kateq's Reviews
4 recipe(s) reviewed. Showing 1 to 4Sort by: Title 
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The New Moosewood Cookbook (Mollie Katzen's Classic Cooking)
By Mollie Katzen
TEN SPEED PRESS - 2000
Brazilian Black Bean Soup : page 26
I loved this soup! I basically followed the recipe but did find a few shortcuts. Rather than pre-soaking the beans, I made them in a slow cooker in which I actually made the whole soup. Also, rather than using a blender to puree, I used my immersion blender--easier, quicker, less mess, same result. I used fresh squeezed orange juice (harvesting all the rind for another recipe). I skipped the bell pepper and the optional tomato. I added one step: after sauteing (sauteeing? always looks wrong) the vegetables, I deglazed the pan with a little hot water and added that to the soup--there was lovely fond left in the pan. I've always like black bean soup and generally always had the Cuban version. The orange in this adds this really interesting undercurrent of flavor and combined with the heat of the cayenne works very well. Definitely five star.
useful (4)
Cream of Broccoli : page 14
Another example of Ms. Katzen's 'less is more' style. This very simple, very straightforward treatment of the vegetable brings out the most of the broccoli. I followed the recipe with only one change--being out of basil, I used some Greek oregano. I used whole milk and full fat sour cream, fresh bay and thyme. As with other of her soups, I took the stick blender shortcut, making prep and clean-up simpler. I gave this a four-star rating because I feel there is a layer of flavor missing. I suspect that a touch of subtle sweetness (maybe celery or fennel) and a little more heat might do the trick. But as written, this is very good soup and quite pretty--a very frothy pale green. I served it with some chopped chives and an extra little dollop of sour cream.
useful (0)
Cream of Spinach Soup : page 30
I almost gave this soup 4 stars because I tasted it before I grated on the nutmeg. The amount of garlic seemed a bit much (and this from a true garlic lover) but when I did add the grated nutmeg, between the fabulous scent and the subtle change in the flavor, I was sold on five stars. I made the lowfat version, skipping the butter and flour. As with other Katzen soups, I used the immersion blender which simplifies both prep and clean-up. I do think that the next time I make this, I might try adding roasted garlic instead of raw, or adding the garlic earlier so that it cooks a bit more. As far as this being the low-fat version, it is a rich and satisfying soup and the potato really does provide adequate body to the broth. The nutmeg (do use fresh grated nutmeg) really is magical.
useful (2)
Light Cream of Celery Soup : page 6
What a delightful surprise! While I like celery soup, I thought this might be a bit dull and underwhelming. Boy, was I wrong! I made this as written, making only one change--in the midst of cooking, I discovered I had no celery seeds and so substituted fennel seeds. Where there was a choice, I went with sour cream over cream or half and half. Rather than transferring from pot to blender and then to pot, I used my Bamix. I also chose to puree the sauteed onions, making the soup entirely smooth. It was not bland. It was actually quite wonderful. I do think the amount of salt is a bit much and that my use of fennel was a happy accident. The soup smells great, looks very pretty--a pale yellow green frothy affair--and tastes terrific. I am tempted to try substituting fennel for some of the celery, but the soup is so good as is that I may have to resist my normal meddling. One more thing--this soup could be the stuff of fine dining with just one additional step--straining the soup so that the end result is quite velvety--and the addition of some interesting croutons. But it's awfully good just as is. Edited to add that on the second day, I learned that this soup is delicious cold.
useful (4)