Recipe of the Week – February 24, 2014

Thai Coconut Soup with Pan Seared Fish

Serves 4
Prep time:15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 butternut squash (about 2 lbs.) – peeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 large apples (preferably Honeycrisp or Gala) – peeled, cored and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 large carrots – peeled, quartered and finely chopped
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 small piece ginger, grated
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
• 1⁄2 tsp. cardamom
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 quart gluten-free chicken broth or gluten-free vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper
• Honey, for serving

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, stir together the oil and 2 Tbsp. butter until melted. Add the squash, apples, carrots and onions; stir to coat. Continue cooking until the onion is softened and translucent, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the ginger, thyme and cardamom, and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour in the cider and stir, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half. Add the broth and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer until the squash is tender, about 35 minutes.
3. Using an immersion blender or a regular blender and working in batches, blend the soup until smooth. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half. Swirl in the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter and stir to combine. Divide the soup among 4 bowls and top each with a generous drizzle of honey.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• ½ large yellow onion
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 medium-sized carrots, peeled, sliced into ¼ inch slices
• 2 celery stalks, sliced into ¼ inch pieces
• Several small mushrooms, cleaned, then sliced
• 1 large Idaho potato
• 1 cup green beans, washed, tips cut off and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 15 oz. can Cannellini beans
• 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
• 4 cups water
• 2 Tbsp. parsley
• 1 large (or 2 small) bay leaf (This will be removed before serving)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ¾ cup small gluten-free pasta

Directions:

1. On a cutting board, prepare all of the veggies and set aside.
2. In a large soup pot, heat the oil and melt the butter.
3. Sauté the onion and garlic. Don’t brown, just “sweat” them till onion is translucent.
4. Add the carrots and celery. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Add the mushroom slices, and green beans. Stir to combine.
6. Add the tomato sauce and water. Season with the spices and stir well.
7. Cook, with cover on pot, & simmer on low-medium heat for 30 -35 minutes.
8. While this is simmering, boil water in another pot and cook the pasta in salted water until “al-dente.”
9. After cooking the soup for 30-35 minutes, add the potatoes and cook only until they are tender. Cover the pot again while the potatoes cook.
10. Add the beans and combine well. Heat through with cover on for about four minutes. Shut heat at this point and wait for pasta to be done as directed above.
11. Drain pasta, add to soup and stir well. Serve immediately. Add some grated Italian cheese on top if you like.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Imagine® Organic Creamy Tomato Soup
• 2 medium sized eggplants cut into ½ inch slices
• ¼ cup crème fraiche
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 handful basil leaves pureed
• 2 cloves garlic sliced very thinly
• Sea salt and coarse black pepper to taste
• 6 sprigs basil for garnish

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan bring the tomato soup to a light boil and heat through over a medium high heat. Lower heat and keep warm.
2. Preheat the grill. Rub the garlic over the eggplant slices, brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and stack on baking sheet with the remaining garlic. Using tongs, place the sliced eggplant on the grill and grill turning once until the eggplant is blackened on both sides and the garlic is golden (about 2 to 3 minutes on each side).
3. Remove from grill and cut into cubes. Keep warm.
4. In a small bowl combine the basil with the crème fraiche until well blended.
5. Ladle the soup into four warmed bowls, spoon in the garlicky eggplant, top with basil crème fraiche and garnish with basil leaf.

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Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
• 3 cups Thai Kitchen® Coconut Milk
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup Thai Kitchen® Premium Fish Sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons minced ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large saucepan on medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in coconut milk and water. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low.
2. Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, ginger and red pepper. Simmer 10 minutes or just until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Garnish with green onion and cilantro.

