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Soup's On: Cream of Fresh Tomato

YumSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:01:07 -0700

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Soup's On: Radicchio Soup

partysugar — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 21:18:18 -0700

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Soup's On: Sweet Pea Soup

partysugar — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:28:27 -0700

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Soup's On: Corn and Roasted Red Pepper Rainbow Soup

partysugar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 14:57:55 -0800

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Soup's On: Mussel and Chorizo Soup

partysugar — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:02:14 -0800

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Soup's On: Cheddar Beer Soup

partysugar — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:31:51 -0800

When I made cheddar cheese soup a couple of months ago, I had a hard time choosing between two recipes. I went with the classic "best ever" cheese soup recipe from Cook's Illustrated rather than the super simple variation from Everyday With Rachael Ray. To treat myself for Valentine's Day I decided to give the other recipe a try. Good thing I did because I prefer this velvety version! Flavored with leeks instead of celery and beer instead of sherry, this soup has a wonderful cheesy taste. Mustard adds depth and its slight tang offsets the beer. For garnish I made heart-shaped croutons! To see how I made this soup, read more.

Cheddar Beer Soup
From Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine

5 tbsp. butter
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup flour
3 cups milk
One 12-ounce bottle amber beer, such as Dos Equis*
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
10 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 3 1/2 cups)
Croutons, for garnish

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the carrots and leeks, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until soft, 10 minutes.

Add the flour and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.

Slowly pour in the milk, whisking constantly.

Increase the heat to medium-high, add the beer and mustard and bring the soup to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, whisking, until creamy and thickened, about 10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the cheese 1 handful at a time until combined.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the croutons.

Serves 4.

*I couldn't find Dos Equis so I used Pacifico.

Croutons
From Inger Bareilles

7 slices thick white bread, crusts removed
2 tbsp. melted butter
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 tbsp. fresh thyme, minced
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Slice the bread into small cubes, about half-an-inch by half-an-inch.
In a large bowl toss the bread cubes with the butter, oil, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Toss well to coat all of the bread pieces.
Spread out on a baking sheet covered with foil.
Bake in the oven, checking often for 20-25 minutes.
Remove and let cool 5 minutes. Serve in a bowl alongside the cheddar cheese soup.

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Soup's On: Spicy Garbanzo Tomato Soup

partysugar — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:28:31 -0800

This week I was in the mood for something classically comforting but unordinary at the same time. I decided to make a kicked-up version of tomato soup. What makes this recipe different? Garbanzo beans and coriander, which are not your average tomato-soup ingredients. These elements are pureed with canned tomatoes to make a soup with a wonderful texture and vibrant flavor that's subtly unusual. The recipe is so unbelievably easy and the soup is ready in under 30 minutes. It's an excellent option for a fast and easy dinner. To see how I made it please read more.

Spicy Garbanzo Tomato Soup
From Martha Stewart

3 gloves garlic, minced
3 dried hot red chiles, chopped or 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. ground coriander
3/4 tsp. course salt
1/8 tsp. caraway seeds
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes, with juice
1/2 cup drained jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed
3 1/2 cups homemade or low-sodium, store-bought chicken stock
Sour cream, for serving
parsley springs, optional for garnish

Using mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon, crush garlic, chiles, coriander, salt, and caraway to form a paste.

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic mixture, and cook until just softened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in beans, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, and stock. Simmer, stirring often, for 15 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Working in batches, puree soup in a blender. Rewarm if necessary.

Divide among bowls, and top each with a dollop of sour cream and a spring of parsley, if desired.

Serves 4.

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Soup's On: Sweet and Spicy Chili

partysugar — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:43:31 -0800

Technically chili isn't a soup, but since it's almost Super Bowl Sunday, and chili is a one-pot meal made in a similar process as soup, I had to feature it. My dad discovered this recipe and has been raving about it for a couple of weeks now. Currently it's our favorite chili because its both sweet and spicy at the same time.

Brown sugar adds the sweetness and serrano and jalapeno peppers add the spice. To save time, I used the food processor to chop the vegetables. This recipe does take a few hours for the flavors to meld, so don't wait until the last minute. To see the method behind the chili, read more.

