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Dinner, Eggs, Lactose Free, Ramen, Recipes, Soups

Perfect Instant Ramen

September 27, 2023

I found this crazy delicious recipe on the NYT Cooking site. Melty cheese and a poached egg on packaged ramen was love at first bite. Kudos to Roy Choi, a Korean-American chef for creating this simple and satisfying bowl of noodles.

Use your favorite packaged ramen for this easy dish. I was lucky to find lactose free American cheese for my version of the recipe but of course, feel free to use regular American cheese which is easier to find. The original recipe tells you to cook your eggs for 1 minute in the ramen broth once the noodles are transferred to a bowl. A few commenters mentioned the egg wasn’t cooked enough in that short time so I went ahead and poached my eggs prior to adding them to the ramen bowl and they were perfect.

The noodles cook in no time and before you know it you’ll have a bowl of delicious ramen. It’s a fairly rich dish but everyone deserves a splurge now and then.

I always add a drizzle of our homemade sriracha to this dish. It adds that perfect little spicy kick that brings it all together. Break up the egg and swirl the cheese in the broth before diving in.

Perfect Instant Ramen
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Perfect Instant Ramen

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

2

servings

Adapted from Roy Choi’s recipe at NYT Cooking

Ingredients

  • 2 packages instant ramen with flavor packets (I used Sapporo Ichiban)

  • 2 large eggs, poached

  • 2 teaspoons butter (I used lactose free Earth Balance, optional)

  • 2 slices American cheese, room temperature (I used Green Valley lactose free)

  • 1/2 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

  • 1 scallion, green part only, thinly sliced on the bias

  • sriracha sauce for serving (optional)

Directions

  • Bring 5 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the noodles and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the flavor packet.
  • Divide noodles and some of the broth between two bowls (you won’t need all of the broth). Immediately add the cheese slices to the noodles submerging slightly in the hot broth. Top noodles with poached eggs, pats of butter (optional), and sesame seeds. Garnish with scallions. Serve with sriracha sauce (optional).

Notes

  • To poach eggs, heat 3″ water with 1 tablespoon white vinegar in a small saucepan over high heat. Watch closely.  When the water barely reaches a boil and you see small bubbles in the bottom of the pan, gently slide eggs into the water one by one and immediately turn the heat down to medium (crack eggs into small separate bowls).  Set the timer for 4 minutes.  The water should not be boiling and the eggs should simmer gently. Lower heat as needed.  Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Chicken, Dinner, Lactose Free, Recipes, Soups

Chicken in a Pot with Orzo

January 18, 2023

Baking a whole chicken in stock produces some seriously tender and flavorful meat. Full of vegetables, fragrant herbs and a pinch of saffron, this is no ordinary chicken soup. Actually, Ina Garten doesn’t refer to her recipe as soup but rather “Chicken in a Pot with Orzo.” The whole chicken is definitely the star of this dish. Once it is done, cut the chicken into pieces or shred the chicken and add it back to the delicious broth. Don’t be afraid to use the fennel called for in the recipe. It mellows as it simmers with the other vegetables and herbs making a fantastic flavorful meal.

The original recipe calls for 8 cups of diced vegetables along with 24 sprigs of assorted herbs. I used a bit less (see recipe below) and it was plenty for the amount of liquid in the pot.

A little bit of saffron adds brilliant color and earthy, subtly sweet flavor to dishes like this one.

Ina Garten’s recipe calls for a 3 1/2 – 4 pound whole chicken. It’s rare to find such a small bird these days. I ended up with a 4 1/4 pound chicken that worked just fine.

Orzo is a wonderful addition to this dish. It’s readily available at most markets, however, you can substitute rice in a pinch.

Searing the chicken before adding the other ingredients creates more flavor. This step also allows part of the chicken skin to take on a nice color.

The vegetables pick up all the delicious browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

Once the sautéed vegetables are done, the chicken goes back into the pot along with the herbs, chicken stock and water. Into the oven it goes.

What emerges from the oven is a gorgeous chicken in a pot. The orzo can be added once the chicken is out of the oven (off the heat for 20-25 minutes in covered pot) or simply added while the chicken is cooking in the oven (after 1 – 1 1/2 hours depending on the size of your chicken). Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days. I found that freezing leftovers is not ideal as the orzo absorbs quite a bit of the broth and the carrots can become quite soft. If you don’t mind these two factors, go ahead and freeze any leftovers. The flavors will still be terrific.

