Kimchi Chicken Soup

I had pulled the pack of boneless skinless chicken thighs out of the freezer earlier in the day and was staring into the fridge looking for inspiration when I eyed the jar of kimchi in the back corner…that was it…Korean chicken soup! And so easy too.

I sautéed a chopped onion in a large soup pot until translucent before adding an entire 16oz. jar of kimchi and about 8 cups of chicken stock (preferably the concentrated versus boxed variety). Once it came to a boil I added the six chicken thighs and turned the heat down to a simmer.

When the thighs were cooked through, about ten to twelve minutes, I removed them from the pot and set aside while the soup continued to simmer. Then when the thighs were cool enough to handle I chopped them up, returned them to the pot, and added salt and Sriracha to taste.

Baby Bok Choy and Shitake Mushrooms with Oyster Sauce

After the holidays the only food I want to think about is clean, healthy, and easy to prepare, and this bok choy fits the bill on all three. Start by sautéing a half dozen sliced shitakes with a little bit of oil in a large pan or wok over high heat for five minutes. Clean and chop the bok choy, at least one head per person, then add to the pan and sauté for another few minutes. Turn down the heat to medium low, add two chopped garlic cloves and two tablespoons of soy sauce and leave on the heat for another few minutes or until the stalks are tender. When you’re ready to go simply stir in four tablespoons of oyster sauce and serve.

If you’ve had an especially festive holiday season and the thought of making this bok choy overwhelms you I would suggest defrosting a box of frozen peas and tossing them with olive oil, salt, and vinegar. Cheers!

Parmesan Broth with Arugula

The new year is a time for purging so I use the occasion to pull my years’ worth of parmesan cheese rinds out of the freezer to make a rich and tasty broth. In a large pot start by sautéing half a chopped onion and six garlic cloves in some olive oil along with a handful of parsley and a couple of grinds of black pepper.

When the garlic starts to brown add the cheese rinds and enough water to cover liberally then simmer for an hour making sure to stir occasionally to keep the cheese from sticking to the bottom of the pot. After straining add some chopped arugula, salt to taste, and make a note to start collecting your cheese rinds in 2016. Have a fun one!