Category Archives: Soups

Korean Food at Home: Seaweed Soup

Seaweed is an amazing plant. It’s a silky, virtually guiltless food that works miracles for any type of cleansing diet. Usually green, but sometimes brown or purple, it grows in the ocean. Coastal farmers throughout the world raise and dry them. Although I grew up far away from the ocean, I consumed seaweed quite frequently: whether it was roasted, cooked, or served as a cold salad. You can add some to your noodle soup or simply make an entire meal out of it! Some experts believe compounds found in limited varieties of seaweed called fucoxanthin can even assist in breaking down stored fat cells in your body.

Miyeok guk (Korean seaweed soup) is consumed on four main occasions: A newborn’s 100th day, baby’s first birthday, women’s postpartum diet (consumed with every meal for six consecutive weeks), parents 60th birthday and more generally on every birthday. Pair it with rice and a few side dishes of banchan, and you’re good to go.
Korean Seaweed Soup Miyeok Guk

Ingredients
4 cups water
½ cup sirloin beef, cut into small cubes
1 cup dried seaweed (miyeok), re-hydrated in water for 30 minutes
1 tablespoon dashida (instant beef stock)
1 teaspoon salt

Directions
Rinse re-hydrated seaweed under cold running water.

Place beef cubes in cold water and bring to a boil. Skim impurities.

Add seaweed, dried stock and cook at medium heat uncovered for about 30 minutes.

Season to taste with salt. Enjoy!

TIP: You can substitute 4 cups of real beef stock for the dashida and water: remember the leftover stock I recommended you freeze!

Rina Oh is an artist, writer and chef. This post was originally appeared in Korean Food at Home on Food2.com, a website that is owned and operated by Scripps Networks. These posts are copyrighted material and any photographs, illustrations or written material are forbidden to be used or reposted anywhere without permission. For more information on Meatless Monday, please visit meatlessmonday.com

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Filed under Hot on the Blog, Korean Food at Home, November 2011, Seaweed, Soups

Meatless Monday: Butternut Squash Soup with Spinach and Cocao Nib Grissini

Growing up, I never imagined I’d be able to eat chocolate with my favorite soup and bread. That is, until I came across the incredible versatility of the cocoa nib. It’s what chocolate looks and tastes like before it is ground into a paste – not quite as sweet, not quite as chocolatey; perfect for savory dishes. For this recipe, I used Pure Dark Caramelized Cocoa Nibs. It’s a pairing you’ll fall in love with, just as I have.
Butternut Squash Soup with Spinach & Cocoa Nib Grissini

Ingredients
For the Soup and saffron potato garnish:
1 butternut squash, oven roasted
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 quart vegetable stock
1 cup water
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon all spice
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup heavy cream
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
a pinch of saffron

For Grissini:
2 cups All Purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 package dry active yeast, proofed in ½ cup warm water
1 cup fresh spinach, blanched and rinsed in cold water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Cooking spray

Directions
In a large stock pot, place olive oil and onions and allow to cook on a low simmer until onions are translucent for about five minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking for 2-3 more minutes.

Deglaze with vegetable stock, add butternut squash and spices. Season with salt and pepper to taste and continue cooking for 15-20 more minutes. Stir in heavy cream. Blend soup in batches until it’s nice and creamy.

Place potatoes in cold water with pinch of saffron and allow to cook for about 10 minutes in medium heat until they are tender. Set aside.

Place spinach in a food processor and pulse with a tablespoon of olive oil until nice and creamy.

Combine flour, olive oil, salt and yeast mixture and gently knead for about 5 minutes. Add creamed spinach and continue kneading mixture for another 2-3 minutes.

Place dough in a greased bowl, covered for about 20-30 minutes and allow it to rise.

Grease baking sheets with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Section dough into small strips, roll out with fingers and gently twist at one end.

Place cocoa nibs on top, spray cooking spray on top. Place in preheated oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown.

Remove and serve with butternut squash soup!

Rina Oh is an artist, writer and chef and a Meatless Monday advocate. For the last year these Meatless Mondays recipes have appeared on Food2.com, a website that is owned and operated by Scripps Networks. These posts are copyrighted material and any photographs, illustrations or written material are forbidden to be used or reposted anywhere without permission. For more information on Meatless Monday, please visit meatlessmonday.com

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Filed under Hot on the Blog, Meatless Mondays, November 2011, Rina's Food2 recipes, Soups

Meatless Monday: Pumpkin Soup

Not only is it October, but it’s Halloween and high-time for pumpkins to come out and play. Before they’re all sacrified to the jack-o-lantern gods, get your hands on a few because boy do they make for some mouth-watering fall soups. Simple, easy and surprisingly good even when warmed up the week after, I’ve got just the pumpkin soup to get you started.
Pumpkin Soup
Yields about 6 cups

Ingredients
For Pumpkin Soup:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium sweet pumpkin
2 tablespoons butter
1 white onion, chopped
1 quart vegetable stock or water
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt

For Garnish:
½ cup shaved pumpkin
½ cup small pumpkin dice
½ cup grated gruyere cheese

Directions
For Pumpkin Soup:
Place pumpkin on an oiled baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from heat and scoop out pumpkin chunks with a spoon. Set aside.

