Sunday Soup #71: Carnitas Caldo

I was out of town last weekend, so there was no soup... But, this Sunday, it was soup's on again! This soup caught Becky's attention a few weeks ago, and it seemed like it would be good for the crowd tonight (particularly since we already had some leftover cooked carnitas!), so I decided to give this one a try.

This recipe came from: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/carnitas-caldo-carnitas-soup/

*Pic 1 - https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/carnitas-caldo-carnitas-soup/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I used minced garlic rather than slicing up cloves. I did not use any arugula (nobody here really likes it). And, although it didn't really specify, I seeded the serrano peppers because I was making the soup for some folks that like their fare a bit milder.

General Thoughts: The prep on this one was fairly simple, if you've already got some carnitas cooked up and ready to go. Becky and Lisa share a recipe for some really yummy carnitas, and Lisa had made a bunch up for a beach party several weeks ago, freezing the leftovers. So, I had some ready to roll... If you don't, or don't have a recipe you really like, I suggest going for some pre-cooked carnitas, like Del Real Foods (https://delrealfoods.com/products/carnitas/), which you can often find at grocery stores like Costco or Safeway.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

I actually loved working with the chayote, as it was a new ingredient for me. I have heard it described as a Mexican squash but, when I ate a piece raw, it tasted a bit more like jicama than any squash I've ever had. The texture was kind of like a very firm cucumber when it was raw, but it cooked up nice and soft, and had a nice fresh taste.

The flavor was pretty solid... Obviously, the taste of this soup has a lot to do with the recipe you used for the carnitas. But, the potential is there for it to be rich, smoky, and spicy. My end result had hints of all of those things, and a good profile overall, but the flavors could have been a little stronger. The dumplings were an interesting surprise; they were easier than I thought they'd be to make and they tasted better than expected. The potato-masa dumplings turned out soft and flavorful and, together with the avocado, they added a creaminess that was delightful!

Potential Improvements? Despite the fact that I liked this one very much, there are definitely some improvements to be made, in my opinion... First, I would rather have carnitas that are cut in larger chunks (more like a chunked pork shoulder) rather than shredded, like we had tonight. Next, if I were making this for myself, I would enjoy some stronger flavors, particularly some cumin and some smoked salt, or even a touch of liquid smoke, to give it a bit more smoky flavor. I might also add a bit more spice, by leaving in the serranos' seeds. Finally, a bit more broth would have been appreciated, as was mentioned by several of my guests.

Polling the Fam: I really liked this one and would make it again, particularly with the improvements above. Becky thought it was really good, but said she would have enjoyed more dumplings. Jayson thought it was good, saying he really liked it and found it to be kind of like a deconstructed carnitas burrito. He mentioned he wanted more broth and wanted to try it with some cheese in top. Lisa thought it was really good, but brought up that it could have used more spice, such as cumin. Hunter said he really liked it and that he wouldn't change anything. Fox just said it was "okay."

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)

Sunday Soup #70: Black Garlic and Lentil Soup

When I was down visiting my sister in San Diego, she gave me some black garlic to bring home with me. If you've never used black garlic (or, maybe, never even heard of it), it is a really neat ingredient that is common in Asian cooking but has begun to be used more and more in high-end cuisine worldwide. It gets its black color and soft texture from being "aged" (you can actually make your own at home), resulting in a garlic that is more "sweet and syrupy" in taste than the original.

So, being that I had a gourmet ingredient ready to roll, I figured I'd make a gourmet soup this weekend! I found this recipe, which was originally served at the (now-closed) Bar Tartine restaurant in nearby San Francisco, and was inspired by the chef's Hungarian father. You know I like "interesting," so this one looked right up my alley... But how did it turn out?

This recipe came from: https://www.sunset.com/recipe/black-garlic-lentil-soup

*Pic 1 - https://www.sunset.com/recipe/black-garlic-lentil-soup

Variations from Recipe as Written: I used olive oil rather than lard or grapeseed oil to sauté the veggies. And, I used 16oz of mushrooms instead of just 12oz (because package size). But, other than that, I stuck to the recipe as written.

