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Soup's On: Cream of Fresh Tomato

YumSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 15:00:07 -0700

While shopping at Berkeley Bowl, I came across the bargain section of fresh produce. Most of the time I won't glance at this section, but a two-pound bag of ripe red tomatoes caught my eye. At only $0.99 per bag, I couldn't pass them up since I had a hankering for a bowl of fresh tomato soup.

The recipe calls for seeded and peeled tomatoes; however, I didn't want to waste time or lose a bunch of juice - especially because the tomatoes were really meaty. Also, once the soup makes its way through the blender, the seeds and skin are virtually undetectable.

Rather than use the conventional basil and thyme, I opted for lime basil and lemon thyme in the soup. Each spoonful of this comforting classic is fresh and flavorful. If you have some end-of-season tomatoes on hand, get started on this soup. You won't be disappointed! Get the recipe after the jump.

Soup's On: Radicchio Soup

partysugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:45:41 -0700

Today marks the first day of Spring and the last day of my Winter soup-making series. I wanted to go out with an exceptionally superb soup, but like my father and the Rolling Stones said, "You can't always get what you want."

I'd been holding on to this recipe for a while and hoped it would create a brilliantly purple soup. Unfortunately, I failed to realize that naturally, the radicchio would brown while cooking. Luckily, the soup had a wonderfully comforting, robust flavor and delicious, lush taste. The radicchio is mild and the final product is very similar to French Onion soup with radicchio in place of the onions. To see how it's made, read more.

Radicchio Soup
From Michele Anna Jordan

Ingredients

3 tbsp. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 medium potato, peeled and finely diced
salt and black pepper to taste
8-10 ounces radicchio, about 6 cups, sliced thin
4 cups chicken stock, beef stock, or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
4-6 slices sourdough bread, toasted
lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Put the oil in a large soup pot and heat over medium-low heat until warm.
Add the onion and saute for about 10 minutes until soft.
Add the potato and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add radicchio and saute, stirring until it just wilts. Season.
Pour in stock and 2 cups water. Simmer gently until potatoes are just tender, 8-10 min.
Using potato masher or immersion blender, mash or puree part of the soup. Don't worry too much about this - it is rustic soup.
Taste and correct seasonings. Divide the cheese among 4-6 bowls. Ladle soup over cheese, drizzle with oil if desired and serve with the toasted bread and lemon wedges.

Serves 4-6.

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Soup's On: Sweet Pea Soup

partysugar — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 12:33:31 -0700

I couldn't let St. Patrick's Day pass without making a vibrantly green soup. This soup gets its brilliant color from peas. The recipe involves minimal chopping so it's super simple to make. The texture is smooth and velvety, and the flavor is rich and comforting. This soup would be an elegant starter to a St. Patrick's Day dinner or Spring-themed shower. To make it vegetarian, substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth. To see how I made it, read more.

Sweet Pea Soup
From Instyle magazine, April 2004

Ingredients

5 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white parts only
5 tbsp. all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken broth
5 cups fresh or frozen peas
3/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
croutons, optional for garnish

Directions

Heat butter in Dutch oven or large pot over medium high heat.
Add leeks; saute until soft, 4-5 minutes.

Add flour, stirring until dissolved. Add broth; bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
Stir in peas; reduce heat and simmer, 10-15 minutes.

Using a handheld blender, puree. Stir in cream; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with croutons, if desired and serve.

Serves 8.

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

partysugar — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 11:43:31 -0800

I first learned about rainbow soups while reading The New Basics. Since then, I make them all the time! A rainbow soup is basically two different soups that when combined, make one delicious dish. This version features a cooling corn soup and a spicy red pepper puree. The recipes are so simple - minimal chopping, few ingredients - it's not that much harder than making one soup. Ok yes, you do have to wash two pots, but the final result is rewarding, delicious, and totally worth it. This soup would make a stunning starter to an arty dinner. To see how I made it, read more.

Corn and Roasted Red Pepper Rainbow Soup
From Everyday With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
One 16-oz. package frozen corn kernels, thawed
One 16-oz. jar roasted red peppers, undrained
1/2 cup salad croutons, plus more for garnish
1 tsp. ground cumin
Two 14-ounce cans chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Hot sauce

Directions

In each of 2 medium saucepans, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium-low heat.

