Pasta & Bean Soup with Smoked Fish for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays

I found the recipe for this week's soup in a newsletter for Vital Choice Seafood from which I have ordered wild salmon and other seafood. I saw this recipe for Pasta & Bean Soup with Smoked Fish, a different take on a pasta e fagioli, and thought it sounded interesting. The recipe uses smoked sablefish but says that you can substitute with salmon or other smoked fish so with a trip to Whole Foods fish counter, I ended up with some smoked black cod and some local smoked swordfish. Served with a slice of pan con tomate or grilled bred rubbed with garlic and tomato it was a delicious dinner.

Pasta/Bean Soup with Smoked Fish
From Vital Choice Seafood, adapted from a recipe by J.M. Hirsch. 
(Makes 4 servings)

3 Tbsps organic extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp organic cayenne pepper
Leaves from one sprig fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp chopped organic rosemary)
1 large yellow onion, diced
15-ounce can navy beans, drained
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups ditalini (or other small) pasta
8 ounces (2 fillet portions) smoked fish like sablefish, salmon or swordfish
Sea salt and organic black pepper, to taste

Heat a large saucepan to medium, and add the oil, garlic, cayenne, rosemary leaves, and onion. Sauté onion about 8 minutes (do not burn). Add the beans and broth, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer half of the soup to a blender or food processor. Pulse until the soup is chunky smooth, return to the saucepan and stir well. Add the pasta and return the soup to a simmer. Break the fish into bite-size chunks, discarding any bones. Add the fish to the soup and simmer until the pasta is cooked and the fish is heated through, about 5 minutes.

Notes/Results: Good. This is a very rich, thick and slightly decadent soup with a slight kick from the cayenne pepper and a smokiness from the smoked fish. For my soup, I ended up pureeing one can of navy beans and then adding an additional can when I put in the pasta. I couldn't find the ditalini pasta anywhere so I used some mini "wagon wheels" instead. I also added the juice of one lemon to add a bit of acidity to the soup. Although it is so rich, I wouldn't eat this soup often, I would make it again. 

The pan con tomate or tomato bread was the perfect pairing with the soup. Just brush a piece of good bread with a little olive oil and grill it on both sides. Then rub the cut end of a garlic clove all over the bread and then the cut side of a tomato (or if you are like me and only have little baby roma tomatoes, you can pulverize them in your mini-chop and spread it on the bread). Finally drizzle a bit more olive oil on the bread and sprinkle with a little sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Let's see who is in the Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays Kitchen this week:

Graiziana from Erbe in Cucina went with an Indian favorite this week. She says, "Daal is one of my favourite indian dishes: it's a legume spiced soup made with every kind (and colour!) of lentils. I tried Madhuram's Zucchini Daal from the blog Madhuram's Eggless Cooking, that uses also zucchini and black mustard. Madhuram uses cooked Toor Dal, in my recipe you will also find the direction to cook it."

Looking for the perfect lettuce wraps gave Alisa of One Frugal Foodie this gorgeous Creamy Thai Tomato Soup. Alisa says, "I decided to go with a different inspiration, one with a tomato-y base. I used a recipe as my general guide, and all seemed to be going well, until I added the coconut milk. Way, way too much. The seasonings were so diluted in the sauce that I knew the remaining chunks of veggies and meat wouldn’t be flavorful enough on their own. I was about to give in, serve them in the lettuce wraps, and chalk it up as another mediocre attempt when something compelled me to just give the sauce a little taste to see if it was worth salvaging in some other way. IT WAS DELICIOUS. I seriously impressed myself. Not wanting to waste a drop, I added more light coconut milk and served it up as a chunky soup / stew. We licked our bowls clean within mere minutes."

Kait from Pots and Plots says, "When I called for inspiration last week on what I could do with leftover tomato paste, my Twitter pal Mamastephf was kind enough to send her recipe for White Bean-Turkey Chili. It sounded divine and pretty light, so of course I had to make it. I did make a few changes based on what I had on hand and adapted it to the crock pot for Thoughtless Thursday. The end result? Big yum! So this was definitely a recipe I have to share for Souper Sunday over at Kahakai Kitchen."

Welcome to Libby from Cooking with Libby, joining us for the first time with her Libby's Homemade Chicken Soup. She says, "For the past few days, everyone in my family has been sick. Either we have caught some kind of cold virus or we all decided to come down with sinus infections at the same time. In any event, this soup was on my list of things to make...so I made it last night...sore throat and all. I don't regret making it because the moment I started eating it, I felt 10 times better! There is something about homemade chicken soup that is so comforting and healing."

