Pulled Pork Ramen with Jalapeno Paste and Sauteed Mushrooms

Sometimes a trait or characteristic that seemed fixed and essential to defining ourselves can turn out to be not so unchanging after all.

I am the structured one in this relationship. I like having plans. If I'm going to sit and play notes on the keyboard, I absolutely positively need sheet music in front me. Without sheet music in front of me, there is nothing for me to do. If I'm playing with Max, I don't truly play, but instead declare it the time to count buttons in Spanish or the time to research flightless birds.

Seth, in contrast, eschews the structure, the structure to which I cling, and gravitates towards free play. He actually can play with Max in the way that play is actually meant to be done with a small child. When he sits in front of the keyboard, he explores all while rejecting my idea of playing a song from a book.

But when it comes to the kitchen, our characteristic structured/free play aspects reverse. He thrives under the guidance of instruction, while I feel constricted.

So Seth was skeptical about my free form, admittedly time-consuming kitchen play that led to this ramen. He did not think it would be something edible. but indeed it was, an umami filled bowl of deliciousness.  One full of pulled pork and a garlicky jalapeno paste and sauteed mushrooms and soft-boiled eggs.  One that can bridge the divide between the structuralists and free form players, even when that divide is within ourselves.

Ingredients
For the mushrooms:
8 ounces, sliced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
splash soy sauce
freshly ground pepper

For the jalapeno paste:
400 degrees
4 jalapenos, halved
5 garlic cloves
extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon grated ginger

For the pulled pork:
4 lb pork shoulder
black pepper
1 tablespoon miso
1 tablespoon ground dried porcini mushrooms
1/4 cup mirin
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon ume plum vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons liquid smoke
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 bottle porter beer (I like using Deschutes Black Butte)

For the broth:
1 large onion, quartered
2 scallions
2 celery stalks
handful baby carrots
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon cloves
cinnamon stick
2 star anise
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon miso
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon liquid smoke

soft boiled eggs - Cooking Light has good instructions for this (1 for each bowl)
16 ounces fresh ramen noodles
chopped scallions

Instructions

To make the mushrooms: Melt the butter and olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Once the butter has melted and the bubbles in the mixture have started to subside, add the chopped mushrooms. Stir continuously, allowing the mushrooms to absorb the butter and oil mixture. After a few minutes, the mushrooms will brown. Drizzle with the soy sauce and sprinkle freshly ground black pepper.

To make the jalapeno paste: Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Place jalapeno halves and garlic cloves in a small baking dish. Drizzle olive oil, and sprinkle a pinch of salt and some freshly ground black pepper.  Roast for 15 minutes, until jalapenos have browned.  Once roasted, place in food processor and add two tablespoons of olive oil and the grated ginger.  Pulse until a paste forms, adding more olive oil if needed.

To make the pulled pork: Rub the pork shoulder with freshly ground black pepper, miso, and the ground mushrooms.  Place in crockpot.  Pour mirin, vinegars, sesame oil, liquid smoke, brown sugar, soy sauce, and beer over it.  Set crockpot on high and cook for 5-6 hours, until the pork falls off the bone and is cooked through.

To make the pulled pork broth: Remove the pork from its cooking liquid.  Wrap peppercorns, clove, cinnamon, and star anise in cheese cloth.  Add onion, scallions, celery, carrots, cheesecloth with the spices, soy sauce, miso, vinegar, and liquid smoke to the pork cooking liquid.  Cook in crockpot for 2-3 hours on low.  Strain.

For the ramen bowls: Cook noodles according to package directions.  To serve, place some noodles, pulled pork, and soft boiled egg in a bowl and ladle broth over.  Sprinkle chopped scallions and place a bit of jalapeno paste on top.

Smoky Tomato Soup

Life, with some exceptions, has a rhythm. A regularity, a predictability to give the amorphous concept some structure.

