Australia - Kangaroo Noodle Soup

It may seem cliché to post a recipe with kangaroo meat for Australia, but when you taste this delicious soup, you will be so astounded that you won't even remember what the word cliché means.

Antipodean readers will of course enjoy the easiest access to kangaroo meat.  Those in farther flung locations might find it both challenging and expensive to acquire, however it is worth the effort, even if to try this recipe just once.

The recipe calls for kangaroo tenderloin.  As you might expect, the tenderloin is the leanest cut of meat, and when I say this meat is incredibly lean, I literally mean "this meat is incredibly lean."  Do not be worried about the meat having an overpowering taste.  The Asian-inspired marinade tames any gamey flavour to the meat.


And here it is:

Kangaroo Noodle Soup

For the marinade:
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
a dash of your favourite hot sauce
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
2 tbsp dry sherry

For the soup:
4 cups of your favourite stock (meat or veg)
one kangaroo tenderloin, cut into very thin slices no longer than 2 inches
1 cup thin, short egg noodles
1 cup shitake or porcini mushrooms, sliced
1 cup snow peas, ends trimmed
6 scallions, sliced
1 tbsp sunflower oil or similar light oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. The night before making this dish, marinate the kangaroo meat.  In a medium bowl, combine the crushed garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce, hot sauce, toasted sesame oil, and sherry.  Add the kangaroo meat and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

2. Time to cook.  In a large saucepan, heat the stock until just boiling.  Reduce heat and add the sliced scallions and mushrooms.  Simmer for two minutes.

3. Add the noodles, stir and simmer for five minutes.

4. While the soup simmers, heat the sunflower oil in a wok or frying pan.  Add the kangaroo meat and stir-fry for two minutes.

5. Add the snow peas to the kangaroo meat and continue stir-frying until the meat is nicely browned.

6. Transfer the stir-fried ingredients and pan juices into the soup.  Return the soup to the boil, then simmer until the meat is tender.

7. Add salt and pepper to taste, serve when ready.  As you devour the soup, try to remember what the word "cliché" means.

"The Sun Never Sets on a Damned Good Soup."

In a brilliant stroke of genius, or vague plagiarism which I would prefer to refer to as affectionate tribute, I just came up with a slogan for this blog, which you see in the titles above.

It having recently been Queen Victoria's birthday, I like to think she would have been amused.

(I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.)

The Bahamas - Curried Plantain Soup

I may not know much about the Bahamas, but they make a damn fine soup there.

Plantains and curry are two staples of Caribbean cuisine and go well with many things, but this is the first time I've enjoyed them together in one dish.  Not certain if this is a traditional dish or something that has been fancified by a clever chef using local ingredients.  Either way, it is very delicious and filling.

Three good sized plantains are good enough for this recipe, but if you may add another one or two for an extra thick soup, if that is more to your liking.


And here it is:

Curried Plantain Soup

1 small onion, or, 2 shallots
2 stalks celery, both ends trimmed off
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 one-inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
2 tbsps light vegetable oil
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 plantains
2 tbsps curry powder
1 tbsp cider vinegar
4 cups chicken stock or water
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
nutmeg and finely chopped cilantro to garnish

1. Peel the plantains and chop them.  Chop all the other vegetables and keep separate from the plantains.

2. Heat the oil in a large pot.  Sauté the onion/shallots, celery, garlic and ginger until lightly browned.

3. Stir in the brown sugar and carmelize lightly.  Add the curry powder and plantains and mix well.

4. Add the cider vinegar and chicken stock, stir well, bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for 10 more minutes.

6. Remove from heat and blend the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender.

7. Serve and garnish with a sprinkling of nutmeg and chopped cilantro.  Devour.

St. Lucia - Creole Fish Stew

St. Lucia's excellence is exemplified by its extremely excellent flag. 

On a field of baby blue, the peaked forms represent the island's two national icons, the Gros Piton and Petit Piton, sibling volcanic plugs that soar out of the Caribbean Ocean.  I should like to climb one of these peaks some day.  In the meantime, I sate my thirst for maniacal climbing with this delicious fish stew.

The Creole influence can be found in the cuisine of many Caribbean islands.  The quatre épices seasoning used here was a mix of ground white pepper, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon, although other spices may be used, such as allspice or ginger.

The recipe calls for bream or snapper, but any firm white fish may be used.

And here it is:

Creole Fish Stew

2 red bream or snapper filets, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tbsps Creole quatre épices seasoning
2 tbsps malt vinegar
flour for dusting
oil for frying

1 tbsp butter
2 tbsps oil
1 finely chopped onion
2 chopped tomatoes
2 finely chopped garlic cloves
2 sprigs thyme
2-3 cups of fish stock or water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 finely chopped scotch bonnet pepper
1/2 chopped green pepper
1/2 chopped red pepper
salt and pepper to taste
oregano leaves for garnish

1. Sprinkle the fish with the quatre épices seasoning and vinegar.  Turn to coat.  Marinate overnight.

2. Roll the fish pieces in flour.  Shake off any excess flour.  Discard the remaining marinade.

3. In a large soup pot, heat the oil and fry the fish pieces for about five minutes, until nicely browned.  Remove from pot and set aside.

