Parsnip-Leek Soup

This soup is Vegan / Plant-Based and Gluten-Free.

INGREDIENTS:

• Vegetable Oil
• 1 large leek (sliced fairly thin)
• a generous pinch or two of salt
• 1 teaspoon of Black Pepper
• 1 heaping teaspoon of Minced Garlic
• 1 box (4 cups) of Vegetable Broth
• 2 cups of Water
• 1 pound of Parsnips (chopped)
• fresh Rosemary (~2 Tablespoons, chopped)
• fresh Sage (just a few leaves, chopped)

PROCEDURE:

1. In a medium pot -- saute the leeks in some oil, along with the garlic, salt, and pepper until the leeks are soft and smell delicious (maybe about 5 -10 minutes?).
2. Pour in the broth and water, and dump in the rest of the ingredients (parsnips, rosemary, and sage).
3. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer (covered) for 20 minutes (or until the parsnips are soft enough to mash).
4. Puree the soup using either a stick blender or by transferring the soup (in batches if necessary) to a regular blender.
5. If needed, adjust the spices to your liking -- then enjoy!

This post is an original recipe that I created from scratch.

My goal is to share my love of food simply -- without all the fluff (unless it's Marshmallow Fluff!), long winded stories, excessive and repetitive photos, or incessant rambling that I see on other blogs.  I personally tend to skip over all that, just scrolling straight to the bottom in hopes of finding the recipe right away.  Therefore, I hope you appreciate the brevity above.

** You'll also never find ads here. **

If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below or
contact me directly using the form near the top of the right-hand column.

Around the World in Foodventures (Chile: PASTEL DE CHOCLO)

When I read that the national dish of Chile is Curanto, "a stew that...consists of every meat and seafood ingredient imaginable," it just didn't grab me.  There's nothing bad about it (don't get me wrong!) -- it's just that the really large amount of different meats and seafood seemed like a lot, and also, it sort of felt too similar to something like a traditional New England Clambake to be....adventurous?  So, I searched on and found Pastel de Choclo, which is sometimes also said to be a national dish of Chile, but even if it's not officially is in any case traditional and popular. 

I browsed a lot of Pastel de Choclo recipes, because I couldn't believe the odd mix of ingredients I was seeing (beef, corn, olives, raisins, hard-boiled eggs, and sugar) -- but soon realized that it was for real.  The strange melange combines to become what amounts to a Shepherd's Pie of sorts, and it's quite tasty:

Some recipes call for chicken in addition to the ground beef; some don't.  I decided to omit that particular component, even though the recipe I settled on did list it.  Here's what I followed: https://www.thespruceeats.com/pastel-de-choclo-beef-corn-casserole-3029546.

The sweetness in this rustic plate is really nice.  You should try it.

This post is part of my project: "Around the World in Foodventures" (I decided I want to expand my culinary horizons even further by making the national dish or a popular recipe, or some signature food or traditional meal from every country in the world. Maybe it'll happen alphabetically, or by region, in random order, or something else. I figure if we can't (yet?) travel everywhere, we at least have the luxury of being able to taste it. It’ll be fun and interesting, but obviously, will take a long time to get through -- as I'll only be doing it once a week or so at most. I am chronicling the journey here.)

“If I’m an advocate of anything, it’s to move…Walk in someone else’s shoes or at least eat their food.” --Tony Bourdain

Creamy Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup

This soup is neither Vegan / Plant-Based, nor Gluten-Free -- but can be made
so by using Vegetable Stock in place of the Chicken Stock, and Corn Starch in
place of the Flour.  (Though, any liquid swap out will affect the flavor somewhat.)

INGREDIENTS:

• One 4.5-ounce package of Carolina Long Grain & Wild Rice with Seasonings (or some equivalent amount with or without spices added) 
• One box (~4 cups) of Chicken Broth
• One bunch of Scallions (chopped)
• 1/2 cup of Heavy Cream
• 1/2 cup of Milk
• 2 Tablespoons of All-Purpose Flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon Dried Thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1/8-1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)
• 1.5 cups of sliced (Button or Baby Bella) Mushrooms
• 1 Tablespoon of Brandy

PROCEDURE:

1. Put the chicken stock and rice into a medium pot, bring it to a boil, then simmer (covered) for about 15 minutes.
2. Add the scallions and cook for 10 more minutes or until the rice is tender.
3. Mix together the flour, all the spices, the cream, and the milk -- then add this mixture to the pan along with the mushrooms.  Bring the heat back up to medium-high, and stir until it begins boiling again.
4. Reduce the heat back down to a simmer, add the brandy, and cook on low until the mushrooms are done (about 10 more minutes). 
5. You'll get 3 - 4 good size bowls of soup when done.

This post is an original recipe that I created from scratch.

My goal is to share my love of food simply -- without all the fluff (unless it's Marshmallow Fluff!), long winded stories, excessive and repetitive photos, or incessant rambling that I see on other blogs.  I personally tend to skip over all that, just scrolling straight to the bottom in hopes of finding the recipe right away.  Therefore, I hope you appreciate the brevity above.

** You'll also never find ads here. **

If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below or

contact me directly using the form near the top of the right-hand column.

Chipotle Sweet Potato Soup with Roasted Red Peppers

This soup Vegan / Plant-Based, Gluten-Free, and spicy!
If you want to tone down the hot, feel free to add some
cream, but then obviously it won't be vegan anymore.
Another option would be to use fewer Chipotle peppers.

INGREDIENTS:

• Vegetable Oil of your choice 
• 1 teaspoon of Kosher Salt 
• 1 teaspoon of Ground Black Pepper 
• 1/2 of a Yellow Onion (chopped) 
• 2 stalks of Celery (chopped) 
• 1 large Carrot (chopped) 
• 2 heaping teaspoons Minced Garlic 
• 3 very large Sweet Potatoes (chopped) 
• 8-ounces of jarred Roasted Red Peppers 
• 3 Chipotles in Adobo (chopped) 
• One 32-ounce box of Vegetable Stock 
• Water 
• 1/2 cup of Maple Syrup
  

PROCEDURE:

1. In a big soup pot -- sauté the onion, celery, and carrot, with the Salt and Pepper, in a few Tablespoons of oil until things start to look translucent and soft. Add the garlic towards the end. 
2. Once the garlic cooks for a couple of minutes, add the sweet potatoes, roasted red peppers, chipotles, vegetable stock, and enough water to cover everything (in my case, this was another 32-ounces...I used the veggie stock box to measure).
3.  Bring it to a boil and cook for 20 - 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are mushy.
4.  Add the maple syrup, and then carefully puree everything together (either using a stick blender right in the pot, or by transferring it in batches to a regular, counter-top blender).
5.  Enjoy as-is if you like spicy food, or swirl some cream into your bowl if you'd prefer to mellow it out.

This post is an original recipe that I created from scratch.

My goal is to share my love of food simply -- without all the fluff (unless it's Marshmallow Fluff!), long winded stories, excessive and repetitive photos, or incessant rambling that I see on other blogs.  I personally tend to skip over all that, just scrolling straight to the bottom in hopes of finding the recipe right away.  Therefore, I hope you appreciate the brevity above.

** You'll also never find ads here. **

If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below or

contact me directly using the form near the top of the right-hand column.