All posts filed under: Soups and Stews

potato tagine

Potato, Preserved Lemon & Picholine Tagine

Published by Kathy Hunt

With travel on the back burner indefinitely and my wanderlust still intact, the number of international flavors and recipes coming from my kitchen has soared. If I can’t poke around a souk, bazaar or mercado, at least I can cook as though I’ve been shopping in one. That’s how Potato, Preserved Lemon and Picholine Tagine came to be. Featuring North African ingredients and cooked in a tagine from Essaouira, this dish evokes warm days spent wandering the labyrinthine, cobbled lanes of ancient medinas and dining on aromatic couscous, basteeya and, of course, tagines. How tagines work My favorite and most useful souvenir from Morocco is a terra cotta tagine. An engineering wonder, it consists of two parts: a circular, shallow pan and the large, conical-topped cover that fits inside the base. The cone shape allows condensation to cascade back down to the casserole, creating a rich, reduced sauce. The lid has a small knob on the top, providing cooks with something to grasp when removing the cover to check on the bubbling contents within. How …

cold herby cucumber soup

Cold Herby Cucumber Soup

Published by Kathy Hunt

Cold herby cucumber soup is my global pandemic dish. Had it not been for the coronavirus and resulting quarantine, I wouldn’t have stayed in Southeastern Pennsylvania long enough to plant and tend a garden, one that produces an absurd amount of cucumbers and herbs. I also wouldn’t have considered teaching virtual cooking classes. Unlike in-person classes, where we work with a host of ingredients and equipment, online courses require simpler recipes. After all, I can’t expect people to spend hours tracking down unusual spices and produce or invest in special kitchen tools. That’s where a quick, easy dish like Cold Herby Cucumber soup comes in handy. A few words about cucumbers Originating in India over 3,000 years ago, cucumbers are one of the oldest cultivated plants. Although classified as a fruit, they are used as a vegetable in salads, soups and hors d’oeuvres. While North Americans consume them raw, parts of Asia and Europe also cook them. Cucumbers consist of 95% water, making them a great thirst quencher. Low in calories and fat-free, they possess …

corn noodle soup

My Mom’s Chicken Noodle Soup/My Corn Noodle Soup

Published by Kathy Hunt

Although my mother hated to cook, she did have a few dishes that she almost enjoyed making, ones that I truly enjoyed eating. Top on that list was chicken noodle soup. Brimming with plump egg noodles, tender chunks of chicken and colorful bits of carrots, this velvety soup was the epitome of comfort food. For years I asked for my mother’s chicken noodle soup recipe. I even gave her various ways to share it. She could recite the ingredients and measurements; I’d write them down. She could make the soup as I watched; I’d take notes while she cooked. Invariably, she would be too busy, in no mood to cook or not have the ingredients. However, if I wanted to take a few containers of frozen chicken noodle soup that she happened to have on hand, well, that would be fine. It took me a while to realize that she wanted to make this soup for me. Giving away the recipe would be giving away this gift forever. She was not about to do that. …

mushroom soup, beer and potato pancakes

Creamy, No-Cream Mushroom Soup

Published by Kathy Hunt

This past December marked the four-year anniversary of almost moving to Prague, Czechia, or, as it was called then, the Czech Republic. As someone who has always wanted to live abroad, I was set for this new adventure. I’d figured out where I’d get my morning coffee, buy English-language books and learn how to understand, if not master, the Czech language. In a land where pork and potato dishes reigned, I even knew what I’d cook and eat. It wouldn’t be klobása (kielbasa), gulas (pork or beef stew) or schnitzel. Instead I’d make the country’s many versions of creamy mushroom soup. Mushrooms everwhere From late spring to early fall Czechs, like other Central Europeans, forage for wild mushrooms. Once collected and cleaned, the mushrooms might be breaded and fried, made into a pudding, added to scrambled eggs, sautéed or pickled. They may star in the entrée mushroom loaf, in a sandwich, as a salad or sauce or in a hearty soup. Similar to the ever-present potatoes and dumplings, mushrooms make their way into most meals. …

Ingredients for a Happy Holiday Feast

Published by Kathy Hunt

Right now I have a story running at Zester Daily and MSN about what it takes to throw a fantastic holiday party. After writing that piece, I started thinking about the ingredients that I keep on hand to ensure that, no matter who or when someone drops by, there will be something warm and tasty on the table to eat. Bread, eggs, milk and butter are givens. With these I can fry up French toast, egg-in-a-hole and egg sandwiches or make scrambled eggs and toast. I also like to keep the following items around, things that I dub the ingredients for a happy holiday feast. With them I can pull together a nice meal, one that looks as though I’ve spent hours hovering over a hot stove when, in fact, I’ve thrown the dish together in 30 minutes or less. PUFF PASTRY: Defrost a sheet or two of puff pastry and in 30 minutes I have everything from breakfast to dessert. I’ve used puff pastry to make a simple pizza— partially bake the pastry, remove …

