Chick Pea & Miso Soup

Hmmm.. my kitchen smells so good right now. See, we New Englanders have some perks on windy, frigid days like today too. We can just stay indoors and put on a large pot of Chick Pea and Miso soup to warm us right down to our toes :-) Catch all the football games on TV--perhaps finish knitting that sweater I've been working on for weeks now. Even better, how about some warm peasant bread just out of the oven. Who could ask for anything more? Well I could think of several, but for now I'm toasty warm, and not missing those pina colada's poolside on some remote island. What am I saying? I think this flu has shaded a few of my grey cells. But, I'm on the mend. Heck, I can smell the soup so that's one major improvement!

I just love this soup. The addition of the chick pea miso gives it such a yummy flavor. I'm certain it's the brown rice and chick peas vs. soybean in the blend. Try not to omit this ingredient if you give it a try. I've tried other miso, and none compares to this one. You can readily order it online from South River Miso, or if you're lucky enough to have a Whole Foods nearby--they also carry it. And while you're at it, you might want to give their Azuki Bean Miso a try too. I've never seen it anywhere else.

Stay warm. Enjoy!

Chick Pea & Miso Soup

2 oz prosciutto, sliced thin
1 shallot, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 celery stalk, sliced
2 garlic cloves, mashed
2 tsp fresh rosemary
2 TBLS olive oil
1 large can crushed plum tomatoes
4 cups low salt vegetable stock
2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, rinsed well
1 handful fresh spinach leaves, torn
2 tsp South River Chick Pea Miso
sea salt, ground pepper
1 cup baby pasta shells
cooked chicken pieces,diced *optional
Parmigiano cheese rind *optional
freshly grated Pecorino cheese

Chop prosciutto, shallot, carrots, celery & garlic. Heat olive oil in a large pot and sautee until veggies become softened. Add all remaining ingredients except pasta & grated cheese. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes. If you've added in cheese rind, remove it now and cut the softened cheese into cubes and return it to the simmering pot. Five minutes before serving add the spinach and pasta to the pot. When it is al dente, ladle the soup into bowls and generously sprinkle with cheese and pass the bread!

Tabouli salad

Wrong time of year? Right time of year too! Whenever I serve tabouli, most often it's in the warmer months when I can just pop into the garden to pick the freshest of ingredients, and typically it disappears after no more than 20 minutes. So recently when a group of friends got together for a girls night out, and oh, everyone is bringing something to 'pick on' I just knew what the topic of conversation would be. After all the holiday goodies we all overdid on--diet, diet, diet and how the new year waistlines were bulging because of all of that overindulging, so instead of bring a dessert dish, I made a double batch of the salad to bring along with some roasted red pepper hummus and a spinach artichoke dip. Served with toasted Syrian bread wedges, it disappeared just as quickly.

It's such a healthy dish and with a little planning ahead, an easy to prepare and one of the most popular Middle Eastern recipes. I like to soak my cracked wheat (bulgur) overnight whenever I make this salad, and then all that needs to be done is chopped the veggies and your good to go. But if you forget to pre-soak, you may pour two cups of boiling water over the bulgar and let it rest for an hour or so before using.

Tabouli Salad

1 cup cracked wheat, fine bulgur - soaked overnight and drained
1 bunch of scallions or 1 red onion, minced
2 large bunches of fresh parsley, minced
1/2 bunch of fresh mint, minced
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
juice of 4 lemons
1/2 cup olive oil
sea salt & ground pepper to taste

Soak wheat covered in water overnight. Drain the bulgur and set aside. In a large bowl, add finely chopped parsley, mint, tomatoes and onion. Salt and pepper to taste. Add lemon juice, olive oil and drained bulgur and mix well to combine. Serve with toasted Syrian bread triangles, lettuce leaves, or grape leaves. Some days I'll stuff a tomato with tabouli salad for lunch. Enjoy cold or at room temperature, but I think it's really best made a day ahead. Enjoy!