Category Archives: Soup

Carne en su Jugo

Bacon, Beans, Beef, Game Day, Mexican, Nueske's, Onions, Soup

There’s your Spanish lesson for the day. Carne en su jugo basically translates to meat in its juices. A little known fact that I took many, many years of Spanish and really only use it when ordering at my local taco shop. Many of the waitresses there actually go at me with the Spanish language right off the bat, that I actually have no idea what they are saying, and then I have to speak in English. Oh well, at least I try, right?

I first game across this dish when eating in Dallas, and was completely blown away. It basically is slow cooked meat, in its juices (obviously) that is paired with cooked bacon, and pinto beans. The one I had in Dallas was cooked in a tomatillo, jalapeño, and cilantro broth, almost like a chili verde, so I thought I would jazz it up a bit and go with a deeper beef base and utilize chipotles in adobo sauce rather than the one I experienced in the past. Let’s just say as the one in Dallas was good, this one was awesome, and it’s down right comforting.

Carne en su Jugo Recipe

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs of beef bottom round, thinly sliced, roughly chopped
  • 1/2 tbsp cooking oil
  • 2 15 oz cans of pinto beans, drained, rinsed
  • 2 chipotles in adobo sauce (reduce to one for less spice)
  • 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 4 cups of beef stock
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 whole onion, roughly chopped
  • 8 slices of bacon, chopped, and cooked
  • fresh cilantro
  • lime wedges, optional
  • fresh jalapeño, thinly sliced, optional
  • salt and pepper to taste

Start by preparing all of your ingredients. Once prepared add one cup of the stock to a blender. Toss in half a cup of fresh cilantro, the chipotle chili peppers, and the garlic. Blend until you have a smooth texture. Set aside.

Next, heat your a medium, to large size pot onto the stove and bring to a medium-high heat. Toss in the oil, then add in the chopped beef. Spread evenly and let it cook for about 5 minutes, undisturbed. Give a good stir, and reserve all of the liquid that gets extracted from the beef.  Add in the chipotle beef stock mixture, and give a good stir. Add the remaining stock, the cumin powder, and the pinto beans. Stir, cover, and reduce  the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 45 minutes.

How to make Mexican Carne en su Jugo

During this time, cook your bacon. Once cooked, place onto a paper lined sheet to remove any excess bacon grease. Pour out the grease, but reserve about a tablespoon to cook the onions in. Add the chopped onions and cook for about 8 minutes or so, until they are translucent, not caramelized. Remove the onions and place them in a bowl.

Now onto plating.

Ladle a generous amount into your soup bowl. Add some cooked bacon, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and a couple of spoonfuls of the cooked onion.

Dig in.  This soup has everything in one of my favorite bowls of soup. It had that smokiness from the Nueske’s bacon, along with great heat from the chipotle peppers that is perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the onion. Now that you have that going on for you, you will keep spooning away with the great flavor from the garlic and cilantro, the super tender beef, and the creaminess of the pinto beans. Need I say more?

Carne en su Jugo

I wanted another bowl, but I refrained from doing so. Let’s just say this will be packed for lunch for the week, if it lasts that long. Give this one a shot, it’s really, really good, and perfect on this long winter we have been having. I hope you enjoy!

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Carne en su Jugo
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6
 
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs of beef bottom round, thinly sliced, roughly chopped
  • ½ tbsp cooking oil
  • 2 15 oz cans of pinto beans, drained, rinsed
  • 2 chipotles in adobo sauce (reduce to one for less spice)
  • 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • 4 cups of beef stock
  • 1 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 whole onion, roughly chopped
  • 8 slices of bacon, chopped, and cooked
  • fresh cilantro
  • lime wedges, optional
  • fresh jalapeño, thinly sliced, optional
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Start by preparing all of your ingredients. Once prepared add one cup of the stock to a blender. Toss in half a cup of fresh cilantro, the chipotle chili peppers, and the garlic. Blend until you have a smooth texture. Set aside.
  2. Next, heat your a medium, to large size pot onto the stove and bring to a medium-high heat. Toss in the oil, then add in the chopped beef. Spread evenly and let it cook for about 5 minutes, undisturbed. Give a good stir, and reserve all of the liquid that gets extracted from the beef. Add in the chipotle beef stock mixture, and give a good stir. Add the remaining stock, the cumin powder, and the pinto beans. Stir, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 45 minutes.
  3. During this time, cook your bacon. Once cooked, place onto a paper lined sheet to remove any excess bacon grease. Pour out the grease, but reserve about a tablespoon to cook the onions in. Add the chopped onions and cook for about 8 minutes or so, until they are translucent, not caramelized. Remove the onions and place them in a bowl.
  4. Now onto plating.
  5. Ladle a generous amount into your soup bowl. Add some cooked bacon, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and a couple of spoonfuls of the cooked onion.
  6. Dig in. This soup has everything in one of my favorite bowls of soup. It had that smokiness from the Nueske’s bacon, along with great heat from the chipotle peppers that is perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the onion. Now that you have that going on for you, you will keep spooning away with the great flavor from the garlic and cilantro, the super tender beef, and the creaminess of the pinto beans. Need I say more?

