Soups and Starters

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Navy Bean Soup

  1. Open about four or five cans of navy beans and rinse.
  2. In the meantime, in a large pot sauté  in olive oil some very finely chopped onion, green pepper, and garlic (you  may also add carrots and celery) until they begin to sweat. t.
  3. Now, add about 6 cups of water and veggie bouillon cubes, or your own veggie stock. Add the beans and some leftover red wine to taste.   Let simmer.  Add salt and pepper.  I also like to add some rosemary and other herbs from my garden (thyme is good).
  4. After about 20 or 30 minutes, take 1/3 of the beans out of the pot (veggies, too) and mash them up. Add back to the pot as a thickener. Serve hot, with warm French bread and a good salad. Very easy, very quick, very yummy.

Submitted by:  Tinycrabbiethingie

 

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Spicy Peanut Soup (from the Moosewood Restaurant)

Ingredients:

  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
  • 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger root
  • 2 cup diced onion
  • 2 green peppers, diced
  • 2 cup coconut milk (not sweetened for mixed drinks)
  • 3.5 cup vegetable stock or water
  • 1 cup peanut butter (preferably non-homogenized)
  • 0.75 teaspoon ground coriander
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 0.75 teaspoon ground lemon grass (or lemon peel)
  • 0.5 teaspoon salt
  • 1-2 tbsp lime juice (or lemon juice)

Utensils:

  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring cup(s)
  • 4-quart soup pot
  • Wooden spoon
  • Whisk
  • Grater
  • Paring knife
  • Garlic press if available

Directions

  1. Heat oil in soup-pot, sauté garlic and ginger.
  2. Add peppers and onion, sauté until peppers are brightly colored.
  3. Add coconut milk, 2.5 cups stock (or water), and bring to boil.
  4. Lower heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
  5. Blend peanut butter with remaining stock (or water) into a smooth paste. Whisk into the pot with remaining spices and salt. Simmer for 15 more minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent lumps.
  6. Just before serving, remove from heat and stir in lime or lemon juice.

Comment:  This is fairly mild. If you like more flavor, add more garlic, and substitute chipotle pepper for the cayenne. If you really like it hot, try some Thai peppers. This recipe makes a good peanut sauce for pad Thai, if you use only one cup of vegetable stock, and let it reduce.

Submitted by:  Unfusilier

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Broccoli-and-Raisin Salad

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups broccoli flowerets
  • 10 slices bacon, crumbled (I use Bacon Bits from the jar)
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Utensils:

  1. In large bowl combine broccoli, bacon, raisins, and onion. Set aside.
  2. In small bowl combine mayo, sugar, and vinegar.
  3. Toss dressing with broccoli mixture.
  4. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

Submitted by:  Carol

Comment:  A variation I might try:   I'd blanch the broccoli, halve the raisins, double the onion, add garlic and some crushed cumin.  And, no, Ceecee, halving the raisins does not mean that I would cut each one in half with manicure scissors!

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Bruschetta

Ingredients:

  • A good loaf of bread (I prefer the round loaves as opposed to the long French breadtype loaves)
  • One red pepper per person
  • Goat cheese (the soft variety, soft enough to spread)

Directions:

  1. Roast the red peppers over the flame on your gas stove (or buy a little butane torch)
  2. While you're roasting and steaming the peppers, get a bowl full of good extra virgin olive oil (just enough to cover the peppers after they're sliced). Add to the olive oil:  lots of garlic (maybe one good-sized clove per pepper (for this recipe I prefer to put it through a garlic press instead of chopping it), some red pepper flakes, a little dried oregano, salt & pepper.
  3. After you steam and peel the skins off, slice the roasted red peppers into strips and add them to the oil mixture.  I like to let this red pepper\oil mixture sit at room temp, along with the goat cheese for at least an hour.
  4. When you're ready to grub, slice the bread into 3\4-1slices. Lightly toast in the oven, and then finish the toast off directly over the gas flame on the stove (it tastes a lot better if the bread is a little charred in places).
  5. Generously spread some goat cheese on the bread, and then top with the pepper\oil mixture.

Enjoy...mmmmmmmmMMMMMMMMMM.  I get begged to make this every time friends come over for dinner...in fact, I’m making it tonight.

Submitted by:  PMB_Ohio

 

 

 

 
 
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