Spicy Cucumber Curry Soup

Date Published: Jan 1st, 2023 | Last Updated: Jan 1st, 2023
Author: Abby |Category: starter, appetizer, main, healthy, vegetarian, < 30mins, easy, low-cal
Serves: 6-8 as a starter, 4 as mains | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 15 mins

Jump to recipe |

With an abundance of cucumbers on the Homolka farm lately, I’ve been experimenting with different ways of using it up. This recipe uses up 4 cucumbers at a time, however full disclaimer, the actual flavour of the cucumber is masked by the spices, but it’s still a delicious and hearty soup nonetheless, and also healthy and low in calories! (If you’re looking for a cucumber soup full of cucumber flavour, check out the Hot or Cold Creamy Cucumber Soup recipe.)

Anyways, without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 large cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, and chopped
1.5 Tbsps curry powder
2 tsps red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you prefer it spicier)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsps sesame oil
2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 cup milk
4 cups of cooked shredded chicken (optional)
1 cup Greek yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the onion is very soft, translucent, and slightly browned (~5 mins).

Set aside a large handful of sliced cucumbers for garnish at the end and add the rest into the pot. Mix around for 30 seconds then add in the curry powder, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. Sauté for another minute until the spices are fragrant, then add in the soy sauce, sesame oil, chicken stock, and milk. Bring the soup to a boil then simmer gently for 10 mins with the lid on, until the cucumbers are soft.

After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can pour the soup into a blender instead of using a stick blender.

Put the soup back on the stove on MED heat and add in the shredded chicken. Once heated through, stir in the greek yogurt and taste to adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the reserved cucumbers when serving. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Spicy Cucumber Curry Soup

Ingredients:

1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 large cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, and chopped
1.5 Tbsps curry powder
2 tsps red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or more if you prefer it spicier)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsps sesame oil
2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 cup milk
4 cups of cooked shredded chicken (optional)
1 cup Greek yogurt
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the onion is very soft, translucent, and slightly browned (~5 mins).
Set aside a large handful of sliced cucumbers for garnish at the end and add the rest into the pot. Mix around for 30 seconds then add in the curry powder, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper. Sauté for another minute until the spices are fragrant, then add in the soy sauce, sesame oil, chicken stock, and milk. Bring the soup to a boil then simmer gently for 10 mins with the lid on, until the cucumbers are soft.
After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can pour the soup into a blender instead of using a stick blender.
Put the soup back on the stove on MED heat and add in the shredded chicken. Once heated through, stir in the greek yogurt and taste to adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the reserved cucumbers when serving. Enjoy!

January 1, 2023January 1, 2023

AbbyLeave a comment

Hot or Cold Creamy Cucumber Soup

Jump to recipe |

Happy New Year everyone!

Summer is upon us which means the Homolka farm is once again in full swing with an array of fresh home-grown veggies! Of these veggies, zucchini and cucumber seem to always be in abundance with Toby’s dad at least harvesting 4-6 per day! There’s only so much cold cucumber salad you can make, so I was on the hunt for cooked cucumber recipes. I’ve always been a sucker for soups so when I came upon a hot cucumber soup recipe from EatingWell.com, I just had to try it! It was delicious right from the start but I made a few little adjustments and doubled the recipe amount so I can have this as a main dish instead of a small appetizer portion. This recipe can be served hot, warm, or chilled – cold soups never seem satisfying and hearty for me, so I always like to have it hot.

This is only part of the cucumber mania on the farm! ❤️

This soup is so quick and easy to make. It’s also fantastic for using up an abundance of cucumbers and best of all it’s creamy and low in calories at the same time! Sounds too good to be true, eh?

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
2 Tbsps lemon juice
4 large (~8 cups) cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, and sliced
3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 tsp cooking salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 avocados, diced
1 cup Greek yogurt

Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the onion is very soft, translucent, and slightly browned (~5 mins).

Add the lemon juice and sauté for another minute, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pot.

Set aside a large handful of sliced cucumbers for garnish at the end and add the rest into the pot. Mix around for 30 seconds then add in the chicken stock, salt, and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil then simmer gently for 10 mins, until the cucumbers are soft.

After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and add the diced avocados to the pot. Use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can pour the soup into a blender instead of using a stick blender.

Stir in the greek yogurt and taste to adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the reserved cucumbers when serving. Enjoy hot, or chilled!

Summarized Recipe:

Hot or Cold Creamy Cucumber Soup

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
2 Tbsps lemon juice
4 large (~8 cups) cucumbers, peeled, deseeded, and sliced
3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 tsp cooking salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 avocados, diced
1 cup Greek yogurt

Directions:

In a medium sized pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the garlic and onion until the onion is very soft, translucent, and slightly browned (~5 mins).
Add the lemon juice and sauté for another minute, scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pot.
Set aside a large handful of sliced cucumbers for garnish at the end and add the rest into the pot. Mix around for 30 seconds then add in the chicken stock, salt, and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil then simmer gently for 10 mins, until the cucumbers are soft.
After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and add the diced avocados to the pot. Use a stick blender and blend until smooth. Alternatively, you can pour the soup into a blender instead of using a stick blender.
Stir in the greek yogurt and taste to adjust salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with the reserved cucumbers when serving. Enjoy hot, or chilled!