In a large stockpot, melt butter and cook onions in low heat for about 5 minutes until they are translucent. Add vegetable stock, salt, nutmeg and pumpkin.

Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about half an hour and blend in batches. Season to taste with salt.

For Garnish:
Reserve about 1/2 cup of raw pumpkin with skin removed. Using a vegetable peeler or mandolin, shave the pumpkin into strips. 

Heat deep fryer at 375 degrees and immerse pumpkin strips for about 2 minutes. Season with salt immediately.

Use the other ½ cup of pumpkin for the pumpkin dice. Add into salted boiling water, cook until tender for about 2 minutes, remove- immerse into an ice bath to cool and then let air dry.

Pour soup into bowls, add pumpkin dice and top with gruyere cheese and fried pumpkin!

 

Rina Oh is an artist, writer and chef and a Meatless Monday advocate. For the last year these Meatless Mondays recipes have appeared on Food2.com, a website that is owned and operated by Scripps Networks. These posts are copyrighted material and any photographs, illustrations or written material are forbidden to be used or reposted anywhere without permission. For more information on Meatless Monday, please visit meatlessmonday.com

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Filed under Hot on the Blog, Meatless Mondays, November 2011, Pumpkin Soup, Rina's Food2 recipes, Soups

Meatless Monday: Corn Soup with Spiced Olive Oil Grissini

Bread-making can be intimating — there’s no doubt. Worries about yeast failing to rise or bread coming out of the oven too hard have confronted even the most confident of cooks. The secret is easing your way in. 

Rather than stumbling over more complicated fare, try an easy grissini bread stick as your first attempt at home baked bread. This bread recipe can be used as a base for any variety: add your favorite spices or grated cheese, and you’ll already be on your way to mastering the art of baking breadsticks. I spiced mine up with hot pepper flakes and loads of fresh ground pepper, the perfect complements to my simple, summery corn soup. 

Recipe: Rina Oh

Corn Soup with Spiced Olive Oil Grissini
Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:
Corn Soup
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 leeks, white parts only chopped
1 medium white onion, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
6-8 cups water
4 corn ears, kernels removed and core kept aside
2 Idaho potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pepper to taste

Spiced Olive Oil Grissini
1 package of dry active yeast (about 11 grams)
1/2 cup Luke warm water
Pinch of sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon dry red pepper flakes
Pinch of paprika
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

Directions:
Corn Soup
1. In a large saucepot, combine olive oil with onions, leeks, celery and garlic, and cook at a simmer for about ten minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

2. Add water, corn, the leftover core and potatoes. Bring mixture to a boil and reduce heat. Allow soup to cook for about 45 minutes, or until potatoes are very tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Remove core and pulse soup in a blender for about a minute in several batches.

Spiced Olive Oil Grissini
1. Combine yeast, water and pinch of sugar. Allow yeast to rise until it doubles in size, or about 30 minutes uncovered in a warm area.

2. Combine teaspoon of salt, flour, olive oil and yeast mixture in a large mixing bowl. Knead gently for about a minute, or until dough forms slightly. Add pepper flakes, paprika and fresh ground pepper, and continue kneading gently for another minute.

3. Place a tablespoon of olive oil inside a clean mixing bowl. Place dough inside and let sit for about an hour covered in a warm area with a towel or plastic wrap.

4. In three or four batches, roll dough into elongated strips and then cut into 5 inch pieces with a pastry cutter or butter knife. Roll strips into braids, and form into desired shapes.

5. Place strips of grissini dough on baking sheets lined with cornmeal. Spray cooking spray lightly over the strips, and sprinkle with kosher salt. (You can add more spices to top the crust with more flavor!)

6. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

Rina Oh is an artist, writer and chef and a Meatless Monday advocate. For the last year these Meatless Mondays recipes have appeared on Food2.com, a website that is owned and operated by Scripps Networks. These posts are copyrighted material and any photographs, illustrations or written material are forbidden to be used or reposted anywhere without permission. For more information on Meatless Monday, please visit meatlessmonday.com

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Filed under August 2011, Food2, Meatless Mondays, Rina's Food2 recipes, Soups