Chunky, hearty, chock full, healthy, tasty, filling, these are just a few of the adjectives to describe this amazing soup. With twelve different vegetables, this tomato based soup just explodes with a healthy flavor that you can smell even before you taste one bite!
Nothing comforts the heart, body, and soul like a big bowl of warm steamy soup, and this recipe makes a big pot, enough for plenty of leftovers for the week, or about 2 ½ gallons. If you don’t have the inclination, or space limits your ability to produce a full batch, then feel free to cut the quantity in half or even quarter it to fit your needs. In fact, I implore you to change up this recipe, it is only a guideline and heck, maybe you don’t like turnips, but would prefer potatoes, or maybe some fresh corn instead of the peas and green beans, or how about some whole grain brown rice in place of the pearled barley, endless variations depending only on your imagination, budget, pantry, or local fresh market.
Vegetable Beef Soup
Here is a step-by-step video short to give you the quick overview of the simple procedures for making this incredible soup, and it’s just 90 seconds viewing.
What you will need…
Ingredients
1
Tbsp
Olive oil
2 ½
Lb.
Chuck roast, cubed
½
Gal.
Beef stock, warm
12
Oz
Tomato paste
3
Cups
Onions, diced
3
Cups
Celery, diced
2
Cups
Carrots, diced
1
Cup
Bell pepper, diced
1
Lb.
Mushrooms, sliced
4
Cups
Cabbage, chopped (medium head)
1
Lb.
Turnips, diced
3 ½
Lb.
Peeled tomatoes, whole
12
Cloves
Garlic, minced
1
Tbsp
Italian seasoning
3
Each
Bay leaves
1
Tbsp
Worcestershire sauce
1
Cup
Pearled barley
1 ½
Lb.
Green beans, cut
1
Lb.
Lima beans
1
Lb.
Green peas
To taste
Salt and white pepper
How to do it…
Procedure Steps:
1.
Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot and then sauté the cubed beef until nicely browned.
2.
Keeping the stock pot over a high heat, add the beef stock and tomato paste and stir well until dissolved. Then add the next twelve ingredients and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
3.
Add the pearled barley and stir well, cover and continue to simmer for one hour or until barley is cooked and tender.
4.
Add the green beans, lima beans and peas and bring back to a simmer for about 20 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Bow Tie Pasta Chips
You have probably eaten at many family style restaurants that have a spinach dip, or a spinach and artichoke dip, typically served with fried tortilla chips. This recipe is a knockoff of the appetizer known as Artichoke and Spinach Dip still served on the menu today at Copeland’s of New Orleans, selling for $9.29 a portion. Currently with locations in six states in the US, Copeland’s was founded in 1983 by the late Al Copeland, the renowned restaurateur who founded Popeye’s Famous Fried Chicken.
Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Bow Tie Pasta Chips
The restaurant serving size of the dip is a little less than one cup per rarebit dish portion and is heated to order in a very hot convection oven to an internal temperature of at least 165º F. The pasta which has already been par-boiled and portioned into about 2-cups is then battered and deep fried to order. Once the dip is heated the rarebit is placed on an under liner with doilies, then the fried pasta is tossed with parmesan cheese, plated, and garnished with fresh chopped parsley.
Be forewarned, this preparation will dirty a lot of equipment and utensils in your home kitchen and includes two main processes, the spinach and artichoke dip, and the fried bowtie pasta. Both require total attention, however, some steps can be organized together.
This recipe will give you about 2 quarts of hot spinach and artichoke dip. Along with about 6 cups of the fried bow tie pasta for dunking into the dip, this is a crowd pleasing party food or appetizer for your next event, party, or holiday meal.
I am going to try something new here on the CCR blog and attempt to give you a complete play-by-play of the dip and fried bowtie pasta preparations, similar to several popular foodie blog sites. And I can tell you; this takes a lot of planning, preparation, and work to produce in a single post. I would image that some of these very popular foodie blog’s have assistants doing portions of the duties such as recipe ideas, photographer, writer, web development, alas; I am a one man show. Someday, I may have enough gold to hire on a few associates myself!
For the Dip
First you start with heating the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat and then sauté the onions and garlic until soft and translucent.
Then you add the flour, stirring well with a wooden spoon to incorporate into the mixture, and allow this to cook for several minutes until it forms a light blond roux.
Then you add the warm chicken stock and heavy cream or half and half and using a wire whisk to blend the roux into the liquid until smooth. Allow the liquid sauce base to simmer over a low heat for several minutes.
Then you add the Cajun Spice Blend and gently whisk well to incorporate into the liquid.
Then add the sugar and lemon juice and gently whisk well again.
