Nigerian Peanut Soup

Submitted By: Karena
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Ready In: 45 Minutes

Servings: 4
"If you love peanuts, try this wonderfully easy and exotic recipe. Jalapeno peppers, green bell peppers, onion, and chunky-style peanut butter are added to chicken broth for a savory and high-protein soup. Ready in twenty minutes."
Ingredients:
4 cups chicken broth
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

Directions:

1.In 1-quart saucepan add broth and chili peppers and bring mixture to a boil. Stir in bell pepper and onion and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.

2.Reduce heat to lowest possible temperature; add peanut butter and cook, stirring constantly, until peanut butter is melted and mixture is well blended.

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Groundnut Stew

Groundnut is the common African word for peanut, and Groundnut Stew or Groundnut Chop is one of many Chop dishes; the Western African version of the Chicken in Peanut-Tomato Sauce eaten all over sub-Saharan Africa. The Western African style is usually more elaborate, with more ingredients and garnishes. Palm-Oil Chop is similar to Groundnut Stew: the main difference is that peanuts (or peanut butter) in Groundnut Stew replace the palm nuts (or canned palm soup base) and in Palm-Oil Chop.

What you need

• one or two sweet potatoes, or a similar amount of yams, peeled and cut into cubes (optional)
• peanut oil (or other cooking oil)
• one or two chickens, cut into large bite-sized pieces (you can also use equal parts chicken and beef or stew meat)
• salt (to taste)
• black pepper (to taste)
• chicken broth or stock (optional)
• two or three tomatoes, chopped (or canned tomaoes, or tomato sauce or tomato paste)
• one or two onions, chopped very fine
• one clove garlic, minced (optional)
• one or two hot chile peppers, chopped (optional)
• one-half teaspoon ground ginger or coriander
• pinch of thyme or a bay leaf
• one-quarter cup dried shrimp or dried prawns (optional)
• one medium eggplant (aubergine, or guinea squash) or a dozen okra, or canned beans, or canned corn (optional)
• sweet green pepper (or bell pepper), chopped (optional)
• squash, chopped (optional)
• one cup peanut butter (preferably natural and unsweetened) -- or make your own peanut paste by roasting peanuts, removing the shells and skins, and grinding, mashing, or mincing them, then simmer them in a saucepan with a cup of water

What you do

• If using sweet potatoes or yams:
  Boil or steam them until they begin to become tender.
• In a large pot or dutch oven fry the meat in hot oil, until browned. Add salt and pepper. Reduce heat, add a cup of water or chicken broth and simmer.
• Heat oil in a skillet. Fry the tomatoes, onions, garlic, chile peppers over high heat. Add spices. Add the optional vegetables, sweet potatoes or yams, and/or dried shrimp or prawns. Reduce heat and stir in peanut butter and a bit of water or broth. Stir until smooth.
• Add the tomato-onion-peanut mixture to the simmering meat. Stir throughly and continue to simmer until the meat is cooked and the vegetables are tender.
• Serve with boiled Rice and as many garnishes as possible:
  • hard-boiled eggs, peeled (everyone must have a hard-boiled egg); these are sometimes added to the pot and cooked with the stew a few minutes before serving
  • sliced boiled yam or sweet potato
  • breadcrumbs or croutons
  • sliced fruit: such as banana, mango, orange, papaya, pineapple, etc.
  • shredded lettuce
  • parsley
  • chopped nuts
  • shredded coconut
  • sliced tomato
  • sliced onion: raw or fried
  • chile peppers
  • chutney
  • African Hot Sauce
  • salt, black pepper, red pepper
• Serve Ginger Beer or Green Tea with Mint with or after the meal.
• Follow with Fruit Salad.

This dish also can be made without the meat. Use sweet potatoes and as many of the optional vegetables as possible for the vegetarian version.

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Peanut Soup

Various peanut soups are common throughout Africa. Some are very simple, others more elaborate. They are often eaten as a main course along with Rice, or one of the Fufu-like staples: Baton de Manioc, Fufu, or Ugali.

What you need

• two or three cups chicken broth or chicken stock
• one small onion, minced
• one small sweet green pepper (or bell pepper), minced
• one clove of garlic, crushed (optional)
• salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper or red pepper (to taste)
• one hot chile pepper, minced (optional)
• one carrot, chopped fine or one sweet potato or yams, boiled and mashed (optional)
• one or two tomatoes, chopped or canned tomatoes (optional)
• one cup natural unsweetened peanut butter (or make your own peanut paste, see the simple peanut soup recipe below)

What you do

• If using homemade peanut paste, simmer it with the broth for fifteen minutes, then add all other ingredients and simmer over low heat until everything is thoroughly cooked. Stir often. Soup should be thick and smooth.
• If using peanut butter: Combine all ingredients except the peanut butter and simmer over medium heat until everything is tender. Reduce heat, add the peanut butter and simmer for a few minutes more. Stir often. Soup should be thick and smooth.

Simplest Peanut Soup

The simplest Peanut Soup recipe calls for two parts chicken stock, two parts shelled peanuts, and one part milk or cream. Start by roasting the peanuts in a baking pan in a hot oven, or on the stove in a large skillet, turning often. Remove the skins from the peanuts and mash them with a mortar and pestle, mince them with a knife, crush them with a rolling pin, or use a food-processor. (Or you could use one part peanut butter, preferably natural and unsweetened.) Combine the peanut paste with the chicken stock in a saucepan and simmer for thirty minutes to an hour. Season with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and sugar to taste. Stir in milk before serving.

