Mirepoix: red onion, celery, organic carrot, fresh garlic. Ham, egg, red and green bell pepper, corn, cream corn, corn starch, ginger, lemon ginger burst juice, black pepper.
Another one of those, “why the heck not” soups–hadn’t heard of protein in an egg drop soup before, so had to try it. Turned out pretty pleasant.
Mirepoix: yellow onion, celery, red bell pepper. Bacon, kale, bok choy, yogurt, extra onion, ginger, cayenne pepper, coriander, cumin, lemon/ginger juice.
So this train derailed–it was originally headed toward saag station, and just never got thick/mushy/creamy enough. But the pureed kale really infused the stock wonderfully, so I just threw in some bok choy too and called it a day.
Mirepoix: red onion, celery, carrot. Roasted cauliflower, quinoa, raisin, half and half, coconut milk, coconut flakes, curry powder, ginger.
This was a fun one, jam packed with pureed and chunks of cauliflower.
“I prefer men to cauliflowers.” Virginia Woolf
Mirepoix: Onion, celery, bell pepper. Lotus root, chicken, eggplant, various types of shrooms, rice thread noodle, bonito flakes, vinegar, salt, sugar, diced fresh ginger, basil, lime leaf, Japanese curry nabe mix, corn starch.
Martin goes to Asia on this New Year’s Day soup. I love the use of bonito flakes.
“The lotus flower blooms most beautifully from the deepest and thickest mud.” Buddhist proverb
Mirepoix: yellow onion, fresh garlic, celery, poblano pepper. Ground beef, flank steak, asparagus, coconut milk, coconut flakes, fish sauce, ramen noodle, ginger, curry powder, cinnamon.
Sort of an Asian feel.
“I expect more people from China and Asia to end up in the NBA.” Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Mirepoix: yellow onion, red bell pepper, celery. Chicken thigh, freshly grated ginger, corn, mini-elbow macaroni, milk, honey mustard, parsley.
“Any administration foolish enough to call ketchup a vegetable cannot be expected to cut the honey mustard.” John Glenn, misquoted.
Carrot, onion, long-grain rice, basil, vegetable, bonito flakes, rice wine vinegar, sugar, white vinegar, soy sauce, ginger
Martin’s Trifecta Part I
I was out this week, and there was heavy customer flow, so Martin made three soups this day. Can’t say how they tasted, but the use of bonito flakes is fabulous.
Chicken, corn, zucchini, egg noodle, poblano pepper, ginger, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, sambal oelek, fish sauce.
Fun mix of Asia and the Occident. Funny how that word isn’t used anymore. Languages change. The Ukraine is now Ukraine, while Gambia is now The Gambia.
“‘Meow’ means ‘woof’ in cat.” George Carlin
Standard mirepoix plus fennel. Ground Turkey, trumpet royale mushroom, maitake frondosa mushroom, crimini mushroom, rice noodle, oyster sauce, teriyaki sauce, ginger, garlic, sugar, sesame oil, lime juice
“I live absolutely like an oyster.” Gustave Flaubert. I guess he’s making pearls.
Mirepoix: red onion, carrot, celery. Ground turkey, asparagus, Thai chantaboon rice stick, dates, basil, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, turmeric, ginger
Rice noodles–yum.
Mirepoix: yellow onion, celery. Ground turkey, sauteed crimini shrooms, straw shrooms, broccoli, black beans, tomato, hoisin sauce, garlic, turmeric, ginger, Thai basil, sugar, fish sauce.
Not gonna say anything about those straw mushrooms.
“The honorable and upright man keeps well away from both the slaughterhouse and the kitchen. And he allows no knives on his table.” Confucius
Mirepoix: yellow onion, celery, poblano pepper. Green beans, broccoli, red bell pepper, sesame ginger marinade, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, plum sauce, sesame oil.
Great combo. The plum sauce really set this off.
“What is more mortifying than to feel you have missed the plum for want of courage to shake the tree?” Logan Pearsall Smith
Mirepoix: yellow onion, celery. Thick cut bacon, white shroom, red and white potato, milk, peach, mango, mashed potato mix, turmeric, ginger, garlic.
Whoo boy this was good fun–just a touch of sweetness from the fruit. Huzzah! Forth Eorlingas!
“Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?
I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach.
I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each.” T.S. Eliot
Mirepoix: yellow onion, green bell pepper, celery. Ham, portabella shrooms, zucchini, elbow noodles, ginger, garlic.
Martin was away on business, so I made two today. Wish we had fresh ginger. Still, even zombies would have liked this. And speaking of Ginger….
Mirepoix: yellow onion, green bell pepper, celery. Top round steak, strip steak, potato, cauliflower, worcestershire sauce, sour cream, flour, ginger-turmeric milk, curry powder, coriander, cumin, ginger, turmeric, garlic.
