Recipes from the Garden: A Taste of the Season

Egg Roll Soup

Ingredients
1-½ pounds ground pork (can substitute ground chicken or turkey)
2 tbsps. olive oil
1 medium white onion, peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small green cabbage, chopped into bite-sized pieces
6–8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tsps. ground ginger
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
optional toppings: toasted sesame seeds, thinly sliced green onions, wonton strips, toasted sliced almonds, thinly sliced mushrooms

Add ground pork to a large stockpot and cook over medium-heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring and flipping occasionally until the pork is lightly browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to a separate plate and set aside. Add the olive oil and onion, and stir to combine. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots and garlic, and sauté for 2 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cabbage, stock, ginger, and cooked pork, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the carrots and cabbage are nice and tender. Stir in the sesame oil until combined. Then taste and season the soup with a few generous pinches of salt and black pepper as needed. Serve warm, garnished with your desired toppings. Or refrigerate in sealed containers for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Servings: 6

Cheesy Enchilada Soup

Ingredients
2 tbsps. vegetable oil
1 cup diced white onion (1 small white onion)
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup masa harina (corn flour)
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 10-ounce can red enchilada sauce
1 14-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juices (I prefer fire-roasted)
1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles
½ tsp. ground cumin
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated
1 tsp. salt, or more/less to taste
optional toppings: tortilla chips/strips, diced/sliced avocado, grated cheese, sour cream, chopped fresh cilantro, and/or pico de gallo
Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. (To save time, peel and dice the onion for the minute or so that the oil heats.) Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, or until cooked and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute until fragrant. Stir in the masa harina and cook for an additional minute. Pour in half of the chicken stock, and stir until completely combined. Add in the remainder of the chicken stock, and stir to combine. Immediately add in the chicken, enchilada sauce, black beans, tomatoes, green chiles, salt and cumin. Stir until combined. Continue stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the soup does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Then stir in the cheese, one handful at a time, until combined. Taste, and season the soup to taste with salt. Serve the soup warm with desired toppings.
Servings: 4-6

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Ingredients

2 to 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 tsp. ground pepper - to taste
? cup butter - unsalted
¼ cup all-purpose flour
4 cups heavy cream 
4 tsps. chicken base (bouillon)
1 cup chicken stock 
1 tbsp. garlic - minced
½ small yellow onion - diced
1 cup frozen green peas - thawed
1 cup frozen carrots - thawed
Pinch of nutmeg - freshly grated
OPTIONAL:single serving bread bowls and chopped parsley as a garnish

In a large Dutch oven, melt butter and sauté the onions until they soften; about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Then sprinkle the flour over the onions and garlic, stir until consistency of peanut butter, but do not brown like a roux- you want it to remain a light golden color. Add the chicken base, chicken stock (or water), and heavy cream. Stir until combined. Add the chicken and any collected juice back into the soup. Add peas, carrots continue to cook on low until heated through. Stir in the nutmeg. 

Servings: 6