Chicken in a Pot with Orzo
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Chicken in a Pot with Orzo

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

4-6

servings

Adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe

Ingredients

  • Olive oil for searing chicken

  • 1 (4 1/4 pound) whole chicken (or smaller, 3 1/2 – 4 pounds)

  • 1 3/4 cups (1/3-inch) sliced peeled carrots, large pieces cut in half, about 8 ounces

  • 1 3/4 cups (3/4-inch) diced celery, about 7 ounces

  • 1 1/2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 medium sized leeks)

  • 1 cup chopped fennel, stalks and core removed, about 5 ounces

  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 medium sized cloves)

  • 4 cups simmering chicken stock

  • 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme

  • 8 sprigs fresh parsley

  • 10 sprigs fresh dill, plus extra for serving

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 3/4 cup orzo

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Heat 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (11-inch) Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium to medium-high heat. Dry the chicken all over, place it in the pot breast side down, and sear it for 5-7 minutes without moving, until the skin is nicely browned. A splatter guard is useful here. Turn the chicken breast side up and sear for another 4-5 minutes, until browned on the bottom. Transfer chicken to a plate.
  • Add the carrots, celery, leeks, and fennel to the pot and sauté for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Return the chicken to the pot, breast side up, spreading the vegetables around the chicken. Add the chicken stock, saffron, and enough water (or stock) to cover the chicken with just an inch of the breastbone exposed. Tie thyme, parsley, and dill together and add to the pot along with 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir in the orzo and continue baking for 15 minutes more. If you are using a smaller chicken (3 1/2 pound) add the orzo after baking 1 hour and continue to bake for another 15 minutes or until the orzo is tender.
  • Discard the herb bundle. Transfer chicken to a large plate. Taste the broth and add more salt and pepper if needed. Separate the chicken into quarters. Carefully pull the breast meat away from the bones and pull meat apart into fairly large pieces or shred into smaller pieces (leave the bones in the leg portion). Spoon some of the chicken, broth, vegetables and orzo into large shallow bowls. Serve hot sprinkled with extra dill.

Notes

  • A splatter guard comes in handy when searing the chicken

Dinner, Kimchi, Korean, Lactose Free, Recipes, Soups, Vegetarian, Veggies

Kimchi Noodle Soup with Wilted Greens

December 30, 2022

Is there anything more delicious than a bowl of spicy kimchi noodle soup to warm you up? A riff on the beloved Korean dish jjigae (kimchi stew), this easy soup is quick to make and calls for just a handful of inexpensive ingredients. This kimchi soup is warm, spicy, hearty and has lots of umami flavor. Once you take your first bite, you won’t be able to stop until your bowl is completely empty.

I recently made a big jar of kimchi that was ready to be eaten and wanted to try it in a new recipe. I’ve made kimchi fried rice, cheesy kimchi noodles, and kimchi pancakes , but never kimchi soup. I found this recipe on one of my favorite sites, New York Times Cooking.

You’ll need just a few ingredients besides the kimchi. If you don’t have homemade kimchi, use your favorite store bought brand.

I am particularly fond of Sun Noodle’s fresh udon which are thick, chewy, and oh so delicious. They elevate any dish that calls for udon noodles. Here on Maui they are available at Island Grocery in Kahului so if you’re in the area stop by to pick up a package. Otherwise, feel free to use another brand of fresh or dried udon.

This recipe is pretty straight forward. Once you have all of your ingredients ready to go, the scallions, ginger and garlic are briefly cooked until fragrant. The kimchi and kimchi juice are then added to the pan followed by the stock, soy sauce and greens. Once the greens are tender, the soup is ladled over the udon noodles and garnished with more scallions and sesame seeds. Extra toppings such as a boiled egg and fresh sprigs of cilantro (if you are a fan) and crunchy garlic chili crunch for added heat transform this into a truly memorable bowl of soup.

Kimchi Noodle Soup with Wilted Greens
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Kimchi Noodle Soup with Wilted Greens

Recipe by Kiyo
Servings

2

servings

Adapted from New York Times Cooking

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces udon (fresh recommended)

  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil

  • 4 scallions thinly sliced, plus more for garnish

  • 1 (1 1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, about 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped

  • 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped kimchi, plus 3 tablespoons kimchi juice

  • 2 1/2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock for vegetarian version)

  • 2 tablespoons less sodium soy sauce (Kikkoman recommended)

  • 2 cups roughly chopped baby bok choy (substitute with kale or spinach)

  • White roasted sesame seeds, boiled eggs, chili crunch, and roughly chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions

  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook udon according to package instructions. Drain and distribute evenly among two serving bowls.
  • In the same pot used for boiling udon, heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil over medium heat. Add the scallions, ginger, and garlic, and cook until they begin to soften and the garlic is fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in kimchi and kimchi juice and cook for 1 minute.
  • Add the stock and soy sauce and stir together to combine. Bring to a simmer and stir in your greens. If using baby bok choy, stir in the chopped stems and let simmer for a minute before adding the greens. Allow everything to simmer until the greens are tender and the flavors come together, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust with salt if needed.
  • Ladle soup over the udon and garnish with scallions and other toppings to taste.

