Chicken Noodle Soup with Egg

I won’t pretend to be immune from the temptation.  Cans of soup line the grocery shelves, seducing me with the promise of a relatively healthy dinner that can be ready in the time it takes to turn on the stove.  I’m so close to shoving them into my basket when the little voice creeps into my head.  The little voice that says- how can you buy something premade when you know that you can make an even better version from scratch?  It’s a curse really.  I didn’t choose to be this way.  My life would be so much easier (and involve a lot less dish washing) if I could just buy frozen dinners.  But then I suppose my blog wouldn’t be very interesting.  So the cans go back on the shelf, and I head to the produce section.

Luckily, this soup only takes about 20 minutes to make before it gets in my belly so I avoid a complete hunger meltdown.  And as I chop the carrots and leeks, I am glad that I didn’t buy the premade concoction with mushy noodles and tasteless vegetables.  When I smell the soup simmering away, I am even more glad that I didn’t succumb to the watery broth fortified with excess sodium.  The complex and subtle flavors of the lemon and egg provide a perfect creamy backdrop for the healthy ingredients.  I can confidently promise that if you put down the can and make this recipe, you won’t be disappointed.  Even Addison loved it- and I could tell he was initially a bit skeptical about eating a meal that consisted solely of soup...although the cheesy bread I made with it probably helped convert him. 

Food Notes:

• You can either roast your own chicken or buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
• Feel free to substitute with other types of noodles- you may just need to adjust the cooking time
• You can serve it with grilled cheese or cut a baguette in half and melt cheese on top (the latter is slightly healthier since you aren’t cooking it in excess butter)
• You can either use homemade chicken stock or store bought (my favorite brand is Kitchen Basics) http://www.kitchenbasics.net/

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH EGG
serves 4
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8 ounces carrots, cut into small pieces
8 ounces leeks, thinly sliced
8 cups chicken stock
4 ounces cooked chicken, shredded
2 ounces vermicelli (angel hair)
2 eggs
juice of ½ lemon
freshly ground black pepper
kosher salt
chives (optional)

Put the carrots and leeks into a large pan with the stock, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add the chicken and vermicelli to the pan and cook for 5 more minutes. 

Mix the eggs with the lemon juice and add ½ cup of the warm stock from the pan.  This tempers the egg and keeps it from turning into egg drop soup.  Mix it together well, and then add to the pan.  Reheat gently, stirring constantly, but do not allow the soup to boil.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Garnish with chives and serve.

Guest Post: Tomato Cheddar Soup

[Guest post: Erin Kelly, Sister] First I would like to say how honored I am to be the first guest to post on Navy Blue Kitchen. Hopefully I will provide the same level of entertainment and delicious food as my sister.

The recipe I’m sharing today was the featured appetizer for this year’s Christmas dinner, and if I do say so myself it was quite a hit. Mom and I found this dish while I was visiting Seattle last October. We had our usual shopping trip at U Village and went to Pasta & Co. for lunch. The soup of the day, Tomato Cheddar, sounded good to both of us, so we split a bowl. I had literally never tasted tomato soup that good in my life. It was the perfect snack on a crisp fall day.

Of course we both wanted to find the recipe, so when we got home we looked in the Pasta & Co. cookbooks we own. Luckily, the exact soup is featured in Pasta & Co. By Request.

I tried making the soup a few weeks later, but the results were not at all what I hoped for. The flavor was delicious, but the consistency not so much. The cheese pilled and made the soup nothing like the smooth perfection we had the first time. Anyone who knows me personally knows that I do not like chunks in my tomato sauce – even if they’re chunks of cheese. So I knew that any subsequent trial of the recipe would require a serious chunk minimization strategy.

I was eager to try the soup again, so I suggested making it for Christmas dinner because I knew I would have the considerable knowledge and skill of my sister backing me up, thus increasing my chances of success. Since the vibe of the soup did not go well with the planned main course, Em suggested we make it for an appetizer. I immediately jumped on board with this idea because it meant that we could serve the soup in adorable little cups and make mini grilled cheeses to go with it.

