How you doin’? Cold soup is a very tricky thing, and it is the rare chef that can carry it off well. More often than not, the dinner guests are left with the impression that had they only arrived a little earlier they could have enjoyed it while it was still hot.
 
You’ve heard the old saying, “never wear white after Labor Day and never serve soup in the summer (or something like that). Not true!
 
We whirled up fresh, green batches of gazpacho over the years and even included them on my restaurant menus. I make the green one at home when I have more overly ripe avocado than I know what to do with. I’ve been told that my green gazpacho converted many summer cold-soup skeptics into full-blown fanatics of the stuff. So, what do you do when you have more out-of-the-garden tomatoes and summer harvest, garden grown vegetables than you can use? We go to the other side of the color wheel and see red.
 
My Summer’s End Chilled Gazpacho is made with a lightly acidified broth, made with puréed tomatoes and a wheel barrel of fresh harvest diced vegetables—Vidalia onions, punchy garlic, sweet red bell pepper, spicy red jalapeño and crunchy cucumber. If you’ve got some extra summer corn toss it in. All those veggies make this gazpacho a bit heartier than a straight purée, but it’s still wonderfully refreshing. You’ll love the combination of the cool, delicate broth with the fresh, crisp, vegetable textures.
 
Serve with warm crusty sourdough bread and a bottle of Mondavi Fume Blanc.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  30 seconds
Chill time:  2 hours
Yield:  6 servings
 
Ingredients 
6 to 8 large ripe red tomatoes, cored
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced Vidalia onion
2 tablespoon minced cloves
1-1/2 cups diced red or orange bell pepper
1 diced jalapeño pepper, seeds and seams removed
1 diced English cucumber, seeds removed
1/2 cup fresh corn off the cob (optional)
1-1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro leaves with stems

Directions
1.    Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.
2.    Fill a large bowl of water with half ice and half water to shock the cooked tomatoes.
3.    Cut an “x” on the bottom of each cored tomato (this makes it easier to peel) and, using a slotted spoon, gently place them into the boiling water for about 30 seconds.
4.     Remove the tomatoes with the slotted spoon and transfer them immediately to the bowl of ice water.
5.    Once the tomatoes have cooled, peel off the skin and cut them into quarters. Using a strainer over an empty bowl, squeeze out the seeds and reserve 1 cup of the tomato juice. Discard the seeds.
6.    Transfer the squeezed, seeded tomatoes to a blender. Add the reserved 1 cup tomato juice and the extra virgin olive oil, and pulse until the tomatoes are completely puréed.
7.    Pour the purée into a large bowl and add the diced Vidalia onions, garlic, bell peppers, jalapeño peppers, English cucumbers, corn (if you’re using it), rice and balsamic vinegar, kosher salt, and black pepper; stir to incorporate all ingredients well.

Note: Reserve some of the chopped vegetables to garnish the soup.

8.    Refrigerate the soup for at least 2 hours, allowing the flavors to blossom.
9.    Serve in chilled bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro and reserved veggies, if applicable.

ChefSecret:  This soup can be made a day or two in advance and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Planning ahead, makes life a little easier by preparing this gazpacho a day or so in advance. The flavors only get more intense the longer you let the soup’s ingredients blossom in the refrigerator. 

Quip of the Day:  “Soup puts the heart at ease, calms down the violence of hunger, eliminates the tension of the day and awakens and refines the appetite." — Auguste Escoffier
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Do you have a question or comment?   Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

#Entree #Soup #SummerSoup #Gazpacho #ChilledGazpacho #MondaviFumeBlanc #Vegan #Vegetarian #2023Recipes #Covid19 #QuarantineKitchen #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 
                                                                   ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? One of the most ordered entrée salads at my Fanny’s Fish Markets was our Healthy Taco Salad—it outsold the next most popular salad by 2 to 1.
 
No one likes boring salads. What most guests are looking for is a lot of different ingredients far and away above just lettuce, tomato and shredded carrots.
 
Nothing beats my Healthy Taco Salad recipe in the summertime or any time. Crisp veggies, creamy dressing and crunchy corn tortilla strips make it fresh and fun to eat. This easy taco salad recipe makes for a filling lunch or fun dinner. Prepare the components ahead of time and store them separately for quick assembly. Oh, by-the-way, this recipe is gluten-free and vegan—we were way ahead of our time.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  10 minutes
Yield:  2 to 3 servings
 
Ingredients 
For the salad
2 corn tortillas, sliced into strips (read the ingredient declaration—no wheat flour)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1 medium head chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup shredded red cabbage
1/2 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed (canned is okay)
2 red thinly sliced radishes
1/2 cup sliced cherry tomatoes (cut in half) and/or pico de gallo
1 avocado, sliced
1 red jalapeño, sliced very thin (optional)
Vegan cheese shreds (optional)
Cilantro-Lime Dressing (see recipe), the creamy avocado variation
Sea salt, to taste
8 quartered lime wedges, for serving
 
