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Is Soup a Part of Your Thanksgiving Meal?

partysugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:00:53 -0800

Fast & Easy Dinner: Manhattan Clam Chowder

partysugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:30:13 -0800

Living in San Francisco it's virtually impossible to find a Manhattan-style red clam chowder. To enjoy this chunky and filling soup, I have to make it myself, thus I've decided to experiment with this recipe.

With its pieces of clams, tomatoes, and veggies, this red chowder is healthier then the cream-based variation. Serve with a side of mixed greens and a hunk of crusty bread, and you've got a deliciously comforting weeknight meal. Check out the recipe and read more.

Manhattan Clam Chowder
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

1 pint shucked clams or two 6-1/2-ounce cans minced clams
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
1/3 cup chopped onion (1 small)
1/4 cup chopped carrot (1 small)
2 tablespoons olive oil or cooking oil
1 8-ounce bottle clam juice or 1 cup chicken broth
2 cups cubed red potato
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons purchased cooked bacon pieces or cooked crumbled bacon*

Directions

Chop fresh clams, if using, reserving juice; set clams aside. Strain clam juice to remove bits of shell. (Or, drain canned clams, reserving juice.) If necessary, add enough water to reserved clam juice to equal 1-1/2 cups. Set juice aside.
In a large saucepan cook celery, onion, and carrot in hot oil until tender.
Stir in the reserved 1-1/2 cups clam juice and the 8 ounces clam juice. Stir in potatoes, thyme, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat.
Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir in undrained tomatoes, clams, and bacon.
Return to boiling; reduce heat. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through.

Serves 4.

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Name That Dish!

partysugar — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:15:47 -0700

When making the Italian soup that's pictured below, one could throw in a rind of Parmesan cheese to enhance the flavor. With its ribbons of fluffy eggs, do you know what it's called?

Simple Tip: Use Parmesan Rinds to Flavor Soups

partysugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 11:30:12 -0700

Good-quality cheese is expensive and if I'm going to purchase a wedge of imported Italian Parmesan cheese, I like to use the entire chunk - including the rind. Luckily, I learned a long time ago that the rinds can be used to season soups and stews. Once you've grated all the cheese off, wrap the rind tightly in plastic wrap and throw in the freezer. The next time you make minestrone, chicken noodle soup, or any other Italian-style, stock-based soup or light stew, simply toss the rind in. It will melt and seep a nutty, cheesy goodness into the soup. How easy is that?!

Do you reserve and reuse cheese rinds? Tell us how below!

Soup's On: Roasted Vegetable Soup

partysugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:00:05 -0700

Now that you've made your own vegetable stock, you'll need a delectable vegetable soup recipe to put the stock to good use. This one is easy, hearty, and soothing. The technique to make this soup is similar to making the stock; it starts by roasting a bunch of vegetables in the oven. This concentrates the flavor and softens the texture of the veggies. While the ingredient list calls for tomatoes, leeks, garlic, and carrots, virtually any vegetables you have on hand will work: red peppers, onions, root vegetables, etc. To check out the simple yet satisfying recipe, please read more.

Roasted Vegetable Soup
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

6 beefsteak tomatoes, halved and cored
2 leeks, white and pale-green parts cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 carrots, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium vegetable broth
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In roasting pan, toss tomatoes with leeks, carrots, garlic, and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in a single layer (tomato cut sides down) until tender, 1 hour.
Using tongs, peel off tomato skins.
In saucepan, bring vegetables, vegetable broth, and 1 cup water to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.
In batches, puree in blender. Stir in basil.

Serves 4-6.

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Do You Have an Immersion Blender?

partysugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:50:41 -0700

Source: Flickr User foodistablog

Make Your Own Vegetable Stock

partysugar — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 04:00:02 -0700

While many soup recipes incorporate vegetarian-friendly ingredients like vegetables, cream, or cheese, the majority call for chicken broth, making them inedible to someone who doesn't consume meat. This problem is easily remedied with one simple component: vegetable stock. Made from vegetables that are roasted and then simmered in water, veggie stock is flavorful and rich.

