any resemblance to the food most of us enjoy in our homes today. Please allow to me to give you an example and thereby prove my point. Their “recipe” for chili consisted of one can chili (I think there was only one brand available when I was a child) and one can of water. Heat until warm (not even hot, mind you) and serve with saltine crackers. Yep – that was their idea of chili. Why the can of water you ask? Good question. It’s not like my parents couldn’t read. My dad had a masters in English and my mom wasn’t any dummy either. But for whatever reason, that can of water was added. (Perhaps they just assumed chili was just like any other canned soup and never bothered to read the label.) Regardless, it was pretty much unpalatable. After I grew up and started making chili for my own family, I taught my dad how to make chili from scratch. He never looked back.  So if you too need a good, solid recipe for chili, this is about as basic and easy as it gets. And if you are even remotely thinking about trying my parents “recipe” for chili – don’t! Believe me, there are only three people in this world that liked my parents chili, and then only if it was added to a prepared package of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. My three younger children thought that this was the best food in the world when they were little. They always loved when grandpa and grandma babysat them, because they were going to get to eat this yummy concoction. (And no, please don’t try my parent’s “recipe” for Macaroni and Cheese Chili either. There are just going to be times when you have to trust me, and this is one of them!)

  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 2 lbs. lean ground beef
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 1 qt. chicken stock
  • 1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
  • 1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
  • 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme
  • 2 T. dried parsley
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
  • 7 T. mild chili powder
  • 2 T. ground cumin
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • kosher salt
  • 2 cans chili beans
  • finely chopped red onion, garnish
  • grated sharp cheddar cheese, garnish
  • sour cream, garnish

Heat oil in a large, heavy, covered pot. Add ground beef and fry until the meat is very, very dark brown and sticking to the bottom of the pan. (It’s those lovely caramelized brown bits in the bottom of the pan that you really need to give your chili the deep rich flavor.) When the meat is good and brown add the chopped onions, garlic, and green pepper and cook uncovered until the onion is translucent and you have scraped all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken broth, cover and let simmer for 30 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, cloves, chili powder, cumin, pepper, salt to taste, and chili beans. Replace lid and continue simmering for an hour. Stir occasionally. Adjust seasoning and serve topped with red onion, cheese, and sour cream.

 

HOT AND SOUR SOUP

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI had been trying to find a great Hot & Sour Soup recipe for years. I had searched cookbooks, magazines, internet sites, and even thought about bribing a waiter once (turned out he was the owner’s son, so I made the right choice in not dipping that low) to no avail. Seriously, over the years I must have tried at least 15 different recipes for this soup. None of them had the flavor I was after. Then one glorious day while I was visiting daughter Paula, she told me about her good friend Pam who also loves to cook. Paula casually mentioned that she would photocopy a couple of Pam’s recipes for me to try when I got home.  And there, amongst several other recipes that looked delicious, was an 8 ½ x 11-inch piece of paper with the recipe of my dreams in 12 point Calibri font.  Now one thing you should know before I go any further; I trust my daughter’s judgment in all things edible. Paula, like my other two daughters Eden and Ursala, is a wonderful cook. So when Paula gave this recipe such high praise, I knew I just had to give it a try. And of course I did. And because I don’t want any of you to have to go through 30 years of trial, error, and longing like I did, I am sharing this lovely recipe with you. And since I know you are going to be ever so grateful that I sent this recipe your way, I’m just going to assume I have your thanks already and say  不客气 (bú kè qi) – you’re welcome!

