Tag Archives: Whole Foods

Tapas, anyone? Spanish Grilled Corn Will Rock Your World

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Back to Corn with a Bam

See what happens when you don’t write for a few days? Not only do I get antsy and miss communicating with all of you, but my stats plummet as no one reads my blog. Sigh. Pesky day job keeps getting in the way of my dreams, which is to share my love of cooking and nutrition with you as much as possible, in as many ways as possible.

That said, I do love being a scientist, and in fact I was in upstate New York this week at a conference where one of the issues we discussed was communicating science – something I’m quite passionate about indeed and do regularly on this blog. More to say on that soon, but at present I simply must conclude my riveting two part series on grilled corn. Why today, you ask? Because weekends are for grilling, August is for sweet summer corn, and this recipe is another creative way to enjoy this fabulous vegetable-cum-grain.

And because, dude, this recipe is, like, totally, totally awesome. (Said in the voice of a teenage girl.) 

Grilled Corn Gets Crazy

So, where was I? Ah, yes. Earlier this week I covered the basics of how-to grill corn, and that’s the starting point for this recipe, obviously. But, actually, the idea for this post flowed logically from a few themes I’ve explored on my blog of late. I recently gave you my luscious recipe for a raspberry gimlet inspired by Tremont 647, and the week prior I dedicated a post to grilled vegetables and various things you can do with them, including a Mediterranean sandwich with pesto and two cheeses and grilled parm.  And then last week I posted my recipe for summer sangria with stone fruit and berries at the behest of one of my readers.

So today’s post on Spanish grilled corn is just about perfect, I’d say, to bring together all three themes—grilling, restaurants, and Spanish delights—in one delectable dish. That’s because this recipe was inspired by one of the most popular dishes at Toro, one of Boston’s top Spanish tapas bars (picture below). I was also lucky enough to catch a version at Whole Foods, too, where it was being grilled outside the store one day.

It’s really quite simple. Start by grilling corn, as described here. Have ready your sriracha butter (Whole Foods version) or an aioli of choice (Toro version, left). For sriracha butter (how much heat can you take?), simply soften or melt the butter and add some sriracha (Asian chili sauce) and mix together to taste. The recipe for my go-to garlic aioli is here, which I’ll try next time but in these pictures I used sriracha butter. (The difference: sriracha butter adds a spicy kick, whereas garlic aioli is just plain yum.) All you do is slather the corn with the sauce of choice—yes, I did just say slather: this not-your-everyday-corn is a special occasion summer treat—and then top with aged cheese; I used cotija.

Do we need a bigger picture of the finished dish to truly appreciate how outrageous this corn is? Yes, I think we do.

So pick up some local corn this weekend, get your grill fired up, and grab a whole bunch of napkins. (Is it time to switch to cloth napkins to reduce your paper consumption and green up your diet?) Make this recipe and worry not at all about your greasy chin and the corn kernels and cheese crumbles all over your face. That’s part of the fun of eating this dish, and if people are willing to eat it at one of Boston’s hippest tapas bars and trendiest restaurants – and that they do, in droves – then certainly you can try it out in the privacy of your home.

Take a bite, and relish the huge corn-eating grin that appears on your face.

P.K. Newby Dr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thank you for reading.

Another Reason to Love Leftovers: Succulent Crab Bisque

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Sweet crab, cream, squash, and sherry create a heavenly combination and the hue of the soup will vary from orange to yellow depending on which vegetables you use and how much cream you add.

A few months back I began a three part series on squash soup, the goal being to demonstrate not only how to make a delectable roasted vegetable soup but also how to morph the leftovers into a totally different meal. In the first video, I roasted squash and used it to make a basic soup. I then took a quart of that soup and turned it into one of my favorite soups ever, a sweet and spicy Vietnamese noodle soup with coconut, curry, and rice noodles. Today I complete that series with a recipe for crab bisque, another of my soups that have brought smiles and applause.

(Well, from me, at least.)

Culinary Inspiration from Supermarket Soup

As I pointed out in another of my leftover soup concoctions, curried roasted eggplant soup, culinary inspiration comes from all places – even prepared convenience foods from a local supermarket (Whole Foods) or soup and sandwich chain (Au Bon Pain).  I’m far from alone in trying out an away-from-home goodie and looking for the recipe online: my post on eggplant soup is one of my most popular, it turns out. This story is no different, as it began when I first sampled the butternut squash crab bisque as part of Whole Foods’ lineup about 5 years ago; sweet potato crab bisque is a similar variant they offer. I fell in love with that soup, and purchasing it every now and again was a special treat when I didn’t feel like cooking and had a craving.

It was only a matter of time before I said “I can make this.”

And so can you.