January 1, 2023

Abby1 Comment

Creamy and Tangy Czech Mushroom & Dill Soup (Kulajda)

Date Published: Dec 25th, 2022 | Last Updated: Dec 25th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: soups, appetizers, <30mins, easy, mains, vegetarian
Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Jump to recipe |

What is Kulajda?

Kulajda (pronounced “koo-lie-duh”) is a creamy and tangy mushroom, dill and potato soup that is traditional to Southern Czech. We first came upon it on our trip to Prague this past summer. Apart from all the nostalgic Czech dishes that Toby wanted to have (including steak tartare), we also googled some famous must-have Czech dishes that led us to the historical Michelin-guided restaurant, Café Imperial. There were SO many delicious things at this restaurant but my all-time favourite was the kulajda. In fact, I liked it so much that I was on the lookout for it at every subsequent restaurant we went to on our trip around Czech! The flavour combination of savoury and tangy and highlighting the ingredients of mushrooms and dill were out of this world. It was a combination that was new to me and I loved it!

Also a big fan of their svičkova and steak tartare!

After googling recipes and experimenting with a few, I’ve come up with this version that is a mix of a couple of different recipes that resulted in a soup just like the one at Café Imperial. 😊 The soup was surprisingly easy and straightforward to make. If it wasn’t so heavy, I’d probably make this all the time 😜.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

40g dried porcini mushrooms
5 bay leaves
4 whole allspice berries
2 cups (480ml) water
40g (1/3 stick) unsalted butter
4 Tbsps (40g) all-purpose flour
3 cups (720ml) beef or chicken broth
500g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
3/4 cups (180ml) heavy cream
2-3 Tbsps white wine vinegar (start with 2 Tbsps and add more if you prefer it more tart)
1/4 cup (50g) sugar (or more to taste)
3 Tbsps fresh dill leaves, chopped (no stems) + additional for garnish
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or more to taste)
4 eggs

Directions:

In a small saucepan, add the dried porcini mushrooms, bay leaves, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to simmer for 15 mins. After 15 mins, turn off the heat and set aside.

While the mushrooms are simmering, make a basic roux: In a medium sized soup pot on MED heat, melt the butter, then gradually sprinkle in the flour bit by bit while stirring until it’s all incorporated and you end up with a thick paste. Don’t add in the flour all at once or you’ll get a big clump of dough.

Once you get a thick paste, slowly pour in the beef broth while continuously stirring to ensure no clumps form.

Strain the mushrooms from the saucepan in step 1 and pour the mushroom-soaked water into the beef broth pot. Bring to a boil and simmer with a lid on for 10 minutes. Set the mushrooms aside and discard the bay leaves and allspice berries.

After 10 mins, add the potatoes and soaked mushrooms to the soup and continue simmering for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes soften.

Turn off the heat and stir in the cream, white wine vinegar, sugar, and dill. Taste and adjust salt, sugar, or vinegar to your liking. Let the soup rest for a few minutes before serving.

While the soup is resting, poach 4 eggs.

When serving, add a poached egg to each bowl and pour the soup overtop. Sprinkle extra dill leaves on top to finish. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Creamy and Tangy Czech Mushroom & Dill Soup (Kulajda)

Ingredients:

40g dried porcini mushrooms
5 bay leaves
4 whole allspice berries
2 cups (480ml) water
40g (1/3 stick) unsalted butter
4 Tbsps (40g) all-purpose flour
3 cups (720ml) beef or chicken broth
450g potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm cubes
3/4 cups (180ml) heavy cream
2-3 Tbsps white wine vinegar (start with 2 Tbsps and add more if you prefer it more tart)
1/4 cup (50g) sugar (or more to taste)
3 Tbsps fresh dill leaves, chopped (no stems) + additional for garnish
1 tsp salt (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper (or more to taste)
4 eggs

Directions:

In a small saucepan, add the dried porcini mushrooms, bay leaves, and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to simmer for 15 mins. After 15 mins, turn off the heat and set aside.
While the mushrooms are simmering, make a basic roux: In a medium sized soup pot on MED heat, melt the butter, then gradually sprinkle in the flour bit by bit while stirring until it’s all incorporated and you end up with a thick paste. Don’t add in the flour all at once or you’ll get a big clump of dough.
Once you get a thick paste, slowly pour in the beef broth while continuously stirring to ensure no clumps form.
Strain the mushrooms from the saucepan in step 1 and pour the mushroom-soaked water into the beef broth pot. Bring to a boil and simmer with a lid on for 10 minutes. Set the mushrooms aside and discard the bay leaves and allspice berries.
After 10 mins, add the potatoes and soaked mushrooms to the soup and continue simmering for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes soften.
Turn off the heat and stir in the cream, white wine vinegar, sugar, and dill. Taste and adjust salt, sugar, or vinegar to your liking. Let the soup rest for a few minutes before serving.
While the soup is resting, poach 4 eggs.
When serving, add a poached egg to each bowl and pour the soup overtop. Sprinkle extra dill leaves on top to finish. Enjoy!

December 25, 2022

AbbyLeave a comment

Healthy “Creamy” Chicken Thyme Mushroom Spinach Soup

Date Published: Sept 5th, 2022 | Last Updated: Sept 5th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: easy, healthy, low-cal, mains, appetizers, soups, vegetarian
Serves: 4 (as a main) | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

Jump to recipe |

The countdown is on to our wedding and thus our wedding diet is in full swing which means healthy, low-calorie meals that cut out the fat without compromising on flavour. This recipe ticks all the boxes. I love a good soup and I love a good mushroom dish. When you put two together, I’m loving life! This soup is PACKED full of mushrooms – 600g of mushrooms, to be exact; and it’s creamy without actually using any cream! The creaminess comes from a bit of flour to thicken it all up and soy milk.

Suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

600g white button mushrooms (400g chopped, 200g sliced)
3 large enoki mushrooms, sliced (optional for extra texture)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsps plain flour
4 cups (1 litre) chicken stock
2 dried or 3 fresh bay leaves
2 Tbsps fresh thyme leaves
2 cups soy milk (optional, for extra creaminess)
4 cups (100g) kale and/or spinach leaves, stalks removed, chopped
2 cups shredded roast chicken

Directions:

In a large pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the 200g of sliced mushrooms and enoki mushrooms until tender. Remove from the pot and set aside in a separate bowl.

In the same pot, add another drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic for a few minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add in the 400g of chopped mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are tender and turn a deep brown colour. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and mix together for 1 minute until all the liquid is absorbed. Pour in a few splashes of chicken stock and mix it all together, scraping the sides and ensure nothing is clumped to the sides or the bottom of the pot. Pour in the remaining stock and add in the bay leaves and thyme leaves. Turn the heat up to HIGH and bring the soup to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat down to LOW-MED until a simmer and let it simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

After simmering, remove the bay leaves and remove from heat. Use a stick blender and blend the soup until smooth. (You can also pour it all into a blender if you don’t have a stick blender). Add in the soy milk and bring to a simmer again. Stir in the cooked mushrooms that was set aside in step 1, kale/spinach leaves, and/or shredded chicken (if using). Warm through and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Healthy “Creamy” Chicken Thyme Mushroom Spinach Soup

Ingredients:

600g white button mushrooms (400g chopped, 200g sliced)
3 large enoki mushrooms, sliced (optional for extra texture)
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsps plain flour
4 cups (1 litre) chicken stock
2 dried or 3 fresh bay leaves
2 Tbsps fresh thyme leaves
2 cups soy milk (optional, for extra creaminess)
4 cups (100g) kale and/or spinach leaves, stalks removed, chopped
2 cups shredded roast chicken

Directions:

In a large pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the 200g of sliced mushrooms and enoki mushrooms until tender. Remove from the pot and set aside in a separate bowl.
In the same pot, add another drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic for a few minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add in the 400g of chopped mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are tender and turn a deep brown colour.
Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and mix together for 1 minute until all the liquid is absorbed. Pour in a few splashes of chicken stock and mix it all together, scraping the sides and ensure nothing is clumped to the sides or the bottom of the pot. Pour in the remaining stock and add in the bay leaves and thyme leaves. Turn the heat up to HIGH and bring the soup to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat down to LOW-MED until a simmer and let it simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
After simmering, remove the bay leaves and remove from heat. Use a stick blender and blend the soup until smooth. (You can also pour it all into a blender if you don’t have a stick blender).
Add in the soy milk and bring to a simmer again. Stir in the cooked mushrooms that was set aside in step 1, kale/spinach leaves, and/or shredded chicken (if using). Warm through and adjust salt and pepper to taste. Done!

September 5, 2022

Abby3 Comments

Corn Potage (Creamy Japanese Sweet Corn Soup)

Date Published: Aug 16th, 2022 | Last Updated: Aug 16th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: asian, soup, easy, healthy, low-cal, mains, soups, vegetarian
Serves: 4 (as an appetizer) | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Jump to recipe |

I LOVE corn. I could eat corn on the cob all day everyday, especially when roasted and dipped in butter 🤤. In fact, when we were working in Tasmania there was this wonderful sweet corn stall at the weekly Saturday farmer’s market that had the BEST, juiciest, and sweetest corn. We’d buy at least 4 every week and I’d often just have corn for dinner sprinkled with some chicken salt. Mmmmm. I think it always amazes Toby on how much corn I can eat in one sitting 😅. So it’s no surprise that corn soups and corn chowders are one of my weaknesses.

This soup is sweet, creamy, and FULL of corn flavour! It’s delicious and perfectly warming to have on a cold winter’s day.

What is Corn Potage?

Corn Potage is a French-inspired sweet corn soup popular in Japan. It’s so popular that you can find corn potage-flavoured junk food and instant versions in Japanese convenience stores!

This soup is easy and uses simple ingredients to bring out the sweet flavours of the corn. It’s made with onion, garlic, milk/cream, stock/water, and of course sweet corn. There are some purist recipes that only use corn and milk in the recipe to keep the flavours of the corn undiluted. Most versions of this soup is served silky smooth by straining it through a fine sieve, but I prefer a soup with some filling and bite so I leave in all the fibres and reserve some of the corn and onion before blending.

No sugar required!

The secret to this soup sweet without any added sugar is to boil the corn cobs in the chicken stock – yes, the cobs! Don’t be so quick throw them away after cutting off the kernels. The cobs have plenty of flavour and brings out the sweetness when simmered in the stock.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

4 ears of sweet corn, de-husked
1 Tbsp Japanese soy sauce (ie. Kikkoman)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp paprika
2 Tbsps unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
3 cups chicken stock or water
1/2 cup thickened cream (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste
Optional add-ins:
- Shredded cooked chicken

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180˚C.

Cut the corn kernels off the cob and put the kernels in a bowl, do not discard the cobs, set aside. Mix the soy sauce, olive oil, and paprika into the corn kernels and spread on a lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 20mins, turning tossing once halfway through. Once the corn kernels are finished baking, set aside.

