wear kitchen gloves while washing, cutting, and seeding them. When you are finished, thoroughly wash the gloves with hot water and soap. Avoid any direct contact with the eyes while preparing chiles.
turkey and shiitake mushroom soup
PROTEIN, HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES
DETOX, LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 pound fresh shiitake or white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
2 pounds ground dark turkey
¼ cup dry white wine (use water for Detox)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ cup sliced celery
6 cups chicken stock or broth, preferably homemade
2 medium zucchini, cut into bite-size pieces
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)
Place a large pot over high heat. Add the olive oil and onions, and stir constantly until the onions start to brown. Turn down the heat to medium and continue stirring until the onions are a deep golden brown and begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes. Add the mushrooms, then season with salt and pepper and the tarragon. Stir constantly until the mushrooms get brown and crusty, 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the ground turkey a little at a time, using your fingers to break it up. Add additional salt and pepper. Brown the meat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the wine and cook until the steam subsides and the alcohol is burned off, another 5 minutes. Scrape the browned bits off the bottom of the pan to release the flavors. Add the butter and celery, stirring to combine. Add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let the soup simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the zucchini and simmer 5 minutes more.
Serve in soup bowls, with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
SERVES 8
lobster bisque cappuccino
PROTEIN, HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES, CARBOHYDRATES, INSULIN TRIGGERS
LEVEL 2
One 1½- to 2-pound lobster, cooked (with the shell)
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 onion, sliced
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded, cored, and sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock or broth, preferably homemade
2 cups heavy cream
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup nonfat milk or heavy cream
Remove the lobster meat from the tails and claws and set aside. Reserve the lobster shells.
Place a stockpot over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter, the onion, celery, and red pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes to let the vegetables slowly sweat. Add the lobster shells to the pot, mashing with a wooden spoon to break up the shells and release the flavor. Add the tomato paste, stirring with the shells until it begins to caramelize.
Add the wine to deglaze the pan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and reduce by half. Add the chicken stock and cook over medium heat until it boils. Then lower the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cream and still at a simmer reduce the entire soup again by half.
Strain the soup through a medium sieve, pressing the shells and vegetables to extract all the flavor. Pour the strained liquid into a large pot and bring back to a simmer. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Using a whisk, incorporate the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter.
Using a milk frother, foam the milk until light and fluffy. (If you do not have a milk frother, whip a small amount of heavy cream to soft peaks instead.)
To serve as a tray-passed appetizer, fill demitasse cups two-thirds full, top with a piece of lobster meat and dollop of foamed milk, and serve immediately. To serve as a first course at a sit-down dinner, cut up the lobster meat into small chunks and place a few chunks of meat in each serving cup. Add the bisque until the cup is two-thirds full and top with a dollop of foamed milk. Serve immediately.
SERVES 8
crab bisque with sweet corn and crab relish
PROTEIN, HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES, INSULIN TRIGGERS
LEVEL 2
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, sliced
1 celery