Chorizo and Kale Soup

I've been lazy with blogging lately. Cooking has happened, but I've also been lazy with coming up with new recipes or making the effort to experiment. It would be easy to simply blame it on my ten month super energetic (and adorable) son, but the truth is that I've become lazy. Cooking is my passion, trying new flavors and recipes is part of that and I have to get my act together.


This morning my cousin Munisha asked me on Facebook to get some recipes up, so here goes a soup I recently made. 


Denise had sent me a recipe for a kale soup a while back and I did make it several times. I couldn't find the recipe, but remembered the basic recipe and worked with the ingredients I had. The original recipe called for brown rice, but I had some Spanish fideos boiled. The recipe also called for keilbasa over chorizo, but we had chorizo so that was what was going in. It was a rainy and cold day and what better than soup to warm you up (an hour later I had ginger spiced Indian tea to complete the moment).


Ingredients

• 6oz spicy chorizo, sliced
• 1/4 white onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 tsp chicken soup base / 1 chicken stock cube
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves sliced
• 1 cup fideos / white or brown rice / linguine (I've made it with all these choices, and it works out great either way)

Method

• In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil
• Sauté the onions, garlic and soup base for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are transparent
• Add the chorizo and cook for another 2-3 minutes
• Toss in the kale until slightly wilted
• Add 4 cups water and a pinch of salt and let it come to a boil, cover and leave it to simmer for 10–15 minutes.
• Add the fideos / noodles / rice or carbohydrate of your choice. 

I grated fresh Parmesan cheese on top for my husband but enjoyed mine without. 

This soup is definitely hale and hearty. Kale is fabulous for you, click here to read its benefits. 

Ultimate Chocolate Cake

It was the Spring of 2005. My friend, Trang had Denise and me over for dinner. The dinner, as always was incredible. But… the dessert of the evening stole the show. Warm chocolate cake with strawberries for her husband James birthday. It was so good that on returning back to New York, my friends Mumtaz, Tehmina and I made it so often to ensure that we always had it at home. It became a staple 'food' at home! It is now 2011 and the cake is still a hit every time I make it. In fact, I make it for my husbands aunt and uncle every time they visit as it's almost a demand. 


So yes, it is the ultimate chocolate cake for its delicious content, but also ultimate for how simple and quick it is to make. I love to bake, to meticulously measure and time every second of the process. But this cake is so simple that it makes baking for me almost playful.


Preheat oven to 350F.


Butter and flour a bundt pan.


In a large bowl, mix together with a spatula / hand held mixer / stand mixer
1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix
1 box Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix
1 16-oz fat-free Sour Cream tub (I use fat free for this even though everything else is so high in calories because it probably makes me feel better! Use full-fat if you like too)
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil


Once mixed together, fold in 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips.


Bake for 40–45 minutes.


Serve warm with ice cream and strawberries. 


This cake also freezes very well (if you have left overs!). Slice it and pull out a slice when you want it, microwave it for 30 seconds. You and whoever you serve this cake to will thank us for the recipe!