Chilled Melon Soup with Thai Chile Oil

I hear this California Indian Summer has every intention of sticking around for a little while longer, and while I'm mighty grateful for a slight dip in the temperature over the last couple of days, the fact of the matter is that I'm still lugging the fan around from room to room at home, sticking my head in the freezer in the kitchen and maxing out the A/C in the car.

But surely there must be other ways to stay cool besides sticking your face in a blast of cold air? Ah, yes. With food of course! Duh. While there are any number of lovely foods you could eat to help you chill out, I for one can't think of a better way to beat the heat than with a refreshing, cold soup. Heaven forbid we turn on the oven when it's pushing 90 (or even 80) outside!

This chilled melon soup comes together with minimal effort- just whiz all the ingredients in a blender, stick it in the fridge to chill and that's that. Well, that could be that if that's all you want, but why not double down on the cooling effects of this dish by whipping up a hot, spicy chile oil to drizzle into your soup?

What's that? You didn't know that eating spicy food can actually help to cool you down? Let me break it down for you real simple like: Eating spicy foods raises your internal temperature which causes you to sweat, and as the moisture evaporates, you are effectively cooled down. So there you go. Plus, it's super tasty and makes your melon soup way more badass.

serves 4
Ingredients
for the soup:
1 cantaloupe or Tuscan melon, seeded and chopped
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
Thai basil leaves, for garnish
Thai chiles, thinly sliced, for garnish

for the chile oil:
1/2 oz. dried Thai chiles
1/2 tsp. Szechuan peppercorns
1/2 cup olive oil or peanut oil
pinch of salt

Instructions
1. Place melon, cucumber, shallot, water and olive oil in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth, Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until chilled.
2. To make chile oil, place chiles and peppercorns in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground.
3. Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat and add chile and peppercorn mixture. Continue to cook over moderate heat for an additional 5 minutes. Add salt, remove from heat and allow to cool completely before using.
4. To serve, ladle chilled soup into bowls and garnish with chile oil, chile slices and Thai basil.

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Pea Soup with Morel Mushroom Cream

 

I do love me a good pea soup, especially in the Springtime when you can buy peas by the bushel at the farmers market and shell them yourself. By the way, what is a bushel? Can someone tell me? I imagine it as an armful but I could be way off...is it like the size of a bush?

Anyway, some people might shy away from the laborious task of shelling peas, but I quite like it. It's one of those tedious, repetitive chores, like folding laundry or drying dishes, that allow your hands to take over and your mind to space out and wander freely to far off places.

When it comes to life I like to pile a lot of things on my plate, so I tend to get stressed out easily because  my habit is to try to cram too many things into one day. I really need to work on that, but what can I say? I'm a busy bee. I thrive when things are buzzing.

One of the ways I cope with the stress is with yoga and more recently, meditation. A mere 10 minutes first thing in the morning of just sitting there and breathing and clearing my mind can do wonders for the rest of my day. You'd think that I would have learned by now to incorporate this into my daily routine. But the problem is that when there is so much going on (which is when I really need it the most), I either completely forget or worse, I think, I don't have time to meditate today, I'm way too busy!

Since this happens more often than I'd like to admit, I've learned to recognize and appreciate those brief opportunities throughout the day when you can switch off for a minute, breathe, and slow down. Little mini meditation moments. Like when you have to shell a bushel full of peas for a batch of silky pea soup with a ribbon of earthy morel mushroom cream swirled throughout. And then you'll have to slow down again to savor it, of course.

adapted from Food and Wine
serves 4
Ingredients
1/2 oz. dried morel mushrooms
1/2 cup hot water
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tbsp. white wine
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt
2 tbsp. olive oil
5 cups peas, fresh or frozen and thawed
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped mint

Instructions 
1. In a small bowl, cover the dried morels with the hot water to soften them. Let sit for about 15 minutes. Remove the morels and rinse well, reserve the soaking liquid. Set aside some morels for garnish (1-2 per serving) and chop the rest.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the chopped morels and half of the shallots and cook over medium heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the white wine and cook until evaporated, about 2 more minutes.
3. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and the reserved morel soaking liquid, but do not include any grit that has settled at the bottom. Boil until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the cream and simmer on low until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season the morel cream with salt and remove from the heat.
4. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth.
5. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the remaining shallots and cook over moderate heat until they are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining 3 cups of chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the peas and chopped mint and simmer until the peas are just tender, which should only take a few minutes. Remove from heat and puree the soup with an immersion blender until smooth. Pass through a mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing on the solids with the back of a wooden spoon or a plastic spatula.
6. Return the soup to the pot, reheat gently and season with salt and. Cook over moderately high heat until hot, about 1 minute.
7. Ladle the pea soup into bowls and swirl in the morel cream. Garnish with the whole morels.

