Soups & Stews – Page 4 – My Life Runs on Food

Gazpacho with Shrimp Cucumber Salad

June 9, 2010January 4, 2022Sanura

Casey Angelova of the food blog, Eating, Gardening & Living in Bulgaria, is sponsoring another cultural cuisine event. This time it’s honoring Portugal on their National Day. The Portuguese call it “Dia de Portugal.” It’s also a day honoring their national hero, Luís de Camões, for he’s the author of an epic poem, Os Lusíadas, that tells the history of Portuguese exploration.

A few centuries ago, Portugal had vast empires in Africa and Latin America. With a foundation of Mediterranean flavors, it’s a cuisine with a global influence. Tomatoes, chocolate, vanilla and chilies from the “New World” are now important ingredients in many cultures, including Portugal. Read more →

Cream. Chicken. Corn. It Makes a Delicious Chowder.

May 10, 2010January 3, 2022Sanura

This is a delicious, quick meal that could be made within an hour on a weekday, including prepping time*. In place of chicken use any seafood to make shrimp, fish or crab chowder**. Unlike chicken, add the seafood to the pot after the potatoes are cooked to keep the meat tender. Using fresh corn will enhance the sweetness of the cream and the meat. During the off-season months, use organic frozen corn, for it has a better texture and taste than the non-organic and canned versions. If using fingerling potatoes, slice them. Baby potatoes should be quartered or cut in half, depending on their size. Some people like to peel their potatoes, but this is a weekday meal. Such details can be overlooked in place of saving time. Besides, the visual appearance of red-skinned potatoes provides a nice contrast in a creamy soup. A simple, green salad and a Chardonnay will complete a well-meaning meal.

*Clean and cut chicken on a weekend. Place it in a freezer and defrost before using.
** Buy shrimp raw, clean and devein. Fish should be cut into chucks. Use precooked crabmeat sold in the seafood section.

An All-Season Tortilla Soup

April 19, 2010January 3, 2022Sanura

Tortilla Soup

Last winter, instead of serving a sick boyfriend bland chicken soup, he ate a sultry Vitamin C filled Tortilla Soup. Actually, this soup is a good choice to serve between seasons. The potatoes and the chicken give the soup the hearty weight of winter. The sweetness of the corn and the tomatoes has the reoccurring flavors of summer. When the weather abruptly switches from warm to cold to rainy, the spiciness of the soup reminds the soul that summer is on the way. Now, on those warm spring days, in which time outside is preferred to the indoors, this recipe is quick to make when the warm sun finally gives way to the coolness of moon. Read more →

The Art of Making Cream of Mushroom {and Chicken} Soup, Not Inspired from the Can

March 3, 2010January 3, 2022Sanura

Creamy Mushroom Soup

Strolling through a museum, a friend asked if I liked Andy Warhol. The answer is usually automated: “Yes, he’s one of the greatest artists of the 20th century!” On that day my perception of art was being challenged, for I wanted to think about my answer. “I don’t know,” was my response, “My opinion right now is based on what art classes tell me to like.” Andy Warhol spiced up his creativity by using ordinary objects in pop culture. He screen printed an image of the canned Cream of Mushroom soup because of its banality of flavor. That day, I had the lovely pleasure of viewing artwork from other artists made with dirt, sticks and clay shaped like unmentionables. It was artwork inspired from the can. Read more →

Fighting Stress with Spice: Curry Chicken Stew in a Slow Cooker

February 2, 2010January 27, 2022Sanura

If breakfast is the starter meal of a day, then Sunday is the starter meal of the work week. Reviewing the schedule for the upcoming week, it revealed little time for cooking a meal. Sunday dinner needed a recipe for the crock pot. The meal needed to be hearty and large to last a few extra days. The additional stress endured this week will be counteracted with a spicy Curry Chicken stew. Meals with little nutritional value will only feed the stress.

Sunday starts with our audacity to accept a invitation to a wonderful performance. After returning home from seeing Emperor Jones at the SoHo Playhouse, it was a relief to know dinner would be quickly served. As we waited for the rice to cook — 45 minutes for brown rice — we worked on our projects. When the rice was ready and the garnishes were prepped, we ate a spicy stew and enjoyed the evening. During the week, I will remember this relaxing moment in the midst of chaos.