Minestrone Love: Five Different Minestrone Soups for Souper (Soup, Salad, & Sammie) Sundays

I spent most of my Saturday helping out at a job fair for work and after an exhausting week, you guessed it, I wasn't in to spending time in the kitchen this weekend. So instead, I relaxed and caught up with my reading, and I bring you some minestrone soups I have loved.

Minestrone is a classic and can have so many variations. Wikipedia says, "Minestrone is a thick soup of Italian origin made with vegetables, often with the addition of pasta or rice, sometimes both. Common ingredients include beans, onions, celery, carrots, stock, croutons, and tomatoes."

Here are five of I ave featured on the blog:

This Farmer's Market Minestrone with White Beans is satisfying and summery:

My Middle Eastern Minestrone with Chickpeas and Israeli Couscous is an exotic take on the classic made special with One Flew Over the Couscous Nest spice from @thebookclubcookbook: 

A simple, healthy classic is Ellie Krieger's Family Favorite Minestrone: 

Back when I ate meat on the regular, I threw this Smoky Minestrone Soup together from my pantry and fridge:

And when I was eating vegan and lots of raw foods, I tried this no-cook Home-Style Minestrone, another good option for a hot summer day. 

Five different versions--all delicious!

Now let's see who is in the Souper Sundays kitchen this week.

Melynda from Scratch Made Food shared another three dishes this week. The first is a Avocado Caprese Salad. She says, "This is a bit off the path from the usual Caprese salad, but very much a delightful rendition. And because it is a freestyle salad, feel free to improvise as you wish, to please your family. This Avocado Caprese Salad makes a lovely starter to any summer meal, as well as a delicious main course."

Next is her Tuscan Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Oregano. She says, "With fresh tomato season ending soon, you too will want to make this salad. Like all cooks before me and everyone that will come after, I changed the process a bit. Made is easier on the cook...Oh and used what I currently have in the garden.....tender baby beet greens and swiss chard, from the garden."

Finally she shared her White Bean Soup with Cilantro Broth, saying it's "is perfect to enjoy just about anytime, but especially when you desire something fresh, frugal, and full of vegetables! With already cooked beans on hand, this easy delicious full meal soup comes together quickly!"

Tina of Squirrel Head Manor brought a cooling Tomato, Cucumber & Mozzarella Salad, saying, "Tomato, cucumber and mozzarella salad is just perfect for a hot summer dinner.  It's a quick and easy side dish, healthy ingredients and tasty too. I've been enjoying reading through this Jacques Pepin cookbook lately, staying inside and avoiding the high temperatures. This recipe was one I'd bookmarked awhile back,  no time like the present."

Judee of Gluten Free A-Z Blog shared Watermelon, Cucumber, Tomato, and Mint Salad and said, "When temperatures start to rise to over 90 degrees, you will welcome this refreshing watermelon, cucumber, and tomato salad seasoned with chopped scallions and freshly chopped mint-  it is sweet, savory and delicious. This revitalizing salad is perfect during hot and humid summer heat waves when the need to hydrate is so important, and you only feel like eating something light." 

Thanks to Judee, Tina and Melynda for joining me this week! 

(If you aren't familiar with Souper Sundays, you can read about of the origins of it here.
 

If you would like to join in Souper (Soup, Salad, and Sammie) Sundays, I would love to have you! Here's how...

To join in this week's Souper Sunday's linkup with your soup, salad or sandwich:

• Link up your soup (stew, chili, soupy curries, etc. are fine), salad, or sandwich dish, (preferably one from the current week or month--but we'll take older posts too) on the picture link below and leave a comment on this post so I am sure not to miss you. Also please see below for what to do on your blog post that you link up to Souper Sundays in order to be included in the weekly round-up.
• Although we are pretty wide on what defines a soup, sandwich or salad, entries that are clearly not in the same family (ie: desserts, meats, random main or side dishes that aren't salads, etc.) are meant for another round up and will be deleted. 

and 

On your entry post (on your blog):

• Mention Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammies) Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen and add a link back to this post. (Not to be a pain but it's polite and only fair to link back to events you link up at--so if you link a post up here without linking back to this post or my blog on your post, it will be removed.)
• You are welcome to add the Souper Sundays logo to your post and/or blog (completely optional).

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Have a happy, healthy week!