Colonial American Peanut Soup

Make a roux by heating a spoonful of butter in a saucepan and slowly stirring in a spoonful of flour, then add the other ingredients (as above). Consider including a chopped celery stalk and a chopped leek along with the other vegetables. Also add some milk or cream just before serving.

See also: Nkatenkwan on Rare Recipes: Alice Dede; and Groundnut Stew; Peanut Sauce; and Chicken in Peanut-Tomato Sauce.

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Heart Smart Collard Greens

1 pound fresh collard greens, chopped
14 ounces vegetable broth
1 ½ cups water
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon sugar

Bring broth, water, olive oil, salt, and pepper to a boil in a medium sized pot. Add the greens and sugar; bring to a boil again. Cover pot and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes or until desired tenderness.

Easy Chicken Pie

Ingredients:

4 large, boneless chicken breasts, cooked
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of chicken broth
1 cup of self-rising flour
1 cup of milk
1 stick of butter, melted

Cut the cooked chicken into small pieces. Put chicken into a shallow casserole
dish and add the cream of chicken soup and chicken broth. In a separate bowl
mix the flour, milk, and the margarine. Pour mixture evenly over chicken and bake
at 375 degrees for 1 hour. Add any vegetables you like to the pie, if you like.

Crockpot Potato Soup Recipe

Top this potato soup with chopped chives or parsley, or top with bacon bits or grated cheese for a heartier soup.

Ingredients:

* 6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
* 2 leeks, washed, sliced, including white and light green
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 1 carrot, scraped and diced
* 1 stalk celery, sliced
* 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
* 4 cups chicken broth
* 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
* pepper
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 12 ounces evaporated milk (1 1/2 cups)
* chopped chives or parsley for garnish, optional

Preparation:
Put all ingredients except evaporated milk and chives in crockpot. Cook on low 7 to 9 hours or high 3 to 4 hours. Stir in milk the last 45 minutes.
Serve hot, topped with chives or parsley. For a heartier soup, top each serving with shredded cheese and cooked crumbled bacon.

Chicken, Sausage, and Shrimp Gumbo

1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 green pepper, chopped
1 medium sized onion, chopped
2 cans (14.5 oz.) chicken broth
1 can (14.5 oz) beef broth
1 lb. boneless,skinless chicken thighs
1/2 lb. chorizo sausage, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
1/2 cup loosely packed parsley leaves, chopped
1 Tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1 Tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1 lb. medium shrimp, shelled & deveined
1 cup long grain rice, cooked as directed on the package
Insturctions:

In a large soup pot, heat oil over med-low heat. Gradually stir in flour, and cook, stirring, until mixture is dark brown ~ about 15 minutes.

Mix the broth in slowly and blend until smooth.

At the same time you start the roux start to cook the vegetables: In a non-stick skillet, over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of oil and heat until hot.

Add celery, garlic, green pepper, and onion and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

To the roux-thickened broth add the stewed tomatoes, chicken, chorizo, herbs, salt, black pepper and the vegetables.

Add 4 cups of dark beer or water and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 40 minutes. Skim off any fat that comes to the surface.

Add the shrimp and cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the shrimp turn opaque.

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Chicken Bog

What is a Chicken Bog? “While anecdotal evidence exists that the name ‘chicken bog’ was related to the “boggy” nature of its home, the Pee Dee, in his book Stews, Bogs and Burgoos, southern writer, James Villas claims that a ‘bog’ (unlike a pilau) is any stew that includes wet, soggy rice. ‘Pilau’ more commonly know as pilaf is a dish consisting of sautéed and seasoned or steamed rice often prepared with meat, shellfish or vegetables.

Karen Hess, author of the benchmark work, The Carolina Rice Kitchen, describes chicken bog as “a pilau made in large batches, which would always cause it to end up wet.” Culinary historian Damon Lee Fowler defines chicken bog as “a highly localized form of pilau, probably of African provenance, in the U.S. found only in South Carolina.” Traditionally, the only ingredients are chicken, rice, sausage, and onions, seasoned with salt and plenty of black pepper.

Whether a bog is a bog or a soggy pilau, this one-course dish remains the stuff of South Carolina legends. The bog even has its own festival, the annual Loris Bog-Off Festival, which pits bog chefs against each other in an annual chicken bog cooking contest. Started in 1979 and held every October, the festival features a parade, arts, crafts, games, local bands and gospel singing.

See our Festivals & Events listings for great SC food festivals held year round. Don't forget to look at other famous tastes of South Carolina.

CHICKEN BOG RECIPE
A coastal South Carolina delicacy with chicken, sausage, and rice - This authentic recipe was contributed by the Loris Chamber of Commerce.

INGREDIENTS:


* 6 cups water
* 1 tablespoon salt
* 1 onion, chopped
* 1 (3 pound) whole chicken
* 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
* 1 cup long-grain white rice
* 1/2 pound smoked sausage of your choice, sliced
* 2 tablespoons Italian-style seasonings
* 2 cubes chicken bouillon

PREPARATION:

* Place water, salt and onion in a large pot. Add chicken and bring all to a boil; cook until chicken is tender, about 1 hour.
* Remove chicken from pot and let cool. Remove skin and bones and chop remaining meat into bite size pieces.

Skim off fat from cooking liquid and measure 3 1/2 cups of this chicken broth into a 6-quart saucepan. Add rice, chicken pieces, sausage, herb seasoning and bouillon to this saucepan. Cook all together for 30 minutes; let come to a boil, then reduce heat to low, keeping pan covered the whole time. If mixture is too watery or juicy, cook over medium low heat, uncovered, until it reaches the desired consistency. Stir often while cooking.