Mediterranean Meatball Soup

This soup is tomato based with acorn squash adding depth and sweetness and chickpeas protein.  Like many of my dishes the meat in this dish is complementary to the veggies, not the other way around.  The American tendency to fill up on meat and starch with a couple bites of veggie pushed around to the corner of the plate is unhealthy and gluttonous.  I like a steak as much as anybody (more so, I do own a steak house!) but that style of eating cannot be done everyday.  This is the way to do it- get the flavor from a small potion of meat, but take in most of your protein elsewhere.  Its better for you, and its better for everyone.  I am speaking from experience.  I have lost 15 pounds since switching from my previous pretty healthy diet to these ultra low calorie and low carb dishes you find before you.  I think this is delicious, too!

Recipe (serves 2-4)

For the meatballs

6 oz leanest ground beef

1 egg

2 T matzo meal or bread crumbs

pinch crushed red pepper

1 T minced onion

Salt and pepper

Pinch of oregano

For the soup:

Meatballs

1 can chickpeas

1 can fire roasted tomatoes

1 onion sliced

1 red pepper sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 medium acorn squash, cubed

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 cup red wine

1 t cumin

Pinch of whole fennel seed

1 T dried basil

Sriracha hot sauce, a squeeze

1 – 2 quarts chicken stock

cooking spray

Start by preparing the meatballs.  Combine all meatball ingredients except bread crumbs in a small bowl; use your fingers.  Add half the breadcrumbs and combine.  You want the texture to be not too mushy; you should be able to form balls, if not add the rest of the breadcrumbs.  Roll out smallish balls, about a tablespoon each.  Set aside.  Spray a large pot with cooking spray and heat over medium.  Add the pepper and onions and sautee for 2 minutes until they are soft.  Add the garlic and and stir together for another minute.  Deglaze with the wine.  Add in the stock, (start with a quart, add more later if you want), the squash, the tomatoes, the basil, cumin, fennel and Sriracha.  Increase heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer.  Add the meatballs in carefully and then cover partially.  Simmer for 20 minutes or so until squash is tender. Add in the chickpeas and heat until thoroughly warmed.  Serve alone or topped with a bit more Sriracha if you like it spicy.

Beet Soup with Sausage and Chicken- Look at that beautiful broth!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: good stock is absolutely essential in low cal cooking.  A good stock transforms the bland and murky to the rich and pleasurable.  In the absence of any homemade stock, store bought is fine.  Find a good one without much sodium if possible; I really like the “Kitchen Basics” in the yellow box.  Use enough in a dish like this that it is reduced by half at least.  I love stock.  I love chicken stock.  I love veal stock.  I love, love smoked pork stock.  I love, love lobster stock and shrimp stock and anything seafood stock.  And in many dishes any sort would be fine.  In this dish I use store bought chicken (Costco brand organic to be exact, not too bad) and I throw in a little “Better than Bouillon” to make it even richer.  I don’t know why it is, but those pastes just do not produce anything very good on their own.

Soups and stews, ’tis the season.  I just bought a 9 quart Le Creuset dutch oven on ebay to celebrate.  Let’s kick it off with a couple of classic fall ingredients- beets and turnips.  But why stick to veggies like in a Borscht, why not meat it up a bit, make a meal out of it?  That’s what we’ve done hear, and I think it is just great.

Recipe (serves 2 – 4)

1 onion sliced

6 mushroom, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium beets, cubed

1 medium carrot, diced

1 turnip, cubed

1/2 bunch flat kale or replace with any leafy green, chopped roughly

A bit of cooked sausage if you’ve got it, I used Anduille, sliced thinly

3 chicken thighs or about 10 oz, cubed

2 quarts chicken stock

1/2 cup white wine

1 heaping t “Better that Bouillon” beef base

A pinch of whole fennel seeds

1 t cumin

Bouquet garnis, either a bundle of fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, savory, sage and tarragon or 1 t of the dried stuff

Pinch of crushed red pepper

1 T bacon fat

Yogurt for garnish (optional)

In a large pot (or dutch oven if you’ve got 1) melt the bacon fat over medium-high heat.  Toss the chicken cubes with salt and pepper and then add to the pan.  Add the mushrooms and onions.  Brown the chicken as best you can and then stir everything together taking care not to burn.  Add in the garlic and deglaze with the wine.  Add the turnip, beets, and carrot and then the stock.  Add the fennel, beef base, bouquet garnis, red pepper, and cumin.  Cover partially, leaving room for some vapors to escape.  Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer.  Heat until beats are tender and the broth is reduced by half, about 25 minutes.  Add in the sausage and kale, cover and heat for another couple minutes until kale is tender and the sausage heated through.  Season with salt and pepper and serve with yogurt or alone.