Another new face this week is Sylwia from Unsifted. Sylwia made a Broccoli Red Pepper Cheddar Chowder for her daughter who got pushed down at school and ended up with a very sore mouth. Sylwia says, "Since this incident she of course can't eat all the things that she normally would, so I have to be creative with what I serve her...It seems that soup is a good solution. Olivia loves cheddar-broccoli soup so I decided to make a variation of it for her. This recipe comes from Gourmet Magazine, December 2001 issue. It was a nice variation of the classic flavors. I liked the addition of red pepper and potato. It was a truly delightful soup! You will really love it if you are a fan of cheddar-broccoli." Hope Olivia is feeling better. 

Back with a Thai-Style Chicken Soup is Debby from A Feast for the Eyes. Debby says, "I found this particular recipe in Cook's Illustrated in 2007, and I have made this several times-- always with great results. What I like about this version is that you don't need to find an exotic market to find the ingredients. This soup comes really close to the authentic Tom Ga Ka Thai soup from my favorite restaurant. We love it! It's very simple to make, and the red curry paste gives a nice little kick to the soup."

Kim from Stirring the Pot cooks so many Tyler recipes her husband has given him a nickname,"T-Flo"  Kim says, "Tonight I made T Flo's Crispy Asian Chicken Salad. It was easy and didn't require a sink full of dirty dishes! (Bonus points for Tyler) I loved everything about this salad and found it a welcome change to all the heavy Italian dishes, desserts and home cooking. I love the crunch of the wonton crisps, the bite of the sesame seeds, and the overall appeal of all the colors in this salad. It is a unique salad that is sure to please. I love the fact that I can feel good about eating this week's T Flo recipe."

Chaya from Sweet and Savory Says It All is busy cooking for the jewish holiday but managed to cook Paula Dean's Potato Salad. Chaya says, "Tyler Florence has a top notch potato salad and I should make it again but this also looks delicious. It is more fun to try new recipes so Paula wins - this time. A whole month of holy days......cook, cook, cook.... My blog will be full soon."

The Big Buffalo Chicken Caesar Salad was on the menu for Natashya from Living in the Kitchen with Puppies. Natashya says, "This salad has classic pub flavours of buffalo chicken and a lemony caesar vinaigrette. My recipe serves two dinner sized salads, but can easily be multiplied. Perfect with a cold beer! Cook up a couple of extra chicken breasts at the same time, they are handy to have in the fridge for quick sammies, salads, pizzas or pastas."

Joanne at Eats Well with Others loves her brie and homemade cranberry sauce too and she combined them into this Cranberry Chutney and Brie Sandwich. Joanne says, "If you know me, you know about my obsession with all things that involve brie cheese. My favorite way to eat it is baked and smothered in cranberry sauce. All that being said, just popping a wheel of brie into the oven with some cranberry sauce and then expecting myself to exercise any kind of self control over not eating the whole thing is a ludicrous suggestion. So I made it into a sandwich."

In addition to her chicken soup, Libby from Cooking with Libby also made Cooking Light's Monte Cristo Sandwiches this week. She says, "At first glance, it really looks like french toast. Once you take your first bite into it, you will find out quick that it is nothing like french toast. Of course, even though they were good, my husband was quick to point out that they are no substitute for the *real* Monte Cristo sandwiches that you can purchase at restaurants such as Bennigan's. I was quick to remind him that the recipe did come from a healthy cookbook, which is why it tastes a little on the *lighter* side :)"

And there you have it--this weeks wonderful dishes. Thanks to everyone who joined in. If you have a soup, salad, sandwich or combo of any, and want to share it, click on the Souper Sundays logo on the side bar for all the details.

Have a great week!

Spiced Kukicha Iced Tea--A Healthy "Simple Saturday Sipper" for Fall

This week's "Simple Saturday Sipper" a Spiced Kukicha Tea, comes from Clean Food by Terry Walter, a cookbook I recently purchased, (you can read more about the book here). It is made from kukicha or "twig" tree, a Japanese tea blend made of the twigs, stalks and stems of green tea and slow-roasted repeatedly, giving it a nutty, slightly "roasty" flavor. It is considered to have a lot of antioxidants and be a very healthy, balancing tea. In this recipe it is brewed, mixed with cinnamon and fruit juices and chilled. Since the weather has been a bit warm and humid the last few days, it is a nice way to have the flavors of fall in a cool iced tea.

