Italian Cabbage & White Bean Soup

Ingredients:
1 Medium Head of Cabbage - Chopped into 1" pieces
1 Grilled Chicken Breast - Small Dice
1 Onion - Chopped
1 Carrot - Chopped into 1/2" pieces
2 Garlic Cloves - Minced
2 Cans White Beans - Drained & Rinsed
2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper (or 1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes)
4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
4 Cups Chicken Stock
2 Cups Water (optional)

In a medium / large pot over med / high heat, add the evoo.  Add the onion, carrot & garlic and sautee for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add in the salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne and stir to coat the vegetables. Cook for 1-2 minutes to open up the spices and bloom them.

Next add in the chicken and cabbage and stir to combine.  Add in the chicken stock.  The chicken broth should cover the cabbage, etc. by about an inch. If you need more liquid, add in some of the water or more chicken stock.  Cover and reduce to simmer and cook for about 20 minutes.  Add in the white beans and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.

At this point, adjust the seasonings to taste and simmer for another 5 minutes if necessary.

Enjoy with a nice piece of rustic crusty bread.  #cheftainment

Ginger Turkey & Pork Pot Stickers

EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

8 oz. Sliced Crimini Mushrooms

1 Medium Onion – Small Dice

8 Scallions - Roots/Tops cut off – Diced

2 Cups Napa Cabbage – Shredded & Diced

1 Jalapeno – Seeded & Small Dice

1 Serrano Chili – Seeded & Small Dice

1 Grilled Zucchini – Small Dice (doesn’t have to be grilled, that’s just what I had)

1 Carrot – Peeled & Small Dice

10 oz. Ground Turkey

10 oz. Ground Pork

4 Roasted Garlic Cloves – Smashed into a paste (can be raw, not roasted if needed)

1 tbsp Corn Starch

2 tbsp Brown Sugar

1 tbsp Grated Fresh Ginger

1 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar

2 tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce

1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil

1 Package Won Ton Wrappers

2 Cups (approx) Chicken Stock

In a large pan, over med/high heat, add about 2 tbsp EVOO. Once heated, add the mushrooms.  Brown on both sides (about 10 minutes) then add in the onion and sautee another 10 minutes.

In a large bowl add the (cooled) mushroom/onion mixture, scallions, cabbage, jalapeno, Serrano chili, zucchini, carrot, turkey, pork & garlic.

In a small bowl combine the corn starch, brown sugar, ginger, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce and sesame oil.  Stir to combine.

Add the liquid mixture to the large bowl and mix to combine.

Wet the edges of the won tons with water.  Add about 1 tsp of the filling.  Pull opposite corners together in the middle and pinch down the sides to secure the filling inside doesn’t spill out.

In a large shallow pan w/ lid, add about 1 cup of chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add in the pot stickers (in batches) and cover.  Simmer about 5 minutes.  Take out and place on paper towel to drain the water.  Add more chicken stock for other batches.

In a large pan over med/high heat, add about 2 tbsp EVOO. Add in the pot stickers and cook to brown the bottom.  Enjoy!

Ginger Turkey Pot Stickers

1 Package Ground Turkey

2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

½ Head Cabbage  - cut in ¼

1 Onion – Peeled - cut in ¼

1  Large Carrot – Peeled – cut in ¼ (or 1 cup pre shredded carrots)

1 tbsp Fresh Ground Ginger

2 tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce

½ tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tbsp Brown Sugar

1 Package Round Won Ton Wrappers

2 Scallions – finely chopped

1 tbsp Sesame Seeds

In a pan over med/high heat add the EVOO and Turkey.  Break the turkey up and brown it about 5 minutes.  Drain off any oil and set turkey aside.

In a food processor add cabbage, onion, carrot and shred to combine.  In a large bowl add the cabbage mixture, the ground turkey, ginger, soy sauce, cayenne pepper and brown sugar.  Mix well.  Taste to adjust seasonings accordingly.

Take the won tons and with a pastry brush or your finger, wet the outer edges with water.  Take about a teaspoon of the ground turkey mixture and place in the center of the won ton.  Fold the won ton in ½ and press the edges to firmly seal.

In a shallow pan bring about 2” of water to a simmer.  Salt like you would pasta.  Gently add in the won tons (in batches) and simmer about 1 minute on each side.

In another pan w/ 1 tbsp EVOO, on med/high heat, add in the won tons and brown on each side (about 1 minute each side).

Garnish with chopped scallions and sesame seeds.  For an added flavor add your favorite Asian dipping sauce.