Simmering

Fresh peaches

The classic pork and peaches combo is always a good choice.  This version is special because it takes a second to register what you’re tasting; it has layers of flavor.  While the lobster stock is a fantastic inclusion in this dish; it is not absolutely mandatory.  Feel free to use what you’ve got.  Lobster stock is, however, comparatively painless to make.  Just two medium lobsters will give you enough flavorful stock for many dishes.  (And you get to eat the meat, of course!)  What I do is reduce mine down and then freeze it in ice cube trays.  An ice cube is enough for sauce for one; or combine it with water to make a broth.

Recipe (serves 2)

2 small (6-8 oz) bone-in pork chops, local if possible

2 small peaches, Pennsylvania if you are in my part of the world, cut into about 8 wedges each

1 small Poblano pepper, seeds and membranes removed, rinsed, and minced

1 small onion, halved and sliced

1/2 T ginger, minced

1 t honey

Nutmeg, a couple grates on a micro-plane or a small pinch

1/2 T French “quatre epices” or Chinese 5 spice as a substitute

1/2 T crushed brown mustard seeds

1 T soy sauce

1 cup lobster stock

Vegetable oil cooking spray

1 T bacon fat

Kosher salt, cracked pepper

Pork chops in a pan

Heat a heavy bottomed pan over med-high heat with a spritz of cooking spray.  Sprinkle the mustard seeds, 4 spice, and salt and pepper over the pork, coating both sides.  When the pan is hot, add them to it.  Allow them to brown without much disturbance.  Once brown on each side remove from pan and set aside.  Reduce heat to med-low and add the bacon fat, onion, Poblano, ginger, and nutmeg.  Saute until browned and limp, and then add the soy sauce, honey, and lobster stock.  When the stock has reduced to about half add in the peaches and stir to coat.  After about two minutes add the pork back in and cover the pan.  The pork should cook for about 4 minutes, flipped once.  This will get you about a medium-rare cooked pork, more or less if it is thinner or fatter.

Bone-in Pork Chops with Peaches, Peppers, and Lobster Stock

Recipe (serves 2)

Small head of leafy lettuce, washed, dried and torn into bite sized peices

Tuna salad made from 1 can of chunk light tuna (use your favorite or see “tuna salad” recipe below)

8 white anchovies

8 thin slices Prosciutto

1 cup pickled beets, roughly chopped

2 eggs, farm fresh if available

Splash of vinegar

For the vinaigrette

1 T Dijon mustard

1 scallion, white and green, minced

1 T parsley, chopped

1/2 T light mayo

1 T aged white wine vinegar

1 T olive oil

Kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste

Start by heating some water in a saucepan with a splash of vinegar; this will be for poaching your eggs.  Stir together your vinaigrette with a fork (all the ingredients) and then pour half into a large salad bowl.  Toss in the lettuce.  If it’s sufficiently dressed, separate the greens onto 2 plates.  Or add more dressing if needed.  On top off each plate of salad place half of the tuna salad.  Shape it so that it has a crater in the center, a bowl-like shape.  Divide between the two salads the Prosciutto, white anchovies, and pickled beets, keeping them clear of the tuna.  When your water is boiling, carefully break your eggs into the water.  Cover.  As the water returns to a boil, reduce the temp a little to keep in simmering, but not violently boiling.  It will take just a minute for the whites to solidify, leaving the oaks runny.  Scoop each egg into a tuna salad crater, keeping the eggs intact.  Season eggs with salt and pepper, and serve with crusty bread or at least a Wasa cracker.

Tuna Salad Recipe (serves 2)

1 can chunk light tuna

2 T light mayo

1 T finely chopped celery

1 t pickle relish

1 t mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients until everything is well blended; chill until ready to serve.