Walters says, "Kukicha tea is highly regarded for its medicinal properties. It is alkalinizing and strengthening to the body and be consumed daily. It also has almost no caffeine, supports healthy digestion and can be helpful in treating heart disease and fatigue. Kukicha is even safe for children. You can drink it straight or with a dash of lemon juice and agave nectar, but this recipe gives you a way to create a medicine you'll love to take. Choose any combination of fruit juices to make it your own." 

Spiced Kukicha Iced Tea

Clean Food, Terry Walters

(Makes 7 cups)

4 cups water

4 1-ounce kukicha tea bags

1 cinnamon stick

3/4 cup orange juice (preferably freshly squeezed)

2 cups apple cider

1 cup pomegranate juice

fresh sprigs of mint or lemon balm for garnish

Bring water to a boil and remove from heat. Add tea bags and cinnamon stick and steep 10 minutes. With slotted spoon, remove and discard cinnamon stick and tea bags. Stir in remaining juices and refrigerate to chill. Serve with sprigs of fresh mint or lemon balm. 

Note: Boxes of kukicha tea bags can be found at many natural foods stores. 

Notes/Results: Cold and refreshing, not too sweet and nicely fruity. With similar flavor to a mulled cider, this tea blend is the perfect drink to welcome the autumn season and is a great healthy beverage alternative to sugary drinks (provided you are using natural fruit juices of course). I will make this again, maybe switching around some of the juices--I think pineapple juice would be a nice addition. 

Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

Breakfast for Dinner "Frog in a Hole" Made Healthy for Tyler Florence Fridays

I was craving breakfast food this week when looking for my Tyler Florence Friday's pick, so I was happy when I saw a recipe for "Frog in a Hole" on the Food Network site from the old How to Boil Water show. I grew up eating these fried eggs cooked in the center of a piece of toast, (although at our  house it was known as "Ding Dong Eggs" and I have no idea why). My older brother Bill used to make them on Saturdays for us while we watched cartoons and it was one of the few ways I liked eggs back then. There was nothing better than that little circle of buttery, fried bread and I loved dipping the edges of the bread into the runny yolk. Since I have been feeling like I have been sliding a bit with my eating habits lately, I did want to get less fat and calories and more fiber into it but still have it be similar to the comfort food I remember. I kept the butter, lessening the amount, switched out the bread to a nice boule made with whole wheat flour, swapped out the regular bacon for my favorite natural (no nitrates/preservatives) turkey bacon and served it with a fruit salad of pineapple, watermelon, kiwi and papaya. A very easy--no effort meal!

You can find the recipe on Food Network, here.


"Frog in a Hole"
Tyler Florence
(Serves 4)

8 slices bacon
4 slices good-quality dense, white bread, such as Tuscan bread
4 to 8 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lay the bacon in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, until crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Meanwhile, use a 2-inch cookie cutter or small glass to cut a hole in the center of each slice of bread. Heat the butter over medium heat in a skillet large enough to hold the bread slices in a single layer (or use 2 pans). Cook the butter until it turns a golden brown color. Add the bread and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Flip the bread with a spatula. Now break an egg into the hole in the center of each bread slice. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until the eggs have set on the bottom. Then flip and cook 1 more minute. Transfer to plates and serve with the bacon.


Notes/Results: So good! It really hit the spot as a simple dinner. I baked the turkey bacon until it was nice and crisp on a cookie rack over a foil covered pan. To cook the bread and egg, rather than putting a bunch of butter in the pan, I just very lightly buttered both sides of the bread and used just a bit more in the center for the egg. For the egg, Tyler flips it over for a final minute but I prefer to just leave it until the white sets (no runny whites!), but the yolk is still nice and runny--the better to dip the bread in. A definite keeper recipe, in fact I'll probably eat it again tomorrow.


You can see what recipes the other TFF participants chose and what they thought of them by going to the round-up at the TFF website, here.

Happy Weekend!

