Chicken Tortilla Soup

My coworkers love when I make this for lunch, they keep asking for the recipe but when I make it at work it’s more of an estimate then an actual measurement. Here it is broken down to feed a family and not an army. 

 

2# tomatoes 

1/2 onion sliced 

1 garlic clove

1 jalapeno 

Oil as needed

4 chicken thighs skin removed

3 (14oz) cans low sodium chicken stock

1T tomato paste (use if your tomatoes aren’t the best they can be)

1/2 -3/4 t chipotle powder

1/2 t chili powder

A big handful of tortilla chips 

1 1/2 c white corn

S&P

 

Lightly oil and salt the tomatoes, onion, garlic and jalapeno. place under the broiler until the tomatoes are burnt on top, flip and burn the other side. 

While these cook, heat a stock pot add about a tablespoon of oil, remove the skin from the chicken thighs, season and brown on both sides. 

When the tomatoes are done pour them over the chicken (be careful of splattering), add the stock, spices and cook at a simmer for about 40 minutes.

It is ready when the chicken starts to fall off the bone. Remove the chicken. Pull the meat off the bones, discard the bones.

Add the Chips ( like the ones Chipotle has but you can use any brand, just be aware that most come salted and can effect the outcome), let them get soggy for a few minutes then blend until smooth. I use a hand blender at home, but the standard blender will work slightly better, making a smoother soup.

Return the soup to the stove, add the chicken, corn and adjust the seasoning. Serve with sour cream and broken tortilla chips. 

 

 

 

 

Tomato Rolls

I saw the pastry team making some delicious cinnamon rolls the other day and was a little jealous that there wasn’t a savory version. Tonight while scavenging around my, nearly empty, kitchen I thought I’d try to concoct something satisfying, savory and roll like. I found a can of diced tomatoes, a worthy substitute in the middle of winter, some garlic and a packet of yeast. 

 

For the bread 

1 Packet yeast 

3 c Flour

1T Sugar

1 1/2t Salt

1 1/4 c Warm water 

2T Olive oil

In a mixing bowl, with the paddle attachment, combine all the dry ingredients (as long as your yeast is not expired you will not need to hydrate it, or watch for growth before making the bread) measure out the wet ingredients and then stream into the dry at a low speed to incorporate. When the ingredients form a loose dough switch to the dough hook and knead on medium speed for about 10 minutes, to develop the gluten. If you don’t have a Kitchen Aid mixer add the dry ingredients to the wet, form a dough and knead for 10 to 12 minutes. It will form a smooth, elastic dough. Turn the dough into a greased bowl, cover and let rise about 1 hour, until it has doubled in size. While the dough rises, make some jam.

 

Garlicy Tomato Jam

2c Diced tomatoes 

2T Fine chopped Garlic

2T Oilve oil

1/4 c Sugar

salt and pepper to taste.

 

Sweat the garlic in oil, stir so that it doesn’t color. If you are using fresh tomatoes, blanch and peel them before you dice them. Add the tomatoes, sugar, lightly season the mixture (it’s going to reduce so be careful with the salt). Bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer stirring occasionally. As the sauce reduces it will stick more, it should reduce almost to a paste. Adjust the seasoning, allow to cool before spreading on the dough. 

 

 

 

 

Turn the dough onto a clean lightly floured surface, roll into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick all around. The more square it is the more usable rolls you will get. Spread the jam evenly on 2/3 of the dough. you’ll want to leave enough room at the end to seal it. Gently roll the dough into a big log keeping a tight even roll. Trim off the end, cut 3 to 4 inch slices, turn pieces onto a greased pan, let rise again for 60 minutes. Bake at 400 until brown and cooked through, about 30 minutes.     