In a medium sized pot on MED-HIGH heat, melt the butter and sauté the garlic and onion for a few minutes until the onion softens and turns translucent. Add in the chicken stock, baked corn kernels, and break up the de-kernelled cobs from step one into 3 pieces and add it into the pot as well. Bring the soup to a boil and let it simmer with the lid on for 20 mins.

After 20 mins, remove the corn cobs from the soup and discard. Scoop out 1 cup of the kernels and onions and set aside. Use a stick blender and blend the soup until smooth. (If you prefer a smoother soup, you can blend the soup whole without taking anything out).

Optional step: If you want a smoother soup, strain the soup through a fine sieve to remove the small fibrous bits of corn and return the soup back to the pot. Discard anything that has filtered out.

Simmer until desired consistency (~10mins)

Add in the thickened cream and the 1 cup of kernels and onions to the pot that was removed in step 4. Bring the soup back to a boil and simmer until desired consistency. The longer you simmer it, the thicker the soup will be. Salt and pepper to taste. If you’re adding in shredded chicken, add it in now and stir until warmed. Done!

Summarized Recipe:

Corn Potage (Creamy Japanese Sweet Corn Soup)

Ingredients:

4 ears of sweet corn, de-husked
1 Tbsp Japanese soy sauce (ie. Kikkoman)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp paprika
2 Tbsps unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
3 cups chicken stock or water
1/2 cup thickened cream (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste
Optional add-ins:
- Shredded cooked chicken

Directions:

Preheat oven to 180˚C.
Cut the corn kernels off the cob and put the kernels in a bowl, do not discard the cobs, set aside. Mix the soy sauce, olive oil, and paprika into the corn kernels and spread on a lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 20mins, turning tossing once halfway through. Once the corn kernels are finished baking, set aside.
In a medium sized pot on MED-HIGH heat, melt the butter and sauté the garlic and onion for a few minutes until the onion softens and turns translucent. Add in the chicken stock, baked corn kernels, and break up the de-kernelled cobs from step one into 3 pieces and add it into the pot as well. Bring the soup to a boil and let it simmer with the lid on for 20 mins.
After 20 mins, remove the corn cobs from the soup and discard. Scoop out 1 cup of the kernels and onions and set aside. Use a stick blender and blend the soup until smooth. (If you prefer a smoother soup, you can blend the soup whole without taking anything out).
Optional step: If you want a smoother soup, strain the soup through a fine sieve to remove the small fibrous bits of corn and return the soup back to the pot. Discard anything that has filtered out.
Add in the thickened cream and the 1 cup of kernels and onions to the pot that was removed in step 4. Bring the soup back to a boil and simmer until desired consistency. The longer you simmer it, the thicker the soup will be. Salt and pepper to taste. If you’re adding in shredded chicken, add it in now and stir until warmed. Done!

August 16, 2022August 16, 2022

Abby3 Comments

Guilt-Free “Creamy” Mushroom Soup

Date Published: Aug 8th, 2022 | Last Updated: Aug 8th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: easy, healthy, low-cal, mains, appetizers, soups, vegetarian
Serves: 4 (as a main) | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 30 mins

Jump to recipe |

Original recipe adapted from: AustralianMushrooms.com.au – this is a fantastic website chocked full of beautiful mushroom recipes. I highly recommend checking it out.

Without further ado, here’s the recipe! If you have any comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section! You can follow me on instagram, youtube and facebook to see all the recipes I post!

Happy cooking!

We move house quite a bit and it’s not always easy to find the perfect sunny spot for food photography. Often times Toby will be holding the plates of food for me to get that perfect light. Here, he’s concentrating holding the pose and trying not to move to dirty the edges of the bowl. It looks like he’s praying to the soup gods. 😂 Always my #1 supporter. ❤️

Ingredients you’ll need:

600g white button mushrooms (400g chopped, 200g sliced)
1 onion, diced
1 long red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
2cm ginger, peeled, minced or finely grated
2 Tbsps plain flour
4 cups (1 litre) beef stock (chicken stock is fine too)
2 dried or 3 fresh bay leaves
Optional: 2 Tbsps heavy cream
Optional add-ins to bulk up the soup:
- 4 cups (100g) kale and/or spinach leaves, stalks removed, chopped
- Roasted butternut squash
- Shredded roast chicken

Directions:

In a large pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the 200g of sliced mushrooms until tender. Remove from the pot and set aside in a separate bowl.

In the same pot, add another drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion, ginger, and red chili for a few minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add in the 400g of chopped mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are tender. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and mix together for 1 minute until all the liquid is absorbed.

Pour in a few splashes of beef stock and mix it all together, scraping the sides and ensure nothing is clumped to the sides or the bottom of the pot. Pour in the remaining beef stock and add in the bay leaves. Turn the heat up to HIGH and bring the soup to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat down to LOW-MED until a simmer and let it simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

After simmering, remove the bay leaves and remove from heat. Use a stick blender and blend the soup until smooth. (You can also pour it all into a blender if you don’t have a stick blender). Stir in the cooked mushrooms that was set aside in step 1 and cream (if using). Salt and pepper to taste. Done!

Optional for a bulkier soup: Once the soup is smooth, return to the stove and add in any additional add-ins you’d like to bulk up the soup (ie. spinach, squash, roast chicken). Stir until the leaves are wilted or the veg or chicken is warmed. Turn off the heat and serve. Enjoy!

