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BALTIMORE SUN
HUNGARIAN VEGETABLE SOUP
1 whole chicken breast
2 bay leaves (divided use)
6 ounces celery root
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium onions, coarsely chopped
4 carrots, peeled and sliced about 1/4 inch thick
1 sweet red pepper, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
4 cups chicken broth, low sodium if canned
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 to 11/2 cups cooked rice or egg noodles (unseasoned leftovers are fine)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
In a medium saucepan, put the chicken breast, 1 bay leaf and enough water to cover the chicken. Cook uncovered at a gentle boil until the chicken is done, about 20 minutes.
Remove the chicken and pour the liquid through a strainer into a small bowl. Discard the bay leaf and set the liquid aside.
When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin, pull off the chicken from the bone and cut it into thin strips. Cover and refrigerate the chicken until it is ready to add to the soup.
Using a large sharp knife, cut the peel away from the celery root until only the white part of the celery root is left. Cut the celery root into thin slices, then cut the slices into about 1-inch squares. Set aside.
In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, heat the oil. Add the onions and cook until softened, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add the carrots and reserved celery root and cook until softened slightly, about 8 more minutes.
On low heat, add the red pepper, garlic and paprika and cook for 2 minutes or 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until you smell the aroma of the paprika.
Add the chicken broth and 11/2 cups of the reserved liquid from cooking the chicken. Discard any remaining cooking liquid. Add the thyme and remaining bay leaf.
Cover loosely and adjust the heat to cook the soup at a simmer (gentle bubbles) until the vegetables are soft, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cooked chicken and rice or noodles (both would be OK, too, for a thicker soup) and salt and pepper to taste.
Cook about 10 minutes until all of the ingredients are heated throughout. Discard the bay leaf. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle chopped parsley on top.
The soup can be prepared one day ahead up to the point of adding the chicken and rice or noodles, and then covered and refrigerated. At serving time, add the chicken and rice and heat the cold soup over medium-low heat until it is hot. Serves Six.
Per serving: 248 calories; 16 grams protein; 9 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 28 grams carbohydrate; 5 grams fiber; 27 milligrams cholesterol; 127 milligrams sodium
SIMPLE BEET BORSCHT
1 pound (about 6 or 7) fresh beets, peeled
2 cups water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons sugar
Salt to taste
2 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and cut into pieces (optional)
6 tablespoons sour cream
Either grate the beets on the large holes of a box grater or put them in a food processor fitted with a grating blade and grate them.
In a medium saucepan put the grated beets, water, lemon juice and sugar. Cover loosely and cook for about 10 minutes over medium-low heat until the beets soften. Add salt to taste.
Ladle the soup into bowls and add some potato pieces to each bowl, if desired. Spoon a large dollop of sour cream over each and serve hot. Or, cover and refrigerate the soup for at least 5 hours or overnight and serve cold, topped with the sour cream. Omit the potato. Serves three to four.
Per serving: 105 calories; 2 grams protein; 5 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 15 grams carbohydrate; 2 grams fiber; 9 milligrams cholesterol; 73 milligrams sodium.
AUTUMN HARVEST SOUP
4 tablespoons butter (divided use)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
3 leeks, halved lengthwise, cleaned and coarsely chopped, white part only
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 4-ounce piece celery root, peeled and cut into 1/2 pieces (see directions in Hungarian Vegetable Soup)
1 small turnip or rutabaga (about 5 ounces), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (optional)
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
5 cups vegetable broth, low sodium if canned
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon fresh marjoram leaves, chopped or 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
6 thin slices French bread (day-old is fine)
In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onions and leeks and cook until very soft, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots, celery root, turnip or rutabaga (if desired), sweet potatoes and potato.
Cook, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. Add the broth, bay leaf, cloves and marjoram. Cook at a gentle simmer until all of the vegetables are very soft, about 1 hour. Discard the bay leaf.
Put the vegetables in a food mill and strain into a bowl. Or, process in a food processor until smooth. Return the pureed vegetables to the pot, add salt and pepper to taste and heat.
While the soup is heating, melt the remaining butter in a fry pan, add the bread slices and cook over low-medium heat, turning often, until lightly browned and crisp on both sides.
Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a piece of toast. The soup can be prepared one day ahead and heated over medium heat until it is hot. Serves Five to Six.
Per serving: 389 calories; 13 grams protein; 11 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 62 grams carbohydrate; 6 grams fiber; 20 milligrams cholesterol; 561 milligrams sodium.