Minestrone Soup

Fall is upon us and winter will be here before we know it. I love soups of all kinds and this is one of my favorites…my take on Ina’s Garten’s Winter Minestrone Soup.

Start by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil. Heat about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a soup pot. Add about 3 Italian hot sausage links (out of casing) and about 6 strips of thick cut bacon (cut into small pieces) to the heated oil and brown. Once meat is browned, add one small shallot diced, 1/2 cup carrots diced, 1 zucchini diced, 4 to 5 cloves of minced garlic, and fresh thyme leaves. At this point, I also add about 3 celery stocks with leaves. You can dice the celery and leave in soup, I just prefer the flavor and will remove once soup is finished. Cook for about 10 minutes to soften the vegetables. Add one box of chopped/diced tomatoes, 6 Cups of chicken stock (I use Rachel Ray’s), 2 to 3 bay leaves and salt/pepper. Allow the pot to come to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes.

Add your favorite small pasta to the boiling salted water. I prefer Barilla’s Mezze Penne. Cook to just al dente. Drain and set aside.

When soup has simmered and vegetables are softened, remove the bay leaves and celery stalks and discard. Add two cans of cannellini beans (drained and rinsed). Add one big bag of baby spinach leaves and prepared pesto. I love She’s Pesto. She is local to Charlotte. Two to three frozen cubes of her homemade pesto is perfect for this soup. If soup is too thick, add a bit more chicken stock. Taste for salt…add more if needed. Serve in individual bowls and top with Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh chiffonades of basil.

Cast Iron Skillet Seared Scallops with a Cayenne Corn Puree

This is by far one of my favorite dishes to prepare and to serve guests. Once you learn the technique to prepare scallops, you will wonder why you don’t make them at home more often. You want to start with super-fresh scallops. I buy mine locally from The Carolina Fish Market. They are so big and meaty. The recipe for the Cayenne Corn Puree follows. You can actually prepare both at the same time.

I start by rinsing my scallops and pulling off the tiny piece of muscle on the side. I place on paper towels to dry thoroughly. The key to a great sear on a scallop is to be sure to dry as much as possible. Season dry scallops with Salt and Pepper.

Grab a cast iron skillet and allow to heat to a medium high. I do coat my pan with just a touch of olive oil or butter. When the pan is super hot, place about 4 to 5 scallops in pan…do not overcrowd…you can cook in batches if need be. Allow the scallops to sear on one side for about 2 to 3 minutes depending on the size…as much as you may want to…DO NOT TOUCH…just allow them to sear. When seared on one side, flip and sear the other. Be sure not to overcook. The more you do this, the better you will become at just knowing when the scallop is fully cooked and tender.

Do not touch for a few minutes...allow to sear nicely one side... — Do not touch for a few minutes…allow to sear nicely one side…

Now for the super, simple Cayenne Corn puree. Crisp up about 6 pieces thick bacon cut into tiny pieces and drain. If you can find freshly picked corn, grab about five to six ears and cut the kernels off. If corn is out of season or you can’t find fresh picked, then you can use canned corn. I prefer Green Giant White Shoepeg Corn. As you are heating up your cast iron skillet, grab a pot and combine 1 Cup of Heavy Whipping Cream, the corn, salt and pepper, 2 to 3 Tablespoons of butter, and cayenne pepper (I usually use about one teaspoon, but you can definitely use more/less depending on your preferred heat level). Allow the pot to come to a boil and boil for about 5 to 6 minutes. Keep a watch that the pot does not overflow. At this point, take an immersion blender and blend all ingredients in the pot. If the mixture seems too thin, then just drain a bit of the liquid out prior to blending. You can also use a food processor. If you do not want the pieces of kernels in your finished product, then you can strain after blended. I prefer not straining. Add about 3/4 of the bacon pieces to the blended mixture. To plate for individual servings, I use a flat, wide bowl and pour part of the mixture in the bowl and top with 3 to 4 of your seared scallops. Top with extra bits of bacon and fresh chopped parsley.

Seared Scallops with a Cayenne Corn Puree

Hot and Sour Soup

Hot and Sour Soup is one of my favorite soups to order in an Asian restaurant. I have finally perfected it by using a variation of a recipe I found from easy-souprecipes.com

Here is how I make it…

I have tried hot and sour soup everywhere…some I have loved and others, not so much. This recipe is all about taste for me…so I just keep tasting during preparation until it’s right. So, I must admit, I do cheat a little bit…I buy an already prepared applewood smoked pork loin from Harris Teeter. It is full of flavor and really makes this recipe easier. This soup can be prepared in about 20 minutes. I start by heating, almost to a boil, one box of Rachel Ray’s Chicken Stock. Once heated, I add the pork, which I cut into strips, about a teaspoon of garlic chili sauce (add more or less depending on your desired heat level), 1 to 2 jars of shiitake mushrooms (drained and rinsed), and about 1/2 cup of low-sodium soy sauce. Initially, I add about 1/2 cup of the soy sauce, but may add more later if need be. Allow all of these ingredients to simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add about 1/2 teaspoon of ground white pepper, one small can of bamboo shoots (drained, rinsed and cut into tiny strips), and about 1/2 Cup of white vinegar. You can also add tofu at this point, if you prefer. I typically do not. Mix around a little, then give it a taste…you may have to add just a touch more soy sauce and/or vinegar..again…this recipe is all about taste. When you get it to the desired taste, mix about 1 to 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch with just a bit of water in a small bowl to make a slurry (not too thin). Bring the pot to almost a boil, then add the cornstarch slurry, all the while mixing with a slotted spoon. Soup should start to become thicker, just to an almost gravy-like consistency. In a small bowl, beat an egg white with a fork and add to soup, mixing as you pour it in. You will see the egg form thin white ribbons throughout the soup. Lastly, ENJOY! I like mine with a little bit of rice. You can also substitute the pork with tofu for a vegetarian version.