To make the soup luxuriously smooth this time around we employed two strategies: First, we immersion blended and strained the soup to make sure all chunks were eradicated; Then, we made sure to give the soup plenty of time to heat up and completely melt the cheese. I’ll make note of when these steps were taken in the recipe below. For now the important thing to take away from all of this is that if you, like me, hate any and all chunks, you need to go buy an immersion blender right now. It will change your life.

Anyway, the resulting soup was delicious and I would highly recommend trying it immediately. The great thing about this recipe is that you can freeze the soup for up to 2 weeks, so if you can’t finish it all at once you don’t have to waste it. Just gently re-heat and enjoy.

TOMATO CHEDDAR SOUP
from Pasta & Co. By Request

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3 Tbsp butter
½ cup onions, diced
1 28 oz. can diced or crushed San Marzano Tomatos, with juices (You may use another brand, but this is by far the best)
1 ¼ cups chicken stock (vegetable stock would work as well, for a vegetarian option)
1 ¼ cups water
½ cup sour cream
8 oz. Beecher’s Flagship Cheddar Cheese, grated (again, you may use another brand, but nothing will match this flavor)
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until soft, being careful not to burn them. Add tomatoes and juices, chicken stock and water. Bring to a simmer then remove from heat. Let cool for 10 minutes, then immersion blend until all large chunks have disappeared.

Transfer soup one cup at a time to a fine strainer positioned over another pot. Use a large spoon to press juices through the strainer, making sure to get every last drop into the pot. Dispose of tomato dregs. [Note: At this stage, the soup can be refrigerated overnight. Simply re-heat slowly when you are ready to move on to the next step.]

Add one-half of the sour cream. Whisk until well-blended, then add the other half and whisk until completely combined. Stir in pepper and cheese to blend. Gently re-heat to a simmer to allow cheese to completely melt. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with grilled cheese or rustic bread slices.

Steak and Mushroom Pot Pies

This is the time of year that I start using “cozy” to describe almost everything.  The Boston brownstones with Christmas trees in their bay windows are cozy.  The Christmas lights hanging in my apartment are cozy.  Rainy Seattle days are cozy.  Earmuffs are cozy.  Decaf soy lattes are cozy.  There are also many dinners that are cozy.  Pot pies are the epitome of a cozy meal- especially when they are filled with steak and mushrooms.  This is the type of dinner you should eat when snow is swirling outside your door and you are bundled up in a scarf. 

The filling smells delicious while it is simmering- and the longer it simmers, the better it will taste.  It is an easy recipe to make ahead of time for a dinner party.  All that needs to be done at the last minute is adding the puff pastry on top. For a yummy veggie pot pie recipe, I will refer you to my friend Nellie's blog- Banana Gulch (warning- the post contains mouthwatering pictures of "lardy cakes" that you will want to eat). 

Addison talked me into adding a dash of bitters to the filling so I’ve included it in the recipe.  He uses bitters in a lot of his cocktails, and apparently you can use them in food too.  Bitters are an “aromatic flavoring agent made from infusing roots, barks, fruit peels, seeds, spices, herbs, flowers, and botanicals in high-proof alcohol.”  They add depth of flavor and complexity to drinks and food.  If you want to learn more about bitters and mixing cocktails, read Bitters by Brad Thomas Parsons.  In addition to drinks, he devotes a whole section to using bitters in the kitchen and has some interesting looking recipes. 


STEAK AND MUSHROOM POT PIES
serves 6
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 lbs steak, cut into bite sized pieces
Kosher salt
Pepper
1 large onion, diced
3 carrots, sliced and halved
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon thyme, minced
¼ cup sherry
2 bay leaves
1 cup stout beer, (like Guinness)
2 cups beef stock
Dash of angostura bitters, optional
1 tablespoon corn flour mixed with ½ cup milk
Puff pastry, thawed and rolled out slightly
1 egg, beaten

Heat  a tablespoon of canola oil in a large pot.  Add the steak, season with salt and pepper, and cook over high heat until browned.  Remove from heat, place on a plate.  Return the pan to heat and add the onion and carrots to the drippings from the steak.  Cook until the vegetables soften.  Remove from heat.  Return the pan to high heat and add another tablespoon of canola oil.  Once the oil is very hot, add the mushrooms to the pot.  Sauté until they begin to release their liquids.  Add the garlic, sherry, and thyme.  Stir until most of the sherry evaporates.  Add the beer to deglaze the bottom of the pan.