Five Spice Tofu and Cabbage

This dish uses the same base as my “Five Spice Pork” and has a similar flavor profile.  It is not vegetarian because I have yet to find a really satisfying way to prepare cabbage with no meat at all.  I suppose some combination of vegetable stock and wine- red, white, or brandy might be good or a fish stock if you eat fish.  Maybe something like a squash soup base would be nice as well.  I guess I just haven’t really played around with it.  If you are a vegetarian than you probably have some tricks (I would love to see a suggestion, if you’ve got one.)  Anyway this dish is surprisingly delicious for its simplicity and is as healthy as it gets.

Recipe (serves 2)

1 small onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 T ginger, minced

1 hot pepper, seeded or not, minced

1 t honey

1/2 T  bacon fat

1 package light firm tofu, cubed

1/2 green cabbage, cut into strips

1-2 cups homemade stock, or store-bought chicken stock, preferably unsalted

1/2 t turmeric

1/2 t five spice

1/2 t paprika

1 T soy sauce

1 bay leaf

4 fingerling potatoes sliced, in thirds

Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

Start by heating a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat.  Add in the ginger, garlic, onion, and hot pepper.  Stir fry until everything is glassy, taking particular care not to burn the garlic.  Deglaze with 1 cup of chicken stock.  Add in honey, half the soy sauce, bay leaf, turmeric, five spice, and paprika, as well as some pepper,  When it comes to a simmer, add the potatoes and cover.  Simmer until the potatoes are fully cooked, adding in extra stock if you run low. Remove the bay leaf and discard.   Add the cabbage and stir fry until just tender, about 2 minutes.  Add the tofu and gently stir, taking care not to break up the tofu.  Cover and heat until tofu is warm.  If desired, season with the rest of the soy sauce or a bit of salt.

Compile the ingredients (ignore the pattypan; the dish doesn't need it)

This dish features a great base for many dishes.  It’s a caramelized mix of hot pepper, onion, garlic, and ginger.  This rich and flavorful combo can be used for anything.  I use stock, either homemade anything or chicken from the store, but it is absolutely key.  Without a good stock it will be missing an important dimension.  By far my preference is homemade,  but “Kitchen Basics” is the one to use if you’re buying; it’s the one in the yellow box.  I have been delighting in coating meats with a combination of turmeric, 5 spice, paprika, and salt and pepper lately.  Not only is the flavor great, but it forms a beautiful crust that stays with the meat through even a wet cooking process and is really beautiful to behold.

One more thing: I used “Sun Luck” brand 5 spice, which I purchased hastily without checking the ingredients.  The cinnamon in 5 spice can be overpowering if not mixed in the right proportion.  In this it is the first ingredient.  So, try to buy a 5 spice blend with cinnamon down on the list of ingredients, or if like me you have a cinnamony version, use sparingly.  Even better: make your own exactly how you like it.

Recipe (serves 2)

1 lean pork chop (about 6 oz) cut into 8 cubes and patted dry with a paper towel

2 ears of corn, the kernels cut off

1/2 bunch kale, chopped

8 baby carrots

1 t turmeric

1 t 5 spice

1 t paprika

1-2 cups good quality stock

1 small onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 T ginger, minced

1 small hot pepper, seeded or not depending on spiciness and preference, minced

1 t honey

1 bay leaf

1 – 2 T soy sauce

Kosher salt, fresh cracked pepper, and cooking oil (of course)

Start by heating a heavy pan coated with oil over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle the pork with the turmeric, paprika, and 5 spice as well as salt and pepper.  Use your fingers toss to coat.  Once the oil is hot add the pork to the pan.  You want to brown it on some sides.

Brown the pork...

Many recipes will say all, but browning on all 6 sides rarely happens for me, so do the best you can.  The key here is that the pan is hot enough for the meat can brown quickly.  Remove pork, and reduce heat to medium-low.  Stir in the ginger, garlic, onion and pepper, being careful not to let the garlic burn.  Continue to stir until the pan has cooled down a bit and everything is turning glassy.  Add in a cup of stock, the honey and your bay leaf.

Caramelizing...

If you like your carrots more done add them as well, or if you prefer them crisp hold off.  Adjust the heat so that it can simmer gently until the stock has reduced by half.  If you find the pan drying out at anytime add more stock.  Remove the bay leaf and discard.  Now add in your carrots (if you haven’t yet) and the pork and a bit of soy sauce.

