Soup - - Page 8

by gansie

Ten Minute Tomato Soup

Last night I was invited to a cocktail reception by ES blogger LC. We originally met through the non-food part of our lives, and after a few minutes of polite womens’ issues chatter, we quickly started discussing our favorite DC restaurants. I always find food to be a fantastic cocktail party back-up topic (much more delicious than the weather.) Who doesn’t want to share a story of an exotic meal or a kitchen success?

At the after-work function we attended the food was scarce and uninspired. Green mush posing as guacamole sat atop a sweet pastry and rice krispie treat type pellets coated tough shrimp on a stick. Two cocktails in and only a few bites of food left me hungry as I arrived home close to 9pm. And 9pm is that weird time when I do consider holding out until tomorrow. But 80P told me to eat a little something so I poked around the kitchen. I’d been away for a few days and wasn’t sure what held up in my absence. Unfortunately a tomato I bought from my travels had slit on the way home; I knew I had to find a way to use that stat.

I also instinctively took out an egg and butter. But what? I’ve done plenty of scrambles featuring chopped tomato. I’ve also laid a fried egg on top of sliced tomato.

While still figuring out the dish, I sliced the tomato and then cut each slice into quarters, threw them in a pan with butter and sprinkled with salt and pepper. The tomatoes produced plenty of juice, which turned me off from an omelet idea: I’m not a fan of a runny, tomato stained omelet.

How else could I incorporate an egg? Wait, wait a fucking second. Maybe I don’t HAVE TO USE AN EGG. It is crazy. It is insane. Who the hell am I? This is the second non-egg usage in two weeks!

by gansie

And The Bible Told Me So

I’m just a tiny bit competitive. If BS is making asparagus soup, gansie must make some asparagus soup. Plus, it was my idea (see comments) in the first place.

So please, I welcome you on my asparagus soup making journey. It was a shit show.

Okay, so blah, blah, blah I don’t follow recipes. I made my own asparagus stock, according to Martha, and then sorta followed the BS endorsed recipe. Well, except for a few KEY ingredients.

The soup called for heavy cream and lemon. Like an ass, I thought I could sub yogurt for that combo: the yogurt could add a creaminess (heavy cream) and tartness (lemon.) Well, I made a boatload of soup and I guess the amount of yogurt I added in no way enhanced the flavor, nor the texture.

So then I added curry powder. And then ginger. And no luck. Still was fairly unflavorful. I think I used too much onion in comparison to the asparagus. I was PISTED. I mean, what asshole fucks up soup.

I checked out my fridge – longing to add depth to this vat of green liquid. I spotted red wine. An acid was desperately needed. But when I called out this almost revelation, the couch-dwelling 80P negged the idea. But then he suggested I consult the bible. The Flavor Bible, that is. It recommended red wine vinegar. I added a scant tablespoon and it automatically perked up the soup. I served it, but still lamented about its unsuccess.

Cue day two.

in Breakfast / Eggs / Fish / Recipe / Veggie 6 comments

by BS

Feed Us Back: Comments of the Week

– Have you entered the ES/Food Network grilling challenge yet? What are you waiting for? Get your crazy grill tales in now and win a sweet summer grill set.

– Most ESers agree — the President should pardon spicy mustard-lovers. Westcoast: I love mustard. All types, shades, countries of origin — I love it. This Hannity thing is almost as dumb as saying that the reason your titties are all over the Internet is because it was windy and the photos were taken in between the shots you knew were happening.

But Harmony is unconvinced: Dijon or neon yellow, neither do it for me really. I like the hearty, thick brown mustards that have lots of spices.

And NeeNe knows what’s really important: Subway gives you the option of either yellow or spicy mustard. WWJD? What would Jared do?

As long as we’re OD-ing on mustard, over at Macheesmo, Nick (of homemade ketchup fame) is now making his own homemade mustard. Now that’s patriotic.

– Finally, a huge thank you to all ya’ll who came through big-time to help out with my vegetarian cooking dilemma. After the jump, check out what I ended up making:

in Celebs / Contests / Desserts / Veggie 5 comments

by BS

100 Ways to Crack an Egg

According to legend (a.k.a. wikipedia), the folds in a chef’s hat used to represent the number of ways s/he knew how to cook an egg, with the vaunted 100-fold hat reserved for the heads of only the most knowledgeable culinary experts. But are there really 100 ways to prepare eggs? ES set out on an exploration across the food blogosphere to find out, and our answer is a decidedly delicious “yes.”

We’re reporting back and presenting our 100 favorite ways to cook an egg. If you’ve ever looked in the fridge and said, “I’ve got tons of eggs, but no idea what to cook with them,” well, you have no excuse to ever do that again. Just come right back here. Or better yet, print this out and hang it in your kitchen.

Presenting the comprehensive Endless Simmer guide to 100 ways to cook an egg:

in 100 Ways / Bacon / Breakfast / Eggs / Lists / Recipe / Sandwich 138 comments

by tvff

Farewell, Harry

Growing up in South Jersey, both gansie and I are big Phillies fans. And as happy as we were when the Phightin’s took home the trophy last year, we’re both really saddened by the loss of Harry Kalas, the team’s long-time Hall of Fame announcer who was as beloved as anyone in the city.

Even if you’re not from the Delaware Valley, you’ll likely know Harry the K’s work. He has long been the voice of NFL films, providing dramatic voice-overs for countless highlight reels.

So when Campbell’s decided to go with pro football stars as part of their advertising campaign for Chunky Soup, who better to serve as the voice of these commercials than Harry?

in Uncategorized 2 comments

by BS

Picks of the Pics: Best of the ES Flickr Pool

Ya’ll have been busy adding pretty pics over at the Endless Simmer Flickr Pool. Time to look at a few of our favs:

Since we’re talking about weird egg dishes, thought I’d through in zucv’s photo of “pork bone soup squid ramem.” With an egg of course. Thoughts?

Bacon-wrapped steak, dreams of grilling, and goat cheese madness, after the jump…

in Bacon / Cheese / Desserts / Eggs / Photos / Pig / Red Meat / Sandwich 3 comments

by gansie

Taste Bud Geography

Friday night. Date night.

80P went off to play video games with one of his college friends and I had my girl El over to cook and eat. In past posts you may have learned that El was a huge factor in creating the food monsters that BS and I are today. So it was a mighty treat to have her over for a kitchen session.

The menu/plan: butternut squash soup and salad. Details to be determined upon opening fridge, pantry and through many rounds of tasting.

Before El got there I ~~cleaned my terribly messy kitchen~~ roasted two butternut squashes. Peeled those motherfuckers, cut them into pretty small pieces, tossed with oil, salt and pepper and threw them in the oven. Maybe on 400 for about 30 minutes, getting in there halfway through and shaking the pan.

Near the end of the roasting, I sauteed half an onion and two cloves garlic with oil, salt and pepper. I then dumped in the soft and slightly browned squash and stirred it around with the onion and garlic.

Enter El.

in Veggie 10 comments