  • 10-12 dried shitake mushrooms
  • 1 block firm or extra-firm tofu
  • 10 c. chicken stock
  • ¼ c. dry sherry
  • 8 green onions, chopped, divided
  • 2 T. finely minced fresh ginger
  • 4 T. sesame oil, divided plus more to drizzle on soup just before serving
  • kosher salt
  • 8 T. cornstarch, divided
  • 1 T. chili oil
  • 1 lean boneless pork chop or one boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into very small pieces
  • 1 small can straw mushrooms, drained and sliced
  • 1 can bamboo shoots, drained and sliced
  • 2-4 T. soy sauce
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2-3/4 c. white wine vinegar
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Cover dried shitake mushrooms with hot water; set aside. Wrap tofu in paper towels. Place a plate on top and weigh down with something heavy. (This will squeeze some of the excess moisture out of the tofu.) Set aside. Pour chicken stock into a medium sized soup pot. Add sherry, about 3/4 of the chopped green onions, ginger, and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, slice the tofu into 1/4-inch slices, sprinkle lightly with kosher salt, and coat with 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch. Combine remaining 3 tablespoons sesame oil with chili oil in a large frying pan. Bring oil to medium heat, just before it begins to smoke, and fry the tofu until both sides are a nice golden brown. Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel. When cool cut into bite size pieces. Set aside. During the time the broth is simmering, mix in about 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into the pork or chicken. Set aside. After the broth has simmered for 20 minutes, drain the shitake mushrooms and add to the broth. Add the pork or chicken pieces, separating the pieces as you drop them into the soup. (The cornstarch will make the meat pieces stick together, so separating them is essential.) Add the straw mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and soy sauce. (Start with 2 tablespoons soy sauce and add more at the end if needed.) Bring broth back to boil, reduce heat and simmer for an additional 3 minutes. Add fried tofu, pepper, and vinegar. (Again start with the smaller amount of vinegar and add as needed.) Add a small amount of water to the remaining corn starch and add to the soup. Simmer for about 2 minutes or until broth is slightly thickened. Drizzle eggs in hot soup but do not stir. Just before serving, adjust seasoning. Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with the remaining green onions and a drizzle of sesame oil. Serve immediately.

TORTILLA SOUP

If you have ever ordered tortilla soup in a Mexican restaurant, then you are probably not going to take even a cursory look at this recipe. For if you are like me (hopefully not, one of me is enough) you have tried a restaurant tortilla soup and found it at best – passable. This soup recipe however, given to me years ago by my daughter Paula, easily qualifies as one of the best soups I have ever had the very great pleasure to consume. It has all the elements I love – a fabulous broth and additives which I get to choose to add to the broth. And really, what’s not to love about cubed, perfectly cooked chicken, creamy avocado chunks, shredded cheese, and flour tortilla strips. I have yet to serve this soup to anyone who doesn’t think it is amazing. In fact, I often get requests for this soup when I am hosting an event. So do yourself a favor, forget what you have tasted before that called itself Tortilla Soup, and give this recipe a try. Your family and friends will love you for it. OK, they probably already love you, but if not, or you are kinda-sorta sitting on their virtual “love fence”, fixing this soup can only help elevate your position. It might even help you clear that fence without any slivers or bruises.

  • 1 T. butter
  • 1 T. vegetable oil
  • 1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 8 c. chicken broth or stock
  • 2 (15-oz.) cans tomato sauce
  • 1 ½ tsp. dried basil (dried basil is really better than fresh for this recipe)
  • ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 12 flour tortillas, baked on a griddle, cooled and cut into strips
  • 1 c. grated Monterey Jack cheese
  • 1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 2 avocados, diced
  • 6 green onions, finely minced

Place the butter and oil in a large covered soup pot. Cook chicken just until done. Remove to a small bowl. Add onions and garlic and cook until garlic just starting to turn brown. Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, dried basil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, place the tortilla strips, cheeses, avocados, and green onions in their own bowls.  When ready to serve, fill soup bowls half full of soup and let your family or guests choose their own extras (chicken, tortilla strips, Jack cheese, mozzarella, avocado, and green onions).

