Hot and Soup Soup

I've been traveling lately and as often happens, I'm exposed to all kinds of germs. When that happens and I get home, I make Chinese Chicken Soup in the hopes of fighting everything off. But, when I do succumb to a cold, I always make Hot and Sour Soup. I was a rather sickly child and this was a staple soup of my childhood. It pretty much guarantees that I will better after I eat it. The hot is actually white pepper and the sour is actually vinegar and when you are a child, this actually does taste really hot!  For those people who are expecting the fire of red chiles, you may want to add some Sriracha or Chili Garlic Sauce to spice things up.  Chicken Soup has been proven to thin and clear phlegm and the other ingredients are so healthy!  The Mu'er Mushrooms thin and circulate the blood and vinegar is considered in Chinese Medicine to be antiseptic and antiviral. If you have had this marvelous soup in a Chinese restaurant and wondered how to make it, you need to try this - it's actually very easy and oh so good for you too!

Hot and Sour Soup

4 ounces boneless pork loin, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips (2/3 cup)

2 Tablespoons Tamari

4 small Shitake Mushrooms

12 small dried Mu’er (Wood Ear, Tree Ear or Cloud Ear mushrooms)

2 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon cornstarch

12 dried Lily Buds

1/2 cup canned sliced bamboo shoots, cut lengthwise into thin strips

3 - 4 tablespoons Chinese Black vinegar or unseasoned Rice Vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

2 Tablespoons oil

5 cups chicken broth

4 oz firm tofu rinsed and cut into 1/4-inch strips

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons Asian Sesame Oil

1 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper

2 green onions, sliced into small pieces 

Coat pork with 1 Tablespoon Tamari and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a bowl and set aside. Soak Shitake Mushrooms and Mu’er in boiling water to cover in another bowl for about ½ hour. Cut off stems from black mushrooms and thinly slice. Remove Mu’er from bowl and trim off any hard bits and cut into bite size pieces. Also soak Lily Buds in about 1 cup warm water until softened, about 20 minutes.  Remove from water and trim off tips. Cut into thin shreds.

Stir together 3 Tablespoons vinegar, Tamari and sugar in another small bowl.

Heat a frying pan or wok and add oil. Then add pork and stir-fry until it just changes color, then add Shitakes, Mu’er, Lily buds, and bamboo shoots and stir-fry for a few minutes.

Add broth and bring to a boil, then add tofu and vinegar mixture. Taste and add additional Tablespoon of vinegar if you like it more sour.  Stir cornstarch with a bit of water to make a slurry, then add to broth and return to a boil, stirring.

Beat eggs with a fork in a small bowl.  Pour eggs into soup slowly while stirring with a spoon. Add white pepper and Sesame Oil. Serve with a sprinkling of scallions.

Five Element Analysis

Soup is always considered part of the Water Element and the Pork, Shitake Mushrooms, Tamari and Sesame Oil and eggs contribute even more. This is an especially Watery Soup - perfect for when you are sick!  The Wood Element is represented by the Chicken Broth and vinegar. The White Pepper adds in the Fire Element and so do the Lily Buds.  The Earth Element comes from the Cornstarch and Sugar and the Metal Element is brought in by the Green Onions and Tofu.  This is a very balanced bowl of soup!

Connie's Pasta Sauce

Martin's sister-in-law Connie made the most delicious pasta sauce for us the other night before we left to come back to the US. I couldn't quite place the delightful sweet and rich taste it had and noticed that it also had a lovely rosy color. The secret ingredient for this delicious pasta sauce was: grated beets! Connie teaches kindergarten and each teacher has to make lunch for the students once a week and this is one of her most requested recipes from those discerning (and picky) 5 year olds!  She created this pasta sauce as a way of adding more nutritious vegetables to the students' meal.  As a mom herself, she has clearly mastered the age-old technique of hiding nutrients in your kid's food.... She uses a combination of beef and pork, which is sold already combined in Danish grocery stores and she serves this pasta sauce with whole wheat corkscrew (Fusilli) pasta, adding even more nutrition to their lunchtime meal. It's a simple sauce and it naturally appeals to kids because of the natural sweetness and for adults, the beets add a depth of flavor that is deeply satisfying. I'm sure people who think they don't like beets could be converted with this sauce. Besides that, beets are a blood tonic in Chinese Medicine, meaning they help build blood and support both the heart and the liver. So this sauce is really good for you too. I love beets and I couldn't stop eating this pasta sauce,  so I will be making it often in the future!