Summarized Recipe:

Guilt-Free “Creamy” Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

600g white button mushrooms (400g chopped, 200g sliced)
1 onion, diced
1 long red chilli, deseeded, finely chopped
2cm ginger, peeled, minced or finely grated
2 Tbsps plain flour
4 cups (1 litre) beef stock (chicken stock is fine too)
2 dried or 3 fresh bay leaves
Optional: 2 Tbsps heavy cream
Optional add-ins to bulk up the soup:
- 4 cups (100g) kale and/or spinach leaves, stalks removed, chopped
- Roasted butternut squash
- Shredded roast chicken

Directions:

In a large pot on MED-HIGH heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and sauté the 200g of sliced mushrooms until tender. Remove from the pot and set aside in a separate bowl.
In the same pot, add another drizzle of olive oil and sauté the onion, ginger, and red chili for a few minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add in the 400g of chopped mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are tender. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and mix together for 1 minute until all the liquid is absorbed.
Pour in a few splashes of beef stock and mix it all together, scraping the sides and ensure nothing is clumped to the sides or the bottom of the pot. Pour in the remaining beef stock and add in the bay leaves. Turn the heat up to HIGH and bring the soup to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat down to LOW-MED until a simmer and let it simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
After simmering, remove the bay leaves and remove from heat. Use a stick blender and blend the soup until smooth. (You can also pour it all into a blender if you don’t have a stick blender). Stir in the cooked mushrooms that was set aside in step 1 and cream (if using). Salt and pepper to taste. Done!
Optional for a bulkier soup: Once the soup is smooth, return to the stove and add in any additional add-ins you’d like to bulk up the soup (ie. spinach, squash, roast chicken). Stir until the leaves are wilted or the veg or chicken is warmed. Turn off the heat and serve. Enjoy!

August 8, 2022

Abby1 Comment

Italian Wedding Soup

Date Published: April 17th, 2022 | Last Updated: April 17th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: mains, soups
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 45 mins

Jump to recipe |

Italian Wedding Soup is a hearty Italian soup made with little beef meatballs and little pasta. The name refers to the “marriage” of the flavours in this soup (rather than a dish served at a wedding).

This soup brings back major nostalgia for me back to my early university days. Before I learned how to cook, I would buy a lot of ready-made soups to have between classes. Specifically, I’d get the Campbell’s “Soup at Hand” brand because they were conveniently packaged in handheld cups and all you had to do was microwave the cup and you’re ready to sip it on the go. I’ve always loved soup and I think I must’ve tried almost all of their flavours back in the day, but Italian Wedding Soup stood out to me. At that time, I had never heard of this soup and what was even more intriguing was the little tiny meatballs and pastas that were in the soup that had to fit out of the small sippy hole of the cup. I actually forgot all about this soup until a couple weeks ago when it suddenly popped into my head while I was trying to decide on what to cook for the week. I’m not sure what originally led me to think about it, but I’m glad I did. It took a couple weeks of testing out different soup and meatball recipes to get it just right (we seriously actually had it for lunch for 2 weeks straight until I was happy with it). I’ve never been to Italy nor have I ever had this soup at an Italian restaurant, so I cannot attest to the authenticity of this recipe, but it’s pretty damn good. This soup is also great to make ahead. It keeps well for the week and it tastes even better the next day – the perfect meal-prep soup!

Tiny Meatballs and Tiny Pasta?

This soup is traditionally made with small meatballs and tiny pasta which is what makes it so unique and fun to eat! Without the tininess, the soup is actually kind of similar to a chicken noodle soup in terms of flavour. You can make these meatballs as big or as little as you want. I prefer to keep them small around 2cm wide so they’re bite-sized and more fun to eat. You can also use any type of pasta you like but it’s traditionally made with smaller pastas such as acini di pepe or risoni, both of which remind me of rice but with a chewy pasta texture. Smaller pasta also adds more starch to the soup and gives it that classical thicker consistency.

The soup is technically easy to make but it is pretty time-consuming to make the little tiny meatballs. To pass the time faster, I’d recommend grabbing a chair and streaming something in the background while you form the meatballs or recruiting other people to make it with you.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

Meatballs:
- 500g extra-lean ground beef
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced finely*
- 1/2 medium onion, minced finely*
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped finely*
- 1/4 cup basil, chopped finely*
- 2 Tbsps Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- *Make sure you chop these FINELY since your meatballs will be very small. If too large, your meatballs will fall apart easily.
Soup:
- 3 Tbsps olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1.5 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 6 stalks celery
- 6 cups (1.5L) chicken stock
- 4 cups (1L) beef stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 pinch of dried thyme
- 1 cup risoni pasta (or acini di pepe if you can find it)
- 4 cups (2 large handfuls) spinach, washed and roughly chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Make the meatballs: mix all the meatball ingredients together in a mixing bowl (ground beef, eggs, panko, garlic, onion, parsley, basil, Parmesan, salt, and pepper). Roll them into 2 cm small meatballs.

This is a time-consuming process. I make it quicker by squeezing small amounts from my fist and then rolling it – sounds confusing, see photos above. (You can make them as big or as small as you like. I tend to make them about 2cm.)

