July16
Here’s your sip of summer.
A summer soup should be cool and bright, with flavors that pop with every spoonful. But, like everything in life, you’ve got to keep it interesting.
Just like this Chilled Pistachio Yogurt Soup. Dried hibiscus petals, lightly toasted pistachios and a handful of the season’s freshest herbs give this Greek yogurt soup a refreshing lift that is alarmingly addicting. Really.
The accoutrements on the side are a little extra bit of fun… they enhance what’s already in the soup.
Proof positive: The words summer and soup are not an oxymoron.
Chilled Pistachio and Yogurt Soup
prep: 30 minutes (plus cooling)
cook: 5 minutes
makes 6 (6 ounce) servings
you’ll need…
1 cup shelled, peeled and chopped pistachio nuts, divided
2 cups plain Greek yogurt (non-fat, 2% or whole)
1¼ cup seedless cucumber, peeled and diced, divided
1 clove garlic
1 cup iced water
¼ cup dried hibiscus flowers divided
¼ cup chopped mint, divided
¼ cup chopped dill, divided
¼ cup chopped chives, divided
salt to taste
let’s get to it…
Heat a large frying pan on medium heat. Add the nuts and toast for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and cool completely.
Blend ½ cup cooled pistachio nuts, yogurt, 1 cup cucumber, garlic and iced water until smooth in a blender container.
Add 1 tablespoon of hibiscus flowers, 1 tablespoon chopped mint, 1 tablespoon chopped dill and 1 tablespoon chopped chives to the yogurt mixture and blend until smooth. Season with salt to taste. Refrigerate until chilled.
Place remaining pistachio nuts, cucumber, hibiscus flowers, mint, dill and chives in small bowls or ramekins and serve with the soup.
July8
Bobbi asks: I was eating in a Chinese restaurant the other day and I found a few of these star-shaped things in my soup. I tried biting one, but it was like a rock! What is it? 
That’s star anise, Bobbi! You’re not going to believe this, but I just used it in a delicious Vietnamese Beef Stew recipe I’m going to post tomorrow.
Star anise is the dried, rust-brown star-shaped seedpod of the Chinese magnolia and is about one-inch long. It has a pungent licorice flavor that is bitter… but that isn’t a bad thing! When you add it to slow-cooked or simmered dishes, star anise makes the flavor of the whole dish pop.
When ground, star anise is one of the spices in Chinese five-spice powder. Besides Chinese cuisine, star anise (ground or otherwise) is used in almost all Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines, including Vietnamese soups and Indian curries. You can find star anise in Asian or ethnic supermarkets, or online at specialty spice shops like The Spice House.
Make sure the star anise is not broken, but in whole 8-point star pieces. Keep it in a sealed container in a cool dark place (like all spices!).
Only add WHOLE pieces of star anise to a dish (don’t break it up). That way you can pluck them out before serving (and not have to worry about anyone cracking a tooth!).
One other thing… star anise is used in traditional Chinese medicine to help cure colic in babies and as a digestive aid. And shikimic acid extracted from the seed is an ingredient in the antiviral drug Tamiflu that’s used to fight avian influenza!
March28
Asparagus are in season NOW, so here’s a guide to the Top Ten Tips for Buying Green Asparagus!
Print out this handy-dandy guide and take it with you to the farmers market or grocery store to help you find the perfect spears. I’ve also included a pretty terrific recipe for Asparagus with Lemony Breadcrumbs (see below the graphic).
Asparagus with Lemony Garlic Breadcrumbs
prep: 10 minutes
cook: 10 minutes
you’ll need…
1 pound asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pushed through a garlic press
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
let’s get to it…
Trim asparagus ends and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add panko, minced garlic and salt and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from heat.
Whisk zest and lemon juice together in a small bowl until well blended. Stir the lemon mixture into the panko breadcrumbs; set aside.
Steam the asparagus in a microwave safe dish for 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful not to overcook, they should be crisp-tender.
Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and serve immediately.
cooking know how: If you don’t have a microwave steamer, use kitchen string to tie asparagus into a bundle (you may have to make 2 small bundles). Place in 1-inch of water in a tall, covered saucepan and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes or until tender. You can also lay the asparagus on their sides and steam in a metal or bamboo steamer.
