Pea Soup

(Fun fact: I've been meaning to publish this blog since May, 7, 2012. That's the date of the last edit. Today is the day! Anything underlined is what I've written/added today, February 17, 2015.)

I wasn't going to bother blogging about this soup, but I genuinely love it. It's what I cook. This is my blog. If I can't talk about it here, then where can I?!

This "recipe" came to be because I had to try Nigella Lawson's recipe called "Slime Soup." Click HERE for Nigella's recipe. Even though I never did spend the money or bother buying fresh mozzarella as called for, I became obsessed with this soup. I think I ate it (at least) once a day for months. I mean, I really couldn't get enough of it. 

My recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:
4C Water
1Tbl Better than chicken bouillon

1lb. Frozen Peas
1 Idaho Potato
1 Onion
2 Scallions aka Green Onions

Salt & Pepper

Provolone Cheese

Directions:

Peel and dice russet potato. Dice onion and chop scallion. Add to a soup pot with water and bouillon. Bring to a boil and boil for 10min. Add peas. Bring back to a boil, switch off the heat. Transfer the pot's contents into a blender. Remove the blender's top's insert and cover with a towel. Blend until smooth. Ladle and top with provolone cheese.

Pour into a small coffee cup or small bowl. Top with as much cheese as you please.

**the green onions are crucial. Here are some more recent pictures.

 

I prefer using white pepper in this recipe. Nigella turned me on to its musky warmth. Try it. You might like it.

 

 

one of my fave soup bowls. See the chip?

 

as you can see I got a new blender since then. Christmas 2013?

 

 

 

Pea Soup Love

Taquito(s)

Guess what? I know judo-taquito-karate! (that was my attempt at a joke)

Home-making taquitos (and btw, what is the correct plural spelling for a taquito? Someone help me out. I'm guessing "taquitos") is for everyone.

The secret to home-making a taquito is that it is a two-step fry process. The first fry is only intended to make the tortilla malleable & able to roll without tear. At this stage the oil does not have to be "fry hot."

The second fry happens once each taquito has been layered with stuffing, rolled, and set on a holding plate. This (2nd) fry is intended to make the outer shell crispy and sealed. During this said fry, the oil will need to be considerably hotter than the 1st.

There's also a few (like 3) other little tid bits that I can write to you about to help you along your taquito making way... but reading is sort of a drag to me.

So instead, please allow me to show you.

just like the beginning of the makings of enchiladas, heat some oil

 

insert a corn tortilla and wait for the bubbles

 

now time to tong a fold

 

use a spoon to help shape if necessary

  

*tid bit 1* use a cookie cooling rack to drape the post (1st) fried torts

 

*tid bit 2* pre-portion out your filling. Much like a well-constructed sandwich, layering is important. here's how it's gonna go: bean, corn, chick, cheese

 

*tid bit 3* mash beans to use as a "glue" or solid foundation for layering. this will help the guts of the taquito not fall out during the 2nd fry.

 

 

 --this is sort of a tid bit... consider it tid bit 3.5-- Notice: the tortilla is only a third of the way covered with filling. Don't be tempted to over-fill.

 

 

layer, roll, and set seam-side-down

 

other end

 

get ready

 

insert seam-side-down. (best to do with tongs. I would have, but at that time I was fumbling a three-handed job with only two hands, a camera phone, hot oil, Penny at my feet, and a jillion other things on my mind.)

 

roll it around. brown evenly - this should take about 90 seconds in 15-20 increments

 

 

TAW-DAH!

Final thoughts: I think that it's actually beneficial to let the once rolled taquito(s) rest before their 2nd fry for awhile. Awhile being like hours in advance -- this could be good news for anyone who likes to plan ahead or is strapped for time. I imagine you could even pre-roll them all and leave overnight in the fridge and then fry for a party the next day. I haven't tried it. Yet.