Thai Pumpkin Laksa with Roasted Chickpeas

And the pumpkin craze continues. (On a related note, if you haven't seen Alton Brown's Good Eat's pumpkin episode it is definitely worth watching)

This soup really brings out the pumpkin flavor in a unique way. (And let's be honest, I'm a sucker for broccoli and soy sauce in any form)

"Young Blood" The Naked and Famous

Taken from Half-Baked Harvest

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
• 1 red fresno pepper, seeds removed + chopped (may use a jalapeno if needed)
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 small pumpkin, peeled + cut into cubes (about 3 cups)
• 1 rounded tablespoon creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 (13 ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 large bunch broccolini, stems trimmed
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 8 ounces rice noodles
• arils from 1 pomegranate
• For the Roasted Chickpeas
• 2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, drained + rinsed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• salt + pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and add the sesame oil. Once hot, add the garlic, ginger, fresno pepper and green onions. Cook 30 seconds to 1 minute or until soft + fragrant.

Slowly stir in the chicken or vegetable both and then add the cubed pumpkin. Bring the soup to a boil and simmer 15-20 minutes or until the pumpkin is fork tender. Add around half to 3/4 of the soup to a blender or food processor and blend until completely smooth. Return the soup to the pot.

Add the peanut butter, soy sauce, fish sauce and coconut milk, stirring to combine. Add the broccoli and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles according to package directions.

Once the broccoli is tender, remove it from the heat and stir in the cilantro + mint. Ladle the soup into bowls and add a big handful of rice noodles. Top with crunchy chickpeas (recipe below) and pomegranate arils. 

For the Roasted Chickpeas

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Spread the chickpeas out on a towel and dry them completely. Add the chickpeas to a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil, cinnamon, brown sugar, salt + pepper. Toss well to evenly coat. Roast for 20 minutes and then stir the chickpeas around and roast another 20 minutes or until the chickpeas are browned and crunchy. Remove from the oven and serve warm atop the soup. 

Murphy's Onion Soup

We've talked about my love affair with onions. 

And of course that translates to a love of onion soup.

And obviously, I'm always up for a new type of onion soup. 

I work at a library and this book and I have been skirting each other for months.

Almost all of the recipes use alcohol, but those pictures? *swoon*

(What can I say? I'm a visual gal)

I'm also a bit of a history nerd, so I love all the little Irish and brewing history facts in the book.

(Did you know the term "honeymoon" comes from the amount of mead made to last a month after the wedding? Or that the word "whiskey" actually comes from the Irish words for "water of life", uisce beatha, pronounced isk'ke ba'ha?

And fitting folk music to go with it:

Celtic Woman  "At the Celli"

Adapted from The Irish Spirit by Margaret Johnson (Serves 8 as a starter)

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted Kerrygold butter (or just unsalted butter)
3 large yellow onions, sliced
2 large red onions, sliced
4 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tbsp. dark brown sugar
3 cups homemade beef stock or low-sodium beef broth
1 cup Murphy's Irish stout
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Kerrygold Swiss or Blarney cheese for topping (instead of the usual Gruyere)

Directions

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, shallots, and garlic, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until the onions are soft but not browned. Add the bay leaves, basil, thyme, brown sugar, stock or broth,and stout. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the onions are tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat the broiler. Arrange 8 flameproof crocks on a baking sheet. Ladle the soup into the crocs and sprinkle with the cheese. Place under the broiler 4 inches from teh eat source and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the cheese melts and starts to brown. Remove from the oven. Using oven mitts to protect your heands, place a crock in the center of each of 8 serving plates and serve immediately.

Asparagus Soup

I got an immersion blender last year for Christmas. I love it. Really. It's the coolest kitchen gadget. Of course it shall always be outranked by a spatula in terms of usefulness, but whatchyagonna do? I'm not sure an immersion blender and a spatula would be of any use combined, but what do I know?

I spent all weekend (3 days, since its the end of the quarter!) with Herbie.

Quality time seems to have helped him warm-up (or at least we got to know each other better)

The weather's been freezing though, so it's a soup weekend.

This is from For the Love of Cooking.

 

"Carry on My Wayward Son" Kansas

 Ingredients

3 cups of asparagus, cleaned with ends removed and sliced into thirds
2 cups of vegetable or chicken broth (I used chicken broth)
1/2 tsp of dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp flour
2 cups of low fat milk
Dash of nutmeg
2 tsp of butter
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Directions

Zest of one lemon. In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, combine asparagus, broth, thyme, bay leaf and garlic; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf. Using a blender or an immersion blender, blend until completely smooth. Keep soup in the blender (or pour into a bowl if using an immersion blender) and set aside.

Place flour in the pan. Gradually add the milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add pureed asparagus and ground nutmeg, stir to combine. Bring to a slight boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in butter, lemon zest and sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Autumn Sweet Potato Soup

 The first weeks of schools have started, and temperatures are finally starting to reflect the month.

