Booty Soup

About a month ago, I got quite a surprise. UPS delivered a huge box, marked “perishable”.
“Hmmm”, thought me. Who the heck would send me a box of dynamite marked as food??? (I think those thoughts because I’m very paranoid and well…there’s my history with nefariousness.)

Cautiously I pried open the package with kitchen tongs (from a safe distance of course), and found an enormous basket. “Hmmm”, thought me. Nestled in the basket was an amazing array of food and other wonderfulness. Still perplexed, I examined the box a little further. “La Tienda” – the venerable purveyor of all things Spanish, edible and otherwise. “Hmmm”, thought me, myself, and I. I was getting warmer! And my coffee was kicking in. I vaguely remembered entered a tapas contest a while ago – perhaps this was a prize!!

After some super sleuthing (I AM the Mom of a spy, you know) I figured out I was a first prize winner – not the Grand Prize winner, alas. That lucky winner received a whole tapas party at her home, complete with a tapas chef, who probably is insanely good looking and then he invites the hostess to join him in Barcelona to open a small and stellar tapas bar on his family’s olive farm that covers many acres and has 12 outdoor fireplaces and lots of cute goats. No, I’m not the Grand Prize winner. Or bitter.

But first prize was pretty freakin’ fabulous. An abundance of olives, olive oil, chorizo, a beautiful wheel of Manchego cheese, a fabulous cookbook by Jose Andres, a cool cheese board with cute cheese knives, Spanish tapa plates, a gorgeous wooden olive tray, a bunch of other stuff, and BEST OF ALL…a chefs jacket with “Olive Oil from Spain” on the sleeve! So…guess who wore the jacket to Safeway that afternoon? And pretended to be an olive oil authority in the condiment aisle? With no one listening?

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" Why, yes...I DO love Spanish olive oil...and your jacket! Let's make out!"


It was all very wonderful, yet strange…I never received a call or an email letting me know I won anything. I guess that’s the beauty of a complete surprise. One minute you’ll shuffling around in your bathrobe with some Windex in your pocket, singing “I’m Bringing Sexy Back”, the next minute you’re a Spanish chef! Making out with Xavier Bardem! (But not when he was in "No Country for Old Men")

Last night I made the “base” of our most favorite soup in the world. It’s a fennel and kale concoction, and I added some of the smoky chorizo – wow. The spousal unit said it was the “best” soup he’s ever had and believe me, I’ve made that soup a zillion times. The smoked paprika was released into the broth by the brief sautéing I gave the sausage, and completely changed the soup. For the better.

Here you go. I hope you get a food surprise someday. It’s a kick in the pants.
Oh, here is the link to Olive Oil from Spain….I can’t find my recipe anywhere on the site, or even reference to the contest. It’s so weird.

Olive Oil From Spain

(thank you, thank you, thank you, oil people from Spain!)

"Booty Soup from a Big Box from La Tienda"
6 oz smoked Spanish chorizo, cut into bite sized pieces or “coins”
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium-sized fennel bulb, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
8 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth
2 bunches kale, trimmed and roughly chopped (about 8 cups, I guess)
1 bag dry cheese filled tortellini (I use Bertolli…it’s easy to find for me)
Chunks of Manchego cheese
This pot made 6 big bowls of soup…and it is better left on the stove overnight and re-heated for lunch the next day.
1. In a large pot, sauté the sausage until sizzling and releasing the oil and paprika.
2. Add the onion, fennel, garlic, red pepper, and thyme. Sauté for a few moments, until vegetables are soft, but not browned.
3. Add the stock or broth and bring to gentle boil. Add kale, stir around, bring to boil again, then let simmer for 7-8 minutes.
4. Add tortellini, bring back to boil, and cook for another 8-10 minutes are until pasta is done.
5. Serve hot, with chunks of cheese on top.

"Wild Burros, Chicken Livers, and Broccoli Soup"

Ol' "What's-his-name" and I have been wanting to have a fun over-night trip for just the two of us since before the holidays. Schedules have been hectic, so rather than schedule yet another thing to do, we agreed that one morning we'll just wake up and do it! Something totally spontaneous! We tried many times, but it was always, "oh, I have this", or "oh, I can't get out of work", or something. So finally, yesterday, all the planets aligned, and it was that day! We knew we didn't want some elaborate trip that required a plane, too much driving, or clothes that needed to be dry-cleaned. We wanted to wear jeans, sweatshirts, take at least one good hike, and not make any reservations. Just wing it!