Add the steak, carrots, onions, the bay leaves, and beef stock.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Simmer gently for at least 1 ½ to 2 hours (or longer if you want).  Taste the soup and adjust seasoning.  You can also add a dash of bitters for extra complexity.

When you are ready to serve, preheat the oven to 375 degrees and distribute the soup amongst 6 bowls.  Cut the pastry into squares big enough to cover the bowls.  Brush the edges of the bowls with the egg, then top with the pastry and pinch edges to seal.  Cut 2 slits in into each pie to allow steam to escape and brush with the remaining egg.  Put the bowls on a baking sheet (in case the soup overflows), and bake in oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked and golden brown.

Sukiyaki (Japanese Hot Pot)

As I have explained before, I love examining menus at restaurants to get inspiration for recipes at home.  While I only share my successes on the blog, not all of my attempts at making restaurant meals at home have produced desirable results.  Italian food- usually delicious; Mexican food- decent, but not as good as my favorite restaurant; Thai food- I don’t know what kind of secret ingredients restaurants use but my attempts NEVER taste remotely similar!  I grew up eating sukiyaki at  Sushi Village in Whistler and I always assumed it would fall in line with Thai food and be impossible to replicate at home.  Ohhh was I wrong.

Instead of staying at the library to study for my exams, I made much better use of my time by watching ten youtube videos about making sukiyaki and then visiting an expansive Asian supermarket near my new apartment.  I remained skeptical about the results until I tasted the broth- and it tasted EXACTLY like my favorite restaurant version!  After texting my dad to tell him the exciting news (he shares my love of sukiyaki), I took some very precarious pictures (see photo below), and then feasted on my accomplishment.

No that's not a robot.  It is the boiling pot of sukiyaki inside my light tent balancing on a chair in my tiny kitchen- ready for a photo shoot!

This recipe may seem a bit daunting but I promise it is incredibly simple and very hard to screw up.  Watch this video and you will know exactly what to do.  You can also change up the ingredients in the hot pot to suit your tastes.  Traditional sukiyaki calls for cabbage and chrysanthemum leaves.  I substituted sweet onion and scallions instead.  Throw in whatever you want, and the broth will make it delicious.  For a veggie version simply leave out the beef- the tofu is actually my favorite part!  The key to successful execution is preparing all of your ingredients ahead of time because it comes together very quickly once you start cooking. 

Sukiyaki is traditionally cooked at the table and everyone shares the pot.  I don’t have an electric grill so I just put the hot skillet on the table.  In my online research I discovered that sukiyaki is also traditionally served with a raw egg to dip beef in.  I’ve never seen it in restaurants (probably because of health risks) but my boyfriend has no problem eating raw eggs (or raw beef for that matter) so we tried it.  It was yummy but I don’t think it really added all that much flavor so feel free to skip.

Prepped ingredients

SUKIYAKI
makes 4 servings
½ cup water
1 cup mirin
1 cup sake
1 cup soy sauce
6 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter (authentic recipes call for 1 piece of wagyu beef fat or lard)
1 lb wagyu or flat iron steak, sliced very thinly across the grain at an angle*
1 pack of noodles (either shirataki or udon)
5 scallions, sliced diagonally in ½ inch pieces
1 sweet onion, cut into ½ inch pieces
1 cup mushrooms (either shitake or cremini), quartered
1 bunch Enoki mushrooms (optional)
8 ounces firm tofu, sliced into 2 inch pieces
1 raw egg, beaten (optional)
white rice

Prep all of your ingredients.  To make the broth, mix together the water, mirin, sake, soy sauce, and 4 tablespoons of sugar in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil and then simmer until the sugar has dissolved.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large pan, add the slices of beef to sear them lightly.  Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.  When they start to brown, add the broth mixture.  Gather the beef to one side of the pan, arrange onions, scallions, mushrooms, and tofu in different clusters in the pan.  Simmer for about fifteen minutes.  Serve in the pot along with bowls of rice and a raw egg for dipping.

