KindSoups White Chili

 Brad and Sheila’s Aunt Lynne’s White Chili

very good - 

 

Shopping list:

(4) Tablespoons cooking oil

(2) medium yellow onions

(2) bunches green onions

(6) cloves of garlic 

(2) 4oz. cans, chopped mild green chilies (Used few tablespoons of chopped canned jalapeño)

 (3) teaspoons ground cumin

(2) teaspoons dried oregano

(1/2) teaspoon ground red pepper (like cayenne)

(8) 15oz. cans of Navy or Northern Beans

(12) cups chicken broth or stock   (can use about 10 cups)

(1) pound cooked chicken (hint: I use store bought rotisserie chicken)  (Used baby bellas instead)

(1) bunch fresh cilantro (approx (1 & 1/3) cup – not packed)

(1 1/2) cups shredded cheese (cheddar, mexican blend, etc)

 

Prep before call: Finely chop yellow onions Chop green onions, separating whites from greens Peel garlic cloves and mince

 

Instructions:

Open beans, Drain in colander and rinse with cold water 

Step 1:  In a large stock pot, heat oil over medium high heat.  Add yellow onions and the WHITE parts of the separated green onions (reserving green portion for later), garlic and green chilies. Cook vegetables until onions are soft, not browned. Reduce heat to low.

Step 2:  Add cumin, oregano, ground red pepper, to cooked vegetables, stirring to combine.

Step 3:  Add drained beans and and broth.  Raise heat to medium-high.  Once mixture is boiling, reduce heat to medium, to keep at low boil.  Leave at low boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally,  for 45 minutes. While chili is cooking: Remove skin from chicken, if any, and cut cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces (hint: I use store bought rotisserie chicken) Chop fresh cilantro

Step 4:  After 45 minutes, Reduce heat to medium low, stir in chicken, heat for two minutes Step 5: Stir in Cilantro, Green Onions and Cheese Yield:  Approximately (16) cups

OPTIONAL: If serving at home, garnish each bowl with a spoonful of salsa and diced avocado. 

DO NOT ADD SALSA AND AVOCADO if freezing.

This was from one of the Saturday evening cooking sessions for KINDsoups.  This is absolutely delicious.  It is very rich and thick and the combination of cinnamon, ginger and turmeric with the fresh herbs is just amazing.  Definitely a keeper!  Photo 12/12/2020.

On Saturday Dec 12th we will be cooking North African Squash and Chickpea Stew together, led by Chef Marissa and Chef Danielle. Please join us via Zoom as we cook together, enough for our own family’s dinner, plus enough to freeze and deliver meals for others, so that they too can enjoy a delicious and nutritious meal! Recipe and shopping list will be available on the Monday prior to each cook together event beginning Saturday at 5pm. (you are free to cook whenever you’d like if our Zoom time is not convenient for you)  

North African Squash and Chickpea Stew

This richly spiced combination of squash, tomatoes and pulses is based around a traditional Moroccan recipe, harira. That dish is actually a soup but, whenever I make it, I find myself veering towards such a thick and chunky texture that ‘stew’ seems a more appropriate description. It hardly matters – it’s a delicious, belly-filling, one-pot dish.

Servings  18

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 large onions, diced
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 celery stalks, finely diced
• 3 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 3 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1.5 cups red lentils
• 3 15 oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 28 oz can roasted tomatoes (whole, diced, or crushed is fine)
• 3 good handfuls of parsley, roughly chopped
• 2 large bunches of cilantro, roughly chopped
• 2 pounds butternut squash or pumpkin (store pre-chopped is fine!)
• 3.5 liters (about 15 cups) vegetable stock
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 cup uncooked vermicelli, orzo or other small pasta

Method

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until just starting to turn golden. Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the garlic, celery, pepper, turmeric, cinnamon and ginger. Sauté for a couple of minutes. Now add the lentils, chickpeas, canned tomatoes, parsley and about half the cilantro. Cook over a low heat for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, peel and deseed the squash or pumpkin and cut into large cubes. Add to the pan with the stock and bay leaf. Cover and simmer gently for about 30 minutes. Add the pasta and simmer until it is cooked. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, scattered with the remaining cilantro leaves. 

Lentil and Spinach Soup

This was week #3 in the Kind Soup series - with Chef Carol Weil

 The background

This recipe is substantially (with some tweaking by me looking at other Dal Palak recipes) from The Immigrant Cookbook:  Recipes That Make America Great.  I wanted to use this cookbook to hearken back to KindWorks’ pre-COVID refugee meal cooking sessions which I miss so much.  So here’s a Shout Out to my homie KindCooks – old and new.  I can’t wait to see you in my kitchen when it is safe for us to be cooking together.  