Fry off the meatballs (optional but adds more flavour): In a large pot on HIGH heat, add a small amount of oil and fry the meatballs in small batches for 10-15 seconds until browned. You don’t want to cook the meatballs fully, but only enough to sear the outsides to lock in the flavour. Place the meatballs on a plate lined with paper towel to soak up any excess oil. Repeat until all the meatballs are fried off.

Once all the meatballs are fried off, in the same large pot, turn the heat down to MED heat and sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil and cook until the onion is transparent (~5 mins). Add in the celery and carrot and continue cooking until soft and easy to break apart with a spoon. (You can quicken this process by adding on the lid but be careful not to let it burn.) Next, add in the chicken stock, beef stock, bay leaves, oregano, and thyme. Bring the soup to a boil then turn the heat back down until a light simmer. Let it simmer for 20 minutes.

After 20 mins, add in the risoni pasta. Boil for 5 minutes then add in the fried meatballs. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes until the risoni is cooked and the meatballs are no longer pink inside. Turn off the heat and add in the spinach. Stir the spinach into the soup until wilted. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve! (Tip: This soup tastes better the next day once the flavours have infused a little more)

Summarized Recipe:

Italian Wedding Soup

Date Published: April 17th, 2022 | Last Updated: April 17th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: mains, soups
Serves: 6 | Prep time: 1 hour | Cook time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Meatballs:
- 500g extra-lean ground beef
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced finely
- 1/2 medium onion, minced finely
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped finely
- 1/4 cup basil, chopped finely
- 2 Tbsps Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Soup:
- 3 Tbsps olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1.5 medium onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 6 stalks celery
- 6 cups (1.5L) chicken stock
- 4 cups (1L) beef stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 pinch of dried thyme
- 1 cup risoni pasta (or acini di pepe if you can find it)
- 4 cups (2 large handfuls) spinach, washed and roughly chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Make the meatballs: mix all the meatball ingredients together in a mixing bowl (ground beef, eggs, panko, garlic, onion, parsley, basil, Parmesan, salt, and pepper). Roll them into 2 cm small meatballs.
- This is a time-consuming process. I make it quicker by squeezing small amounts from my fist and then rolling it – sounds confusing, see photos above. (You can make them as big or as small as you like. I tend to make them about 2cm.)
Fry off the meatballs (optional but adds more flavour): In a large pot on HIGH heat, add a small amount of oil and fry the meatballs in small batches for 10-15 seconds until browned. You don’t want to cook the meatballs fully, but only enough to sear the outsides to lock in the flavour. Place the meatballs on a plate lined with paper towel to soak up any excess oil. Repeat until all the meatballs are fried off.
Once all the meatballs are fried off, in the same large pot, turn the heat down to MED heat and sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil and cook until the onion is transparent (~5 mins). Add in the celery and carrot and continue cooking until soft and easy to break apart with a spoon. (You can quicken this process by adding on the lid but be careful not to let it burn.)
Next, add in the chicken stock, beef stock, bay leaves, oregano, and thyme. Bring the soup to a boil then turn the heat back down until a light simmer. Let it simmer for 20 minutes.
After 20 mins, add in the risoni pasta. Boil for 5 minutes then add in the fried meatballs. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes until the risoni is cooked and the meatballs are no longer pink inside. Turn off the heat and add in the spinach. Stir the spinach into the soup until wilted. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve! (Tip: This soup tastes better the next day once the flavours have infused a little more)

April 18, 2022April 18, 2022

Abby2 Comments

Green Curry Fish Soup

Date Published: Feb 16th, 2022 | Last Updated: Feb 16th, 2022
Author: Abby |Category: mains, soups, vegetarian, easy, healthy, low-cal
Serves: 6-8 (1 large pot) | Prep time: 20mins | Cook time: 45mins

Jump to recipe |

I love a good Thai green curry but making the curry paste from scratch is always time-consuming since there are so many ingredients involved, however the end result is ALWAYS worth it so I always make a big batch of it and keep it stored in a large ice cube tray in the freezer. I freeze them in 1/4 cup portions so it’s easy for me to measure out and defrost when I need it. Since I always make a large amount, I’m constantly looking for new creative ways to use it. This recipe uses my homemade Thai green curry paste. It’s so easy and quick to whip up a large pot with enough portions to pack for lunch for the week!

Thai Green Curry Paste

Homemade Curry Paste vs Pre-made curry paste in a can?

I will always choose a homemade curry paste over one that comes in a can. The flavours of a homemade paste is so much fresher and more pungent compared to one in a can. You’ll find that in many recipes that use a canned paste, you always have to add aromatics to it such as ginger, garlic, or galangal to “freshen” it up and bring out the flavours of the paste first before you add in your main ingredients, however when you use a homemade paste, you don’t need to add in anything extra. You can just start sautéing it in the pan and add in your veg, protein…etc. Although it’s more time consuming to make the paste at the start, I found that it ended up saving me so much more time when I’m trying to whip up something quick.

A Healthy Green Curry?

Nearly all Thai green curries use coconut milk in the recipe which has a high saturated fat content – something I try to avoid as much as possible due to high cholesterol running in the family. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE a good Thai curry with the creamy coconut flavour, however for the sake of my health I’ve experimented with alternatives to make it healthier and still satisfy my green curry cravings. This recipe uses soy milk or oat milk as the replacement which is low in calories, no saturated fats, and overall healthier! You don’t get the coconuttiness however the flavours of the green curry still shine through.

A great recipe to clean out the fridge!