*you can ask the butcher to do this for you.  If you are doing it yourself, place the beef in the freezer for 2 hours to firm it up and it will be easier to slice.

Cauliflower with Brown Butter, Pears, Sage & Hazelnuts

Ok I know the combination of pears and cauliflower sounds a bit odd...but I promise this was delicious!!  Cauliflower is not a vegetable that I typically serve at Thanksgiving, but I was very intrigued by the ingredients in this recipe.  The pears added a perfect crisp texture and a slight sweetness that was delectable.  I heard a rumor that my aunt recently picked around all of the pears in a salad so I don’t think this dish will make my Thanksgiving menu, but it would pair perfectly with other Thanksgiving flavors!  

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I promised a few people that I would post a sample of my Thanksgiving itinerary so I’ve included it below.  Some may mock me for this display of compulsive organization, but it helps me visualize all of the steps to avoid complete chaos.  This is especially important for a dinner that includes so many dishes that need oven space.  The cauliflower would actually be a great addition since it can be done at the last minute on the stove and doesn’t require time in the oven.  In order to free up even more oven space this year I will be cooking my turkey on the grill!  I have very high hopes for the outcome.  

As you think about your turkey plans, I would like to make a case for the benefits of brining.  The salt in brine draws out the blood, cleansing the bird and seasoning the meat down to the bone.  Sugar adds depth of flavor and helps the turkey brown to perfection.  Most grocery stores carry brine mixtures and I usually use those.  Just dissolve the brine in boiling water, cool, and add a bottle of dry white wine.  Then submerge the bird in the liquid for 2-4 days.  Using a very large pot works well.  It also helps if you have two refrigerators since it takes up a bit of space.  Make sure you dry it thoroughly before roasting.

CAULIFLOWER WITH BROWN BUTTER, PEARS, SAGE & HAZELNUTS
Recipe from Fine Cooking
makes 8-10 servings
 

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets about 3/4 inch wide
1/2 cup toasted, skinned, chopped hazelnuts
8 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced crosswise
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
2 Tbs. chopped fresh chives (original recipe called for parsley but I think chives add more flavor)

In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter until light brown and bubbly. Add the cauliflower, hazelnuts, and sage. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is browned and crisp-tender, 6 to 7 minutes more.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the pear slices and chives. Gently toss to combine and warm the pears. Season to taste with more salt. Serve hot or at room temperature.
   
 

 

Thanksgiving Agenda 2009

11:00	Assemble Stuffing Dress Turkey		Emily & Mom
12:30	Mash Potatoes Prepare Butternut Squash, and pine nut mix		Emily & Mom
2:00	Turkey in Oven	325 Bottom	Emily
3:45	Cranberry Sauce		Emily
4:20	Both Stuffings in Oven (1 hour covered, 10 mins uncovered) Make Biscuit Batter	350 Top	Emily Erin, Lizzy, Aunt Suzi
4:30	Caramelize shallots, add green beans		Emily
4:40	Heat Potatoes Drink a glass of wine at the bar and talk to chef		Emily  Aunt Suzi & Mom
4:50	Turkey out of oven Make Gravy Roast butternut squash (35-35 mins)	425 Bottom 450 Bottom	Emily Mom
5:10	Biscuits in Oven (14-16mins) Sauté pine nuts and garlic for squash	425 Bottom	Erin, Lizzy, Aunt Suzi Emily
5:20	Carve Turkeys  Assemble and Dress Salad		Dad Mom & Emily
5:30	Biscuits, Stuffing, Squash out of Oven Add squash to garlic and pine nuts		Everybody Emily

Dungeness Crab and Corn Chowder with Cheddar Biscuits

If you have been paying attention to my posts this summer, you may have noticed my growing obsession with corn.  I think I could probably devote the entire blog to corn and be happy.  When I was proclaiming my love for corn last weekend, my sister told me she was under the impression that corn wasn’t particularly healthy.  I told her she was wrong but since I had no evidence to back up my claim, I did some research.  It turns out corn is a great source for vitamins B1, B5, C, and contains a good amount of dietary fiber.  My sister’s mistaken impression about corn is unfortunately not surprising because she grew up with me.  While I am sure it is hard to believe, I was a pretty picky child and  I developed a habit of making up lies about foods that I didn’t like.  My poor little sister of course believed every word out of my mouth and is still trying to crawl out of the web of lies I cast.  My childhood friend was just reminding me that she thought mushrooms had no nutritional value for years based on my claims (I can’t believe I used to hate mushrooms!).  I also told prolific lies about banana nuts causing cancer.  Luckily I am repenting for my lies by clarifying nutritional value on my blog.  However, I will never laud the nutritional benefits of bananas- I have to draw the line somewhere. 