Since toddler soccer began, Tuesdays can be counted on to involve a conversation like the following:

Upon arrival of the park to play soccer,
Max: "bye bye"
me: "bye bye what?"
Max: "bye bye ball"
me: "you don't want to play soccer?"
Max: "nooooooo. trains (referring to the multiple playground pieces of equipment that are shaped like trains)"

I know what you are thinking, "If this is a common occurrence why do I continue to bring him to soccer?" I can't, and don't, force him to play.  But I have to at least give him the chance to play because the class has already been paid for, and he will sometimes play happily for like 4 minutes. I don't want to sound like I'm some sort of psychotic parent demanding athletic skills to be proficiently demonstrated by a toddler aged child.  I have no athletic ability to speak of myself!   He may not like going to soccer, but he loves going to that park for the playground equipment.  He already knows that is where the best toys are located in town.

And just like the regularity of this conversation with my child (I am most definitely looking forward to the end of the class, where we no longer have to engage in the charade of attending it), my love of smoked paprika flares up. And I am compelled to make things taste smoky.

I feel like an evangelist for the stuff, even becoming some sort of smoked paprika fairy godmother and gifting it to others in hopes that they too will see the light of smoked paprika. In addition to introducing my container of smoked paprika to new people, I love introducing it to new ingredients as well. Like eggs. And eggs (okay, I guess that isn't really new, but the richness of eggs just goes so amazingly well with smoked paprika). And cauliflower. And jalapenos. Just to name a few.

And now, my penchant for putting smoked paprika on things took the form of big, juicy heirloom tomatoes. Tomatoes that were roasted with garlic and jalapenos, sprinkled with spices like earthy cumin and fruity ground pasilla peppers, and, you guessed it, smoked paprika, and then blended into soup.  I should note that we enjoyed this with a grilled cheese of cheddar and smoked gouda.  A predictable accompaniment for such a soup.

Ingredients
3 large heirloom tomatoes, chopped into wedges
handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
2 jalapenos, halved (or to taste)
5 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
3/4 teaspoon ground pasilla
1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon smoked salt
1/8 teaspoon ground sumac
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons half and half
smoked salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions
Heat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl, mix the tomato wedges and hales, jalapeno, and garlic.  In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, and liquid smoke.  Drizzle over the tomato mixture.  Toss gently to coat. In another small bowl, whisk together the pasilla, , ancho chile, coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, salt, and sumac.  Sprinkle over tomato mixture. Toss gently to coat.  Pour into 9 x 13 pan, and place in oven for 30-40 minutes.

Once roasted, remove the tomatoes, jalapenos, and garlic, as well as about half of the cooking liquid left in the pan and place in a pot.  Blend with an immersion blender.  Add more of the cooking liquid, if needed, to get desired consistency. Place over medium-low heat and stir in the butter and half-half.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste.  Once soup is warm, take off heat.

Smoky Tomato Soup Recipe

It's easy to get so caught up in the idea of eating seasonally that we forget that there are certain things that aren't necessarily seasonal, for example vegetables grown in hothouses or greenhouses like Belgian endive, cucumbers and mushrooms, also preserved produce--jams, pickles, chutney, frozen and canned foods. Which brings me to canned tomatoes, which are a great choice for recipes since fresh tomatoes are in season for a fairly short period of time.

While I wouldn't use a canned tomato on a sandwich, they are a must for most tomato based sauces. Lately I've come to appreciate canned fire roasted tomatoes for their lovely smoky flavor. They are great in stew or chili and a sneaky shortcut when making this zippy soup. A nice option in this shoulder season when somedays still feel like Winter, it's something you can make from pantry staples--a few aromatics, cans of tomatoes and broth. Having tried many brands of fire roasted tomatoes, I like Hunt's best and while I prefer homemade, Swanson's is the only canned chicken broth I use.

Another little trick in this soup is the addition of cream cheese. I don't typically keep heavy cream on hand so I am always looking for other ingredients to add creaminess to recipes. In this case a tiny bit of cream cheese adds a lot of richness. But in all honesty this soup is really wonderful even without it.