Seemed a little daunting, until we pulled out our trusty (and crusty) Arizona road map. We decided to go south, out of the snow and cold. But we didn't want to go near Phoenix, because we go down there all the time. So we found a road, neither one of us have been on...the Castle Hot Springs Road, northwest of Phoenix. It takes you through a remarkably beautiful desert canyon, and drives by the famous (but closed) Castle Hot Springs Resort. There was water running in the creeks (such a rarity!) and the temperture was perfect. We came upon three little wild burros, just hanging out in a wash. Wild burros are indigenous to this part of the southwest, and it's hard to find them...they are elusive little guys. They wouldn't let me get any closer than the above picture, but we spent several minutes all staring at one another. Further down the road, we took a long hike down a canyon, hopping over boulders and waterholes....just one of those perfect days that just happens out of no planning and no expectations.

We end up in Wickenburg...a fun western town west of Phoenix....and got a very reasonable room at a 61 year old Best Western. It was dated for sure, but comfortable and right in the middle of town. We had a great Mexican food dinner at a restaurant we walked to and slept like little burros tucked into our bed, tuckered out from the hike. In the morning, we tried out the very small, and very good local breakfast cafe recommended by our waitress from the night before...and "what's-his-name" had a chicken liver omelet that was really really good! I was not down with the whole idea of liver and eggs, but it was delicious. I, of course, had the truck driver's special...sausages, eggs, biscuits and gravy...I think my arteries seized up right there and then. I LOVE local diners. Especially ones that have old pictures of Roy Rogers on the wall, and waitresses named "Dot".

We drove on home and feeling still stuffed with chicken livers and about 5 pounds of gravy, I decided to make a healthy and light soup out of whatever I would find in the refrigerator...which was green onions, broccoli, and a few mushrooms. And an almost expired bottle of heavy cream (well, there goes the healthy soup idea!)...what I came up with was surprising...like finding a charming little burro in the middle of nowhere! I loved this soup! I couldn't wait to write it down and post it. The amounts might be off, but just adjust to what looks right to you. I didn't take a pic, didn't think it would be .jpg worthy! But, it's dang good!

Cream of Broccoli and Green Onion Soup with Pan Roasted Mushrooms

Serves 2, very generously

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 ½ cup sliced mushrooms (more or less)
3 cups of chopped broccoli (florets and peel stem)
3 cups of chicken stock (and add water to cover broccoli, if necessary)
3 green onions, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon brandy
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil and swirl pan to coat. Add mushrooms and sauté, turning once, until mushrooms are golden brown. Remove from heat.
2. Place the broccoli and chicken stock (and water if necessary) into medium-sized, heavy saucepan. Bring to boil, lower heat to simmer and cook broccoli until fork tender, about 8 minutes.
3. Using an immersion blender, or using conventional blender, add broccoli and liquid, 2/3’s of the chopped onions, and puree until smooth. Return to saucepan.
4. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring back to simmer. Add cream and brandy. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and thyme and stir. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
5. Ladle into deep bowls and garnish with remaining green onions.

Unplanned surprises....the very best!

"Everybody Loves Soup"

It’s going to snow tonight and tomorrow, so it’s time for my Kale, Kielbasa, and Cheese Tortellini Soup. When the weather looks cold and blustery, and I’m looking forward to nothing more strenuous than watching “Everybody Loves Raymond” re-runs, I know I’ll be pulling this soup together. I believe it’s the first soup (or anything for that matter) the kids actually ate with “green stuff” floating around. That was quite an achievement. Simple, hearty and ready to serve in about 30 minutes. Crusty sourdough bread and a glass of Seghesio 2005 Sangiovese, Alexander Valley. Time to watch Marie tell Deborah she can’t cook!

Kale, Kielbasa, and Cheese Tortellini Soup

Serves 4, with lots of leftovers for the next day, or 6 and it’ll be gone!

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
1 large onion, chopped
4 or 5 stalks of celery, with leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
A pinch of dried red pepper
Freshly ground black pepper
½ package (7oz) of Polish Beef Kielbasa, chopped
1 package (32 oz) chicken broth
1 bunch kale, leaves stripped from rib and roughly torn into pieces (about 6 cups)
1 package (9 oz) cheese tortellini
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic, onion, celery, thyme, red pepper, black pepper to taste, and the Kielbasa. Sauté, stirring occasionally until vegetables are softened and sausage is beginning to brown.
2. Add the chicken broth and 4 cups of water. Bring to boil.
3. Add the kale and stir. Lower heat and let simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
4. Turn heat to boil, add the tortellini and cook for 4-5 minutes or until tortellini is tender
5. Ladle into deep, shallow bowls and sprinkle with the grated Parmesan cheese.