soup | apricots & walnuts | meals worth sharing

18 articles Articles posted in soup

greek meatball stew with brussels sprouts

by natalie on Tuesday, 0 comments

paleo greek meatball stew | apricotsandwalnuts.com

i’m always looking for new ways to serve up brussel sprouts, especially as most people loathe them and i insist they eat them. i blame this on my forceful german lineage. “eat this because i said so.” it’s my families tagline.

this stew is pretty surprising, and in a good way. at first glance, it looks heavy and meaty and like something that will make you fall asleep after you eat it. the old-school, non-paleo version of this stew is exactly that, but this version is light, refreshing, and most importantly, delicious. the mint and lemon keep this feeling authentically mediterranean, and some classic paleo substitutes keep the starch out of this scrumptious dish. enjoy!

ingredients

1 lb pearl onions
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
1 lb ground buffalo
2/3 cup grated cauliflower, lightly cooked
3 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
2 tsp coconut oil
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup almond flour
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 lb fresh brussels sprouts, trimmed
salt + pepper

directions

begin by peeling the pearl onions (soak in boiling water for 3 minutes, rinse in cold water, trim and peel). set aside.

in a large bowl, combine the yellow onion, cauliflower, buffalo, mint, and 1/4 tsp pepper, mixing well, then form into small, oblong meatballs. heat a large dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add the coconut oil. add the meatballs and brown on all sides, 3-4 minutes. transfer the meatballs to a plate and wipe the dutch oven clean.

in the same pot over medium heat, melt the butter. whisk in the almond flour and cook, stirring constantly to ensure it doesn’t clump and brown. slowly pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice, while continuing to stir. cook until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes.

add the brussels sprouts, pearl onions, and meatballs to the pot. return the heat to medium-low, cover, and allow to simmer until vegetables and meatballs are cooked through, 15-20 minutes. season to taste, then serve hot.

french onion soup

by natalie on Saturday, 0 comments

paleo french onion soup | apricotsandwalnuts.com

i love french onion soup, especially if it has a little bourbon in it. it’s one of those things you kiss good-bye when you go paleo since it’s now missing bread, and in most cases, the cheese too. and who really just wants a bowl of caramelized onions?

i’d been craving this soup for a few weeks now and decided it was time to figure out how to make a paleo version. i use cauliflower to replace just about everything, so i figured it would make a great substitute for the bread. gruyere is a raw cheese, as is emmentaler, so you can still have the cheesy gooey mess of this soup, assuming you still consume raw dairy. avoid putting too much liquid in each serving, or it will create a cauliflower and cheese island, instead of a solid coating across the surface of the soup. enjoy!

ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter, or fat of choice
4 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup dry white wine (optional)
8 cups beef stock
2 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
salt + pepper
1 cup cooked and pureed cauliflower
2 .5 cups shredded gruyere cheese

directions

in a large, heavy saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. add the onions, stir well, cover and cook for 15 minutes. uncover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring regularly until deep golden brown, about 30 minutes.

gradually stir in the wine, then the stock. add the thyme and bay leaf. bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, until slightly reduced, about 30 minutes. season with salt and pepper and discard the bay leaf.

preheat your broiler on high. ladle the hot soup into the crocks. sprinkle the cauliflower evenly on top of the soup and sprinkle each crock evenly with about 1/3 cup of the gruyere. broil until the cheese is bubbling, about 2 minutes. serve hot.

spinach soup with sumac & feta

by natalie on Monday, 0 comments

paleo spinach soup with sumac + feta | apricotsandwalnuts.com

my middle eastern heart skipped a beat when i first tasted this soup. i love spinach, but often have a hard time finding ways to serve it for the texture-sensitive mountain man. of course, it never dawned on me that he loves a spinach soup at our local lebanese restaurant, mazza, until i saw this recipe in my favorite cookbook.

the feta topping isn’t essential, but if you can find a raw goat or sheep’s feta, i highly recommend using it. keep this dish vegetarian by using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. this soup is super light, so i’d suggest serving it as an appetizer or a light lunch. enjoy!

ingredients

2 tbsp coconut oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp sumac
1.5 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground corainder
.25 tsp cayenne pepper
1 lb spinach (frozen works fine)
4.5 cups chicken brother
grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
salt + pepper
6 oz raw feta cheese, crumbled

directions

in a large, heavy pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. add the onion and garlic, and saute until translucent. add the sumac, cumin, coriander, and cayenne, cooking for 2 minutes. stir in the spinach, broth, lemon zest and juice. bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, allowing to cook for an additional ten minutes.