Serves 4
Total Time:4-6 hours (1 hour if serving hot)

Ingredients:

• 3 large golden beets
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (coconut oil would work as well)
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 cups of gluten-free vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• sea salt and course ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Scrub then halve your beets and drizzle a 2 teaspoons of olive oil and sprinkle sea salt and pepper on top. With your hands massage them until they are coated evenly with the olive oil. Roast them for about 45 minutes to an hour. Allow them to cool them and then you can peel off the outer layer or their skin; if the beets are thoroughly clean peeling off the skin is optional and leaving them on will create a deeper flavor.

3. In a blender combine the cooled beets with a cup of vegetable broth. Blend until smooth. I chose not to add my garlic and onion in at this point, because I wanted my final product to have some texture. If you’d like your soup to be extra smooth, add your onions and garlic in with your beets and puree.

4. In a large saute pan, heat the left over teaspoon of olive oil on low and add in the onions and garlic. Cook through for a few minutes, then add the remaining 2 cups of vegetable broth, the beet puree, almond milk and turmeric. Stir together well and allow to simmer for a few moments. This soup works well hot, but the flavors really develop as it cools. Allow to cool and then refrigerate to chill for a few hours.

Optional: Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt and fresh scallions.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 6 chicken sausage links, casings removed (make sure they’re gluten-free)
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• ½ tsp. smoked paprika
• 3 cups of gluten-free low sodium chicken stock
• 14 oz. jar of roasted red bell peppers, packed in water only and puréed in a blender until smooth
• 16 oz. can of great northern beans (or navy beans), drained and rinsed
• 3 giant handfuls of fresh leaf spinach
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot over medium heat, heat up olive oil and put in sausages in without the casings. As it is cooking, break up the sausage with a wooden spoon. Cook until sausage meat is done, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove sausage form the pot to a holding bowl.

2. In the same pot over medium heat, sauté the onions for about 3 minutes to soften and pick up the brown bits from the sausage (you may need to add one more tsp. of olive oil if your sausage was very dry).

3. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.

4. Add the sausage back to the pot along with any juices.

5. Add the red pepper purée, stock and beans. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil.

6. Adjust flavor for salt and pepper, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

7. After 45 minutes, turn off the flame. Add the spinach and stir to wilt and combine. Serve.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup bacon grease (make sure the bacon is gluten-free)
• 3 tablespoons coconut flour
• 3 tablespoons almond flour
• 2 cups onions, chopped
• 2 cups celery, chopped
• 2 cups green pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 quart can tomatoes
• 2 cups gluten-free chicken or seafood stock
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ pound lump crab meat, picked over for shells
• 1 pound shrimp
• ½ pound gluten-free andouille sausage, sliced
• 1 tablespoon filé powder (ground sassafras leaves – optional)

Directions:

1. To make the roux, heat the bacon grease over medium heat and whisk in coconut flour and almond flour. Stir continuously until the roux has a dark brown color but is not burnt (think dark peanut butter color).

2. Add the onions, celery, peppers, and garlic and sauté until onions are translucent and celery somewhat soft.

3. Add in the tomatoes, stock, and bay leaves, and bring to a simmer.

4. Stir in the crab meat, shrimp, and andouille, cooking until shrimp are cooked through.

5. Remove from heat and add filé powder. Stir and serve.

Variation: If you don’t have any crab meat, you can increase the shrimp or sausage quantities. Chicken also works great in gumbo.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts (To make it vegan, substitute with three 14 oz. cans or 2 cups dry of your favorite beans.)
• 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 14 oz. can tomato sauce
• 1 chopped onion
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 Tablespoon dried basil
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 Tablespoon dried sage
• 2 bay leaves
• 4-6 cups chopped veggies (Choose your favorites or least-favorites-but-you-know-you-should-eat-them veggies. The flavors of the tomatoes and spices take over.)
• 3 cups chopped potatoes
• 3 cups chicken broth (Or to make it vegan, use veggie broth.)

Directions:

1. Cut vegetables.
2. Put everything into the slow cooker and set it on high for 5 hours or on low for 8–9 hours.
3. Ladle out and enjoy!