Connie's Pasta Sauce

1/2 pound ground beef

1/2 pound grond pork

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 medium red onion minced

2 beets grated

1 28 oz can Whole Tomatoes

1 15 oz can Tomato Sauce

Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a large pot.  Add the onion and cook until softened.  Then add in the the ground beef and cook until it is no longer pink.  Add in the grated beets and Tomatoes and use the spatula to break up the whole tomatoes into smaller pieces.  Then, bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer.  Cook for one hour and then add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over whole wheat pasta, spelt pasta or gluten free pasta with lots of fresh grated Parmesan Cheese.

Five Element Analysis

Beef and Beets belong to the Earth Element so this is a very grounding food, plus it is cooked for a long time, which makes it even Earthier.  The onion adds the Metal Element and the Parmesan Cheese enhances this element even more. The Water Element is represented by the ground pork and the Tomatoes add the Fire Element. The Wood Element shows up in the pasta. This ends up being a balanced Five Element Meal and her students are very lucky when Connie makes this delicious sauce!

Savory Clams

This is my favorite way of making clams and I am so surprised that I haven't posted it yet as I make it fairly often.  It is my go-to recipe for Linguine with Clams and it is really easy. I love the addition of tomatoes as the tartness works so well with the sweetness of the clams and I think it gives the sauce more depth. Clams and other mollusks may be the original fast food (along with eggs) as they cook so quickly. I like to use small clams as they are more tender and if you use bigger ones, it may take a few minutes more cooking time.  

Clams in Chinese Medicine are incredibly good for supporting the kidneys and the reproductive organs and also cleanse the liver. Luckily, they are also tasty as well as being very nutritious.

I like to serve these over mashed potatoes, which may sound strange, but is absolutely delicious. It makes the broth and potatoes mix into a creamy, briny delight. But, my kids are partial to eating these clams with lots of pieces of French bread, hot out of the oven so I serve it both ways or with al dente Linguine.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

Savory Clams

2 pounds fresh clams

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 large shallot minced (or 1/4 cup minced onion and a minced garlic clove)

5 - 6 Roma Tomatoes, chopped

1 cup White Wine (I used Semillon but I also use Chardonnay regularly)

Optional: Pinch of Red Pepper flakes

In a large frying pan (with a lid), put in the olive oil and heat until it separates in the pan. Add in the shallots and cook until they start to become translucent and soft.  Put in tomatoes and stir (watch out as they splatter).  Cook until tomatoes soften.  Add in wine and give it a good stir then put in the clams.  Cover and steam for 5 minutes. Remove the clams that do not open and put into a large bowl.  Serve over mashed potatoes and/or with a fresh crusty baguette to soak up the broth!

Five Element Analysis

Clams belong to the Water Element family, whereas Olive Oil brings in the Wood Element and serving it with bread or pasta contributes even more.  The tomatoes and white wine add the Fire Element and the Red Pepper adds even more fiery pop! The potatoes (if you use them) are an Earthy food and the milk and butter make sure that there is even more of the Metal Element than the shallots bring in. Served this way, all Five Elements are accounted for and this then is a light balanced meal or appetizer course all by itself!

Lentil Salad with Green Beans and Tomatoes

I have been savoring the last of the really ripe tomatoes and wanted to make a high protein salad to take with me on the plane.  I like bringing my own food as I just don't like what they serve at most airports. I am careful not to pack things that have too strong of a smell (like tunafish) and I really want something healthy to eat when I am on the road. So, I made this lentil salad the night before as it is a really good as a traveling food.  I've discovered that lentils, like pasta, taste best when you salt the cooking liquid enough. I made the salad with those wonderful tomatoes cut up and also some blanched green beans and red onion. I dressed it with red wine vinegar and olive oil and some fresh basil. It was delicious!  