 

Egg Drop Soup

Asian, Kids, Soup

I remember back in high school, a buddy of mine would always be making egg drop soup. I do not ever recall trying it however, but I watched him make it and was blown away as to how easy it was to make, at least for a high school kid. He simply heated up some sort of canned stock in a bowl in the microwave, beat an egg, and drizzled the egg into the hot broth. Genius, right? Typically this soup is served in your standard Chinese American restaurants, however the simplicity of ingredients actually make this a super simple, and hearty soup to make.

Egg Drop Soup

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups of chicken stock
  • 1/2 bunch of green onions, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp corn starch
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 whole eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, optional
  • salt, to taste
  • cracked black pepper to taste

Reserve a quarter cup of the chicken stock and set to the side.

Add the remaining stock to a small pot, and bring to a simmer.  Season with a pinch or two of salt, the same with the cracked black pepper. Stir, then add in the soy sauce and sesame oil.

Add the remaining chicken stock to a small bowl, then stir in the corn starch, and stir until it dissolves.

Pour the corn starch slurry into the stock, and give a good stir. This will thicken the stock a bit.

How to make egg drop soup

Slowly stir in the egg, and using a fork, stir in one direction. Continue stirring and let the eggs set.

[videojs mp4="http://www.simplecomfortfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/eggdrop.mp4" width="320" height="240"]

When you are ready to serve, ladle in the egg drop soup into your serving bowl, and top with a generous amount of green onions.

The soup has velvety strands of egg, which are not very apparent in my picture (but trust me they are there), and the small amount of sesame and soy sauce balances this stock out just right. That along with the green onions make this a very comforting bowl of soup.

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Egg Drop Soup
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 4 cups of chicken stock
  • ½ bunch of green onions, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp corn starch
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 whole eggs, beaten
  • ½ tbsp soy sauce, optional
  • salt, to taste
  • cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Reserve a quarter cup of the chicken stock and set to the side.
  2. Add the remaining stock to a small pot, and bring to a simmer. Season with a pinch or two of salt, the same with the cracked black pepper. Stir, then add in the soy sauce and sesame oil.
  3. Add the remaining chicken stock to a small bowl, then stir in the corn starch, and stir until it dissolves.
  4. Pour the corn starch slurry into the stock, and give a good stir. This will thicken the stock a bit.
  5. Slowly stir in the egg, and using a fork, stir in one direction. Continue stirring and let the eggs set.
  6. When you are ready to serve, ladle in the egg drop soup into your serving bowl, and top with a generous amount of green onions.
  7. The soup has velvety strands of egg, which are not very apparent in my picture (but trust me they are there), and the small amount of sesame and soy sauce balances this stock out just right. That along with the green onions make this a very comforting bowl of soup.

 

 

French Onion Soup

Beef, Holiday, Onions, Soup, Vegetables

Every year that I am able to cook beef around the holiday season, I get excited, not only because we get to enjoy some beef, but I know that I will have some leftover beef for simple sandwiches, or probably one of my favorite soups, the french onion soup. A few years back, I had family members come over after Christmas day to play games, and to eat some more. It seems that it how it goes with my extended family around any holiday, and I am perfectly content with extending the party over the course of several days. Board games, a continuous fire in the fire place, and lots of food and fun. It was then when I threw together a French onion soup that was to die for. This year, I decided to make the same soup using some leftover New York Strip roast that I had made for Christmas.

This soup is really satisfying, and I cannot just stop at one bowl.

French Onion Soup Recipe

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 5 large onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • pinch of sugar
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of cracked black pepper
  • 8 cups of beef stock
  • 2 cups thinly sliced cooked beef
  • 1/3 cup of sherry cooking wine
  • 1 sprig of fresh thyme
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 French loaf, cut into 2 inch rounds
  • olive oil
  • 1 whole garlic clove
  • Gruyere cheese, or good Alpine-style cheese, shredded
  • additional salt and pepper, to taste

Start by caramelizing your onions. If you have a mandolin, use it to thinly slice your onions. Heat a large skillet, and toss in the butter, cooking on medium heat. Add in all of the onions, and stir. About ten minutes into cooking, toss in the pinch of salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir, and cook until the onions caramelize, about 30 minutes. Reduce the heat if you have to, to prevent burning.

Next get a soup pot on medium heat, and add in the stock, two cloves of minced garlic, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Toss in the caramelized onions, and give a good stir. Bring to a light boil, then add in the sherry cooking wine. Cook for about 30 minutes.

How to make French onion soup

When you are ready to prepare the soup, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Brush some olive oil onto each side of the French bread slices. Depending on the size of your bowl, you can get away with one or two croutons. Cook the bread until golden, then remove from the oven, and rub a clove of garlic onto the top and bottom of each slice.

