4 posts tagged “soup”

An odd combination, but I had enough of pears and zucchini to make this wonderful soup work. The procedure is the same for all puree soups.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion

1 large potato 

1 large carrot

4 zucchinis

3 pears

3 cups chicken stock, or to cover

1 tbsp of fresh thyme

salt and pepper

Garnish

Fresh mint

Directions: Peel and chop vegetables into cubes. In a stockpot heat 2 tbsp of olive oil, and add onions, potatoes and carrots (the carrots will add sweetness and color). Sprinkle chopped thyme and salt and pepper. Let this cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in chopped zucchini and pears, and cook for additional 5 minutes. Pour in chicken stock until it covers the vegetables. Bring to boil, and let simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Let cool, then puree vegetable mix in a blender. Tip: the correct way to blend is to first "pulse" the blender on-and-off, then blend. Garnish soup bowl with fresh mint. You can serve this nice and creamy soup cold or hot.  I prefer hot. 

Pear and Zucchini Soup

Andrew loved this soup, and so did I. It's got a warm rich flavour you can taste. What makes this delicious is the roasted and sun-dried tomatoes. A bit messy blending the tomatoes, but super easy to make.

Directions: Preheat oven to 475°F. In a large roasting pan, pour olive oil and place whole tomatoes, roughly chopped onions and sliced garlic. Season and stir.  Place pan in the oven for about 15 minutes until tomatoes skins are wrinkled and beginning to brown. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and their oil, and scatter the herbs on top. Roast for an additional 10 minutes. Mix in the tomato paste, and let roast for a final 5 minutes. Pour the contents into a large bowl, and stir in Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar. Saran wrap and let marinate for 30 minutes. In a blender, puree the mixture until smooth, then strain through a chinois in a large clean pot. Pour in the hot stock and stir well, and let simmer.  Taste and correct seasoning. Add more Worcestershire and balsamic, if you like. Serve hot, topping each one with olive oil, and garnish with basil leaves and freshly ground black pepper.

Roasted Tomato Soup

This thick, creamy texture soup made from leeks and potatoes is perfect for any menu you are planning. It won’t clash with anything that comes after it. I serve this cold or hot. One thing to remember about this recipe, is to rinse the leeks well under cold water, sand and dirt has a way of creeping between the layers.

Ingredients

5 leeks

2 russet potatoes

5 tbsp of unsalted butter

1 white onion

3 garlic cloves

3 cups of chicken stock (a “no no” for me, but I used store bought chicken broth)

3 tbsp of heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Garnish

6 tbsp of heavy cream

fresh chives

Directions: With a chef's knife, remove the ends and dark green leaves (keep them for stock). Make an incision through the white part of the leek. Open the leek and hold it under cold running water to rinse out the dirt and sand. To julienne the leek, cut the leek in half lengthwise, fold a section of the leek onto itself to make up layers of leek, then slice into very thin strips. Peel the potatoes and rinse. Cut potatoes into wedges and slice them thin. Finely chop the onions and garlic. In a small pot, bring stock to boil.  Heat 4 tbsp of butter in a stockpot over medium heat. Sweat the onions and garlic and cook until the onions are translucent and garlic is soft and tender. Add the leeks and season.  Make sure the leeks are coated with butter. Cover the stockpot, let the leeks cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat, stir occasionally. When the 10 minutes are up, add the potatoes, and gradually stir in the boiling chicken stock. By the time you add the potatoes the leeks should be glossy and light green. Bring the pot to boil, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes until potatoes and leek are tender.Potatoes and leeks are done when they are soft, not hard or stringy. In a blender, puree the soup in batches, adding heavy cream, and now strain the puree through a chinois into a clean sauce pan. You can finish off the soup with 1 tbsp of butter to thicken and make the soup shiny. Season, add nutmeg and serve the soup with a swirl of cream and sprinkle of whole or chopped chives. 

I promise you will have no regrets making this classic French soup.  

Vichyssoise