The Dish with Chef Wes: All things food + pop culture

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Chef Wes of ChefWes.com stopped by to cook up some delicious soups and dish about the Super Bowl with Angie Fenton, Joann Dickson, Jeff Howard and JD Dotson. This segment is sponsored by ChefWes.com.

Cauliflower Chowder Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

· 4 slices bacon, diced

· 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

· 1 tablespoon olive oil

· 2 cloves garlic, minced

· 1 onion, diced

· 2 carrots, peeled and diced

· 2 stalks celery, diced

· 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

· 4 cups chicken stock

· 1 cup 2% milk or half and half

· 1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped

· 1 bay leaf

· Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

· Shredded cheddar cheese, if desired

· 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bake your bacon on sheet pan lined with foil at 350 until desired crispness. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.

2. Melt butter and olive oil in the stockpot. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Toss in the bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until barely crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes.

3. Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute or so. Gradually whisk in chicken stock and milk or half and half, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

4. Toss your cauliflower with some oil and smoked paprika and roast at 400 , about 13-15 minutes and then toss into your pot ; season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the chowder is too thick, add more milk or half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached.

5. Serve, garnished with bacon, cheese, and chives, if desired. You can also just put your cooked bacon into the pot at you simmer the chowder.

Zuppa Toscano Soup Recipe

Ingredients

· 4 slices bacon, cooked crisp

· 1 lb Italian chicken sausage meat homemade* or store bought

· Crushed red pepper to taste

· 1 medium yellow onion diced

· 2 carrots, peeled and diced

· 2 stalks of celery, diced

· 5 cloves garlic minced

· 1 pound of mini potatoes, steamed or roasted and quartered

· Salt and Pepper to taste

· 4 cups chicken stock

· 2 cups of kale steamed or sauteed and chopped

· 1 cup coconut milk, full fat

· Sea Salt and pepper to taste at the very end

Instructions

1. Bake your bacon at 350 on a sheet pan lined with foil until desired crispness

2. In a stockpot on medium using reserved bacon fat or a little olive oil and butter. Add the sausage to the pot and sprinkle with crushed red pepper, if desired. Cook, stirring and breaking up lumps with a wooden spoon, until browned - about 5-8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage to a plate to drain. Save the fat in the pot.

3. With the heat still over medium, add the onions, carrots, celery to the pot and cook until translucent, then add the garlic, stir, and cook another 45 seconds. Sprinkle the veggies and garlic with sea salt and pepper and stir to coat.

4. Add the chicken stock to the pot and bring to a light boil over medium heat. Lower the heat to medium and continue to cook and toss in the mini potatoes.

5. Add the coconut milk, kale to the pot and the sausage and bacon back in, stir cook about 5 minutes to blend flavors. Keeping the kale a nice vibrant green. Season the soup with sea salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

6. Remove from heat and serve - the soup will thicken as it cools. This soup stores well covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or, you can freeze it for up to one month. Enjoy!