Bring the flavour out of a light snack with our tasty appetizer recipies.
Szechwan Hot and Sour Soup
Tomato Bruschetta
Szechwan Hot and Sour Soup Recipe
This Chinese favorite soup can easily be made at home. Mushrooms provide a wealth of flavor, complemented by a bit of pork or chicken. Adjust the heat to suit your own tastes.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
• 6 dried cloud ear mushrooms
• 6 dried chinese black mushroom
• 6 dried tigerlily buds
• 4-1/2 cups double-strength chicken broth
• 1 Tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 Tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1/3 pound lean boneless pork or skinned boneless chicken
• 4 ounces fresh bean curd, cut in thin strips
• 1/4 cup bamboo shoots, cut in thin strips
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 Tablespoons Ellsey’s red rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons thinly sliced green onion, including some tops
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, Hot Hot Oil or chile oil (see instructions)
• Sugar to taste, if desired
Preparation:
Pour boiling water over cloud ears, black mushrooms and tigerlily buds. Let soak 15 minutes. Drain; cut off woody parts of mushrooms and hard tips of buds, then slice very thinly. Set aside.
Heat broth in a large saucepan. Meanwhile, heat peanut and sesame oils in a wok or large skillet; when oil is hot, sprinkle on soy sauce. Add pork or chicken and stir-fry just a few minutes or until crisp on edges. Add mushrooms and tigerlily buds and stir to brown edges lightly. Then add meat and mushroom mixture to broth and stir well; stir in bean curd and bamboo shoots. When soup comes to a gentle simmer, pour in beaten eggs, stirring soup with a swirling motion. As soon as eggs start to cook, remove soup from heat.
Rinse 4 to 6 individual soup bowls or 1 large serving bowl with hot water. Then mix vinegar, green onion, 2 teaspoon sesame oil and white pepper, Hot Hot Oil or Chile Oil. Divide mixture equally among individual bowls or place all in a large bowl.
Taste soup and adjust seasonings, adding more soy sauce or perhaps a pinch of sugar if a less sour flavor is desired. Stir to mix the cloud like shreds of egg evenly, then pour into individual bowls or serving bowl. To eat, bring soup spoon up from the bottom of the bowl to mix hot and sour flavors into each bite.
Makes 4 servings
Tomato Bruschetta
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
6 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 French baguette
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Preparation:
Preheat the oven on broiler setting.
In a large bowl, combine the plum tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper.
Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices.
On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer.
Grill for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.
Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.
Grill for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.Serve as a starter.
Makes about 12 servings.
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