Italian Egg Drop Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion sliced

1 small garlic chopped

2 carrots (optional)

10 meatballs freshly made or store bought

1 cup of orzo pasta or other small pasta 

1 large bunch of escarole or spinach 

4 cups of chicken broth

1 cup of water 

2 eggs

2 tbsp of parmesan

olive oil

Cook the onion and carrots, in a soup pot with olive oil. Add the meatballs and brown, then add the garlic so it does not burn.  Pour in the chicken broth, bring to a boil add the escarole and cook for 5 to 8 minutes. Add water if necessary, bring to a boil and mix in the orzo pasta then cook for an another 8 minutes. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. In a bowl beat the eggs with the parmesan and while string the soup in a circular motion let the eggs drop very slowly into the soup to create strands or egg. Similar to those in Chinese egg drop soup. Cook for one extra minute.  Serve with extra Parmesan cheese on top. 

Redang Curry

This Malayan  curry can be done with chicken, beef for stew or beef short ribs. 

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 tbsp of chopped lemongrass

1 onion, peeled and quartered

4 garlic cloves

2 1/2 inches galangal or 2 1/2 inches ginger

1 -3 red chile, depending on how hot you like your curry (de-seeded if less heat is desired)

1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

5 tablespoons fish sauce

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon clove

1 1/2 teaspoons shrimp paste

2 whole star anise

-Place all sauce ingredients with a little bit of the coconut milk in a food processor and blend until a paste is formed.

- Put a small amount of canola oil in a dutch oven sear the meat until it gets a golden color

-Then fry the curry paste  in the bottom of the dutch oven, then add the rest of the coconut milk

-Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cover, let the sauce reduce until it almost covers the meat for about 40 minutes, check constantly and add chicken broth if the meat is not yet tender but there is not enough liquid. (Be careful because the curry has sugar so it can burn easily)

-Serve with rice.

Kale with Penne and Sausage

Ingredients

1 bunch of Kale, cleaned and chopped

1 onion

2 cloves of garlic

1 cup of short pasta (penne, rotelli or farfalle)

1/4 of cranberries or raisins

1 carrot sliced (optional)

1/2 cup of chicken broth

1 small can of diced tomatoes

Red pepper flakes

Spicy Italian sausage sliced (optional)

Parmesan (optional)

Olive Oil

Cook the pasta al dente in salted boiling water. In a large shallow pan with a lid saute the onions and garlic in medium heat for a few minutes. Mix in the sausage and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the chopped tomatoes, carrots and cranberries. Put the kale over the onion mix and add the broth. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes. Add red pepper flakes, parmesan,  and season with salt and pepper. 

White Chili with Roasted Poblano Peppers

Ingredients

2 poblano peppers

1 onion

1 clove of garlic

2 teaspoons of oregano

1 tbsp of cilantro

2 tbsp of pepitas (green pumpkin seeds roasted, optional)

1 cup of cooked white beans (canellini or navy)

1 cup of chicken broth

1/2 pound of ground turkey

(optional if you want to make it vegetarian)

2 spoons of goat or cotija cheese (optional)

Canola oil. 

Cut the onion in rings and fry in oil until golden add a little more oil and cook the ground turkey for 5 minutes. Mix in the garlic an cook for one more minute. 

Poblanos have a very distinct flavor, that is perfect for this chili,  but you can substitute with regular green peppers. Roast the peppers on the stove or broiler. Remove the dark skin and cut into strips. Add the poblanos to the onion mix and season with oregano.

Mix the poblanos with the onion mixture, add the broth and the white beans. Season well with salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes. Mix in the goat cheese and the pepitas (optional) Add more broth or mash some of the beans for the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the white chili with cilantro and brow rice.  

Broccoli Rabe with Orecchiette Pasta

Ingredients

1 cup of orechiette pasta

1 large bunch of broccoli rabe

2 cups of turkey meatballs

1/2 cup of vegetable or chicken stock

1 cup of diced San Marzano tomatoes

1  medium spanish onion diced

2 or 3 diced cloves of garlic

Olive oil

Red pepper flakes to taste

Cook the pasta in salted water until it's al dente, (6 to 8 minutes)  drain and set aside. In a large pan sautee the onion in olive oil for a few minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Mix in the chopped tomatoes and the broth and put the broccoli rabe on top. Cover and let the broccoli rabe cook in medium low heat for 3 minutes, add the prepared meatballs and cook for another 5 minutes. Mix in the cooked orecchiette pasta. Season with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste.

Benefits of broccoli rabe

http://www.wholeliving.com/article/power-foods-broccoli-rabe

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orecchiette