A Heart-y Early Spring Soup

 So, it's been awhile. An UrbanGirl gets busy sometimes and gets forgetful of passwords and well, worse things have happened... I tell myself: "Tomorrow is another day, Scarlet."

Today, my hubby helped me recover and claim my long-lost and honestly, missed, blog about our kitchen adventures.  Obviously, in 2005, I was all about Thai and I still am, but today, it's all about a soup that can be made from the bounty of my early spring garden.  A heart-y soup to soothe the soul. The one that's desperately awaiting for Spring to really and honestly begin.

Here we go:

• About 2 quarts of homemade chicken stock
• 2 lbs of kosher chicken drumsticks/legs, seasoned with salt/pepper
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 4-5 medium tomatoes, chopped
• About 2 quarts of white wine
• 1 fresh bay leave
• 2 lbs of greens

This is one-pot-stop cooking. One pot. Everything in the pool. So easy a cave-chef can do it. I know, it's complicated. Just throw everything in and simmer for about 2 hours over medium-low heat.  But if you want the nitty gritty details, I added the stock first, the drumsticks, onion, tomatoes and covered with wine. Once the stock had simmered, I threw in the greens.

A word about Greens:
I am lucky enough to have greens growing year round in the greenhouse. No need to covet the idea. You can do it too; even on a windowsill. You can't know what you can grow until you try and "greens" of unimaginable varieties will do the trick in this recipe.

Until then, though, think about what you do have in your crisper or taking up space in the freezer.  Do you have beets with the tops on? frozen collard greens? A half-eaten head of cabbage? A handful of brussel sprouts? wilting scallions? Radicchio?  I usually buy vegetables with "greens on" or basically, still with their green tops or leaves in tact. This way, I can usually make use of the entire vegetable without throwing half of what I just paid for in the composter or down the disposal. What a waste! Use it! Get creative. If you like to eat it, chances are good that the greens will please you just as much.  If not, substitute spinach or cabbage for the 2 cups of "greens" and you're loving life.

Ga Ga for Tom Kha Gai - Chicken and Coconut Milk Soup Soup

Tom Kha, one of my husband's long running specialties and a favorite disguise for his demure but deadly chili peppers, has long been one of my all time favorites. His generous addition of miniature firecrackers from our garden, tiny chilis meant to humble even the most boastful of our by now, well-prepared friends and family, has become a meal of worship converting even the most ethnically inexperienced among them. Amazingly enough, my Dad's deadly allergy to all things coconut magically disappeared as he devoured two heaping bowls right in front of my eyes. While he can't be fooled by my sister's cauliflower mashed potatoes (or he was until he was told it was cauliflower), he doesn't give one whit that the "deadly" coconut takes the place of honor in this masterpiece.

Luscious is about the only way I can describe it. It also has the four elements of good cooking: sweet, sour, savory and spicy. But it has something else to it's credit, it's creamy-dreamy. I've long been a fan of coconut milk since it's the base of most Thai curries. Here, however, it takes center stage and turns an ordinary chicken soup into a soup fit for, well, Dads. In addition to this sometimes risky feat, it can be made with ordinary canned chicken or vegetable broth. That's right, you heard me. I've saved the best for last because it truly is one of the quickest soups to make, even if you choose to make your broth from scratch. Hubby can reproduce this soup in a matter of minutes, literally, and it only gets better as the flavors have time to meld. More than a few rough days have been spirited away with this wonderfully soothing soup and it is worthy of a place of honor in your soup repertoire.

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 10 kaffir lime leaves, shredded or whole
• 1 lemon grass stalk, sliced lengthwise and cut in 3-4" pieces
• 2 chunks of galangal (roughly the size of a golfball), sliced thinly
• 8 tablespoons fish sauce
• 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 lb chicken breast cut into strips or bite sized pieces
• 2 14 oz. cans of coconut milk, recommended brand
• 2 12 oz cans of large straw mushroom, drained
• Small red dry Thai chili peppers, slightly crushed (to taste)

Garnish

• Cilantro leaves, chopped

1. Make coconut soup base. In a stockpot, heat the chicken broth on medium high heat. Add the lime leaves, lemon grass, galangal, fish sauce, and lime juice. Stir thoroughly, bring to a boil and add the chicken and coconut milk. Bring back to the boil, then immediately lower the heat to keep it simmering and cook for about 2 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Add the drained mushrooms to the soup just before serving. They are already cooked so only need to heat through. If you don't like 'em, leave 'em out.
   