4. Heat the remaining oil and butter.  Add the onions and sauté until soft.  Add the tomatoes, garlic and thyme.  Stir well and simmer for five minutes.

5. Add the fish stock or water, cinnamon and scotch bonnet.  Stir, then add the chopped green and red peppers, and the fish pieces.

6. Add salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer for at least an hour.  Serve, garnished with the oregano leaves.  Devour whilst imagining yourself climbing up one of the Pitons.

Tanzania - Coconut Black-Eyed Pea Soup

The United Republic of Tanzania is a fantastic nation.  An amalgamation of Tanganyika and Zanzibar, I should like to visit there someday, if only to express thanks to the local people for giving the world this delicious soup recipe.

Local cooks would make this soup as thick as possible, with more beans and rice than measured out below, to make it more like a stew and thus a main dish at mealtime.  You may do so of course, but I went with the recipe below, which resulted in a soup befitting Tanzania's fantastic status.

I used black-eyed peas, but you chefs at home can use any bean you like, such as red kidney beans, pigeon peas, etc.

And here it is:

Coconut Black-Eyed Pea Soup

1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 tbsp curry powder
3 tbsps butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup fresh chopped tomato, or one small can diced tomatoes with their liquid
1 large can black-eyed peas, or kidney beans, pigeon peas, etc.
2 cans coconut milk
1/2 cup cooked rice
1 tbsp lightly toasted shredded coconut

1. In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium heat.

2. Add the onion and green pepper and fry until softened, but not browned.

3. Add the curry powder, salt and pepper and stir.

4. Add the tomato, stir and let it cook for two minutes.

5. Add the beans and their liquid.

6. Add the coconut milk, stir until everything is nicely blended, then lower heat and simmer for at least a half-hour.

7. Add the cooked rice, and let simmer for 10 additional minutes.

8. Top each bowl of soup with the shredded coconut, serve, devour, and give some warm thoughts to the Tanzanian cooks who fed you so well.

Nigeria - Chicken Yassa

I thought long and hard for several minutes about which soup recipe to select as the first one to be posted here.

Then I realized that it makes no great matter, because every nation of the Commonwealth is excellent and each soup recipe equally so.  No need to make a great fuss over The Inaugural Recipe, let's just do it.

After a taxing week marked by brutality and ennui, I was in the mood a comforting chicken soup the other night.

Lemony chicken soups are common in many west African nations, and I found this recipe posted to a Nigerian community message board.  I would credit the individual, but at the moment their online handle escapes me.  Regardless, full credit is given.

The original recipe called for an entire chicken, but I reduced that for a smaller serving.  You can use one chicken breast, or, as I prefer, a package of chicken tenders as they cook quickly and are, erm, rather tender.

This is a fantastic soup because it offers the warmth of a good chicken soup with hearty vegetables, and the lemon elevates it into something special.

NOTE: Most of the recipes I present here are usually measured to make 2 servings.  To make more, adjust the measurements accordingly.

And here it is:

Chicken Yassa

8 tbsp lemon juice
8 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp hot mustard
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 chicken breast, or a package of chicken tenders
3-4 tbsp oil
1 cup chopped baby carrots
1 cup chopped cabbage
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs of thyme
1 green chili, sliced
2 cups chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste

1. The night before, prepare a marinade of: lemon juice, cider vinegar, hot mustard, and the onion slices.

2. Chop the chicken into bite-size pieces and marinate overnight.

3. When it is time to cook, heat the oil over medium heat in a soup pot.  Fry the chicken in the oil for a few minutes until sealed on the outside.  Do not brown.

4. Add the marinated onions to the chicken and fry for a couple of minutes, then add the remaining marinade, the stock, cabbage and carrots, bay leaves, thyme and chili.

5. Bring to a slow boil, then let simmer for at least an hour or more.

6. Serve and devour.  Think about how excellent Nigeria is.

Twitter

Goodness sakes, I've joined the Twitter rave:

http://twitter.com/#!/CommonwlthSoups

Proper Introduction: The Commonwealth is Capital and Soups are Class

Here then is a proper introduction to this blog.

The Commonwealth of Nations is capital.  Soups are class.  Sorted.  Put them together, and you are in for a treat.

I like to cook.  Soups especially.  They are not too difficult to make, and there is never a dearth of new recipes to try.

The point of this blog, then, is to compile the tastiest, most diverse, and most interesting soup recipes from every nation in the Commonwealth. 

The Internet is a ready-made resource for such things.  A recent trawl through Google netted dozens of new recipes that I am eager to try.  After each one, I will either post the recipe with a brief review and photo, or go back to the kitchen to refine the recipe with an eye towards making it even better.  I will not shortchange you while you are here, and will only post recipes that have been personally tested and found worthy of sharing and celebrating.

I think that's enough of this sort of thing.  On to the recipes!