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Dungeness Crab & Corn Chowder

First thing's first. Today my blog hit a little milestone: it reached 20,000 page views! In some ways that's a small number when you consider the fact that other sites exceed that many page views a day, but then I try to picture 20K of anything- people, dollars, jelly beans...and my mind is kind of blown. It's mucho, you guys.

So I just wanted to put a great big THANK YOU out into the world to anyone who has taken a moment out of their day to pop over into my world for a bit and take a look at what's cooking in my kitchen, which today happens to be a hearty, zesty, yummy (and spicy if you're all about the Cholula like I am) Crab & Corn Chowder.

It comes together in a flash with tons of seafood flavor thanks to the fresh, succulent, Dungeness crab I purchased at the seafood counter (precooked, so no messy shells to deal with). Feel free to dress this chowder up however you'd like, it would be heavenly served up in a sourdough bread bowl, but I'm partial to a sprinkle of crisp, green scallions and a healthy dousing of hot sauce. 

makes about 1 1/2 quarts
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4-6 baby red potatoes, diced
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 dried bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon Old Bay or other seafood seasoning blend
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
3 cups whole milk
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
8 ounces cooked lump dungeness crab
2 tablespoons scallions, thinly sliced
Hot sauce and lemon, to taste

Instructions
1. Heat a stock pot over medium heat and add oil and butter.
2. Add potatoes, celery, onion and bay leaf to the pot and season with salt, pepper and Old Bay. Sauté until onions and celery soften, about 5 minutes.
3. Add flour to pot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and milk and bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until soup thickens slightly, about 5-10 minutes.
4. Add corn and crab meat and simmer soup for another 5 minutes.
5. Remove bay leaf before serving. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with hot sauce, a squeeze of lemon and sliced scallions.

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Black Bean Soup with Avocado Crema

When the craving for Mexican food hits, it hits hard. It's not something that is easily ignored, nor is it something that I can feel great about eating, but I do it anyway because I know the craving won't subside until I give in. The other day after a long hike with John left us feeling ravenous and quite deserving of something yummy, we bit the bullet. We binged on baskets of warm tortilla chips, a super-sized guacamole and like, three refills of the free black bean and corn salsa at Carlitos, one of my favorite Mexican restaurants in Santa Barbara. It was all well and good until our fajitas arrived and we were so stuffed we could hardly make a dent in it. Tragic.

Although we were more than happy to take home the heaps of leftovers (including the chips and salsa that we didn't manage to inhale), it got me thinking that the next time I felt a Mexican craving coming on a lighter situation was in order. This black bean soup is just that, with all the flavors I could want but  minus the food coma afterwards. It's rich in fiber and protein, and the smooth consistency makes it easy to digest. I also opted to substitute traditional sour cream with Greek yogurt, which is something I always do when making Mexican at home. It cuts on fat and calories, and I promise you will hardly notice the difference. Finish it off with a zesty avocado crema and a dollop of fresh pico de gallo. It makes the dish more so much more fun, like a little fiesta for your mouth.

makes about 6 servings
Ingredients
for the soup:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 bay leaf
2 14 oz. cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 cup Greek yogurt

for the avocado crema:
1/2 of a ripe avocado, mashed
1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
1/2 tsp. lime zest
1 tsp. lime juice
pinch of salt

Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add garlic, carrots and scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots begin to soften (about 5 minutes).
2. Add broth, cumin, bay leaf and black beans to pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and puree soup using an immersion blender until smooth.
3. Season with salt and pepper and add Greek yogurt, stirring until fully combined.
4. To make the avocado crema, combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth.
5. To serve, ladle soup into bowls and garnish with avocado crema and pico de gallo, if desired.

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Lemongrass Chicken Stew with Potato-Chive Dumplings

There's no denying it: it's that sniffling, sneezing, coughing, stuffy head time of year. Fortunately, I have yet to catch the dreaded bug, and I believe I have my trusty mini hand sanitizers to thank for that (one in the purse, one in the car and one in the house- I swear by it).

Everyone knows that a big bowl of chicken soup is a cure-all remedy for nearly any ailment. But as much as I love a good old-fashioned recipe from grandma, the traditional version can get a little tired, am I right? Carrots, celery, noodles...yawn. Chicken soup is just begging to be doctored up, and personally I find that something with a strong kick helps to set me right again when I'm feeling under the weather. Heaps of garlic and ginger and a healthy dash of sriracha and suddenly I can breathe again. That yucky nasal spray can take a flying leap as far as I'm concerned. Sorry, I have a thing. It creeps me out.

