Showing posts with label spinach. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spinach. Show all posts

Saturday 2 January 2016

Recipes for Making Stracciatella and Mussel Soup

These recipes for making Stracciatella and mussel soup are prepared from low fat ingredients. They are Italian classics which are quick and easy to prepare.

Recipe for Stracciatella


Ingredients


* 130ml of orzo
* 300g of spinach
* 2L of chicken stock
* 50ml of grated parmesan cheese
* 1 egg, slightly beaten

Procedure


- Chop the spinach into very small sizes
- Put the chicken stock in a large saucepan and allow to it to boil over a high heat
- Add the orzo, stir and cook for 12 minutes in order for the orzo to become tender but firm
- Add the spinach and stir. Add the egg and stir continuously
- Sprinkle the parmesan cheese into it and serve while hot.


Recipe for Mussel Soup


Ingredients


* 900g of mussels (small clams can also be used)
* 6 slices of bread that has been made to harden
* 1 medium size onion
* 380ml of chicken stock
* 120ml of white wine
* 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
* 15ml of tomato paste
* 4 garlic cloves
* 30ml of olive oil
* 1 teaspoon of dried basil
* 800ml of canned tomatoes
* salt and pepper

Procedure


- Chop the garlic and onion into very small sizes
- Scrub and wash the mussel properly, and remove beards. Discard any mussel whose shell has been cracked
- Put the white wine in a deep-bottom saucepan and allow to boil over high heat
- Add the mussels, cover the pan and allow to boil for about 2 minutes so that the almost all the mussels will be opened
- Remove the mussels from the pan and discard any mussel that is not opened
- Remove pan from heat. Sieve the broth (i.e. the thick wine) by using a cheese-cloth-lined sieve, and set the liquid aside
- Toast the slices of bread and rub one side of each slice with half of the garlic, and set aside
- Put the olive oil into another saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add the onion, basil and the remaining garlic. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and the sieved broth that was set aside. Increase heat to medium-high and cook for 2 minutes in order for the liquid to become thick
- Add the chicken stock and canned tomatoes, and then stir. Simmer over medium-high heat. Add salt and pepper to taste
- Add the mussels, stir and cook for about 8 minutes
- Put 1 toasted slice of bread in a soup bowl used for serving, and add some soup. Serve immediately and garnish with parsley.

Get more recipes from recipes for making amaretto squash soup and Tuscan bean-pasta soup.

What do you think about these recipes? Let me know your views and suggestions through the comment box below. Your comments would be highly appreciated.

Monday 28 December 2015

Recipes for Making Minestrone, Chicken Noddle Soup and vegetarian pistou

The recipes here are for the preparation of minestrone, chicken noodle soup and vegetarian pistou. These quick and easy recipes give soups that have low fat content.

Recipe for Minestrone

Ingredients

* 25ml of olive pure oil
* 1 large onion
* 125ml of chopped celery
* 1 garlic clove
* 840g of tin tomatoes
* 1 bay leaf
* 250ml of tubettini or any other good pasta
* 125ml of chopped carrot
* 520g of red kidney beans
* 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
* 125ml of chopped green pepper
* 1.25L of chicken stock
* 1/2 teaspoon of salt
* 1/4 teaspoon of dried thyme
* 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil
* 1/4 teaspoon of ground pepper
* 500ml of sliced fresh spinach
* Grated parmesan cheese

Procedure

- Slice the onion and garlic to very small sizes
- Put the olive oil in a large saucepan and heat over medium-high heat
- Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic and green pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes in order for the contents to tender
- Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, salt, basil, bay leaf, ground pepper and thyme. Stir and allow to boil.
- Reduce the heat and uncover the saucepan. Then simmer for about ten minutes.
- Increase the heat and allow the soup to boil. Add the tubettini and cook for about 10 minutes for the pasta to become tender but firm.
- Add the beans, spinach and parsley while stirrings. Remove the bay leave. Sprinkle the parmesan cheese on the soup and serve immediately.

View picture of a dish of prepared minestrone in order to have an idea of its appearance.

 Recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients 

* 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
* 1 celery stalk
* 1 carrot
* 1.5L of chicken stock
* 2 green onions
* 250ml of frozen peas
* 370ml of medium egg noodles
* 50ml of chopped fresh parsley
* 1 chicken breast

Procedure

- Chop the onions, carrot and celery stalk into small sizes
- Cut the chicken breast into 1cm cubes
- Put the vegetable oil in a large saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add the onions, carrot and celery stalk. Cook for about 5 minutes
- Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes while stirring continuously.
- Add the chicken stalk and allow to boil. Add the egg noodles and cook for about 6 minutes for the vegetable and noodles to become tender
- Add the parsley and peas, and cook for about 5 minutes
- Season the soup with the pepper, add salt to taste and then serve

View picture of a prepared chicken noodle soup and see how it looks like.


Recipe for vegetarian pistou

 Ingredients (First Set)

* 15ml of olive oil
* 1 small zucchini, halved and sliced
* 540ml of tin tomatoes
* 120g of green beans, cut into 2.5cm pieces
* 3 garlic cloves, cut into very small sizes
* 1L of chicken stock
* 1 onion, chopped into small sizes
* 250ml of tubetti
* 1 celery stalk, chopped into small pieces

Ingredients (Second Set)

* 50ml of olive oil
* 120ml of chopped fresh basil leaves
* 2 tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese
* 2 garlic cloves, cut into very small pieces

Procedure

- Using the first set of ingredients, put the 15ml of olive oil in a large saucepan and heat over medium heat
- Add the garlic, onion and celery, and then cook for 5 minutes
- Add the zucchini and green beans, and then stir. Add the tomatoes and break up the lumps formed by using the back of the spoon used for stirring
- Pour in the chicken stock and allow to boil. Add the tubetti and cook for 10 minutes. This gives the soup.
- Using the second set of ingredients, put the olive oil, basil and parmesan cheese in a blender. Blend them together to obtain a smooth mixture. Add the garlic and stir. This gives the pistou.
- Put 1 teaspoon of the pistou on a bowl of the soup each time it is to be served.

View picture of a dish of vegetarian pistou in order to know how it looks like.

Get more on recipes for making roasted red pepper dip, garlic crostini and marinated mushrooms.

What do you think about these recipes? Let me know your views and suggestions through the comment box below. Your comments would be highly appreciated.