365 in 365 - #117 - Cream of Poblano Soup

This was a recipe that I posted last year, before the challenge began.  It is soooo good that I wanted to bring it back and include it in the challenge.  I have changed it up a bit and the flavor profile is a bit more smooth and sophisticated.  The texture is creamy and thick, but I will warn you...this is spicy!!!!!

My mother-in-law discovered this soup in a restaurant and tried to make it.  Hers was very good, but I decided to give it a try and came up with this version.  Everyone agreed that this was the better of the two.  

This is a very rich and decadent soup and is not for everyday.  It is a wonderful “special occasion” soup for a holiday or birthday.  It is a beautiful soft green color and is on the spicy side.  It can also be used as a sauce for chicken or pork tenderloin.  Just substitute 1 quart of the half-n-half with heavy cream so you will have a thicker base.

8 poblano peppers, charred, peeled, seeded and deveined

2 jalapenos, charred, peeled, seeded and deveined

1 large bunch cilantro, chopped

1 medium onion, sautéed in 2 tsp olive oil

6 cloves of roasted garlic

2 quarts half-n-half at room temperature

1 pint heavy cream at room temperature

¾ tsp kosher Salt 

¾ tsp fresh ground / cracked Pepper

Garnishes

½ small bag of frozen corn, thawed and sautéed with a bit of olive oil until lightly brown 

4 chicken breasts, grilled and diced

4 ripe roma tomatoes, cored, seeded and diced

2 ripe avocados diced and spritzed with lime juice to prevent oxidation

Thinly sliced radish

In a blender, combine the onion, cilantro, garlic, enough of the half-n-half to cover and process until very smooth and pour into a 4 quart soup pot.  Process the poblanos and enough half-n-half to cover in the blender and add to the soup pot.  Add the remaining half-n-half, the cream, salt, pepper and stir.  If you like your soup more spicy, add the remaining 2 poblanos after processing them in the blender with some of the soup.  If you like even more spice, you can roast a few Jalapeno or Serrano peppers in the oven with a bit of olive oil to soften them.  Place them in a blender with a bit of the soup to process and add to the pot of soup. If needed, add more salt and pepper taste.

When reheating this soup, please be careful to do so on a very low heat stirring frequently or it will scald.  Also, because of the cream base, do not leave this unattended while reheating as it may boil over.  

Serve with your choice of garnishes and enjoy!

365 in 365 - #85 - Spinach with Mushrooms, Sweet Onion and Swiss Cheese

Years ago, I came up with a recipe for a low-cal vegetarian sandwich that became a huge hit with friends and family.  My friend Mary and I used to eat this, warmed, in pita pockets for lunch.  I think we lived on this meal for an entire summer one year.

1 pound of baby spinach leaves
8 ounces of sliced mushrooms, sauteed until browned
1 small onion, chopped and sauteed until caramelized
4 thick slices of Swiss cheese, cut into cubes
1/3 cup low calorie Italian salad dressing

Mix all the cooked veggies, cheese and salad dressing together
Place 1/2 cup or more, if you like, in a small pita bread and warm gently in a pan or sandwich grill.

This recipe will make about 4-6 servings, depending upon how much you like in your sandwich.

Variations with the filling:

• Use phyllo dough to make little packages stuffed with this mixture.  Very reminiscent of Spanikopita.
• Make a vegetable pie with this filling (traditional pie dough on the top and bottom)
• Use puff pastry dough and make your own version of "hot pockets"
• Use mini-tartlet shells for a one bite appetizer
• Grease a standard glass pie plate, mix together 2 cups of milk, 3 eggs and 1/2 cup of biscuit mix and pour over the filling and bake until set for a "crustless" quiche.  

Other items that you can add / change:

• Change the dressing
• Roasted jalapenos
• Diced bacon, ham, chicken or turkey

Use your imagination and add flavors and textures that you enjoy.  There are no limits on what you can do with this.  

From my purple kitchen to you.

Enjoy your evening!!!

S.

365 in 365 - #76 - Fried Green Tomato Tart

I finally found some green tomatoes and thanks to a few people from a Facebook group that I belong to (What's for Dinner), I was sent several recipes for fried green tomatoes.  I have taken steps / ingredients from several of the recipes, mixed and matched them and am adding my own touch for the fried tomatoes.  I think one of the best ideas was to fry the tomatoes in bacon grease.  

Let's talk about bacon grease....there is nothing better for frying than this lovely and extravagant culinary wonder.  I love bacon...but my absolute favorite is maple bacon.  I don't mean the flavored kind that you purchase packaged in the store.  I am talking about thick cut applewood smoked bacon that is cooked on a rack in a jelly roll pan in the oven and then just as it gets crispy, it is brushed on both sides with REAL maple syrup from New England (New Hampshire / Vermont).  There is nothing like real maple syrup.  So, I am going to crumble the bacon and use it in the tart and then use the bacon grease to fry the green tomatoes in......this will be heavenly!!! 

I am also adding caramelized Vidalia onions to the tart......this should be a wonderful addition.  

I also bought a loaf of ciabatta bread, from which I will make fresh bread crumbs to coat the tomatoes with.  I am still considering what herbs I might add to the breadcrumbs......maybe none because of all the flavor that the bacon grease will have. 

Additionally, I am working on a mix of cheeses, cream and eggs for the filling.  I am very excited about this test recipe.  

For the tart shell, I am making a savory shortbread dough and considering what herbs I may add.  

Keep your fingers crossed......as soon as I have a workable recipe, I will post it for y'all.

Have a great evening,

S.