Half Assed Kitchen

A tale of two stocks

We've been wanting to try making our own veggie stock for quite a while. So much so that we started saving veggie kitchen scraps in a giant Ziploc bag in the freezer.

Right around the same time, friend and some time HAK guest poster Joel Niemeyer mentioned his method for making delicious chicken stock.

While we wouldn't call this a stock-off, here are two different methods for making your own stock, one for the vegetarian-minded and one for the carnivores.

Veggie Stock

There are a couple ways to do this.

One is to gather (buy if you have to) onions, celery, carrots, fresh parsley, fresh thyme, two bay leaves, salt, and pepper.

Chop the onions, celery, and carrots into smallish chunks.

Fill a large stock pot or dutch oven 2/3 to 3/4 with water.

Add ingredients. Bring to a boil, then simmer on medium-low for 45 minutes to an hour. Strain through a colander and discard vegetables.

You now have an amazing base for soups, stews, risottos, etc.

Another way to go is to save the stems/leaves of vegetables you've trimmed for other recipes in a container in the freezer. Once you have it filled, you can simmer them with herbs, salt, pepper, and water to make your stock.

We love this approach because you're not buying produce just to simmer and throw away. You're using bits and pieces you would've tossed anyway.

It is important to note, however, that onions, celery, and carrots seem paramount for the veggie broth. You may luck out and get a flavorful concoction without them, but your broth might end up tasting like dishwater, too.

Thus, it's important to save your onion, celery, and carrot trimmings or to purchase what you need to fill in the recipe.

Follow the directions above and enjoy! Your house will smell amazing as the savory veggies bubble away on your stove top.

Joel's Chicken Stock

I’m very much a snob about some food things, and completely open on others, to the point that I border on being an out-right hypocrite. But I just feel strongly that there are some things you not only don’t need to, but just should not buy. I’d list them, but I’m sure eyes would roll.

One of them though, is chicken stock. In my article about risotto a while back, I wrote that you can use a low sodium canned, but that homemade is better. In retrospect, I regret writing that, and should have been more assertive. Make your own. It’s superior to anything you can buy in a can or box. I don’t care what the brand is, or if it’s made from all organic ingredients or not, where it’s bought, or what chef’s name is on it-- store bought just does not work for me.

The thing is, it’s so easy. Keep your chicken carcasses or buy the cheapest good chicken pieces you can find! I like to use a combination of fresh meat pieces, and bones that have been broiled, but you really don’t have to do the latter.

Here is what you will need:

Chicken - A nice collection or chicken backs and necks can be found cheap. Or, just buy a package of nice cheap legs.

Carrots – one or two

Celery -  a few stalks

Onions – one big yellow one

Bay Leaf (2-3)

Water

A few peppercorns

Salt

Here is what you do:

Roughly cut up the vegetables--they don’t need to be uniform at all. This isn't restaurant cooking! Besides, they will give up all their goodness and be tossed.

Get a big stock pot, heat up the pot on the range, and toss the chicken in to the pot. Brown it a little, and then toss in the vegetables and herbs. No salt yet, though.

Once the vegetables have cooked a little, fill the pot with water a few inches over the top of the chicken and vegetables.

Now, here’s where things get just a little complicated: you want to bring this up to just before a boil, and while you are doing that, watch as “scum” (looks like foam) forms on the top of the stock. As it’s heating up, you’ll want to skim that off with a big spoon and toss it. Pay attention here, because you want to get it all, but you also don’t want to bring the stock to a rolling boil.

Once all of the scum has been skimmed off, let the stock simmer as long as you can. You want to check it every once in a while, but since you have not brought it to a boil, a nice clear stock should be developing slowly. The longer you let it simmer, the more flavor will develop. The thing you want to pay attention to here though, is that water is covering the chicken and vegetables--even if you have to add a little water, it’s OK.

At some point, the chicken and vegetables, and herbs will have given up all of their flavors. When this happens, pull them out and either toss them, or if you want, keep the meat (but it won’t have much flavor left in it!).

Let the stock simmer for as long as you feel you want to--just make sure it reduces some. The more it reduces, the more flavor it will have.

Things to watch out for:

Don’t salt until you think you are almost done. If you salt, then simmer too much more, it can come out too salty.

Don’t ever bring to a complete boil. You don’t need to, and it comes out clearer if you don’t.

Clear is not required! We aren’t in a restaurant here!

Basically this involves cutting some stuff up, adding some water, and making sure to do a couple of maintenance items. While it does take some time, this could just not be easier, and is so worth the effort. I make a huge batch, then store in freezer bags to thaw and use later. Some people put it in ice trays, freeze, and then store, which I think is an awesome idea.

Make, and enjoy!

Easy hot and sour soup

You may think it's odd that we're posting a recipe for soup in the middle of June. But we have two good reasons. First of all, we live in Seattle where the temperatures are stubbornly hovering in the 50s and 60s. Secondly, we're sick. Forget chicken noodle soup. If you have a respiratory bug, hot and sour is where it's at.

