Soup's On

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Tomato Soup as Seen on George Hirsch Lifestyle

When the weather says you need to warm up it’s time for a homemade bowl of comfort, soup. Please forego the salt-lick canned version, because you can make a flavorful and nutritious potage in under an hour. Like the above my Creamy Tomato Soup. And the addition of hearty vegetables like cauliflower, squash and yams, which add a lot of extra flavor. 

But what to keep in mind with any soup recipe, or any recipe for that matter is, a recipe is just a guideline. Use a recipe as a guide and improvise with what you have at home. Making soup is an ideal way to convert leftovers into a hearty meal.

Today I made a spicy black bean, chicken & rice soup made from leftover yesterday's dish. Simply sauté a carrot, 1/4 onion, 2 garlic cloves and added 2 pints of chicken broth with the 1 cup of leftover cooked rice and beans. After adding all ingredients to the pot, I added one chopped chicken breast. After simmering for thirty minutes I finished the soup with 1 cup of fresh baby spinach. 

Tip: Do you like a soup thick and hearty? Add a sliced potato or a yam. Don’t have time to wait for the potatoes to cook, then add stale toasted baguette bread as a thickener to the soup. Also, keep canned beans handy; they make a great base for a soup with the addition of small size pasta.

For My Five Onion Soup Recipe

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George’s Gameday Mac and Cheese

For my NY/LI friends tune-in/dvr WLIW21 Saturdays 2:30PM

Check local listings for the new season of GHL Celebrating Chef George's 25th anniversary on PBS and Public TV Stations. Click to watch TV Series Preview

It's that time of year again; chilly evenings, more events going on and tailgates to organize. That's when I turn to my crowd pleasing Mac-N-Cheese. If you're planning your Super Bowl Gameday party menu, then my Mac and Cheese is a must; you can make my mac-mix ahead. Chill it, then just bake-it just before game time. It's good time food.

Use my recipe as a guide and feel free to add smoked ham, pancetta, pulled chicken or grilled shrimp to make your own home-spin.  And, serve with some crowd pleasing Gameday Sliders

gamely sliders as seen on GHL

George’s Gameday Mac and Cheese

Makes 6 servings

George Hirsch Lifestyle | chefgeorgehirsch.com

2 Tablespoons Butter

1 onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken broth

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon hot sauce

pinch fresh grated nutmeg

2 cups half & half

1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Jack cheese, shredded

2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

2 Tablespoons fresh italian parsley, chopped

1 1/2 pounds uncooked elbow, shells, or other small pasta

Melt Butter in a large soup pot or saucepan. Add onion, and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly add the broth, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add the bay leaves, thyme, diced green chilies, hot sauce, and simmer for 10 minutes. 

Stir in the half & half and heat to a simmer. Slowly add the Cheddar, Jack, and Parmesan cheeses, stirring until they melt and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the cooked pasta. Place in a serving dish and eat immediately or sprinkle with Mac Topping, and bake five minutes in a 350 degree oven. 

Optional Additions:

1 cup each Chorizo or smoked sausage, chopped plum tomatoes

For the Mac Topping

4 Tablespoons butter, melted

6 Tablespoons bread crumbs

2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated

1 Tablespoon each fresh cilantro & parsley, chopped

Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

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WHITE TURKEY CHILI

New season of GHL Celebrating Chef George's 25th anniversary on PBS and Public TV Stations. Check local listings. Click to watch TV Series Preview

What to do with all that turkey? You gave goodie bags away, but there seems to be so much left, still. Well, here are a couple great ideas beyond the old turkey-n-gravy sandwich, which isn't that bad either. My number one requested one-pot meal recipe is my White Turkey Chili. It's so easy to prepare; just give all the ingredients time to simmer; a spicy and a warm way to serve turkey. 

Chef George’s White Turkey Chili

WHITE TURKEY CHILI

Makes six servings

chefgeorgehirsch.com | from George Hirsch Living it UP! Cookbook 

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2cupsonion, chopped

1/4cup celery,  chopped 

1/2cupyellow bell pepper, chopped

1  Tablespoon jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped

4cloves garlic, chopped

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon thyme

fresh ground black pepper

3cups cooked turkey or chicken, skin removed and chopped 

3cups cannellini beans, drained and mash 1 cup

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn

4 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

optional: 1cup half & half or low fat milk

Pre heat a large casserole pot to medium.

Add olive oil, onion, celery, yellow pepper, jalapeño, and garlic; cook for 5 minutes. Add cumin, chili powder and black pepper. Add turkey, 2 cups of beans, broth, corn and bring to a boil. 

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Add 1 cup mashed beans and half & half to the turkey mixture. Simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes or until mixture is thick, stirring frequently. Stir in chopped cilantro.

