Mussels In White Wine

Florida isn't called the Sunshine State for no reason. It truly lives up to its name because here, we live in a sweltering heat for most of the year. At times it feels like living in a huge oven cranked way up. It really does.

So rain in a place like this is truly refreshing. Its cooling effect is certainly much needed. It is a welcome respite to the daily humdrum of our lives, at least for me. There is something about rain that is soothing. In the bible, rain means blessing. It symbolizes a fresh start, a new beginning.

Where I originally come from (Philippines), there were only 2 seasons – the dry (summer) and the wet (rainy) season, with the latter being longer because really, it rains even in the middle of summer.


As a teenager, I looked forward to the rainy season. For me, it meant curling up in my bed to read a good novel; or, I would simply sit by the window to look at the rain drops drenching the ground while the sun-stroked leaves of the trees and plants are being quenched by its refreshing shower.

It was during those rainy times that I learned how to daydream. Yes, as a girl, I’ve done my share of daydreaming. The steady sound of the rain pounding the roof, the occasional lightning that strikes and the roll of thunderstorm thereafter had a hypnotic-like effect that caused me to drift away into the land of fantasy. Most often than not, those fantasies were related to the romance-novels that I’ve read where I usually was the story’s heroine, or the love-interest of a gorgeous young Prince. Isn't that how it is when we're young?

(In those days, there were no computers, video games and cellphones.)

Oh well, those were the days. Now back to reality.

I made this dish a while back but I did this after a day of incessant raining. I felt that a warm soup getting home after work would be good for my tired body. And I happened to have these mussels which I originally purchased because I had planned on making “baked tahong” (baked mussels, a popular dish in the Philippines). But then, since I wanted soup, I guess the “baked tahong” will have to wait for next time.

Afterall, a girl is entitled to change her mind, isn't she?



Mussels Soup In White Wine
1 lb mussels
1 c white wine
1 c chicken broth/stock
1 pc shallot, finely chopped
2 pcs garlic, finely chopped
1/3 c spinach
2 tbsp parsely*, chopped
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Rinse and scrub mussels. Using a pairing knife, remove the strings that hang from the shells and discard.
2. In a pot set over medium heat, combine wine, shallots, garlic, and salt.
3. Simmer for 5 minutes. Then add the mussels.
4. Cover and increase heat to high. Cook until mussels are open.
5. Stir in spinach, parsely (or whatever herbs you want) and butter. Remove from heat. Discard any unopened mussels.
6. Serve immediately with a crusty bread. Garnish with chives.

*NOTE: You can use whatever herb you like such as basil or tarragon.

Get Well Soup

There is one go-to soup when I don't feel so well - chicken noodle soup. There is something in this dish that just comforts and makes me feel better when I'm feeling a bit under the weather. Maybe it's the warm soup or the chicken? I don't know. Whatever it is, I somehow craved for it tonight. I'm not sick though, mind you. And I just didn't want to open a packet of ramen noodles. That would have been much easier, but I'm mindful of the sodium content in those little packs. I wanted a good, home-made noodle soup, the way I remember when my mother used to do it.Chicken Noodle Soup:
2 c water (or more)
2 pcs boneless/skinless chicken breast, diced
1/2 med sized onion, diced
2 pcs med sized carrotts,diced
1 large rib of celery,diced
2 small potatoes,diced
1 cup wide egg noodles (yolk-free)
1/4 c hvy whipping cream or milk or half & half (optional)
Directions:
Place your chicken in the pot with 2 cups of water. Season with salt and pepper. Let the water come to a boil, and when it does, reduce the heat to let it simmer until the chickent gets tender. When the chicken is tender, add your carrots and potatoes and noodles. Let it simmer for another 6-7 minutes or till the noodles get done and the veggies are tender. Then add the onion and celery. Adjust seasoning. If desired, add the whipped cream at the end just before turning off the heat.

The noodle absorbs some of the broth so you may need to add more liquid as you cook. I recommend adding either chicken broth or chicken stock if you have those on hand. And of course, you can add any vegetable you like in your soup.

Awesome Twosome

There are things that are meant to be together. Like peanut butter and jelly. Coffee and creamer. And yes, grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup.

This was my husband's craving once again. He said that he hasn't had it in a while. And it was a good time too since the temperature dropped and we had the coldest weather in 2008 that day.
For my sandwich, I wanted a firm bread that can withstand grilling, so I decided to use sourdough bread. I melted some butter and added some garlic cloves. Then I brushed the outer sides of the bread with the melted garlic-infused butter. For the sandwhich, I had deli-bought turkey and ham. I cooked a couple of strips of bacon and I added it in too, just for a smokey flavor in the background. As for the cheese, I used three different kinds - provolone (my husband's fave), guyere (swiss cheese) and parmesan cheese. Oh don't panic, I didn't put a lot - I just grated and mixed 3 different kinds of cheeses, ok?
The cheese melted beautifully. And the bread was toasted to perfection. Sourdough turned out to be an excellent choice. I don't have a panini press so I did what Asians would do... I got some good ol' foil for cover and laid some heavy canned goods on top of the sandwiches, hence the beautiful grill marks.. tadahhhh.. isn't that what you call resourcefulness?

As for the tomato soup - Mr. Campbell did it for me. I just added some julienned fresh basil leaf to it for flavor (another twosome - tomato & basil). I am a good wife but not that good. I wouldn't want to start making tomato soup from scratch when American Idol is coming on in a few minutes. Gotta have priorities, ya know?! Hahahahha... (Hubby, you're still my #1. Luv ya!)

Mung Bean Soup

This is a common Filipino dish that is probably the equivalent of lentil soup here in the United States. It's made of mung bean or "monggo" as we say in our language.

The soup is very easy to make, except that the beans take a while to cook enough to be mashed.

Ingredients:

1 c mung beans, 2 c water (more may be added when boiling), 1 clove garlic, 1 small onion, 1/4 lb meat (whatever you prefer), 1 c veggetables (spinach is suggested but you can use whatever you like)

Directions:

Boil the beans for about 30 minutes. When they're fork tender, mash them up. This will make for a creamy soup.

When the beans are ready, in another pan sautee garlic, onion. When the onions have turned transluscent, add the meat. (I added ground meat to mine.) When the meat is cooked, add the vegetables. (I had left-over broccoli slaw in the fridge so that's what I added in). Continue sauteing for 2-3 mins. and when the veggies have softened up, add the entire sautee mixture to the boiling soup and stir. For more flavor, I added chicken stock to my soup but this is not done tradionally. Season with salt and pepper. Just simmer for another 3 minutes and your soup is done! This soup is very versatile, as most soups are. In my country, we usually add to it a certain leafy vegetable called "kangkong" - very similar to spinach. Some even add a bit of coconut milk for a creamier soup.

The soup is served with steamed rice, to be eaten at best when it is warm.

This is a healthy soup, my ultimate comfort food. Luckily, Mr. J likes it too. Reminds him of the Philippines, he says... (of course!!! )