Sweet and Spicy Chili
From Jason Miller of Primehouse New York

2 tbsp. vegetable oil
16 oz. coarse ground beef
12 oz. sirloin (prime grade is best), cubed into 1/4 in. chunks
2 medium yellow onions, chopped into 1/4 in. dice
1 shallot, diced fine
2 tbsp. finely chopped garlic
1 red bell pepper, diced 1/4 in.
1 green bell pepper, diced 1/4 in.
1 cup tomato paste
1/2 tsp. fine-ground instant espresso
1 cup dark brown sugar
4 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cayenne
1/4 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. kosher salt
3 15 oz. cans kidney beans
2 cups beef stock
1 28 oz. can peeled plum tomatoes, chopped (drained, but reserve juice)
12 oz. dark beer (Guinness recommended)
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1 serrano pepper, seeded and chopped

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed stock pot over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned thoroughly about 8 minutes. Drain off excess fat.

Add sirloin, garlic, onions, shallots, green and red bell peppers and continue to cook for an additional 12 minutes, making sure to thoroughly brown the sirloin and get a good carmelization on the vegetables.

Add the tomato paste, espresso, dried seasonings, and sugar. Saute and thoroughly mix over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Add beans, stock, tomatoes, beer, and hot peppers and let simmer for one hour over medium-low heat, stirring the mixture every 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer for additional one hour, using the reserved drained tomato juice to thin if needed.

Serve hot with the garnish of your choice: cheddar cheese, sour cream, green onions, etc.

Serves 10-12.

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Soup's On: Broccoli Cheese Soup

partysugar — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 10:40:31 -0800

Normally, when one thinks of broccoli cheese soup, cheddar cheese comes to mind. However one of my favorite supermarket soups is a delicious blend of broccoli and blue cheese. Now don't go all "eww I hate blue cheese" on me. Stirred into a puree of tender, green broccoli, the blue cheese is mild and creamy rather than moldy and pungent.

This soup is elegant, delicious, and elevates a cafe classic to a whole new level of sophistication. I topped my bowl with crunchy cheddar croutons. You really won't regret giving this smooth soup a chance, so see how I made it when you read more.

Broccoli Cheese Soup
Modified from William Broderick at the Port Charlotte Hotel in Scotland

For Soup:
1/4 cup butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 head broccoli, thick stems removed, chopped
6 tbsp. flour
3 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup Stilton or other blue cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper
4 to 5 tbsp. heavy cream
For Croutons:
2 slices of white bread per person, crusts removed, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
olive oil to coat
salt and pepper
1 heaping tbsp. per person finely grated extra sharp cheddar cheese

Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat.

Add the vegetables, and fry gently for 5 minutes until soft but not browned.

Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Stir in the stock and return to heat. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously until the soup thickens. Allow to simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile make the cheddar croutons: preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the bread cubes on a cookie sheet covered with foil. Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper to coat. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Bake in the oven until crisp and brown 12-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Cool soup slightly and blend with an immersion blender or regular blender.

Return soup to pan, add the milk, and heat gently. Stir in the Stilton, salt and pepper, and heavy cream until melted. Reheat slowly allowing the cheese to melt, over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Do not allow soup to boil at this point, it will curdle.

To serve, garnish with croutons.

Serves 4-6.

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Soup's On: Lentil Soup

partysugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 11:48:31 -0800

The other day, when I asked my sister what kind of soup she wanted for dinner, she quickly replied lentil. I researched some recipes and started chopping vegetables. Later when we sat down to dinner I realized she was only kidding! Luckily the soup was hearty and delicious and my entire family enjoyed it. The original recipe has you puree the soup, but I left it chunky for texture. The croutons add a nice crunch, but don't directly affect the flavor of the soup. Paired with a green salad and a glass of red wine, this is one excellent Winter meal. To see how I made it, read more.

Lentil Soup
From Food & Wine magazine

1 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
5 ounces Serrano ham or lean bacon*, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 medium leek, white and tender green parts only, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
2 quarts plus 1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
2 cups brown lentils (3/4 pound), rinsed and picked over
2 cups firm-textured white bread, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large saucepan, melt the 1 tbsp. of butter in the olive oil.

