Black Bean Soup with Chipotle and Orange

December 8, 2011 By Korena in the Kitchen 4 Comments

I’m a very enthusiastic fan of pretty much any Mexican-inspired food, especially if it involves smokey, spicy chipotle. Because this soup is both Mexican-ish and chipotle-enhanced, it has quickly become one of my favorites, and is frequently seen in the week-night meal rotation because it can be whipped together quickly with mostly just pantry items. It is flavoured not only with chipotle and orange, but also cumin, which may cause some people, upon entering the house while you’re making this, to announce, “It smells like B.O. in here!”. Cumin has that affect, sadly. Rest assured, however, that this soup does not taste like B.O.!

I was trying to be fancy for the blog and I was also feeding two carnivorous males, so I topped each bowl of soup with some crumbled cooked Chorizo sausage. It was nice but totally optional – I find this soup to be hearty enough with just a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream and a sprinkling of cilantro, or even totally unadorned. Regardless of how dressed-up or dressed-down you decide to go, this is a great winter meal: warm and satisfying, with enough spice to bring your taste-buds out of hibernation – and did I mention easy?!

Black Bean Soup with Chipotle and Orange

Adapted from Hollyhock Cooks (thanks for sharing, Mum!). Makes about 6 servings. The recipe can be halved, but it tastes even better the next day so why not make the whole thing and enjoy the leftovers?

In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil over medium heat. Add:

2 cups finely chopped carrots (about 2 large carrots)

2 cups finely chopped onion (about 1 large onion)

2 cloves minced garlic

Sauté the vegetables for about 5 minutes, until starting to soften. Add:

1 tsp salt

2 tsp chipotle purée (or 1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely minced)

2 tsp cumin

Stir and cook for 5 more minutes. Add:

2 x 540 ml cans black beans, rinsed (or 4 cups cooked)

4 cups water or stock (vegetable or chicken)

Stir, cover, and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes on low heat.

After 30 minutes, use an immersion blender to partially purée the soup to a still-chunky consistency (or transfer half of the soup to a blender and purée, then return to the pot). Stir in:

1 x 796 ml can diced tomatoes, drained (or 3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes)

1/2 cup fresh orange juice (concentrate will work too!)

Reheat the soup and season with salt and pepper. To serve, top with any/all/none of the following: a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt, crumbled cooked Chorizo sausage, cilantro. I made cornmeal biscuits to serve with it, which were made from my Home Ec Scones recipe by using 1/3 cup cornmeal + 2/3 cup flour and adding a handful of grated cheddar.

Skillet “Roasted” Brussels Sprouts

November 30, 2011 By Korena in the Kitchen 5 Comments

I have always liked brussels sprouts, but this fall I discovered a new way of cooking them, and that “like” has turned into LOVE – we’ve been eating them this way at least twice a week. Cooked over low heat with a smidge of olive oil and salt in a cast iron skillet, these baby cabbages end up caramelized and sweet and nutty tasting, with none of the bitterness that some people hate about brussels sprouts. They’re even better with a dusting of cheese on top. I will fight you for the last sprout. I will.

Brussels sprouts generally take a bit of work, what with the trimming and peeling off of the outer leaves. However, in my book, it’s totally worth it – especially when you cook them this way! – because they taste great and they’re great for you. Look for small-ish sprouts with tightly closed leaves. If you can find them still attached to the stalk, even better! These sprouts in particular were quite tiny and light green, and were grown locally at Vantreight Farms in Saanich :).

Skillet “Roasted” Brussels Sprouts

This is barely a recipe – more a method. Super easy. Makes about 2 servings. Inspired by 101 Cookbooks.

Cut the ends off several handfuls of brussels sprouts, peel off any blemished outer leaves, and cut them in half (if they’re really tiny you can leave them whole). You want to end up with about 2 cups of halved sprouts.Rinse the sprouts with water, drain well, and toss with a light drizzle of olive oil. Heat about 1 tsp olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. When the pan is hot, add the sprouts – they should sizzle ever so slightly. Arrange them cut-side down in a single layer, and sprinkle with a few pinches of coarse salt. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and stir the sprouts a bit to turn them over. They should be looking nice and browned on one side. Cover and cook again for 2-3 more minutes, until caramelized and crisp-tender and still vibrantly green. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with grated cheese (parmesan, gouda, gruyère) to serve.