2. Garnish. Garnish with cilantro and chilis, to taste. I love dried chilis in this recipe because they rehydrate and absorb so much coconut flavor that they really are lovely little zingers if allowed time to mellow with the soup.
   
3. Serve. We serve this soup bowled-up over jasmine rice but it can also be served family style at the table, allowing for each guest to serve him or herself rice, if they choose. An alternative to serving with rice would be to serve it with your favorite noodles instead.

***Note: Dried galangal is a great substitute for fresh but chances are good finding either could be a challenge and if you find one, you'll tend to find both. Dried galangal is an excellent staple to have on hand for when you need it and I quite like the more subtle flavor, which is a cross between a lovely, delicate ginger and citrus flowers. I believe it to be the real workhorse of the spices we use for this soup and together, with the lime leaves, brings a flavor combination that is hard to beat. It stores in an airtight container almost indefinitely and you can order it online.

One more thing, if you have leftover soup base, it makes an excellent curry sauce the following night. It's almost a given in my house that when we have hubby's Tom Kha, the following night will see heaping hot bowls laden with a luscious chicken or seafood curry and if I'm not in the mood to eat curry the next night, I will at least spend the 10 minutes to make the curry sauce and freeze it for later. Half the time, though, Tom Kha never makes it to Round 2...

Tom Yum Soup-So Yum, You Won't Believe You Made It

When most people think of Thai starters or soups, this sweet and sour medley almost always comes to mind and is found on virtually any Thai menu the world over. Being a creature of habit and as such, prone to ordering the same beloved favorites, I found myself wondering whether I needed to include this worldwide favorite if I myself, wasn't particularly in love with it.

A few nights ago I realized that I wasn't exactly in love with Tom Yum soup because admittedly, I couldn't do it well. Also, it had been quite some time since I had ventured to try this one myself and I was feeling my confidence waiver. Knowing full well that I can't afford a ghost writer, I decided to buck up and try it again after Ketsana reminded me during one of our soup sessions that I already knew what to do. "What's so hard about adding Tom Yum paste to chicken broth?" she teases. "If you know chicken broth, you know Tom Yum soup." With that, she had my full attention and delivered yet another epiphany. Unbelievable. Notably, I'm a little shocked that I couldn't have guessed this tiny, yet monumental detail. It's all over my face. "It's not rocket science," she chuckles, "and yes, I buy it in a jar, too much trouble to make." I'm skeptical but intrigued and determined to try again. Fully armed with my newfound confidence and secret weapon: Tom Yum paste, I endeavor to conquer this soup.

Knowing what I know now, to exclude Tom Yum from our list of revered lickety split soups would be tantamount to kicking Bart Simpson out of the family. And after my recent experience in which I truly did victory laps around kitchen stadium (ok, maybe just a few high-fives), I can honestly say that I was blown away by how good this soup turned out. It was a true slurping concert. How could I have missed a recipe so easy and forgiving and best of all, a true candidate for the Valhalla of Leftovers? An equivalent to southern gumbo, this soup has the capacity to be all things to many and really can be a meal in and of itself, with whatever you may have on hand. Not to mention, it has the perfect balance of the sacred four virtues of cooking: Sweet, Sour, Spicy and Savory. How can one possibly go wrong?

Soup
4 c. chicken broth
2 tbsp Tom Yum paste (recommend brand Por Kwan-Hot and Sour Paste)
1/2 lb Rice Vermicelli Noodles, uncooked
1/2 lb cooked chicken
1/2 lb cooked crab or imitation crab/haddock
1 c. carrots, sliced
1 c. frozen or fresh Chinese cabbage, chopped