The vegetables I’ve chosen in this recipe are the common veg I usually have in the fridge but feel free to change it up to whatever you like. I’ve thrown in leftover cabbage, carrots, potatoes…etc. I’ve also chosen fish as the protein for this soup due to health reasons, but you can easily substitute with chicken, beef, pork, or even no protein at all and keep it vegetarian.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

1/2 cup homemade green curry paste
4 cups (1L) unsweetened soy milk or oat milk
4 cups (1L) chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 chicken stock cubes (concentration of 1 cube = 1 cup)
Vegetables: *feel free to substitute with whatever vegetables you like*
- Butternut pumpkin – 2 cups
- 1-2 zucchinis, diced
- 1 roasted eggplant, diced
- 1 can bamboo shoot slices
600g white fish fillets (~3 fillets) (ie barramundi, ling fish or any white fish that won’t disintegrate easily in a soup)
2-4 Tbsps fish sauce to taste

Directions:

Sauté the green curry paste in a pot with a drizzle of olive oil over MED heat until the paste dries out a bit and turns slightly brown.

Add in the soy milk, chicken stock, and chicken stock cubes. Mix it around and bring the heat up to HIGH until the liquid boils, then turn it back down to LOW-MED. Make sure there are no clumps of curry paste.

Add in the pumpkin and zucchinis. Let the soup simmer with the lid on until the pumpkin is cooked, then add in the roasted eggplant, bamboo shoots and fish.

Let the soup come to a boil again and turn the heat off once the fish is cooked. Add fish sauce to taste. Serve!

Summarized Recipe:

Green Curry Fish Soup

Date Published: Feb 16th, 2022 | Last Updated: Feb 16th, 2022
Author: Abby | Category: mains, soups, vegetarian, easy, healthy, low-cal
Serves: 6-8 (1 large pot) | Prep time: 20mins | Cook time: 45mins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup homemade green curry paste
4 cups (1L) unsweetened soy milk or oat milk
4 cups (1L) chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 chicken stock cubes (concentration of 1 cube = 1 cup)
Vegetables: *feel free to substitute with whatever vegetables you like*
- Butternut pumpkin – 2 cups
- 1-2 zucchinis, diced
- 1 roasted eggplant, diced
- 1 can bamboo shoot slices
600g white fish fillets (~3 fillets) (ie barramundi, ling fish or any white fish that won’t disintegrate easily in a soup)
2-4 Tbsps fish sauce to taste

Directions:

Sauté the green curry paste in a pot with a drizzle of olive oil over MED heat until the paste dries out a bit and turns slightly brown.
Add in the soy milk, chicken stock, and chicken stock cubes. Mix it around and bring the heat up to HIGH until the liquid boils, then turn it back down to LOW-MED. Make sure there are no clumps of curry paste.
Add in the pumpkin and zucchinis. Let the soup simmer until the pumpkin is cooked, then add in the roasted eggplant, bamboo shoots and fish. Let the soup come to a boil again and turn the heat off once the fish is cooked. Add fish sauce to taste. Serve!

February 16, 2022

AbbyLeave a comment

Mom’s Savoury Pork & Cabbage Congee 鹹稀飯

Date Published: Nov 8th, 2021 | Last Updated: Nov 8th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: mains, Asian, easy, healthy, soups, Taiwanese
Serves: 4-6 (as a main) | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Jump to recipe |

This recipe is easy and cooks up quickly!

This recipe is near and dear to me. My mom used to make it for us when I was a kid and I don’t think I properly appreciated it until I moved out from home. I had to get a dental procedure done a couple months ago and was instructed not to eat any hard foods for a day or two and the first thing I thought about making was mom’s salty congee. I called her up in Canada on the way home from my procedure and she gave me the rough instructions and ratios for me to figure out (she never writes down recipes and just eyes the ratios when she cooks). I picked up the ingredients before heading home and made it that night for dinner. It was surprisingly super easy and it turned out just like mom’s. It was amazing, nostalgic, and brought me right back to my childhood. I ate 3 bowls in one sitting!

Now I crave this every time I’m sick (Toby has amazingly learned how to make this dish for me for when I’m unwell 😊). It’s so warm and comforting, kind of like the effects of a chicken noodle soup. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

350g pork mince
3/4 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup jasmine rice
7 cups (1.75L) water
4 cups of cabbage, chopped to 2cm squares
1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp chicken stock powder
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 Tbsp sesame oil

Directions:

In a bowl, mix the pork mince and cornstarch together (this may be easier to do by hand). Set aside.

Looks gross, I know – but just wait until the end!

In a large pot, add in the rice, water and pork. Break up the pork into smaller pieces when adding it to the pot and stir. Turn the heat on HIGH and bring it to a boil with the lid on.

Once the water boils, add in the cabbage, salt and chicken stock powder. When the water boils again, turn the heat down to LOW and let it simmer with the lid on until the congee is to your desired consistency. Stir occasionally to ensure your congee doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.

I like my congee thick and porridge-y consistency so I let it simmer a bit longer. If you prefer your congee more watery and soupy, turn off the heat earlier.

When the congee is to your liking, turn off the heat and immediately add in the beaten eggs. Stir the eggs into the congee until they are cooked (a few seconds). Mix in the white pepper and sesame oil. Add more salt and pepper to taste if you like. Serve!