While you could purchase a boxed variation from the grocery store, it's far more rewarding to make your own batch. Along with mushrooms, carrots, shallots, garlic, and red peppers, this recipe uses a cup of canned tomatoes, which provide depth, a mild sweetness, and an earthy color. If you have some time to experiment with homemade vegetable stock, get the recipe and read more.

Vegetable Stock
From Gourmet

This recipe would also be an excellent base to gravy.

Ingredients

1/2 lb portabella mushrooms, caps and stems cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb shallots, left unpeeled, quartered
1 lb carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs (including stems)
5 fresh thyme sprigs
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves (not California)
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 qt water

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F.
Toss together mushrooms, shallots, carrots, bell peppers, parsley and thyme sprigs, garlic, and oil in a large flameproof roasting pan. Roast in middle of oven, turning occasionally, until vegetables are golden, 30 to 40 minutes.
Transfer vegetables with slotted spoon to a tall narrow 6-quart stockpot.
Set roasting pan across 2 burners, then add wine and deglaze pan by boiling over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Transfer to stockpot and add bay leaves, tomatoes, and water.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. Pour through a large fine sieve into a large bowl, pressing on and discarding solids, then season with salt and pepper. Skim off fat.

Makes about 2 quarts.

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Soups to Warm You Up This Fall

partysugar — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:50:12 -0700

When the weather is cold, there's nothing like a piping hot bowl of soup to warm the kitchen and the soul. I enjoy making soup on Sunday or Monday. Then I eat it for lunch all week long. There's an endless variety to soups; if you want something luxurious you can make a cream based soup. Likewise, when you're in the mood for a lighter meal, a soup chock full of hearty vegetables is ideal. To encourage you to make more soup, I've rounded up some of my favorite recipes.

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Monday's Leftovers: Chicken & Spinach Pesto Soup

YumSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:00:22 -0700

Crazed start to the week? Then reassure your stomach and soothe the mind by using yesterday's chicken breasts to make a poultry riff on Provençal soupe au pistou.

This dish consists of assorted vegetables, with pistou, a sauce made of garlic, basil, olive oil, and Parmesan.

Serve it at room temperature, or piping hot, with fresh croutons for an element of crunch. If you're coveting the recipe, read more.

Soup's On: Spicy Tomato and Blue Cheese Soup

partysugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:15:13 -0700

When I think of a deliciously comforting tomato soup recipe, the ingredients beer, blue cheese, and sriracha definitely do not come to mind. However, these out-of-the-ordinary elements are exactly why I knew I had to make this soup. Created by Iron Chef Michael Symon for Pilsner Urquell, the combination actually works - wonderfully well.

This soup is not your grandmother's tomato soup: While the rich flavor of tomatoes is most prominent, it has undertones of fizzy tanginess and pungent creaminess. The spicy sriracha adds a compelling and addictive heat to the velvety liquid. I so enjoyed this recipe that I have plans to make it again very soon. Don't be afraid of the odd ingredients. This soup is excellent! To look at the recipe, read more.

Spicy Tomato and Blue Cheese Soup
From Michael Symon

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves sliced garlic
1 medium red onion, small dice
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon picked oregano
1 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes
1 bottle light beer (recommended: Pilsner Urquell)
¾ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
½ cup buttermilk blue cheese

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a four-quart pot over medium heat.
When the oil is hot, add the onions and a three-fingered pinch of salt and sweat for two minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sweat for two more minutes.
Add the tomatoes and beer and bring to simmer.
Add the cream, sriracha sauce, and oregano and simmer for 45 minutes.
Pour the soup into a blender and add the blue cheese and blend until smooth, or add the blue cheese and with a hand blender, blend until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer or chinois into a clean pot. Taste adjust the seasoning if necessary and reheat to serve.

Serves 4-6.

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