 

Morimoto's Hawaiian Poke-Style Tuna Rice Bowl (Tekka Don No Poke) from the "Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking" Cookbook {#JapaneseHomeCooking}

I am a huge Chef Morimoto fan from years back, ever since discovering him on the original Iron Chef on Food Network. I have spied him at the airport, eaten at his restaurant here and generally will watch anything he is on, including episodes Hawaii Five-O. So when I had the opportunity to take part in The Book Club Cookbook's Japanese Home Cooking Party and to review Morimoto's new cookbook, Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking, I immediately jumped on board.

Whether it be the skillful and detailed presentation or the often exotic and hard-to-find ingredients, Japanese cuisine has a reputation for being difficult to cook. In this new cookbook, Morimoto sets out to show the American home cook that Japanese dishes, especially recipes from Japanese home cooks, can be surprisingly easy to prepare. Having taken a few classes in Japanese home cooking and trying my hand at different dishes over the years, I agree and while I don't claim to be an expert and my dishes are often a mix of cuisines rather than authentic Japanese, I have found that it doesn't have to to scary to cook delicious Japanese dishes at home.

Still, it's nice to have such an expert guide in the kitchen and Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking is a cookbook that is useful, beautiful, and interesting to read. It is divided by category; Dashi (the basic soup stock, Gohan (rice), Supu (soups), Yaku (grilled, broiled or seared), Musu (steamed), Niru (simmered), Itame Ru (stir-fried), Men (noodles), Ageru (to fry), Ae Ru (dressings) and Tsukeru (pickled). It also starts off with Morimoto's thoughts about Japanese cooking and how to create a Japanese meal from the different recipes, and it includes a glossary of Japanese ingredients and sources to find them. 

The recipes are made up of classics--ones that are popular here in America, as well as dishes that are lesser-known here, and many recipes include the chef's clever spins that make the dishes fun. It's a beautiful book--almost every major recipe has a gorgeous color photo and an introduction from Morimoto about the dish. The recipe instructions are clear and there are even some "Japanese Grandmother Wisdom" notes included with tips and explanations sprinkled through the book. 

Having spent time in Japan for work years ago, reading it took me back to so many delicious meals I enjoyed. I found myself tabbing many of the recipes to make like Ohitashi (dashi-marinated kale), Furikake with Shrimp Shells and Potato Chips (I tend to buy my fuikake seasoning!), Chahan (Japanese-style fried rice), Asari No Miso Shiru (miso soup with clams), Tamago Supu (Japanese egg drop soup), Sake Shioyaki (salt-grilled salmon), Sakana No Sakamushi (fish steamed in kombu with spicy soy sauce), Oden (Japanese-style hot pot with sesame aioli), Kinpira (stir-fried parsnip and carrot), Zaru Udon (chilled udon noodles with scallions and ginger), Kaki Age (shrimp and vegetable fritters), Ingen No Goma Ae (green beans with sesame dressing) and Tataki Kyuri (smashed cucumber pickles).  
 
Even with all of the choices, it was not hard for me to decide on a dish to try out this fabulous cookbook for the #JapaneseHomeCooking event--it just had to be the Tekka Don No Poke or Hawaiian Poke-Style Rice Bowl. I live in Hawaii and love poke, so it had to be made!

Morimoto says, "Once you secure sushi-grade tuna, this meal in a bowl takes almost no effort to make. I upgrade the typical tekka don--sliced raw tuna, often briefly marinated in soy sauce--by merging it with the Hawaiian dish tuna poke (pronounced PO-kay) which I fell for while opening my restaurant in Waikiki. The cubes of luscious crimson fish dressed with a little salt, sugar, and spice taste great over wonderfully plain white rice or less traditional but no less delicious sushi rice."

Tekka Don No Poke or Hawaiian Poke-Style Rice Bowl
Adapted from Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking by Morimoto
(Serves 4)

1/4 cup Japanese soy sauce
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp mirin (sweet rice wine)
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 to 2 tsp tobanjan (chile bean sauce) preferably a Japanese brand
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 lb sushi-grade tuna, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 medium Haas avocado, peeled and pitted, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 cups cooked short-grain white rice or cooked vinegared short-grain white rice
1 nori seaweed sheet
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh shiso leaves (also called Japanese mint or perilla) or scallion greens (I used fresh mint and scallions)
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, tobanjan, and sugar in a medium mixing bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the tuna and avocado to the bowl, toss well, and set aside to marinate for a few minutes but no more than 5 minutes.

