Miso Soup

The Best Miso Soup

I love Japanese food and my wife and I order sushi quite often but one thing I like to get, as an appetizer, is Miso Soup. If you don’t don’t know what Miso is, I can tell you that it’s a Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and kōji and sometimes rice, barley, seaweed or other ingredients. There’s several different varieties of Miso but the most common are white and red. I’ll be demonstrating how to make Miso Soup using the red Miso and I’m going to show you how to make a soup with the most basic ingredients,Tofu and Green Onions.

Dashi ingredients, Kombu and Katsuobushi.

Dashi Fish Broth

Most soups are made from broths or stalks and this recipe is no different. The broth that needs to be prepared for this Miso Soup recipe is called Dashi and it’s really easy to make. All you have to do is combine Kombu(dried Kelp) and katsuobushi(bonito flakes or dehydrated Skip Jack Tuna) with boiling water and let it steep, like tea, for 10 minutes. If you don’t know what these ingredients are or where to find them, you can go to any Asian market and ask the attendants. I buy them both dehydrated and I just reconstitute them with the boiling water. The water absorbs the flavor, like tea, and creates the broth called Dashi. Then, all you have to do is strain the broth to make the Miso Soup.

Be sure to try my Red Sauce Wonton and my Wonton Soup Recipe.

Extra firm Tofu and fresh chopped Green Onions.

Tofu and Green Onions

As I mentioned above, there are several different varieties of Miso and there are also several different Miso Soups. If fact, eventually I want to show you how to make a spicy Beef Ramen Miso Soup that I think is just amazing but I’ve got to teach you the basics first so you understand recipe like that one, later. So today I’m going to teach you how to make a Miso Soup with Tofu and Green Onions.

Miso Soup Ingredients:

2 cups dashi
1 Green Onions, chopped
4 oz Tofu, Extra Firm
3 Tbsp miso

Dashi
4 cups water
1 oz kombu (dried kelp)
1 cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) (1 loose cups = 10 g)

Just watch the video tutorial and I’ll show you just how easy it is to make Dashi and this Tofu and Green Onion Miso Soup.

Chicken Stock Broth

Is Chicken Stock Broth?

Technically Chicken Stock and Broth aren’t the same thing, though, they basically have all of the same ingredients. Stock, however, is more concentrated and thicker because of the added bones and the cooked down gelatin secreted from them and Broth usually gets it’s flavor from adding meat instead. So to be clear, Stock is made using cooked bones, broth has no bones and is made by using the meat only, instead. Various herbs, seasonings and vegetables can be added to each to flavor them up but other than that there virtually isn’t any other difference. These recipes are usually cooked an average of 3 to 4 hours but some recipes claim they can be done in as little as 30 minutes and as crazy as 12. The truth is there is no absolute way of doing it as long as the desired effect is reached. My recipe is called a Chicken Stock Broth because I use the tips from chicken wings. This way the tips, most would throw in the trash, don’t go to waste. And, because there is such a small amount of bone in them, it gives a nice happy medium base, between a Stock and a Broth, with plenty of flavor for any recipe that calls for Stock or Broth.

Chicken Stock Bones

Most restaurants will use raw Chicken Carcass’s for their Chicken Stock. But, unless you’re carving up your own boneless breasts and chicken thighs, they’re a little hard to come by. Though Restaurants purchase these frozen, by the case, you most likely won’t be able to find them at your grocery store. Though, a good butcher shop should be able to sell them to you, a good alternative is the wings. Most recipes will suggest that to you but I say, “humbug!” Wings are spendy and cost a lot more per pound than breast meat or chicken legs and thighs. So save the wings for other recipes and just use the tips. Wing tips have enough bone, meat and skin on them to flavor up and color any good Stock. I personally just add them to a zip lock back and store them in the freezer until I need to make some.

Chicken Stock Herbs and Seasonings

A good Chicken Stock or Broth should have these basic ingredients; Onion, Parsley, Thyme, Bay Leaves and Garlic. You go well over and beyond these or even cut back to the minimum Onion but these are the good makings for a good soup base or any other recipe that calls for Stalk or Broth. The addition of vegetables will make it more hearty, so you end up with more of Vegetable/Chicken Broth; which is great because it adds more flavor. Carrots, Celery and Leak are most commonly used; even Tomatoes, at times. But if you want to add some heat you can throw in all kinds of different peppers and other spices. In Asian cooking, it’s real common to crush ginger root and add that right along with the onion.

I mentioned that a good stalk is generally cooked for several hours and because of this there tends to be a lot of reduction in the stock. But don’t hesitate to add more water and cook longer if you’re wanting or needing more Chicken Stock. The picture below is my stock at the earliest stage of the process with all of the basic ingredients added that I’ve included in the list below. Feel free to add anything else to this recipe.

Be sure to watch this short Chicken Stock Video tutorial below and I’ll show you just how easy this is to make your self. Also be sure to look into any of my Cajun Recipes if you’re celebrating the upcoming Mardi Gras Holiday season.

Chicken Stock Broth Ingredients:

3 qt Water, approximately
1 lbs Chicken Bones, raw
1 Onion, cut in half
1/2 bunch Parsley
2 sprigs Thyme
2 Bay Leaves
2 Garlic Cloves
Salt and Pepper to taste, optional

This Chicken Stock Broth can last 3 to 4 days in your refrigerator.

Beef Stew Recipe – Carrots, Potatoes, Parsnips and Steak

The Best Beef Stew

When I think of Beef Stew, I’m reminded of those Sunday afternoon dinners my family would have after several hours of church. The only problem was that any stew that my Mom made wasn’t very good because it was always runny, watered down and flavorless. So when I set out to make Beef Stew for my own family now, I follow one simple rule; make it better than Mom’s recipe(which isn’t hard to do BTW). But don’t let this sob story fool you. This recipe is amazing and I even show you how to cheat!

How do I make Beef Stew

All I do is cook a thick hearty soup with fresh chopped vegetables from my garden and I add a well seasoned steak. Then I add a few seasonings. That’s it and that’s all. Now I do cheat a little when I don’t have time to make my own Chicken and Brown gravy. But after you try this Beef Stew recipe you’ll quickly understand why I do it. Packaged gravy is cheap, it saves time preparing it and it makes this soup taste phenomenal!

Also, be sure to check out these other recipes: Pork Loin and Hominy Stew, Vegetable Chili, Chicken and Dumplings and my Homemade Menudo!

Beef Stew Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs Beef Chuck or Steak
1 Large Onion, chopped
2 Medium Russet Potatoes, chopped
1 Carrot, chopped
1 Parsnip, chopped
1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
1 tsp Dill
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/2 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth

1 cup Water for Steak Fond
1 pckg Chicken Gravy, prepared with instructions (1 cup approximately)
1 pckg Brown Gravy, prepared with instructions (1 cup approximately)

Koshar Salt and Pepper to taste

This recipe is very easy to prepare. Just follow the instructions in my Beef Stew Video Recipe Tutorial above.