And as a disorganized person who often loses and forgets food items in the back of the fridge, I admit my culpability in this statistic. So I'm making a goal to be more aware of using what I've been provided with wisely.
This week, while staying by myself at my boyfriend's parents house in the UK, I became inundated with sour milk. Sour, because I repeatedly forgot to collect the delivered milk from the front stoop each morning, and only got in in the fridge by 5-6 pm. (Isn't it wonderful that England still has milk men and women?) Accordingly, after eating away for several nights, the peppers, the arugula, fresh basil, and portobello mushrooms I had bought early in the week had started to wilt and crinkle.
So, pondering how I could salvage it all, I decided that soup would be my best option. Boiling the milk neutralizes pathogens and the sour even gives a nice tang, like buttermilk. And the soup disguises the imperfections of the slightly soiled vegetables and herbs.
All in all, the results were delicious.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. butter or olive oil
1 onion and 2 shallots (or an equivalent amount of either)
4 cloves of garlic
1-2 portobello mushrooms
1 red bell pepper
1 bag of spinach, arugula, or dark green lettuce mix
10 small red or golden potatoes
2 quarts of milk (sour or no)
4 chicken breasts (optional)
3 Tbsp. of Red Thai Curry Paste
1-2 Tbsp. of brown sugar
Several sprigs of fresh, chopped basil, plus more for garnish.
Lime, for garnish and flavor when serving
1) Saute the onions, shallots, and garlic until translucent and fragrant.
2) Add the chopped peppers and mushrooms and saute until almost tender.
3) Pour in the milk and bring to a light boil. Lower heat and then add the diced chicken, chopped potatoes, greens, red curry paste, and sugar. Stir well and bring to a boil again. Then lower to a simmer (make sure to not scald the milk with high temperatures).
4) Cook for 20-30 minutes, or longer if you have the time. When ready to serve, stir in the fresh basil and serve in bowls with slivers of lime and more fresh basil as garnish.