WHITE-BEAN SOUP SHOOTERS WITH BACON

I would like to share with all of you this recipe that I make it last year for my Neighborhood Christmas Party. This soup is so yummy and rich with the white beans and perfect for cold weather. I poured the soup into individual party size shot glass and decorated it with some goat cheese, toasted croutons and some freshly grounded black pepper.....and VOILA!!! I wanna take this opportunity to share this recipe, so all of you could try it on this coming Thanksgiving Party or Christmas Party. Believe me.....everyone will WOW on this soup.....ENJOY!!!!

Recipe Courtesy : Ted Allen for Food Network Magazine

Preparation Time : 26 minutes
Cook Time : 24 minutes
Level : Easy



INGREDIENTS :

1/2 strip bacon, diced
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 shallots, chopped
2 (15 oz) cans cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
6 leaves fresh sage, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Kosher salt
3 slices crusty bread, toasted
2 ounces goat cheese, at room temperature
Freshly ground black pepper


METHODS :

1. Fry the bacon in a medium saucepan over medium heat until halfway done, about 3 minutes. Add the olive oil, butter and shallots and saute until soft, about 6 minutes. Add beans, sage, garlic and broth, bring to a simmer and cook 15 more minutes.

2. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor in three batches and puree until smooth. (Be careful-hot liquids are prone to explode when whipped) Return the pureed soup to the pan and add the cream, cayenne, and salt to taste. Keep warm.

3. Cut the toasted bread into 3/4-inch croutons.

4. To serve, ladle the soup into shot glasses, top with goat cheese, croutons and sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

HAINANESE CHICKEN RICE / 海南雞飯

Although Hainanese Chicken Rice is a mainstay in food food courts and restaurants in Singapore and Malaysia, its origins lie with the Chinese living on the island of Hainan off the coast of China.

I would like to share this recipe which I found from my favorite blogger friends, Jaden at Steamy Kitchen. After attempting with so many recipes, I found this is the best I ever found. The Hainanese Chicken tastes so good and delicious with the combinations of the Ginger Scallion Sauce, Garlic Chili Sauce and some ABC brand sweet dark soy sauce. Hereby I would like to share this recipe with friends.

INGREDIENTS :

FOR POACHING THE CHICKEN

1 whole chicken ( about 3.5 to 4 lbs ), preferably Organic

Kosher salt

4" section of fresh ginger, sliced in 1/4" thickness

2 stalks green onions, cut into 1" sections ( both the green and white parts )

1 tsp sesame oil

FOR THE RICE:

2 tbsp chicken fat or 2 tbsp vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

1" section of ginger, finely minced

2 cups long-grain uncooked rice, washed and soaked in cool water for 10 min or longer

( I soaked for 2 hours )

2 cups reserved chicken poaching broth

1" fresh ginger

a generous pinch of salt, to taste

FOR THE GARLIC CHILI SAUCE

1 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp reserved chicken poaching broth

2 tsp sugar

4 tbsp Sriracha chili sauce

4 cloves garlic

1" fresh ginger

a generous pinch of salt, to taste

FOR THE GINGER SCALLION SAUCE

(recipe courtesy of My Kitchen Snippets)

1/4 cup finely grated ginger

1/2 cup finely chopped green onion

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

3 tbsp sesame oil

1/2 cup vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

FOR THE TABLE

1/4 cup dark soy sauce ( I used ABC brand sweet dark soy sauce )

Few sprigs cilantro leaves

1 cucumber, thinly sliced or cut into bite-sized chunks

METHODS:

1. To clean the chicken, with a small handful of kosher salt, rub the chicken all over, getting rid of any loose skin and dirt. Wash and pat the chicken very dry inside and outside. Season the chicken generously with some salt inside and outside. Stuff the chicken with the ginger slices and green onion. Place the chicken in a large stockpot and fill with cold water to cover the chicken by 1-inch. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then immediately turn the heat to low to keep a simmer. Cook about 30 minutes more ( less if you're using smaller chicken ). Check for doneness by sticking a chopstick into the flesh under the leg and see if the juices run clear or insert a thermometer into the thickness part of the tight not touching the bone and it should be read 170F.

2. When the chicken is cooked through, turn off the heat and remove the pot from the burner. Immediately lift and transfer the chicken into a bath of ice water to cool and discard the ginger and green onions. Don't forget to reserve the poaching broth for your rice, chili garlic sauce and accompanying soup. The quick cooling will stop the cooking process, keeping the meat soft and tender, and giving the skin a lovely firm texture.

3. To cook the rice: Drain the rice. In a wok or saucepan ( use a medium saucepan if you plan on cooking the rice on the stove top ), heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the ginger and the garlic and fry until your kitchen smells like heaven. But be careful not to burn the aromatic!!! Add in your drained rice and stir to coat, cook for 2 minutes. Add the sesame oil, mix well.

To cook rice on the stove: In the same saucepan, add 2 cups of your reserved poaching broth, add salt and bring to a boil. Immediately turn the heat down to low, cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Removed from heat and let it sit with the lid on for about 5-10 minutes or more.

To cook rice in rice cooker: Pour aromatics and rice ( after frying ) into your rice cooker, add 2 1/2 cups of your reserved poaching broth and salt. And turn on the rice cooker switch.

4. While your rice is cooking, removed the chicken from the ice bath and rub the outside of the chicken with the sesame oil. Carved the chicken into serving size to served.

5. To make the garlic chili sauce: Blend your garlic chili sauce ingredients in a blender until smooth and bright red.

6. To make the soup: You should have 6 to 7 cups of reserved poaching broth leftover to serve as soup. Just before serving, heat up the soup, taste and season with salt as necessary.

