Pasta e fagioli, pressure cooker style

We love pasta e fagioli, and we tried this Instant Pot version: https://inquiringchef.com/instant-pot-pasta-e-fagioli/ Our modifications: first, we used diced center-cut bacon strips (about 2 inches, cut into three sets of match sticks) instead of pancetta. For the beans, we used 8 oz dried cannelini beans that we had reconstituted using this 1 hour quick soak…… Continue reading Pasta e fagioli, pressure cooker style

Matzoh ball soup from frozen chicken, pressure cooker style

In our household, we routinely freeze extra pieces of raw chicken, including bits of fat and skin (e.g., chicken backs leftover from packages of chicken quarters). Today we made chicken soup from frozen, bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (3 wings, 1 chicken thigh, 2 drumsticks, 3 chicken backs and leftover fat / skin trimmings); carrots, celery,…… Continue reading Matzoh ball soup from frozen chicken, pressure cooker style

Burmese sour soup with chayote and catfish (chin-yay hin, version 2)

This is a Burmese recipe from my friend’s sister Ma Thicht, who is an incredible home cook. Basic soup ingredients: 1 medium bottle gourd (or two chayote squash), peeled and cut into 1/2” bite-sized slices; bamboo shoot tips, sliced into 1/4” lengthwise slices (see Note 1 below); 2 tsp (or up to 1 Tbsp) shrimp…… Continue reading Burmese sour soup with chayote and catfish (chin-yay hin, version 2)

Japanese curry with chicken meatballs, sweet potato, and Swiss chard

We had an extra bunch of Swiss chard, and we decided to try this recipe for the leaves (no stems): https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026680-japanese-curry-with-chicken-meatballs?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share This was a delicious dish, with an unexpected combination of sweet potatoes and greens that worked well. Our modifications: first, for the meatball mixture, we followed reader suggestions to increase the panko from 1/2…… Continue reading Japanese curry with chicken meatballs, sweet potato, and Swiss chard

Ottolenghi’s spiced pea stew

We love peas, and we are fans of Ottolenghi. We tried his Persian-inspired recipe using frozen peas: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026665-spiced-pea-stew-with-yogurt?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-shareo Our modifications: first, we found that the stew consistency at the end of cooking was less viscous than expected (more like a thin soup than a stew). In the future, we may reduce broth by 1/2 cup…… Continue reading Ottolenghi’s spiced pea stew

Mushroom, fennel, and lentil soup

We sought a healthy, plant-forward soup with a different flavor profile than we typically eat. So we tried this recipe: https://www.feastingathome.com/lentil-mushroom-soup/. It was delicious. Our modifications: first, we added 1 medium diced carrot along with the mushrooms. For the 1 lb mixed mushrooms, we used 8 oz cremini, 4 oz white button, and 4 oz…… Continue reading Mushroom, fennel, and lentil soup

Indian dal fry

We tried this Vegan Richa recipe, which utilizes red lentil dal and moong dal: https://www.veganricha.com/dal-fry-spiced-indian-lentil-soup/ We followed the recipe, except that at the end we added 1.5 Tbsp unsalted butter for brightness and balance. We enjoyed this dal with freshly steamed basmati rice. (Dec. 2024) Note: While the red lentils cooked as normal, the moong…… Continue reading Indian dal fry

Pierre Franey’s Turkey Chili

We had 1 lb of minced turkey (white and dark meat), so we tried this recipe: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/7985-turkey-chili?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share Our modifications: first, we halved the recipe. Second, in lieu of bell pepper plus jalapeño pepper, we used three diced jalapeños (from our freezer). Third, we used no-salt canned diced tomatoes and kidney beans. Finally, in addition to…… Continue reading Pierre Franey’s Turkey Chili

Rotisserie chicken and rice soup

We had leftover rotisserie chicken and decided to try this recipe: https://thecafesucrefarine.com/the-best-chicken-and-rice-soup/ We largely followed the recipe except for a few modifications: first, we did not have Italian seasoning on hand, so we used a mix of dried herbs: basil, rosemary, Greek oregano, crushed red pepper, and garlic powder. Second, instead of 12 oz carrots…… Continue reading Rotisserie chicken and rice soup