Notes

  • Using baby bok choy adds a nice crisp texture to the soup, however, feel free to use other greens such as spinach or kale.
  • Place the cooked noodles in a colander and run hot water over them to briefly warm them up before adding the soup to the bowl.
Chicken, Dinner, Lactose Free, Mexican, Recipes, Soups

Chicken Tortilla Soup

March 27, 2020

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Spending time in the kitchen whether chopping vegetables, baking, or cleaning up, means more to me than ever before. It’s the best therapeutic respite from all of the terrible news that we are confronted with these days.  Cooking gives me a break from the stress.  Making tortilla soup fits the bill for a perfect meal that is a breeze to prepare and it tastes so good.  A warm bowl of soup is always so comforting.

Tortilla Soup Ingredients

Poblano Pepper, Onion & Garlic

White Corn Tortillas

Sometimes we don’t use all of the corn tortillas we buy so we freeze them to use later. This is a perfect way to use them up.

Sautéed Onions, Poblano Pepper & Garlic

I love that everything goes into one pot.  Sautéed onion, garlic and a poblano pepper makes the house smell so good, especially when the onions start to brown.

Sautéed Onions, Poblano Pepper & Garlic

Sautéed Onions, Poblano Pepper, Garlic, Tomatoes

Diced tomatoes are added along with chopped corn tortillas.  It may be hard to imagine how this might turn in to a glorious soup but I assure you it will.

Sautéed Onions, Poblano Pepper, Garlic, Tomatoes & Corn Tortillas

Sautéed Onions, Poblano Pepper, Garlic, Tomatoes, Corn Tortillas, Chicken Stock & Broth

I use an immersion blender to puree the soup.  It may look a bit plain, but once you add toppings it turns into a beautiful bowl of soup full of color and flavor.  Once pureed, roasted chicken breast that has been shredded is added to the soup.

Tortilla Soup

Crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado, lime and cilantro (only for those cilantro lovers) are perfect toppings.  The poblano pepper adds a mild heat to the soup but for those who like it hot, a dash or two of your favorite Mexican-style hot sauce adds a bit of zing along with a squeeze of lime juice.  You could leave out the avocado and cilantro, but the crushed tortilla chips are a must.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup
 
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Author:
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (or regular butter)
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 medium poblano pepper, roughly chopped
  • ¾ cup Rotel tomatoes with green chiles (mild)
  • 6 white corn tortillas (6-inch) cut into small pieces
  • 1 tablespoon mild chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 32 ounce carton chicken stock (I use Swanson)
  • 32 ounce carton low sodium chicken broth (I use Swanson)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
  • 3 cups coarsely shredded roasted chicken breast (I use Costco roasted chicken and shred the breast meat)
  • Toppings:
  • crushed tortilla chips
  • diced avocado
  • chopped cilantro
  • lime wedges
Preparation
  1. Combine olive oil and butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and poblano pepper. Sauté until onions are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add tomatoes and tortillas and stir to combine with other ingredients for a minute or two.
  3. Add chili powder and cumin, stirring to coat the vegetables.
  4. Add chicken broth, chicken stock and salt to the pot, stirring to mix the soup. Bring to a boil then simmer for about 20 minutes on med-low heat until the soup thickens slightly.
  5. Remove pot from burner. Using an immersion blender on low speed (so the soup doesn't splatter) puree the soup until it is smooth. Add the chicken to the soup.
  6. Serve with crushed tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro and lime.

 

Chicken, Lactose Free, Recipes, Rice Dishes, Soups

Chicken & Rice Soup with Chile & Ginger

May 10, 2018

Chicken & Rice Soup with Chile & Ginger

I fell in love with this soup the first time I made it.  The simple addition of lime juice and fish sauce that flavors the broth may not sound all that extraordinary, but they both have big flavors that make this soup stand out. I switched out the chicken thighs from the original recipe. I substituted my favorite chicken tenders and added a few stems of baby bok choy for taste and color.  I found that cooking the rice separately, then adding it to the bowl before serving, worked better.  Though it is an extra step, leftover rice and broth should be stored separately. If put together for storage, there will be little broth left the next day since the rice absorbs most of the liquid.