Then add the Crystal Hot Sauce and gently whisk well once again.
Then add the grated parmesan cheese and gently whisk well into the dip base.
Next, fold in the sour cream until well incorporated.
Now switch from using the wire whisk to a rubber spatula, and scrape the sides of the sauce pot to incorporate all the ingredients in a uniform and thick consistency.
Next, using the rubber spatula fold in the spinach which as already been drained of any excess liquid.
Then, fold in the artichoke hearts in the same manner.
The dip portion of the preparation is now done.
Using the rubber spatula as a tool, it is time to transfer the dip to a oven proof dish.
Then combine the parmesan cheese with the shredded Monterey Jack cheese and spread it evenly over the dip.
Sprinkle the top of the dip evenly with paprika. The dip is now ready to cool overnight or go straight into the 375º F for 30 – 35 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the dip is bubbling on the edges.
For the bowtie (Farfalle) pasta…
Get your pot of salted water and your pound of pasta ready, and cook the pasta per package directions, then drain and rinse with cool water and allow the pasta to chill quickly.
Get your fry station ready with your three stage station: seasoned flour, egg wash, seasoned bread crumbs, the deep fryer, the draining station with layers of paper towels, and a large stainless steel bowl. A word of caution: be sure to have a deep fry thermometer that can read up to 450º F. I recommend peanut or canola oil for home deep frying as they have a high flash point. You want to keep the oil at 350º F and no higher, this is a safe temperature for these types of vegetable oil. Have a lid or cover handy that can be placed over the deep fryer to cover should the unlikely case that the oil would catch fire. Observe all safety requirements that go with deep frying in the house.
Portion out one cup of the cooked pasta.
Then toss the pasta into the seasoned flour, and coat evenly.
Using a sifter, shake the excess flour from the pasta.
Then toss the pasta into the egg wash and coat well, then strain with a slotted spoon.
And transfer the coated pasta into the seasoned bread crumbs and toss well to coat.
Then deep fry the breaded pasta for 2 minutes, or until golden brown and they float to the top of the hot oil.
Once done, remove the fried pasta with another slotted spoon and allow them to drain on several layers of paper towels.
Then transfer the drained pasta to a large stainless steel bowl and toss with grated parmesan cheese.
Arrange the fried pasta around your heated spinach and artichoke dip and time to eat.
The Recipe
A few recommendations before you begin…
1.) The amount of spinach in the recipe is the weight needed for the preparation, not how much you need to purchase. I would recommend at least 1 ½ pounds of frozen spinach to yield the 1 pound needed in the recipe, a lot of moisture loss occurs during the thawing and draining and this will bring the weight down.
2.) The pound and ounce measurements are weights, and the remaining measurements are volume.
3.) This dish can also be served in eight separate 1-cup, or four 2-cup portions if you desire to spread out the servings or offer it as part of a smaller table setting.
4.) If you plan on having leftovers, then you will want to reserve the appropriate amount of bowtie pasta to be fried as required. In other words, it is not recommended that you fry up all your bowtie pasta in a single sitting, the fried pasta does not lend well to reheating or leftovers.
5.) While preparing the dip portion of the recipe in one large sauce pot, another large pot can be put in to get the water boiling for the initial cooking of the pasta. This will save you some time in the over all preparation.
6.) I would recommend that the dip preparation and the initial cooking (boiling) of the pasta be done ahead of time. The dip benefits in increased flavor by allowing it to cool and chill overnight and the pasta can be cooked and chilled as well. Then when you are ready to serve all you have to do is put the dip in the oven and then set up your frying station and fry up the pasta.
Ingredients
2
Tbsp
Butter, lightly salt
2
Tbsp
Olive oil
1
Cup
Onion, diced 1/4"
1
Tbsp
Garlic, minced
½
Cup
Flour, all-purpose
1 ½
Cup
Heavy Cream, or half and half
1
Cup
Chicken stock, warm
1
Tsp
Cajun Spice Blend
2
Tsp
Sugar
1
Tsp
Crystal Hot sauce
1
Tbsp
Lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1
Cup
Parmesan cheese, fresh grated, divided
1
Cup
Sour cream
8
Oz.
Cream cheese, softened (optional)
1
Lb.
Spinach, frozen chopped, strained
½
Lb.
Artichoke Hearts, chopped 1/2"
1
Cup
Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded, heaping
½
Tbsp
Paprika
1
Tbsp
Parsley, fresh, chopped
Procedure Steps
1.
Before starting with the recipe make sure that the frozen spinach is fully thawed and drained of any excess moisture. Then proceed with the following steps. You want to end up with at least 1 pound of usable spinach once the liquid has been fully removed, but more than 1 pound is okay.