Adding the pork and carrots

Cook for about 2 minutes until the carrots have just lost their raw texture, and add in the kale.  Stir to combine and continue to cook until kale has softened.  Add in the corn, toss to combine, cover, and turn off heat.  Allow to sit for about 3 minutes.  Taste for salt, and if needed add more soy sauce,  Plate, and eat.

Five Spice Pork with Baby Carrots, Corn, and Kale

Simmering squash

What follows is a recipe based on the delicious Thai dish, Pad Prik King.  Though I am sure there are other versions, the one that I often eat combines pork, green beans, carrots, and lime leaves in a dark red curry sauce.  My version swaps chicken breast for pork, butternut squash for carrots, flat pasley for lime leaf, and an Indian curry “Rogan Josh” for the Thai ginger, chili based sauce.  Ok, so its not quite the same thing, but it is reminiscent of the Thai dish and heartier due to the rich squash.  As I’ve mentioned before, Patak’s makes some great curry bases that can turn an ordinary stir fry into something exotic and delicious.  Just keep a couple in your fridge for a quick and easy meal that everyone will love.  Sandra Lee, eat your heart out!

Green beans and parsley

Recipe (serves 2-4)

8 oz chicken breast, cubed

1 very small or half a large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 cup green beans, cut into thirds

Handful of flat parsley, rinsed and chopped coarsely

1-2 cups unsalted chicken stock

Patak’s Rogan Jash curry (don’t ask for Rogan Seth, everyone will be confused), 1/3 of the jar

1 t turmeric

1 – 2 T soy sauce, ginger flavored if you’ve got it

1 t Sriracha (the delicious, Thai hot sauce)

1 cup plain, non-fat yogurt

Fresh cracked pepper and cooking oil

Over the cut chicken sprinkle the turmeric, some pepper, and a bit of the soy sauce, toss to coat.

Heat a large pan (with a lid) with a bit of cooking oil over med-high heat.  When the oil is hot, fire the chicken.  Allow it to brown a bit on as many sides as you can.  Remove from the pan and reduce the heat to med.  If any bits are stuck, deglaze with a splash of the chicken stock.  Add the squash and onion to the pan, and stir well.  As the onions begin to gloss add in the garlic, chicken, black pepper, curry paste, 1 cup of chicken stock, 1 T soy sauce.  Bring the liquids to a very gentle simmer by reducing the heat.  Cover and allow to cook gently for about 15 minutes.  Occasionally check on the liquids; we want a nice, thick curry, and you may have to add more chicken stock.  Don’t worry, it will thicken up.  Dryness is our enemy!  When the squash is tender add in the green beans and parsley, stir well, cover, and turn off heat.  The dish should be served with a dollop of yogurt topped with a squeeze of Sriracha.  If needed, add more soy sauce to taste.

Rogan Josh Curry from our friends at Patak's

No, not truffles, some small red potatoes. I used the smallest of the batch for this dish.

To make this dish I used farm stand teeny tiny potatoes, carrots, parsley, and fennel.  Frankly, it was probably not wise to serve a roasted dish like this on such a hot day.  It took an hour to cook, ugg!  That being said, it was delicious.  Maybe wait for winter for this one or speed up the cooking process by parboiling your potatoes and starting with unfrozen fish.  I like this dish, because you can throw in fish right out of the freezer, and everything cooks together beautifully.  It’s also fun to cook in layers.  I like the Italian flavor coming from all the herbs and tomatoes and the sweetness of the carrots, which I don’t usually love with tomato sauce.  Now, I don’t usually cook with white potatoes as I am on a low carb diet, and the carbs I do eat I want to be super nutritious.  But these were just irresistibly gorgeous, and I really don’t use much.  Don’t want potatoes?  Just double the carrots, and you’ll be golden.

Recipe (Serves 2)

1 cup super small potatoes, or cut a little potato in half, scrubbed but not pealed

1 cup carrots, cut to match the size of the potato, scrubbed but not pealed

3 small frozen Tilapia fillets, or 8-10 oz total 2 cups tomato sauce, store bought is ok

4 cloves of garlic, minced (cut back a little if its date night)

1/2 cup flat parsley, coarsely chopped

3 bay leaves

Pinch of crushed red pepper

1 heaping t spice blend, see “a note” below

1/2 cup white wine

Kosher salt, freshly cracked pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

We are going to layer everything in a casserole dish with a lid.  Start by placing potatoes and carrots in.  On top lay the Tilapia.  Salt and pepper the fish and then cover with Parsley, bay leaves, spice blend, garlic, and crushed red pepper.  Cover everything with tomato sauce; you may not need it all depending on you casserole dish.  Pour the wine over, season again, but skip the salt if your tomato sauce is store-bought.  Cover and set in oven for about an hour.  It’s done when the potatoes are fully cooked.

