Ingredients

1 store-bought rotisserie chicken, skin removed, and meat removed and shredded
Half a package of dried vermicelli rice noodles
12 dried shitake mushrooms
1 1/2 tbsp (22 mL) cornstarch
2 tbsp (30 mL) red-wine vinegar
2 tbsp (30 mL) rice vinegar
1 tbsp (15 mL) light soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) kosher salt
1 tbsp (15 mL) peanut oil
4 cups (1 L) chicken broth
2 tsp (10 mL) sesame oil
2 tsp (10 mL) Sriracha chile sauce
2 tbsp (30 mL) thinly sliced green onions

Directions

Place rice noodles in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let seep until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain water and cover noodles until ready to use.
In a separate bowl, soak shitake mushrooms for 20 minutes in enough boiling water to cover mushrooms, turning them over in the water once. Drain mushrooms reserving 1/4 cup (60 mL) of soaking liquid. Remove stems and cut mushrooms into thin strips.
Combine reserved soaking liquid with cornstarch in a bowl, stirring to combine.
Combine vinegars, soy, sugar, salt and Sriracha in another small bowl, stirring to mix.
Heat a wok over high heat; add peanut oil, swirling it around the wok. Add mushrooms and stir-fry for 1 minute.
Add broth and bring to a boil then add vinegar mixture. Re-stir cornstarch mixture to ensure no there are no clumps; add to the broth while stirring, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute. Add sesame oil to broth and season with additional Sriracha if desired. Place some rice noodles and chicken in each of 4 bowls. Divide soup evenly amongst each bowl and top with green onions before serving.

Serves 4

Recipe by Brie Delacruz

Ingredients

• The Night Before

  • 1 lb (500 g) stewing beef, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 1 lb (500 g) lamb shoulder, cut into 1″ pieces
  • 1 lb (500 g) chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into 1″ (2.5 cm) pieces
  • 1 small smoked pork hock (1/2 lb) or smoked ham end
  • 4 cups (1 L) good quality beef stock
  • 1, 19 oz (540 mL) can diced tomatoes
  • 1, 10 oz (284 mL) can tomato paste
  • 2 cups (500 mL) white onion, medium diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) molasses
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) brown sugar
  • 3 tbsp (45 mL) red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) chili powder
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) hot sauce (or more!)

• The Next Morning

  • 2 cups (500 mL) medium diced celery
  • 2 cups (500 mL) medium diced green cabbage
  • 2 cups (500 mL) medium diced carrots
  • 2 cups (500 mL) medium diced potatoes

• One Hour to Go

  • 2 cups (500 mL) fresh or frozen corn
  • 2 cups (500 mL) sliced fresh or frozen okra
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) salt (or more to taste)
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped parsley

Directions

The Night Before:
Preheat oven to 200 F (100 C). Place all the ingredients in a
pot, stir well and place, covered,
in the centre of the oven to
cook overnight.

The Next Morning:
Skim any fat from the simmering stew. Mix in all vegetables, cover and return to oven for six to
seven hours.

One Hour to Go:
Remove pork hock, pull and shred meat, and return to pot. Add corn, okra and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper then return to oven. Bring entire pot to table and ladle out into large bowls.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 3 cups (750 mL) water
• 3 tsp (15 mL) powdered chicken soup base
• 3 tbsp (45 mL) mirin*
• 3 shitake mushrooms
• 1 chicken breast, cut into 1″ (2.5 cm) strips
• 1/2 carrot, cut into thin rounds
• 9 pieces of mochi (Japanese rice cake)
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped green onion

Directions

Bring water, soup base and mirin to a boil in a pot set to medium-high heat; reduce heat and add remaining ingredients, except green onion. Cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add the green onion.

Hint: If the mochi is hard or frozen, toast it in toaster oven before adding it to soup.

Serves 3

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) canola oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 cup (250 mL) lentils
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) bulgur
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) tomato paste
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped fresh mint
• 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 2 tsp (10 mL) finely chopped fresh dill
• Pinch red pepper flakes
• 8 cups (2 L) chicken stock
• Dash salt and pepper
• Lemon slices
• Fresh mint leaves

Directions

In large saucepan, heat butter and canola oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and sauté until they are soft and golden in colour, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add lentils and bulgur and toss to coat with butter and onions. Add tomato paste, herbs and stock. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook until lentils are soft and creamy, about 45 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve with a lemon wedge and fresh mint leaves to garnish.

Serves 4

Credit: Judy Fowler

THIS SIMPLE BUT FLAVOURFUL SOUP FROM ALLOY DEPENDS ON FINDING THE BEST INGREDIENTS. LOOK FOR PERFECT TOMATOES AND CHOOSE A BALKAN-STYLE YOGURT THAT DOES NOT CONTAIN GELATIN

Ingredients

• 2 corn tortillas, sliced into wedges or strips
• Oil for drizzling
• 4 to 5 ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 to 5 sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp (5 mL) dried thyme
• 4 cups (1 L) vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 avocadoes, diced, for garnish
• 1/2 to 1 cup (125 to 250 mL) Balkan-style yogurt

Directions

Preheat broiler. Arrange tortilla strips or wedges on a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and broil until crisp. Let cool and set aside. Cook the tomatoes and onion over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the cinnamon and thyme, cook
2 minutes, and stir in the stock. Simmer for 20 minutes, uncovered. Let cool. Use an immersion wand to purée the soup.