There are all kinds of fancy ways to make hot and sour soup. The three most important ingredients, though, are your chicken broth, your sour (rice vinegar) and your hot (chili oil, chili paste, red pepper flakes, or some combination of the three). If you have this trio, you can pretty much toss in whatever else you have on hand and you'll have a tasty, healthy soup that you will begin to crave on a regular basis.

Rating: Truly 1/2 assed, edging toward 3/4 assed depending on how much chopping you take on

Here's what you need and how you do it

6 cups chicken broth

1/4 to 1/2 cup rice vinegar, depending on taste (we use closer to 1/2 cup)

Generous pinch of red pepper flakes or a couple Tablespoons of chili oil

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

1 cup button mushrooms, sliced (buy pre-sliced if you can)

3-4 green onions, sliced (can also use leeks)

Optional additions:

Bean sprouts

Fresh ginger, about 1 Tablespoon peeled and minced (good)

Fresh cilantro

Bamboo shoots

Tofu (firm), cubed

Mix chicken broth through green onions in a pot (If desired, add ginger, bamboo shoots, and tofu now.) and cook for at least a half hour to blend flavors. Garnish with bean sprouts and cilantro.

Play with hot and sour combination to get the right taste for you.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Lemony lentil soup with greens

 

Is this the perfect time of year for lentil soup, or what? Hot, hearty and layered with distinctive flavors, lentil soup is super good for you and delicious too. We must admit, our favorite lentil soup recipe comes from the old Moosewood Cookbook. We love the drizzling in of red wine vinegar. The vinegar works some sort of magic, makes the soup way more than it is otherwise (which is pretty darn good anyway).

 But we were reviewing Ellie Krieger's new cookbook So Easy, and she came up with a lemony version. We decided to give it a try. We liked it. It was a fresh, citrusy twist on lentils. We still prefer using red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice, but if you're up for something new, give this a try.

+~+We're giving away a hard cover copy of So Easy. Click here to enter. +~+

Rating: 3/4 assed (chopping)

Here's what you need and how you do it

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 large carrot, peeled and chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

12 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed

16 ounces green lentils (we used regular old lentils)

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

6 cups kale leaves, chopped (we used spinach)

3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, 3 to 5  minutes. Add the carrot, celery and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are softened, about 5 minutes. Add 12 cups of broth, lentils, basil, thyme and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, add the kale (spinach) and cook until lentils are tender, 30 to 35 minutes, adding more broth if necessary. Stir in the lemon juice and zest, and serve.

Makes six 2-cup servings.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Miso soup

 

After the overindulgence of hams and cakes and cookies etcetera this holiday season, we were longing for something simple. A four-ingredient miso soup that packs a nutritious punch and has a lot of flavor, too, is just what we were in the mood for.

This is our favorite ten-minute lunch (or first dinner course). It's easy and protein-rich.

Rating: 1/4 assed

Here's what you need and how you do it

3 cups water

2 Tablespoons miso paste, or to taste (We use yellow miso. You can find it in the refrigerated section of many grocery stores, usually near the tofu.)

3/4 cup firm tofu, cubed

3 green onions, sliced (white and green parts)

In a saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add miso paste and let boil for one minute. Turn down heat to medium. Add tofu cubes and green onion and let simmer for two to three more minutes.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Chicken noodle soup with sourdough croutons

People have been catching colds here at Casa Half Assed. To counteract the sniffles we've been making vats of chicken noodle soup. And last week we stumbled upon a happy discovery. That is, sourdough croutons, when plunked into chicken noodle soup, add a whole new gastronomical dimension to the blandish (but delicious) medley.

It's your healing carbs and broth and poultry and veggies all wrapped up in one really good and really easy soup.

Rating: 3/4 assed (chopping)

Here's what you need and how you do it

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

6-8 cups chicken broth

1 cup dry pasta

Salt to taste

Lots of ground black pepper

Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Several slices sourdough bread, brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut bread into cubes, scatter over a cookie sheet and bake about 10 minutes, or until cubes are crisp.

Cook chicken breasts until no longer pink in the middle. In a stock pot, add olive oil, onion, carrot and celery and cook until vegetables are soft.

Add broth and bring to a low simmer. Chop or shred chicken. Add pasta, salt, pepper and chicken to broth and heat until pasta is done.

Garnish with croutons and parsley.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Gazpacho

We couldn't let the summer pass us by without posting a recipe for this kicky, healthy, Spanish soup. Before this weekend, we had never made it and were excited to give it a try. We found out: A) Dude, too much chopping, but B) So fresh and yummy.

There's no cooking required. You only need a sharp knife, cutting board and blender or food processor. Buy ingredients as fresh as you can get and use them soon after you get home (i.e. don't let them sit for a week before you remember them, as we're prone to do).

Serve this gazpacho cold, with bread and grilled chicken for a full, warm-weather supper.

Rating: 3/4 assed (it's the chopping that kills us)

Here's what you need and how you do it

5–6 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped

2 to 3 cups low sodium tomato juice

1/2 red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Fresh herbs like oregano and parsley, chopped

Salt, to taste (we used at least a couple teaspoons)

Ground black pepper, to taste

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (if you have it)

Hot sauce, to taste

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 avocado, peeled, sliced

Sour cream (optional)

Put everything from tomatoes to hot sauce in food processor or blender and whirl a few times. If you want your veggies chunkier, just pulsate a little.

