Variations on a theme: Chicken and Cannellini bean soup with Kale

Variations on a theme: Chicken and Cannellini bean soup with Kale.

Hey, I never said I was innovative, did I?

I think you know how this all starts:

Kale. Chop it, wash it.


Onion. Slice it.


Garlic. Mince it.


Chicken thighs. Bite size chunks.


Season the chicken chunks with salt, and this stuff. I know, it feels like cheating to me, too.


Here are some other things you'll need:













Okay. Brown the chicken in a bit of olive oil.


Remove, and add the pepper flakes and the bay leaf. Reduce heat.


After 30 seconds or so, add the onion. Brown.


Add garlic.


Deglaze with the wine. Scrape the bottom of the pot to get the fond up.


Dump the kale in.


Return the chicken, add the beans and the tomato.


Add stock until you like the consistency. Add the nam pla, and the thyme. Simmer for half an hour to let the flavors mingle. After 20 minutes, add the vinegar.


Serve with parmesan cheese, and the chopped parsley.

Recipe: Juevos Rancheros (well, not really).

Well, I'm back in the kitchen… And it's Sunday morning, and I'm feeling like a bastardized version of Juevos Rancheros. Please, no comments on how it's not authentic. I know it's not authentic… but it's tasty. If you'd like to suggest a different name, please do.

The usual suspects: Onion, garlic, dried chipotle (soaking in hot water).


Bacon. (BACON!)


Render that sucker.


That was quick.


Remove a lot of the grease for later. Leave a teaspoon or so, and toss in the onion. With heat on medium low, soften and brown with a pinch of salt.


Add this. Yes, this is just for demonstration purposes. Of COURSE I toast and grind my own!


Add garlic. Cook for about 30 seconds.


Add chipotle.


Bring on the beans!


Mash up most of the beans with a spoon. It will start getting thick. If too thick, add some chicken stock to loosen it up.


Can't forget the oregano…


Nor the Nam Pla.


Yes, yes. It slightly resembles dog food.


Return the bacon, stir, and let cook on low to let the flavors mingle as you prepare the eggs.


Bring a pot of water to a simmer, and add a tablespoon or so of white vinegar.


Crack eggs into a small bowl.


Gently introduce the eggs to the water, allow to poach for 3 minutes (if you like a runny yolk. If you don't… why are you still reading this?).


Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl, and drain off excess water.


I hope you've already washed and chopped your cilantro, because we're ready to plate.


Bean mixture on plate, grated cheese on top (what? You haven't grated the cheese yet?).


Eggs on top of that, and top with cilantro. Salt, and extra hot sauce to taste.

This was part of the NaNoWriMo project. Transferring formatting was tiresome. Come December, I'll have something for you.

Recipe: Butternut Squash Soup

On today’s menu: Butternut squash soup.
It’s been chopped, drizzled with oil, and salted; then roasted for an hour at 400.

Seeds, cleaned of pulp. Oil & salt & pepper: 10 minutes, 400. Keep an eye on those, lest they burn.

Onion, celery, garlic.

Onion and celery, low heat. Begin to sweat.

Add curry powder, pinch of salt. Cook until soft.

Add garlic. Cook for another 2 minutes.

Deglaze. I still haven’t gotten any wine, so I used a bit of stock.

Get all the good stuff off the bottom!

Add the (peeled) roasted squash.

Stock to cover, and some Nam Pla (Ye godz, I love this stuff).

Simmer for 20-30 minutes (read a book, or something), and then get your blender stick…

Grind that motherfucker!

Add some milk (or cream, depending on your arteries).

A little bit of cider vinegar for some acidic bite.

Now, bust out the china cap (chinoise). Trust me, it’s worth it.

Pour the soup into the cap…

And mash it through.

Holy shit! Look how smooth that is!

Bring back to a simmer, season to taste, then toss some butter in there, and use the stick one last time.

Serve with some fancy olive oil drizzled on top, and some of the roasted seeds.