SOUP 147

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Wok With Me

SOUP 147

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Asparagus and Sesame Chicken Soup

                  2 lb Chicken
                  3 tbl Sesame oil
                  6 slices ginger root
                  1/2 cup dry sherry
                  1/2 tsp Salt
                  2 cups Warm water
                  1 tsp Sugar
                  1/ 2cup Button mushrooms, canned
                  8 Fresh asparagus spears

Rinse chicken, remove fat pockets, pat dry, and chop into bite-size pieces.NOTE: if tempted to use breast meat without bones, please don`t; bones add to body and flavor of soup. Peel and slice ginger root. Wash and cut asparagus into 2" sections. Braising: Heat wok to medium hot. Add sesame oil. Start braising chicken a few pieces at a time when oil begins to smell. Sesame oil will burn at lower temperature than other cooking oils, so avoid hot wok. After browning lightly, return chicken pieces to wok; add ginger slices, sherry and salt. When sherry boils, add water and sugar. Turn up heat, bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add mushrooms and asparagus, simmer for another 15 minutes. Transfer to covered soup tureen (or put plate on top of soup bowl), place in steamer on low, and hold until ready to serve. You can make this soup in large sauce pan, if wok is needed for something else.Serves 4

             Barbecued Pork Cream Soup

                  1/2 cup Butter
                  1/2 cup Flour
                  1/2 lb Ground barbecued pork
                  2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
                  1 tsp Tabasco sauce
                  2 tsp Salt
                  1 tsp White pepper
                  2 cup Chicken broth or consomme
                  1 qt Whole milk
                  4 tbl Madeira
                   Barbecued pork strips
                   Green onions, chopped

Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add ground barbecued pork & mix together. Add flour & stir constantly for 4-5 min., but don't allow to burn. Add all seasonings to broth & then slowly add to first mixture.Slowly add milk & stir until blended. Let simmer 7-10 min. and stir constantly. Just before serving, stir in Madeira. Serve garnished w/ barbecued pork strips, fresh green onion bits & a splash of Madeira.

               Beef and Lotus Root Soup

                  1lbShort ribs of beef
                  1lbFresh lotus root
                  6xChinese red dates
                  6 cup Water
                  1tbl Soy sauce
                  1tsp Salt

Method :
Chop beef ribs in 11/2-inch sections. Peel lotus root; cut in 1/4-inch slices.Place beef and lotus root in a saucepan with red dates and cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat at once, skim surface to clear, then simmer, covered, 45 minutes. Stir in soy sauce and salt. Simmer another minute. VARIATION: Add with beef, etc., any or all of the following: 1leek stalk, cut in sections; 2 slices fresh ginger root; 1 piece dried tangerine peel (soaked).

             Bok Choy, Mushroom, and Bean Curd Soup

                  1 cup water
                  8 dried shiitake mushrooms
                  6 cups chicken broth
                  1 piece fresh ginger - (1" long) peeled, sliced
                    into thin rounds, then sliced thin strips
                  2 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
                  2 tbl vegetable oil
                  1 lb bok choy - (abt 1/2 head) sliced 1/2" pieces
                  1/2 tsp kosher salt
                  1/8 tsp freshly-ground black pepper
                  4 oz firm bean curd diced

Bring the water to a boil. Pour the hot water into a bowl with the dried shiitake mushrooms. Set aside to let the mushrooms hydrate for about 20 minutes. Save the soaking liquid. Trim and discard the mushroom's tough stems. Slice the mushrooms into 1/8-inch strips.In a medium soup pot, simmer the chicken broth with the mushroom soaking liquid (be careful not to add any grit or sand that may be at the bottom of the mushroom broth). Add half the ginger slices and all the scallions to the broth and simmer for 10 minutes.Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Stir-fry the bok choy over high heat for 3 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Season the bok choy with the salt and pepper. Add the bok choy, mushrooms, and bean curd to the broth, and continue to simmer for 5 minutes.Serve the soup in bowls with the remaining ginger sprinkled on top. 4 servings.

             Bok Choy Soup with Crab

                  2 tsp cooking oil
                  2 slice ginger lightly crushed
                  1 shallot (walnut-sized) finely chopped
                  4 oz cooked crabmeat flaked
                  1 qt chicken stock
                  1 cup cold water
                  2 tsp soy sauce
                  8 oz bok choy thinly sliced
                  1 carrot sliced
                  1/2 tsp sesame oil
                  1/4 tsp freshly-ground white pepper

Place a pot over high heat until hot. Add oil, swirling to coat sides. Add ginger and shallot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Add crabmeat; stir-fry for 1 minute.Add stock, water and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Add bok choy and carrot. Reduce heat to low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in sesame oil and pepper. 4 servings.

China Garden