Smoky Tomato Soup
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 14.5 ounce cans fire roasted tomatoes
2 14.5 ounces chicken broth (or homemade)
2 Tablespoons cream cheese, optional

Instructions

Heat a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions and carrots and cook, stirring frequently for 8 minutes or until soft and golden, but not brown. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the smoked paprika and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until fairly thick and saucy.

Add the cream cheese if desired. Blend the soup in batches or use a hand blender. When the soup is smooth, it's ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Parsnip, Fennel and Tarragon Soup with Squash and Apple Turkey Cheddar Sandwiches

We used to have this designated area in our living room, originally called "the reading nook."  It was a futon mattress covered with pillows and surrounded by books.  This eventually got phased out to make space for the nugget boy. But that reading nook actually had very important second function, which became our more commonly used term for the space.  It was called "the mope hole."  The mope hole was a fun place for - you guessed it! - moping.  Mad or sad or stressed about something?  Just go to the mope hole and hug a pillow!  Snuggling into a makeshift fort of books and pillows is a surefire way to lift a dark mood.  After a good mope, the sun shines brighter, the birds chirp more beautifully, the grass is greener, the sky bluer, I'm sure you get the cliched picture.  But alas, I am a woman without a mope hole.  So instead, I look to delicious food to eradicate a foul mood.  A warm bowl of parsnip, fennel and tarragon soup served with a grilled turkey, apple, and squash sandwich, all melty with cheddar, was just the thing to help me recently on a cold, (relatively) dark day.

Ingredients
6 peeled parsnips, cut in half lengthwise
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced on mandolin
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste
1/3 cup tarragon leaves
2-3 tablespoons of juice from Meyer lemon
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 cup ricotta
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 cups chicken stock
deli turkey slices
slices of good quality cheddar
a roasted slice of acorn squash
slices of Granny Smith apple
good quality Dijon mustard
slices of whole wheat bread
1 tablespoon canola oil

Instructions
Heat oven to 400.  Place parsnips and fennel in baking dish.  Cover with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until tender and brown.  Remove from baking dish and place in a pot.  Add tarragon, lemon zest, lemon juice, ricotta, whipping cream, and chicken stock.  Blend everything together with an immersion blender (or pour into a blender or food processor), and puree until smooth.  Gently heat the soup until hot.  To assemble the sandwiches, place the turkey, cheddar, squash, and apple slices between the slices of bread, and smear one piece of bread with the mustard.  Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium heat and place the sandwich(s) in it.  Bronze one side of the sandwich, then flip over to bronze the other side.  Serve the soup with the turkey sandwiches, and feel your mood, hopefully, become a happy one.

Hearty Bacon Clam Chowder

There are some annoying questions asked in this world.  Such as, what are you going to be for Halloween.  I don't know.  Myself?  I get all stressed out even thinking of what to be.  I am absolutely not creative.  And I can't pull off one of those clever easy costume things like scribbling the word book on your face so you can say you are "facebook".  I also hate spending money on costumes.  So I just tend to avoid it.  And then Halloween comes, or some other Halloween activity rolls around, and I dress in my normal clothes.  Or maybe, maybe - a festive Halloween shirt.  I probably sound like the Halloween grinch.  I like other parts of the festivities!  Like the previously posted candy mix.  How can someone be anti-candy?  And we make silly little holiday crafts and carve pumpkins and watch something scary.  But I just don't want to dress up.

Another annoying question is "soup or salad?"  In what world is this an okay question to ask?  How is that even answerable until you know all the possibilities!  Not all soups are the same! Chicken noodle is not crab bisque.  It is not.  I probably wouldn't order chicken noodle unless I was super sick, but then I probably wouldn't be in a restaurant to begin with.  So it just wouldn't happen.  And not all salads are the same!  What lettuce is being used?  What other things are on the salad?  What dressings do you have?  These are all critical pieces of information for us to have to make an informed decision!  Anyways, I'm not sure I've come anywhere close to talking about this clam chowder, except to say, it's hearty, it's bacon-y, and given a choice between this soup and almost any salad, I'd have to go with the clam chowder.