Lentils are very high in protein. They are considered by the Chinese to be sweet and warm.  They are considered a very good food for the spleen and stomach and actually the entire digestive system.  And, they are considered beneficial when you have low energy.  But as always, I like them because they taste good.  They are also one of the most ancient cultivated foods and store (when kept dry) very well. I keep them on hand for a quick soup and as you can see from this recipe, they are a really good ingredient that can help you create a healthy, nutritious and satisfying salad to eat alone or as part of a larger meal.

Lentil Salad with Green Beans and Tomatoes

1 cup Lentils

Handful of green beans, trimmed and cut into small pieces

4 Roma Tomatoes, chopped 

1 small Red Onion, minced

2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 teaspoons salt water + 1 teaspoon for salad

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Small handful of basil leaves, cut into small pieces

Rinse Lentils in a large pot and drain.  Cover with water by about 3 inches and add salt. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Cook until tender - about 20 - 30 minutes.  Drain and reserve.  

Blanch green bean pieces for 3 - 4 minutes in a small amount of boiling water or until crisp-tender.  Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.  

Toss lentils, green beans, tomatoes, red onion, olive oil and vinegar together.  Season with salt and pepper and toss again.  Let sit for 1/2 hour or more to let the flavors blend.  Sprinkle with fresh basil when serving.  

Five Element Analysis

Lentils, as pulses, belong to the Earth Element so that element is fully represented as the green beans add even more. The Olive Oil and Red Wine Vinegar contribute the Wood Element. The tomatoes bring in the Fire Element and the Basil adds just a bit of Metal. That element needs enhancement in the meal and the Water Element is missing so be sure to serve it with a Water Food like soup or maybe some grilled fish as the main dish to create balance.  

Rice Pilaf with Bay Leaves

Rice is one of my favorite sides with almost anything.  Given a chance to make a side dish, I usually think of it first.  So last night I was short a few ingredients that I usually make rice pilaf with, like onions or shallots and chicken broth, and adapted a standard recipe and ended up making it more interesting. What I used instead was garlic and vegetable broth and I added bay leaves on top as they perfumed the rice with that wonderful intangible aromatic scent  that made the rice taste just a bit mysterious. I was so delighted with the rice that I had to share it with you and will definitely make it again and again!

Rice Pilaf with Bay Leaves

1 cup Basmati (or Jasmine) Rice

1 3/4 cup Vegetable Broth (can also use Chicken Broth)

2 Garlic Cloves, Minced

1 Tablespoon Butter (can also use Olive Oil if you are vegan)

2 Bay Leaves

In a Saucepan, heat the butter until melted.  Add the garlic cloves and cook, stirring until they just begin to start to turn color.  Add the Rice and coat with the butter.  Cook until the rice looks opague.  Then pour in the Vegetable Broth and bring to a a boil. Turn down heat to simmer, cover the rice and cook for 15 - 20 minutes.  Serve with the Bay Leaves on top.

Five Element Analysis

Rice belongs to the Metal Element and the Garlic and Bay Leaves add even more.  The Butter brings in only a hint of the Water Element along with the broth, but the vegetables in the broth contribute a little bit of Wood, Fire and Earth.  However, this dish is considered primarily Metallic so use it to add the Metal Element to a meal incorporating the other elements more strongly to find a Five Element balance.

Brunch Bread Pudding

I helped host a brunch in Denmark this last weekend and wanted to make a dish that could serve a crowd that was also an American treat. I thought about Blueberry Pancakes, but didn't want to be tied to the stove flipping them. Besides that, mine always come out seriously lopsided. I had some two day old Italian bread that needed using, so decided to make Bread Pudding. I don't make this often because I don't eat regular wheat bread that much, but this recipe is so good, that once in a while, I just have to make it. This version is a variation on Paul Prudhomme's recipe. However, I like mine to be more lightly spiced and less sweet. And my favorite topping is Maple Syrup instead of the usual Bourbon Sauce, Lemon Sauce or Chantilly Cream. Sometimes I change it up and make it with fresh blueberries and then serve it with Blueberry Syrup or I put in apples and serve it with Cider Syrup. For Christmas morning, I have made it with dried cranberries or cherries too.  They are all incredibly delicious versions!  I made a really big batch since there were lots of people coming over and this was one of the first dishes to be eaten up. I consider that the best endorsement of all.  This recipe makes about 16 servings, so for a smaller family, just cut the recipe in half.

