When I wrote Paleo Soups & Stews, I did my very best to offer lots of tips and tricks to help readers make the best pots of soup they possibly could.
But soup can be a funny thing; even when following a recipe to the letter, the end result will almost never be exactly the same twice. The broth might be thinner, the carrots not as sweet, the onions weren’t browned as deeply, the soup didn’t reduce as much…
Really, this is true of all recipes. It’s not a bad thing, it’s just part of cooking from scratch! But when you taste a finished dish and think it needs something, it’s nice to have a little something to add.
Enter Flavor Bombs.
The idea is simple: Puree a handful of flavorful things together, freeze in small ice cube trays or candy molds, and drop them in soups, stews, chilis, stir-fries, rice- you name it! Anything that needs a little extra oomph.
How you use them is up to you; if a dish needs some brightness, herbaceousness, and/or acid, either of the herb flavor bombs will be great. For heat and smoke, obviously the smoky-spicy. And if a dish is a little flat, needs some backbone and roundness, the umami bomb is your golden ticket.
The other great thing about Flavor Bombs? You can make them with just about anything! If you have herbs that need to be used, half a can of tomato paste, citrus that needs squeezing before it goes bad… use the following recipes as a guide and create your own flavor profiles. There are endless potential combinations.
You will need:
- A blender (I love my Blendtec, and Osters are good too.)
- Silicone candy molds (These are perfect)
Cilantro Lime Bombs
1 bunch cilantro tops (save the stems for making broth!)
5 or 6 green onion tops
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄2 cup water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Lemon Herb Bombs
1 bunch parsley tops (save the stems for making broth!)
10 to 12 chives
1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1⁄2 cup water
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Smoky Spicy Bombs
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 whole roasted red peppers
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
1⁄4 cup water
Instructions for the above three recipes:
- In a blender, puree all the ingredients until smooth, adding more water if necessary.
- Pour or spoon into small ice cube trays or candy molds and freeze until solid, about 4 hours.
- Store in zip-top bags until ready to use.
Umami Bombs
2 carrots, chopped
5 dried shiitake mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- Place the carrots and mushrooms in a small pot and cover with water. Boil, covered, for 18 to 20 minutes, until the carrots are very soft.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer the carrots and mushrooms to a blender. Add 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, the garlic, fish sauce, and olive oil. Blend until smooth, adding more cooking liquid if necessary.
- Pour or spoon into small ice cube trays or candy molds and freeze until solid, about 4 hours.
- Store in zip-top bags until ready to use.
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