General Thoughts: Just looking at the ingredient list, you can see that this one is certainly not the easiest prep you'll ever do for a soup. The cooking was pretty straightforward, but there was a fair bit of chopping, dicing, and slicing, not to mention the number of specialized ingredients required (such as the black garlic, Hungarian paprika, black lentils, and dry-cured paprika sausage). It really didn't feel too bad overall, but it did take a little bit of time.

Another thing to note, unless you are making for a crowd (6+), there is no need to multiply this recipe. As written, this recipe made A LOT, and the result was super hearty and filling. So, don't go crazy...

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

This recipe can be summed up in three words: spicy, spicy, spicy! :-) I expected some spice, based on the ingredient list (including a serrano chile, dried chiles de arbol, a spicy sausage, and hot Hungarian paprika), but the soup wound up too spicy for Fox and Becky to eat it. You know I am a fire eater, and it had the PERFECT level of spice for me, so that should tell you what you need to know: if making this one for general consumption, you need to do some swapping or decrease some of the amounts of the spicier ingredients.

Beyond the spice, however, the flavor was amazingly good! It was deep and rich, very complex and interesting. I could definitely taste the black garlic, which was great, and the paprika danced on the tongue. Eat bite of sausage was also a treat, but there wasn't nearly enough of it. This soup was packed with veggies, which were (mostly) yummy, and the lentils were a terrific starchy filler. However, it is worth mentioning that even though I soaked the lentils beforehand, they turned out a little underdone when I stuck to the cooking times in the recipe, so make sure they get cooked through before pulling this soup off the heat.

Finally, a quick note about the sour cream as a garnish... Not only did it serve to effectively soften the spice, but it also helped give this soup a more authentic Eastern European flavor! 

Potential Improvements? As much as it kills me to say it, next time I'll probably do things like seed the serrano, use just 1 tbsp of hot Hungarian paprika, etc. to make the final product more palatable to the masses (my best friend Jayson would not have survived this one!). I would (of course) cook it a bit longer to ensure the lentils were fully soft. I would use more sausage, maybe even up to doubling what is called for by the recipe. And, I think next time I'll leave the tomatoes out all together, and maybe cut the roasted red peppers by half; they made for a weird texture thing for me.

Polling the Fam: I thought this one was really tasty... Super interesting and a bonanza of flavor, so I'd definitely make it again with my above improvements. The only other person in my house that could take the spice was Hunter, who said it was "pretty spicy" and would have been harder for him to eat without the sour cream and a good piece of bread. But, in the end, he said it was "good" and packaged up leftovers for later in the week.

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)

Sunday Soup #69: Pumpkin and Chorizo Soup with Cilantro

This is the second soup of the weekend that my sister Rachel and I chose to make while I was visiting her (see Sunday Soup #68 at https://soupersleuth.blogspot.com/2018/09/sunday-soup-68-chicken-chimichurri-soup.html for the weekend's first entry). I suppose I could have called this one "Sunday Soup #68a," but it is my blog, and I didn't want to, so I didn't! *sticks tongue out* Instead, we were looking for something interesting and unique for #69, and this one fit the bill! Let's take a look...

This recipe came from: https://www.closetcooking.com/pumpkin-and-chorizo-soup-with-cilantro/

*Pic 1 - https://www.closetcooking.com/pumpkin-and-chorizo-soup-with-cilantro/

Variations from Recipe as Written: We only made two changes to this one, but they were both pretty major. First, we could not find any Spanish chorizo (which is the firm, sausage-like chorizo, not the meltable, liquidy Mexican chorizo) at the local grocery store. So, instead we used raw linguiça sausage and added 1 tsp paprika and 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar to give it a more Spanish chorizo-like flavor. Second, we belatedly figured out that we forgot to get potatoes, so Rachel roasted and chopped about 2 cups of cauliflower as a substitute.

General Thoughts: This soup had a much shorter ingredient list than the other soup we made this weekend. A little chop and sauté on the onions and garlic, and the extra work to facilitate the use of roasted cauliflower rather than potatoes, and that was about it for the prep. Pretty simple...