Jasmine Rice

Jasmine rice is perfect for this soup, however, you could substitute what you have available: basmati, white rice (medium or short grain), or brown rice.

Calamansi

These pretty citrus fruits are calamansi and are sold locally in Hawaii and widely grown in the Philippines.   The calamansi are very small with a tangy, sour flavor.  I just happened to see them at the market the day I made the soup and thought it would be a great addition.

Chicken & Rice Soup with Chile & Ginger

Chicken & Rice Soup with Chile & Ginger
 
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Adapted from Bon Appetit
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks
  • ¾ cup jasmine rice rinsed well
  • 1 pound chicken tenders, trimmed
  • 1 carton (32 ounce) chicken stock + 1 can (14.5 ounce) chicken broth
  • 3 small shallots, halved
  • 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce (Red Boat brand recommended)
  • 4 baby bok choy, stalks separated and washed well
  • kosher salt
  • 1 Fresno pepper thinly sliced
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup crushed salted peanuts
Preparation
  1. Combine sugar and ½ cup hot water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add ginger and let cool; drain and set aside.
  2. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add rice and gently boil until rice is just done, about 10 minutes. Rinse and drain well.
  3. Pour chicken broth (14.5 ounce can) in a 2 cup measuring cup. Top off with enough water to measure 2 cups. Pour the broth and chicken stock into a large saucepan along with chicken, shallots and garlic. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken and garlic to a plate and let cool. Strain stock through a cheesecloth lined sieve (discard shallots). Return broth to the saucepan.
  4. Shred chicken; set aside.
  5. Smash garlic to a paste using the side of a chef's knife. Add garlic paste to broth and bring back to a gentle boil. Place bok choy stalks in the broth for a minute just until they are tender. Remove to a plate. Turn off the heat.
  6. Add lime juice, fish sauce, and reserved chicken to the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning adding salt and more fish sauce if needed.
  7. Divide rice among 4 bowls, ladle hot soup over the rice with some of the chicken. Top with reserved ginger, bok choy, Fresno pepper slices, scallions, and peanuts.

 

 

Beans, Dinner, Lactose Free, Recipes, Soups, Veggies

Vegetable & Farro Soup

November 20, 2017

Vegetable & Farro Soup

Though the seasons change ever so slightly here in Hawaii, a warm bowl of soup is still soothing once November comes around. The days are still sunny and the beaches are full of people, yet there’s a noticeable difference in the temperature.  This soup is based on one that is served at Eataly in New York City.  It’s really quite simple to make, and it doesn’t need to simmer for hours.  The soup is brimming with healthy vegetables, beans and whole grain farro. It is light yet satisfying.

Carrots, Onion, Celery, Leeks, Peas, Beans

The vegetables are sliced thin which enables them to be cooked for a shorter period.  This soup is ready to eat in 40 minutes.

Sliced Leeks

Use only the white and light tender green parts of the leek. Slice the leek into narrow strips so that they cook up nicely in a few minutes.

Farro

It seems that only a few years ago farro could not be found at any of our local markets. I would purchase farro on my annual trips to San Francisco and bring it home to Maui.  These days you can buy farro in the bulk section at most markets.

Vegetable & Farro Soup

Vegetable & Farro Soup
 
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Adapted from Mario Batali's recipe for Eataly
Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ¾ cup thinly sliced celery (about 2 celery ribs)
  • 1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
  • 1 cup thinly sliced leek, white and pale green parts only (1 medium leek)
  • ¾ cup farro
  • 1½ tablespoons tomato paste
  • 5 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup canned small white beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 small bay leaf (or half of a medium-sized bay leaf)
  • 1 heaping cup thinly sliced carrots (halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise ¼-inch thick)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh marjoram
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped Italian parsley
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano (optional)
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons julienned basil for serving
Preparation
  1. In a large enameled Dutch oven or other heavy pot, heat the olive. Add the celery, onion and leek and cook over moderately high heat, stirring a few times, until softened. Add the farro and tomato paste and cook, stirring until the grains are coated, about 30 seconds.
  2. Add the chicken broth and water to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the beans and bay leaf and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
  3. Add the carrots and cover the pot. Simmer on low for 20 minutes or until the carrots are just tender.
  4. Add the peas and fresh herbs. Simmer until the peas have warmed up, about 5 minutes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle basil over each serving.

 

 

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