Now I think of it, should have added lentils thus making it dal. Oh well.
“My best India v Pakistan moment is from our first match in the ICC World 2007, which was a tie.” Virender Sehwag
Mirepoix: yellow onion, carrot, celery, chive, sesame oil. Chorizo, kale, seto fumi furikake (Japanese mixed seasoning), fish sauce, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar.
The kale (and the chard used in the previous soup) were donated by a local pea patch–fresh, green, and crunchy.
I miss Japan:
Mirepoix: yellow onion, carrot, celery, chive, sesame oil. Weisswurst, chard, poblano pepper, sweet and sour sauce, fish sauce, ginger, soy sauce, rice vinegar.
Michele is still in Bali, so I made two soups today, both cultural cross-oddities. This has the sturm und drang of German sausage, plus the flavorings of China. A Sino-German wedding. Tang Valkyries sang for it.
Mirepoix: yellow onion, green and red bell pepper, carrot (sweated in ghee). Tenderloin, ribeye, potato, garlic scape, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, rice vinegar.
Nikujaga is a great, down-home simple dish of meat and potatoes, something I enjoyed often in Tokyo. This is my homage.
Mirepoix: yellow onion, carrot, garlic scape. Cod (and lots of it), roasted cauliflower, asparagus, potato, milk, potato starch, ginger, garlic, dill, red pepper flakes.
Hooboy I love chowder. This one turned out well, although some coconut milk would have been fun to add.
” The sea was angry that day, my friends – like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli”. George Costanza
Mirepoix: yellow onion, carrot, bok choy. Brussels sprouts, zucchini, carrot, soy sauce, cumin, ginger, coriander, garlic, parsley.
Outside the temperature was in the upper 80s. Nothing horrible, but down in the nunnery dungeon it got a bit sweltery.
Made 8/7/18
Mirepoix: yellow onion, red bell pepper, carrot. Rotisserie chicken, canned chicken, zucchini, leek, broccoli, portobello mushroom, hondashi, garlic, Lemon Good Health Vinegar, fresh ginger, fresh basil, soy sauce.
Never start a land war in Asia.
Fresh ginger was the key. Not too bad.
Was pretty sweaty in the kitchen. Had to bring out portable fans to combat the sultry atmosphere.
Made 8/8/18
Mirepoix: white onion, celery, poblano pepper. Chicken, mushroom, potato, hondashi, fresh ginger, rice wine vinegar, garlic.
“Ask not what the soup can do for you, but what you can do for your soup”. One of the few times rice wine vinegar was available, so in it went. The fresh ginger made all the difference.
Made 9/11/18
Mirepoix: yellow onion, parsnip, celery, carrot, leek. Beef, lamb, roasted cauliflower, potato, radish, figs, lemon zest and juice, lime juice, Thai basil, fresh mint, turmeric, ginger, garlic.
Oh my gentle Jesus we have an additional soupmaker, my buddy Martin, who made this extravaganza. I love the use of figs, to give a little sweetness, and mint, to give brightness (and paired with lamb–genius). Great soup.
Martin will be guest-starring in the future. Can’t wait to see what he’ll make.
Made 5/1/19
Mirepoix: leek, yellow onion, orange and red bell pepper, celery, funky-colored carrot. Zucchini, salumeria pepperoni salsiccia, pear, spinach noodles, minced garlic, basil, ginger, parsley flakes.
Chinese spinach noodles–had to use them. Still unsure if dry, hard Italian sausage is a great thing to put in a soup, but it was the protein available, so in it went.
Made 4/30/19
Mirepoix: leek, carrot, read and green bell pepper. Potato, mashed potato, orange zest, leek tops, pre-cooked chicken, spring onion, milk, butter, turmeric, ginger, minced garlic, dill, red pepper flakes.
Level 3 of The Inferno.
Turmeric gives such a great color.
Made 4/23/19
Mirepoix: yellow and red onion, red and green bell pepper. Cauliflower, zucchini, penne, green onion, fish sauce, sushi ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes.
Gari, ie sushi ginger, was there on the ingredient shelf. So in it went, added to the mirepoix and pureed. It contributed both acid and ginger flavor. Clients liked it.
An old pond. A frog jumps in. The sound of water.
Made 3/26/19
Mirepoix: yellow onion, green bell pepper, celery, parsley. Potato, Napa cabbage, mushroom, almond butter, butter, milk, flour, turmeric, ginger, green curry paste, fish sauce, cinnamon, sugar, red pepper flake.
I’d never heard of someone using almond butter in a soup, so in it went. Not any weirder than peanut butter.
Made 4/9/19
Mirepoix: red onion, orange and green bell pepper, carrot. Sushi ginger, zucchini, morel mushrooms, celery, extra carrot, portobello mushroom, ramen noodles, teriyaki marinade, ginger, garlic, Better Than Bouillon, sugar, chive.
