Chinese Noodle Soup (Vegetarian)

Ingredients:

12 Cups Vegetable Broth

¼ Cup Dried Porcini Mushrooms (about 5 or 6 each)

¼ Cup Dried Shitake Mushrooms (about 5 or 6 each)

1 Large Garlic Clove – Peeled, Smashed

4 Cups Boiling Water

6 Lemongrass Stalks (about 4-5 inches long, about ½ inch thick)

4 Green Onions – tops and root trimmed, cut on bias about ½ inch thick

1 Inch Ginger – Peeled and finely diced

1 Pkg 14 oz Dried Asian Noodles

¼ Cup Carrots – Shredded

½ Med. Head Napa Cabbage – Shredded

2 Cups Bean Sprouts

In a bowl add the dried mushrooms, garlic and water.  Cover and let sit about 10 minutes.  In a large pot over med/high heat, add in the vegetable stock, lemongrass, green onions and ginger.  Remove and roughly chop the mushrooms and garlic. Add in the mushrooms, garlic and liquid but be sure not to add in the grit at the bottom of the mushroom liquid.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 45 minutes.

Take out lemongrass and discard.  In a pot of salted water (follow directions on package) cook noodles for about 1 minute then drain.

Add carrots, cabbage and bean sprouts into soup and simmer about 5 minutes.

If you’re making the entire soup for your family then add in noodles to soup and serve.  If portioning out then add noodles per bowl.  Maybe garnish with extra sliced green onions.

Enjoy.

** I didn’t need to add salt or pepper for seasoning but you might.  Try adding Low Sodium Soy Salt instead of salt if you feel the need.

Genovese Meatballs a la Pizzaiola

 

1.25 lb. Ground Turkey

1.25 lb. Ground Beef

8 oz. Crimini Mushrooms

1 Cup Kale – stems removed (or basil or spinach)
1 Med Onion - cut in 1/4

5 Garlic Cloves

¼ Cup Sun dried Tomatoes

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

¼ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

½ Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

½ tbsp Pepper

1 ½ tbsp Salt

1 tbsp Tomato Paste

1 Egg – Beaten

¼ - ½ Cup Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs (+ 2 additional cups)

½ Cup Vegetable Oil

1 Large Garlic Clove – Smashed

4 tbsp Butter

In a food processor add mushrooms, kale, garlic, onion, sun dried tomatoes, EVOO.  Pulse until combined (not looking for a puree but also not looking for large chunks).  In a large bowl add turkey, beef, mushroom mixture, parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, pepper, salt, tomato paste and egg.  Mix together.  Add in ¼- ½ cup bread crumbs according to feel.  You don’t want the mixture too wet but you want the meatballs to form and stay together.

Scoop out mixture and roll around in the palm of your hands to form meatballs, about the size of a golf ball.  Place in fridge covered with plastic for about an hour.

In a bowl add the additional 2cups of bread crumbs.  Roll each meatball in the bread crumbs to coat.

In a large pan over med/high heat, add ½ cup vegetable oil and 1 smashed garlic clove.  Once the garlic has browned, remove it and throw it away.  Add in meatballs in batches, browning on each side.  Don’t crowd the pan, you don’t want them to steam.  When each meatball is browned on each side remove and set on a paper towel or draining rack.

When all meatballs are browned place in a dish or pan that can go in the oven.  Put in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes to finish cooking.  Let sit about 10 minutes for the juices to redistribute.

Serve by themselves or over pasta or add your favorite marinara for dipping.

Makes about 42 meatballs.

Ground Turkey & Sauteed Vegetable Pot Stickers

1.25 lbs Ground Turkey

2 Leeks – Just the white and light green, rinsed, cut in ¼ inch circles

5 oz. Crimini Mushrooms – Finely Chopped

1 Med. Red Onion – Finely Diced

2 Scallions – Finely Diced (reserve a little of the green for garnish)

1 Cup Kale – Stems removed and finely chopped

1 Carrot – Peeled and Shredded

½ Head Napa Cabbage – Finely Shredded

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

2 tbsp Butter

2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

1 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

1 ½ tsp Salt

¼ tsp Pepper

2 Egg Whites

¼ tsp Corn Starch

½ tsp Coriander

¼ tsp Ground Ginger (or grate fresh)

1 tsp Dijon Mustard

2 tbsp Soy Sauce (low sodium)

2 packages Won Ton Wrappers

In a large pan over med/high heat add about 3 tbsp EVOO (enough to lightly coat the bottom) add in onions and sautee about 5-7 minutes or until lightly caramelized.  Remove onions and add mushrooms.  Sautee about 5-7 minutes or until caramelized.  Add onions back in and add 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar and rice wine vinegar and cook until liquid is gone (about 2-3 minutes).  Remove from pan.

Add 1 tbsp EVOO and 2 tbsp butter to pan and add in leeks, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper.  Sautee on med/low heat about 15 minutes until softened and slightly browned.  Add in kale and cabbage and sautee about 10 minutes.

Add in onions, mushrooms, ginger, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp soy sauce.  Mix well, taste for seasoning, adjust accordingly.  Remove to large bowl and let cool.

Add in ground turkey and mix well.  Cover and put in refridgerator for at least an hour but better overnight to let the flavors develop.

Take the won ton wrappers out of the fridge about 10 minutes before you use them.  Wet all sides and take about 1 tsp  of the mixture and place in the center of the won ton.  Pull diagonal sides up to each other and pinch in the middle to seal.

In a large pan add 3 tbsp EVOO over med/high heat.  Add in pot stickers, cover and let cook about 4-5 minutes.  Remove and place on a paper towel to drain off the excess oil.  Heat oven to 350 and place pot stickers on baking sheet.  Cook about 5-10 minutes, just enough to brown the top of the pot stickers.

Garnish with green scallions and serve with a dipping sauce of your choice (soy sauce and hot mustard?)