 I am proud to announce: fall has arrived! 

And what better way to welcome it than soup is there?

 "Everyday Superhero" Smash Mouth

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large brown onion, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 1/2 lbs orange sweet potatoes (yams), peeled and cubed
• 1 lb zucchini, sliced
• 2 qts (8 cups) yellow vegetable stock or chicken stock
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
• 3 medium tomatoes, peeled and diced (or 1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes)
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• Salt and pepper
• Chopped roasted peanuts or fresh thyme leaves for garnish (optional)

 Directions

Heat olive oil over medium till hot (not smoking). Sauté onion in the oil till it begins to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and continue to sauté for 3 minutes more.Add sweet potatoes, zucchini, chicken or vegetable stock, thyme leaves, cumin, ginger, and cayenne to the pot. I like to use ¼ tsp of cayenne, which gives a nice spicy kick to the soup. If you’re sensitive to spice, start with 1/8 tsp. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce to a light simmer for 20 minutes. Add diced tomatoes to the pot. Simmer for 5-10 minutes more until all the vegetables are tender. Stir the peanut butter into the broth until it dissolves. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add more cayenne for heat, if desired. Soup may be served as-is (chunky with texture), or you can puree the soup with an immersion blender till smooth. Serve garnished with chopped roasted peanuts or fresh thyme leaves.

Corn Chowder

 I found this while looking for a mashed peas recipes. Kind of an odd combination, I know.

It's from Simply Recipes.

 

Since I had so many Cat Steven's songs in the recent posts, here's one of my favorites:

( if you really like Cat Stevens the next video link is a film trailer. The movie's soundtrack is all him)

 

 "Don't Be Shy" Cat Stevens

"Harold and Maude" a dark comedy

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 strip of bacon or 1 teaspoon of bacon fat (substitute 1/2 Tbsp of butter for vegetarian option)
• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 large carrot, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
• 1/2 celery stalk, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
• 3 ears of sweet corn, kernels removed from the cobs (about 2 cups), cobs reserved
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 1/2 cups milk, whole or low fat
• 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, or Russet, peeled and diced
• 1/4 red bell pepper, chopped (about 1/4 cup)
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Directions

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the bacon strip (skip this step for vegetarian option, just add more butter) and fry until the bacon renders its fat, but doesn't begin to brown, 3 or 4 minutes. Add the onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the carrot and celery and cook for 4 or 5 more minutes.

Break the corn cobs in half and add them to the saucepan. Add the milk and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a bare simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes. Make sure the heat is as low as can be and still maintain a gentle simmer (on our stove we had to use the "warm" setting) to prevent scalding the milk on the bottom of the pan.

Discard the cobs, the bacon strip, and the bay leaf. Raise the heat, add the potatoes, red pepper, 1 teaspoon of salt, fresh ground pepper to taste, bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are almost fork tender.

Raise the heat, add the corn kernels and the thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Tortilla Soup

I first heard this on a Pandora station for Regina Spektor.

New Soul by Yael Naim

 

This was so good. 

You know when a soups really thick?

Yeah. 

So warm. So good. So thick.

   

Inspired by Pioneer Woman's Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 8 oz. mixed beans (pinto, black, chili, kidney)
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• small onion
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 can (8 oz) diced tomatoes
• 3 cups canned tomato sauce
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

1. Heat oil. Saute onion. Add two tablespoons of chili powder and 1 tsp. of garlic powder.
2. Add carrots and celery.
3. Once the veggies are cooked, add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, vegetable broth, frozen corn and beans.
4. Simmer for 20 minutes
5. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and tortilla chips. 

 

Vegetable and Dumpling Soup

 My mom really wanted dumplings on Wednesday, but I didn't want to wait for the chicken to thaw (me and my impatience!), so I made Chicken and Dumplings without the chicken.

1 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon white sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon margarine 1/2 cup milk

 

Stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in medium size bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in milk to make a soft dough.

 

Chop onion, broccoli, carrots, and pepper and mince garlic. Heat oil and saute onion and garlic until onion is translucent.

 

Heat to medium-high. Add vegetable broth and vegetables.

Simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

 

Drop dumplings by spoonfuls into boiling stew.

 

Cover and simmer 15 minutes without lifting lid. Serve with cheese.

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon white sugar 1 medium onion, chopped 1 head of broccoli, chopped 1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon margarine 1/2 cup milk 1 clove of garlic, minced 10 baby carrots, chopped 32 oz. vegetable broth

Directions:

1.	Stir together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in medium size bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in milk to make a soft dough.
2.	Chop onion, broccoli, carrots, and pepper and mince garlic. Heat oil and saute onion and garlic until onion is translucent.
3.	Heat to medium-high. Add vegetable broth and vegetables. Simmer for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

4.	Drop dumplings by spoonfuls into boiling stew. Cover and simmer 15 minutes without lifting lid. Serve with cheese.