Here’s a soup that works for all seasons. Its flavor profile strikes me more as a spring-summer soup, served at room temperature or chilled, but it could also be a comforting reminder of spring served hot in the middle of winter. That’s the [...]]]>

Here’s a soup that works for all seasons. Its flavor profile strikes me more as a spring-summer soup, served at room temperature or chilled, but it could also be a comforting reminder of spring served hot in the middle of winter. That’s the beauty of frozen edamame – you can enjoy it around the year, though I think it’s particularly suitable for spring.

This edamame-arugula soup is light and nutritious, yet surprisingly hearty and filling. A shallow bowl of this could easily satisfy you for lunch – maybe with some crackers and cheese alongside.

I love edamame, simply boiled in their pods and salted, just like in many Japanese restaurants. Here, their nutty flavor is accentuated by the peppery freshness of just-picked arugula.

(By the way, have you ever tried growing your own arugula? We have some in windowboxes, and they grow like a weed. And their flavor is so much more intense than the store-bought version – nutty with a deep intense peppery flavor, grassy and slighty bitter – just delicious! A few leaves really pump up the flavor of a simple sandwich.)

If you serve this warm or at room temperature, use the recipe as it is. If you want to serve it chilled, you’ll want to add a bit of extra vegetable stock to thin it out after chilling it.

Edamame is incredibly good for you.  It is packed with protein, vitamins and minerals.  You get a good serving of the green soybeans in this soup, as well as guilt-free creaminess!  That’s right, there’s no cream or milk in this soup!  The soybeans themselves lend that rich creaminess to the dish.

Edamame Arugula Soup

1 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ cups shelled edamame
1 cup packed arugula
4 cups vegetable stock
½ onion, chopped
salt

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large pot, then add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until translucent and slightly browned.

Add the edamame and 3 cups vegetable stock. Simmer over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the arugula and stir in briefly until wilted.

Pour the soup into a blender and purée (or use an immersion blender to purée it in the pot). Pour it back into the pot and taste for seasoning, adding salt if needed. If the soup is too thick, thin it out with the extra cup of vegetable stock until it is the desired consistency.

Serve slightly warm, at room temperature, or chilled (adding a bit more stock if needed).

It’s been raining and cool these last few days, making us long for something warm and cosy as we huddle together on the couch.  There has been a drought for the past month in Fujian province, so the government shot a bunch of weather missiles [...]]]>

It’s been raining and cool these last few days, making us long for something warm and cosy as we huddle together on the couch.  There has been a drought for the past month in Fujian province, so the government shot a bunch of weather missiles up into the air to induce rain.  Oh boy did it work.  Non-stop pouring for 2 ½ days.

So on one of these rainy days I peeked into the fridge and spied a head of broccoli and not much else.  Broccoli soup it was!  Not having a recipe handy, I just kind of improvised, and it turned out great!  I think I’ve converted Chris to soup drinking.  He liked the apple-butternut squash soup I made a month or two ago, and he even enjoyed a cauliflower soup I made recently.  Now he’s happily slurping down the green stuff too!  Whoo hoo!  Who says people don’t change?

What do you crave on a rainy day?

Have you noticed something in common in the past three posts?  Yes, we are severely in need of some more bowls.

By the way, have you checked out Chris’ food photography tutorial yet?  If you’re a beginner photographer, he’s got some great explanations (in layman’s terms!) of some photography basics.

Cumin-Spiced Broccoli Soup

The potato in this soup gives it creaminess, so no added milk or cream is necessary.  We did like it with a dollop of yogurt though.

1 large head broccoli
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 potato, peeled and cubed
2 cups water
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock (or veggie)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 bay leaves
pinch of cumin
salt and pepper
plain yogurt (optional)

Cut broccoli into florets, and chop the stalk into small pieces (you may want to peel off the tough bits of the stalk).

In a soup pot, sauté the onion and garlic in the oil over medium heat until softened.  Add broccoli stalks and potato cubes and brown slightly.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add water, stock, and bay leaves.  Simmer until broccoli stalks and potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes).  Add broccoli florets and simmer another 5 minutes or so until tender.

Remove the bay leaves.  Purée the soup in a blender in batches (or use an immersion blender to purée it in the pot).  Return to pot, stir in pinch of cumin, and adjust salt if needed.

Ladle into bowls and dollop with a bit of yogurt.  Serve with grilled cheese sandwiches, or garlic toasts, or whatever sounds good to you.

It was with much chagrin that I realized yesterday morning that I had just three more tiny slices of plum cake left, and after those were gone, I was left jonesin’ for more tastes of late summer/autumn (even though in Xiamen, the weather [...]]]>

It was with much chagrin that I realized yesterday morning that I had just three more tiny slices of plum cake left, and after those were gone, I was left jonesin’ for more tastes of late summer/autumn (even though in Xiamen, the weather is still as hot as a Canadian summer).

Usually, fall in Toronto means going apple picking with all the aunties and uncles from church, apple cider, brisk weather and maybe a few hayrides, apple pies, and piles of dried leaves to jump in.  Last year we were in Toronto for our October wedding, so we were able to partake of the autumnal goodness (at least, the leaf pile-jumping part).  Alas – who knows when we will next be in Toronto in the fall?

So today, when I had half a Chinese pumpkin in the fridge (actually more similar to a butternut squash than a pumpkin), and a few apples, I thought I would try my hand at making soup.  It was so easy, and the natural sugars from the apple and squash made it a not-just-any-old-soup kind of soup.  Smooth and creamy, it was slightly sweet with a hint of autumnal spice (even though, strangely, I didn’t add any spices).  Even Chris, notorious soup-hater that he is, said it was the best soup he had ever had, and finished a WHOLE BOWL.  Will miracles never cease?

Apple-Butternut Squash Soup

1 small red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
½ butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
1 apple, peeled, cored and sliced (preferably a tart one, but I only had Fuji apples, so that is what I used)
1L water
1 tablespoon MSG-free vegetable bouillon
1 tablespoon oil
salt and pepper

In a stockpot on medium heat, heat the oil.  Throw in the onion and garlic, and cook a few minutes just till softened.  Add the butternut squash and apple slices; stir around a bit to brown slightly.

Add the water and turn the heat up to medium-high until water boils, then turn heat down to a simmer.  Add vegetable bouillon.  Simmer about 25 minutes, until squash and apple are soft.

Puree soup in batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender (be careful when blending hot liquids and don’t fill the blender more than 2/3 in case it splashes).  Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.  Serves 4.

Recipe Notes:  This soup is creamy enough that you don’t need to add anything, but I liked how it looked with a swirl of plain yogurt.  You could also experiment with adding a pinch of ground ginger, nutmeg, or other spice, though we thought it was nice just as it was.  Also, if you’re a better person than me, use 1L of homemade vegetable stock and omit the water and vegetable bouillon.