Chinese Chicken Salad Egg Rolls

2 Grilled Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (EVOO, salt, pepper) – small dice

2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

2 Grilled Zucchini – Sliced in ½ w/ EVOO to grill then small dice

6 Radishes – Tails/Tips removed – small dice

½ Red Pepper – cut into thin strips then small dice

5 oz. Crimini Mushrooms – small dice

1 tbsp EVOO

2 tsp Red Wine Vinegar

1 Jalapeno – finely diced

1 cup Bean Sprouts

1 cup Carrots – shredded

3 Scallions- cut on angle about ¼ inch thick – reserve 3^rd scallion to the side for garnish

½ head Napa Cabbage – shredded

1 tsp Salt

½ tsp Pepper

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tsp Onion Powder

½ tsp Celery Salt

1 tsp Mustard Powder

1 Package Egg Roll Wraps

2 cups Vegetable Oil

Drizzle the chicken breasts with EVOO, salt & pepper and grill.  Set aside to cool about 10-15 minutes.  Cut the chicken into a small dice, place in bowl w/ 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar and stir to coat/marinate.

Cut zucchini in ½ and drizzle with EVOO.  Grill just a few minutes, just to develop grill marks but still crunchy.  Usually about 4-5 minutes.  Then cut into strips and dice.

In a sautee pan over med/high heat, add 1 tbsp EVOO.  When oil is hot add mushrooms.  Sautee about 7 minutes or until browned.  Add 2 tsp red wine vinegar and stir.  Turn off heat but leave on burner and let liquid cook out.

In a large bowl combine chicken, zucchini, radishes, red pepper, mushrooms, jalapeno, bean sprouts, carrots, scallions, cabbage, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt, mustard powder.  Stir well to combine all the spices.  Taste a bite or 2 and adjust seasonings accordingly.

Take the egg roll wraps and blot all edges w/ water about 1 inch deep.  Place about 2 or 3 tbsp (1/4 cup) of the mixture in the lower 1/3 of the wrap.  Roll forward to cover, flip the sides in and continue to roll to the end (like a burrito).  Place on a tray seam side down.  When finished rolling egg rolls cover w/ plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for about ½ hour.

In a pan w/ high sides, heat 2 cups vegetable oil over high heat but don’t let boil or burn.  Carefully drop a small piece of a diced vegetable into the oil and if it bubbles and starts to fry the oil is ready (sorry don’t know the temp).  Gently place the egg rolls in the oil, seam side down and fry on each side until golden brown.  Do not crowd the pan.  Once golden brown on each side, remove and set on a try lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.

This recipe made about 21 egg rolls.  If you’d like to serve with a dipping sauce, mix 1 cup low sodium soy sauce, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard and 1 tsp grated ginger.  Garnish with reserved scallions.

* Picture shown is a variation of  this recipe.

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.

Chinese Chicken Salad Soup

Ingredients

2 Medium Carrots – Peeled, roughly chopped

1 Celery Stalk – Roughly chopped

½ Medium Red Onion – Roughly Chopped

2 Large Garlic Cloves

Pulse in a food processor until basically a rough puree.  Set aside.

2 Large Garlic Cloves – Finely diced

3 Scallions – Chopped

1 Jalapeno – Seeded, finely diced

½ Medium Red Onion – Thinly sliced

¼ Head of Red Cabbage – Thinly sliced

2 Handfulls Snow Peas – Top vein sliced off

1 Cup Shredded Carrots

1 Small Savoy Cabbage – Shredded

2 Roasted Chicken Breasts – Shredded

½ lb Angel Hair Pasta – Broken into 3rds.

1 Can Sliced Water Chestnuts

1 tbsp Grated Ginger

1 Handful Bean Sprouts

8 Cups Chicken Stock

8 Cups Water

¼ Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce

½ Cup Water

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

¼ Cup Balsamic Vinegar

Chow Mein Noodles

Salt

Pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

In a medium / high heat pot add enough EVOO to coat the bottom and add the pureed veggies.  Sautee about 5-7 minutes until softened.  Add ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper.  Cook 2 minutes.

Add red cabbage and stir to coat with the puree.  Cover w/ lid cracked and cook 10 minutes.  Add garlic, scallions, jalapeno, onion and cook 5 minutes covered with lid cracked.

Add ginger, ½ cup chicken stock.  Cook 5 minutes covered with lid cracked.

Add 8 cups chicken stock, 8 cups water, carrots, snow peas.  Simmer 1 hour covered with lid cracked.

Add chicken, Savoy cabbage, bean sprouts and water chestnuts.  Cook 5 minutes.

In a bowl combine soy sauce ½ cup water, honey, mustard and balsamic vinegar.  Mix well and then add to soup.

Add angel hair pasta and cook 8 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve w/ chow mein noodles on top.