Ladle the soup into your French onion soup bowls. If you do not have  them, don’t worry, as you can most likely use a microwave safe bowl as well, and substituting the oven for the microwave. Add the crouton to the bowl, and top with a generous amount of cheese. It’s all about the cheese, is it not? Place into the oven (or microwave), and cook until the cheese is nicely melted.

Remove, and dig in. Keep in mind this soup is going to be very hot. Now I have never been a fan of soggy bread, but whoa, in this soup it is just the best thing on Earth!  Take a bit of the bread, and scoop down into the onions and beef, and trust me, you will get cheese in every bite. I ate this soup for three days straight, and I’m still thinking about it to this day. Oh yeah, have fun scraping every little bit of cheese from the spoon. That’s my favorite part!

Khao Poon

Asian, Ethnic, Fish, Soup, Vegetables

I’m certain I have said this before, but not only am I a huge fan of Thai food, but a few dishes in particular. Khao poon is being one of them. I will always say do not get intimidated by the ingredients, or any techniques for that matter, because once you are stocked up on some of the essential ingredients, they can go a very long way. I know my wife is always on my case when she opens the refrigerator and notices all of the bottles of soy sauces, sesame oils, fish sauces, oyster sauce, palm sugar, and so much more, but at the end of the week, this is stuff I am using on a regular basis, so yeah, I love cooking Thai food.

Khao poon is essentially a noodle soup made with whatever protein you desire, whether it may be chicken, fish, or pork, with an awesome coconut broth that I could drink throughout the day. This type of dish is also one of my favorites. Sure, I could eat laap and sticky rice everyday as well, but dishes like khao poon, khao soi, or laksa are really right up my alley when it comes to Thai comfort food.

Khao Poon Recipe

This noodle soup will have you wanting more and more, and feel free to experiment with chicken or pork as well.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound vermicelli noodles, cooked al dente, rinsed in colder water, drained
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 4 tbsp red curry paste, add more if you like it spicier
  • 28 oz unsweetened coconut milk
  • 14 oz water or chicken stock
  • 3 tilapia fillets
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • green cabbage, shredded
  • 1 whole lime, cut into wedges
  • 14 oz bamboo shoots, drained, rinsed
  • 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 cup of bean sprouts, per bowl
  • Thai chili, thinly sliced, optional
  • salt, to taste

Start by cooking your vermicelli and set aside as noted above.

During this time, make your broth. Add the oil to a medium sized pot, and bring to medium heat.  Toss in the red curry paste, give a good stir, and cook for a couple of minutes. Add in the coconut milk, stock, fish sauce, and fish. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add in the bamboo shoots, and give a good stir.  During this time, get ready to prepare your soup bowls.

How to make Khao Poon

To your soup bowl, add a bundle or two of vermicelli noodles. Add about a half a cup of shredded cabbage, about a quarter cup of fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, the bean sprouts, and then ladle a generous amount of the broth. Top with sliced chilies if you prefer a bit more heat. Taste, and season with a pinch of salt if you think that is necessary.

Eat with a spoon and chopsticks if you can. The broth has this great creamy, spiciness to it that when it is bundled with the crunch of the cabbage, bean sprouts, and freshness from the cilantro, well, I need to say no more. Let’s just say, as I said from the beginning, this is one of my favorite Thai comfort dishes. I hope you enjoy.

Print
Khao Poon
Author: 
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: Thai
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pound vermicelli noodles, cooked al dente, rinsed in colder water, drained
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 4 tbsp red curry paste, add more if you like it spicier
  • 28 oz unsweetened coconut milk
  • 14 oz water or chicken stock
  • 3 tilapia fillets
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • green cabbage, shredded
  • 1 whole lime, cut into wedges
  • 14 oz bamboo shoots, drained, rinsed
  • ½ bunch fresh cilantro
  • Thai chili, thinly sliced, optional
  • salt, to taste
Instructions
  1. Start by cooking your vermicelli and set aside as noted above.
  2. During this time, make your broth. Add the oil to a medium sized pot, and bring to medium heat. Toss in the red curry paste, give a good stir, and cook for a couple of minutes. Add in the coconut milk, stock, fish sauce, and fish. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Add in the bamboo shoots, and give a good stir. During this time, get ready to prepare your soup bowls.
  3. To your soup bowl, add a bundle or two of vermicelli noodles. Add about a half a cup of shredded cabbage, about a quarter cup of fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime, and then ladle a generous amount of the broth. Top with sliced chilies if you prefer a bit more heat. Taste, and season with a pinch of salt if you think that is necessary.
  4. Eat with a spoon and chopsticks if you can. The broth has this great creamy, spiciness to it that when it is bundled with the crunch of the cabbage, bean sprouts, and freshness from the cilantro, well, I need to say no more. Let's just say, as I said from the beginning, this is one of my favorite Thai comfort dishes. I hope you enjoy.