Anyway, back to the soup. I found this Thai inspired version on Food and Wine and couldn't wait to try it. I mean, who could resist those little gnocchi-esque potato dumplings? Certainly far more exciting than plain old noodles! So when a client recently came down with a little bug I jumped at the chance to help nurse her back to health with this soup. I took the liberty of tweaking the recipe a bit, adding generous amounts of immunity boosting garlic, ginger and lemongrass. And sure enough, she emailed me the next morning saying she felt loads better. I like to think the soup had a little something to do with it, thank you very much.

adapted from food and wine

Ingredients

1/2 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tbsp. canola oil

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 onion, chopped

1 tbsp. ginger, peeled and minced

1 tbsp. garlic, minced

1 tbsp. lemongrass, chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced

1/4 cup fish sauce

3 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup flour, plus more for rolling

1 egg yolk

2 tbsp. minced chives

1/2 tsp. salt

1 lb. baby bok choi, chopped

1 tbsp. cornstarch dssolved in 1 tbsp. water

2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

Instructions

1. Put the potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with hot water. Cook over high heat until tender, about 12 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy casserole. Add the chicken and cook over high heat until lightly browned, 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add the onion, ginger, garlic, lemongrass and jalapeño. Cook, stirring, until the onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of the fish sauce and the broth and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over moderate heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 10 minutes.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a ricer and press into a bowl. Save the potato water. Add flour, egg yolk, chives and salt to the potatoes and stir until a stiff dough forms (you may need to add additional flour gradually until the dough comes together). Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured board and divide it in half. Roll each piece into a 1/2-inch-thick rope. Cut the ropes into 1-inch pieces.
4. Add the bok choy to the stew and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute.
5. Return the potato water to a boil and add the dumplings. Cook over high heat until they rise to the surface, then simmer for 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the chicken stew. Add the basil and the remaining 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and simmer the stew for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with lime wedges and sriracha, if desired.

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Cucumber Melon Gazpacho with (or without) Shrimp

With shrimp (photo by Patrick Lyons)

I have absolutely loved making this chilled soup every Summer since I came across the recipe on epicurious a few years ago. Right around the same time that I start to crave freshly squeezed margaritas, lazy beach days and gelato, this recipe invariably finds its way back into my repertoire. Gazpachos are always a great Summer option- light, healthy and refreshing, but the cucumber and melon in this version make such a delightful pair...Bath & Body Works really hit the nail on the head with their ubiquitous scent combo, and for good reason: cucumber and melon are cousins, after all, so of course they get along famously! 

The best part is that it comes together in no time, so it's perfect to serve at summertime get-togethers. It works as both a starter or main course...I've even prepared it as a soup shooter for a larger event paired with a zippy Sauvignon Blanc, and people went crazy! I had numerous requests for the recipe that day, so ta-da, here it is. The balance of cooling flavors with just the right amount of heat make this soup a showstopper any way you decide to serve it up. 

Vegetarian option: sans shrimp, sub cantaloupe!

Though it is super simple to prepare (just chop and blend), the addition of zesty flavors like ginger, garlic, hot sauce and fresh herbs make this gazpacho anything but boring. Another bonus is that this recipe is easily adaptable- just omit the shrimp for an even faster vegetarian option, and you could also skip the yogurt to make it vegan-friendly (although I'm partial to the mint green hue and fuller texture that the yogurt imparts). 

adapted from epicurious
Ingredients
3 cups cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped, plus 1/4 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced (for garnish)
2 scallions, white and green parts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup assorted fresh herbs, such as basil, chives, and mint, coarsely chopped, plus ¼ cup finely chopped (for garnish)
1 1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
1/2 cup cantaloupe, diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp sriracha (optional)
1/4 pound large shrimp, peeled, cooked, and roughly chopped (optional)

Instructions 
1. In a blender or food processor, combine coarsely chopped cucumber, scallions, 1/2 cup of herbs, ginger, garlic, olive oil, and yogurt and process until smooth. Stir in salt and pepper to taste along with sriracha, if using. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors mingle.
2. In a small bowl, stir together shrimp and/or cantaloupe and remaining diced cucumber and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Divide soup evenly among bowls and top each with dollop of shrimp/melon mixture.

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Spring Pea Veloute with Lemon Thyme Croutons

If this doesn't scream Springtime I don't know what does! I served this wonderful soup at a dinner party last week and just adored the bright sweetness from the English peas I picked up at the farmer's market. I was ecstatic to find freshly shelled peas at the stand, which saved me from a solid thirty minutes of shelling, at least. Not that I mind too much ordinarily, I actually find it somewhat meditative...but for this SIX COURSE dinner party I was more than happy take advantage of the shortcut!

