Fresh Herb

The best flavor comes from herbs which are harvested directly from the garden and immediately added to your recipe.  I have been experimenting with herbs for the last several years and have had consistent success with many.  My garden this year includes sweet basil, Thai basil, Italian and Greek oregano, chives, cilantro/coriander, lemon thyme and silver thyme, plus fennel and dill.  They aren't all planted out yet but here's the start. 

I decided to skip the lavender this year.  I don't like the flavor much and it is a tough plant to nurture in such a small space. If you want to plant lavender, I think the Spanish lavender holds up well.

I am going to stagger planting my cilantro this year to make sure I have an even supply of tender leaves.

The Grill master has planted green beans and tomatoes this spring.  He also planted peppers, both hot and sweet.  We are trying cantaloupes and cucumbers. We may not have enough sun.  Okra is on  hold for another week or so as they don't do anything until the weather is miserable hot.

Tortilla Chicken Soup for the slow-cooker

Without a doubt, Chef Dean Fearing's Tortilla soup is the best. I loved it since the first time I tried it at the Mansion on Turtle Creek back in the 1980's.  I believe that it is in the simplicity and elegance of the ingredients.  But I followed his recipe only rarely because it is time consuming to start with a raw chicken and build a stock, then make that into a finished soup.

I have come up with my slow-cooker version of his soup which relies on some prepared ingredients.  If you have the time, make your own stock, the sodium content of the prepared ingredients is higher than it should be.

However, you can mitigate the sodium by using these ingredients and adding in some no salt added chicken broth.

Here is my recipe:

I 32 oz carton Swansons Mexican tortilla broth

1 26 oz carton Swansons Chicken Cooking Stock

1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 large yellow onion, puréed 

Rinse the chicken and lay flat in your slow cooker. Cover with the remaining ingredients.

Set the timer for 6 hours.

Go about life

About 30 minutes before you are ready to serve, remove the chicken and shred it when cool.

Transfer the broth to a stock pot for finishing. This is much easier if you use the slow cooker bags.

Add

1/2 to1 Tablespoon cumin

1 to 2 teaspoons chili powder

2 bay leaves

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

Many people like corn or black beans or both in their soup.  Some add potatoes or carrots. If you do, then they should be added now.

Add salt ( probably not necessary) and cayenne pepper to taste. Start with 1/2 teaspoon and adjust up!

Simmer for 30 minutes, then return the shredded chicken to the pot. Heat the chicken.

Garnish each bowl individually with avocado slices and shredded cheddar cheese. You can also add tortilla strips or pulverized corn tortillas. Either way, it is a flavor thing so pick the texture you prefer.  I like pulverized tortillas.  Garnish as desired.

The Grillmaster likes lots of hot so I added a Poblano pepper, charred and chopped to the condiments.

Enjoy!  

Chilly night, Chili Soup

I am a little surprised that it has taken me so long to post this recipe.  It is a version of Midwestern chili that was my first from scratch soup.  I started making this when I was in high school.  The recipe has changed over time, but the basics remain. My current version is one I developed about twenty-five years ago, as a healthier version.  Everyone has their own version for chili and the Grillmaster and I have at least three that we come back to each year.  But this is the original and remains the family favorite.

In a large Dutch oven, brown 1 pound lean ground beef. If you select less than 90% lean, drain and rinse before continuing. Do not rinse the pot before returning the beef to it.

3 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks

3 stalks celery, cut into chunks

1 large yellow onion, cut into 8ths or smaller

Combine the vegetables in a food processor and add about 1/2 cup liquid (I prefer tomato sauce) and process until the vegetables are a purée. Scrape the sides down at about 30 second intervals. Add about 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped (3 to 4 cloves) and process for about 10 more seconds. 

This is actually the secret behind the rich flavor.

Add to the browned ground beef and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Not only have you added more flavor complexity, but the nutrition value had increased and you are stretching the ground beef. (Sorry purists, but this isn't a chili cook-off, it is dinner.)

Then add the balance of the ingredients.  

2 15 oz. cans of Ranch Style Beans (there are no acceptable substitutes)

Be sure to include all the sauce from the can.

1 can red kidney beans (14.5 to 15.5 oz)

1 can white kidney beans (14.5 to 15.5 oz)

2 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)

Add one can full of water for each can of beans, you need to start out with extra liquid as the soup will cook down some.

Add 2 tablespoons dark chili power and Tabasco sauce to taste.  Bring the mixture up to a boil and then simmer uncovered for at least one hour.  Adjust the heat of the chili to your taste.  Sometimes, I also add 4 oz. chopped green chilies, but usually only when Hatch peppers are in season.

To serve, place in a bowl and serve with grilled cheese.  This is Midwestern style. This is my favorite way to eat this hearty soup.

You can place about one oz of Frito chips in the bottom of the bowl and top with the chili and then top with  cheddar cheese, chopped onion, jalapeños, and sour cream.  This is Frito pie, a  Texas classic and one of my other favorites. 

Notice that I add no salt.  Between the canned beans and the tomatoes, there is sufficient salt.  Also, no oil.  If you attend the beef while It is browning, no oil is needed.

Soup's On, Split Pea and Ham

I hardly ever miss an opportunity to make a big pot of soup or stew in cold weather.  I just wasn't expecting to make one in March during a sleet storm. Tonight it is split pea and ham.

Dried peas, green and yellow are the basis for this soup.  If you accidentally purchase dried peas with a seasoning packet, please throw it away.  Seasonings are so easy to achieve and the packets always contain more salt than you need.

Flavor base:

1/2 onion, chopped, medium

1 small carrot, peeled, chopped

2 or 3 do the center celery stalks ( the ones with the leaves in the heart of the celery), include the leaves, chopped.

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

Olive oil

In a heavy pot (2 quart or larger) sauté the vegetables until the onion is translucent.

Add about one cup of water for each ounce of split peas.  I used 6 ozs. Of split,peas so, 6 cups water.

Add ham bones to flavor base.

For the best flavor,use genuine smoked ham hocks or pork neck bones.  If these are not available, you can use chopped ham but it doesn't add the depth of flavor.  I like the neck bones because they are so low priced and gives that rich ham flavor.  If you are a vegetarian or avoid pork for religious reasons, just leave the meat out.  Your split pea soup will still be delicious.

Then add your split peas.

Cover the pot and simmer for about an hour

The peas will be soft.  Remove the ham bones and remove the meat.

Using an immersion blender, make sure the soup is completely puréed and then add the ham meat back to the pot.

Serve with a hearty bread.  I like pumpernickel.  

Enjoy!