recipe development: a customizable Thai coconut-chicken soup loosely inspired by Tom Kha Gai

it's high time for some creative recipe tinkering! I've been craving Tom Kha Gai in a big way, but 1) I need to accommodate the varying tastes of the folks who eat with me (one hates cilantro; two of them truly cannot handle anything spicy/hot, but they're all pretty adventurous eaters within those constraints), and 2) I have some lovely little butternut squashes that I'd like to add to the soup, but not in a puree (because that would make it a completely different dish). so...

the goal: to create a flexible Thai coconut & chicken soup template that can accommodate different tastes, seasonal ingredients and capricious whims.

the non-negotiable: I'll start with a saute of minced shallots, chunks of chicken thighs and quartered fresh mushrooms, to add to a base of ultra-rich chicken stock, coconut milk, fish sauce and fresh lemongrass. I'll add just a touch of palm sugar to sweeten it slightly.

the variables: while I prefer fresh kaffir lime leaves, when I can't get them, I'm fine with fresh lime zest. likewise, galanga (a.k.a. "kha,") is the authentic choice, but fresh ginger is delicious and still makes an excellent soup.

the totally optional: I'm going to roast some thin slices of peeled butternut squash, to caramelize the exterior a bit, and will add those in to the soup this time; we'll see how that works.

the garnishes, so we can each customize our own bowls of soup: a big plate with wedges of lime, fresh Thai camphor basil (for the cilantro haters, and because it's wonderful in its own right), fresh cilantro leaves and thinly sliced fresh chiles, plus the bottle of fish sauce, so we can each doctor our own bowl of soup to make it truly "ours."

if this succeeds, I'll have to come up with a good name for it -- although it might be inspired by Tom Kha Gai (one of the finest soups ever), it definitely won't be authentic in anyway.

I'm planning to serve it with side dishes of jasmine rice for some, cauliflower "rice" for me, and a cucumber salad with minced raw scallions, rice vinegar and a bit of honey.

if I get the cookbook-worthy results I want, I'll write it up into a real recipe!

perfect fall butternut squash bisque

a rich, delicious squash bisque, redolent with the flavors of Fall. this would be wonderful served at the beginning of a Thanksgiving dinner, or anytime during the Fall/Winter seasons.

• 2 butternut squash, ~ 2 pounds each?, cut in half from stem to blossom end, seeds removed
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion, diced finely
• 3-5 stalks celery (depending on size -- ideally, 5 of the paler, more tender inner stalks), diced finely
• 1/4 teaspoon ground, dried thyme, or 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh sage leaves, minced (optional)
• pinch of kosher salt
• a few grinds of black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 quart good chicken stock
• 1-2 cups heavy cream
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

to garnish:

• 1 cup slivered almonds, squash seeds or pumpkin seeds toasted with a dab of oil (olive oil or ghee are ideal), salt, pepper and paprika until golden brown, set aside to cool
• (optional) a little bowl of fresh thyme leaves and/or finely slivered fresh sage leaves

preheat oven to 350. line baking sheets with parchment paper, lightly butter the paper and place squash on it, cut side down. roast in oven for 45 minutes - 1 hour, until done. remove from oven to cooling racks, flip cut side up and let cool while you prepare the onions.

while the squash is cooling, melt the butter over medium-high heat and saute the onion with a pinch of salt. add the celery after about 5 minutes. reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until onion is translucent and slightly golden brown on the edges. add chicken stock and bring to a simmer.

with a good-sized spoon, scoop the butternut squash flesh out and place in a bowl, discarding the skins. add the squash flesh to the simmering soup mixture on the stove and allow to cook together for 5-10 minutes, to marry the flavors. turn off the burner, remove the bay leaves and discard; they've done their job. either use an immersion (stick) blender, or remove soup in batches to a blender or food processor to puree until it's velvety smooth (it's much easier with the immersion blender; you will have to be very careful with a regular blender or food processor when pureeing hot soup, as it tends to expand the air in the blender and blow the lid off, making a big, potentially painful mess. you can get decent immersion blenders for $30 - $40 now; I recommend them highly if you can fit it in your budget). if you've used a regular blender or food processor, return all the pureed soup to the pot (if you've used the recommended immersion blender, it's already in there). add a cup of the cream and bring the soup to a simmer, stirring regularly. taste and assess. add more chicken stock or some water if it's too thick; add more cream if it needs more richness. adjust all seasonings; salt and pepper to taste. at this point, it should taste like much more than the sum of its parts; it should taste like a combination of the essence of Fall and Thanksgiving. serve with suggested garnishes and enjoy.

