New Year - New Soup ...

Fasten your seat belts, I'm about to confess. At the risk of being ostracized from the community, I'm just going come out admit it ... I made another Rachel Ray recipe.

I'll give you a moment to smooth your feathers and calm your spirits.

Now I'll admit something else ... it was damn good. So good I've eaten it nearly every day since I made it. What is this mysterious concoction? Stuffed Cabbage Soup. More shocking than the fact that I've admitted to watching 30 Minute Meals, is the fact that I made this soup despite my dislike of stuffed cabbage. I can't stand the stuff. But, trust me, this soup is amazing.

Its rich, hearty and nourishing; just perfect for these blustery winter days we've been having of late. This is a soup to soothe your soul and warm the chill in your bones. And, wonder of wonders, its South Beach friendly ... I told you I'd return to my roots eventually!

Naturally, I've made some changes to the recipe. I swapped out some lean ground beef and ground turkey breast for the beef, pork and veal in the original recipe. And, I've upped the ante on the spices - a lot - among other things. Below is my version ...

Stuffed Cabbage Soup:

adapted from Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Meals

• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 pound lean ground beef (sirloin)
• 1/2 pound ground turkey breast
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon hot Hungarian paprika
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• some freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of pumpkin pie spice
• generous grating of fresh nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon of whole caraway seeds, crushed
• 1 large, whole bay leaf
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 small to medium sized head of Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced (core removed)
• one 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 1 cup of unseasoned tomato sauce
• two 14.5 ounce cans of non-fat low-sodium chicken broth
• two 14.5 ounce cans of low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• some cooked whole wheat or egg noodles, or brown rice for serving

Garnishes:

• some chopped fresh dill
• some chopped fresh parsley

Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large soup or stock pot until hot but not smoking. Add the ground beef and turkey and saute until cooked throughout and beginning to brown, breaking the meat up with a wooden spoon and stirring as you saute. Add all of the spices, from the paprika through the bay leaf, stir to combine and saute for one minute. Add the onions, garlic and carrots and saute until the onions are translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring as needed. Add the cabbage and saute, stirring, until it begins to wilt - about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chicken broth, vegetable broth and the red wine vinegar. Raise the heat and bring the soup to the boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

Have ready some cooked whole wheat noodles, egg noodles, or brown rice. To serve, place the noodles or rice in the bottom of a bowl and over it ladle the finished soup. Garnish with a generous sprinkling of chopped fresh dill and parsley. Serve immediately.

As written, this recipe will yield 6 to 8 servings depending on portion size.

People, this makes a ton of soup! A ton of wonderfully flavored, 100% satisfying, delicious soup. We liked it so much we've been eating it non-stop ... and I'm going to be very sad when its gone. Please don't be put off by the long list of ingredients - this really is a quick fix meal.

The recipe suggests that the soup be served with rice (white rice to be specific) - but who wants rice when you can have noodles? Not me. Though, as always, do as you see fit.

I know I kid about Rachel Ray, but I have to admit she's got some great ideas - this unusual soup chief among them. Personally, I found the original version somewhat lacking in flavor and in need of an acid balance - hence the red wine vinegar and the trio of paprikas - but if you prefer something less bold, by all means go with the original version. We like to keep things spicy around here, so I'm well-pleased with my adaptation. I've also simmered the soup longer than the original recipe suggests. I think the longer simmer helps to build flavor.

Round out the meal with a big, fresh salad and you'll have a complete meal that's a welcome respite from all the holiday indulgences ... and a fine foil for the chilly temps! I hope you'll try it.

Bon appetit!

Carrot and Parsnip Soup

C'mon in, I've made you some soup. And not just any soup either - a luscious and healthy root vegetable soup. Doesn't it look delicious? Aw, thanks. Wait, what's that you say? No, no, of course I'm not trying to pawn off more leftovers on you. This soup is entirely fresh! Honest. I mean it.

