Archive for Soups & Salads
Bündner Gerstensuppe – Swiss Barley Soup
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In my home canton of Graubünden, high up in the German-speaking part of Switzerland, this barley soup is served in every little mountain restaurant. After a morning of hiking in the fresh mountain air, there’s nothing better than lunch on the sun terrace of a rustic mountain restaurant. A large bowl of Bündner Gerstensuppe with an endless supply of thick slabs of rye bread for dunking, carried out to be eaten in the alpine sunshine, really hits the spot.
Eating Gerstensuppe At Alp Garfiun Near Klosters, Switzerland
Chock-a-block full of wieners, barley, and vegetables, this hearty soup is more like a stew. And it gives you lots of energy for an afternoon of vigorous hiking in the high Alps.
Note: Use good European-style wieners – not hot dogs.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
1 tbsp olive oil
½ lb (220g) wieners, cut into ¼-½” (5-12mm) rounds
¼ cup barley
4 cups chicken stock (or water and 2 bouillon cubes)
1/8 head cabbage, thinly sliced
1 carrot, sliced into ¼” (5mm) rounds & quartered
1 stalk celery, sliced ¼” (5mm) thick
1 leek, sliced into ¼” (5mm) rounds
1 bayleaf
½ cup whipping cream
Copious quantity of rye bread, sliced thick
1. In a medium pot, heat oil over medium-low. Add wieners and lightly brown them – cooking 5-8 minutes.
2. Add barley and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add stock, cabbage, carrot, celery, leek, and bay leaf. Bring to simmer. Cover and simmer for 1½ hours.
4. Stir in cream and serve with a large basket of rye bread.
Earthy Chestnut Soup
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This earthy chestnut soup banishes the chill on a cold winter day. With a dash of brandy to send Jack Frost away, bowls of this chestnut soup will be greeted with devilish delight.
And, it’s very simple to concoct.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
½ lb (220g) cooked chestnuts
3 cups chicken stock (or water & 2 bouillon cubes)
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
½ cup cream
2 tbsp brandy
Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
1. In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, until tender.
2. Add the chestnuts, stock, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Remove the bay leaf, and puree the soup in a food processor.
4. Stir in the cream and brandy, and gently reheat.
5. Serve with minced parsley as an optional garnish.
Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatball Soup
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On a dreary, cold, and cloudy day, a chance of having this soul-warming meatball soup will soon bring back some sunshine. Savoury meatballs, a tomatoey soup, and fluffy, cloud-like bowtie pasta make this meatball soup a delight on any cold day. Top it with generous helpings of Parmesan cheese and you’re in kitchen devil’s heaven.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
Meatballs
½ lb (220g) ground meat (beef and pork mix)
1 oz (30g) Parmesan cheese, grated
½ cup bread crumbs
½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 egg, beaten
Soup
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 15oz can tomatoes, broken into pieces
4 cups chicken or beef stock (or water & 2 bouillon cubes)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried oregano
3 oz (85g) bowtie pasta (or other delicate pasta)
Make Meatballs
1. In a large bowl, combine the ground meat, Parmesan, bread crumbs, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix until well distributed.
2. Add the egg and mix until mixture holds together.
3. Between the palms of your hands, roll out 1” (2.5cm) meatballs. Put on a platter. If you’re making them far in advance of making the soup, cover them and place the platter in the refrigerator.
Make Soup
4. In a large sauce pan, heat the oil over low heat. Add the onions and cook gently for 8-10 minutes, until tender.
5. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute on low.
6. Add the tomatoes, stock, salt, basil, and oregano. Bring to a simmer and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
7. Gently add the meatballs – slipping them in one at a time. Simmer, covered, for another 15 minutes.
8. Add the bowtie pasta, increase the heat to medium-low, and boil (uncovered) for 10-11 minutes (or 1-2 minutes less than the cooking time on the pasta package). Occasionally, give the soup a gentle stir.
Serve up in shallow soup bowls with a generous bowl of freshly-grated Parmesan cheese on the side.
Yogurt Creamy Pumpkin Soup
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This is a super simple and easy soup. Just chop up a pumpkin or squash, boil it, blend it, and whip in some yogurt. Devilishly easy and you soon have a tasty pumpkin soup.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
1 ¾ lb pumpkin or squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into bite-sized pieces
4 cups chicken stock (or water and 2 bouillon cubes)
½ tsp salt
1 cup plain yogurt
1. Bring the pumpkin, stock, and salt to a boil. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
2. In a food processor, puree the pumpkin in batches.
3. Return to the pot and reheat.
4. Turn off the heat and whisk in the yogurt.
For an elegant serving, float a dollop of yogurt on top and sprinkle with a pinch of paprika.
Creamy Onion Salad Dressing
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This dressing takes only a few minutes to make and you’ll have enough for many salads. The recipe has been in my family for generations, and I can’t take credit for creating it or modifying it. Not even sure which of my devilish ancestors came up with this recipe, but it sure is a refreshing treat.
Ingredients (2 ½ cups)
1 tbsp flour
1 ½ cups water
1 onion, minced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 cup olive oil
1/3 cup vinegar
½ cup mayonnaise
1. In a small bowl or saucer, mix the flour with 1 tbsp of the water. Make sure the flour fully dissolves and break up any lumps.