Shelling peas for another dish...

I usually enjoy the process, except for when I have 1,000 other steps to complete!

For a garnish I made a batch of lemon-thyme croutons and added a dollop of crème fraiche mixed with lemon zest just before serving. The tangy crunch of the croutons is a perfect contrast to the soup's velvety smooth texture.

 I served the soup warm but think it would be fabulous chilled as well. Would you serve this soup hot or cold? Let me know in the comments!

 Ingredients 
for the veloute: 
1/4 cup crème fraiche
zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 onion, chopped
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 lbs fresh shelled English peas
1 cup heavy cream
Salt

 for the croutons: 
3 slices day old baguette, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon thyme, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

 Instructions 
1. Stir the crème fraiche and the lemon zest together in a small bowl, and set aside to infuse.
2. Heat a large pot over medium-low heat and add the butter. When butter has melted add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the stock, season with salt and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cream and return to a boil.
 4. When peas are tender remove from heat, puree with an immersion blender and strain soup through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on solids with the back of a wooden spoon. Season to taste with additional salt if necessary.
5. To make croutons, heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine lemon zest, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add bread cubes and toss to combine. Spread on a baking tray and bake for about 15 minutes, turning once, until golden brown.
6. Ladle soup into bowls and finish each with a dollop of lemon crème fraiche and a few croutons.

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Tuscan White Bean, Sausage and Rainbow Chard Soup with Red Pepper Gremolata

Vegetable soups are one of the healthiest meals you can make, provided they aren't cream based or loaded with noodles! Just pack as many veggies as you can into a pot, add some broth and seasonings and simmer away. I like to make a big batch to have on hand for a nutritious lunch or quickly reheated dinner whenever I am focused on eating healthier. And one pot will usually last a few days for both me and the boyfriend, so as a bonus it's quite a thrifty option too. But this white bean and sausage soup is anything but boring: it gets a kick from the spicy andouille sausage, which is balanced out with some brightness by adding a finishing squeeze of lemon. And the red pepper gremolata garnished on top adds a remarkable flavor boost. This stuff is gold- make extra to use as a spread for crackers, meat or sandwiches later!

Ingredients
for the soup:
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb rainbow chard, chopped, ribs and leaves divided
1 14 oz can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 lb smoked or andouille sausage, diced
6 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

for the gremolata:
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
2 tsp capers, drained
1 clove garlic, peeled and mashed
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
14 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry

Instructions
1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed stockpot. Add sausage and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove sausage from pot and set aside.
2. Add more oil if necessary and add onions, carrots and chard ribs, stirring occasionally until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another minute, then add chard leaves, beans, broth, bay leaf, oregano, and lemon zest. 3. Season with salt and pepper, bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer, Cover and simmer for at least 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, make the red pepper gremolata. Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until well combined. Place gremolata into a fine mesh strainer to remove any remaining liquid.
5. Remove soup from heat, add lemon juice and stir. Ladle into bowls and stop with a spoonful of red pepper gremolata.

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Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

We have had quite a bit of rain here in Santa Barbara recently, and let me tell you, there is nothing like being stuck indoors for days on end to provide some kitchen inspiration. My comfort food cooking frenzy included braised short ribs with polenta and swiss chard, chicken pot pies with puff pastry crust, and this wonderful twist on butternut squash soup. The addition of apples adds a welcome touch of sweetness, and all of the vegetables are cooked in bacon fat, which adds an amazing depth of flavor. I also whipped up a simple apple, bacon and parsley garnish for some textural and visual interest. For an even healthier vegan option you can omit the bacon and substitute olive oil in the cooking process, but I think the bacon really turns up the volume on this soup and takes it to the next level.

Ingredients
2 strips thick cut bacon
1/2 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 apple, peeled and diced, plus more for garnish
1 lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 bay leaf
salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tbsp parsley, chopped

Instructions
1. Cook bacon until crisp in a large stockpot over medium heat. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
2. Sautee onions and celery in the same pot until onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and sautee about 1 minute more.
3. Add apple, squash, nutmeg, salt, pepper and broth to pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer until squash is tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, chop reserved bacon, julienne remaining apple and toss together with parsley. Set aside.
5. Puree ingredients using an immersion blender until soup reaches a smooth consistency. If soup is too thick add 1/4 cup of water at a time until desired consistency is attained. Season with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls. Top with apple, bacon and parsley garnish.

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