Nigella Lawson's Eggplant, Mint & Yogurt Dip for "I Heart Cooking Clubs"

Our new weekly cooking event, I Heart Cooking Clubs, is kicking off with the wonderful English cook, Nigella Lawson, and this week's theme is Party Treats. For my first IHCC recipe, I wanted to find a reasonably healthy appetizer, (or pupu as we call them here in Hawaii). Now before you jump in and tell me, I do realize that Nigella is not really known for her healthy recipes nor does she like low-fat cooking, but good, balanced healthy recipes are out there sprinkled throughout her cookbooks and on the Internet. An example is this recipe for a Persian/Iranian Eggplant, Mint and Yogurt Dip, (also known as Badenjan Dip) from her "Feast" cookbook. This dip is just one of many great balanced recipes under the "A Mezze Feast For Ten to Twenty" section in the book. The only changes I made to "healthify" it were to replace the regular Greek yogurt with non-fat Greek yogurt, still rich and creamy and undetectable in a dip like this, and to serve it with some veggies and whole-grain crackers in addition to the flat breads Nigella recommends. 

This recipe can be found in Nigella Lawson's "Feast: Food To Celebrate Life" (page 437 in my version) or as Badenjan Dip on the Food Network site (here)

Nigella says: "This recipe is a variation on a dish I read about in Najmieh Batmanglij's "New Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies". It's hard to ascribe the origins of a recipe, or explain how I came to make something the way I do, as so often the recipe that appears here may be merely suggested by another I've read somewhere, while diverging from it. I find it impossible to cook without fiddling: which means all my recipes are refracted through the prism of my own tastes and prejudices. I expect you correspondingly, to do the same."

Eggplant, Mint & Yogurt Dip (Badenjan Dip)

Feast, Nigella Lawson

(Makes about 2 1/4 cups of dip)

3 small eggplants (1 to 1 1/2 pounds) to make about 1 1/4 cups when roasted, pulped and sieved
2 tablespoons olive oil (not extra-virgin)
1 large onion, finely diced
3 fat cloves garlic, minced or grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 2 tablespoons warm water
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, to garnish
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted, to garnish
Dribble extra-virgin olive oil, to garnish

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Prick the eggplants with a fork and put them on a baking sheet and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The insides of the eggplants should be soft and they should feel squishy to the touch. Allow to cool before peeling and mashing them, then leave the pulp in a sieve to drain.

Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and peel and finely chop the onion, adding the pieces to the pan. Peel the garlic cloves and mince or grate into the onion. Or just put the onion and garlic together in a processor first and blitz. Cook until golden and then add the drained eggplant mush, cooking it with the onion and garlic for a further 5 minutes or so over a gentle heat, stirring frequently. Take off the heat and turn into a bowl to cool and season with salt and pepper.

Add the yogurt to the cooled eggplant mixture together with the saffron in its now golden water, stirring together well, and then turn into a bowl and sprinkle over the mint, toasted pine nuts, and a dribble of oil.

Notes/Results: Very good--it is similar to baba ghanoush but with more layers and depth of flavor. Everything works well here; the lightly caramelized onions and garlic, the roasted eggplant, the tangy yogurt, heady saffron, the cool, herbal mint and the crunch of the toasted pine nuts. Although quite easy, this isn't a quick, throw it together dip as it needs some time for all the steps--but it isn't a lot of effort. (Chopping the onions and garlic together in the food processor speeds up the process). Make sure to get the onions cooked well and lightly caramelized as you want that sweetness in the mix. I liked it as Nigella wrote the recipe but felt it needed a slight something so I ended up squeezing in the juice from a lemon and it was just right, brightening it up. 

I judge my appetizers and dips by the "hover factor" which means at a party, would you find yourself hovering over the bowl, scarfing it up until you start feeling guilty because you have eaten too much of it? The answer in this case is yes--so this is a keeper recipe for me! Part of the leftovers of this dip are going into whole-wheat mini pitas with veggies for some healthy lunches. 

Want to join a fun and flexible foodie event? Check out I Heart Cooking Clubs here. 

Rigatoni with (Buffalo) Meatballs--My Latest "Obsession"

Do you ever see a recipe or a picture of food and get so obsessively-compulsively set on it that you simply must have it? To point where you think about it for days and every time you eat something else you think, "well that was OK but I bet _________ (insert name of recipe), would be so much better!" For some reason that is how fixated I was with this Rigatoni with Meatballs when I saw it on the cover of Olive Magazine. 