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

One of the first things I noticed about this one was that is was considerably chunkier and appeared much thicker than the picture with the recipe, almost more stew-like. But, that did not necessarily bother me, as I have had some great tagine dishes that had a similar look and turned out to taste delicious. Each bite did have a substantial mouth-feel, but I was not thrilled with the texture, which was heavily influenced by the presence of the cauliflower. However, I think that would be moot with a switch backed to potatoes instead.

The taste was decent, presenting as fairly sweet at first bite. It seemed to get less and less sweet as I got deeper into my bowl, but that might have just been desensitization. Spoonfuls that contained chorizo (aka, our doctored linguiça) were savory and delicious, providing a bit of a bite, which was sorely needed. Overall, this recipe was a little bland and needed either some additional spiciness and/or something to provide a contrasting taste profile. The next day, Rachel ate some leftover, and poured some Thai panang curry in the bowl before heating it up; she said the result was a much more interesting flavor overall.

Potential Improvements? This one had a bunch of potential if we make a few tweaks... First, I'd swap the cauliflower out for the potatoes (sorry, Sis!), which should fix my texture issue and improve the taste, in my opinion. Second, it definitely needed some more spice. I think chopping a red Thai chile or two into the mix would help, as well as adding some acidity (with some lemon juice or apple cider vinegar) to help cut the sweetness would be a plus. Third, using actual Spanish chorizo would be desirable. Finally, Rachel suggested that using coconut milk instead of heavy cream would serve to make it both more interesting to the palate and a little thinner.

Polling the Fam: I might make this one again, because it was interesting and solid overall, but I would definitely want to make the changes suggested above. Rachel thought it wasn't as pumpkin-y as she thought it would be, but said that it verged on bland. She thought it definitely needed more spice and flavor before it could be considered really good, offering that she thought it'd be a good Fall soup. Joe said it was good overall, but a little bland, and thought it needed more spice to offset the sweet. And, my 8-year old nephew said he thought it was sweet and good overall.

Verdict: It was okay. (3 stars) (*but could a 4-star dish next time with some improvements)

Sunday Soup #68: Chicken Chimichurri Soup with White Beans

This weekend, I was visiting my sister, Rachel (who is a really good cook!), and we really enjoy cooking together, so we decided to make not one but TWO soups! We picked recipes that looked interesting and yummy, and my sister is gluten-free, so these selections might even be a bit healthy too (shhhh! don't tell anyone). This soup was the first of our selections...

This recipe came from: https://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/chicken-chimichurri-soup-with-white-beans-recipe/

*Pic 1 - https://www.afarmgirlsdabbles.com/chicken-chimichurri-soup-with-white-beans-recipe/

Variations from Recipe as Written: We used bottled lemon juice, rather than fresh-squeezed in the chimichurri (because convenience). We used just a little more chicken than called for (about 2 pounds instead of just 1.75 pounds). We used a serrano pepper rather than a red chile. And, we used regular chicken broth rather than low-sodium.

General Thoughts: Although the recipe looks like it has a lot of ingredients (because, it kinda does), the prep was not as heavy as I thought it would be. Another set of hands made for lighter work (a particular thanks to Rachel for chopping the onions so I didn't have to cry!), but it really did not take very long overall. The chimichurri was a particular piece of cake, as all the ingredients went directly into the food processor.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when my sister and I made it

One of the most wonderful things about this one was the smell! Once the chimichurri ingredients were puréed and blended, the mixture smelled flavorful, "grassy," and fresh, promising a spicy and delicious condiment to go with our chicken soup. And, the soup itself filled the kitchen with a delightfully savory aroma that mixed cumin, thyme, vinegar, and chicken in a wonderful mélange that made us impatient to taste it. So, how did it taste? Really, really good!

Each bite was perfectly balanced, not only in how it felt in the mouth (brothy vs. chunky), but in how the spices and salt and vinegar all managed to simultaneously shine through in perfect proportion. The chicken was also moist and succulent, likely owing to the use of often-more-flavorful thighs, rather than breasts) and had clearly absorbed the savory flavor of the broth. Finally, the chimichurri was spectacular, offering a nice acidic bite, a decent spice level (from the chopped red chile and crushed red pepper flakes), and overtones of the fresh parsley and cilantro greens. Overall, it was the perfect topping and compliment to the soup! 

