Soup's off

Took a couple days off work to relax and renew. Of course, about halfway through the first day, I was itching to cook something.

I've got a lot of odds and ends, ingredients-wise, but I'm low on meat, and I don't have all my pantry staples. So, there's a plethora of black beans, squash, brown rice, but not too much chicken, stock, onions, or cheese.

Add that to the fact that I have a ton of hot peppers lying around that I don't know what to do with, and my soups have turned out...interesting, to say the least.

I've had some revelations about my cooking skills & technique during the process.

* I tend to use dairy and fat to cover a multitude of culinary shortcomings.
* There's only so far I can improv. After a certain point, it comes out strange.
* I use a LOT of onions. They are the glue of many of my dishes.
* I try to add too many flavors and textures to a dish, thinking complexity will equal tastiness. It doesn't (I've had this problem for years, actually).
* I have no skill using chilies. I constantly under- or over-estimate how much to add for the spice level.
* I'm not all that resourceful in the kitchen when I don't have my go-to ingredients.

Nothing's been inedible, and, miraculously, the soups have gotten better after they've sat a day or two. To tell the truth, a sprinkle of cardboard Parmesan has helped too (umami: I haz it!)

I'll keep at my vegetarian cooking; It's going to be a long, but necessary road, to do more meatless dishes. I'm bringing out my two best veggie cookbooks for further study. But, for now, if I'm faced with an abundance of veggies and lack of onions or fat, I'm gonna go ahead and make a pasta instead of a soup.

The cookbooks
These are old, and will be hard to find. But I highly recommend both of them.

Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites
Traditional flavors with a fresh twist. Easy recipes, and a fantastic lighter Mac & cheese.

The Vegetarian Hearth
Don't know what to do with your root veggies? You will after you read this. Lots of simple, tasty recipes which showcase winter's bounty. Bonus: A delightful section on hot alcoholic drinks, like mulled wine, and buttered rum, which are all wonderful and can be scaled up or down as needed.

Recipe: Polish Wonton Soup

This started out as an improv recipe, but the results were so good that I've decided to write it up as a full recipe, and make it again. Thanks to The Mister for coming up with the recipe name.

Serves 4
1 pound pre-cooked Kielbasa polish sausage (refrigerator section)
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon pepper
8 mini pierogis, your favorite flavor
at least 2 cups of cabbage, or sturdy leafy green like kale, spinach, or collard greens
Splash of something alcoholic, like vodka (or the juice of one lemon)
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
sour cream and saurkraut for garnish (optional)

Heat chicken stock in fairly large pot. Meanwhile, dice Kielbasa into 1/2 to 1-inch cubes and roughly chop cabbage or greens. When stock reaches boil, add black pepper, kielbasa, vodka, and greens. Turn heat to low and simmer until greens are done, stirring occasionally. This may take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes depending on the green (Spinach cooks quickly, kale and cabbage take longer).

When greens are almost done, add mini pierogis to soup. Cook another 5 minutes. Add the sour cream (if using). Taste, and add a little more salt if needed.

Ladle into bowls. Try to get 2 mini pierogis in each bowl. Garnish with sour cream and saurkraut if desired.

If you can't get mini pierogis, use 4 regular sized pierogis. Cook them separately in water, then slice them in half before adding to the soup.

This isn't very Polish, or Chinese, but it's a filling, one-dish meal, and a great way to get your veggies. I made this in the heat of summer, but it's really more a winter recipe.