To serve, divide avocado among 4 bowls. Stir the yogurt into the soup; pour the soup over the avocado and garnish with crisp tortilla wedges or strips. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Credit: Alloy

MEXICO CELEBRATES CHRISTMAS WITH WONDERFUL MUSIC AND EQUALLY WONDERFUL FOOD

Ingredients

• Avocado Cream

  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) prepared guacamole
  • 1/2 cup (125 mL) sour cream

• Soup

  • 3 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise and roasted
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) canola oil
  • 1 large red onion, fine julienne
  • 3 yellow or orange peppers, finely diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon(2 mL) oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) hot sauce
  • 6 cups (1.5 L) chicken broth
  • Juice of 2 large oranges
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) orange zest
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) canola oil
  • 3 corn tortillas, cut into 1/2″ (1.3 cm) wide strips
  • 1 cup (250 mL) Avocado Cream
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) coarsely chopped cilantro

Directions

Avocado Cream:
Combine guacamole and sour cream, mixing well. Cover and reserve until needed.

Soup:
Dice roasted bell peppers and reserve. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over low heat. Add onions and raw pepper. Cook and stir until the onions are soft and transparent. Add roasted peppers and spices, stirring well. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the orange juice and zest, and simmer about 5 minutes longer. Cool soup to room temperature. Purée soup in a food processor or blender in batches until smooth. Return
soup to pot.

Heat the second portion of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a quarter of the tortilla strips and fry briefly. Drain strips on paper towels and finish frying the remaining strips. To serve, heat soup and ladle into bowls. Top each serving of soup with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of Avocado Cream (or more to taste). Finish with a scattering of tortilla strips and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.

Credit: Judy Schultz

Ingredients

• 4 cups (1 L) canned unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) coarsely grated fresh coconut or unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup (250 mL) sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) lime juice
• 4 to 5 lb fresh pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise, cored
• 1 qt. (1 L) frozen mango sorbet
• Toasted coconut
• Mint leaves for garnish

Directions

Bring coconut milk, grated coconut and 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the sugar to a simmer in a heavy saucepan, whisking until sugar dissolves. Cover and set aside to cool. Strain coconut soup, pressing on solids to extract flavour.

Refrigerate liquid until cold. Discard solids.

Preheat a grill on high. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean into the remaining sugar and mix well. Drizzle the lime juice over the 4 pieces of pineapple and drench in vanilla sugar. Grill pineapple on all sides until a nice carmel colour. Remove from grill and cut into bite-size pieces. Let stand at room temperature. Ladle soup into 8 funky martini glasses. Top each with a scoop of sorbet and place pineapple around the sorbet. Garnish each
with a mint leaf and toasted coconut.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup (250 mL) peeled carrots cut into rounds
• 1 cup (250 mL) peeled parsnips, cut into rounds
• 1 leek, white and light green part only, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) russet potatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) pearl barley
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) fresh chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper

Directions

Lamb Stock:
Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C). Place lamb on a baking sheet and roast in oven for 30 minutes, turning pieces every 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. Add remaining ingredients and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown. Reserve 1 lb (500 g) of lamb bones. Combine remaining lamb bones with the vegetable mixture and add 10 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer; cook, skimming foam off the top, for about 2 hours. Strain the lamb stock into a large bowl discarding the solids then skim fat from surface.

Scotch Broth:
Bring Lamb Stock to a boil in a large pot set over high heat; reduce heat to a simmer. Add reserved lamb, carrots, parsnips, leek, potato, barely and bay leaf to stock; cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender; season to taste with salt and pepper. Add parsley to Broth just before serving and discard bay leaf.

Credit: Brandon Boone

Ingredients

• Pistou

  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
  • 2 cups (500 mL) fresh basil
  • 3/4 cup (175 mL) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2/3 cup (150 mL) olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

• Soup

  • 3/4 cup (175 mL) dried cannellini beans (soaked overnight)
  • 3/4 cup (175 mL) dried red kidney beans (soaked overnight)
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
  • 1 large purple onion, diced
  • 4 strips of bacon, cut
  • into matchsticks
  • 3 Yukon gold potatoes, diced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 leek, white part only, cut into thin rounds
  • 6 cups water
  • 3 Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh sage, minced
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Pistou:
Using a mortar and pestle, crush garlic with a pinch of salt. Add basil and crush with pestle until it forms a paste. Add in cheese and while mixing, pour in olive oil in a slow, steady stream until all ingredients are well mixed and paste is fairly smooth. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before using.

Soup:
Heat oil in a large pot set over medium heat. Add onion and bacon, and cook until the bacon has rendered its fat. Add potatoes, carrots, zucchini, celery, and leek and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes. Add water, tomatoes, bay leaves, sage and beans to pot; simmer for about 30 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leaves before serving.

To Assemble:
Ladle the soup into bowls and using a pastry bag, squeeze a circular swirl of Pistou into soup (about 1 tbsp). Place the remaining Pistou on the dinner table so more can be added if desired.

Serves 4

Credit: Brandon Boone

ITALIAN SOUPS ARE USUALLY HIGHLY FLAVOURED WITH LOTS OF GARLIC, ONIONS AND HEARTY HERBS SUCH AS SAGE, ROSEMARY OR OREGANO

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Pinch of chile flakes
• 1 sweet red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 tsp (5 mL) dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried thyme
• 2 hot Italian sausages, cooked and cut into 1/2″ (1.3 cm) pieces
• 1, 28 oz (796 mL) can diced tomatoes with juice
• 2 tbsp (30 mL) tomato paste
• 4 cups (1 L) water (or stock)
• 1 lb (500 g) live clams, cleaned
• Lemon zest for garnish

Directions

Heat oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat; add onions and sauté until just starting to brown. Add garlic and chilies, sauté 1 minute. Add diced peppers, herbs and sausage. Sauté for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add diced tomato, tomato paste and water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. About 20 minutes before serving, bring soup back to a boil, add clams and steam until clams open, discarding any that don’t. Garnish with
lemon zest.

Serves 4