Divide the rice among 4 wide bowls. Top each bowl with the tuna and avocado, leaving the sauce behind. Then drizzle the sauce over the tuna and avocado. Tear the nori into small pieces and scatter some over each bowl; top with the shiso and sesame seeds. Eat right away.

Notes/Results: This was a delicious poke-style bowl--a great combination of flavors and textures and just enough spice to make it interesting. As Morimoto stated, it is quick to put togethe--once you have your rice cooked and tuna secured. With the exception of picking up the fresh ahi tuna and an avocado, I had most of the rest of the ingredients in my pantry. I was bummed that although I can usually find fresh shiso leaves at my neighborhood grocery store, of course the moment I wanted them for this recipe there were none to had at any nearby store. I made do with a combination of some fresh mint leaves and green onion. The tobanjan or Japanese chile bean sauce is pretty spicy but I used 1 1/2 tsps (the recipe called for 1 to 2 tsps) and only marinated the tuna in it, figuring that it is was too spicy, the avocado chunks and rice would cool things down--and they did nicely. I was extremely happy with this delicious meal-in-a-bowl and I will happily make it again.  

  
You can see the recipes and cookbook reviews from the other nine bloggers participating in the Japanese Home Cooking Party on the Book Club Cookbook website.

#JapaneseHome Cooking Blog Party

Social Media Links:
Connect with Book Club Cookbook: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram
Connect with Harper Collins/Ecco Books: Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram  
Connect with Iron Chef Morimoto:  Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Note: A review copy of "Mastering the Art of Japanese Cooking" was provided to me by the publisher and The Book Club Cookbook in return for a fair and honest review. I was not compensated for this review and as always my thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Mastering the Art of Japanese Home Cooking is my fourteenth foodie book entry for the Foodies Read 2016 event. You can check out the November Foodies Read linkup, hosted by Heather at Based on a True Story, to see what everyone is reading this month. 

Zucchini-and-Mint Gazpacho with Radish Salsa: One Last Cold Summer Soup for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

I had planned on making a hot soup this week since I have been on such a cold soup kick lately. Then I stumbled across this Zucchini-and-Mint Gazpacho in the September 2012 issue of Coastal Living magazine. It was just so pretty and fresh-looking and a great way to use up late-summer produce. It's good to finish out August with something cool and refreshing.

Zucchini-and-Mint Gazpacho with Radish Salsa

Aran Goyoaga, Coastal Living, September 2012 

(Makes 6 Servings)

Prep: 15 Minutes / Chill: 1 Hour

1 lb zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and sliced 

1/3 cup sliced green onions

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 slice gluten-free bread, torn into pieces

1 tsp fine sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup olive oil, divided

1/2 cup finely chopped radish

1 Tbsp finely chopped red onion

1 Tbsp finely chopped chives

1 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro

optional garnishes: fresh chives and parsley flowers

Combine the first 8 ingredients with 3 tablespoons oil and 3/4 cup water in a blender; puree until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Combine radish and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, tossing to coat. Pour gazpacho into bowls, and top evenly with radish salsa. Garnish, if desired 

Notes/Results: This is a great little soup--simple to make and full of layers of delicious flavor. The radish, onion and herb salsa adds a nice little contrast in texture too. I didn't have gluten-free bread on hand so I just used a piece of sourdough and it worked just fine. I didn't have any chives or parsley that had gone to flower, but I think the contrast of color between the soup and salsa topping is quite pretty on it's own. I liked this soup a lot and would make it again.

It's a summer slowdown and very quiet here in the Souper Sunday kitchen this week, but I can always count on Janet from The Taste Space to join in. She is here with a pretty purple Blueberry, Lentil and Walnut Spinach Salad and she says, "I first tried tarragon last year and since discovered it is an easy-to-grow perennial. Tarragon has a subtle anise flavour that I like, even though I don’t like licorice. Here, I pair it with blueberries in a delicious dressing sweetened by dates. Coconut-sauteed onions make this a luscious dressing with a hint of citrus from the lemon.Wanting a hearty main-course salad, I paired it with French du Puy lentils and spinach. Toasted walnuts add a satisfactory crunch and fresh blueberries provide bursts of sweetness. Definitely one of my favourite salads, to date, I feel like this is definitely the summer of salads!"

 

Thanks to Janet for keeping me company this Sunday. If you have a soup, salad or sandwich that you would like to share, just click on the Souper Sundays logo on the side bar for all of the details.

Have a happy, healthy week!