The Art of Making Soup

The Art Of Making Soup ~ Soup Series Class
Tuesday February 23rd @ 6:00pm
Venue: TBD

Soup can be anything you want it to be - quick, hearty, light - and once you master the basics, you can experiment endlessly with your favorite vegetables, beans, and meats to make tasty meals in no time. Cooking homemade soup can be easy and makes wonderfully satisfying meals!

In this "soup series" class you will be learning the six secrets to making simple & savory soups. Learn about soup thickeners, how to make a soup stock, what the five staple ingredients are to starting any great soup and much more.....

*The next class in this series will be stews.

Please email chefanna@simmerandsear.com for more information and to register today!

Recipe of the Month.......

Portuguese Sausage & Kale Soup

Ingredients

• 6 ounces kielbasa sausage, sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, chopped
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 pound fresh kale, washed, or 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped kale, thawed and drained
• 2 cans (13 3/4 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 4 cups low-fat milk
  
• 2 large russet potatoes, boiled with skin on and sliced
  
• 1 teaspoon dried leaf marjoram, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
  

Directions

Place potatoes in large pot of warm water. Boil rapidly for about 30-40 minutes until you can easily stab with a fork. Remove from heat, drain, let cool and slice in 1/2 to 1 inch think rounds then cut rounds in half. Put aside until ready to add to soup.

Saute kielbasa, onion and garlic in oil in large pot over medium-low heat until tender, about 10 minutes.

If using fresh kale, cut off stems and slice into 1/2-inch pieces. Keep stem pieces separate. Coarsely chop fresh leaves.

Add to the pot the chicken broth, 4 cups milk, marjoram, salt, pepper and sliced fresh kale stems or frozen kale, if using. Bring to boiling. Lower heat; cover and cook for 15 minutes longer. If using fresh kale, add the leaves at this point along with the slice potatoes to the pot. Bring to boiling. Lower the heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes, serve with fresh sourdough bread if desired.

*You can substitute, ground turkey, ground mild or hot Italian sausage or ground beef for the kielbasa.

It's a new year....what are your resolutions?

Did your new years resolution involve self-improvement?

Or simply just to take on more hobbies?

Learning how to cook can be a great start and fun at the same time!

Maybe your resolution involved eating healthier? Kill two birds with one stone.....learn how to cook and make healthier meals for yourself!

Don't put it off any longer, Summer will be here before you know it!!

Contact chefanna@simmerandsear.com to schedule a private cooking lesson or a private cooking event for your company or for you and your friends today!

Happy New Year!

Hello Fellow Chefs,

Happy New Year! Hope you have gotten off to a great start in 2010 so far!

This is just a reminder to keep Simmer and Sear in mind for private cooking lessons.

Click this link for more information: http://www.simmerandsear.com/Catering_Private_LeServices.html

or

Please contact Chef Anna at chefanna@simmerandsear.com to book your private lesson today!

Cheers!

Give the gift of cooking.....

Yes, the holidays are here and the stressful answer to the question: "What am I going to buy for gifts this year??" can be right here! Give the gift of cooking!!! Why not think outside of the box this year and give something that you don't put in a box....creativity!

Simmer and Sear offers private cooking lessons. The chef will come to you in your kitchen and cook up anything your heart desires....If you know someone that loves to be in the kitchen but needs some help creating those yummy dishes or someone that doesn't know how to cook at all and would like to learn......Give them the gift of cooking!

I know part of the fun of giving Christmas gifts is giving that special someone a gift in their hands....not to worry, this can been given in a gift certificate form personalized anyway you like. For example: If you would like to give someone a cooking lesson for making recipes from Asia/Thailand/China...I would give you the gift certificate in the form of chopsticks and a Chinese take out box wrapped in a ribbon. You can give Italian classes in the form of a gift certificate in an Italian colored apron with pasta wrapped with it....etc...You get the idea! :)

Please inquire within to find out prices and what the lesson includes.
Contact: chefanna@simmerandsear.com via email or by phone at (415) 335-8831

Happy Holidays and Happy Cooking!

Recipe of the Month

Chef Anna Hadley's Mushroom & Green Olive Veggie Burgers

Mushroom & Green Olive Veggie Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 small red onion, shredded and squeezed dry (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/3 cup chopped green olives
• 1 small carrot, finely diced
• 1 lg red bell pepper, diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 2 cups assorted mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire or soy sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups assorted mushrooms, diced
• 1 cup plain or whole-wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 4 English muffin, split and toasted
• Mayonnaise and/or mustard, for garnish
• Baby arugula, for garnish

Directions

Smash the beans in a bowl with a potato masher or fork until slightly chunky.

Smash the beans in a bowl with a potato masher or fork until slightly chunky.

Add the carrots, chopped mushrooms, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, red bell peppers, green olives, parsley and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce and egg.

Season with salt and pepper and mix with your hands until combined.Spread the remaining 1/2 cup breadcrumbs on a plate.

Form the bean and mushroom mixture into 4 patties; lightly coat with the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess.

Heat the tablespoon butter in the same skillet over medium heat.

Add the sliced mushrooms, shallots and the remaining 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; season with salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms are slightly wilted, 3 to 4 minutes.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Or cook on an indoor grill. *Do not attempt to cook on outdoor grill.

Add the patties and cook until golden and slightly crisp, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Top with your favorite cheese 2 minutes prior to being done, cover with some sort of lid to help melt the cheese.

Transfer the burgers to a plate.

Serve the burgers on the English muffins with mayonnaise and/or mustard, baby arugula and mushrooms shallots mixture.
Enjoy!

Lunch Catered to Your Doorstep!

Simmer and Sear also offers catered lunches to your doorstep. There will be a new weekly menu uploaded for your company to choose from. We will be offering three new lunch specials every week. You can find the weekly menu by going to the catering services link on my website: www.simmerandsear.com
Hope to see you at lunch!
~Chef Anna