2.
Melt the butter along with the olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat, and then add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the flour and stir well to incorporate into the mixture. Allow this to cook for several minutes on medium heat, or until the flour absorbs all the liquid and starts to turn a pale blond color.
3.
Add the heavy cream and warm chicken stock and using a wire whisk blend the mixture until smooth. Simmer over low heat for several minutes.
4.
Add the Cajun spice blend, sugar, Crystal hot sauce, lemon juice, ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese, sour cream, and cream cheese and stir well with a large spoon to incorporate.
5.
Add the spinach and artichoke hearts and mix well with a large spoon, continue to simmer until heated through or about 5 minutes.
6.
Transfer to an oven proof 2 quart or larger serving dish and then sprinkle the shredded Monterey Jack cheese and then the remaining ½ cup of the grated Parmesan cheese, and then sprinkle the paprika over the top. Heat the dip in a 375º F oven for 30 – 35 minutes, or until cheese is melted and slightly browned on top. Serve with the fried bow tie pasta (see recipe below) for dipping.
Fried Bow Tie Pasta
Ingredients
1
Lbs.
Bow tie pasta
1
Gallon
Water
1
Tsp
Salt
1
Tbsp
Vegetable oil, divided
1 ½
Cups
All-Purpose Flour
½
Tsp
Salt
½
Tsp
White pepper
2
Large
Eggs, beaten
2
Cups
Milk
2
Cups
Bread crumbs, seasoned
2
Quarts
Peanut oil, for deep frying
½
Cup
Parmesan cheese, shredded
1
Tbsp
Cajun Spice Blend
Procedure Steps
1.
Add water to a large stock pot and add the salt and ½ tablespoon of the vegetable oil, and then bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain in a colander and then run cool water over pasta to stop the cooking process. Allow the pasta to drain well, then transfer to a large bowl or container and coat the bow tie pasta with the remaining ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil then refrigerate.
2.
Breading station: In a large bowl or container combine the flour with the salt and white pepper, in another large bowl or container mix the beaten eggs with the milk and in one last large bowl or container place the seasoned bread crumbs.
3.
Heat peanut oil to 350º F in a fryer or large high-sided stock pot and have ready for deep frying.
4.
Batch Frying Method: Take one cup of the bow tie pasta and toss into the seasoned flour, then shake the excess flour off and toss into the egg wash, then drip excess liquid and transfer to the seasoned breadcrumbs and dust to coat well, shaking off any excess breading.
5.
Deep fry the breaded bow tie pasta for about 2 minutes, or until golden and floating on top of the oil.
6.
Remove the fried pasta from the oil and drain on paper towels.
7.
In a large bowl toss the fried pasta with the Parmesan cheese and the Cajun spice blend, and then serve with the spinach and artichoke dip.
To Serve: Place warmed dip container onto a large platter lined with doilies or napkins and then arrange the fried bow tie pasta around the dip. Garnish the entire presentation with the fresh chopped parsley.
The first frost of the year for our area occurred late Saturday night and early Sunday morning of November 6 and 7th the past weekend. In preparation for the impeding end of the summer crop I spent about an hour picking all the tomatoes from our eight plants and yielded about eight to ten pounds of ripe, semi-ripe, and green tomatoes. At least half of the tomatoes were still green so I found a great way to pickle them in this modified recipe for pickling green tomatoes, the original recipe was found on page 56 of the Ball Blue Book guide to preserving, the 100th Anniversary Edition 2009. I’ve added some heat with the red chili flakes, and look forward to tasting these delectable delights in the next few weeks. I am thinking of opening the first jar for Thanksgiving Day dinner, it’s just over two weeks away, so a couple days before the suggested six week pickling period. I like to experiment anyway, so this will be a treat in any case.
For the seven pints yield you will need five pounds of small, firm green tomatoes, in these I am using my green Roma Tomatoes, which are quartered in most cases, but a few were cut into sixths. There were several of the tomatoes that were on the verge of turning slightly red, but for the most part they were still at least 75% green, so I threw them in also.
The basics of canning tomatoes are fairly simple, but the details of canning need to be followed closely as to prevent your batch of delectable garden preservation going to waste or rotting. Following these simple steps will guide you to a perfect batch of preserved tomatoes every time. Kitchen Gardeners, a global community cultivating change has great online step-by-step guidelines for canning tomatoes. If this is your first canning project, or for a refresher, I suggest that you read this before attempting any canning project. These guidelines follow closing along with those prescribed in the Ball Blue Book guide to preserving, the 100th Anniversary Edition 2009.
