Sunday, September 30, 2012

Creamy potato and chive soup

This is a hearty and simple potato soup recipe that is flavored by fresh chives.  This soup gets better and better each day, so the leftovers will taste delicious.  Adapted from The Guardian.


Ingredients

2 T butter
2 medium onions, diced
500g bakinng potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
~1 L chicken stock (not too salty!)
1 very large handful chives, finely chopped
1/3/-1/2 c creme fraiche
1 bay leaf

Instructions

1) Over low-medium heat, melt butter, add onions, and fry until they are translucent, 10-15 minutes.
2) Add potatoes and bay leaf, and add just enough stock to cover. Bring to a boil and let simmer until potatoes are tender, ~20 minutes.
3) Remove potatoes and mash them by hand, i.e. not with an electric blender or masher.  This prevents the potatoes from becoming gluey - a few small chunks are okay and will add to the texture of the soup.
4) Return potatoes to the soup, mix well and add creme fraiche.
5) When the soup is heated through, remove from heat and stir in the chives.
6) Serve soup with a dollop of creme fraiche and more fresh chives.

Zesty stir fry

This is a surprising combination of hoisin sauce and lime zest - the result is a tangy sauce that can be used to flavor any number of stir fried vegetables and tofu.  Adapted from 101 Cookbooks.


Ingredients

zest and juice of one lime
3 T hoisin sauce
1 handful of your favorite herbs (basil, cilantro, etc), slivered
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 T grated ginger
1/2 t red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
stir fry vegetables of your choice
sesame oil

Instructions

1) chop the stir fry vegetables to your liking and set them aside, prepared and within arms reach of the stove
2) combine the lime juice, zest, and hoisin sauce, and set aside
3) heat a wok or a large frying pan over medium high heat, and add a generous splash of sesame oil
4) when the oil is hot, add the vegetables, as well as the ginger, green onions, red pepper flakes.  wait a minute, and then add the garlic, as well as any fast cooking vegetables like spinach.
5) after another minute, add the hoisin sauce mixture, cook for ~20 seconds, and remove from heat.
6) stir in fresh herbs, and serve with rice or noodles.