• “We asked Chef Hari Nayak for a recipe he thinks best exemplify the Winter season. He gave us this recipe for “Lentil & Spinach Soup” or locally known in India as “Dal Palak.” He explains why it’s great for the Winter by saying, “This is a perfect winter dish. Served over rice it can make a very comforting and hearty meal. You can have this soup anytime of the year but it is especially great for when the weather is cold! Serve it with rice, naan bread, bread sticks, and crusty bread or have it just by itself. This soup has a refreshing austerity that makes it feel like a safe haven amidst decadence and yet it is still nourishing and warm and filling, a wonderful one-bowl meal.”

Lentil and Spinach Soup   

Serves 16

Ingredients

4 T vegetable oil (I use Canola)

4 teaspoons cumin seeds (can use ground cumin but then use less)

4 medium red onions

8 garlic cloves

4 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons garam masala

1 t turmeric

1 lemon, juiced

2 quarts lo salt vegetable broth (added ~2 cups additional water)

4 small tomatoes (Roma are good for this)

4 cups red or yellow lentils – I prefer yellow but if you use red, beware that they cook REALLY quickly and can get REALLY mushy.  Green or brown work fine, will just need to cook longer.

8 cups fresh spinach or 4 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained. 

2 cups coconut milk (used one can)

Salt to taste

Cayenne pepper, chile powder, or sriracha to taste

Cilantro for garnish (optional)

1)Heat oil in large saucepan, add cumin seeds (they will sizzle upon contact).  

2) Add onion, ginger, garam masala, and turmeric, and cook, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute.  

3) Add tomato and cook until soft.  Add lentils and 7-9 cups of water or broth (start with 8), reduce heat to low, cover, and let gently simmer.   Check after 10 minutes to see if you need more water.  Soup can be thick (less water) or thinner (more water) to your preference.   

4) Stir in the spinach, coconut milk, lemon juice, and salt and cayenne/sriracha/chile powder to taste.  Cover and simmer until spinach is cooked about 5-10 more minutes).  

Serve hot, garnished with cilantro if desired.  Best with another squeeze of lemon.

Prep Before Zoom

Chop onions

Peel garlic cloves

Juice your lemon 

~If using frozen spinach, thaw and drain beforehand

 

See you on the Zoom! 

Topic: KindWorks Simply Soup Saturdays Weekly Zoom Meetings

Time: This is a recurring meeting Saturdays 5-6pm

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88639038021?pwd=S0xCcnlxUjNiWTlnRStQeEFWNTljZz09

Meeting ID: 886 3903 8021

Passcode: 120464

 

Afterwards:

Label each container with:  date, your first name and last initial, type of soup, and mark it VEGAN.
Drop off at one of the participating food assistance providers (see below), with a person or family that is in your heart, or a place that you prefer, when convenient,
Email deb.lang@DoKindWorks.org saying that you dropped off  __ containers of  ___ soup at ____ on ___date and feel free to include a picture or two – we love pictures!
THANK YOU!!   

• upCounty Consolidation Hub at the Black Rock Center for the Arts in Germantown (12901 Town Commons Dr, Germantown, MD 20874), M-F 9am-1pm
• Cordell Place (a Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless shelter) 4715 Cordell Avenue in Bethesda – 301-986-8780
• Seneca Heights Apartments  (a Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless dwelling) 18715 N. Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg – 301-519-2530

Join us next Saturday!      (and have a great week)

Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup

https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/cozy-autumn-wild-rice-soup/

This is awesome.  I cooked this last night as part of a zoom cooking collective with Kindworks, a wonderful giving organization.  Starting last week, there is a weekly group cooking initiative to produce large quantities of soup to donate to local food banks.  We shop in advance for the ingredients and try to chop the vegetables before the zoom meeting starts.  Then we chat and cook together.  Last night, Chef Saanya started the conversation by asking us to tell kitchen stories from our past, time we spent with our grandparents.  It was a wonderfully warm hour of soup and sharing.  

As many soups are, this one seems like it can easily be altered to suit your tastes.  For instance, I didn't have any Old Bay, which was the main flavor ingredient for this soup.  I had Tagine, which is a Moroccan spice blend of paprika, cinnamon , turmeric, ginger, chili pepper, black pepper and cardamom.  I'll have to make some up, or replenish my supply at Whole Foods.  After dinner, I realized that the 'Best By' date was 2016!  I used a lot of it - might have been able to use less if it were fresh! 

I used only 1/2 of the coconut milk and will try it with another non-dairy creamer.

The wild rice was a wonderful texture with the other ingredients.  I might consider using another hearty grain like farro or bulgur.  

I might try with more kale also.  

From the Gimme Some Oven website, which I will now have to check out: 

This Cozy Autumn Wild Rice Soup features fresh seasonal produce, hearty wild rice, and a zesty creamy broth. The vegan version of the soup is listed here in this recipe, or see options below for the cream sauce version.