~blink~

Ok, you caught me crossing my fingers behind my back. This soup is made of leftovers ... but not in the way that you think. In addition to the bounteous remains of the holiday meal, I found myself long, very long, on a variety of raw veggies after Thanksgiving. Parsnips and baby carrots were the chief offenders. I'm not entirely sure why I bought a whole bag of parsnips when I needed just one or two for my turkey. And I had all good intentions of setting out bowls of hummus and dip with baby carrots and assorted crudite late into the evening on Thanksgiving, when we were playing poker. But alas, our bellies were too full and the game was too intense.

Hoping to clear some room in the fridge after Thanksgiving, I whipped up a batch of this comforting soup.

Carrot and Parsnip Soup:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large leek, white and pale green part only, peeled and chopped
• 1 large shallot, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup of chopped onion
• 1 stalk of celery, leaves included
• pinch of Kosher salt and a generous grating of fresh black pepper
• 1 full pound of baby carrots, washed and trimmed of any ugly ends
• 4 large parsnips, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
• two 14.5 ounce cans of non-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
• one 14.5 ounce can of non-fat, low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon good quality curry powder, or more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
• grating of fresh nutmeg
• pinch of cayenne pepper, optional
• pinch of ground white pepper, optional
• a couple of teaspoons of chopped fresh dill
• optional - 1 teaspoon of honey to finish the soup if desired

For garnish:

• some non-fat plain Greek yogurt
• chopped fresh parsley
• chopped fresh dill

Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed soup or stock pot over medium-high heat and add the leeks, shallots, onions and celery. Add a pinch of Kosher salt and some freshly ground black pepper, stir and saute until the onions are translucent and the vegetable are tender but not yet brown - about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the ground coriander, curry powder, celery salt and cayenne pepper, if using. Stir to combine and saute for 1 minute. Add the carrots, parsnips, chicken broth, vegetable broth and lemon juice. Add a pinch of white pepper, if desired, and a grating of fresh nutmeg. Stir to combine. Raise the heat and bring the soup to the boil. Then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes or until both the carrots and parsnips are fork tender.

Remove from heat and puree using an immersion blender. (Alternately, the soup can be pureed, in batches, using a food processor or blender. Be careful, its hot!) Return the soup to the heat and re-warm if necessary. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more of whatever you like. If you prefer a sweeter soup, you may add a teaspoon of honey now. If you'd like a bit more acid, another squeeze of lemon should do the trick. Stir to combine.

To serve: ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a dollop of non-fat Greek yogurt and a dusting of fresh parsley and dill.

As written, this recipe will yield 6 servings.

Why, yes, it does bear a striking resemblance to my Cream-Free Creamy Carrot Soup ... they're cousins.

Bon appetit!

Thanksgiving Re-Mix: Stuffed Peppers Edition

At first glance, this post is going to look like it won't be of much use to you - especially if you don't have any leftover pork stuffing hanging around. And though I'll include a recipe, its not really about the recipe. Its about using what you've got. Its about recycling and remixing. And, most of all, its about playing with your food.

If you've got a fridge full of holiday leftovers mocking you every time you open the door, this post is for you. And, honestly, it doesn't much matter what kind of leftovers you've got - anything will do. Mainly we're talking about a technique here; recombining and recreating a little magic from the scraps of the holiday. If you have some meat stuffing, great! If not, feel free to use bread stuffing. No stuffing at all? I'm sure you could use mashed potatoes.

The same goes double for the vegetables and spices I've used. Go right ahead and play around with them. You could use almost anything in both the sauce and the stuffing. Do as you see fit and cook with what you've got!

Stuffed Peppers:

For the Sauce

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 rib of celery, leave included, diced
• 1/2 cup of diced onion
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ras el hanout
• 1/4 cup of dry red wine
• one 15 ounce can of plain tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and to it add the carrots, celery and onions. Season with a bit of salt and pepper and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes and saute until the onions are translucent and the vegetables have softened a bit, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the paprika and the ras el hanout, stir to combine and saute for one minute. Add the red wine, stir and saute until reduced by half. Add the tomato sauce, the vinegar, the broth, the dill and the parsley, stir well, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from heat and reserve.