Add half of the onion and garlic to each pan and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 7 minutes.

Add the corn to one pan, and add the roasted red peppers with their brine along with the croutons and cumin to the other pan.

Add 1 can chicken broth to each pan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer both soups, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

Stir the sour cream into the corn soup.

Using a hand blender, puree each soup in its pan; season to taste with salt and pepper.

Season the pepper soup with hot sauce to taste.

To serve, using two measuring cups, pour the soups simultaneously into opposite sides of each bowl; top with croutons.

Serves 4.

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Soup's On: Mussel and Chorizo Soup

partysugar — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 11:43:31 -0800

I've been wanting to make a seafood soup for a while and when I came across this recipe for a mussel and chorizo soup in the current issue of Food & Wine magazine, I knew I had to make it.

Made with Spanish flavors, the combination of mussels and chorizo is excellent and the delicious broth - a fragrant blend of clam juice, cream, and saffron - requires extra bread for dipping.

Instead of purchasing the pricey imported Spanish chorizo, I used a less expensive, Mexican-style chorizo. I regretted this decision - the chorizo was very hard and didn't put out a lot of fat - and when I make this soup again I'll splurge on the Spanish chorizo.

Whatever chorizo you use, you'll need the recipe so read more.

Mussel and Chorizo Soup
From Food & Wine magazine

1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tbsp. finely minced shallots
3 pounds mussels, scrubbed and debearded
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
5 ounces dry chorizo, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)
2 medium carrots, finely diced
2 medium leeks, white and tender greens parts only, finely diced
1 small onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large plum tomato, finely diced
1/4 tsp. saffron threads, crumbled
3 cups low-sodium fish stock, clam juice, or chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 tsp. chopped thyme

In a large, heavy pot, bring the wine with the shallots to a boil. Add the mussels, cover and cook over high heat until they open, about 5 minutes.
Strain the cooking liquid into a large bowl and reserve. Remove the mussels from their shells, reserving some unshelled for garnish, if desired.
In the large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the chorizo, carrots, leeks, and onion; cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Spoon off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat.

Add the garlic, diced tomato and saffron and cook over moderate heat until fragrant, about 4 minutes.
Add the fish stock and reserved mussel cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Simmer the soup over low heat for 30 minutes.
Add the cream to the soup and simmer over moderately high heat for 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the mussels and the thyme and simmer just until the mussels are heated through, about 1 minute.

Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with the mussel shells and serve hot.

Serves 8.

Make ahead: the shelled and unshelled mussels and the chorizo soup can be refrigerated separately overnight.

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Soup's On: French Onion Soup

partysugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:43:31 -0800

I spent the long weekend at my cabin in the mountains. While the sun was out, the weather was frigid and the ground snowy. To take advantage of my free time, I decided to make a slow-cooking soup. French onion soup is a comforting, crowd-pleasing classic. Don't be intimidated by this bistro fave, it's really easy to make. You do need time to slice the onions and cook them down, so don't wait until the last minute to make it. The longer the onions caramelize the better the soup. To see how I made it, read more.

French Onion Soup
Modified from Bon Appétit magazine and Martha Stewart

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
6 onions (about 3 pounds), sliced
6 garlic cloves, sliced
1 bay leaf
3 springs fresh thyme
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry sherry
6 cups canned beef broth
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
6-8 sourdough bread slices, toasted
8 ounces pecorino romano cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater (about 3 cups)

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot on medium-low heat. Add onions, garlic, bay leaf, and thyme. Spread them out in as thin a layer as possible. Sprinkle with sugar, and cook, stirring just as needed to keep onions from sticking, until they are melting and soft, golden brown, and beginning to caramelize, 1 hour to an hour and a half.

Sprinkle flour over onions, and stir to coat.
Add wine and simmer until reduced to glaze, about 3 minutes. Stir in beef broth and mustard. Simmer 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into broilerproof bowls. Top each with slice of toast and grated cheeses. Broil until cheeses melt and bubble.

Serves 6-8.

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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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