All posts by Sharon

Seafood, Soups

Lobster Bisque

September 8, 2011 Sharon Leave a comment

1/2 pound lobster meat, cut into small chunks

2 tablespoons shallots, minced

2 tablespoons green onions, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4cup white wine

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons Tabasco pepper sauce

1 teaspoon dried thyme

6 tablespoons dry sherry

1 teaspoon paprika

1 cup hot water

1 teaspoon lobster base

4 ounces tomato paste

2 bay leaves

2 cups whipping cream

4 tablespoons butter

In a saute pan heat a little oil over med-high heat and saute shallots, onions, and garlic for one minute.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the Worcestershire, tabasco, and thyme and saute for another minute. Deglaze the pan with the sherry. Add the paprika, hot water and lobster base and combine well.

Stir in tomato paste and add the bay leaves. Simmer for 10 minutes. Whisk in heavy cream and the butter and bring to a boil. Add the lobster and simmer until cooked through.

Serve with crusty garlic bread.

Italian, Soups

Lighter Tastes Like Lasagna Soup

September 8, 2011 Sharon Leave a comment

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound Italian turkey sausage, casings removed

1 onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 ounces broken whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 4 noodles)

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese

8 Whole-wheat breadsticks or grissini (optional)

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick saucepot or Dutch oven. Add the sausage, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is crumbled and browned, 8 – 10 minutes.

Add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salt, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes. Add the noodles; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly and the noodles are tender, 10 – 12 minutes. Serve with the breadsticks, if using. (whole-wheat lasagna noodles take a little longer to cook.)

Recipe Courtesy of Bobby Deen and the Paula Deen Test Kitchen

Soups, Turkey

Homemade Turkey Stock

September 8, 2011 Sharon Leave a comment

3 pounds turkey wings

Turkey neck and giblets, but not the liver (optional)

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

1 medium celery rib, with leaves, chopped

6 parsley sprigs

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp whole black peppercorn

1 dried bay leaf

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Using a heavy cleaver or large knife, chop the wings between the joints. If using the neck, chop it up, too. (If necessary, ask the butcher to do this for you.) Using a sharp knife, trim away any membranes from the giblets.

Spread the turkey pieces in a very large roasting pan. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the turkey pieces are deeply browned, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in 10 cups of cold water, bring to a boil and let simmer, covered, while the turkey roasts.

Add the turkey pieces to the vegetables and water, increase the heat to high and bring stock to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Meanwhile, place the roasting pan over two burners on high heat and add 2 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits in the pan. Pour into the pot.

Add the parsley, thyme, peppercorns and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 3 hours.

Strain the stock through a colander into a large bowl; discard the solids. Place the bowl in a larger bowl or roasting pan of iced water and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 6 hours and preferably overnight. Scrape off the solidified fat on the surface before using the stock. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat as needed.

Small-Batch Turkey Stock

A smaller amount of stock can be prepared with just the turkey neck and giblets, and boosted with canned poultry broth. Look for turkey stock at your market, as it is often seasonally available. In a large stockpot, brown the neck and giblets from 1 turkey in 1 Tbsp vegetable oil, about 10 minutes. Add 1 small onion, 1 small carrot and 1 small celery rib, all chopped, cover, and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add 1 quart water and four 13 3/4-ounce cans turkey broth or reduced-sodium chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add 4 parsley sprigs, 1/4 tsp thyme, 6 peppercorns and 1 small bay leaf. Simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Makes about 2 1/2 quarts.

Chicken, Soups

Grandma’s Chicken Noodle Soup

September 8, 2011 Sharon Leave a comment

Stock:

1 lb dark chicken meat, skin on

1/2 lb chicken breast, skin on

5 cups water

1 small onion, quartered

1 carrot, peeled,cut in 5 pieces

1 stalk celery, cut in 5 pieces

1/8 cup parsley stems, reserve sprigs

2 whole peppercorns

2 whole cloves

1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Noodles:

1 1/2 cups flour

2 eggs

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons water

2 tablespoons fresh oregano, minced or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

Soup:

2 cups canned best quality low sodium chicken broth or homemade chicken stock

1 carrot, peeled,sliced very thinly

1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 tablespoon parsley sprig, minced

2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

generous grinding pepper

salt

Stock: Cut away any obvious fat from chicken and place only dark meat chicken parts in Dutch oven or stockpot; add water, onion, carrot, celery, parsley stems, peppercorns and cloves. Bring to boil, skim off foam at top and then add thyme; reduce heat to simmer; simmer 20 minutes and then add chicken breast; simmer another 25 minutes until chicken is tender.

Remove the chicken but continue to simmer broth; as soon as chicken is cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones and return bones to broth; simmer another 20 minutes.

Noodles: While the chicken and stock are simmering, make the noodles; in a food processor, process flour, eggs, oil, water, oregano, cheese and salt 45-60 seconds to mix and knead the pasta; (if making the pasta by hand, place flour on work surface and make a well in the center; add the other ingredients to the well and mix with hands to form dough; knead on floured surface for 10 minutes); cover dough and let rest 10-20 minutes.

Divide dough in half and roll each as thinly as possible to a 14″ square; trim the edges to make somewhat straight; lightly flour the surface of the dough; roll each square loosely, as for a jelly roll; cut each roll with sharp knife into 1/4″ slices; shake slices open.

Lay half of the noodles flat in a loose, overlapping mound; cut into 2″ lengths and spread them out to dry for about 15 minutes; lay the other half of the noodles out flat to dry or drape on pasta dryer; when noodles are somewhat dry and do not stick together, roll in several loose circles of a few noodles each and seal in platic bag in a single layer; use in another dish of your choice within 2-3 days.

Soup: Strain broth and return to pot; add stock and bring to a boil; add carrots and cook 2 minutes; add peas and noodles and cook another 2 minutes; add chicken, parsley, parmesan and salt and pepper to taste.

Asian, Soups

Egg Drop Soup

September 8, 2011 Sharon Leave a comment

4 cups chicken stock, plus 2 tablespoons

1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 green onions, chopped, including ends

salt and pepper, to taste

Bring stock, ginger and soy sauce to a boil. Combine cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of chicken stock and stir. Slowly pour in the cornstarch mixture while stirring the stock, until thickened. Reduce heat to a simmer. Pour in the eggs slowly while stirring the soup in the same direction. Take off heat. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with green onion. Serve immediately.

4 Servings