My mom tells me that pickled green tomatoes are really good along with a mess of fried catfish, and I cannot wait to try them out with my next batch of southern greatness.
Ingredients
5
Pounds
Green tomatoes, small and firm
¼
Cup
Canning salt or kosher salt
3
Cups
Vinegar
3
Cups
Water
7
Cloves
Garlic
7
Each
Bay leaves
7
Sprigs
Fresh dill weed, or 1 Tbsp dill seeds, or 1 Tbsp dill weed dried
1
Tbsp
Dried chili pepper flakes
Procedure Steps:
1.
Wash the tomatoes then drain and allow to them to air dry. Core the tomatoes then cut them into halves or quarters.
2.
In a large sauce pot combine the salt, vinegar and water and bring to a boil. This is the brining solution.
3.
Pack the tomatoes into hot prepared jars, leaving a ¼” headspace. Add 1 clove garlic, 1 sprig of dill (or ½ teaspoon dill seeds or ½ teaspoon dill weed) and 1 bay leaf into each jar. Ladle the hot brining solution into each jar leaving a ¼” headspace.
4.
Remove any air bubbles, then seal with the lid and screw band, adjusting to just tight.
5.
Once all jars are sealed and in the hot water bath, process in the boiling water canner for 15 minutes. The 15 minutes starts once the water is boiling.
6.
Once the time is up, turn off the heat, remove the lid from the canner and allow the jars to sit another 5 minutes. Then remove the jars and allow them to cool on a cloth towel for 12 to 24 hours. Test the seal then tighten the lids and label then store in a cool dark location. Any jars that are not sealed properly will need to be processed in the 15 minute boiling water process again.
To Serve: Allow canned tomatoes to sit for six weeks before serving, this gives them time to develop flavor and pickle.
Been on a soup kick lately with the cooling temps and thought it would be nice to share a seafood style of soup on this cold Friday in November.
Here is my version of a southern favorite, crab and corn soup, and this one is a hearty soup and would make a meal on it’s own with a side of fresh baked bread or maybe a salad.
NOTES: 1.) The first part of this recipe is making a stock, and while the procedures are fairly consistent with the restaurant version, you can still make this one at home; the quantities have been reduced for most home kitchens. The total time to prepare the stock portion of the procedures is about 2 ½ hours, so a warning to you as this is not a quick recipe.
2.) In the stock portion of the ingredients you will notice that the items are “chunked”, this means a very large course chopping, in fact the onion only needs to be cut into eights and the carrot into 1 inch or large pieces, you get the idea right?
3.) You will need to shuck and clean the four ears of corn before making the stock and soup.
4.) Gumbo crabs are small blue crabs that have been cleaned and dressed but uncooked, and add an incredible flavor to seafood soups and gumbos. Gumbo crabs are skinnier, less desirable crabs that wouldn’t get used for their meat. They are sold with the back shell already removed to allow the stock or gumbo liquid access to the meat and fat within, resulting in delicious flavor.
5.) To get the eight cups of trinity (onions, celery, bell peppers) chopped you will need about 2 2/3 cups each of onions, celery, and bell peppers chopped.
6.) For the ¾ pound of blond roux you will need about ½ pound of melted butter and ½ pound of flour, see making a roux for steps needed.
Ingredients
Stock
1
Large
White onions, coarse chunked
1
Large
Carrot, chunked
2
Ribs
Celery, chunked
1
Bunch
Leeks, chunked
1
Bulb
Fennel, chunked
4
Cloves
Garlic, whole
4
Each
Corn husks and cobs
1
Tsp
Black peppercorns
2
Each
Bay leaves
1
Sprig
Thyme, fresh
3
Quarts
Oyster liquor, seafood stock, or clam juice
2
Lbs.
Gumbo crabs, cleaned and dressed ( or shrimp shells)
Stock: Bring all the ingredients to a boil except the crabs or shrimp shells, and then reduce heat to a simmer for two hours. Then add the gumbo crabs or shrimp shells and simmer for another 30 minutes. Strain the stock and reserve liquid allowing it to cool. Discard the solid ingredients.
2.
In a large stock pot melt the butter and then sweat the trinity and corn until soft. Add the stock and bring to boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer for 20 minutes. Skim any scum from the top of the liquid. Whisk in the blond roux and continue to simmer 30 minutes or until thick.
3.
Add the heavy cream and bring back to a simmer, allow to simmer another 10 minutes to heat through.
4.
Fold in the lump crab meat, and then add the Worcestershire sauce, Crystal hot sauce, and the salt and white pepper to taste.
To Serve: Ladle an 8 ounce portion in each bowl and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