7. To make the ginger scallion sauce: Put the ginger, green onion and garlic in a bowl. Add in sesame oil, salt and pepper. Stir well and set aside. In a small saucepan, heat up the oil until smoking hot. Pour the hot oil carefully and slowly into the ginger mixture. Using a chopstick and mix it well.

NOTE: Please be careful when you pour the oil into the ginger mixture as the oil will splatter and bubble over the herbs.

Serve the chicken rice with garlic chili sauce, dark soy sauce, cucumber slices, and a bowl of hot broth garnished with cilantro leaves or green onions.

SWEET POTATO LEAF CURRY (HUAN CHU HEOK MASAK LEMAK)

This is my another recipe from my Nonya Cookbook. This recipe is so yummy and easy to make...so enjoy my friends :)


INGREDIENTS :

2 tbsp cooking oil

300 g shrimps, shelled and deveined
2 cups shrimp stock** / seafood broth / chicken broth
2-3 pcs dried tamarind peel
400 g sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
250 ml thick coconut milk
400 g young sweet potato leaves

Spice paste (ground)
50 g (4) fresh red chilies
10 g (4) dried dried red chilies
80 g (6) shallots
5 g (1 tsp) belachan, toasted



METHODS :

1. Heat the oil in a wok to saute the spice paste until fragrant. Add the shrimps stock and tamarind peel. Bring stock to a boil and add sweet potato cubes. Simmer until sweet potatoes are cooked.

2. Add the coconut milk, stirring lightly. When gravy starts to boil, add the shrimps and cooked until it's turn pink. Then add in the sweet potato leaves. Remove from heat immediately and served.


**Note : Shrimp stock can be prepared from the discarded shrimp shells. Fry the shell in a little oil until aromatic, about 5 minutes, then add in 250 ml water. Allow to boil for 20-30 minutes. Strain before use. Or use instant fish stock made by dissolving ikan bilis (anchovies) granules in water.

WHITE BEAN SOUP WITH GREMOLATA

This is a super fast and easy Mediterranean soup with the great taste of the region's vivid flavors. This recipe is by Ivy Manning from Cooking Light Cookbook. This is a very healthy soup that only contains 227 calories per serving. I love this soup especially now in the cold weather and eat with no guilt as the Holidays is coming soon.

INGREDIENTS :

Soup:

2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped pancetta
1 cup prechopped onion
1/2 cup prechopped celery
2 tsp minced garlic
2 cups fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 (19-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 bay leaf


Gremolata:

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaves parsley
2 tsp grated lemon grind
1 tsp minced garlic



METHODS:

1. To prepare Soup, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pancetta; saute 2 minutes. Stir in onion, celery and 2 tsp garlic; saute 3 minutes or until almost tender.

2. Stir in the chicken broth, water, black pepper, cannellini beans and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat, and simmer for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. To prepare the Gremolata, combine parsley, grated lemon and garlic in a small bowl and mix it well.

4. Scoop 1 1/2 cup of the soup in a serving bowl and sprinkle 1 1/2 tsp of gremolata over the soup and serve.

SPINACH & TOFU SOUP

This is a very healthy and easy to make soup. My kids don't like to eat spinach much when I stir-fry it but they seem to like it with this soup. It is so simple to make and I would like to share this recipe with all of you.

All you need are :

1 box soft tofu, mashed
4 large eggs
2 box (64oz) low-sodium chicken broth
1 bag (9oz) spinach
3 tbsp fried shallots
some salt and pepper


Method :

• In a bowl, whisk the eggs. Then add in the mashed tofu, salt and pepper. Mix it well.
• In a low heat with 2 tbsp of vegetable oil in the wok, add in the tofu mixture and let cook like an omelet. Then in the wok with your spatula, cut the omelet into wedges.
  

• Then add the chicken broth and fried shallots. Let it boil and turn off the heat. Add the spinach into individual bowl.

• Then add the tofu on top of the spinach with some soup and served hot
  

ABC SOUP

For this soup, I don't know why is called ABC. Maybe it's because it's easy to make like ABC!!! Well...that's the name that being called by my family for decade. This soup is a very nutrition and have alot of vitamins too. My kids really love the soup with rice.

INGREDIENTS :

2 big carrots, peeled and cut into small pieces
4 pcs small potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
2 pcs big tomatoes, cut into small pieces
1 small onion, peeled and cut into small pieces
1 pc (about 300g) pickled mustard in red chili, washed and cut into small pieces
1.5 liters water
some pork neck bone or chicken bone for soup base.


METHOD :

1. Wash the bone and add some water to the pot. Let it boil and pour out the dirty water and wash the bones again.

2. In a clean pot, add in the bones and all other ingredients. Let it boil.

3. Then turn to low heat and simmer for at least 4 hours and serve.

ONION SOUP WITH FONTINA AND THYME

I was preparing this meal yesterday with Salmon in Lemon Brodetto with Pea Puree for dinner. I adopted this recipe from Everday Italian at Food Network TV. I really love this show because every meal that she makes really turn out good and delicious.

I really love Italian foods as well and I also like to try different foods at all kind of restaurants. Anyway....below are the ingredients and method of making this delicious soup.



INGREDIENTS :

3 tbsp olive oil
2 large Vidalia/sweet onions, sliced
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
4 cups beef broth
4 slices ciabatta bread, cubed
4 ounces sliced fontina cheese

Special equipment : 4 (1 1/2 cup) ovenproof ramekins



METHOD :

1. In a medium, heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, salt and pepper. Cook stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the thyme and broth. Simmer, uncovered, until the onions are soft, about 15 minutes.

2. Divide the soup between the 4 ovenproof ramekins on a baking sheet.

3. Divide the cubed bread among the ramekins.

4. Top each with slices of fontina cheese.

5. Place the ramekins under the boiler, until the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 4 minutes.

6. Serve immediately.