Spicy Shrimp Soup

 

Soup:

At the turn of the century in America, before we had foods of convenience created in the late 20th century, soup was considered a French dinner table dish and served only within homes of great wealth and gentility.

TALLBlonde created this spicy shrimp stew-like entrée. It is healthy, packed with flavor and a perfect compliment with crusty and buttered French baguette. If you have an aversion to shellfish any white fish will work equally well. So let's make an elegant and high society meal tonight.

ADOBO - Quick & Dirty

 

I have been cooking for so long and mastered nearly all the basics that I find myself branching out to dishes and cuisines that are outside of my comfort or familiarity zone. I have simplified a classic adobo recipe compared to the traditional but still offers complex flavors. To add to this recipes' simplicity I used regular cubed stew beef instead of a more classic flank steak.

Note: there is spicy heat.

Adobo weather it is Mexican or Filipino is generally served as a sauce with chicken or pork. For all you red blooded eaters out there this recipe features beef. This recipe leans towards Mexican cuisine and while a great adobo takes hours of preparation and dozens of warm toasty ingredients you can make a great tasting  adobo with fewer ingredients and prep. steps.  I also prefer to use my crockpot for my long slow braise dishes rather than the oven. The oven simply over heats one's small apartment and clean up is so much easier. Serves 6.

Best Pork Chile Verde

 

I found this pork chile verde when I was a kid and loved it.  Mexican food for me at that time, still living in my parental home was a unknown cuisine. Over the years I tailored it to my adult lifestyle in ease of preparation and taste buds. This recipe is perfect for a crock pot or mindless roasting in the oven. Serves 8.

Pot Roast - Nightshade Free

 

I love a great stew, can be made ahead, can be slow cooked in the oven or crockpot. I have never used an InstaPot but I assume it can handle the challenge.  Nightshade-free cooking is my latest area of culinary experimentation and a move towards good health.  Click nightshade free recipes in the Category link of this blog if you are curious.  Like all stews you are likely using an inexpensive cut of meat, slow cooking and always a treat served with a crusty toasted sourdough baguette for that savory umami sauce or served sliced and poured over cooked and hot wide egg noodles, especially on a cold day....as in San Francisco in July (ha ha).

Brazilian Moqueca

Moqueca is a flavorful and creamy fish stew from Brazil. Tomato and bell pepper based sauce with a twist. This includes coconut milk and heavily flavored with cilantro. I say this up front for those of you that do not care for it.  You can use any combination of shellfish and firm white fish.  I prefer to use equal amounts of cod and large shrimp. 

The tomato coconut sauce is brought to a rolling boil then turned off, add the fish and allow it to slowly cook in the residual heat in a lidded pot so the fish cooks evenly and not rubbery. You will also need the use of a strong food blender.

Beef Stew with Red Wine

I brown all my ingredients when cooking savory dishes, this is where the flavor is. A crock pot is what I generally use to cook my beef stew unless cooking for an army then I am forced to use the oven to carry the roasting pan needed to accommodate hungry mouths. Cooking in a crock pot does not mean dump all ingredients into the well, place the lid to seal, and crank the pot to high. I take the effort to brown all ingredients, not just the meat. You will be well rewarded.

JFK Lobster Stew

This recipe is family sized. Try it as a first course to your Thanksgiving feast.