Garnish
Green onions, julienned
Cilantro, chopped

1. Heat broth. Bring broth to a boil in a medium stockpot over high heat. Once it comes to boil, lower the heat to medium-high and continue to simmer, lowering the heat if it's boiling too vigorously. Add Tom Yum paste, stirring well to disolve and incorporate into the broth. When the broth is ready for the next step, you will see the oil of the paste separate or pool on the top of the broth. This is an ideal indicator that you are ready for the remaining ingredients and is a good sign the paste has been incorporated well. Don't worry about skimming off the oil as it does add to the flavor and won't be worth the effort to remove. This is the Tom Yum base for our soup.
2. Add noodles. Add noodles to the Tom Yum base and cook for 6-7 minutes or according to the directions on the package. If you can't read Thai, that's understandable. However, it's easy to know when it's done by lifting out a noodle and tasting it for doneness, just like you do with other pastas. It doesn't take more than ten minutes so don't boil the life out of the noodles before checking their readiness.
3. Add the rest. Add the carrots, cabbage, chicken and crab. Heat through for 1-2 more minutes. I slice carrots rather thinly so they don't require a very long cooking time. Another way to ensure carrots cook quickly is to julienne them or have them pre-cooked and ready to add at the last minute before serving. I think carrot done-ness is a rather personal issue, just like how much curry or tom yum paste to add. Try this way first and then experiment to see what works best for you.
4. Ladle, garnish and serve. Again, as with all soups, you can ladle and serve this soup family style or already bowled-up. It's really a matter of personal choice and whether you want to impress your friends and family with a little dinner time theatrics. To keep it simple, just ladle everything into serving bowls and garnish.

Note: Tom Yum paste and amounts to use, as I mentioned before, is a relatively subjective topic, like the done-ness of veggies, say. I usually start with the recommended measures and then, as is my nature, continue to add and taste until it is just right for me. It's hard to anticipate and cook for everyone else's taste so start by just trying to please your own palate. In time, you'll know whether you're off your culinary rocker and more importantly, how to cater to those picky eaters you cook for on occasion. Just don't forget to please your own tastebuds for this, dear reader, is how you can become addicted to your own culinary explorations.

By the way, this dish is so quick and easy that it can be completed, broth to cloth, in under 30 minutes. One really has no excuse now not to try.

Thai Meatball and Tofu Soup

Onwards to the infamous Pork and Tofu Soup. This recipe reminds me of and happens to be my very first foray into Thai soup making and an experience so unexpected and delightful that it really was like an awakening. Believe it or not, I really thought good soup making to be an unachievable art for most, reached only after slaving away over a cauldron. I also admit rather guiltily that I thought it might be boring. You know, flames, woks, things flying. I need that. Besides, I rationalized, how would I ever get my soups to taste like Ketsana's anyway? I wasn't sure I had it in me and for a split second I thought about how embarassing it would be if I had to get a ghost writer for this chapter. Nope, I must forge ahead, conquer my lack of faith.

Ketsana's instructions seemed impossibly easy and I began to wonder if she was giving me the whole story. She had never lead me astray before and so I was willing to go the distance (hire the ghost writer if all went to hell in a hand basket). She also shared with me, a gleam in her eye, that it was one of her favorites because it was so quick and easy. Alright then, that was enough for me.

And here is where my love affair with the perfect broth and the Thai Meatball began. Rather than get all weepy while I describe it, I'll simply try to pull the red thread I may have accidentally weaved with the previous recipes. Though it was the first true "aha" moment in my soup education, I had to introduce it later so you would see that you already know how to make this soup. If you've accomplished making the perfect broth (or decided you could live with canned) and the Thai Meatball, then you're just a block of tofu away from adding this one to the repertoire. If you've skipped ahead, shame on you, I'm telling a story here but good graces are easily regained by giving this one, well-deserved-of-icon-status soup a try.

Soup
4 c. chicken broth
1/2 lb. Thai Meatballs, fresh or frozen
1/2 lb. fresh, firm tofu, drained and cut in cubes
1-2 fresh carrots, julienned
1 bunch green onions, julienned, reserving some for garnish
1 c. snow peas, julienned
1 c. fresh bean sprouts

1. Bring broth to a boil. In a medium stock pot, bring chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat, turning the heat down if necessary so it doesn't boil over.
2. Cook the meatballs. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, slowly lower the fresh or frozen meatballs into the broth being careful not to splash and burn yourself. It will only take a few minutes for the meatballs to cook and when they are done, they will float to the top. This goes quickly and while the meatballs are cooking, I put a little of each of the veggies into serving bowls.
3. Ladle and serve. Ladle broth and meatballs over the veggies you added to the serving bowls and garnish with a little of the reserved green onions. If it's easier, you can serve this dish family style by putting the broth and meatballs into serving bowls and allowing each guest to add their own combination of veggies and garnishings.

