Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 3 cups mushroom broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)
• 1 large carrot, diced(optional)
• 2 1/2 cups (about 8 ounces) grated sharp cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish

Directions

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, then gradually whisk in the half-and-half until smooth. Add the broth, bay leaves and nutmeg, then season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Add the broccoli and carrot to the broth mixture and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.

Optional: Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth; you'll still have flecks of carrot and broccoli. Return to the pot. (Or puree the soup in the pot with an immersion blender.)

Add the cheese to the soup and whisk over medium heat until melted. Add up to 3/4 cup water if the soup is too thick. Ladle into the bread bowls and garnish with cheese.

from Food Network Magazine

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/almost-famous-broccoli-cheddar-soup-recipe/index.html

BNH

Leek Potato Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound leeks, cleaned and dark green sections removed, approximately 4 to 5 medium
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Heavy pinch kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
• 14 ounces, approximately 3 small, Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced small
• 1 quart vegetable broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 1 tablespoon snipped chives

Directions

Chop the leeks into small pieces.

In a 6-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leeks and a heavy pinch of salt and sweat for 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to medium-low and cook until the leeks are tender, approximately 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the potatoes and the vegetable broth, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until the potatoes are soft, approximately 45 minutes.

Turn off the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream, buttermilk, and white pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning if desired. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately, or chill and serve cold.

Cook Time: 1h 15min

Yield: 6 servings

Recipe from Alton Brown and Good Eats

BNH

Spinach/Fenugreek Leaf Pakodas

Introduction:
This is a basic snack dish involving batter made of chickpea flour, with chopped onions and any one of many leafy greens. Delicious and easy to make (I got it right on the first try) and the recipe below is a stepping stone to more intricate ones. It requires amchoor (dried mango powder), which is a good thing to have in your spice rack (available at Indian stores) as it is used in quite a few Indian dishes. You can replace 1 tsp of amchoor with 3 tbsp of lime or lemon juice.

Ingredients:
Chickpea flour (besan) - 2 cups
Chopped spinach or fenugreek (methi) leaves - 1 cup
Amchoor (dried mango powder) - 1 tsp [Or 3 tbsp lemon/lime juice]
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - about 1 tsp or to taste
Oil for deep frying - 3 cups

Time: 15-20 min (5 prep, 15 cook)
Servings: 4

Method:
In a large mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together. Make a depression in the middle and slowly add water (I didn't have to add more than 3/4 to 1 cup of water for the 2 cups of flour, so be careful), mixing to dissolve any lumps that form. You should end up with a thick batter. Now add the greens and onions (and, if you aren't using amchoor, also the lemon/lime juice) and mix well. Heat the oil in a wok until you can smell it. Lower the heat to medium and drop tablespoonfuls of batter into the oil, four or five at a time depending on the size of your wok. Fry until both sides are browned. When removing from oil, use the spatula to squeeze out any excess oil. Transfer to paper towels to absorb any remaining oil. Keep warm. Repeat with the rest of the batter. Serve warm with ketchup or Sriracha sauce.

Suggestion 1: Try with other greens? Let me know how it goes.
Suggestion 2: These pakodas can also be incorporated into gravy dishes like soups. A traditional Indian favourite is yogurt soup (kadhi) with pakodas (kadhi pakoda). For use in soups, after removing excess oil, immediately soak in warm water for a few minutes. Squeeze out water and add to soup.
Author: Shrinkingsodacan