For the shiitake taco “meat”
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and diced
1 cup crushed walnuts
1 tablespoon tamari
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
 
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Toss the tortilla strips together with a tiny bit of olive oil and a few pinches of salt. Spread onto the sheet and bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until crispy.
3. Make the Shiitake Taco “Meat”: In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring only occasionally, until they begin to brown and soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Stir in the walnuts and lightly toast for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Stir in the tamari, the chili powder and cumin.
6. Add the balsamic vinegar and stir again. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Assemble the salad with the romaine lettuce, cabbage, black beans, taco “meat,” radishes, tomatoes, avocado, jalapeños, if using, and generous dollops of cilantro-lime avocado dressing.
8. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
9. Serve with lime wedges and extra dressing on the side.

 
                                                           Easy Cilantro-Lime Dressing 
This is a great dressing to have on hand in the fridge for topping salads, tacos, or burrito bowls.
 
Prep Time:  5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield:  About 1 cup
 
Ingredients 
2 cups fresh cilantro
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
 
Directions

1. In a food processor, place the cilantro, garlic, lime juice, maple syrup, coriander and salt and pulse to combine.
2. With the blade running, pour in the olive oil slowly and process until smooth.

Make it creamy (optional)--blend with 1 avocado or 1/2 cup vegan yogurt.

Make it spicy (optional)— by adding a bit of jalapeño or a few pickled jalapeños.
 
ChefSecret:  Like all salad recipes, this one is great to play with. Swap in the veggies you have on hand or adjust the toppings to make something you really love.
 
Quip of the Day:  Q: How much do I love Taco Salads? A: From my head to-ma-toes!
 
Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. Recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
​
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

#Entrees #Salads #HealthyTacoSalad #CilantroLimeDressing #VeganSalad #GlutenFree #2023 #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                                                   ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

ow you doin’? Spring has sprung and there are lots of terrific seasonal vegetables available in the supermarket and at farmers’ markets. 
 
At this time of year I always consider a nice, fresh salad for either lunch or dinner. For my tastes salads are all about texture and my Spring Chopped is no exception. It’s got a bit of everything in it: crispy romaine and sweet red onion, crunchy radicchio, pepperoncini, juicy cherry tomatoes, starchy chickpeas and creamy provolone.
 
My vinaigrette is a simple Mediterranean classic: lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced shallots, garlic and fresh oregano. It is so simple.  It lightly and evenly coats and adds even more brightness and verve to the salad. We especially love how it contrasts with the bitterness of the radicchio, the smokiness of the cheese, and the subtle heat and bite of the pepperoncini.
 
My Chopped Salad recipe is easy to toss together, however, there is quite a bit of chopping (it’s in the name, after all). Just take out a giant cutting board so you have plenty of space and set the salad bowl nearby for smooth transferring and you’re ready to go—chop, chop!
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings:
 
Ingredients 
For the Mediterranean vinaigrette
1-1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced peeled shallot
1 tablespoon garlic, grated or pressed clove
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, plus more for garnish
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground course black pepper, plus more to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
 
For the salad fixin’s
3 fresh romaine hearts, trimmed and torn bite-size
1 head radicchio, quartered, cored and chopped bite-size
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes cut in halves
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
8 ounces diced smoked provolone
8 pepperoncini, stemmed and sliced
 
Directions
To make the vinaigrette

1. In a small bowl or in a blender, whisk together the lemon juice, the 2 vinegars, shallot, garlic, oregano, salt and black pepper.
2. Slowly pour in the olive oil, while whisking, to emulsify. Set it aside.

To make the salad

1. In a large bowl, combine the hearts of romaine, radicchio, red onion, tomatoes, chickpeas, provolone and pepperoncini.
2. Drizzle the dressing over the salad greens and toss gently to coat; Do not over-dress.
3. Season with salt and pepper and lightly toss again.
4. Garnish with chopped oregano and serve.

 
ChefSecret:  Try making my Chopped Salad 100% sustainable to help save the planet.  Use a plant-based, smoked provolone from Violife that adds depth to all of the fresh ingredients and makes this salad perfect for vegans, the dairy-averse, and those of us who are trying to eat a little more sustainably.  Personally, I do not eat a vegan diet (I’m a carnivore through-and-through) and I like to add a 1/4 cup of pepperoni or dry salami to my salad greens. 

Quip of the Day:  What did the preacher say to the salad before he ate it?  “Lettuce pray.”

Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. Recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

#Salads #ChoppedSalads #MediterraneanSpringChoppedSalad #Vinaigrette #Provolone #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
                                                                               ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’?  This is a great soup that can even be made vegetarian with just a few substitutions… and the best part is that it is still rich and delicious (see ChefSecret). It is fast to prepare in your trusty Instant Pot.
 
As in many cases relating to the history of foods the origin of tortellini is disputed. Both Bologna and Modena, cities in Italy's Emilia-Romagna region, claim to be the birthplace. The first recipe I found for "torteletti" appears in 1570 from Bartolomeo Scappi. Vincenzo Tanara's writings in the mid-17th century may be responsible for the pasta's renaming to tortellini. In the 1800s, legends sprang up to explain the recipe's origins, offering a compromise. Castelfranco Emilia, located between Bologna and Modena, is featured in one legend in which Venus stays at an inn. Overcome by her beauty, the innkeeper spies on her through a keyhole, through which he can only see her navel. He is inspired to create a pasta in this shape.
 
This legend would be at the origin of the term ombelico di Venere (Venus' navel), occasionally used to describe tortellini. In honor of this legend, an annual festival is held in Castelfranco Emilia. Another legend suggests that the shape comes from Modena's architecture, which resembles a turtle.
 
No matter the history or which story you believe, my Instant Pot Creamy Tortellini Soup is very delicious! Make it a little spicey with Italian sausage… or without.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time:  2 minutes, plus pressure build-up and release
Natural Release:  5 minutes
Yield:  6 servings
 
Ingredients 
For the basic soup
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 pound bulk mild Italian sausage
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
4 tablespoons minced garlic
3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
 
Added after pressure cooking
8 to 10 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini (you can also use refrigerated ravioli)
1 cup loosely-packed fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup heavy cream
 
For the garnish
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley (flat parsley)
1/2 cup ground Parmesan cheese
 
Directions 
To make the stock

1. Set an instant Pot to the SAUTÉ setting.
2. When the pot is hot add the oil and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just turning translucent.
3. Add the carrots and celery; cook for a minute.
4. Add the sausage, breaking it up as it cooks. Cook until most of the pink is gone.
5. Add the red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and thyme leaves. Stir well.
6. Then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring to incorporate.
7. Pour and stir in the chicken broth, wine and the diced tomatoes.
8. Close the lid and seal the release.
9. Set the timer for 2 MINUTES on HIGH pressure. The pot will take several minutes to come to pressure.
10. When the cook cycle has finished, allow NATURAL RELEASE for 5 MINUTES.
11. Carefully open the release valve and vent the remaining pressure.
12. When the pressure is released carefully open the lid.
13. Add the tortellini and stir. Make sure all of them are submerged.
14. Then place the lid back on leaving the steam vent open so it doesn't build pressure.
15. Let the soup rest for about 10 minutes. The tortellini will cook in the residual heat of the soup.
16. Open the lid and add the spinach and stir well.
17. Pour in the cream and stir to incorporate.
18. Garnish as desired and serve hot.

ChefSecret:  To make this soup vegetarian, skip the sausage, replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth, use a veggie-filled tortellini and use almond milk instead of cream.

Quip of the Day: “Wrinkles mean you have laughed, grey hair means you have thought, tears mean you have cared and scars mean you have lived.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross.

​#InstantPot #Soup #TortelliniSoup #Modena #Bologna #Emilia-Romagna #ItalianSausage #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  

                                                                           ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023

How you doin’? If you’re bored with the same-old, same-old salads, try adding a tangy twist to your repertoire.
 
This tangy and flavorful dressing has a smooth 'zip' to it because of nutritional yeast and garlic powder. It's a great dressing for salads of any kind. It works great as a dipping sauce as well.
 
Anyone who is looking for something different will definitely enjoy this dressing. The best part is that it takes only minutes to make. Vegetarians will love it for its protein- packed, light, clean taste.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Yield:  2 cups—16 servings
 
Ingredients 
1 cup olive oil
1 cup nutritional yeast (I prefer Bragg)
2/3 cup tamari (gluten-free soy sauce; I prefer Kikkoman)
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
 
Directions

1. Blend olive oil, nutritional yeast, tamari, cider vinegar, lemon juice, garlic powder, basil, oregano, and thyme together in a food processor or blender until dressing is smooth.
2. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

 
ChefSecret: The lemon juice is the key ingredient to heighten freshness and brightness of flavor. Adding a thin slice of lemon to a sandwich does the same thing.
 
Quip of the Day: “Your mind is a garden, your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers or you can grow weeds.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
-------------------------------------------
To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, be positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to Feeding America and/or American Red Cross. 

#SaladDressing #AsianDressing #Tamari #Bragg #CiderVinegar #VeganDressing  #2023Recipes #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #RedCross #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup  
                                                                           ©PERSPECTIVES/The Consulting Group, LLC, 2023