I mean it looks good and all--great picture, but at the end of the day it's really just pasta with tomato sauce and meatballs. Still after a week of thinking about it, I decided it was time to get it out of my head and into my stomach. I made a few changes, including making baked buffalo meatballs instead of pan-frying them in olive oil. I also added some things to the sauce, as I wanted more tomato presence and more overall flavor. All the details are in red on the recipe and in my Notes/Results below.

You can also find the basic recipe online at Olive here. 

Rigatoni with (Buffalo) Meatballs 

Adapted from Olive Magazine, September 2009

(Serves 4)

500g (1 lb) lean minced beef (I used buffalo)
1 large onion , grated
a pinch chilli flakes (I used a large pinch)
4 tbsp finely grated Parmesan , plus shavings to serve
1 egg yolk
a handful breadcrumbs (I used whole-grain breadcrumbs)
a handful parsley , chopped
olive oil
2 garlic cloves , finely sliced
2 x 400g (14 oz) tins chopped tomatoes
½ bottle red wine

1 beef bullion cube

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried chili flakes

1 tsp dried thyme

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
a small bunch basil , torn
300g (about 11 oz) rigatoni

Put the first 7 ingredients in a bowl. Season really well then form into small meatballs (about 24). Heat a little olive oil in a large frying pan then brown the meatballs all over. (I baked the meatballs on a foil-lined cookie sheet at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes). Scoop out and add the garlic to the pan. Sizzle for a couple of minutes then add the tomatoes and red wine. (I also added bullion cube, spices and tomato paste). Simmer for 20 minutes until thickened. Add back the meatballs and simmer for another 15 minutes.

Cook the rigatoni following the pack instructions. Toss the pasta and sauce together with the basil. Spoon into bowls and scatter over Parmesan shavings to finish.

Notes/Results: Excellent--well worth the time spent thinking about it. It is easy to make and once you have your meatballs formed it goes together fairly quickly. About my changes: First I used buffalo because I like the fact that it is grass-fed, leaner and richer tasting than beef, and I used whole-grain breadcrumbs. I like to put my onions in my mini-chop and get them super-fine--almost liquid as it adds so much moisture to the meatballs. I really hate frying meatballs and prefer to bake them on a foil-lined cookie sheet in the oven because it is less fat and less mess--no splatters. With the sauce, I started out following the recipe and tasted it about 5 minutes into simmering and found that for me personally there was too much wine taste and not enough tomato taste. Now it might have worked itself out in the end, after simmering the remaining time, but I had a specific taste profile in mind so I improvised and added some things. Since the oil from pan never had meatballs in it, I added a beef bullion cube for a richer flavor, some oregano, thyme and a pinch of red chili flakes. Finally I threw in a small can of tomato paste. It turned out great--super rich, thick and just what I was looking for. With the lightly spicy meatballs (I used a decent-sized pinch of chili flakes in them), it was perfect. I would make this again for sure, with my changes to the sauce. 

I am sending this recipe along to Presto Pasta Nights, being hosted this week at Sweet Kitchen. If you want to see an amazing bunch of yummy pasta recipes, check out her round-up post on Friday. 

Have a great rest of your week!

Things I Am Loving This Week

Time for a few more "Things I Am Loving This Week"--those (mostly) food related things that I am enjoying and want to share. 

First up, hopefully you have an "Edible Publications" magazine, for your city or area. (You can check out a list of them here to see). They are a quarterly magazine that focuses on local, seasonal, sustainable foods and the farmers and producers involved in them. I love, love, love the Edible Hawaiian Islands version and usually pick them up on the free publications stand at Whole Foods whenever the new one is out. You can also subscribe to the magazine to have it sent directly to you. They are full of gorgeous photos, interesting articles and great recipes. 

In fact, one recipe in the Summer 2009 issue has become my go-to recipe for a quick, easy dinner; the Ahi Poke Sliders on Mini Buns (recipe here). {I have written about my love for poke, a Hawaiian dish made up of cubes of raw fish, (most commonly ahi), marinated in sesame oil, seaweed, onions, chili peppers, soy sauce, etc., many times, (look for it under ahi on my labels)}. I realize that these little raw fish burgers seared on the outside and left raw in the middle won't be everyones' cup of tea and they can be cooked all the way through if you think you must, but if you are daring, man are they good! For those who don't have access to poke, you can make your own, (I have a recipe here), but to be honest, I usually just pick up a small container of it at the store and after a few seconds in the food processor, I am forming patties and ready to sear them in my grill pan for just a couple of minutes or so per side and that is it, they are done. I like mine on mini whole-grain buns, made by using a biscuit cutter on a regular-sized bun, (Don't worry--no buns were wasted making them, the edges get ground up into crumbs in the food processor and put in the freezer to use for breading). 

