The Food Column: Forget cookies, 'tis the season for a soup swap
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Thai-Style Chicken and Sweet Potato Soup.
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Last month I read an article promoting "soup swap" parties in place of cookie swaps on the theory that everyone was sugared up and didn't need any more cookies.
Now, I was probably plenty sugared, but I didn't have time for swapping anything. I couldn't even make it to the cookie swap to which I was invited -- just too much stuff going on. Holiday schedules are ridiculous.
I contend that the time for soup swap parties is now.
January and February are long and boring. Some groups try to have winterfests with ice carving and whatnot, but let's face it, it's usually too dang cold to have much fun at those things.
So why not cook up a big batch of your favorite soup, invite over some soup-toting friends and then send everyone away with a week's worth of dinner?
It's easiest if you ask people to bring soup already packaged in containers. Then you can just hand over each swapper's portion. Bring copies of the recipe, too, and maybe ask everyone to bring one extra container of soup so everybody can eat some during the party. You could even whip up a loaf of homemade bread.
As the article I read pointed out, however, the one caveat is that soup, unlike cookies, can't sit out on the table while you socialize. Before you host, clean out your fridge so your friends can store their soups during the party. Or plan a drive-by soup swap and have the party on a different day.
I've got a recipe at the end of this column to get you started.
And besides hosting a soup swap, you can spice up the boring months with some foodie events:
Monday: Burgundy dinner with Chef Tony Pais, 6:15 p.m. at Café Zinho, Shadyside. $150 per person. daveswinecellar.com .
Jan. 27: 5th Annual Symphony of Food, 6 p.m. at Bella Sera Event Venue, Canonsburg. Chefs Kevin Sousa of Salt of the Earth, Brian Pekarcik of SPOON, Chet Garland of Toast Kitchen & Wine Bar, and Domenic Branduzzi of Piccolo Forno will prepare signature courses; WTAE's Sally Wiggin emcees. $75; proceeds go to WOMEN of Southwestern PA's charitable work benefiting women and children in need. 724-514-7176 or womenofswpa.org .
Also Jan. 27: Farm-to-Table Lunch & Learn, 11:30 a.m. at Pittsburgh Public Market, Strip District. Free class on healthier lifestyles; lunch is provided. Pre-register by e-mailing ehart@american-healthcare.net .
Next Thursday, Jan. 26: Second Annual Pour for a Cure, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at PNC Park's Trib Total Media Hall of Fame Club, North Shore. Twelve beer selections to sample, cheese samples, cash bar, other food, auction, live music. Presented by Leukemia & Lymphona Society's Young Professionals Board. $50; $20 for designated drivers. 800-726-2873.
Jan. 28: Butler County Wine Festival, 2 to 5 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. at Days Inn, Butler. Local and regional wineries, wine and food sampling, vendors, demos. $15 per person in advance; $18 at the door. For tickets: 724-283-1500 or shop.insidebutlercounty.com .
IKEA, Robinson Town Centre, hosts a Valentine-themed Inspiration Thursday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. today.
Menu includes heart-shaped multigrain bread with spinach and artichoke dip, pasta with shrimp, crepes with cream filling and strawberries, chocolate truffle cake and wines from Kavic Winery in Carnegie. Cost is $5 or free with an IKEA Family card.
Next Thursday, Jan. 26: The Reluctant Vegan Rides Again, 7 p.m. at Whole Foods, East Liberty. It's New Year's resolution season; learn to make some healthful dishes. 412-441-7960. ext. 215 or email kim.wynnycky@wholefoods.com .
Jan. 29: Martin Yan, 10 a.m. at Giant Eagle Market District, Bethel Park, and 3:30 p.m. at Market District, Pine. The "Yan Can Cook" star and cookbook author leads cooking demos. Free, but register ahead: marketdistrict.com .
Chatham University is a viewing station for the TEDxManhattan live webcast, "Changing the Way We Eat," from 10 a.m. to 5:30 pm. Saturday at Eddy Theater on campus in Shadyside. The event will highlight the sustainable food movement. Free. To register online: chatham.edu/events . For more information about the webcast: tedxmanhattan.org .
Pittsburgh Public Market will hold an open house for prospective vendors from 5 to 7 p.m. next Thursday, Jan. 26. Members of market management and current vendors will be on hand to answer questions. Information: 412-281-4505 or e-mail temig@pittsburghpublicmarket.org .
The Midwife Center's annual "Let Them Eat Cake!" fundraiser is accepting entries from professional and amateur cake bakers through March 30.
The event will be held May 19 at the Pittsburgh Opera, Downtown. Bakers should design cakes that mirror the event's theme, "1982: Birth of a Dream Come True," celebrating The Midwife Center's 30th anniversary. A panel of judges will choose the best cakes, which will be featured in the summer issue of the Pittsburgh area's TABLE Magazine. Winners will receive $100 gift cards for Whole Foods.
Entry forms are available at midwifecenter.org or by calling 412-321-6880 ext. 208.
Thai-Style Chicken and Sweet Potato Soup
PG tested
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 3/4 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon powdered garlic
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 6 ounces white button mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), cooked and chopped
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- 14-ounce can coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- Chopped peanuts for garnish
Heat the peanut oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the ground ginger, garlic powder and onion and cook until softened, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add the sweet potato, mushrooms and soy sauce. Pour in the chicken broth and add water, if needed, to barely cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Stir in the chicken, lime zest and juice, peanut butter, coconut and coconut milk. Simmer until heated through.
Serve soup hot and garnish with cilantro and peanuts if desired.
-- Adapted from "Foodista: Best of Food Blogs Cookbook" (Andrews McMeel, 2010)
First Published January 19, 2012 12:00 am