Now you can refrigerate for several hours to let flavors blend, or just serve (like we did).

Garnish with cilantro, avocado and sour cream (we got this idea from The Pioneer Woman).

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Chilled corn and coconut soup

This recipe came to us from Martha Stewart, via our mother who, thinking we might like it, read it to us over the phone.

She knows us well. We love it. It takes only a handful of ingredients and mixes sweet corn with the snap of jalapeño. Kind of like a creamy corn bread.

Rating: Truly 1/2 assed (simple, but not ridiculously so)

Here's what you need and how you do it

3 cups corn (we used frozen)

1 14-ounce can coconut milk

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (for the love of God, wear rubber gloves while doing this)

2.5 cups water

1 teaspoon salt (or more depending on taste)

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Mix corn, coconut milk, jalapeño, water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil (stirring frequently). Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Pour into a blender and purée.

Chill at least 3 hours. (To be honest, we didn't bother chilling it. We served it tepid and it was good). Stir in lime juice and sprinkle black pepper over top before serving.

Garnish with corn kernels.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Crab bisque

Crab bisque--it sounds fancy. Much fancier than it really is. Granted, crab can be on the spensy side, but this uses Dungeness (or whichever kind of lump crabmeat you prefer) which is cheaper than King.

Our neighbor, who manages a handful of fishing boats here in Seattle, brought us about two cups of cooked, shelled crab, so this recipe was a no-brainer for us. We know most of you aren't so lucky, but if you can find crab on sale, bisque is worth a try.

This was our first attempt at bisque and we were thrilled with the results. We used rice milk instead of dairy, which leant the soup a sweetness that contrasted nicely with the bite of red pepper flakes. Whichever kind of milk you use, though, this is a creamy taste sensation.

Rating: Truly 1/2 half assed if the crab is shelled, 3/4 assed if you have to shell it yourself.

Here's what you need and how you do it

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 shallot, minced

4 cups milk (soy (unsweetened), dairy or rice)

1/3 cup flour

1 cup cream (or half-and-half or Silk Creamer)

1-1/2 to 2 cups cooked crab meat

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon Old Bay seasoning (or paprika)

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Black pepper to taste

Melt butter in large sauce pan. Add shallot and heat until shallot is just turning transparent.

Whisk flour into 1/2 cup of the milk. Add to butter and stir until mixed. Gradually add rest of milk, cream, crab meat, salt, Old Bay, nutmeg, thyme, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes on medium low, stirring often.

We served with sweet potato fries and steamed green beans.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Carrot ginger soup

This is our new favorite soup. We made it for the first time last night and couldn't stop raving about it (modest, aren't we?) This soup. This soup! It's an amazing combination of butter, white wine, lemon juice, carrots, lots and lots of ginger, and other things too.

It can be served hot or cold. It's zesty and complicated and comforting. And it's pretty inexpensive to make a big vat. The only drawback is that there's some chopping to be done. But it's worth it. It's WAY worth it.

Rating: 3/4 assed (because of the chopping and grating)

Here's what you need and how you do it

6 Tablespoons butter or margarine

1 large onion

1/4 cup fresh ginger, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 to 4 cups chicken or veggie stock

1 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup milk or cream (optional)

1 pound carrots (we used four big ones), peeled and chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon curry powder

Salt and black pepper to taste

Fresh parsley or chives for garnish

Melt butter in soup pot. Add onion, ginger and garlic and sauté for 15 to 20 minutes.

Add stock, wine, milk or cream (if using) and carrots. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered over medium heat until carrots are very tender (about 45 minutes).

Puree soup in a blender or food processor.

Season with lemon juice, curry powder, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley or chives. Serve hot or cold.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Mexican meatball soup

We somehow lived 40 deprived years before trying, in Southern California last week, Mexican meatball soup. It is otherwise known as Albondigas and is a light broth with veggies, rice and, of course, meatballs.

We came home to Seattle and started experimenting.

You can use store-bought, pre-made meatballs. We would've, except we had some extra time on our hands and wanted to make them from scratch (crazy, we know).

The following recipe assumes you're making them yourself, but feel free to cut as many corners as you can.

Here's what you need and how you do it

1 lb. ground beef, pork or dark turkey or chicken

3/4 cup flat-leaf parsley or cilantro

1/2 cup breadcrumbs

1 egg

6 cups chicken or beef broth

1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes

Olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 Tablespoon garlic, minced

2 carrots, chopped

1 green bell pepper, diced (optional)

Cumin, salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup rice (not quick-cooking)

Mix ground meat, parsley or cilantro, bread crumbs and egg in a large bowl. Make into walnut-sized balls and drop into skillet coated with olive oil. Brown over medium-high heat, turning once or twice to get all sides.

Meanwhile, sauté onions, garlic, carrots and bell pepper in olive oil in stock pot or large sauce pan. When vegetables are soft, add broth, tomatoes, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring to boiling, add rice. Bring to a boil again, then simmer over medium-high heat. Add meatballs to broth where they'll finish cooking.

Simmer until rice and meatballs are done.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.