2. In a saucepan, bring the remaining water, the flour mix, onion, garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Whisk in the oil and vinegar, and leave to cool.
4. After the dressing has cooled, whisk in the mayonnaise.
Spoon the dressing over any mixture of greens, tomatoes, carrots, and other vegetables. Keep the remaining dressing in a jar in the refrigerator.
Hearty Moroccan Harira Soup
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A simple, quick, and delicious one-pot meal.
During the holy month of Ramadan, the traditional “meal in a bowl” Moroccans like to break the fast at the end of the day with is a delicious and hearty soup. The Harira we make In The Devil’s Kitchen is chock full of tomatoes, chick peas, rice, and chicken. Definitely a meal in itself and very satisfying. I can imagine how, at the end of a day of fasting, this must be a very looked-forward-to meal.
Note: If you don’t have saffron, it can be omitted and you’ll still have a delicious harira.
Ingredients (Serves 2)
½ lb (230g) chicken, cut into strips or small pieces
1 15oz can tomatoes
1 15oz can chick peas (garbanzo), rinsed & drained
1 onion, chopped
3 cups water
1 bouillon cube
½ cup cooked rice
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp saffron threads
1. Place all of the ingredients, except for the saffron, in a large pot. Crumble the saffron over the other ingredients.
2. Gently bring to simmer. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
Meal in a bowl and it doesn’t get much easier.
Creamy Potato Salad
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A mixture of mayonnaise and yogurt give this potato salad a creamy texture with a refreshing lightness to it. Add in some pickles and capers for zing, and you’ve got a quick and easy potato salad that everyone loves.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
2 lbs (900g) potatoes
3 tbsp mayonnaise
3 tbsp plain yogurt
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
½ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp pepper
Dash salt
2 pickles, chopped (½ cup)
1 tbsp capers, drained
1. Cut the potatoes into small bite-sized pieces.
2. In a large pot of salted boiling water, boil the potatoes for 15-20 minutes, until tender.
3. Drain the potatoes and run cold water over them for 15-20 seconds, to cool slightly.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, mustard, basil, pepper, and salt. Add the pickles and capers, and mix in.
5. Add the warm potatoes and toss until well coated with dressing.
Serve slightly warm or chill and serve cold later.
Village Greek Salad
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Often called horiatiki, village salad, or peasant salad, the true Greek salad is chock full of tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, and feta cheese. A devilishly enjoyable mixture of flavours and textures. In a small village, away from the tourists, here’s the simple salad you’ll enjoy. But, no need to wait until Greece – enjoy it now.
Ingredients (Serves 3-4)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
Large dash pepper
Dash salt
2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 cucumber, sliced
½ onion, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, coarsely chopped
½ cup sliced black olives
1 tbsp capers, drained
8 oz (220g) feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar,oregano, pepper, and salt.
2. Add the tomato, cucumber, onion, bell pepper, olives, and capers. Toss well.
3. Add the feta cheese and toss until well distributed and coated with dressing.
Note: Traditionally, a Greek salad has green bell pepper in it, but In The Devil’s Kitchen we like the colour coordination of a yellow bell pepper. Your choice – no rules.
Wurstsalat – Swiss Sausage Salad
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When I’m hiking in Switzerland, and trudge onto the Sonnenterrasse (sun terrace) of a sturdy old Berghaus (mountain inn), I usually want the hearty local barley soup with a hefty chunk of bread. But, on a hot summer day, I’ll opt for a refreshing Wurstsalat.
The sausage salad is a salad made of cold boiled sausage, cheese, onion, and dressing. A simple pleasure.
For the wurst (sausage), my top choice is the Swiss Cervela – a pork sausage that’s ready to eat cold “as is”. Any fat, mild, pre-cooked sausage will do. In the photo above, I used a Berliner Bockwurst (no Cervela in Japan).
Ingredients (Serves 4)
¼ onion, thinly sliced
1 ½ tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar
½ tsp pepper
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
8-9 oz (220-250g) wurst (see above), thinly sliced
8 oz (220g) Emmentaler cheese, cut into ¼”x½” (5mmx10mm) cubes
1. Place the onion slices in a small bowl of cold water and let soak for 10 minutes. This slightly mellows their flavour.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, pepper, salt, and mustard.
3. Add the onion, wurst, and cheese. Toss until all are well coated.
Note: Some will add extras, like hard boiled eggs and radishes to this salad, but I find you don’t want anything to fight with the flavour of cheese and wurst. Keep it simple and refreshing. Have a veggie salad separately if you feel you need more vegetable than just sliced onions.
Blue Cheese And Red Onion Coleslaw
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Another one of those dishes that tastes even better as leftovers – when the flavours have had time to mingle.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
1 clove garlic, crushed
¼ tsp pepper
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp vinegar
1 oz (30g) blue cheese
2 tbsp mayonnaise
¼ red onion, minced
½ head cabbage, thinly sliced
1. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, pepper, salt, olive oil, and vinegar. Add the blue cheese and use a fork to mash it into the dressing.
2. Add the mayonnaise and mix in. Note: It’s fine, and desirable, to have some lumpiness – tasty blue cheese lumps.
3. Add the red onion and cabbage. Toss well, until all is coated with dressing.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
