Soup & salad - recipes

Sunset, Jan, 1989

Here are three satisfying partnerships. Two soups are quick, one bubbles slowly

Simmering soups rarely require much attention. And when paired with a salad, they make a satisfying, quick-to-assemble meal. Here, we offer three choices. The first two are vegetable based and cook in less than 30 minutes. The third requires long, slow simmering to tenderize the meat and blend the flavors.

Curried Carrot and Onion Soup

Serve with a salad of butter lettuce, Roma-type tomatoes, and green onions.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1-1/2 pounds carrots, thinly sliced

2 medium-size onions, chopped

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1 fresh jalapeno chili, stemmed,

seeded, and minced

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 tablespoon mustard seed

1 teaspoon each coriander seed,

cumin seed, and cardamom seed

(pods removed)

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2

teaspoon dry thyme leaves

1/2 cup long-grain white rice

8 cups regular-strength chicken broth

In a 5- to 6-quart pan over medium-high heat, combine oil, carrots, onions, ginger, chili. Cover and stir often until vegetables begin to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Add curry, mustard seed, coriander, cumin, cardamom, thyme, and rice; mix well. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce beat and simmer, covered, until rice is tender to bite, 20 to 25 minutes. Serves 6.

Per serving: 164 cal.; 5.3 g protein; 19 g carbo.; 7.5 g fat; 0 mg chol.; 91 mg sodium.

Fresh Mushroom and Spinach Soup with Garlic Croutons

Get extra spinach and enoki mushrooms when you make the soup, then use them in a salad with toasted almonds and blue cheese dressing.

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1-1/2 pounds common mushrooms, thinly

sliced

1 large onion, chopped

4 cups regular-strength beef broth

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1/2 package (31/2 oz. size) enoki

mushrooms

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

4 cups packed spinach leaves,

washed, drained, and cut into

thin strips

Garlic croutons (recipe follows)

Melt butter in a 4- to 5-quart pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and onion; stir often until all but about 1/2 cup liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Add broth, sherry, enoki mushrooms, nutmeg, and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, to blend flavors, about 15 minutes. Serve; or cover and chill up to 3 days, then reheat.

To serve, stir spinach into soup, then ladle equally into 4 bowls; top each portion with a garlic crouton. Accompany with remaining croutons. Serves 4.

Per serving without crouton: 148 cal; 69 g protein; 18 g carbo.; 7.6 g fat; 16 mg chol.; 117 mg sodlum.

Garlic croutons Combine 2 tablespoons olive oilwith 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed. Cut 1 (8 oz.) baguette into 1/2-inch slices. Place slices in a 10- by 15-inch baking pan; brush tops equally with garlic oil. Bake in a 300' oven until crisp and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature. Makes 24 to 26.

Per crouton: 35 cal.; 0.8 g protein; 4.9 g carbo.; 1.3 g fat; .26 mg chol.; 51 mg sodium.

Winter Beef Vegetable Soup and Salad

About 3-1/2 pounds beef shortribs

1 to 2 pounds soup bones (optional)

8 cups regular-strength beef broth

3 cups water

1 cup dry white wine

1 can (15 oz.) stewed tomatoes

1 large onion, chopped

3/4 pound carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery chopped

1/2 cup firmly packed parsley sprigs

4 cloves garlic

1 dry bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon each dry basil leaves, dry

rosemary leaves, and dry thyme

leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Grated parmesan cheese

Beef salad (directions follow

Place shortribs in an 8- to 10-quart pan over medium-high heat; brown well on all sides. Add soup bones, broth, water, wine, tomatoes, onion, carrots, celery, parsley, garlic, bay, basil, rosemary, and thyme. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, then cover and simmer until meat is very tender when pierced, about 3 hours. Lift out and discard soup bones. Lift out shortribs; when cool enough to handle, discard bones and fat. Tear meat into bite-size pieces; reserve for beef salad.

Pour broth through a fine strainer into a bowl; skim off and discard fat. Whirl vegetables in a food processor or blender until coarsely pureed. Return vegetables and broth to pan. Bring to a boil over high heat; stir often. Ladle into bowls. Season to taste with salt and pepper; offer cheese to sprinkle over individual portions. Accompany with beef salad. Serves 6 to 8.

Per serving: 57 cal.; 1.7 g protein; 11.8 g carbo.; a 9 g fat; 0 mg chol.; 161 mg sodium.

Beef salad In a large bowl, mix together reserved beef (preceding), 1/4 cup balsamic or red wine vinegar, 1/2 cup olive oil. Add I small red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings; 3 or 4 red radishes, thinly sliced; and 8 to 10 cups washed, crisped, bite-size pieces mixed salad greens such as red or green leaf lettuce and watercress. Spoon onto salad plates. Offer additional vinegar and oil, and salt and pepper to add to taste. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Per serving: 306 cal,; 17 g protein; 1.8 g carbo.; 23 g fat; 50 mg chol.; 41 mg sodium.