Russian Nettle Soup
Nettle is one of the first plants to show up in spring. It contains many valuable nutrients including vitamin C. It is a widespread weed growing practically everywhere people allow it to grow. The best for soups and salads are the youngest upper two or four leaves.
Ingredients
• 4 cups nettles rinsed with boiling water and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp rice (uncooked)
• 2 eggs
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 sprig parsley, root and greens, chopped
• 1 stalk celery (with leaves), chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh baby dill, chopped
• 8 peppercorns, whole
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1.5 liters of water or any broth
• Salt (to taste)
Directions
1. Place rice, parsley, celery, spices, onion and salt in the broth or water in a saucepan and boil 10-12 minutes. Add the nettles, boil 10 more minutes.
2. Remove pan from heat, cover with several towels and let stand for at least 30 minutes.
3. Add lemon juice and garlic; garnish with sour cream and fresh dill.
4. Serve hot.
Russian Fish Soup - Ukha
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 4 cups water
• 2 potatoes, cubed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ cup cod fillets, cubed
• 1 lemon, juiced
• salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Put water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Add the potatoes, onion and parsley.
3. Heat for 10 to 15 minutes and add the fish.
4. Heat for 10 more minutes, then squeeze in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Serve hot.
Spanish Sopa De Ajo (Garlic Soup)
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 200 gm white bread
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 eggs
• olive oil
• 1 tsp paprika
• salt
Directions
1. Bring just over 4 cups of water to the boil in a pan. Add a pinch of salt. Now add the crushed garlic, the paprika and pieces of bread and the beaten eggs.
2. Simmer for 5 minutes. Place the mixture in a blender and then add about 4 tbsp of olive oil during the blending. Blend well.
3. Serve immediately or re-heat if necessary.
Nicaragua Chayote Soup from Latin America
Chayotes are a pale green vegetable. They are sort of shaped like a pear. This soup is also common in Morelos, Mexico, without the chicken.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
• 2 large chayotes, peeled and sliced
• pinch of salt
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp flour
• 4 cups of chicken stock
• 1 cup of cooked shredded chicken
• white pepper
Directions
1. Using enough water to cover the vegetable, simmer the chayotes in salted water until tender, about twenty minutes. Reserve two cups of the cooking liquid.
2. Place the chayotes and the liquid it in a blender or food processor. Blend until you have a smooth puree.
3. In a saucepan sauté the onion and garlic in butter until the onion is soft. Stir in the flour and cook for about 1 minute. Do not brown the flour.
4. Add the chicken stock and cook until the mixture is smooth.
5. Add the chicken, the chayote mixture, salt and pepper, and simmer covered about 5 minutes.
6. Serve hot.
Chile Cabbage Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients
• 1 small green cabbage
• 1 large potato
• 1 large leek
• 3 tbsp of butter
• 4 cups chicken stock
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup coarsely chopped queso fresco or Munster cheese
Directions
1. Finely shredded the cabbage. Peel the potato and cut into small shoestring type strips. Cut the leek thinly.
2. Heat the butter in a pan large enough to hold all the ingredients. Cook the cabbage, potato, and leek until all the butter has been absorbed and the cabbage is wilted, about 4 minutes.
3. Pour in the stock, salt and pepper if desired. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes.
4. Stir in the cheese and serve.
Mexican Chicken Soup
Ingredients
• 500 gm skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
• 1 cup coarsely chopped green pepper (or to taste)
• 2 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 cans clear chicken broth
• 1 3/4 cups frozen whole kernel corn
• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
• 5 lime wedges
Directions
2. Spray large saucepan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat 1 minute. Add chicken, pepper, chili powder and garlic powder and cook 5 minutes, stirring often.
3. Add broth, corn and rice. Bring to boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro.
4. Serve with lime wedges.
Aash-e Aab Leemoo (Irani or Persian)
Ingredients
Serves 4
• 200 gm basmati or long-grain rice
• 1 kg herbs (parsley, mint, coriander, spring-onion ends)
• 500 grams ground lamb
• 3 tbsp split peas
• 3-4 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2-3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp marjoram
• one tbsp mint
• 4 large onions
• cooking oil
• salt
• black pepper
Directions
1. Peel and slice two onions and fry in oil until slightly golden. Add 4-5 glasses of hot water, split-peas, salt and pepper and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Wash rice and add to the aash. Cook for another 15-20 minutes.
2. Peel and grate two onions. Add to meat with salt and pepper and mix well. Shape into small balls and add to the aash.
3. Wash herbs, chop finely, add to the aash, and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Add in lime juice, sugar, and marjoram (if fresh marjoram is used, it should be finely chopped). Mix well and cook for a few more minutes.
4. Fry mint in oil for a few minutes (if fresh mint is used, it should be finely chopped before frying). Add mint on top of the aash and serve.
Aash-e Sholeh-Ghalamkar (Irani or Persian)
Ingredients
Serves 4
• 500 grams vegetables: parsley, dill, coriander, spinach, spring-onion ends
• 100 grams long-grain or basmati rice
• 100 grams peas
• 100 grams beans
• lentils, 100 grams
• 500 grams lamb
• 3 large onions
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• cooking oil
• salt
• black pepper
Directions
Soak peas, beans and lentils in water for 4-5 hours. Peel and chop onions and fry in oil until slightly golden. Cut meat into small pieces and fry with onions until it changes colour.
Add peas, beans, lentils, turmeric, salt, pepper and hot water, and cook over low heat for about one hour. Wash rice and add to the aash. Cook for another 20-30 minutes.
Wash vegetables and chop finely. Add to aash and cook for another 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. Add more hot water during cooking if necessary.
Aash-e Aaloo (Irani or Persian)
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 100 gm basmati or long-grain rice
• 500 gm herbs (parsley, mint, coriander, spring-onion ends)
• 250 gm ground lamb
• 300 gm pitted prunes
• 4 large onions
• cooking oil
• salt
• black pepper
Directions
1. Soak prunes in warm water for two hours.
2. Peel and slice two onions and fry in oil until slightly golden. Make ground meat into 2 cm balls and fry with onions until colour changes. Add 3-4 glasses of water, and bring to a boil.
3. Finely chop herbs. Wash rice once with warm water. Add herbs, rice, prunes (including the water it was soaked in), salt and black pepper to meat balls. Mix well and cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes.
Aash-e Anaar (Irani or Persian)
Serves 4
Ingredients
• 200 gm basmati or long-grain rice
• 1 kg herbs (parsley, mint, coriander, spring-onion ends)
• 500 gm ground lamb
• 3 tbsp split peas
• one glass pomegranate paste
• 2 tbsp marjoram
• one tbsp mint
• 4 large onions
• cooking oil
• salt
• black pepper
Directions
1. Peel and slice two onions and fry in oil until slightly golden. Add 4-5 glasses of hot water, split-peas, salt and pepper and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Wash rice and add to the aash. Cook for another 15-20 minutes.
2. Peel and grate two onions. Add to meat with salt and pepper and mix well. Shape into small balls and add to the aash.
3. Wash herbs, chop finely, add to the aash, and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Add in pomegranate paste and marjoram (if fresh marjoram is used, it should be finely chopped). Mix well and cook for a few more minutes.
4. Fry mint in oil for a few minutes (if fresh mint is used, it should be finely chopped before frying). Add mint on top of the aash and serve.