Ingredients

1/4 lb bacon, diced
2 c diced yellow onion
2 carrots, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 c cauliflower, chopped
7 c chicken stock
1/2 tsp berbere
1.5 c black lentils
salt, pepper

Directions

Saute the bacon on medium until crispy. Remove it from the pan. Saute the garlic, onion, carrots, cauliflower, and 1/2 tsp berbere in the bacon grease on medium-low, covered, for 25 minutes. Add in everything else but the bacon, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 40 minutes. Puree half of the mixture, add in the bacon, and serve.

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, medium diced
1 whole chicken (about 4 lb), breasts removed, the rest hacked into 2-inch pieces
2 quarts boiling water
2 tsp salt

Directions

Heat the oil in a large stockpot or dutch oven on medium-high. Add the chicken breasts and saute until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add the onion and saute about 3 minutes. Remove to a large bowl. Add half of the remaining chicken pieces to the pot. Saute until no longer pink, 4-5 minutes. Remove to the bowl with the onion. Saute the rest of the chicken. Return the onion and chicken pieces (excluding the breasts) to the pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook about 20 minutes, until the chicken releases its juices.

Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil. Increase the heat to high. Add the boiling water, the chicken breasts, and the salt. Bring to a simmer, then cover and barely simmer about 20 more minutes.

Remove the breasts and set aside to cool. Strain the rest into a container. When the breasts are cool, shred the meat by hand. Optionally, shred any meat on the remaining pieces as well (though it’s more work for less meat). Refrigerate the stock overnight, then skim the solid fat from the top (fat can be skimmed without refrigeration if you want to use the stock the same night, but it’s easier when it’s cold). Makes about 2 quarts of stock.

Ingredients

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, medium diced
4 lb chicken backs and wingtips or whole legs, hacked into 2-inch pieces
2 quarts boiling water
2 tsp salt

Directions

Heat the oil in a large stockpot or dutch oven on medium-high. Add the onion and saute about 3 minutes. Remove to a large bowl. Add half of the chicken pieces to the pot. Saute until no longer pink, 4-5 minutes. Remove to the bowl with the onion. Saute the rest of the chicken. Return the onion and chicken pieces to the pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook about 20 minutes, until the chicken releases its juices.

Meanwhile, bring the water to a boil. Increase the heat to high. Add the boiling water and salt. Bring to a simmer, then cover and barely simmer about 20 more minutes.

Strain into a container. Refrigerate overnight, then skim the solid fat from the top (fat can be skimmed without refrigeration if you want to use the stock the same night, but it’s easier when it’s cold). Makes about 2 quarts.

Ingredients

Soup
2 tbsp peanut oil or other cooking oil
5 dried red chilies, snipped in half
1 tsp black peppercorns, whole
8 scallions (white plus a couple inches green part), cut into 1-inch lengths
1 lb pork country ribs, in 1/2″ slices
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 head red cabbage, shredded
1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
Approx. 8 crimini mushrooms, sliced

Dumplings
2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c – 1 c water

Directions

Heat a large dutch oven (or large pot, in a pinch) over high heat. Add the oil and swirl it around the pan. With the fan on and all windows open, throw in the peppercorns and chilies. Stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add the scallions and stir-fry another 30 seconds. Add the pork and stir-fry until no longer pink. Add the soy sauce and stir-fry for another minute. Add the cabbage and mushrooms and stir-fry until the cabbage wilts, about 5 minutes. Add water to just cover everything and bring to a boil. Cover partially, reduce to a simmer, and simmer for about 45 minutes, until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, prepare the dumpling dough. Mix the flour, salt, and water together with a fork until blended. Dough should be sticky and fairly dry; it should barely move when the bowl is tipped.

When the soup is ready, begin adding the dough. Scoop up a small amount of dough (no more than the first joint of your forefinger) with a spoon and then scrape it into the pot with another spoon. Let the dumplings float on the top. If you run out of space, occasionally stir them into the liquid and continue. Once all the dough has been added, partially cover the pot and let simmer another 10 minutes.

Serve with thinly-sliced scallions, chili sauce, chili oil, or soy sauce to taste.

Ingredients

Soup
1.5 quarts chicken stock (1 is probably enough for two servings; 1.5 was generous)
12 oz thick noodles, as fresh as possible (e.g. udon)
4-6 medium-sized crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1-2″ ginger, peeled, cut in matchsticks
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 tbsp soy sauce

For serving
1/4 white onion, thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
lime wedges
fish sauce
chili sauce (sriracha or sambal olek)

Directions

Bring the stock to a boil then decrease to a simmer. Add the mushrooms, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Cook the noodles in the soup (e.g. fresh udon just needs to simmer for about 3 minutes), or prepare the noodles ahead of time and add to the soup for the last few minutes. Split between two bowls and add the white onions and scallions. Add lime, a dash of fish sauce, and chili sauce to taste.

