White Bean Soup with Roasted Cauliflower

I made this a few weeks ago and some people asked for the recipe. Sorry it took so long.  It is adapted from a Mark Bittman recipe so I have to give props for the inspiration. More winter comfort food!

Ingredients:
1 quart vegetable stock
3 garlic gloves minced
1 onion chopped
1 can diced tomatoes chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 celery stalk chopped
1 can white beans rinsed
2 bay leaves
1 tsp or 1-2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 head of Cauliflower
Kosher salt
Black Pepper
Olive Oil
Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for shaving

Directions:
Heat 2 TBSPs of olive oil in a stock pot over medium high heat.  Add onions and sauté 8-10 minutes until they become translucent.  Season with salt and pepper and add garlic, celery and carrots. Add tomatoes, beans and 1 cup of the vegetable stock.  Bring to a boil.  At this point you can use an immersion blender and pulse a couple times to break up some of the beans. You don't have to do this but I like how it thickens up the soup. 
You can now add the rest of the vegetable stock, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a boil then cover and turn down to a simmer.
Preheat the oven to 400F.  Cut cauliflower into florets and toss with 2 TBSPs of olive oil and salt and pepper.  Roast cauliflower in the oven for 20-30 minutes until they have nice crispy edges.
At this point you can remove the bay leaves and the thyme sprigs. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
To serve, place some of the roasted cauliflower florets on top and shave some Parmigiano over the soup.

Vegetable Soup

I posted a non vegetarian version of this hybrid tortilla soup and chili recipe before, but I wanted to do another meatless version.  This does have fish sauce because I love it but you can take it out if you want to make it totally vegetarian.  It's one of those ultimate comfort foods that warms you up and is full of flavor.  Perfect for winter nights, riding out snow storms.  The recipe is for 4 but easily doubles for more guests!

Ingredients:
1 quart vegetable stock
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro + a little more to garnish
5 garlic gloves minced
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 red bell pepper chopped
1 can diced tomatoes chopped
2 carrot chopped
1 cup of zucchini cut up into chunks
1 cup squash cut up into chunks
1 can white beans rinsed
1 can black beans rinsed
1 small can of corn rinsed
Kosher salt
Black Pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
2 jalapenos seeded and diced
1/2 TBSP fish sauce
1 TBSP brown sugar
2 limes  (one juiced and one for serving)
1/2 Avocado 
Olive Oil

Directions:
Heat 2 TBSP of olive oil in a stock pot over medium high heat.  Sauté the onions for 3-4 minutes then toss in the garlic and sauté for another 3-4 minutes.  Add carrots, cumin, salt and pepper and tomatoes.  After another minute or so add the Vegetable stock, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Stir then add 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro, bell pepper, zucchini, squash, beans, corn and jalapenos.
Cover and let simmer for another 20 minutes.  Stir in lime juice and the other half (1 cup) of cilantro.
Taste and adjust seasoning to your taste.
To serve, top with a bit of fresh cilantro, a few slices of avocado and a squeeze of lime.  You can also top with a little crema if you want.

Mexi Soup

This is a hybrid of a tortilla soup and a chili.  It's one of those ultimate comfort foods that warms you up and is full of flavor.  Right now it's one of the favorite things I make.  Perfect for the cold rainy days we are having here in Porto.  The recipe is for 2 - 4, like all my recipes, but easily doubles or triples for more guests!

 

Sophie wants a taste.

Ingredients:
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro + a little more to garnish
3 garlic gloves minced
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 red bell pepper chopped
1 cup tomatoes chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 cup of zucchini cut up into chunks
1 can white beans rinsed
1 can black beans rinsed
1 small can of corn rinsed
1 tsp Sea salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1 jalapeno
1/2 TBSP fish sauce
2 TBSP brown sugar
2 limes  (one juiced and one for serving)
Chicken:
Salt
Pepper
1/2 chicken breast (or more if you want more chicken)
1 TBSP olive oil
Crema (optional)

Directions:
Start with the chicken stock, water, garlic, 1/2 the cilantro (1 cup), onion and fish sauce over medium heat.  When that starts to get hot add the salt, pepper, jalapeno, sugar and cumin, and let simmer for a few minutes.
Add the carrots, tomatoes, and corn, and let simmer for 10 minutes.  Add beans, zucchini, and bell pepper.  Cover and let simmer for another 20 minutes.  Stir in lime juice and the other half (1 cup) of cilantro.
Cut up chicken into strips and mix with 1 TBSP of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Saute the chicken strips and use to top the soup.
Top with a bit of fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime.  You can also top with a little crema if you want.