Mike’s Hot Spicy Food Recipes

Angel Harvest Vegetable and Potato Soup for a Crowd

• 2 gallons cubed potatoes
• 3 quarts coarsely chopped carrots
• 2 quarts coarsely chopped celery
• 2 quarts sweet peas
• 1 quart string beans
• 10 green, red or yellow bell peppers
• 8 large onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 gallon spinach
• 10 quarts water
• 1/2 pound butter
• Black pepper to taste
• Handful of dried or fresh sage
• 2 handfuls of basil, dried or fresh
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley

Prep Time - 5

Cook Time - 40

Instructions

Place vegetables in a 5-gallon stock pot.

Add water; bring to a boil.

Add butter, salt, pepper and herbs.

Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

You can bypass whatever vegetables you don’t have in the house and skip the cheese. I like kale in this soup because it’s hearty and chewy and stands up to the firm-textured wild rice, but you can use any kind of green. You could use a lower fat milk, but it can break during cooking. Cream is a bit too rich. For me whole milk is the perfect addition here. Combining it with flour stabilizes it and thickens the soup. This is a great main dish soup. Just add bread, and a salad.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 ounces ham or bacon, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 cup uncooked wild or brown rice
• 2 cups chicken or beef broth
• 4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 2 ounces shredded Comte, Gruyere or Swiss cheese
• 2 ounces shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Salt and pepper
• 3 cups coarsely chopped fresh kale

Instructions

Combine first 6 ingredients (oil through garlic) in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.

Saute until browned, about 10 minutes.

Add rice; saute 2 minutes.

Add broth and water.

Simmer until rice in done, about 40 minutes.

Combine flour with 2 cups milk, whisk well.

Add to soup.

Add remaining milk.

Cook until soup is thickened, about 15 minutes.

Add cheese, salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes.

Avgolemono

Ingredients

• 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup uncooked white rice
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon parsley and pepper to garnish

Prep Time - 5

Cook Time - 20

Instructions

Bring chicken broth to a simmer and add rice.

Cover and simmer just until rice is done, about 15 minutes.

Whisk egg yolks with lemon juice.

Whisk a ladle of hot soup into egg mixture, then add back to pot.

Garnish with parsley and pepper.

This vegetarian, dairy-free soup is quite thick. Thin with a little water if desired.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 to 2 teaspoon minced, peeled fresh ginger
• 1 dash cayenne pepper
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 1/2 cups water, divided
• 1/2 cup tomato juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 5 green onions, chopped

Prep Time - 5

Cook Time - 20

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan.

Stir in yellow onions and carrots and cook, stirring often, until onions are soft, about 3 minutes.

Add ginger and cayenne; cook 1 minute.

Add sweet potato, 2 cups water, tomato juice, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Ladle soup into the bowl of a food processor. Add peanut butter. Cover and process until smooth. Pour into a clean pan.

Heat soup over low heat.

Add remaining 1/2 cup water to thin if desired.

Ingredients

• — Beans:
  • 2 cups dried cannellini or great Northern beans
  • 2 fresh rosemary sprigs, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh sage, or 1/8 teaspoon dried
  • 2 fresh thyme sprigs, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• — Soup:
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 3/4 cups yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 1/2 cups celery, peeled and diced
  • 1 tablespoon shallot, peeled and diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme, or 1/8 teaspoon dried
  • 1/8 teaspoon fresh sage, or 1 pinch dried
  • 1/8 teaspoon fresh oregano, or 1 pinch dried
  • 8 cups vegetable stock
  • 1 bunch kale or Swiss Chard, stemmed and chopped into bite-size pieces
  • prepared pesto
  • Parmesan cheese

Prep Time - 20

Cook Time - 88

Instructions

To cook the beans: Sort out any debris and broken beans and rinse the beans well in a strainer. Place in a bowl or pot, cover with water and soak for at least 8 hours or overnight. Rinse beans well before cooking. Place soaked and rinsed beans in a pot and cover with 3 inches of water; add rosemary, sage, thyme and garlic. Bring to a boil and decrease the heat. Cook the beans at a low simmer (bubbles will occasionally break the surface) for 45 minutes to 1 hour; begin tasting after 30 minutes. When the beans are tender but still al dente, add 1 teaspoon salt to the pot. The last 15 minutes are important, as the beans start to cook faster; taste to ensure the beans don’t overcook and fall apart.

To cook the soup: In an 8-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Sauté until golden. Add the carrots, celery, shallot and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté for 3 minutes more. Add the garlic, thyme, sage, and oregano and sauté for 2 minutes more.

You can use quick-cooking barley here to save time, but we like the chewiness of whole barley. You can find it next to the rice in supermarkets. Toss in some greens at the end for a splash of color.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound sirloin steak, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 (12-ounce) package mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup uncooked barley
• 1 (10 1/2-ounce) can fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
• 5 cups water
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chopped Swiss chard (optional)

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add beef and sauté until brown. Add onion and carrots; cook, mixing occasionally, until onion is softened, about 7 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook, mixing occasionally, until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are tender, about 8 minutes.

6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean stewing veal, trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped peeled carrots
• 1/3 cup finely chopped celery
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 8 cups canned fat-free chicken broth, plus more as needed
• 3/4 cup pearl barley
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried dillweed
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

4 servings

Recipe courtesy of Meatless Monday

Onions, celery and carrots are sautéed together for a traditional mirepoix base then seasoned with thyme and marjoram to flavor the hearty barley, kidney beans and waxy potatoes. This is a soup that will warm you through winter, but if you get a craving any other time of year, just throw in some of spring, summer or autumn’s bounty to easily adapt this classic.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, with leaves, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup lentils
• 1/2 cup barley
• 2 red or white creamer potatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Your choice in season vegetables
• 8 cups water or enough to cover the soup contents by 2 inches
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

Place the olive oil in a medium-large soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery and carrots. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until the veggies begin to soften and become fragrant.

Stir in the tomato paste. Season with the dried marjoram, thyme, salt and pepper. Sauté for 3-5 minutes more, stirring so the flavors meld and the spices are evenly distributed.

Add the barley, lentils, potatoes, kidney beans and whatever other seasonal vegetables you are adding and stir to combine. Pour in enough water to cover the soup contents by about 2 inches, about 8 cups depending on the size of the soup pot. Stir to combine, cover partially and let simmer for about 1 hour.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1/2 pound sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 8 cups beef or vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup medium pearl barley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large pot coated with nonstick cooking spray, saute the garlic, onion, carrot and mushrooms until tender. Add tomato sauce and broth. Bring to a boil and add barley. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 1 hour or until barley is done. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more water, if needed.

For small amounts of tomato paste, buy it in tubes—like toothpaste.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/3 cups diced carrots
• 1 cup diced onion
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3/4 teaspoon roasted ground cumin
• 3/4 cup red lentils
• 3 tablespoons uncooked brown rice
• 6 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable bouillon
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Prep Time - 10

Cook Time - 35 minutes

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add carrots and onion; cook, mixing occasionally, until onion is softened, about 7 minutes. Add tomato paste and cumin; mix to combine. Add lentils, rice, water, bouillon, salt and pepper; stir to combine.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes or until rice and lentils are tender. Makes about 6 cups.