Mushroom Spinach Soup

A couple of days ago I came across an episode of Popeye the Sailor Man (thank you, YouTube, for your recommendations;)) where he was fighting termites in his house. I find this cartoon pretty funny and informative too: I mean after 5 minutes the kids who are watching the cartoon know who termites are, what they eat and why and how Popeye defeated them - he was strong because he ate spinach! I remember reading somewhere that the spinach sales skyrocketed in the 40's because of the cartoon. There was a lot of discussion about the creators' concept of "consuming spinach leads to physical strength". Some were saying it was based on the misleading information regarding spinach's iron content (10 times more than it really is), some said that Vitamin A was the reason this leafy vegetable was chosen for the cartoon. I think in the end it doesn't really matter. What's incredible is the whole idea that the spinach sales went up because of some cartoon! That proves that we can change our kids' perception on what is a good snack and what is not by just creating more cartoons that praise veggies and fruit and decreasing the number of commercials with cartoonish characters showing how good hamburgers and chips are.

I am not going to sit here and say that I really enjoy eating spinach. I guess my sense of responsibility for my family's well being makes me add a little bit of spinach here, a little bit there;) I'll add some fresh spinach to a salad, make spinach and ricotta filling for crepes or mix some spinach in a mushroom soup.  

I cannot not mention the use of wine in this recipe, as it plays a big role in making this soup aromatic and rather intriguing without any spices. But I feel it's wrong to express how I support using wine in cooking after talking so much about spinach (from cartoons to wine...yeah) Maybe next time:)

Ingredients:

1 lb white mushrooms, sliced

a handful of dry crimini mushrooms

1 bunch of fresh spinach, roughly cut, stems removed

1 1/2 qt (6 cups) vegetable or chicken stock

1/2 cup dry white wine

parsley, finely chopped

olive oil

salt

black pepper

In a small bowl cover crimini mushrooms with hot water for approx. 5 minutes. Drain them.

Add enough oil to a large frying pan to cover the bottom and heat it up on a high heat setting. Add white and crimini mushrooms and cook stirring for 3 minutes. Mix in spinach and cook for 4 more minutes. Pour in wine and let it evaporate, stirring occasionally. Once the liquid is gone (8-10 minutes), turn off the heat and add parsley to the pan.

Bring your stock to boil, add the mixture from the pan and cook for 8 minutes on a medium heat setting. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve hot.

 Enjoy!

Elegant Chicken and Mushroom Appetizer

I could not wait to write about this particular dish! On top of being incredibly delicious, there is something remarkably elegant and sophisticated about this appetizer. Every time I eat it I picture myself having a meal in a Parisian café listening to soft jazz (something like Sous Le Ciel de Paris by Duo Gadjo:) and enjoying every bit of it!

This chicken and mushroom dish will make it seem like you have spent the whole day in the kitchen without you having to do so. A simple sauce combined with cheese gives this appetizer a very rich taste. Mushrooms and chicken are distinctive, and the top of the dish is soft and gooey. It is quite filling compared to other appetizers, so make less servings per person than you would normally do.

Ingredients:

½ lb white mushrooms, sliced or shredded

1 half breast/meat of 3 drumsticks, cooked and shredded or cut in small pieces

½ onion, chopped

½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated

cooking oil

Sauce:

200 gr sour cream

1 tbsp butter

½ tbsp plain flour

Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook onion over moderate heat until it is soft and translucent (5 minutes). Transfer onion to a plate. Change the heat setting to a medium. Cook mushrooms in the same pan until ready (appr. 5 minutes).  Add them to your plate with onions.

Making the sauce:

Heat the pan over moderate heat and add flour. Stir it constantly for a couple of minutes until it changes the color from white to beige. Add the butter and melt it by constantly mixing it with the flour. Add sour cream and salt to the pan and cook the sauce for 5 minutes stirring occasionally so it doesn’t get burned. Add chicken, mushrooms and onion to the pan and mix all the ingredients thoroughly. Cook the mixture for 5 more minutes stirring it occasionally. Remove the pan from the stove top.  Take 1/3 of the prepared cheese and mix it in.

Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C. Divide the mixture equally between the ramekins. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is all melted. Put under the broiler for 5-10 minutes for browning the cheese. Serve it hot.

Makes 4 servings

Enjoy!

Buckwheat with veggies and eggs

I never really understood why buckwheat isn't used in cooking alongside the likes of rice or pasta. I think it is completely underrated, but not in my house:)  It is a classic item that I always have in my cupboard.  It is versatile and valuable in a balanced diet. Buckwheat is a great source of manganese, copper, magnesium, and dietary fiber. It contains flavonoids and amino acids, and is gluten-free.

For breakfast I have it plain (with a pinch of sugar), or with milk in place of cereal. It is a great alternative side dish to serve with your meal.

Buckwheat with veggies and eggs can be served with any main course of your choice.

Ingredients:

1.5 cup cooked buckwheat

½ medium onion, peeled and diced

7 white mushrooms, diced or sliced

1 boiled egg, diced

3 tsp cooking oil

salt

pepper

parsley, finely chopped

Making buckwheat:

Rinse buckwheat thoroughly under running water before cooking and remove any dirt or debris with your hands. You need one part buckwheat to two parts boiling liquid – water or broth. Place the pot with the mixture on the stove on high heat. After the mixture returns to a boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Making buckwheat with veggies and eggs:

Heat the oil in a frying pan over moderate heat and sauté the onion until soft (3-5 minutes). Add mushrooms and cook until ready (4-6 minutes). Add salt and pepper.

Combine buckwheat, onions, mushrooms and eggs together and mix well. Garnish with parsley and serve. 

Tips:

• Skip the egg for a vegetarian option 

Enjoy!