Spicy Beef Soup

It was the Super Bowl weekend and the Hubby made it quite clear that real men do not eat soup on this occasion.  But I am not a real man.  I am a woman on a soup mission, so my project was beef Soup.

Ingredients

• 1 lb beef stewing bones
•  1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 large onion diced
• 3 cloves of garlic sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large carrot diced
• 1/2 tsp fresh thyme
• 1 scallion diced
• 1 scotch bonnet or habanero pepper
• dash ground allspice
• 2 cups beef broth
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 lb yam
• 3 medium potatoes
• 1 pack Grace cock soup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cup flour (for dumpling)
• 1/4 cup water for dumplings

In a large pot heat the oil over medium/high heat, then add the beef.  Allow that to brown for about 5 minutes, then add the onion and garlic.

Let it cook another 3 minutes or so, then add the thyme, black pepper, ground allspice, salt, scallion and carrot pieces.

Top with the beef broth and 4 cups of water and add the scotch bonnet pepper (whole).  Bring that up to a boil, then cover and lower the heat to a gentle simmer.

This will cook for about 1 hour to get the pieces of meat to be tender.  While this cooks, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Peel and cut the potato and yam. Give them a rinse under cool water and then place them in a bowl where they can all fit. Top that with water so it doesn’t go discolored.

After 1 hour, add the potato and yam. The next step is to add the Grace Cock Soup mix into the pot and bring this up to a gentle boil (covered). Allow this to cook for about 20 minutes.

In a medium size bowl, put the flour and a dash of sugar (optional) and start with 1/4 cup water.  Knead and work the flour until it forms a crude ball. Add water accordingly as you knead the dough. You need a somewhat firm dough ball. Allow that to rest for about 5 minutes.   Pinch off small pieces of dough and using the palms of both hands work that to form the shape of a cigarette.After you’ve added all the dumplings, give it a good stir to ensure all the dumplings are covered by liquid. Allow this to cook for about 5 minutes, then you’re done. Add a bit of butter to the pot. Feel free to fish the whole pepper out of the pot, or if you want that true Caribbean flavour, burst it open to release the Sizzle!

Yum!

Avocado Soup

Oh baby it's cold outside! It is a snow day in Toronto today therefore I thought it was the perfect opportunity to make (what else?) soup.  The recipe for the day is Avocado Soup.

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 Very ripe, large Haas avocado
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Heat the chicken broth until hot, not boiling. Set aside.

Peel the avocado and remove the seed. Cut into several pieces, place in the food processor or blender, and purée. Turn off the blender and pour in the whipping cream, followed by the hot chicken broth, cumin, salt, white pepper, sherry and lemon juice. Pulse a few times, just until mixture is blended. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired.

Serve immediately, or chill for at least two hours and serve.

This soup was nicely paired with a Black Rasberry Merlot.

Red Pea Soup With Spinners

In Jamaica, where red kidney beans are called red peas, this piquant soup. Whole scallions, thyme branches, and fiery Scotch bonnet peppers (available in well-stocked supermarkets and Caribbean grocery stores) simmered in the broth give it its spicy island flair.

Ingredients

• 3 cups of kidney beans, soaked overnight in water or 2 tins of canned beans
• 5 cups of water
• 2 regular onions
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 teaspoons of dried thyme 
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 fresh scotch bonnet
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 cup potatoes
• 2 cup yam
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• (optional simmering pork)
• Flour, water and a pinch of salt to make dough for spinners

If you are using fresh, dried kidney beans then soak them in water overnight. Place the beans (including the water they were stored / soaked in) in a large saucepan and add the water. If you are using meat then add the meat at this stage too. Let simmer for one hour.

Chop the hot pepper, garlic, potatoes, onions, scallion, yam, potato and carrots in to small pieces.

Mix flour and a pinch of salt with water until it has the consistency of dough. Pinch off a small amount of the dough and roll it in your hands to make a "spinner". Add the spinner to the pot, repeat until you run out of dough.
Add the rest of the ingredients. Let simmer for one more hour.

Since I included beef in this soup, I paired it with a South African shiraz called Obikawa.  It is a fruity, spicy Shiraz that went so well with this dish.

Butternut Squash Soup

My first soup for the year.  Butternut Squash Soup.  This is a spicy soup, however the sweet potato adds a nice contrast to the taste.  I didn't have sprigs of thyme so I used powdered thyme instead.  Obviously I will have to visit more multi-cultural stores for unique seasonings.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter (25 ml)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 carrot, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• fresh scotch bonnet chile or chipotle chile
• 5 cups of water
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 pound Butternut squash ( about 4 cups chopped )
• 1 cup sweet potato
• 1 1/2 pack GRACE Cock Flavored Soup
• juice of ½ lime
• 1/2 cup coconut milk, optional ( 125 ml)

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat butter and olive oil on medium high. Add shallots, green onions, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté until soft and just golden.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except lime and cream. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered for about 45 minutes or until squash and yam is tender.
3. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Return to medium heat and bring to boil.
4. Add the Grace Cock Soup, lime and coconut milk and simmer for a few minutes, just to develop flavour.