MUSHROOM ONION SOUP

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I used to work in the International district of Seattle during the 70s. I loved it! Our customers were wonderful, the business owners were our buddies, and the restaurant food and grocery selections were unparalleled in the region. My fellow employees taught me a lot about Asian cooking too. (We actually had a full kitchen in our break room, complete with a 4 burner stove, refrigerator and microwave.) Most days I would either bring a leftover from home, or build something on the spot. But sometimes, a group of us would head off to one of the local eateries. Of course we had fabulous Asian restaurants from which to choose, but we also had an incredible hole-in-the-wall Creole restaurant across the alley from us and a short lived sandwich and soup place in the great hall of the old Union Station. (Union Station is a former train station constructed between 1910 and 1911 to serve the Union Pacific Railroad and the Milwaukee Road. It now serves as the headquarters of Sound Transit and its grand hall is rented out to the public for weddings and other events.) But back to that soup and sandwich place. One of the soups they offered was an onion soup with mushrooms. It was the best soup I had ever tasted. I begged and pleaded for that recipe, but they never would share it with me, even when they were closing! How rude, don’t you think? Anyway, I played around with the ingredients and finally determined that the subtle background flavor that made my taste buds sing was caraway. So give this recipe a try, but please, do not leave out the caraway. Your taste buds will thank you!

  • ¼ c. butter
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 onions, sliced
  • 1 lb. mushrooms, quartered
  • 1 tsp. sugar
  • 2 T. flour
  • ½ c. hearty red wine (I use “Gallo Hearty Burgundy”)
  • 6 c. beef broth (I use 6 teaspoons of  Superior Touch brand “Better Than Bouillon” – beef base and 6 cups of water)
  • 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
  • ½ tsp. caraway seeds (not optional)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 T. paprika
  • ½ tsp. dried marjoram
  • ½ tsp. dried thyme
  • lightly toasted baguette slices
  • Swiss or Gruyère cheese, grated
  • Parmesan cheese, grated

Melt butter in a large covered soup pot. Add olive oil and sliced onions. Cook onions for about 45 minutes or until they are caramel colored and very, very soft. Add mushrooms and sugar; cook for 10 minutes. Stir in flour and let cook for about 5 minutes over low heat, stirring often. Add wine, beef broth, parsley, caraway, bay leaf, paprika, marjoram, and thyme. Cover and simmer for at least an hour. Meanwhile, place a combination of   cheeses on baguette slices. Just before ready to serve, pop the bread and cheese in a 450 degree oven and bake until cheese is melted. Ladle soup into oven proof soup bowls and place a couple baguette slices on top. Sprinkle with more cheese and place in hot oven or under broiler until cheese is melted and starting to brown. Serve immediately.

 

 

 

 

CRAB BISQUE – also reverently referred to as Heaven in a Bowl!

I absolutely love serving a first course soup at dinner parties. I have a large selection of flat bottomed coffee cups (short, squat, straight sided, with the bottom and top sharing the same circumference) that I picked up at our local Goodwill. After the appetizers and beverages have been served, and my guests have had sufficient time to tell me how wonderful the appetizers tasted (always allow time between courses for unsolicited compliments), I hand out small cups of a rich soup like this bisque before the main course is served. The servings are small because my first course soups tend to be very rich, and a tiny amount goes a long way. In fact, I try to serve fairly small portions of every dish that I serve. I have always felt that a person’s taste buds (like mine for example – that can legitimately be classified as overworked) get tired after a few bites of any flavor, regardless of how fabulous. So rather than too much quantity of any one food, I prefer to offer a greater assortment of small dishes, with lots of different and interesting flavors and flavor combinations represented. And yes, I know that it takes more time and effort to prepare the food for a dinner party using my criteria, but happy taste buds dancing around your dining room is worth the effort.

  • 2 T. butter (don’t even think about using margarine)
  • 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
  • ¼ c. loosely packed basil chiffonade* (rolled into the shape of a cigarette and very thinly sliced)
  • 2 ½ T. flour
  • 2 c. vegetable stock
  • 8-oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 c. heavy cream
  • 1/8 tsp. white pepper
  • 1/3 lb. fresh or canned crab (do not use that fake crab stuff in MY Crab Bisque recipe – or else!)

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté for 2 or 3 minutes, or until soft. Add basil and continue sautéing for 1 minute more. Whisk in flour and cook until mixture is bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add veggie stock and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Add heavy cream and bring back to just under a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, add white pepper and crab, reserving a tiny amount to add as a garnish, and continue cooking 3 or 4 minutes. Serve immediately garnished with reserved crab.

*rolled into the shape of a cigarette and very thinly sliced