For the Peppers

• 2 large bell peppers, any color
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small shallot, peeled and diced
• 1 small carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 cup of leftover pork or meat stuffing or dressing
• 1 cup of cooked quinoa (or bulgar, brown rice or couscous)
• 1/2 cup of cooked, chopped tukey
• 1/4 cup of leftover gravy
• some chopped fresh dill
• some chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, for topping
• 2 tablespoons seasoned dried whole wheat bread crumbs, for topping
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley, for topping

Slice the peppers in half length-wise and remove the stems, cores and seeds. Reserve.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and to it add the shallots and carrots. Saute until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the pork stuffing and the quinoa, stirring well to combine. Add the turkey and the gravy, stir and allow it to melt into the meat mixture. Add the parsley and dill, stir well to combine, then remove from heat and reserve.

In a small bowl, mix the Parmesan cheese, dried bread crumbs and chopped parsley together. Reserve.

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.

To stuff the peppers: Place the reserved sauce in the bottom of an oven safe baking dish, and nestle the peppers, skin side down, into the sauce. Fill the inside of the peppers with the reserved meat and quinoa mixture. Top each of the stuffed peppers with some of the Parmesan and bread crumb mixture and dot with a little bit of butter. Cover the dish with foil and bake in the middle of a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the foil and allow the peppers to bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden and the peppers are just beginning to soften. Serve drizzled with some sauce from the bottom of the pan and a dusting of fresh herbs. Enjoy!

My objective in adding all of that dill, and the ras el hanout and vinegar, to the sauce was to make something that did not taste like Thanksgiving! ... And, it didn't. The resulting sauce was well balanced; a bit spicy, slightly tangy and the perfect foil for the rich pork stuffing. If you're not a fan of dill, by all means feel free to substitute. Ditto for the quinoa - any cooked rice, grain or pasta would work as well.

I'll be submitting both this dish and the Baked Eggs in Stuffing Cups to 5 Star Foodie's Thanksgiving Leftovers Make-Over Challenge. Be sure to check out 5 Star Foodie on Monday, December 7th for a full round-up of all the leftover creations!

Stay tuned for my Thirsty Thursdays give-away tomorrow ... it will be most unusual and refreshing!

Bon appetit!

Left-over Magic, Sandwich Cubano Style

As you can see, we're experiencing some technical difficulties here in Divaland of late. The focus on my camera refuses to focus, even on the ISO setting, and its frustrating the hell out of me. I had grand visions and plans of a beautiful Cuban Sandwich photo, yet you're looking at ... that. Ugh, I'm sorry. It may be time for a new camera. In the meantime, let's eat!

I took the left-over pork roast, sliced it thin, warmed it in the remainder of the pan sauce and set about creating my version of one of the world's most delicious sandwiches. The Sandwich Cubano is a brilliant combination of roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese and pickles, piled together on Cuban bread and grilled until crisp and toasted. Traditionally, the sandwich is made on a sandwich press, called a plancha - which is similar to a panini press. The key to a really good Cuban Sandwich lies in the pressing; it allows the ingredients to fuse together while creating the much desired crisp exterior.

Needless to say, I don't own a plancha. Nor do I own a panini press for that matter ... but I made it work. I used my trusty grill pan, then weighted the toasting beauties down with a cast iron skillet and my tea kettle filled with water! As you can see, the results were magnificent.

There are probably as many recipes for tasty toasted treats as there are people to eat them. This is my version ...

Diva's Sandwich Cubano:

• some thinly sliced roast pork, warm
• some thinly sliced ham
• some aged Gruyere cheese, shredded or sliced
• some Vlasic Stackers Zesty Garlic sliced pickles
• Dijon Mustard
• Emeril's Horseradish Mustard
• olive oil for brushing the pan
• butter for brushing the sandwiches
• some Cuban, Italian or French bread, or long sandwich rolls

Heat your grill pan over high heat until hot but not smoking.

Slice your bread or rolls lengthwise and spread a bit of Dijon mustard on one side and a bit of Horseradish mustard on the other side. Layer some thinly sliced ham on the bottom half of the bread or roll and top with some pickle slices. Layer some thinly sliced roast pork over the pickles and top with some shredded or sliced Gruyere cheese and the remaining half of the bread or roll, pressing down on the bread to flatten the sandwich. Coat the top of the sandwich with a thin layer of butter.