Note: The beauty of this recipe is that it really is flexible. Swap out the meatballs and add stuffed wontons. Leave out the wontons and only use tofu, if you like. The idea is to make it a soup you come back for again and again so experiment and try a few recipes you never thought you could make in a million years. You will totally surprise and thoroughly impress yourself, just like I did.

Wonton Soup-The New Comfort Food

Many years ago, I had wonton soup from Kinhdho in Uptown during a time of much duress and heartbreak in my life. To this day, nothing quite says, "Everything's gonna be alright" like wonton soup. This delicate soup has all the comforts of a full meal deal and so little complexity that it makes you wonder why this soup isn't a quick and dirty favorite in most American households. My mission is simple.

Their secret is the broth and much to my delight, Ketsana taught me a secret about broth making which makes recreating this Asian standard a breeze and her version is even better than theirs. Now, I no longer yearn for a trip into Uptown or out to Ketsana's to have what my soul craves. The best opportunities for this dish come from having a simple chicken broth on hand. As I've said before, canned or powder will always do in a pinch, but test yourself with how easy it is to make your own and I doubt you'll ever go back. In fact, you'll forever be looking for excuses to make this dish out of leftovers such as roasted chicken. Recovering the pan juices from dishes like this, freezing them if needbe for later use, will become a guilty pleasure. Little do you know just what gourmet indulgences await you with a little forward thinking or as is the case for me, an intense need to stretch the bounty and make the most delicious use out of everything in my crazy kitchen stadium.

For the purists, I begin with the whole shebang. From broth to tablecloth. In the future, I will begin a section about the best use for leftovers and some suggestions for how we make the most of our meals. I'll also be providing the Quick and Dirty Diaries of ways we've substituted, American-ized or shrink-wrapped our more time consuming favorites. Let's begin.

Chicken Broth:
Whole chicken, split breasts or thighs
Enough water to cover
2-3 bay leaves
1 stalk of celery
1 carrot, split in half
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

1. Bring to a boil. Nothing could be easier. Put all ingredients into a stock pot large enough to fit your chicken and enough cold water to entirely cover the chicken. It's important to start with all ingredients cold, including the water, but I don't know the exact reason why. I do believe it has something to do with the clarity of the broth, though. It's how I was taught and I've no reason to stray. Put the pot on the stove and bring to a boil over high heat. The minute it starts to come to a rolling boil, turn off the heat and cover.
2. Cool and strain. Let cool entirely and any fat that has rendered will be easy to skim off the top. What's left is a beautiful, clear broth and tender chicken that hasn't had its soul sucked out of it. Strain out all of the ingredients and by all means, save the chicken for another dish or better yet, add it to your soup if you wish. Follow the steps below to complete the soup and freeze any unused broth for later use.

Soup:
Broth from above
salt, to taste
frozen stuffed wontons (see The Birth of a Wonton)
fresh snow peas, julienned or whole
carrots, julienned

Garnish:
green onions, julienned
fresh bean sprouts
caramelized onions, (see Thai Meatballs for recipe)

1. Reheat broth. Because the veggies are julienned, they will "cook" on contact with the heated broth. If your broth is frozen, no problem, just reheat on a medium-high heat until it has begun to boil. Reduce the heat so it doesn't boil over if you need to.
2. Add wontons. Drop in frozen wontons one by one being careful not to overload the pot which will cause the boil to drop, taking longer for the wontons to cook. They will float to the surface when cooked and the wontons will turn a bit transparent. When they float, they are indeed done. When in doubt, test one yourself.
3. Garnish and serve. To serve, ladle broth and wontons into a bowl over veggies and garnish or serve family style.

Note: Serving size is a subjective topic I wish to avoid because I, for one, could eat an entire pot of this all by myself. Having said that, a good rule of thumb is about 1 c. of broth/4 wontons for a starter soup portion or double that for an entree size. Around my house, we continue adding wontons and veggies until the very last drop has been licked clean.