The magazine had a bunch of recipes for sauces too, the Sesame Miso Sauce with Cilantro (recipe here), works perfectly on these little beauties. I have made them about five times so far and love them for a quick and yummy dinner. If you don't want to take my word on how good they are, check out my friend Kat's (Our Adventures in Japan) recent post on them here. 

Mostly I make my own iced tea but when I forget to brew it, run out, or need a handy bottle, I love to drink Ito En Tea's Tea. Although this Japanese company makes all kinds of tea products and bottled beverages, I like the Tea's Tea best because they contain nothing but tea, purified water, vitamin C and natural flavorings or herbs. I try to watch the sugar I drink and the fact they don't have any makes me happy. My absolute favorite is the Lemongrass Green, but I love the Rose Green, Mint Green, Green Jasmine, and Golden Oolong too. 

Refreshing, good and there is a haiku on every bottle. A little tea and haiku is always good for the soul!

  

(On the bottle of Rose Green I am currently drinking):

lily pads afloat

dull painted amphibians

practice evening music

--Jodi Perkins, USA

I constantly tell myself to stop buying cookbooks as I am way out of control with the number I own, but I had to buy a copy of Terry Walter's "Clean Food" (of course the fact that Barnes & Noble had a coupon to get it at 50% off made the decision pretty easy). Described as "A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source" it is mostly a cookbook, but one with a good section of information on healthy, clean, sustainable food and perfect for my ongoing quest to eat as healthy as I can (with the occasional indulgence of course). 

I am loving going through it and busily tabbing all the recipes I want to make. The recipes are divided by season and are healthy, delicious-sounding dishes such as; Green Goddess Dip, Bok Choy and Chickpeas with Cashews, Millet Black Bean Patties with Corn, Pad Thai Summer Rolls with Tamarind Dipping Sauce, Sprouted Quinoa Tabbouleh, Lentil Walnut Pate, Roasted Kaboacha Squash with Kale, Coconut Cranberry Pecan Balls, Tuscan Bean Soup, Ginger Pear Crisp; the list goes on and on. The Spiced Kukicha Iced Tea will be this week's "Simple Saturday Sipper" and stay tuned to see more recipes from this book as I cook them.

So that is what I am loving this week. How about you?

Thai Tomato Soup for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie Sundays)

I have to confess I have never been a big fan of cream of tomato soup. Growing up, I would rather have had chicken noodle soup with my grilled cheese, but when I saw a recipe for Thai Tomato Soup in a little cookbook called The Accidental Vegan by Devra Gartenstein, I was intrigued. I love Thai flavors and the fact that it gets its creaminess from coconut milk made me think I would like it. I did some adapting on this one--adding lemongrass, kaffir lime and a bit of red chili paste to the broth for extra depth of flavor and swapping out the bean sprouts called for in the recipe with fresh corn. My changes are in red below.

Thai Tomato Soup

Adapted from The Accidental Vegan by Devra Gartenstein

(Makes 6-8 Servings)

2 cups veggie stock

1 stalk lemongrass, peeled and bruised

3 kaffir lime leaves, torn

2 cups chopped bok choy

1/4 cup chopped Thai basil

1 Tbsp grated ginger

1 (48-ounce) can tomato juice (used a bottled organic no-salt juice)

3 Tbsp soy sauce or more to taste

1 cup bean sprouts fresh corn kernels

1/2 cup coconut milk

2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

1/2 Tbsp sambel oelek or other red chili paste

Combine the stock, lemongrass, kaffir lime, bok choy, basil and ginger in a soup pot over medium-low heat and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato juice, soy sauce, and sprouts corn, cover, and cook another 10 minutes, until all of the vegetables are tender. Stir in the coconut milk, chili paste and lime juice, and serve hot.

Notes/Results: Rich, creamy and tangy, I really like the combination of the tomato, Thai spices and the coconut milk. The bok choy and corn both add a nice texture and I think some jasmine rice would be good in here too. (I made a half batch of the soup which made plenty so I'll try the rice in the leftovers). I would make this again with my changes and playing around a bit with the ingredients, swapping in some different veggies, etc.

Let's see who is in the Kitchen for Souper (Soup, Salad & Sammie) Sundays.

