Garnishes

1 cup green cabbage, shredded

6 radishes, sliced

3 green onion sliced

1 teaspoon fresh oregano (you can use dried, too)

2 limes cut in wedges

This past week it’s been rainy and my little one has been home with a cold. Which translates to staying home, cuddling up and making a batch of our house chicken soup. It’s warm, comforting, clean and delicious and always hits the spot.

Especially on sick days, I know it’s easy to reach for the canned soup— I get it, it’s quick and flavorful. But this homemade soup is so tasty and fresh; you won’t believe the difference and your family will love you for this version. For the basic recipe, we serve it in a mug with a wedge of lemon on the side— honestly, I think it’s the cure for any ailment.

Maybe it’s the tiger in me, but I’m completely taken with Chinese New Year celebrating. I’ve dusted off my wok, been nibbling wasabi peas and re-stocked my pantry with fresh water chestnuts and a fresh bottle of sesame seed oil. When I was making soup for my cold-laden cutie (that’s sound much nicer than hacking kid) I was inspired to try an Asian twist: adding cilantro, sliced shitake, green onions and noodles. It was so good, so good, I really don’t know how else to say it, except maybe, go make it right now?

Here is the basic recipe. Feel free to freelance.

Homemade Chicken Soup

Serves 6

1 half chicken cut up and skin removed (or two chicken breast halves, bone-in, no skin)

12 cups water

3 cloves of garlic whole

1 onion quartered

2 stalks of celery (chopped in 3 pieces each)

2 carrots (chopped in 3 pieces each)

3 laurel/bay leaves

1 bouquet of parsley or cilantro

Salt to taste (don’t be shy with the salt!)

An assortment of raw veggies, thinly sliced, and fresh herbs. In the winter months we like celery, carrots, green beans and garden herbs like fresh parsley, cilantro and if we’re feeling daring, lemon verbena.

Put the first 8 ingredients to a large stockpot, bring to a boil (high heat) and then reduce to simmer (medium-high heat). Simmer for 25-30 minutes, skimming from time to time and seasoning as needed. Once chicken is cooked through, scoop out chicken pieces and remove the meat from the bone. Chop chicken into large pieces and reserve. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve and discard the cooked veggies and herbs.

Put the broth back on the stove, taste for seasoning — chances are you might need to add about a handful of kosher salt. Now add in your choice of thinly sliced veggies and cook until desired doneness (this should take just a few minutes). Add the chicken for the last few minutes to warm it through and serve.

For an Asian twist:

After straining the broth, return it to a boil on the stove. Add two packages of unflavored Raman noodles—you can get the flavored kind and just throw away the little seasoning packet. Hakubaku makes the best organic dried noodles, including ramen, I found them at Cost Plus World Market. Stir periodically while that cooks, it’ll take about three minutes. For your garnish, thinly slice six shitake mushrooms and four green onions, sliced thin on the bias (diagonal) and a few fresh cilantro leaves. When the Raman is cooked, stir in the chicken, and then pour into bowls.  Sprinkle the raw mushroom, onion and cilantro and stir in about 1/2 tsp. of Sambal Oelek chili paste to each bowl (the chili paste is spicy so use it at your own discretion). Enjoy!

I HEART MY VITAMIX! There. I said it! Honestly, I’ve wanted to feature the Vitamix as a Tuesday Tool for a long time (because I don’t know if you’ve noticed I use it for EVERYTHING), but hesitated because it is just so darn expensive. That said, I probably use this thing every single day. It makes soups creamier, sauces smoother, and pestos lusher. When I make smoothies, the girls think they’re as tasty as at as the local smoothie shop. Basically, if you’re an occasional home cook, this blender might be overkill. But if you’re serious about good food, and cook as often as I do, this tool is so so so so worth every penny.

Enough talk. Here are some recent recipes that have featured the Vitamix in action:

The Berber Omelet

Arugula Pesto

Green Juice

Asparagus Soup

Green Pasta

Mollie’s Beet Pasta

Lentil Soup

Green Goddess Dressing

Flageolet Puree

Pea Soup with Savory Jalapeno Oil

Chicken Liver Crostini

Today is the first day of fall! In preparation, I made a big batch of lentil soup this morning so we could just heat it up whenever we’re ready to eat. For me, nothing says “fall” quite like a hearty bowl of soup. It seems strange to me that this is the first day of fall. When was it summer, after all? Though in Santa Barbara we don’t have the dramatic color-changing leaves or cold snap of New England, there is still a slight crispness in the air that makes you want to stay inside curled up in front of a nice cozy fire with a good book. So even if the kids are swinging from the chandeliers, I am snug with a delicious bowl of lentil soup cradled in my lap.

Last time I made lentils I bought them in bulk at the market and they took so long to cook — literally, 1 hour (normally they take 20 minutes). This is most likely because they were old. Knowing that these legumes I planned to use this morning were from the same batch of old, I soaked them overnight to make them softer. Normally, I just soak them as I prepare my other ingredients.

I formed this recipe based on the ingredients I had on hand. One of the things I love about soup is that as long as you have fresh ingredients, you don’t have to be so committed to following a specific recipe. That is why jalapenos and tomatoes, both of which are so prolific in my garden right now, found a home in this pot. For me, part of the fun of making soup is playing around with textures, ratios, and spices while tasting and smelling your concoction.   This way you can make the soup that tastes the best for you and your family.

