Shrimp and Sausage Cioppino

Friday, 28th June 2013

I was looking for a bean soup recipe and found this one, which is more of a stew, but really just what I wanted.
Soften chopped fennel, onion and garlic. Then add and brown sausage. I used the pork salsiccia which I often get from the local Italian deli, and I didn't take the skin of, but just chopped it into small chunks. Add some wine and scrape up any bits. Stir in vegetable stock, tomato paste and bay leaf, and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Uncover and add shrimp, beans and herbs and seasoning. Cook until the shrimps are done, about 4 or 5 minutes. Serve with crusty bread.
The salsiccia was quite well spiced in itself and I put in a good amount of white Kampot pepper, so this came out quite spicy, but still with an excellent flavour and everything very nicely cooked.
As there are always so many new things to cook, we rarely repeat recipes, but this one could well appear on the table again.

Pumpkin Soup

Friday, 30th September

Can't take credit for this one. My lovely girlfriend Monika made this totally delicious pumpkin soup.

Chicken Soup

Wednesday, 9th February

Chicken Soup (again) - I have a cold (again), so had another go at the chicken soup.  This time copying the approach of my girlfriend.  Bung some chicken in a pot with water, seasoning and a stock cube, cook for 40 minutes.  Add veggies, cook for 20 minutes more.  When it's done shred some of the chicken into a soup bowl and ladle over broth and vegetables.  Delicious.  Much better than the fancy concoction I tried last time.  I put in way to much water, so I took some out near the end.  Now I have enough chicken stock for a couple of dinners and still a big portion of soup left over.

Chicken and Mushroom Soup

Wednesda, 5th January

Chicken and mushroom soup.  Got a bit of a cold, so acting on the advice of my sweetheart, I improvised a chicken soup after looking at a couple of recipes.  Trim chicken thighs of fat and skin, diced and boil briefly in stock. Skim the liquid. Fry some bacon, add the drained chicken and fry gently for a few minutes, then add white wine.  In another pan soften onions, garlic and sliced mushrooms and add a small glass of sherry.  Add the mushroom mix to the chicken, with chopped parsley and chives.  Add stock and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add cream and heat through.  Adjust seasoning and serve garnished with sliced raw mushroom and chopped chives.  The chicken and mushroom mix was very good, but the broth was a bit disappointing - could have been richer and creamier.  Maybe a thickening agent was needed.