Recipe #22: Butternut Squash Soup with Coconut Chutney

This soup will kick any other soup's ass anytime, anywhere, any place.  Coconut chutney is made with Serrano peppers--that little bit of heat is what makes this the most deliciously badass squash soup I've ever come across.          

1 large Butternut squash

1/2 red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced or put through a press

1/2 Tablespoon Earth Balance vegan butter

3 Tablespoons Swad brand Coconut Chutney (available in the Indian section of most larger grocery stores or in any Indian Market) 

4 cups water 

1/2 Tablespoon sea salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut squash in half and place cut sides down in a large baking pan (or use two smaller pans) with about 3/4" water.  Roast for 45 min to 1 hour.  While squash is roasting, heat Earth Balance in a small frying pan and sautee onion and garlic for about 5 minutes until garlic is light brown.  Set pan aside.  Check squash after 45 minutes by pricking with a fork in several areas- it should be very soft all over before you take it out of the oven.  Let it cook longer if needed. When it is done, carefully remove squash  from the pan and let the halves cool down on a wire rack or large plate for about 20 minutes.  After they've cooled, place them on a large cutting board and peel off the skin  with a butter knife.  Remove seeds and stringy parts using a large spoon or an ice cream scoop.  Once peeled and de-seeded, cut squash into large chunks.  Put squash, cooked garlic and onion, chutney, salt, and 2 cups of water into a blender.  Blend until everything is combined and there are no chunky parts left.  Pour mixture into a large pot over a medium-low flame.  Add the remaining 2 cups of water and stir continuously until water is completely combined and the soup is heated all the way through.  Do a taste test and add some black pepper and a little more salt to taste.  Stir again.  

Congratulations! You just made a killer good soup.                  

Recipe #19: Sweet Corn Chowder with Cilantro

The time to buy corn is now!  Do it!  It is so cheap it is insane.  I paid 19 cents an ear!  Michigan sweet corn is so good that this recipe really doesn't need much else.  I think that the mixture of cooked and raw veggies in this soup really takes it over the top.  You will need a working blender and a pot big enough to boil 4 ears of corn at a time to pull this recipe off.  I know you can do it.      

 

4 ears of fresh sweet corn, husks removed

4 green onions, sliced thin

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/2 Tablespoon olive oil 

1/2 of a red pepper, diced

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

Juice of 1/2 a lime

1 teaspoon salt

3- 31/2 cups plain soymilk

Put the ears of corn in a large pot and fill with enough water to cover them.  Add a little salt if you want.  Heat water to boiling and then cook until tender, about 15 minutes.  While the corn is cooking, heat the olive oil in a small frying pan and add the green onions and garlic.  Sautee for 3- 5 minutes until they are soft then set them aside.  You can use the remainder of the corn cooking time to dice the red pepper and tomatoes.  

When the corn is done cooking, use tongs to remove the cobs from the pot and put them into a large colander in the sink.  Run cold water over the cobs until you are able to touch them with your bare hands without hurting yourself.  Once cool, set the cobs on a large cutting board and begin cutting off the cooked kernels with a sharp knife.  To do this, hold the corn vertically on the cutting board with the flat end of the cob on the board.  Run a knife down the length of the cob to remove the kernels.  If this makes you uneasy, try cutting them into a bowl or pan.   Put the kernels from three of the cobs into the blender but reserve the kernels from the fourth cob for later.  Add the cooked onions and garlic, half of the cilantro (about 1/4 cup), salt, lime juice, and 1 cup of soymilk to the blender.  Blend mixture for about 30 seconds (I used the "milkshake" setting on my crappy blender).  Add another cup of soymilk and blend for another 30 seconds.  Do a taste test and add some freshly ground black pepper if you want.  Add another 1/2 cup of soymilk and blend for about a minute more.  

Rinse out the pot that you used to boil the corn.  Set the pot on a burner over a low flame and pour the contents of the blender into the pot.  Stir in the diced tomatoes and red pepper, the reminder of the cilantro, and the reserved corn kernels.  Your mixture might be foamy from all the blending at this point but if you stir it slowly and heat it on low for about 20 minutes, it will calm down and the flavors will get a chance to blend together.  If the soup is thicker than you'd like, you can slowly add the remaining soymik (up to a cup) to get it to the consistency you'd like.  Continue stirring until it is heated all the way through and add more black pepper if you are feeling it.  Done!         

Recipe #4: Snow Day Bean Soup

So, there is a giant blizzard in the Midwest and my office was closed today.  Not counting the 1/2 a bottle of vodka in my freezer leftover from my birthday 4 months ago and way too many bottles of hot sauce, these were about all the ingredients that I had.  Old-timey bean soup recipes usually call for animal hocks, hooves, tails, or "frames" which I think is just another word for carcass.  I used liquid smoke which adds a rich and meaty flavor that makes it seem traditional.  If the soup doesn't warm you up, the after effects of the beans and the cabbage will- hee hee! 

10 c. cold water

2 c. (1 lb) bagged mixed soup beans without seasoning, rinsed and picked over

1 small head green cabbage, chopped into shreds

1 large yellow onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

3 Tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Vegetarian Soup Base (I used the "No Chicken" kind) 

1/2 Tablespoon Bragg's Liquid Aminos (tamari or low sodium soy sauce work fine)

1/2 Tablespoon liquid smoke

Freshly ground pepper to taste
Few drops of Sriacha or other hot sauce to taste (optional)

In a large heavy bottomed stock pot, combine beans, water and bouillon and set over a high flame.  Add all other ingredients and stir well.  Wait until soup comes to a very low boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low.  Simmer for 3-4 hours with the lid on.  Stir soup about every half hour.  If it comes to a boil again, reduce heat to low prevent beans from bursting.  Check beans to see if they are done- should be tender not firm- and remove from heat. Adjust seasonings and replace lid.  Set aside for at least 10 minutes to cool a little before serving.  This is one of those soups that is going to be even better the next day.  Since there is so much of it, it may be a good idea to freeze portions for later.  I think it will be quite cozy hanging out in my freezer next to the vodka.