Getting back to the recipe, the chowder was delicious and I think I like these cheddar biscuits even more than the goat cheese biscuits we make for Thanksgiving each year.  The recipe is from The Paley’s Place, a restaurant in Oregon that features Northwest Cuisine.  These clams are another success from the same cookbook.  It seems funny to have hot soup in the middle of the summer, but I wanted to take advantage of the amazing corn.  I am thinking of making a winter iteration of this chowder to use as a first course for Christmas dinner so I will keep everyone updated on developments- it’s never too early to start planning holiday menus!
 

Dungeness Crab and Corn Chowder
serves 6-8

Corn Broth¼ cup olive oil
Shells from 2 Dungeness Crabs
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
1 leek, green part only (reserve white part for chowder)
2 large corn cobs (reserve corn kernels for chowder)
4 sprigs thyme
¼ teaspoon cumin seed, toasted and ground
¼ teaspoon coriander seed, toasted and ground
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups dry white wine
8 cups water
Kosher salt and ground pepper
In an 8-quart soup pot, cook the olive oil and crab shells over high heat, stirring to thoroughly coat the shells with oil, about 5 minutes.  Add the onion, carrot, leek greens, and corn cobs, and cook until the vegetables brown slightly, about 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with thyme, cumin, coriander, and cayenne.  Cook, stirring, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the tomato paste.  Add the wine, decrease the heat to medium, and cook until the liquid reduces by half, about 10 minutes.
Add the 8 cups of water and simmer until the flavor of crab is prounounced, at least 1 hour but up to 4 hours.  Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Strain everything through a fine colander set over a large bowl, pressing the solids to extract the maximum amount of liquid.  Measure 8 cups for the base of the chowder and set aside.  If any broth remains, store it for another use.

For the Chowder:2 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces smoked bacon, cut into ½ inch dice
2 leeks, white parts only, quartered lengthwise and cut into small dice
1 carrot, cut into small dice
2 tablespoons flour
6 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice
Corn kernels from 2 ears
1 cup heavy cream
Dungeness crab meat from 2 cooked crabs
4 tablespoons Persillade (see recipe below)
In the 8-quart soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Add the diced leek whites and the carrot and cook, stirring, until the carrot pieces have softened slightly, another 5 minutes.  Sprinkle with flour and stir until well mixed.  Add the 8 cups reserved crab broth, then the potatoes, corn kernels, 2 tablespoons of persillade, and the majority of the crab meat (reserve some for garnishing).  Bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Add the cream, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.
When ready to serve, divide between soup bowls, top with the reserved crab meat, garnish with the remaining persillade, and serve. 

 
Persillade
makes about 1/3 cup
1 bunch Italian parsley, leaves only
3 large garlic cloves
Finely chop the parsley on a cutting board, then gather it to one side. Finely chop the garlic. Mix them together and chop some more until well incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a small container, cover tightly, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Cheddar Biscuits
makes about 12 biscuits
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into ½ inch dice. 
1 onion, finely diced
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 ¼ cups grated cheddar cheese (If  you are in the Northwest, use Beecher’s Flagship)
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  In a 10-inch skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat and sauté the onions until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Transfer the onion mixture to a small bowl to cool.
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the remaining 7 tablespoons butter and work by hand or with a wooden spoon until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.  If you have a pastry blender, that would work well.  Add the cooled onion, buttermilk, and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese, stirring until just combined.
Line a baking sheet with parchment.  Drop heaping soup spoonfuls of the dough onto the paper about 2 inches apart.  Sprinkle the biscuits evenly with the remaining cheddar cheese.  Bake until golden, 12-15 minutes.