A few tips: Toast the bread cubes in a slow oven until they are dried - this can be done ahead of time.  Start soaking the bread about 1 1/2 hours in advance so that it really gets a chance to soak up the egg and milk mixture.  Also, make sure to cut up the walnuts into fairly small pieces.  Brown the bread pudding well (unless you like it really soft) because the crispy bits on the top may be the best!

Brunch Bread Pudding

6 eggs

2 cups sugar (2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups if you like it very sweet)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (preferably freshly ground

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

8 Tablespoons melted butter

4 cups whole milk (I used Lactaid)

1 cup raisins

1 cup walnuts

10 cups stale French or Italian bread - with the crust, cut into cubes and lightly toasted in the oven

In a large bowl, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, melted butter and milk and mix to incorporate. Place bread cubes in a buttered 9 x 12 inch baking pan. Pour the egg/milk mixture over them and toss slightly.  Let sit at room temperature for 45 minutes.  Bake in a preheated 300 degree oven for 45 minutes.  Then raise the temperature to 425 degrees and bake an additional 15 minutes or until the top crust is lightly browned and the bread pudding is puffy.  Serve warm or cool with Maple Syrup.  

Five Element Analysis

Bread belongs to the Wood Element so that element is definitely covered.  The eggs and walnuts bring in the Water Element.  The sugar and Maple Syrup contribute the Earth Element.  The vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and milk represent the Metal Element.  The raisins, being dried, add in the Fire Element, but not very much.  So, to make this balanced, make sure to serve it with tea or coffee and enjoy!

Hal's Macadamia Crusted Halibut

This is a great recipe from my ex husband that I have meant to post many times in the last few years. It is a really delicious way to cook Halibut and it is a great dish for a dinner party because it looks a lot harder than it is.  Halibut can be a dry fish if not cooked properly, but this way of cooking it maintains its' moistness and the crust of Macadamia Nuts and Ritz Cracker Crumbs is wonderful. His way of making it involves coating pieces of halibut in a mixture of Best Foods Mayonnaise and Sour Cream. This makes the nut crumb mixture stick to the fish.  I altered the recipe by removing the Sour Cream and used just mayonnaise. I also used Glutino Gluten Free Crackers instead of the Ritz Crackers and it still turned out great.  You can also use Panko Bread Crumbs if desired. The tricks are to make sure that the Macadamia Nuts are not too finely chopped in the food processor or you will have nut butter and to sear the halibut in a hot pan (cast iron is good) coated with only a bit of oil. Then, when both sides are brown, you finish it off in the oven. It is so delicious!

Hal's Macadamia Crusted Halibut

4 - 6 pieces of Halibut (about 4 - 6 ounces each)

1/2 cup Best Foods (Hellman's) Mayonnaise

1 1/4 cups Macadamia Nuts, lightly chopped in a food processor (or by hand)

1/2 cup cracker crumbs (Glutino Gluten Free Crackers or Ritz Crackers - about 10)

2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix together the Macadamia Nuts and Cracker Crumbs and put on a plate.  In a wide bowl, put in the mayonnaise.  Take each piece of fish and dip in the mayonnaise (on both sides) and then press into the Nut Crumb Mixture.  Put on a plate until all are coated.  Heat a heavy oven proof frying pan (like cast iron) until hot. Put in oil and when almost smoking (you will see the oil start to separate), carefully put in the fish.  Cook, watching carefully until the Nut Crumb crust gets brown.  Turn and continue cooking until that side is brown.  Then, put into the oven and cook for 8 - 12 minutes, checking with a fork after 8 minutes.

Five Element Analysis

Fish belongs to the Water Element and the Macadamia Nuts add even more. The Mayonnaise and the Gluten Free Cracker crumbs, bring in the Metal Element.  If you use Ritz Crackers or Panko Bread Crumbs, you gain some of the Wood Element. However, you do need to serve this with a green vegetable for more of the Wood Element and to find balance, there needs to be some of the Earth Element, which potatoes would contribute and some of the Fire Element, which could be a berry or apple dessert.