Making Crab Bisque

Prepare the basic roasted squash soup as shown here; additional ingredients are onion, carrots, celery, shallot, garlic, sherry, crab meat,  and cream. In a soup pot, sauté 1/2-1 medium finely diced onion, 1/2 c each carrot and celery, and 1 shallot on medium heat in 2 tbsp olive oil until translucent and soft, about 6 minutes. (Carrots and celery are optional.) Add 1-2 cloves of crushed garlic and stir for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add 1/2 c sherry to deglaze the pan. (You can omit the sherry if you prefer; the soup will still be delicious.) Bring to a boil and reduce as much as you’d like: I prefer having a stronger scent of sherry but if you don’t you can reduce it completely, taking care not to scorch the onions. After a few minutes, add ~4-6 c of the roasted squash soup, whatever quantity you have / feel like using. Heat the soup on medium-high, until hot. Add 1 cup of crab meat (lump, claw, or legs), picked over to remove extraneous shells, and about 1/2-1 cup light or heavy cream. Mix, heat through, and season to taste with black or white pepper, salt,  sherry, and cream. Serve garnished with diced red pepper or a few pieces of crab meat.

(Here’s another recipe I found online for Whole Foods version of the soup, which is different as it starts without a roasted squash base. Between the roasting, sherry, and vegetable stock, I’ve gotta say that I like my recipe better.)

Other Notes: From Leftovers to Freezer to Dinner

First, note that this recipe could easily substitute lobster for the crab, if you are so inclined, and it would be a much less expensive and labor intensive version of lobster bisque of sorts, albeit not quite as lobster-y as here as you’ll begin with a squash base rather than a lobster stock. You can also add fresh tarragon, thyme, or sage to the soup, as I do on occasion. (Just one, not all.) And, like all soups, this one freezes well and I recently enjoyed a bowl one evening. (Yes, hot soup is just as good in the summer as it is in the winter and can even help cool you off.)

So, you see, the moral of today’s soup story is simple. Many people don’t have time to cook homemade meals from scratch every day, and I am one of them. Until I am either a food television star, own a restaurant, or win the lottery, I will likely never have the pleasure or gift of cooking every day. And, who are we kidding? I wouldn’t even then, given how much I enjoy dining out on occasion to experience the culinary wonders of the world beyond my own kitchen.

But I digress.

The moral is that you don’t need to cook every day to eat freshly prepared meals the majority of the time. Home cooked meals are often much healthier for you than prepared foods even in the best of circumstances, whether due to portion distortion or unknown and unnecessary ingredients. I’m not saying it takes no effort, to be clear: I did take a bit of time to make the initial roasted squash soup. But that one soup went a long way in making three different dishes, all of which were frozen for another meal. (Soups can easily remain in the freezer a good 6 months, by the way.)

To recap: Learn to cook. Learn to love leftovers and use them creatively. Learn to freeze.

Assuming all is kept in balance, you will most likely lose weight, improve your health, and enjoy more quality time with your friends, family, and loved ones, who will appreciate your efforts. I hope you’ll also have a sense of accomplishment, if not fun. And don’t knock preparing a fabulous home cooked meal even if it’s just for you, either. I’ve done the same on innumerable occasions.

And guess what?

You’re worth it.

P.K. Newby Dr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my cooking videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thank you for reading.

Eat Squash, Not Slime (Roasted Squash Soup, That Is)

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Roasted squash soup: elegant on its own and a starting place for other recipes.

If you’re just tuning in, today is Part II of the squash series. Part I was the intro and prep, where we discussed ingredients and roasted our veggies. Today’s video brings this flavorful soup together in a few easy steps: chop, sauté, mix, blend, stir, done. I did a bit of editing to save some valuable minutes of your life. I mean, do you really need to see me blend soup for 40 seconds? I thought not.

Crazy Carotenoid Soup

Why “crazy carotenoid soup,” you ask? Well, better that than “crazy Cucurbita soup,” for starters, which refers to the winter squash genus. The sweet potatoes are in there this time just for variety, but all three bright orange vegetables are rich in the carotenoids alpha- and beta-carotene (like carrots). There are hundreds of carotenoids in nature that act powerfully in the body to promote health and prevent diseases like cardiovascular disease and cancers when consumed as part of a plant-based diet. These veggies also sport a few other key carotenoids, like lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-cryptoxanthin (hence the “crazy carotenoid” name). They’re great sources of vitamins A and C and minerals like manganese and potassium; fiber, good starches, and many other phytonutrients are in there, too, all working together to reduce inflammation and increase insulin sensitivity, good things your body needs. Good for vision, too. Combine all that with the satiating power of soup and you’ve got a slime-free meal that will keep you healthy, satisfied, and coming back for more.

Perhaps over time, you’ll gradually come to see why soup is such a big part of my diet. And, incidentally, also makes a great gift.  After all, nothing says “I love you” better than soup. Except maybe diamonds. But soup is cheaper, so, yeah, go with that.