The Always Delightful Dal Tadka

Published by Kathy Hunt

Thanks to a Sunday evening spent eating platefuls of homemade Indian curries and watching Ritash Batra’s charming The Lunchbox, I’m shifting gears this week to share one of my favorite meals, dal tadka. In India dal is both an ingredient—legumes such as split peas, beans or lentils—and a savory dish. Regarding the dish, at least 60 types of dal exist. What differentiates each are the combination of legumes and spices, the cooking times and the final consistency. Some dals are soupy while others are thick and stew-like. In the case of dal tadka I’ve made and eaten both types. Although turmeric injects its rich color into dal tadka, legumes likewise imbue it with a golden hue. Wondering which legume to use? In northern India I was instructed to buy yellow lentils. However, the staff at New York’s Kalustyan’s swear by chana dal or split black chickpeas. Following their advice, I use chana but, when I don’t have that on hand, I substitute the smaller toor dal or split pigeon pea. With the latter you get …

The Scoop on Mushroom Barley Soup

Published by Kathy Hunt

Another week of blustery weather can mean only one thing — more soup simmering on my stovetop. This time it’s my take on an old family recipe for Scotch broth. One of Scotland’s most famous offerings, Scotch broth begins by boiling together chunks of mutton or beef and barley. Eventually, diced root vegetables and parsley are added to the pot. A sprinkling of fresh parsley then finishes it off. Unlike classic Scotch broth, my version replaces the meat with mushrooms, making it less stew-like. In essence, this is a hearty mushroom barley soup. With its vegetable stock base and abundance of barley, root vegetables and mushrooms this soup could be considered a vegetarian-friendly dish. For a bona fide vegan meal, substitute olive oil for the butter. MUSHROOM BARLEY SOUP To get the requisite 2 cups cooked barley, you will need to bring 2 cups water, 1/2 cup pearl barley and a pinch of salt to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low and allow the barley to simmer for 40 minutes. …

Warming up Again with Black Bean Soup

Published by Kathy Hunt

After weeks of slipping and sliding across icy sidewalks, trudging through knee-high snowbanks and shivering in spite of four layers of clothes the only positive thing that I can say about winter is that it gives me an excuse to make soup. Why soup? It’s one of the easiest, most versatile dishes around. Put water or stock, vegetables and seasonings in a pot. Add heat and – voila! – in a short time you’ve got a filling, wholesome meal. One of my many favorites is peppery black bean soup. Featuring just enough spices to chase away the cold, this soup will warm you from head to toe. You can quickly turn this into a vegan offering by substituting vegetable for chicken stock. PEPPERY BLACK BEAN SOUP Serves 6 to 8 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large white onion, diced 4 cloves, minced 4 (15-oz) cans black beans 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1/4 teaspoon cayenne 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock 1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes and …

In This Chowder It’s All about Corn

Published by Kathy Hunt

Wondering what to serve vegan friends this holiday season when everyone else at the table loathes tofu and seitan? Contemplating what to make for unexpected dinner guests? Craving a warm, hearty, one-pot meal? Overwhelmed by all those bags of frozen corn tumbling out of your freezer every time that you open the door? Have I got recipe for you! As its name suggests, Chocked-Full-of-Corn-Chowder brims with plump, yellow kernels of corn as well as chunks of potato and a smidgen of onion, celery and dried parsley. With pureed corn as its thickener and vegetable stock for its base, this wholesome soup will please everyone at your dinner table. Plus, as you might expect, it’s quick and easy to make. CHOCKED-FULL-OF-CORN CHOWDER Serves 6 1/2 tablespoon olive oil 1 small yellow onion, diced 1 stalk celery, diced 1 teaspoon sea salt 3 cups vegetable stock 1 Russet potato, diced 2 (15-ounce) cans whole kernel corn 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels 1/3 teaspoon ground white pepper 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley Baguette, optional, for serving …

Hometown Favorite — Stracciatella

Published by Kathy Hunt

This Saturday I’ll be back on my home turf, speaking at the Pittsburgh Public Market about writing, cooking and writing a seafood cookbook. While I’m in town, I won’t just be talking about food. I’ll also be eating my way through the city. Primanti’s fry-filled sandwiches, Pamela’s massive pancakes and Pierogies Plus’s handmade namesakes all appear on the weekend menu. Somewhere along the way I hope to encounter a bowl of steaming stracciatella, too. To me, stracciatella is what plain, old chicken noodle soup is to most—a restorative dish for when you’re cold, sick, blue or just craving a taste of home. A specialty of Rome but popular throughout Central Italy and, of course, my hometown, stracciatella may remind the uninitiated of egg drop soup. Granted, it does feature two of the same major ingredients, eggs and chicken stock. Yet the resulting dish seems far more velvety and savory than the Chinese soup. I suspect that the ever-present Parmesan cheese and occasional addition of herbs such as basil and parsley are what make the Italian …