Add the Serrano ham, onion, leek, and carrot and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.

Add the stock and lentils and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Simmer the soup over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, on a baking sheet, toss the diced bread with the melted butter and bake for 8 minutes, or until browned.

Puree the soup in a blender in batches**; transfer the puree to a clean saucepan. Add the cream, bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper.

Serve the soup in bowls, garnished with the croutons.

Serves 8.

Make ahead: The soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. The croutons can be kept in an airtight container overnight.

*Sadly I could not find Serrano ham anywhere so I used bacon.
**I opted not to puree the soup.

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Soup's On: Clam Chowder in Bread Bowl

partysugar — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 11:43:18 -0800

One of San Francisco's most famed dishes is white clam chowder served in a sourdough bread bowl. If you can't make it down to Fisherman's Wharf, you can savor this filling soup in the comfort of your own home. Don't be overwhelmed by cooking with clams; this soup is actually simple to make and comes together in less than an hour. The creamy soup is full of juicy clams and chunky potatoes. When served in a bread bowl it becomes a fun meal perfect for entertaining. To see the recipe, read more.

Clam Chowder
From Parade magazine

6 pounds cherrystone clams
3 medium-sized onions, each coarsely chopped but kept separate
1 rib of celery (with leaves), cut into 2-inch pieces
1 carrot, peeled and halved
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme plus
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cups water
1/2 cup clam juice
1/2 pound slab bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 small white new potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 cups heavy cream
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Bread bowl (optional), for serving, see video below

Wash the clams well in cold water and put into a heavy soup pot. Add 1 chopped onion, the celery, carrot, 1 bay leaf, and the thyme sprigs.

Add water and clam juice. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the clams open, shaking the pot occasionally. Remove clams from their shells, pouring any remaining broth back into the pot.

Cover the clams and set aside. Strain the broth through a fine sieve and set aside.
Add the bacon to the pot and cook over low heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is slightly crisp, about 10 minutes.

Add the remaining chopped onions, the remaining bay leaf, chopped thyme, and butter. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring, to wilt the onions.

Add the potatoes and the strained broth. Simmer, partially covered, over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through. Skim any foam that rises to the surface.

Meanwhile, coarsely chop the reserved clams. Add them to the pot along with the cream; simmer over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until the clams are just cooked through. Do not overcook or clams will be chewy.

Season generously with pepper and stir in the parsley. Serve in bread bowl, if desired.

Serves 6-8.

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Soup's On: Minestrone Soup

partysugar — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 10:58:31 -0800

Minestrone is one of my favorite soups to make. It takes a lot of time to produce a good pot of this classic, Italian soup, so set aside the entire afternoon and make sure you soak the beans the night before. The final result is a hearty, rustic, restaurant-quality dish. A bowl is a meal in itself, all you need is some crusty bread for dipping. Serve with a robust Pinot Noir for a wonderful, wintry meal. To see how I made it, read more.

Minestrone Soup
From Martha Stewart

For the beans:
3/4 cup dried cannellini beans
1/2 large onion
1 bay leaf
For the soffritto:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large celery stalk, very finely chopped
1 medium carrot, very finely chopped
1 large onion, very finely chopped
For the soup:
1 medium leek, white and pale green parts only, quartered lengthwise, cut into 1/4 inch slices, rinsed well
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 large celery stalks, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 medium carrots, cut on the diagonal, into 1/4 inch slices
6 ounces small red potatoes (about 7), ct into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise, cut into 1/4 inch slices
4 ounces green beans, timmed, cut on the diagonal into 1 inch pieces (about 1 cup)
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) whole peeled plum tomatoes with juice, crushed
1 bunch (5 ounces) Tuscan kale, stemmed, leaves cut crosswise into 1/2 inch strips
1/4 head savoy cabbage, cored and very thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
4 cups vegetable stock
1 rind Parmesan cheese
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground pepper

Make the beans: cover the beans with cold water by 2 inches in a bowl. Refrigerate 8-12 hours. Drain. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add beans, onion, and bay leaf. Reduce heat; simmer until beans are just tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving beans and 4 cups liquid. Discard solids from beans, and cover beans.
Make soffritto: heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Add celery, carrots, and onion. Cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Make the soup: add leek and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until soft, about 4 minutes.
Raise heat to medium-high; add celery, carrots, potatoes, zucchini, and green beans. Cook, stirring often, until golden about 5 minutes.