Lentil Soup

1 1/3 cups lentils (I like French green lentils)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 leek, diced and cleaned

½ onion, diced

1 carrot, diced

1 rib of celery, diced

1 jalapeno, minced (saving half for garnish)

A good pinch of salt

1 quart of home made chicken stock

2 splashes of sherry vinegar

1 tomato, diced

A dash of Tabasco

Salt

 

Garnish

Parsley leaves

Grated Parmesan

Minced jalapeno (optional)

Place the lentils in a bowl and cover with water. On medium high heat sauté and the leek, onion, carrot, celery, half of the jalapeno and salt in olive oil on medium high heat in a for about 15 minutes, taking care not to burn the leek.

 

Then, drain the lentils and add them along with the chicken stock to the pot. Cook for 20–25 minutes until lentils are cooked but slightly “al dente.”

 

Puree about half of your cooked ingredients in a blender and return this creamy mixture back to the pot and stir to incorporate. Add the fresh tomato, vinegar, Tabasco and taste for seasoning.

 

Garnish with cheese, parsley, and jalapeno (optional). Serve piping hot.

Chef Roberto Cortez was recently back in town before he relocates permanently from Santa Barbara to Berlin (imagine that!). I first got to know Roberto thru his private cooking classes in Santa Barbara. I was inspired by his elaborate inventiveness, knowledge and artistry. I will never forget when two years back, he cooked an amazing multi-coursed birthday dinner for me, complete with one of a kind, only to be made for me, ever, Valerie’s Coconut Cake.

I thought it would be fun to fashion a “bon voyage” party of sorts. I invited a few girlfriends over for a private farewell cooking class. The plan was to create a menu inspired from my garden, drink some wine and watch his magic in my kitchen. Well, six innovative recipes and five bottle of wine later…our mission was accomplished!

Roberto has an incredible career of culinary pursuits, mainly private “chefing” for stars and musicians such as Eddie Murphy, Antonio Banderas, Paul Allen (yes, he is a musician, as well as Micorsoft co-founder), the Rolling Stones, the Eurhythmics, the list goes on…. He has attended four cooking schools in France, including the famed Le Cordon Blue and Ritz Escoffier School in Paris. If that wasn’t enough, he photographs gorgeous images of his food, is a pastry chef and a molecular whiz in the kitchen. He is featured in the current issue of Santa Barbara Magazine, in the food and wine section – check it out! Roberto is truly an artist, a gourmand…this blog entry is a labor of love for a man I hold dear. Enjoy!

Before the class began that night, I asked Roberto a few questions.

What is your favorite regional cuisine?

It is a tie between Rustic French and Interior Mexican. I love them both the same.

Name three of your favorite ingredients to cook:

Foie Gras

Fish

Seasonal Vegetables

What are three of your favorite local ingredients?

Santa Barbara prawns

Summer strawberries

Walnuts

What is your favorite resource on the web…

for recipes? Epicurious.com

for kitchen supplies? JB Prince.com

for specialty items?  Le Sanctuaire.com

Our favorite recipes from the night.

A couple months back, I had lettuce soup in at Joel Robuchon in Vegas. I wanted Roberto to show us how it’s done. With the weather turning colder it’s a nice way to turn crisp greens into a warm soup.

Lettuce Soup

Serves 6

6 6oz heads of Boston lettuce, trimmed

1 1/4 c chicken stock or low-sodium broth

2 tbsp crème fraîche

2 tbsp cold unsalted butter

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

 

To begin, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add 2 tbsp. of salt and the heads of lettuce and blanch, stirring gently for 3 minutes. Drain the lettuce and rinse under cold water. Lightly squeeze out excess water. Transfer the lettuce to a blender and puree until smooth. Place in a bowl.

 

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring stock to a boil. Whisk in the lettuce puree and simmer over moderate heat for 3 minutes. Strain and add back into the saucepan. Blend in the crème fraîche and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually blend in the remaining 2 tbsp of butter with a hand blender. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg if desired.

***

Broccoli is prolific in my garden and I quickly grow tired of steaming it at all the time. This following dish is flavorful and delicious. Additionally, the way it is trimmed and sliced makes it really pretty on the plate. Here is Roberto’s take on broccoli from the garden.

 

Broccoli Stems

3tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 heads of broccoli, stems peeled and heads halved lengthwise

1/2c water

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Pinch of crushed red pepper

2tbsp fresh lemon juice

 

In a large, deep sauté pan, heat 2tbsp of olive oil. Add the broccoli, cut side down, cover and cook over moderate heat until golden brown on the bottom, about 8 minutes. Add the water, cover and cook until the broccoli is just tender and the water has evaporated, about 7 minutes. Add the remaining 1tbsp of olive oil with the garlic and the crushed red pepper. Cook uncovered until the garlic is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Season the broccoli with salt and black pepper, drizzle with the lemon juice and serve.

***

This chicken is simply amazing. We devoured it at class that night and I just made it again for my daughter’s sixth birthday party and it was a huge hit. All in attendance wanted the recipe. The easiest way to remove the backbone is with kitchen shears.

Ideal internal temperature for chicken is160F (71C)-170F (76C).

New Style Roasted Chicken

Preheat oven to 500 degrees

1 3-4lb. roasting chicken

1 tbsp. kosher salt

2 tbsp. fresh ground pepper, roughly cracked

2 tbsp. grapeseed oil

 

Remove the wishbone and backbone of the chicken and make an incision in each of the chicken’s thighs. Next, tuck the legs into the incision. Dry thoroughly and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium high heat. Place the chicken in the pan, breasts side down and then immediately place in the oven. After 12 minutes, flip the chicken over and continue to roast for about 25-30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 155F. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes.

Roberto Cortez and his New Year’s Eve menu are featured in the Food + Wine section of the December/January 2010 issue of  Santa Barbara Magazine. You can take a peek at the article by clicking on the PDF link, below.

Read the Article | 240 kb Acrobat PDF