Black Bean Soup Recipe

From: https://therecipecritic.com/20-minute-black-bean-soup/

INGREDIENTS
1 small onion, diced
1/2 tsp minced garlic (Costco sells this in a bottle)
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes (I use red gold brand)
2 (15 ounce cans) black beans, (drained and rinsed)
2 cups water
1 (4 ounce can) diced green chilies (I use old el paso, because they are super mild but flavorful)
1 can corn, drained (I use Del Monte)
1/2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (I use kashmiri chili powder)

Garnish:
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
fresh chopped cilantro for serving, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

1. Dump all of the above ingredients (except the garnish) into a pot (I use a cast iron enameled dutch oven) and let boil until flavors meld and taste is as you like it.
2. I let it boil first on medium high for about a half hour, then let it simmer on low heat with the lid slightly off so it would not overflow for another half hour (or basically until I was done cooking and could serve the soup warm).

Entree I served it with: CF Tamale Cakes

Dessert I served it with: Tembleque (which can be made the night before, or at minimum four hours ahead because it has to refrigerate, like jello)[I made mine in a corningware glass pie plate, it worked super well][you can top with cinnamon, or nutmeg, or fresh fruit like raspberries, blueberries or strawberries for serving).

Corn Mush

Ingredients:

1 c frozen corn, cooked in the bag according to instructions
1/4 onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic, sliced
a few chives, chopped finely
2 tbsp butter
1.5 tbsp flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 c almond milk (cold) [I use Silk Almond Milk, Original]
1/2 c water (cold)
cayenne pepper to taste
paprika to taste
black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In saucepan, heat butter. Add flour. Mix well.
2. Add onion and green onion. Let cook 5 min until roux is golden. Add garlic, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and paprika.
3. Add almond milk slowly. Mix well. Add water. Mix well.
4. Add corn. Add salt.
5. Spoon out 1/3 of mixture (solid and liquid) and blend. Put back in pot.
6. Let come to boil. Serve.
7. Enjoy!

 

ABP Corn and Green Chili Bisque

Okay, the “original” copycat recipe is on the bottom of this post. This is similar to the soup at Au Bon Pain.

I am adding a recipe that is more mild, which is more to my family’s taste. If you like the spiciness of the original, scroll down 🙂

Ingredients:

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 green pepper, minced (abt 1/4 c)
1/4 red pepper, minced (abt 1/4 c)
1/4 onion, minced (abt 1/4 c)
1 tsp minced garlic (I use the bottled version from Costco)
1 6 oz can tomato paste (I use the red and yellow Italian brand canned version)
1 7 oz can Herdez salsa verde
4 c water
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cumin
2 ears of corn, boiled, cut from cob
1 tsp heavy cream powder (or more, to taste)
juice of 1/8 lime

Directions:

1. Add butter and olive oil to large pot over medium heat. Let warm.
2. Add green pepper, red pepper, onion. Sautee.
3. Add onion. Sautee.
4. Add tomato paste and salsa verde. Add 4 c water. Add sugar and cumin. Let come to boil.
5. Add corn. Let boil, then simmer over medium low heat.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Add a squeeze of fresh lime or lemon juice. Add heavy cream powder.
8. Mix well and enjoy! 🙂

Note: This recipe is AWESOME! 🙂 Everyone loved it, will make it again.

 

 

 

Corn and Green Chili Bisque (original copycat recipe)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 2 Anaheim peppers, minced (or 1 4-oz. can green chilies)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, minced
• 1/4 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 6-oz. can tomato paste
• 2 tomatillos, diced (or 1 28-oz. can tomatillos)
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced (or 1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 8 cups (10 ears) of corn (or frozen)
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. black pepper
• 32-oz. vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
• 8 oz. cream
• juice of 1 lime

In a large soup pot, melt the butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Sauté the peppers and onions, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste. Add the tomatillos, tomatoes and sugar and sauté for about 3 minutes.

Add 6 cups of corn into the pot along with spices. Sauté for 2 minutes. Add the vegetable stock and cilantro. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.

After the flavors have married, puree with an immersion blender.

Stir in the cream. Stir in the lime juice. Add the remaining 2 cups of corn. Heat for about 5 minutes.

To serve, ladle the soup into a bowl and garnish with tortilla strips or a crushed tortilla chip and a cilantro leaf.

 

Baked Potato Soup

I had this at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and it’s SOOOO GOOOOD!! (Score one for hospital food!)

This is my approximation of that recipe.

YIELD: 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 small onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 stalk celery, diced
1 clove garlic, diced (optional)
4 small gold potatoes, baked

1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1 c milk (optional – if can’t tolerate milk, use water)
1/2 c water

Garnish:

salt and pepper to taste (pepper is optional, don’t use if you can’t tolerate it)
1 tsp fresh parsley, minced (optional)
1/4 c cheddar or pepper jack cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. In skillet or omelette pan or wok, cook onion, celery, carrot and garlic over medium heat until tender. Set aside.
2. In soup pot, add butter, let melt. Add flour, let brown. Add veggies, let sizzle. Add milk and water, let mix and thicken. Scoop out insides of three potatoes, add into soup pot. Let cook well and then let cool a little.
3. Blend to desired consistency (optional step).
4. Put blended soup back in soup pot. Add scooped out insides of last potato. Let cook for five minutes.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add parsley and cheese for garnish.
6. Enjoy!

Note: The optional stuff is what I added in that the hospital did not. If you’re on a healthy eating plan of some sort, keep the optionals optional 🙂 If you can’t tolerate solid food, make sure you blend very well, and skip the part in step five where you add in the unblended scooped out insides of the last potato.

Ginger Rasam

Rasam is a spicy broth. It’s a South Indian specialty, and both delicious and healthy. This recipe is adapted from Dakshin by Chandra Padmanabhan. I HIGHLY recommend this book for the best in South Indian Vegetarian recipes. Photos of each recipe are included as well 🙂

BLEND:

3 tbsp red gram dal (or pigeon peas, or toor dal)[masoor], soaked in 1 c water for 30 min
3-4 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
3 green chilies [I used 1/2 jalapeno]
2-3 pieces of fresh ginger (each piece 1 in)[I used a 1×1 cube of ginger]
3 tsp grated coconut
1 tbsp powdered jaggery
1.5 c water

VAGHAR in 2 tsp ghee:

1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder (hing)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 red chili pepper, halved [I used 1/2 dried red pepper]
a few curry leaves

Add salt to taste.

Add water as necessary (consistency is of a broth, not a soup).

Add a spoonful of tamarind concentrate.

Let simmer over low heat for as long as you can (1 hour or so).

Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

 

 

Easy Potato Soup

In 4 c pyrex container (I use the 4 c measuring cup), add:

2 c diced potatoes
1 diced or sliced carrot
1/4 tsp finely diced jalapeno pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper

Boil until cooked, about 20 min.

On stove at med heat:

Add 2 tbsp butter, let melt.

Add 1 tbsp flour, mix until cooked.

Add 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 c finely chopped onion.

Mix well.

Add water when flour is pinkish color.

Mix well until no lumps remain.

Add potato mixture. Mix well.

Let boil until well integrated (5 min?).

Can add a splash of cream or sour cream if so desired. (This makes cream of potato soup)

Enjoy topped with shredded cheddar cheese if so desired.

Vegetable Broth

Came home from the hospital recently on a restricted diet.

Here’s a recipe for vegetable broth that should be easy on your stomach and doctor approved:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/fresh-vegetable-broth-106690

Skip the parsley, dill and peppercorn until the doctor says you can eat them again.

And a tip for those on a clear liquid diet: you are allowed to eat lollipops! (You’re welcome!)