Senator Pat Jehlen Newsletter: VIRTUAL SOUP

 

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Dear Neighbors, For many many years, I've invited friends and neighbors  to our home for a soup party.  Last year, Cambridge CoHousing invited us to have the party there.  Many of you have told me they'll miss getting together this year.  So I'm happy to invite you to join us on Zoom from 6 - 7 on Sunday the 17th.  Let me know you're interested and I'll send you an invitation.  Maybe you'd like to eat soup while visiting, as we usually do.  I'm including a few recipes if you'd like to try one.  Alain's adding one of his favorite bread machine recipes. Medford's Human Rights Commission is inviting people to their annual Martin Luther King Jr. event on Monday at 1 on Facebook. There is lots more news, but it can wait till next week. Stay safe and stay in touch! Butternut/pear soup 4 tablespoons butter  2 medium onions, diced  1 medium butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces (2.5-3 c) 4 pears, peeled and chopped into roughly 1-inch pieces (2 cups) 1-quart low sodium stock, or enough to cover  1 sprig rosemary  Heavy cream  Salt, freshly ground black pepper and granulated sugar In a 4-quart saucepan melt the butter over medium-high heat, and add and sweat the onions. Add squash and pears and sweat those too a bit. Pour in the stock, enough to submerge solids. Add sprig of rosemary and bring to a simmer and cook until squash is fork tender about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove rosemary. Puree with immersion blender. Add a touch of cream and season, to taste.    Thai red lentil chili Olive oil (1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons) 1 large yellow onion, (3 c) diced medium 1 red bell pepper, (½ c) seeded and diced medium 3 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons chili powder 1 ½ lbs sweet potatoes cut into ¾ inch chunks 1 cup red lentils 1 teaspoon salt 4 cups vegetable broth 2 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste 1 15 oz can lowfat coconut milk 28 oz can diced tomatoes ½ cup fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish Limes for garnish (optional) Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Saute onions and pepper in oil with a pinch of salt, for 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and saute a minute more. Add chili powder, sweet potatoes, lentils, salt and vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. When lentils are cooked and sweet potatoes are tender, add the remaining ingredients and heat through.  Taste for salt and seasoning, top with cilantro and lime and serve! Lebanese vegetable   * 1 large Spanish onion, chopped (About 2 cups)   * 2 tablespoons olive oil  * 2 1/2 cups chopped carrots * 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper * 1 teaspoon ground coriander  * 2-4 garlic cloves, minced * 1 1/2 cups chopped potatoes * 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)  * 4-5 cups vegetable stock (see notes in recipe) * 2 large tomatoes, chopped   * 10 artichoke hearts, cut into eighths (2 14-oz cans) * 3/4 cup canned chickpeas  * 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley   * 2 lemons, cut into wedges In a large soup pot, saute the onion in the olive oil for about 5 minutes. Stir in the carrots. Cover. Stir again after 3 minutes. Add the ground red pepper, coriander, and garlic. Cover and cook for a few more minutes. Add the potatoes, salt and 2 cups of the stock. Cover the pot and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are nearly tender. Be careful not to overcook them. Gently stir in the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and the chick peas. Salt to taste. Cover and simmer for 3 or 4 minutes, just to heat the tomatoes. Add the remaining 2-3 cups of stock or even more if you prefer more broth. Heat gently. Sprinkle each serving with fresh parsley and garnish with a wedge of fresh lemon. Butternut Peanut Soup  Sauté in 3 T oil: 2 chopped onions 1 chopped apple Add and simmer till soft, about 25 minutes: 3 pounds butternut squash cubes  (1 pound = 2 c cubed) 1 t curry powder 2 t salt 6 c water Add and puree: 1/3 c peanut butter Monastery Lentil Sauté:    2 large onions, chopped (2c)  1 carrot, chopped   ½ t marjoram add and simmer 1 hour: 1 pound can tomatoes 5 c water 3 boullion cubes (beef or veg) 1 c lentils 1 t salt ¼ t pepper add and simmer 2 minutes: ¼ c sherry ¼ c chopped parsley   Ginger Carrot Vichyssoise In a large pot, cook, stirring occasionally till soft (about 6 minutes): 2 T butter 1 ½ c sliced leeks, white and green parts 1 c diced celery with leaves Add, cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally: 3 c sliced carrots (about 1 pound) 3 c diced, peeled