We’ve received a buttload of teriyaki sauce, so figured should make something of it. And I love ramen.
Made 4/2/19
Mirepoix: red onion, celery, red and green bell pepper. Corn, potato, prepared mashed potato, milk, fried onion, ginger, turmeric, garlic.
If you’re wondering why some of my soups don’t look quite done, it’s because they will be reheated the following day and finished then. We shoot for about 80% completed on the day we cook.
Made 3/20/19
Standard mirepoix. Roasted zucchini, turnip, portobello shrooms, red bell pepper, lentil, yogurt, honey, cumin, curry powder, ginger, turmeric, coriander, garlic, cinnamon.
Added cumin and garlic to the mirepoix.
Was aiming at a tikka masala soup, but that train derailed. Oh well.
Made 3/13/19
Mirepoix: yellow onion, celery, yellow and green bell pepper, carrot. Hot chicken sausage, black beans, pinto beans, diced tomato, zucchini, caramelized onion, mango salsa, teriyaki sauce, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, garlic.
Made 3/6/19
Mirepoix: yellow onion, yellow bell pepper, parsnip, garlic. Tomato, Mole Salami from Salumi, calrose rice, tomato sauce, milk, ginger, turmeric, truffle pesto, worcesterhire sauce.
The truffle pesto was powerful. Powerful like bull. After testing just a bit of it, the flavor was with me for a couple hours. Didn’t need to use too much.
After sweating the mirepoix, I added water, some bouillon, and rice. Once the rice was cooked, I pureed the mixture. Gave the soup a nice silkiness. Fun had by all.
Made 2/27/19
Mirepoix: onion, parsnip. Red bell pepper, eggplant, purple kale, broccoli, Harissa (Moroccan green pepper sauce), cumin, oregano, ginger, garlic.
The Harissa really had a kick to it.
Made 2/20/19
Mirepoix: yellow onion, green bell pepper, carrot. Breakfast sausage, kale, broccoli, asparagus, chili paste (sambal oelek), ginger, turmeric, garlic, sugar.
Breakfast sausage was the only protein available, so in it went. A bit odd, maybe, but I dig odd.
Made 2/19/19
Mirepoix: yellow onion, celery, carrot, red bell pepper. Chicken sausage, pork sausage, roasted cauliflower, extra carrot and celery, spring onion, triple garlic teriyaki sauce, ginger, garlic.
Had never heard of “triple garlic teriyaki sauce”, so of course had to use it. Yum.
Made 2/6/19
Mirepoix: carrot, onion, bell pepper. Roasted zucchini, roasted mushroom, coconut milk, sweet coconut flakes, rice, fish sauce, garlic, dried and fresh basil, ginger, curry powder.
Fish sauce opened up again in my backpack, even though I had wrapped the top with saran wrap. Had to throw it into the wash machine again.
Made 1/22/19
Mirepoix: red onion, carrot, celery. White fish, roasted eggplant, mushrooms, red and green bell pepper, potato, milk, turmeric-ginger milk, thyme, dill, turmeric, ginger, garlic.
I think I’ve mentioned it before, but sometimes we get some pretty whacky donations. Simply had to use that turmeric-ginger milk.
1/15/19
Standard mirepoix. Asparagus, roasted cauliflower, tofu, fish sauce, ginger, turmeric, garlic, soy sauce.
I’ve been bringing in fish sauce–gives soup such a great umami bottom. Problem is that the top of the bottle doesn’t like to stay securely on. Had to wash my backpack because it reeked so bad.
Made 1/9/19
Standard mirepoix. Beef, asparagus, red bell pepper, fried garlic, ginger, miso salad dressing, sesame oil.
Salad dressing? Heck, why not. At times cooking for a food bank resembles a pantry raid.
Made New Year’s Day 2019
Mirepoix: yellow onion, celery, parsnip, carrot. Roasted cauliflower, roasted carrot, potato, cumin, coriander, ginger, garlic, turmeric.
Well, sort of a dal.
Totally cool to have parsnips. We get them rarely.
Made 12/5/18
Regular mirepoix. Portobello mushrooms, crimini mushrooms, turmeric-ginger milk, whipping cream, potato, hominy, carrot, corn, ginger
Happy Halloween!
Another situation where I thought, “what the hades is this?” It was milk laced with turmeric and ginger. Too weird to pass up. Wish we had more fresh ginger, but as I’ve said before, we are at the mercy of our donors.
Made 10/31/18
Regular mirepoix. White fish (the package had no label–maybe it was cod), eggplant, yellow bell pepper, carrot, fish sauce, lime juice, sriracha, fresh lemon thyme, fresh Thai basil, ginger, paprika, garlic, cinnamon, chive.
Made 10/17/18
Soup Kitchen Recipes 