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Curry Spinach Bean Soup

New season of GHL Celebrating Chef George's 25th anniversary on PBS and Public TV Stations. Check local listings. Click to watch TV Series Preview

Spice vs. Herb

The main difference between herbs + spices is rather subtle.  Spices tend to come from plants grown in tropical climates where as herbal plants can be grown in many climates. Most herbs come from the green parts of a plant such as the stem and leaves while most spices come from the root, seeds, bark or flowers of a plant.

A spice is the dried part of an aromatic or pungent vegetable's bark such as cinnamon, fruit such as fennel, root such as ginger, flower such as saffron (the stigma) and the seed like mustard. These substances are then dried and used for enhancing flavors in cooking + baking.

Herbs stemming from leafy greens are used mostly for finishing a dish's character in a more fresh and subtle way. Some herbs I use nearly everyday are basil, parsley + thyme.

What may first come to mind when you see the word 'spicy' is that it will burn the tongue right out of your mouth; but I assure you that is not necessarily the case. This is a topic I'm very passionate about and have written about in all my books. 

Spice mixtures, are the blending of the right amount of spices to create just the right taste sensation. This ancient culinary art has been used for centuries by numerous cultures that clearly knew that using spice blends is an ideal way to season foods beyond salt + pepper. Some good examples of blends are - a Five Spice Powder (China), Curry (Indonesian), Herbs de Provence (Southern France) + Poultry Seasoning (US).

Blending spices began for me with my passion for outdoor cooking on the grill. I found that if I used a combination of dried spices it produced an appealing enhancement to foods prior to grilling. 

Of course, not only using the right blends are important, but so is adding them well in advance of lighting the fire. In some cases a large piece of meat such as a Texas brisket would be seasoned some five days prior to meeting up with fire. Another benefit of rub blends is that they are salt free.

I am delighted that in today's times people are seeking out more flavorful foods in even the most simplest of meals. So let's spice it up today with a bit of curry!

Curry Spinach Bean Soup

Makes 6 servings 

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

2 tablespoons olive oil 

2 Italian sausage links, hot or sweet, removed from casing

1/2 cup chopped onion 

1/2 cup chopped carrot 

4 cloves garlic, chopped 

1 cup tomato sauce

1 Tablespoon curry powder

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped 

1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes, more if you like it spicy 

1 cup potatoes, peeled and chopped 

3 cups chicken broth 

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed 

2 cups baby spinach, washed, dried and chopped 

Fresh ground black pepper to taste 

Pre heat a large soup or saucepot to a medium heat. Add olive oil, sausage meat, onion, carrot, garlic, hot pepper flakes and cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes until the sausage is light brown and vegetables are tender. Add the potato, tomato sauce, broth, thyme, curry and beans. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer, cover and cook about 30 minutes. Puree one half of soup in food processor. Return pureed soup back to soup pot. 

Bring soup back to a boil, turn down to a simmer and add the spinach. Cook until the spinach is wilted, about 1-2 minutes. Add pepper to taste.

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Short Ribs Far East Style

New season of GHL releasing Oct 1st. Celebrating Chef George's 25th anniversary on PBS and Public TV Stations. Check local listings. Click to watch TV Series Preview

Summer may bring visions of slabs of pork ribs sizzling on the grill, but what do you do when the first chill arrives ? Simply take to the art of braising. Its long, slow cooking that infuses flavor by caramelizing the meat and vegetables; creating the makings of a full flavorful sauce. One of my good friends makes a classical version, which is excellent and tempting to prepare; but I'm offering a different flavor here today, which has been a viewer favorite- with a savory and sweet spin. Enjoy!

Short Ribs of Beef with Orange Ginger Sauce

Makes four servings 

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

4 pounds beef short ribs, bone in 

1/4 cup flour, for coating beef short ribs 

2 Tablespoons olive oil 

4 cloves garlic, sliced thin 

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 

1 leek, whites only cut into one inch pieces 

2 teaspoons sesame oil 

2 teaspoons sherry 

2 teaspoons soy sauce 

juice of one orange 

1 1/2 cups beef broth 

Coat beef ribs with flour, shaking off any excess. 

Preheat a braising or sauce pot to medium high temperature. Add olive oil and sear beef short ribs until well browned, turning only once on each side. 

Drain any excess oil. Lower temperature of pot, add garlic, ginger, leeks, sesame oil, sherry, soy sauce, orange juice and beef broth. Bring sauce up to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 1 1/2- 2 hours or until meat is beginning to fall away from the bone. 

When short ribs are fully cooked, remove meat from pot. Raise the temperature of the sauce to a low boil. Reduce the sauce to naturally thicken. 

Serve with steamed dumplings and stir-fry vegetables.

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