Soups | Food Nouveau

David Chang’s Momofuku Ramen with Pickled Shiitakes

Last year, in my quest to get to know chef David Chang better, I bought his book, Momofuku. Very entertaining for the stories he tells about his childhood and past experiences, it’s also a suprisingly approachable cookbook with down-to-earth recipes carefully explained. Chang’s casual tone (transcripted by writer Peter Meehan) guides you through each step as if he were in the kitchen with you. The book features recipes from each of Chang’s restaurants, except Mà Pêche, which was opened after the book was published. Since I didn’t get to go to Momofuku in New York, I decided to try and make its ramen at home, following the lengthy instructions to make the perfect broth and toppings.

I’m giving you the shortened version to get to a Momofuku ramen, but if you want to cook like David Chang and get to know the guy better, buy the book, it’s worth it.

Posted on February 24, 2011 • Category: Asia, How-Tos, Japan, Recipes, Soups • 2 Comments

A Japanese Meal: Miso Soup, Hiyashi Soba and Tempura

Japanese is one of the international cuisines I love most. The subtle flavors, the delicately balanced seasoning, the use of ingredients I’m not familiar with, the intricate presentations are just some of the many reasons why I’m head over heels for Japanese food. This month’s Daring Cooks challenge suited my passion to a T: we were asked to make Hiyashi Soba and Homemade Tempura. Tempura I knew very well (but never tried to make it at home before) but Hiyashi Soba? I had served soba noodles in soups before but I didn’t know it’s also served cold as a beautiful and tasty noodle salad to refresh hot summer days.

Now, it’s far from being summer over here right now (there’s a snowstorm raging outside as I’m writing this), but I thought combining Tempura with the cold salad would make up a great winter meal. Because it’s so easy to do and we love it so much, I added a piping hot miso soup just to make sure we would stay warm.

Posted on February 14, 2011 • Category: Appetizers, Asia, Fish/Seafood, How-Tos, Japan, Mains, Noodles/Sautés, Recipes, Soups • 12 Comments

Minestrone Soup

I’m mad at myself for not posting earlier this week. I had my blog week all planned out – but I got caught up in another project that prevented me writing about about food (more about that other project at the bottom of this post). Come to think of it, I didn’t cook much at all either, but we ate home-cooked meals at every lunch and dinner. How? This was freezer week; we survived on all the great food I stashed in the last couple of months. When you’re pressed for time, there’s nothing like having things you really like eating (and made yourself) ready to be defrosted and enjoyed at a moment’s notice. We have a chest freezer at home, which allows us to keep our frozen meals for longer, free of frostbite.

Some things freeze better than others. With experience, you learn to sort out what freezes really badly (defrosted pasta = mushy mess) from the recipes that are just as good reheated as freshly made.

Posted on January 21, 2011 • Category: Recipes, Soups • 9 Comments

Classic French Onion Soup

I’m taking a little time off over the holidays, recharging on family time, delicious traditional dinners and games. I hope you’re all having a relaxing time as well!

I wanted to say that I’m amazed by the quality of comments I’ve had on my previous post, the Montmartre Food Tour. It seems like Paris has seized many hearts! It makes me feel all warm inside (almost teary-eyed) to read that so many of you feel just as emotional about this city as I do. I think that’s the beauty of Paris: you go once, you feel like you belong.

Don’t forget that there’s still time to participate in the double David Lebovitz book giveaway! To enter, leave a comment on the Montmartre Food Tour post. I will randomly pick a winner this Friday, December 31th. Good luck to all!

Speaking of feeling warm inside, I wanted to share my recipe for another Paris classic: French Onion Soup.

Posted on December 27, 2010 • Category: Recipes, Soups • 5 Comments

Curried Squash Soup with Lamb Meatballs

I love all kinds of soup and I like to enjoy it all year round, but there’s no time when I long for a hot bowl of soup more than when fall comes around. As temperatures get chillier, that good old feeling for comfort food comes back. Always on the lookout for new recipes to try, I was seduced a while ago by a recipe that Stephanie from Wasabimon posted on her blog, a curried potato soup with lamb meatballs. You see, I have a soft spot for meatballs; especially when lamb is involved. And curry reminds me of Indian food, which is one of my favorite international cuisines. This soup decidedly had it all.

I printed it and put it in my “to-try” recipe folder and kind of forgot about it. That is, until I went out to take a walk a couple of weeks ago: it was chilly, the very first time I had to layer up, wind a scarf around my neck and even put gloves on before going out.

Posted on November 2, 2010 • Category: Recipes, Soups • 14 Comments

Zucchini and Avocado Cold (or Warm) Soup

Last week, I started a cooking marathon. I was preparing our kitchen to be left alone for 10 days as I was leaving for Seattle, to visit my brother and to attend the International Food Blogging Conference (IFBC). Because I’m getting weekly summer fruit and vegetable baskets, I often “force” myself to cook something with what’s left in the fridge, even when I feel like eating out, just to make sure the bounty won’t spoil. It’s a good thing in a way because I feel we’ve been eating healthier (way more vegetables than usual) and because it allows me to spend more time in the kitchen and be more creative.

One thing I’ve been having a lot of in my baskets is zucchini, in all shapes and sizes. I’ve been cooking it many ways: stuffed and sauteed, in an omelette or in a tart. This week I figured their texture would be great to make a creamy, cream-less and very fresh tasting soup.

Posted on August 20, 2010 • Category: Recipes, Soups, Vegetarian • 2 Comments

Serving Daniel Boulud at Home: Curried Cream of Cauliflower and Apple Soup

You know the feeling. You love to cook and you’re good at it. You make beautiful dishes that taste wonderful and that your guests love. But you’re an amateur and really, inside yourself, you know that as good as a single dish is, it doesn’t taste quite like it does when a chef makes it in a restaurant. It’s not that they’re better than you are (well, they kind of are, but that’s not the point). Chefs have all kinds of secrets: they use ingredients only they can find, add seasonings you wouldn’t even think of, they’re not shy of using plenty of butter and cream (which I try to use sparingly, especially because I’m lactose intolerant) and they now even have new tricks up their sleeves like foams, spheres and caviar (not the Iranian kind) – which only the most adventurous of home cooks are brave enough to attempt.

Every once in a while, I stumble on a recipe that transports me, makes me beam with happiness and clap with joy (almost) when I realize it tastes just like in a gourmet restaurant.

Posted on May 25, 2010 • Category: Recipes, Soups • 3 Comments

Mexican-Inspired Chicken Soup

Over the last 10 years, I have gathered tons (literally) of food magazines. This spring, in a quest to streamline my home office, I have started leafing through them, one by one, tearing off interesting articles, blog post ideas or recipes to try. It takes a lot of patience but to date, it’s been worth it. I have tried great new recipes, many of which have earned a permanent spot in my recipe binder.

Amongst the to-review contenders is a huge pile of Real Simple magazines – huge because I was a subscriber for many years and also because each issue is always really big. The recipes they feature are always very simple, sometimes too simple for my taste. However, I found a few really basic, make-it-in-10-minutes recipes that made me wonder why I hadn’t come up with it myself. These recipes are great because they are no non-sense and can usually be starting points to elaborate your own variations.

Posted on May 6, 2010 • Category: Recipes, Soups • 2 Comments

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