Layering the ingredients...

A note: We all have different spice blends around.  I used a blend called “Bouquet Garni” but if you don’t have that, mix some rosemary into an “Italian Seasoning” blend.  You could also use “Herbes de Provence” but only if it does not contain lavender.  Don’t have any of these?  Try fennel seed, rosemary, and thyme in equal amounts.  BUT, do not use any of the above unless they are of good quality and fresh.  The dish will still be good without it.  Even better, use a couple fresh herbs like savory, marjoram, thyme, or sage.

Chickpeas with Pizazz

This tasty chickpea-based creation uses a colorful array of vegetables and turmeric to really shine.  It’s easy on the eyes, and with chickpeas as the only protein is also easy on the waistline.  There is also increasing evidence that turmeric is one of nature’s miracle cures; it is thought to help with a variety of ailments from obesity and depression to cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Give it a try…

Recipe (serves 2-4)

1 can chickpeas, rinsed

1 red pepper, sliced or chopped coarsely

1 small zucchini sliced or chopped coarsely

1 small sweet potato, cubed

1 cup cubed pineapple

1 onion, chopped

2 cups rapini, chopped (or sub any green, leafy vegetable like spinach, kale, beet greens, chard, etc.)

1 large jalapeno, seeded and rinsed, and then minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 t turmeric

1/2 t cinnamon

1 t cumin

1 cup chicken stock

Freshly ground pepper, sea salt, and vegetable oil

This dish is basically a stir fry, so you want to get all the vegetable chopped and ready to go before you begin.  From there they all need to be added according to their cooking times.  We want the sweet potato tender and everything else crisp and bright.  Start by heating some oil over medium high heat.  Add the onion and sweet potato and start stirring.  Add about half of the chicken stock and cover the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low.  Cook until the sweet potato is fork tender (about 10 minutes) adding more stock if the pan starts to dry out.  Uncover the pan, and turn the heat back up. Now add the garlic and jalapeno as well as some s + p, stirring to combine.  After about 2 minutes add the pineapple, zucchini, red pepper, chickpeas, and spices.  Continue to heat and stir for about 2 more minutes until the zucchini and red pepper have softened a bit but are still crisp.  Add your rapini; stir to combine; cover, and turn off the heat. Leave for about 2 minutes, and then add s + p to taste, and serve

Smoked Salmon Cucumber Rolls

The name really says it all.  This hors d’ouevres is unusually refreshing; it is served very cold and complements other chilly, raw bar fare.  If, like me, you use your hands, be prepared for some irregularities in shape and size. Just go with the rough look, and try rolling some inside out and laying some on their sides and placing others upright; it makes a visually interesting dish.  If you’d prefer something more regular in shape you could try rolling the whole thing sushi roll style, using the cucumber in place of Nori and skipping any addition of rice, and then cut and serve.  I will probably try some such variations of this dish, as I really enjoyed it.

Recipe (Makes 10-15 pieces)

2 cucumbers, if waxed peeled and if not, skin on

6 oz dry smoked salmon

2 T mayonnaise, store bought is ok

Mint Leaves, about 15

2 T (or more!)  Black Whitefish or Lumpfish Caviar, or whatever you can get

Begin by slicing the cucumbers with a vegetable peeler.  Ideally the slices will be as thin as possible.  Lay a slice in front of you, and spread the first 1/3rd with a thin layer of mayonnaise.  On top of the mayo place 1 – 2 mint leaves.  On the mint leaves layer enough salmon to thinly coat the first 1/3rd of the cucumber slice.  It is ok if you need to slice the salmon to fit.  Roll up the cucumber slice starting with the 1/3rd with topping.  At this point, depending on how thick and long your cucumber is, you might decide that the whole slice is too much and want to cut off the end, or you might just roll up the whole thing.  Whatever works best is best.  Set the cucumber roll on end like a piece of sushi and top with a bit of caviar. Continue until you’ve used all your supplies.  Chill, and serve to your lucky guests.

Yummy mystery caviar from the Bosnian store, Thanks, guys!