Glory Sauce and Greens from my Mum’s Garden

June 7, 2011 By Korena in the Kitchen 11 Comments

I spent the weekend on Salt Spring Island for my 10 year high school reunion (I cannot believe it has been 10 years – I don’t feel old enough for that yet!). It was a really great weekend, full of sunshine, old friends, and good food – including some of the Salt Spring classics: dough boys covered in cinnamon-sugar at the Saturday Market, pesto-cheese twists from Barb’s Buns (now apparently Barb’s Bakery and Bistro), and the tuna melt at the Tree House Cafe. I have to admit though, one of my favorite things about going to Salt Spring is eating vegetables out of my Mum’s garden. She is an avid gardener and has a huge garden that produces all kinds of delicious things, including these salad greens, which traveled back to Victoria with me:

We ate quite a few salads while I was visiting, all dressed with Glory Sauce – a delicious, creamy, tangy dressing made with nutritional yeast. I first had a dressing very similar to this at Strathcona Lodge a few years back, and it was literally the best salad dressing I’d ever tasted, but I couldn’t recreate it. I was over the moon when my Mum made this stuff and gave me the recipe. It seems quite fitting to be sharing it after a weekend on Salt Spring because not only does nutritional yeast make a killer salad dressing, it is also what practically every Salt Springer puts on their popcorn, so much so that the local movie theatre supplies a shaker of nutritional yeast! Anyone not from Salt Spring, have you ever heard of this/tried it? I’m curious to know if it is really just a Salt Spring thing. Most non-Islanders who encounter it think it’s pretty weird…

Anyway, back to salad. I made myself a salad for lunch with these greens, half a can of tuna, some cherry tomatoes, a handful of toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds), and of course Glory Sauce. Mmm mmm. I suggest you do something similar!…

Tomato Bisque with Ricotta and Chives

March 10, 2011 By Korena in the Kitchen 4 Comments

I am not the biggest fan of raw tomatoes (something about the texture puts me off), but I do like tomato soup quite a bit – there’s nothing like Campbell’s tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich. I had half a can of tinned tomatoes and some ricotta in the fridge that I didn’t know what to do with, so I decided to make some tomato soup and top it with the ricotta. I consulted with my friend Martha and came up with this recipe – actually double what I originally made, because it barely made enough for Nate and me!

I added milk to make it a little bit creamy, but that is totally optional. Use whatever herbs you want – I used thyme while cooking, and garnished it with chives because I noticed that they are just starting to come up in my herb garden. I would still use a hardier herb, such as thyme or oregano, during the cooking, and garnish with something more delicate (or stir it in at the last minute). Nate suggested dill, which would be fantastic in the summer when it is fresh and growing everywhere! And of course, you can’t go wrong with the tomato basil combination 😉 I *LOVE* ricotta, but it could be replaced with sour cream, crème fraîche, or even cream cheese if you’re feeling adventurous.

Because this recipe calls for canned tomatoes, it’s a good idea to use really good quality canned tomatoes, rather than a no-name bargain brand. I used Unico brand, which is decent, but my favorite is an Italian brand. The tomatoes are much riper and the juice they are packed in is much tomato-y-er, and it’s only about 50 cents more than the bargain brand, which is worth it for the taste….

Leek and Potato Soup

February 25, 2011 By Korena in the Kitchen 3 Comments

This recipe originally comes from a friend of my Mum. It’s one of my favorite comfort foods: simple, delicious, satisfying. It is good enough plain, but what makes it extra good is stirring toppings into your bowl of soup. I really like adding shredded cheese and hand-peeled shrimp. Crumbled bacon is also really good.

I don’t worry about exact measurements with this soup – it is very forgiving, and also versatile for substitutions and personal preference. Try adding a sweet potato and a spoonful of chipotle puree and top it with bacon and cheese for a Southwestern-ish version.

Use whatever type of potato you happen to have on hand. My favorite is Yukon Gold, but any kind will work. Look for leeks with as much white as possible, and clean them really well to remove any dirt that gets between the layers. To clean, remove the tough dark green parts, reserving the white and light green parts. Slice in half lengthwise first, the slice into semi circles. Place them in a large bowl of cold water and swish them around with your hands. Let it settle for a minute – the dirt will fall to the bottom of the bowl and the leeks will float on top. Scoop out the leeks, drain in a colander, and proceed with the recipe :)…

Black Bean Soup with Chipotle and Orange

Black Bean Soup with Chipotle and Orange

Skillet “Roasted” Brussels Sprouts

Skillet “Roasted” Brussels Sprouts

Glory Sauce and Greens from my Mum’s Garden

Tomato Bisque with Ricotta and Chives

Leek and Potato Soup

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