August 2013 – Indulgent Simplicity

Who else loves soup as much as I do, even on hot days?! I’m a soupaholic. I can’t seem to get enough, no matter how hot it actually is outside. I spend a grand amount of time at local produce markets looking for veggies to always have on hand for soup days or when I’m having a bit of cabin fever (which, unfortunately is becoming my norm as of late due to the pandemic😒) . This soup requires some time but not lots of effort as anyone can throw fish and raw veggies into a pot with boiling water. This soup is a cross-pollination of different variations of West Indian soups. Since I find myself naturally gravitating towards a fish and veggie based diet these days, I opted to omit the chicken. But feel free to add some dark meat chicken in the pot as everything else cooks. The sweet potato and okra combined in this soup remind me of a homey version of chicken dumpling soup without being overwhelming and heavy. And if you must know, this picture was taken on my fire escape. (Yes, I had lots of free time that day🥰). I figured it was befitting to create a rustic backdrop for a simple soup. Please leave your comments/questions below after you’ve tried this recipe!

Corn and Sweet Potato Soup with Tilapia

3 ears of corn, peeled and halved with husks removed
4 Cups of homemade chicken stock or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock
4 Fresh 4 oz-fillets of tilapia (frozen works too!)
1 Cup of whole, fresh okra
1 Large sweet potato, chopped into 1-inch cubes
1/2 habanero pepper, seeded and diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
1 Medium onion, chopped
6 Cloves of garlic, finely minced
1/4 of a cup of finely chopped parsley
1 Dry bay leaf
1 Cup of canned kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 Tablespoon of adobo seasoning
1 tbsp of ground black pepper, plus 1 tsp
1 tbsp of salt

1. Start by patting the tilapia fillets dry with paper towels and seasoning liberally with the adobo seasoning and black pepper on both sides.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the extra virgin olive oil in a large soup pot on medium high heat.

3. Sear the tilapia fillets until the fish is brown, about 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove from the pot and set aside.

4. Heat the remainder of the olive oil in the same pot and add the diced celery, chopped onion and diced habanero pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-8 minutes on medium heat until the veggies are translucent.

5. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.

6. Pour the chicken stock into the pot and let the entire contents of the pot come to a boil with the lid on.

7. Once the stock comes to a boil, add the bay leaf, corn and sweet potato. Simmer for 20 minutes with the lid on medium low heat.

8. Uncover and add the okra and beans and cook for no more than 5-7 minutes.

9. Finally, add the fish and allow to warm through for 3 minutes.

10. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!!!

Summer nights are made for grilled lamb, red wine and lots of veggies. Grilling a leg of lamb may seem daunting. So, take a deep breath, drown your fears with a glass of red wine (which is how I solve most of life’s problems😜) and continue reading…. Grilled lamb lends itself best marinating with fresh herbs, since it’s such a gamey piece of meat. Fresh herbs always seem readily available in grocery stores, but it makes much more sense to visit my sweet aunt in Westchester so I can take some of hers😜. My aunt grows all of her own herbs; thyme, mint, scallions. I don’t have much of a green thumb (or a fancy garden), but most of the women in my family do. My best strategy for finding the freshest of herbs is to always make it known when I’m in their neighborhoods, so I can sample their produce🥬🥒. They love me, so they’re always happy to oblige!!! Leg of lamb is a labor of love, but if you follow these steps, it should be a cinch to make!

Grilled Lamb

2 lbs of Butterflied Leg of Lamb, trimmed of excess fat
1/4 of a Cup of Olive Oil
10 cloves of garlic, minced, plus 8 whole cloves, peeled
4 Scallion bunches, chopped
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
3 Sprigs of thyme, stripped of leaves
1/2 cup of fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
2 whole rosemary sprigs
3 Tbsp of salt
1/2 tbsp of freshly ground black pepper

1. Dry the lamb with paper towels.

2. Season the lamb on both sides with the salt and pepper.

3. Spread the minced garlic, olive oil, parsley, thyme, scallions, mint and rosemary sprig on the face up side of the butterflied lamb. Let the lamb marinate in the fridge for 3-4 hours.

4. Take the lamb out an hour before you are about to grill it, so that it can come to room temperature.

5. Working carefully, roll the lamb away from you until you’ve formed a log.

6. Use toothpicks to seal the seams.

7. Make eight slits on the surface of the lamb and stuff the additional 8 cloves of garlic in the slits.

8. Place the lamb on the grill over direct heat for 5-7 minutes on each side.