Ingredients

2 tbsp peanut oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 3-lb chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2/3 c peanut butter (recipe calls for crunchy; we used freshly-ground peanut butter)
3 c chicken stock
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 dried hot red pepper or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 sweet potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise, each half cut across into 4 pieces
3/4 lb spinach, stemmed, washed, and cut into strips
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
hot pepper sauce

Directions

In a tall narrow stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste, add to the onions, and cook, partially covered, for 8 minutes. Stir the chicken, turning the pieces over, and cook for 7 more minutes. Meanwhile, mix the peanut butter and 1 c stock until smooth. Add the remaining stock. Combine garlic and red pepper and pound into a paste using mortar and pestle. Stir into the stock mixture. Stir the stock mixture into the pot. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes. Stir in the sweet potatoes, making sure chicken and potatoes are covered by liquid. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 15-18 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Stir in the spinach and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until wilted. Season with remaining salt and pepper to taste, lemon juice, and hot pepper sauce. Remove chicken from soup, separate meat from skin and bones, tear into bite-sized pieces, and return to the soup.

Inspired by a bowl of “house special” soup at Green Leaf that included all kinds of stuff (in comparison to my usual favorite, the elegantly simple pho), we decided to make our own house special soup with whatever was on hand. This one came out pretty good, though if the base broth (a failed pho attempt) had been better, the soup would have been as well.

Ingredients

1 quart broth (pho broth, chicken stock, etc)
6 oz noodles (hand-shaved noodles, udon, etc)
6 Vietnamese meatballs
6 frozen dumplings, shumai, etc
4-6 medium crimini mushrooms, halved and sliced
2-3 bunches baby bok choy
green onions, thai basil, or chives, chopped
hoisin sauce, chili sauce
limes
sesame oil

Directions

Prepare the noodles as directed. Meanwhile, add the dumplings and meatballs to the stock and heat it over medium heat. Saute the bok choy in the sesame oil for a few minutes over medium heat. Add the mushrooms for a minute or two.

Serve by placing a serving of noodles in each bowl, topped by some of the greens. Add dumplings and meatballs, then cover with broth. Add a squeeze of lime, hoisin, and chili sauce to taste.

Ingredients

10 oz ground beef
1 tsp plus 1 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 tsp Asian sesame oil, divided
6 c reduced-sodium beef stock
4 tbsp Korean fermented soybean paste (doenjang)* or Japanese akamiso (red miso)
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (ideally Korean red pepper flakes)
1 lb soft or medium water-packed tofu (not silken)
1 lb napa cabbage, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1/2 lb large yellow zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1/2 c daikon radish, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
5 green onions, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-in. pieces

Directions

Toss beef with 1 tsp each soy sauce and sesame oil and cook, stirring, over medium heat in a small saucepan. Set aside. Put stock, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 2 tsp sesame oil in a large, heavy pot. Add fermented soybean paste (if using Japanese red miso instead, add just before serving) and stir to dissolve. Stir in garlic and chiles and bring to a boil, covered. Add tofu, cabbage, zucchini, daikon, and two-thirds of the green onions; return to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, covered, until everything is tender, at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, if using Japanese red miso, whisk with 1/2 c hot broth. Stir miso broth, remaining green onions, and reserved beef into stew just before serving.

Ingredients

1 tsp tamarind concentrate (or tbsp fresh lime juice)
2 c chopped onion
1.5 tbsp minced ginger
2 tbsp ground coriander
2 serrano chiles, one minced, one halved lengthwise
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1 13.5 oz can light coconut milk
1 c water
3 medium yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 carrots, in thick diagonal slices
1/2 lb halibut, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
4 oz fresh spinach
15-20 curry leaves (or 1/2 tsp yellow curry powder)
1 c frozen peas

Directions

Mix tamarind with 2 tbsp hot water (if using lime juice, add just before serving). Put tamarind, onion, ginger, coriander, minced, chile, turmeric, salt, and coconut in blender and blend until smooth. Pour coconut mixture and water into a wide, deep pot and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes, halved chiles, and carrots. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Add fish, spinach, and curry leaves (or curry powder) and simmer until fish is opaque, about 5 minutes. Stir in peas and simmer 1 more minute. Add salt to taste and lime juice, if using.

Note: we didn’t want to have leftovers with the fish in it, so we poached the whole halibut separately (in a 2:1 mix of water and wine) then broke it into chunks and poured the curry over it with rice. We had leftovers with poached, shredded chicken. We also had to delay serving the dish so turned the heat off after the 30-minute simmer, then turned it back on to add the spinach and peas and finish, which worked fine.

Ingredients

1/4 lb bacon, diced
2 c diced yellow onion
2 carrots, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
7 c chicken stock
1 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp celery seed
2 bay leaves
1.5 c black lentils
salt, pepper

Directions

Saute the bacon on medium until crispy. Remove it from the pan. Saute the onion, carrots, and garlic in the bacon grease on medium-low, covered, for 25 minutes. Add in everything else but the bacon, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 40 minutes. Puree half of the mixture, add in the bacon, and serve.