There are two different ways to serve this soup; family style, which allows you to serve the broth and wontons at the table in a serving dish with the veggies and garnishes served separately thereby allowing each guest to customize their own soup and choose their own ingredients. An alternate way is to serve it already bowled-up. Put the carrots and snow peas into the bowl, ladle the soup broth and wontons over top and garnish with the green onions, caramelized onions and sprouts. I highly recommend experimenting with veggies you love or happen to have handy. No sprouts? Don't use them. Have celery but no carrots? Fine by me. If you are a celery lover, knock yourself out. Don't have any wontons handy? Well, guess what, there's a name for that, too, and it's called "Put the Chicken Back In" a.k.a "Chicken Soup" or "Wonton Soup for the Broke-Asses". Yep, been there, done that, too.

Thai Meatballs-Your New Best Friend

I can't describe the pure joy in making stuffed wontons, but it isn't the wonton itself as much as it is the ingenius way the ingredients can be used in other ways and repurposed for later use. The true rockstar of this concert is the pork meatball, what I call the Thai meatball, tucked into the folds of a protective wonton wrapper. It puts frozen wontons to disgrace and the difference is enough to make you don a scarlet W on your breast for shame should you have to sacrifice or settle for less.

Now, I admit, the effort to make your own meatball stuffed wontons for Wonton Soup or Pork and Tofu soup which sports nothing but it's bare meatball as the star of the show, is a bit of a time-stretch for the already overburdened parent or busy independent, but I can tell you that with a little planning and maybe an extra pair of helping hands, this potential "together" event will make it all worthwhile. In the end, you will have meatballs for soup and if you go the distance, stuffed wontons and meatballs which will store perfectly well in the freezer until you need them. First round of effort, making the meatballs, second round of effort, fast, wholesome food that can be whipped up in under ten minutes. Now, that sounds rewarding, doesn't it?

In my kitchen, where I have the luxury of a soux chef by way of my delightful ( and quite delicious himself, I might add) husband, Frank, we turned out two trays of meatballs in about 40 minutes. Not such bad prep time, even for myself, the biggest dilly dallier of them all. Here's how we do it:

Meatballs
1 lb beef round, cut or cubed into managable pieces
1.5 lb pork tenderloin, cut or cubed into managable pieces
16 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
caramelized onions, recipe follows

Caramelized Onions
1 tbsp sesame oil, vegetable oil, butter or rendered fat
1 lg onion, diced

1. Caramelize the onions. Don't worry, you can't really screw it up unless you burn it and even then that may not be so bad. The reality of this is that we're looking for the flavor of the onions and as long as they are cooked down and golden brown, it isn't a big deal if they're a little crispy-burnt on the edges and I kinda like them that way. To do this, simply put a tbsp of oil, butter or fat of some kind in a medium skillet over high heat and add the diced onions. Stir every minute or two to keep them moving in the pan and also to keep them from sticking. This step takes about 10-15 minutes or so, but believe me, it's worth it. If pressed for time, do a quick sweat of the onions but the subtlety of flavor is better with caramelized onions. Set them aside to cool and begin the meatballs.
2. Make the meatball mixture. I grind the ingredients above in a medium sized food processor in two smaller batches. I start with the 8 garlic cloves, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp black pepper. I pulse to mince the garlic and then add half the beef and half the pork. If it's easier, you can do a ratio of one to one for the beef and pork, but I find that the extra pork in the ratio keeps the meatball tender. No need to overgrind the meat so once you've got it ground, transfer meat mixture to a large bowl and repeat step 2 for your second batch with the remaining ingredients.
3. Make the meatballs. Add the caramelized onions to the meat mixture and once incorporated, begin making meatballs with either your hands or a small spoon or mellon baller and drop them onto a metal cookie sheet. Two mellon ballers and a helper makes short work of this step. Once done, keep out what you need for tonight's meal, if any, and place the rest of the cookie sheet(s) in the freezer for 20 minutes to flash freeze. This step allows the meatballs to set and freeze separately. This way, you can store them in a freezer bag or container and take out only what you need instead of having to defrost a big block of meatballs because they won't come apart. Been there, done that. This way works for me.

Tip: If cooking meatballs for soup or stew, they will float to the surface when fully cooked and can be tossed in fully frozen, no thawing necessary. How cool is that? Remember, too, that pork is the other white meat but also tends to maintain some pinkness when cooked correctly. Don't overcook it thinking the beef is still rare. Truly, when they float, they are done.