Tag Archives: soup

Wonton Soup

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So one of our blog readers brought to our attention that we have a good variety of cuisines (Latin empanadas, Indian curries, Persian koftas, Italian rollatini) on the blog, but we’re seriously lacking the Asian food representation. So I thought to myself about what I usually order when getting take out. And although my number one item on Chinese menus is an egg roll, I don’t own a deep fryer and I am coming down with a bit of a cold, so I thought of my second favorite appetizer: wonton soup would be best! I love it so much, I usually order soup dumplings, wontons, or some variation at dim sum restaurants too. I figured its a light and refreshing broth (read: also extremely easy to make) so why not give it a whirl? Luckily, I found out I don’t need to be an origami expert to pull together these yummy packets (wontons) from scratch either. Although in a pinch I heard (you know word on the street) if you make your own broth and just boil the frozen dumplings you get at Trader Joe’s you can shave off a ton of time, not that I would dare take such a blatant shortcut. #justsaying.

  • 7  oz. shrimp, peeled and finely chopped
  • 10 oz. ground pork
  • 1/2 egg white
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch
  • 3 tablespoon rice vinegar (1 tbsp. for wonton and 2 for soup)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 splash of soy sauce
  • 1 splash of sambal sauce or chili oil
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 package wonton wrappers
  • 6 cups chicken broth – low sodium
  • 1/2 pound baby bok choy (I like some leafy greens in my soup, the original recipe doesn’t call for it so I will just leave it as optional)
  • Green Onion/Scallions, thinly sliced

In a large mixing bowl combine shrimp, pork, egg white, corn starch, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, sugar, and salt. Allow the mixture to “marinate” for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and lightly dust with cornstarch. To assemble wontons, fill each skin with about a teaspoon of filling, and fold either in half, into flower blossoms, or into nurse’s caps (don’t know what either mean, but basically you are wetting the sides and pinching to create seams, photo). Place each finished wonton on the baking sheet. Then, drop the wontons in a large pot of boiling water and cook until they float, 5-6 minutes. Slowly, over low heat, warm the chicken broth, vinegar, chili oil, and scallions. Place a few boiled wontons into each bowl, and ladle with the warm chicken broth. Top with thinly sliced scallions & drizzle of soy sauce.

Happy Eating, XO.

Soup from scratch

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Broccoli cheddar soup is my sister’s favorite. Panera is definitely better than the canned stuff, but why not save yourself the outing & make some at home? Plus, now that winter is knocking on our doors, its safe to say its soup season! Sick or not, this will make you feel all sorts of good on the inside. Oh and it doesn’t hurt that its super fast & super easy. (Read: No emersion blenders need). Toast up a baguette & enjoy.

  • 3 cups chicken stock (or vegetable if you are trying to keep this vegetarian)
  • 2 cups chopped broccoli florets (fresh or frozen doesn’t matter)
  • 1 small white onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 (15 oz.) can evaporated milk (much healthier than heavy cream)
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (either do it yourself or get the Kraft kind. Either way sharp is the way to go- it has more flavor).

Create a roux (fancy French word alert!) beforehand by heating 1 tablespoon each of butter and flour together in the saucepan, and stirring them for a minute until the flour is cooked and slightly golden. Then whisk in the chicken stock, and then add broccoli, diced onion and the evaporated milk together in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat until nearly boiling. Then reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is cooked an soft.

*Note that the soup is a little on the thin side and that’s why I added the roux at the beginning to thicken it. If you want yours more runny or don’t have the time, you can most certainly do without it.

Happy Eating, XO.