Stir in reserved bean liquid, the tomatoes, and juice, kale, cabbage, stock, cheese rind, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 1 hour.
Add beans. Cover and cook until tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Serve.

Serves 8.

Make ahead: soup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days; thin with water if needed before reheating.

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Soup's On: Golden Beet Soup

partysugar — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 09:03:31 -0800

The other day my girlfriend was flipping through the December issue of Bon Appetit at my house. She came across their Hanukkah menu and got super excited about the delicious looking golden beet soup. She liked the way it sounded so much that she asked if I would help her make it. Instead of taking control, I agreed to let her be chef and I would act as the lowly-onion-chopping line cook.

The final result was a luxurious, perfectly smooth soup. Golden beets are an out-of-the ordinary ingredient, one that would be lovely on any holiday menu. To see how we made the soup, read more

Golden Beet Soup
From Bon Appetit magazine

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
9 2 1/2-inch-diameter golden beets, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (8 to 9 cups), green tops reserved*
4 1/2 cups chopped onions
4 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
6 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add beets, onions, ginger, and lemon peel.
Cover; cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 6 cups broth and bring to boil. Cover; reduce heat and simmer until beets are very tender, 1 hour.

Remove from heat; let stand 20 minutes.
Puree soup in blender in batches until smooth. Return puree to pot. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice to soup and thin with more broth, if desired. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice.

Slice enough beet greens to measure 3/4 cup. Microwave greens 1 minute to wilt; place in blender. Add 3/4 cup soup; puree greens until smooth.
Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle some of greens puree over soup and serve.

Serves 8.

*When reading the recipe my girlfriend did not see this note and threw the beet greens in the garbage. Hence there is no pretty green garnish on our version.

Do ahead: Make soup through step 5 up to 1 day ahead. Cover soup and puree separately; chill. Rewarm both separately before using.

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Soup's On: Roasted Onion Soup

partysugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 09:58:30 -0800

The other day I was in the mood for onion soup. I didn't have time to caramelize the onions and simmer for several hours like the standard French onion soup recipe requires. Instead, I popped the onions in the oven for an hour. The whole house filled with a luscious fragrance creating a warm, comforting atmosphere. I pureed the onions with chicken broth and roasted garlic. The final result was a delicious, creamy soup with sweet onion flavor. I recommend passing the soup through the blender twice for a super smooth texture. To see how I did it, read more

Roasted Onion Soup
From Cooking Light magazine

1 1/4 lbs. Oso or other sweet onions, peeled and quartered
Cooking spray
1 whole garlic head, unpeeled
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. saffron threads (optional)
2 (14.5-oz.) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup dry sherry or Madeira wine, divided
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Place the onion quarters on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; lightly coat onion quarters with cooking spray.
Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate cloves). Place garlic on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with oil; wrap in foil. Place wrapped garlic on baking sheet with onion quarters.
Bake for 1 hour or until onion quarters are soft and lightly browned, turning after 30 minutes. Cool.

Place onion in a large saucepan. Unwrap garlic; separate cloves and squeeze to extract pulp into pan. Discard garlic skins. Add saffron (if desired), broth, and bay leaf to pan (I threw in a couple springs of thyme as well). Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Stir in 3 tbsp. sherry, pepper, and salt. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Discard bay leaf.

Place half of the onion mixture in a blender or food processor; process until smooth.

Pour pureed mixture into a large bowl; repeat procedure with remaining onion mixture.
Return onion mixture to pan; cook over low heat until thoroughly heated. Stir in 1 tbsp. sherry and juice.

Ladle 1 cup soup into each of 4 bowls; top each serving with 2 tbsp. cheese. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Serves 4.

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