Ingredients
3 cups half and half
1 cup whole milk
1 sprig thyme
8 peppercorns
2 peeled garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
extra virgin olive oil
6 pieces of bacon, chopped
2 russet potatoes, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 small shallots, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
plus more olive oil if needed
8 ounces clam juice
1/2 cup white wine
2 (6.5ounces) cans of chopped clams
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
Gently heat the milk, cream, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, and sprig of thyme in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Don’t let the mixture boil.  Once the mixture is very hot, take off heat and let the aromatics infuse the milk for 20 minutes. 

In a small pot, melt the butter, then whisk in the flour.  Keep stirring, until it begins to bubble (about 2 minutes or so).  Take off heat and set aside.

In a large pot, pour a bit of olive oil in to cover the bottom, and get the oil nice and hot.  Add the bacon, and let it crisp up (about 5 minutes or so).  Once it has crisped up, remove from the pan using tongs.  Set on a paper towel.  Add in the chopped potatoes.  let the potatoes cook in the bacon fat for a bit (about 3 minutes or so).  Then add in the celery, carrots, shallots.  Cook (feel free to add more oil if needed) until the potatoes have begun to brown.  Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).  Stir in the white wine.  Reduce, then add the clam juice, and cans of chopped clams.  Add in the the infused milk and reserved flour mixture (roux).  Stir, and cook until the vegetables have achieved the desired tenderness, and the chowder has become thick.  Add the salt and peppers, and adjust seasonings.  

Eggplant Parmesan Soup Recipe

I've started off this year eating more soup. It's amazing what can go in soup. I mean, pretty much anything. And many classic comfort food dishes can be transformed into soup. Macaroni and cheese, baked potato, even eggplant parmesan.

I got the idea to make this soup when I was contacted by Whole Foods about a Parmigiano Reggiano promotion they were planning. I wanted to make something with the flavors of eggplant parmesan, but lighter and healthier. I used a few croutons and roasted the eggplant, instead of breading and frying it and skipped the mozzarella altogether. And you know what? It still pretty much has the flavor of eggplant parmesan! I thought I was being terribly original, but it turns out there are several eggplant parmesan soup recipes out there on the internets.

I topped my soup with a couple tablespoons of Pamigiano Reggiano. It's the cheese that really makes the soup into something special. It adds that distinctive flavor and texture. I'm sorry that you can't see in the photo that the soup has chunks of eggplant in it. You could puree it if you prefer a smoother soup. Also the croutons absorb a good bit of the soup and add even more body to it. Best of all, it's very healthy, so you can help yourself to a second bowl. I won't tell.

Eggplant Parmesan SoupMakes about 6 servings

Ingredients

1 large or 2 small eggplant cut in 1/2 lengthwise (about 2 lbs)
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes with basil
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

Croutons
Fresh basil leaves, optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut eggplant in half, lengthwise and place cut side down on a lightly greased foil-lined broiler pan. Roast for about 45 minutes, or until eggplant is tender. Allow eggplant to cool. Meanwhile heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, sauté 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Scoop out the eggplant from the shells and chop roughly, discard the shells. To the dutch oven add the chopped eggplant along with the tomatoes, water and salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Top each serving with croutons and two tablespoons of Parmigiano Reggiano. Garnish with torn basil, if desired.

Enjoy!

My thanks to Whole Foods for providing me a gift card and inspiring me to create this recipe

Sarah's Borscht

This borscht recipe was given to me by my friend Sarah. It is such a great recipe that even my non soup loving husband liked it! This soup is not only delicious, but brings up happy memories for my friend. Her husband proposed to her the night he made this as part of a romantic, multi-course dinner. So make this, eat this, enjoy it, and create your own happy memories over this wonderful soup!

