lunaticsinge.com - Mexican Soups

The Greek Pantry - The Ingredients of the Greek Islands

Drained Yogurt - (Makes 1 cup)

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups plain whole-milk yogurt

1. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a large bowl. Add the yogurt, cover with plastic wrap and let drain overnight in the refrigerator.

Hot Pepper Herb Mix - (Makes 1 cup)

Ingredients:

7 tablespoons Aleppo pepper or 1/4 cup crushed red pepper flakes plus 3 tablespoons paprika

1/4 cup dried oregano, crumbled

2 tablespoons fennel seeds, ground or crushed

2 tablespoons dried orange zest, chopped

1 tablespoon dried basil, crumbled

1 tablespoon dried mint, crumbled

1. In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients together. Transfer to a jar and keep in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.

Chicken Stock - (Makes 2 1/2 quarts)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, halved & thickly sliced

10 to 12 black peppercorns crushed in a mortar

1 cup dry white wine

4 lbs. chicken backs, necks, & wings

2 medium carrots, peeled and quartered

5 scallions, (white and most of green parts)

2 tablespoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt

2 bay leaves

1. In a large pot, heat the oil and sauté the onion over medium heat for 6 minutes, or until soft. Stir in the peppercorns and cook for 1 minute more. Add the wine and bring to a simmer; remove from the heat.

2. Place the chicken parts in the pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, skimming off the foam. Reduce the heat to low. Add the carrots, scallions, salt, and bay leaves, then simmer partially covered, for 2 1/2 hours, or until the chicken meat is falling from the bones.

3. Strain the stock, pressing down on the solids to extract all their juices. Refrigerate until the fat congeals; scrape off and discard the fat.

4. Reheat the stock, let it cool again and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze it in measured cupfuls in heavy-duty zipper-lock plastic bags. It will keep for up to 3 months.

Vegetable Stock - (Makes 2 1/2 quarts)

Ingredients:2 tablespoons olive 0il

1 large onion, halved and thickly sliced

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 fennel bulbs, trimmed & quartered

2 cups Swiss chard stalks, chopped (optional)

2 ripe tomatoes, halved

2 leeks (white and light green parts), halved lengthwise & quartered crosswise

3 carrots, halved lengthwise

1 green bell pepper, cored, halved, & seeded

1 cup green beans, coarsely chopped

4 to 5 sprigs flat leaf parsley

2 sprigs oregano

1 to 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt

1. In a large pot, heat the oil and sauté the onion over medium heat for 6 minutes, or until soft. Add the wine and bring to a simmer; remove from the heat.

2. Place the onion mixture and all the vegetables and herbs in the pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, add salt to taste and simmer, partially covered, for 1 1/2 hours, or until all the vegetables are very soft.

3. Strain the stock, pressing down on the vegetables to extract all their juices. Refrigerate until cool.

4. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze measured cupfuls in heavy-duty zipper-lock plastic bags. It will keep for up to 3 months.

Basic Tomato Sauce - (Makes 3 cups)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup olive oil

1 cup red onions, finely chopped

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 cup sweet wine (Mavrodaphne or sweet Marsala)

1/2 to 1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 1/2 cups grated ripe tomatoes (about 1 1.2 pounds) or a 16 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice

1 cinnamon stick

salt

sugar

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil and sauté the onions over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until soft. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until glossy. Add the wine and pepper then simmer for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, cinnamon stick, salt and 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and discard the cinnamon stick.

The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Bread Spice Mix - (Makes 1/2 cup)

Ingredients:

4 1/2 tablespoons aniseeds

4 1/2 tablespoons mahlep (buy from ethnic market or online)

1 tablespoon mastic (buy from ethnic market or online)

2 tablespoons sugar

1. In an electric spice grinder, a clean coffee grinder or a mortar, grind all the ingredients to a fine powder. Transfer to a jar and keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Preserved Pork Cracklings - (Makes 2 cups)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 quarts water

1 lb. pork fat from the side, with very little meat

1 bay leaf

Salt

1 tablespoon dried savory (optional)

1. In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the fat, return to a boil and skim the surface. Add the bay leaf, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

2. Remove the heat and chop it, leaving the stock at a simmer. Return the fat to the pan and add salt to taste. Increase the heat to medium and simmer briskly for 30 minutes more, or until all the water has evaporated and the crackling start to sizzle in the fat.

3. Remove from the heat. Discard the bay leaf and stir in 1 teaspoon salt and the savory, if using. Transfer the cracklings to a jar and pour the fat over them. Let cool and store in the refrigerator, where they will keep for up to 3 months.