Brush the grill pan with a bit of olive oil to form a thin coat and place the sandwiches, buttered side down, into the grill pan. Weight the sandwiches down with a cast iron skillet, or what have you, as seen above, and grill over medium-high to high heat until crisp and golden on one side. Butter the other side of the bread or roll, then flip the sandwich and continue to grill as directed above until both sides are crisp and golden brown and the cheese has melted. Serve immediately!

The mustard is by no means traditional, that's my spin and I'm sticking to it. You certainly don't need to use two kinds of mustard ... but I happen to like the combination. Do as you see fit. As for the ham, any variety you like will do. Just make sure its thinly sliced. In this case, I used some roasted ham.

You may also have noticed a disparity in the breads. The round roll is whole wheat and, again, by no means traditional. That's my personal choice, I made the husband's on a small, sandwich sized, loaf of Italian bread. As always, the choice is up to you.

I'm well pleased with the results of both my left-over magic and my improvised sandwich press. Necessity truly is the mother of invention. The sandwiches were wonderfully crisp and thoroughly delicious. I can't believe I didn't try this sooner ... though you can bet we won't wait long before having them again.

Bon appetit!

Recipe for Basic Pork Roast

As the country's largest and most important eating holiday begins to loom, its likely that my posts here will become somewhat irregular. I'm trying to get both my guest list and my menu in order. Making lists, laying in supplies, digging out cherished family recipes and the like, its enough to make one's head spin.

And all the while, the husband continues to come home hungry and hoping to eat. What's a weary Diva to do? Why, cook once and eat twice ... this time, its pork roast!

Basic Pork Roast Recipe:

• one 3 to 4 pound boneless loin of pork roast, center cut
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup Vin Santo
• 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning, or ground sage
• 3 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, leaves only
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
• pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, if desired
• pinch of ras el hanout spice blend
• 1/2 of a large onion, peeled and sliced
• 2 large shallots, peeled and quartered
• 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups of low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Sprinkle the mined garlic with 1 teaspoon of Kosher salt, and using the flat of your knife, laid flat against the cutting board, mash the garlic to a paste. Continue scraping your knife over the garlic and salt mixture until the garlic has broken down to the consistency of a thick paste. Transfer the paste to a small bowl and over it pour 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil.

To this mixture, add: the black pepper, poultry seasoning (or ground sage), chopped rosemary, chopped thyme, chopped parsley and a pinch of both crushed red pepper flakes and ras el hanout, if desired. Whisk well with small wire whisk to combine. Your mixture will look something like this:

Place the pork roast in the middle of a large roasting pan and, using a sharp knife, make several small slits in the top of the roast, pressing the point of your knife in to the depth of about an inch or so. Pour the Vin Santo (or dark rum) over the pork roast and allow it to sit for two minutes, then slather the entire roast with the reserved oil and herb mixture to coat.

Scatter some chopped onions, shallots and carrots in the bottom of the pan around the roast and place a few slices of onion on top to decorate, as seen above. Roast in the middle of a pre-heated 375 degree oven for approximately 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on the size of your roast and the speed of your oven, or until the internal temperature of the roast reaches 165 to 170 degrees on an instant read thermometer.

One half hour before your roast is finished, add 1 cup of low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth to the bottom of the pan and continue roasting until finished. Remove the roast from the oven, place on a cutting board and tent with foil, allowing the roast to rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom and sides of the roasting pan, adding more broth, if desired, to deglaze the pan and achieve a thin sauce. Slice the roast and serve immediately, along with the roasted carrots and shallots, and topped with a drizzle of the pan sauce.

As written, this recipe will serve approximately 4.

Notes: the exact mixture of herbs and spices here is entirely up to you. I never measure and I always use whatever I've got on hand. This time it was rosemary, parsley and thyme ... next time, who knows? I tend to throw in a pinch of this and a dash of that and anyway you mix it, it all turns out well. Feel free to experiment here and create your own special blend. By all means, use the garlic and oil ... then play around with the rest of the mix. You can use this technique for any kind of poultry as well.

Stay tuned for the second iteration, wherein I'll create some left-over magic ... Sandwich Cubano style!

Bon appetite!