 

 

 

 

Fall & Winter Hors d’oeuvres

Canapés

House cured salmon Brunoise lemon, Rice paper crisp, and earl grey Tea cream

Crab Hush puppy Light and fluffy corn batter dipped crab

Crab “Chili” Corn Johnny cake and chive sour cream

Butter Poached Lobster meatball Tarragon aioli

Crawdad dumplings Cajun cream (bell pepper, cream Cajun spice reduction)

Creole trio of sausage Boudon Blanc, Noir and andouile sausages Dijon aioli

Sweet bread poppers Nutmeg cream

KC BBQ glazed Chicken skewers Crushed peanuts

Sausage Aranchini Sausage bits surrounded by herb risotto breaded and fried

Chicken Croquette Grated lemon zest and parsley

Maple bacon walnut “cigars” Chopped walnut crispy glazed bacon bits rolled in filo and baked until crispy

Sweet and savory potato Tartlet Butter Pecan crust bacon foam

Beet Skewers – Beets three ways, roasted candied, and confit Crushed Pecan coated brie cheese or pepper pecorino

Mushroom Terrine Chefs choice mushrooms sautéed and layered with goat cheese barley and thyme gelee wrapped in melted leeks

Pumpkin apple Brochette Baked apples and pumpkin bread cinnamon dust

Pumpkin soup shooter     Roasted pumpkin, pear cream

Five alarm chili bite Charred Jalapeño Sour cream corn bread crumbles

Cheese burger slider Brioche rolls pickled onion roasted mushrooms Swiss cheese

Corned beef slider Potato roll Dijon aioli creamed carrots and cabbage

Spicy Lamb slider Tomato focaccia lemon dill yogurt Bibb lettuce

BBQ beef Short rib Pretzel bun shredded short ribs coleslaw

Hot ham and Swiss Sourdough rolls shaved ham Swiss cheese and grain mustard

Pulled pork Toasted Challah Bacon bits pickled radish French fried onions

Lobster po boy Brioche bun tempura lobster shredded lettuce spicy mayo

Meatball subs Bahn Mi style pork meatball pickled carrots Bibb lettuce on French bread or lettuce wrap

Hot turkey and gravy Pumpkin bread, cranberry chutney, tarragon turkey gravy

Mole rubbed Chicken Grilled corn tortilla toasted sesame seeds shredded lettuce

 

What do I do

The Plan

Urban Stove is here to provide expert cooking instruction to you, in your home.  It is our objective to help you master difficult dishes, learn new techniques, and become comfortable in your kitchen. If you are a person of limited cooking experience, want to impress your friends, or have a dinner party where everyone cooks, Urban Stove is your answer.

We customize a menu based on skills you wish to hone or acquire, and handle the grocery shopping for you. Invite some friends, grab a bottle of wine and prepare a meal from scratch that everyone gets to participate in.

Our success is your success; we work to exceed the desires of our clients, make memorable evenings, and provide a personalized experience with every event. Fostering Kitchen skill building and an open environment, we will accommodate all skill sets and turn you into a kitchen whiz in no time.

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The basics

At Urban Stove we are dedicated to creating a comfortable in the kitchen environment, we are in business to help home cooks astonish their friends with their home made skills.

Think that making scrambled eggs is the best you can do… Let me just tell you, I was almost that bad when I started, I couldn’t have told you the difference between a large dice and a brunoise. Now though, I’d consider myself quite the expert in many kitchen facets.

I have been cooking since I was tall enough to reach the stove, and professionally for about 8 years. With two working parents who loved to cook, some of my best memories are around the kitchen table, getting my hands dirty. I remember one of the first times I was allowed to cook, my mom was making Chinese food, and I got to wring out the excess moisture in the cabbage, I remember wanting so badly to participate, it all looked so fun. To this day the smell of barbecuing chicken takes me right back to Mom’s backyard on a summer day. I’ll never make pancakes without thinking of the squiggles my Dad used to make for us, or the big fluffy, not from a box, Mickey Mouse cakes while we were camping. Food is a joyous adventure for many of us, but if you have no kitchen experience it can be a little scary.

Follow me around for a while; I’ll demystify cooking for you.

I am an aspiring entrepreneur; my plan is to bring Americans back to their kitchens. Intimate gatherings, a dinner party where you and your friends, in your kitchen, each with a dish to prepare, and with my professional instruction, will learn how to cook something new. Whether you want to get the family together or have a night in with your besties I can tailor a menu for the group’s specific wants and guide you to better home eating.