puree half of the soup in a blender and return to the pot. if your soup seems too thick, add more broth, and season with salt + pepper. serve hot, topped with crumbled feta.

paleo creamy cauliflower soup & crisped prosciutto

by natalie on Sunday, 0 comments

paleo creamy cauliflower soup with crispy prosciutto | apricotsandwalnuts.com

before going paleo, we were gluttons for decadently rich cauliflower and cheddar soup. i’ve held off on making a paleo version with raw cheese, and doubt i will ever need to after making this.

this soup feels so creamy – almost as if it’s made from potatoes, but it’s pure veggies. cauliflower and celery to be exact. the nutmeg adds just a smidgen of flavor, and the crispy prosciutto is the perfect touch of saltiness. if you don’t have prosciutto on hand, you can always use crumbled bacon instead.

we actually liked this so much, i’m considering substituting it for the potato in my sausage & kale soup recipe. i don’t think anyone would ever notice the difference, and i wouldn’t feel so guilty for having devoured way more potatoes than i should have. make this vegetarian by skipping the prosciutto and using vegetable broth. enjoy!

ingredients

2 tbsp butter or coconut oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 head cauliflower, coarsely chopped
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 tsp nutmeg
salt + white pepper
2 oz prosciutto, thinly sliced

directions

preheat the oven to 375˚ F. place the prosciutto in single layers on a baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes, or until crispy. make sure not to over-bake, as the prosciutto can quickly taste charred.

heat a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. melt the butter, then add the onion, garlic, and celery, cooking till softened, but not browned. add the cauliflower and nutmeg, mixing till well incorporated. add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. reduce the heat till the mixture is simmering, allowing the cauliflower to soften (20-25 minutes). remove from heat and let cool slightly.

puree the soup in batches until uniform and creamy. return to pot, adding more broth if the soup appears too thick. season with salt + pepper, then serve topped with the prosciutto.

chicken coconut soup | tom kha gai

by natalie on Thursday, 0 comments

the mountain man and i spent a few weeks in thailand together and consumed more thai soups than i could keep track of. i grew up really hating coconut, but after thailand, i can barely get enough of it. that said, i’ve also learned the difference between strong, raw coconut flavor, and more subtle hints of it – even when it’s the main ingredient in a dish. this soup is one of those instances – even if your family has some aversion to coconut, the citrus cuts it down enough to not be an issue.

this soup couldn’t be easier to make and is ready in well under 30 minutes. this dish traditionally has mushrooms in it, which i omitted as neither the mtn. man nor i are fans. i’ve kept them in the recipe below though, as i’m sure they are quite lovely for all you mushroom lovers out there. you may need to visit an asian supermarket for some of these ingredients, however we found them all at whole foods. lemongrass is often in the fresh produce, and the other items are typically in the asian aisle of the store. and don’t skip the fish sauce – i know it may sound gross, but it is a key ingredient in many thai dishes, especially this one. enjoy!

ingredients

2 stalks fresh lemongrass
2 tbs fresh lime juice
2 tbs fish sauce (nam pla)
2 scallions (white and green parts), trimmed and very thinly sliced crosswise
6 fresh or frozen wild lime leaves (also known as kaffir lime leaves), torn or cut into quarters
10 to 12 thin slices galangal, fresh, frozen, or dried (or 10 to 12 thin slices fresh unpeeled ginger)
8 to 10 fresh hot red and green Thai chiles, stemmed and lightly pressed with the side of a knife (or 3 or 4 serranos, thinly sliced) for garnish (optional)
2 tbs coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 boneless chicken breast half (about 6 ounces), sliced across the grain into strips
1/4 lb. white mushrooms, cleaned, stems trimmed, and thinly sliced to yield 1 cup
14-oz. can unsweetened coconut milk (shake the can before opening it)
14-oz. can low-salt chicken broth

directions

trim away and discard the root end and the top 3 inches of each stalk of lemongrass, along with any brittle leaves. pound each stalk lightly with the spine of a cleaver, then cut each stalk crosswise into 2-inch lengths and set aside.

in a large serving bowl, combine the lime juice, fish sauce, scallions, and half of the wild lime leaves. set aside.

in a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milk and broth. bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. stir in the galangal, lemongrass, and lime leaves. add the chicken and mushrooms. return to a gentle boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors and cook the chicken.

remove the pan from the heat, pour the hot soup over the seasonings in the serving bowl, and stir well. sprinkle with the chopped cilantro and chiles, and serve hot.

(recipe via fine cooking)

← older entries