potatoes (1 pound) Add and simmer 25 minutes, or till tender:   5 c vegetable broth 1 c water salt and pepper Blend Add ¼ c cilantro 1 T grated ginger 1 c canned coconut milk Serve hot or cold   Spicy New England Cioppino Sauté in 2 T olive oil 8 minutes or till softened: 1 medium fennel bulb, sliced in ½ inch pieces salt and black pepper Add 3 cloves garlic and cook 1 minute Add ½ c red wine Cook, stirring, till almost evaporated Add 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes 4 T parsley ½ t red pepper flakes Bring to boil, lower heat, cover, simmer 15 minutes (at this point you can refrigerate broth up to 2 days) Increase to medium heat Add and cook 5 minutes or till mussels open and shrimp turn pink: ½ pound mussels ½ pound shrimp (I just increase shrimp, omit mussels) Reduce heat to low,  add  ¾ pound cod or other fish Ladle broth over fish and cook 8 minutes or till fish flakes Sprinkle with 2 T parsley Hungarian Chicken Ghivetch  cook together for 2+ hours   1 chicken ½ cauliflower ½ eggplant 2 potatoes 2 carrots 2 onions 1 pepper 2 ribs celery 2 t salt ½ t pepper 1 # tomatoes 2 garlics 1/5 c broth 1 T dill   Vermont Baked Beans with Ham  1 lb Dried baby lima beans 6 c Water 2 c Baked ham -- diced 1 tb Prepared mustard 1/2 c Brown sugar 1/2 c Maple-flavored syrup 1 ts Salt 1/4 ts Pepper Soak beans in water overnight in slow-cooking pot. Cover and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours or until tender but not mushy. Drain, saving liquid. Return beans to slow-cooking pot. Stir in ham, mustard, brown sugar, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup liquid from beans. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.   Cauliflower Cashew Soup: 1 tablespoon grapeseed or canola oil 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced 1 tablespoon hot curry powder 1 tablespoon sweet curry powder 1 teaspoon ground turmeric Kosher salt 1 large head cauliflower, separated into florets 4 – 6 cups vegetable stock 3/4 cup cashews 3/4 cup water 1 tablespoon light brown sugar 1 cup cilantro sprigs, chopped Onion Rings 1 large onion, peeled and sliced into rings 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent. Add the curry powders, turmeric, and salt to taste. Cook for 1 minute. Add the cauliflower and stir to mix well. Add enough stock to cover the cauliflower; bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the cauliflower is just tender. Meanwhile, make the onion rings: preheat the oven to 250F. In a bowl toss together the onion rings and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Spread the onions on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, moving them about as necessary. Place the cashews in a blender and grind to a fine powder. Add the water and blend on high speed for 2 minutes. Using an immersion blender or food processor, puree the cauliflower mixture. Add the cashew mixture and sugar. Add more stock or water if the soup is too thick. Bring to a simmer and season with more salt, if needed. Sprinkle the onion rings on top of the soup along with the cilantro as a garnish.   Icelandic fish soup. The base (everything but cream and fish) can be made a day ahead.   Serves 8-10. -garlic -1 leek -1 middle size fennel -1 red chili pepper  -1 red bell pepper  - 3-4 celery sprigs -1 dl white wine -3 tbs butter -3 cans good quality diced tomatoes -few potatoes, peeled and chopped -salt, pepper and a little marjoram  -vegetable stock -heavy cream -white fish (any firm white fish is good.)  -fresh Basil Put a little oil in a pot and put garlic, leek, fennel, chili, celery and bell pepper in and stir for a while. Put a generous amount of salt and pepper (and a little marjoram if you like) Add the white wine to the pot. When the alcohol has steamed out you add butter and stir, maybe 3-5 minutes, medium heat. Add the cans of diced tomatoes and 5 cans of water (use less water if you use liquid vegetable stock) and add a good quality vegetable stock (the amount depends on what type of stock you use)  Boil everything on low heat for about 20 minutes. Then add potatoes and boil until soft.  Now taste, you might have to add more salt and pepper or stock. Cut the fish into chunky cubes, salt it and add into boiling soup. As soon as the fish goes in turn the heat off, white fish needs very short boiling time.  Finally add the cream. I'm not sure about the amount of fish and cream.  You could put some in each bowl; for the whole pot it is about ½ c cream. You can put more if you like.  Top with fresh basil.   Anadama Bread Place all ingredients in bread machine and press start: 1 1/4 c water 3 c bread flour 1/3 c cornmeal 1 1/2 t salt 1 1/2 T butter  3 T molasses 1 1/2 t yeast

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