Summarized Recipe:

Mom’s Savoury Pork & Cabbage Congee 鹹稀飯

Ingredients:

350g pork mince
3/4 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup jasmine rice
7 cups (1.75L) water
4 cups of cabbage, chopped to 2cm squares
1/2 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp chicken stock powder
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/2 Tbsp sesame oil

Directions:

In a bowl, mix the pork mince and cornstarch together (this may be easier to do by hand). Set aside.
In a large pot, add in the rice, water and pork. Break up the pork into smaller pieces when adding it to the pot and stir. Turn the heat on HIGH and bring it to a boil with the lid on.
Once the water boils, add in the cabbage, salt and chicken stock powder. When the water boils again, turn the heat down to LOW and let it simmer with the lid on until the congee is to your desired consistency. Stir occasionally to ensure your congee doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.
- I like my congee thick and porridge-y consistency so I let it simmer a bit longer. If you prefer your congee more watery and soupy, turn off the heat earlier.
When the congee is to your liking, turn off the heat and immediately add in the beaten eggs. Stir the eggs into the congee until they are cooked (a few seconds). Mix in the white pepper and sesame oil. Add more salt and pepper to taste if you like. Serve!

November 8, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment

Leek & Potato Soup

Date Published: Oct 10th, 2021 | Last Updated: Oct 10th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: easy, mains, soups, vegetarian
Serves: 6-8 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Jump to recipe |

Oct 2021: 8 leeks for $1 at the Canning Vale clearance market!!!

It’s the weekend which means once again Toby and I headed to our favourite clearance market this Saturday for some incredible deals. We’ve only got a couple weeks left in Perth so I tried not to go too crazy, but when I saw this bundle of leeks for $1, I just had to! That’s right, for only ONE DOLLAR, I got 8 big beautiful fresh leeks! I’m still not sure what I’m going to do with them all, but the first thing that came to mind was the classic leek & potato soup. Luckily they also had a 4kg bag of potatoes for only $2.50 😄.

If you’re unfamiliar with leeks, it’s a vegetable that looks like a giant spring onion. It’s part of the onion/garlic family and has a more subtle onion flavour with a hint of sweetness. Just like an onion, it’s a pretty versatile vegetable. You can throw it in pretty much anywhere you would use an onion. They are notoriously known for trapping sand and dirt in their layers, so make sure you wash the layers thoroughly before using it.

This creamy potato leek soup is so easy to make and cooks up quickly. The base recipe is good on its own, but if you’re looking for something more indulgent, then check out the suggested toppings. Stay tuned for more leek recipes!

Happy cooking!

Ingredients you’ll need:

2 large leeks (or 3 regular sized ones) – you want about 5 cups chopped
2 Tbsps butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
1kg (~4 large) yellow/Yukon gold potatoes, diced into cubes
7 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 cup heavy cream
Extras for serving if you’re feeling fancy and indulgent (optional):
- Grated cheese
- Croutons
- Bacon bits

Directions:

Prepare the leeks: Cut off and discard the roots and the fibrous leaves (see photo). Slice the remaining stalk in half vertically and wash the dirt and grit away from in between the layers. Slice the leeks and set aside in a bowl.

In a large pot over MED heat, melt the butter and sauté the garlic and leeks together until the leeks are soft (~5 mins).

Add in the potatoes, chicken stock, bay leaves, thyme, black pepper, and salt to the pot. Stir. Cover with a lid and let the soup simmer until the potatoes are very soft (~15-20mins).

Once the potatoes have softened, remove the bay leaves and fresh thyme and use a stick blender to emulsify the soup. (You can use a blender as well if if yo don’t have a stick blender.)

*Tip: if you prefer a chunky soup, reserve some of the potatoes and leeks prior to blending and then add them back into the soup afterwards.

Add cream to the soup and bring it to a simmer. Adjust salt and pepper according to taste. If the soup is too thick, a little more chicken stock. If it’s too thin, continue to simmer until it thickens. Serve!

Summarized Recipe:

Leek & Potato Soup

Date Published: Oct 10th, 2021 | Last Updated: Oct 10th, 2021
Author: Abby |Category: easy, mains, soups, vegetarian
Serves: 6-8 | Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

2 large leeks (or 3 regular sized ones) – you want about 5 cups chopped
2 Tbsps butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
1kg (~4 large) yellow/Yukon gold potatoes, diced into large cubes
7 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 cup heavy cream
Extras for serving if you’re feeling fancy and indulgent (optional):
- Grated cheese
- Croutons
- Bacon bits

Directions:

Prepare the leeks: Cut off and discard the roots and the fibrous leaves (see photo). Slice the remaining stalk in half vertically and wash the dirt and grit away from in between the layers. Slice the leeks and set aside in a bowl.
In a large pot over MED heat, melt the butter and sauté the garlic and leeks together until the leeks are soft (~5 mins).
Add in the potatoes, chicken stock, bay leaves, thyme, black pepper, and salt to the pot. Stir. Cover with a lid and let the soup simmer until the potatoes are very soft (~15-20mins).
Once the potatoes have softened, remove the bay leaves and fresh thyme and use a stick blender to emulsify the soup. (You can pour the soup into a regular blender as well for a smoother texture).
- *Tip: If you prefer a chunky soup, you can reserve some of the potatoes and leeks prior to blending and add them back in the soup afterwards.
Add cream to the soup and bring it to a simmer. Adjust salt and pepper according to taste. If the soup is too thick, a little more chicken stock. If it’s too thin, continue to simmer until it thickens. Serve!

October 10, 2021October 10, 2021

AbbyLeave a comment