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SCALE INGREDIENTS

• 6 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice*
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 1 large (about 1 pound) sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 small white onion, peeled and diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
• 1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk (or see cream sauce option below*)
• 2 large handfuls of kale, roughly chopped with thick stems removed

• fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

---

INSTRUCTIONS
INSTANT POT (PRESSURE COOKER) METHOD:

1. Combine base ingredients. Combine vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, garlic, carrots, celery, sweet potato, onion, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning in the bowl of an Instant Pot pressure cooker.  Stir briefly to combine.

1. Pressure cook. Cover and cook on manual (high pressure) for 25 minutes.  Let the Instant Pot rest and naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes.  Then carefully open the vent and quick release the remaining pressure.  Remove lid and discard the bay leaf.

1. Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined.  Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.

1. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!

CROCK-POT (SLOW COOKER) METHOD:

1. Combine base ingredients. Combine vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, garlic, carrots, celery, sweet potato, onion, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning in the bowl of a large slow cooker.  Stir briefly to combine, then place the lid on the slow cooker.

1. Slow cook. Cook on high for 1 to 2 hours*, until the rice is cooked and tender.

1. Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.

1. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!

STOVETOP METHOD:

1. Sauté the veggies. Heat (an extra) 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent.  Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.

1. Add base ingredients. Add in the vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, sweet potato, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning.  Stir to combine.

1. Simmer. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer.  Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally.

1. Add final ingredients. Add the coconut milk and kale to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.

1. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!

Peruvian burritos with aji verde sauce

Peruvian Burritos with Aji Verde  from Feastingathome.com

★★★★★

5 from 15 reviews

• Author: Sylvia Fountaine Prep Time: 30 Cook Time: 30 Total Time: 1 hour Yield: 4 Category: Vegan, vegan dinner, Burrito Method: Stove top and Oven Cuisine: Peruvian Diet: Vegan

Description

Peruvian Burritos with Aji Verde Sauce filled with roasted sweet potato, fresh corn, peppers, quinoa and creamy black beans, then drizzled with spicy Peruvian Green Sauce. A flavor bomb! Vegan and Delicious! (Read the recipe through first before making- yes, there are several components here but this really can be made in one hour. Make several things at the same time- it can be done!)

Ingredients

• 1 small-medium yam or sweet potato, diced (about 1–2 cups)
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• ——-
• 3/4 cup dry quinoa (or sub rice)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• ——–
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
• 1 ear of corn, (1 cup corn kernels, or sub 1 cup frozen corn, or 1 cup diced zucchini)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 poblano chili
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• ——-
• 1 can refried black beans (or see notes)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 /4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin

Vegan Aji Verde Sauce:

• 1/3 cup raw cashews
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 –1 jalapeno ( or 1/2 a serrano chili)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups cilantro, small stems ok
• 1–2 tablespoon lime juice

4 extra-large tortillas  ( 14-16 inches)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F and gather ingredients & cut veggies.

BAKE SWEET POTATOES: Dice the sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes and place on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Toss with a little olive oil, and a generous five-finger pinch of salt and pepper. Spread out and bake in the middle of the oven until crispy and tender, 20-25 minutes.

COOK QUINOA: At the same time, bring quinoa, water, and pinch of salt to boil in a medium pot. Once boiling, cover, turn heat to low and cook until all the water is gone about 15 minutes. Turn heat off and leave covered. Fluff before serving.

SAUTE FILLING: Also at the same time, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Saute onions 2-3 minutes until they just begin to soften. Add garlic, corn and peppers and lower heat to med, sauteeing until tender, about 10 minutes. Season with the salt, cumin, coriander and oregano. Set aside. When the sweet potatoes are tender, add them to these veggies.

BLEND THE  Peruvian Green Sauce (AJI VERDE SAUCE): While the veggies are sauteeing, blend the Aji Verde ingredients together using a blender. Start with cashews and water, blending till smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides. Add remaining garlic, chili, salt, cilantro and lime juice. Blend until relatively smooth. Scrape it into a small bowl.

WHIP THE BLACK BEANS: Place 1 can refried black beans into a medium pot, breaking them up with a fork.  Add 1/4 cup water (or more) to loosen. Gently warm over medium-low heat, whipping with a fork until they are smooth and creamy. Add a drizzle of olive oil, salt and spices. If you don’t care about it being “vegan” stir in grated melty cheese or a dollop of sour cream for extra richness. Whip with fork until creamy and flavorful. You want these to be slightly salty. Cover and turn heat off.

ASSEMBLE BURRITOS: Heat tortillas up until soft and pliable (over a gas flame, or in the oven on the rack). Spread with whipped black beans “the glue”, a few tablespoons quinoa, 1/2 cup veggies and 2-3 tablespoon of Peruvian Green Sauce. Roll up, tucking the ends in as best you can. Enjoy!

Peruvian BURRITO BOWLS: Spoon some warm whipped black beans into the bottom of a bowl. Top with some quinoa, vegges and AJI VERDE Sauce. Garnish with avocado slices, diced tomatoes, cilantro, pumpkin seeds, sunflower sprouts.  If making bowls instead of burritos, I would double the beans for 4-6 people.