Potential Improvements? When I make this next time for myself, I'd probably up the heat in the chimichurri just a touch, likely by adding an additional chopped red chile. And, if you are very sensitive to salt or sodium in your food, you might want to switch back to the low-sodium chicken broth.

Polling the Fam: I liked this one a whole lot and can't wait to make it again! Rachel really liked it and said it grew on her with every bite. She added that the chimichurri was a must, as well as commenting that she thought it tasted kind of "limey" (which she liked). Joe thought it was good overall (if maybe a little salty for him) and commented that he doesn't usually like brothy soups, but this one was good. My 8-year old nephew (Joseph) opined that he thought it was good, a little acidic, but maybe too hot (prompting a suggestion from Rachel that he blow on the spoon before putting it in his mouth next time). And, finally, my 6-year old niece (Hannah), not to be outdone, wanted to try it and said it was good. ;-)

Verdict: Loved it! (5 stars)

Sunday Soup #67: Instant Pot Chipotle Cheddar Corn Chowder

Becky sent this soup to me a couple of weeks ago, and I have learned that when my wife sends me a soup, it is in my best interest to make it. :-) This one looked yummy, and the smokey chiles in adobo caught my eye, in particular, so I had high expectations. But, did it live up to our hopes?

This recipe came from: https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/instant-pot-chipotle-cheddar-corn-chowder/

*Pic 1 - https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/instant-pot-chipotle-cheddar-corn-chowder/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I doubled the recipe. I added an extra 1/2-portion of potato. I used medium instead of extra-sharp cheddar (shopping SNAFU). And, I used regular chicken broth, instead of low-sodium.

General Thoughts: This one is fairly low-cost, particularly if you already have bacon on hand, and the prep was pretty simple. I, once again, had a lovely assistant (Lisa) who did my veggie chopping for me and, since this is an Instant Pot recipe, the process from start to finish took only about an hour. (*If you don't have an Instant Pot, there are also slow cooker/CrockPot cooking instructions at the bottom of the recipe page.)

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

The soup came out the perfect thickness, particularly when I gave it a chance to "set up" a little. I used an immersion blender, rather than removing half of it from the pot and putting it in a food processor, but it accomplished the same thing: a hearty and deliciously creamy soup, with a good balance between smooth and chunky.

The flavor was good, not in the least objectionable, but a little bland for my tastes. Many people will like it just the way it is (mild), but I need some more punch. Despite the chiles in adobo and cilantro, the soup was neither overly smokey nor spicy; both flavors were present but very subtle (to my taste buds, at least). As a result, the garnishes played a real starring role, with the bacon, cheese, and green onions all playing a large part in the taste of each bowl. The bacon, in particular, was critical to my enjoyment of this soup. The recipe called for the bacon to be sauteed, but then removed from the pot, and only added back to each bowl after the soup is finished cooking, but you may choose to leave it in the pot if you'd prefer not to use it as a garnish.

Finally, as you can see from the picture above, I served this soup in bread bowls, which was okay, but I am not sure I'd do it again. I think it would have been just fine, if not better, in a standard soup bowl.

Potential Improvements? As good as this one was, there are a few things I would want to do next time... I'd want to make more bacon. It was the best part and, consequently, it went fast! So, I'd make 1.5x or 2x the bacon next go 'round. I'd use double the number of chiles in adobo to really kick up the flavor and give it that punch I was missing. I'd want to use extra-sharp cheese to give it a bit more tang. And, as a backup, I'd love to have a nice selection of hot sauces standing by for eaters to garnish and spice their bowls to their hearts' content.

Polling the Fam: This one was extremely solid, and I'd definitely make it again, especially with the improvements I detailed above. Becky thought it was good, and had two bowls, but thought it was missing a little something that she couldn't put her finger on. Jayson thought it was really good and liked it a lot, but agreed it needed more spice and that it might have been better in a regular soup bowl. Josh called it "pretty amazing," taking special note of the cilantro, and said he'd pay for this soup in a restaurant! (*A very nice compliment, indeed!) Hunter thought it was really good and had three bowls, but agreed with me that the bacon and cheese garnishes were a must.  And, Fox thought it was good and liked that it had potatoes in it.

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)