Ingredients
2 quarts beef stock or bouillon
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup diced raw potatoes
1/2 cup diced raw carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 leek, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
6 medium beets
10 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
marjoram
thyme
salt
1 cup canned tomatoes (or finely diced if you're anti-can with your tomatoes)
1 cup very dry white wine
3 tablespoons Madeira
sour cream

Instructions
In a soup pot or kettle, heat 2 quarts of good beef stock or canned beef bouillon. Melt butter in heavy skillet. Have ready 2 cups shredded cabbage, 1 cup diced raw potatoes, 1/2 cup diced carrots, 1/2 cup chopped celery, 1 small onion peeled and chopped, 1 chopped green pepper, 1 leek chopped, 1 minced garlic clove (or 2 if you like garlic as I do), and 6 medium-sized beets, peeled and shredded through a grater (reserve 1 heaping tablespoon of the grated mixed with 3 tablespoons water for later). Put vegetables in the skillet, cover, turn the flame low, and saute for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan constantly. Then add the sauteed vegetables to the boiling beef stock, together with 1 cup canned tomatoes, 1 cup very dry white wine, 10 whole peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, a generous pinch each of marjoram and thyme, and salt to taste. Lower the flame and continue to cook until all the vegetables are tender - about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Shortly before serving, add the grated beet in water, stirring it in for coloring, and the 3 tablespoons of Madeira. To each bowl of borscht, add a generous tablespoon of sour cream.

Phở Bò Tái

Eating Phở is fun - it is such an experience! I love getting that steaming bowl of noodles and beef slices swimming in a fragrant, savory broth, finding that perfect balance of toppings to make the flavors really pop. Add in fixins lime, bean sprouts, scallions, basil, hoisin sauce, and fresh jalapenos (for my husband...) and a delicious feast is born. Eating homemade pho is an even better experience, because after just a few hours of work, you get to sit down and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Ingredients
1 ginger root
1 onion, peeled
smidgen fennel seeds
dash coriander seeds
1 cardamom pod
2 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
3 star anise pods
14 cups water
2 lbs beef shank
1 lb oxtail
1 teaspoon salt
2 anchovy fillets
2 shitake mushrooms
1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 lb rice vermicelli noodles

Toppings:

Thai basil
scallions
limes, quartered
bean sprouts
cilantro
jalapeno
hoisin sauce

Instructions
Broil ginger and onion until charred. Toast fennel, coriander, cardamom, and clove for 2 minutes, or until they start to become fragrant. Make a bouquet garni with cheese cloth - place the toasted spices, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and star anise pods in the cheese cloth and wrap. Tie with kitchen twine. Bring water, beef shank, and oxtail to a boil, skimming off foam as necessary. Add charred ginger, onion, bouquet garni, teaspoon salt, shitake mushrooms, and anchovy fillets. Simmer for two hours. Strain the stock, and place the liquid over low heat. Add 1 teaspoon each of sugar, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Cook noodles for 5-7 minutes in boiling water. In individual bowls, add some cooked noodles, sliced beef, and onion slices, and pour stock. Beef will cook in the hot broth. Garnish with toppings as desired.

Garlic Parmesan Tortellini Soup

Growing up, I would bug my mom constantly to make her tortellini soup. Cheesy stuffed pasta in a garlicky broth of cream and herbs - what could be better? This is my take on her household classic...

Ingredients
3 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons butter
32 oz chicken broth
8 ounces cheese-filled tortellini pasta
salt
pepper
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
3 tablespoons chopped basil
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions
Sauté celery, onion, and garlic in melted butter over medium heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Toss in the chopped herbs, salt, pepper, and tortellini, and cook for 3 minutes or until pasta is tender. Add heavy cream and heat through. Take off heat and stir in parmesan cheese.