creamy turkey noodle soup with mushrooms and fresh dill

*note: this soup recipe has been adapted from smittenkitchen.com's chicken noodle soup recipe. thank you, Deb!

an ideal soup for a cold night, whether you're using up leftover turkey or not -- it's remarkably easy to make from scratch, using various cuts of turkey. on this particular occasion, I wanted to use up two previously roasted turkey drumsticks (and wings, but those don't really count for much) -- I knew that I'd want to add some white meat for balance, so I purchased a bone-in half turkey breast to add. it would truly be just as quick and simple to make without the leftovers, by purchasing two drumsticks and cooking them along with the breast. please make note: fresh parsley and dill are truly essential to the flavor of this soup. please do not leave out or substitute another herb for the parsley or dill, unless you're allergic to or despise either herb, of course! if that's the case, use whatever fresh herbs sound good to you -- tarragon would be quite good. fresh thyme or sage would be okay, but must be used sparingly -- only about 1/3 the amount, as they're quite strong in flavor. I don't recommend dried herbs in this soup -- its essential flavor is in the freshness of the herbs (especially the dill). even the cream is secondary -- you could substitute stock for the cream if you want a brothy-er soup. but please use fresh parsley and dill as recommended if at all possible. you'll understand why as soon as you taste it!

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1-1/2 medium white onions, diced
• 1 8-ounce box mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4-5 pounds either leftover roasted or fresh turkey pieces (for example: 2 drumsticks, 2 wings, one bone-in half breast)
• 2 quarts (64 ounces) chicken or turkey stock, plus water as needed
• 1-2 stalks celery, cut into 2-3 large pieces
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into 3-4 large pieces
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2-1 teaspoon or more freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 large stalks celery, cut into small dice
• 2 medium-large carrots, peeled and cut into small dice
• 6 ounces dry noodles (egg noodles, mini-farfalle and orichiette are all good choices -- something small, but substantial, with a shape that catches some of the broth)
• 3 tablespoons fresh parsley (flat Italian or curly), finely minced
• 3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely minced
• pinch of nutmeg, to taste
• drops of hot sauce, to taste
• more kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large French or Dutch oven (or other large heavy soup pot) over medium-high heat and saute the onion, browning thoroughly while cooking (to develop maximum flavor and color without burning). when onions are translucent and light golden brown, add the remaining tablespoon of butter, and then the sliced mushrooms. continue to saute until mushrooms are cooked through and onions are deep golden brown. scrape mushroom-onion mixture out into a clean bowl and set aside. return French oven to the heat, add the olive oil, allow to get hot, then add the raw turkey pieces, skin-side-down, and brown. for maximum flavor, brown only one layer of raw turkey pieces at a time (don't add more pieces on top, or they'll steam, not brown).  turn and brown on other side. if you're using only fresh raw turkey pieces, you'll have to brown in batches. any previously-roasted pieces of turkey are already browned, so this step isn't necessary for them -- just place them in the pot on top of the other pieces after the browning is done.

and speaking of "after the browning is done," pour the stock over all, then add cold water as needed to just cover them. add in the large chunks of celery and carrot, bay leaves, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. lower heat to a simmer, skim any scum from the broth and cook for 1 hour (if you're using only previously-roasted pieces, cook for 30 minutes). while this is cooking, place the mushrooms & onions you previously set aside into a separate soup or stock pot, and add the heavy cream. heat over medium-low flame until boiling; lower heat to a simmer and allow cream to reduce for about 30 minutes, then turn off the heat, and add a bit of salt and pepper to taste. when the turkey pieces have cooked the appropriate amount of time, remove them to a plate for ~10 minutes to cool before handling. meanwhile, strain the broth and return it to the large French oven and bring to a simmer. add the diced celery and carrot to the broth and let cook for 5 minutes, then add the noodles to the broth mixture and cook (according to package directions) until they're al dente. while the veggies and noodles cook in the broth, remove skin and bone from the turkey and chop/shred into bite-sized pieces. when the noodles are cooked, add the cream, onion & mushroom mixture to the soup pot, then the shredded/chopped turkey, then the minced parsley and dill. quickly bring back up to a simmer, and add the nutmeg, hot sauce, salt & pepper to taste. at this point, the soup should be positively scrumptious. and good thing, because it's ready to serve! it will be even better on the second day after making.