"Borscht!", Natashya at Living in the Kitchen with Puppies says, "Yes, borscht looks like it needs an exclamation point to me. Like something you would shout triumphantly. Borscht! This is a healthy soup that I had never made before. My mother went through a borscht phase when I was young, and though I can't remember if I ever actually tried any at the time...it was enough to make me avoid it for the next thirty-some-odd years. Borscht can be eaten hot, cold or room temperature. What a cooperative soup!"

Sharing a bowl of Creamy Mushroom Soup with Garlic and Fresh Herbs is my lovely Cook the Books co-host, Rachel of The Crispy Cook. Rachel says, "My mom and I had a great little jaunt over in Bennington, Vermont at the Garlic and Herb Festival. We were full of garlicky ideas after the Festival and so Mom decided to prepare us some Creamy Mushroom Soup, spiked with a lot of garlic and some fresh herbs from her kitchen garden. It was really rich and full of flavor and full of maternal goodness."

Although some people might think the weather in Spain was too hot to enjoy a bowl of something warm, it didn't stop Deb at Deb Cooks from making this hearty Creamy Leek & Potato Soup. Deb says, "OK, I know it 35 degrees outside, but I really fancied soup. Anyway, I've heard it be said that, just like a fiery curry, it actually cools you down. Can't be entirely sure that's correct, but I did enjoy it nonetheless."

Kim from Stirring the Pot was trying recipes from a new cookbook and made this Rustic Lentil Soup. Kim says, "It reminds me more of an Italian chili. It was also filled with flavor and was even better the next day when the flavors had a chance to blend a little more. Even my hubby liked it, and he is not a big soup fan! The base begins with bacon and pancetta,how can you go wrong with that? There is a lot of flavor with the bay leaves, fresh thyme, fresh oregano, and hot red pepper flakes and it is topped off with sauteed Italian sausage- very hearty and delicious!"

Chaya from Sweet and Savory Says It All says that cold weather means soup and this week that means Chicken Vegetable Soup. Chaya says, "Whenever, I make chicken soup,I make tons of it. I put up my two largest pots and cook up a storm of the rejuvenating chicken soup to use as bases for other dishes and for the Sabbath soup. We have not had soup on Friday night, in a long time. I think, we had it once in the summer. Tonight, it is like the first ball of the season, being thrown. We bring out the soup. This means, that unless we have a hot spell in the form of Indian summer, there will be weekly chicken soup."

Doing some research on Mediterranean cooking is Joanne from Eats Well with Others. She says, "There is a definite emphasis on cooking from the ground with what is local and available rather than with esoteric spices and herbs from foreign and distant lands. And what is more local than the flower pot in your (parents') backyard? Nothing. Hence the inspiration for this Tortellini Pesto Pasta Salad made entirely with basil that my dad has spent the summer nurturing (especially since his zucchini plants turned out to be cucumber plants, which for some reason he felt warranted far less of his time and affection)."

Graziana from Erbe in Cucina has a different take on a classic with her Arugula Caprese Salad, made with the peppery greens plus ham and mozzarella. She says, "I'm growing arugula (or rocket) in a pot, and it always amazes me with its weekly harvest of fresh leaves. Its tangy taste is perfect with many ingredients, like ham and salami. Try it in a hot dog and you will be surprised!"

My cheese loving friend Heather of girlichef, made the most of some free cheese with this Grilled Brie Sandwich. Heather says, "What I decided I was really in the mood for was a nice grilled brie sandwich. So, I found a nice little individual french loaf which was accidentally, I think spattered with a random line of Poppy Seeds. I spread a light layer of Sweet Hot Mustard and a light layer of Cherry Jam on the bottom piece. Then I laid down some sliced ham, then some of the Ile De France Brie, then some thinly sliced apple and some shredded Romaine"

Debbie from Dining with Debbie made this Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Pancetta, Arugula, and Aioli, saying, "There are just times when easy meals are needed, and this is one of the sandwiches I go to for those times. For the most part, it is all fixed on the grill which makes it even easier. The garlicky mayonnaise and the peppery arugula add that extra-special kick to take it from ordinary to extraordinary."

A good turn out of some fabulous soups, salad and sandwiches this week. Thanks to all who joined us in the kitchen. If you have one of the three or a combo that you would like to share for Souper (Soup, Salads, & Sammie) Sundays, just click on the badge on the side bar to get all the details.

Have a great week!