Cooking Notes

I mention in the video that this is my “basic” squash soup recipe but I want to be clear that “basic” does not equal “boring.”  It’s absolutely wonderful, and I encourage you to start with this foundation and then start playing once you get comfortable. Some people toss carrots and/or apples into the veggie mix. Others grate ginger or sprinkle in curry for an Asian flair. Maple syrup or honey provide sweetness and complexity, while cream contributes body and richness.  I’ve made all of these variations as the mood and market strikes, and they’re all superb and keep things interesting. Finally, you can steam the squash or boil it in the stock rather than roast it if you prefer, but roasting produces a far tastier soup as the flavors and sugars concentrate during the process. As well, roasting with a bit of olive oil, a healthy monounsaturated fat, increases both the “yum” and the absorption of all those wonderful fat-soluble nutrients. However you prepare it, you saw just how easy it is, so you don’t always need to go to Au Bon Pain, Whole Foods, or wherever you go to get your squash soup on. Now you can make it at home, share it with a friend, freeze it, and use it a base for additional variants, like I do.

Squash Beats Slime

It took loads of discipline to post Part II of my squash series today rather than a Jon Stewart / Stephen Colbert satiric duo on Pink Slime. (Slime? Squash. Slime!? Squash. Slime?…and so it went. ) For better – and occasionally worse – I’ll pretty much always go for funny over not, hence my motto “Life is Short. Make it Funny.”  That said, we really did need to move this squash soup video along so I can get to Part III, which is actually one of the best new dishes I’ve made this year. Stay tuned for that, and fear not the heat of the soup – you can make it as sweet or fiery as your little tastebuds desire.

Oh, and I did post a link to the Colbert video on my Facebook page, so you can check it out there if you’re so inclined; I’ll get the set up on my blog at some point, perhaps.  In the meanwhile, dude, it’s beef. I mean, bro, it’s slime.

Whatever you call it, we can avoid the whole matter completely with squash.

P.K. NewbyDr. P. K. Newby is a nutrition scientist and educator with expertise in the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases through diet and the relations between agriculture, food production, and public health. She brings together her passions for food, cooking, science, and sustainability through her writing and videos to help people eat their way towards better health, one delectable bite at a time. If you like what you see here at The Nutrition Doctor is In the Kitchen, please subscribe to my blog from the home page, become a fan on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, check out my food porn on Pinterest, watch my videos on YouTube, and peruse my recipe page for soups, salads, seafood, sweets, and more. Thanks for reading!

The Gift of Soup

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The Three Wise Men brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh. I brought soup.

Pumpkin-Cashew Soup with Coconut and Curry

I am not sure whether my sister was kidding or not when she said a few months ago that she would pay me for my soup. Obviously I’m not charging money for my food – yet – and I sent her down a batch of pumpkin-cashew with coconut and curry over Thanksgiving. However, her soup request solved the whole “what should I get my sister for Christmas” dilemma. What better gift than homemade soup to warm up cold nights in the coming months of winter?

Step 1. Remove frozen veggie scraps from the freezer.

Thus began project soup, which filled a number of evenings in December. My soups utilized many of the hearty vegetables I purchased on black Friday at the Copley Square farmers’ market right before Thanksgiving. As well, I employed a bag of veggie scraps from my freezer to make a huge batch of stock, which formed the base for the soups. If you’re still not sure about making your own vegetable stock, I’d like to take this opportunity once again to encourage you to do so. It is really quite joyful! I mentioned in my veggie stock video that I keep a plastic bag in the freezer where I collect various peels and trimmings until I’m ready to make soup.

Step 2. Put frozen vegetables into a large stock pot, then fill with water.

All you do is toss the frozen veggies into a big pot of water with a teaspoon of salt or so (if you like) and bring it up to a boil. After simmering for about 45 minutes, strain out the veggies and you’re good to go. I’m not exactly sure why, but this batch was particularly tasty and yielded almost 16 cups. Making your own stock will bring down the price of your homemade soup. My store bought stock is about $3/quart, for example, so $12 in total to achieve 16 cups; I basically consider the homemade stock to be free as it is made from things that would be otherwise discarded. (Don’t get me started on the sodium issue; homemade soup is so much better for you and the environment for so many reasons.)

Less than 1 hour later: Beautfiul, rich vegetable stock

My stock was used as a base for four soups: winter squash, potato leek with smoked mackerel, wild mushroom with spinach, and butternut squash crab bisque. I didn’t take pictures of them, alas, but they were pretty amazing. (The mushroom soup also employed a stock made with dried porcini mushrooms.) Because I make soup in large batches, it is among the most efficient meals you can make: I had plenty of soup for several suppers for two in December alongside various quarts that went directly into the freezer for storage until seeing my sister today. I even had enough to make a few individual-sized portions to freeze for my husband for the next time I am out of town.

I have nothing amusing to say about these soups, unfortunately. But it pleases me that I was able to give this gift of love and health, delivered in person from my kitchen to my sister’s. So much better than the holiday-themed tube top I was otherwise considering.