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Archive for the ‘Soup’ Category

Red Kuri Squash Soup

Posted in Soup, tagged , , on November 18, 2011| 3 Comments »

If you have small children, there’s a good chance you’ve read the book “Pumpkin Soup” by Helen Cooper.  It’s an adorable tale about three friends: a duck, a cat, and a squirrel.  They live in a pumpkin patch, play music, and go on adventures to find spices.  Every night for dinner they make– surprise!– pumpkin soup.  “The best you ever tasted.”  Just after we first read the book to Aanen when he was two, he started asking for pumpkin soup.  This is the version I make for him.  (P.S. Yes, it’s technically squash soup, but I’m comfortable with the deception.)

This is a simple, light squash soup.  It’s nothing fancy, and I think I appreciate it for that very reason.  The squash alone is silky, so I don’t add heavy cream.  I made it with whole milk once, and though it was good, I prefer it this way.  I like to use red Kuri squash for this soup, but Buttercup or Sweet Mama varieties are also wonderful options.   Sometimes I swap the onion for a couple of leeks, but given the abundance of onions in my home, I generally use them.  The key to the soup is the freshly grated nutmeg.  It gives this soup a subtle depth that is difficult to pinpoint.  Nutmeg has a way of doing that, which is one of the reasons I use it as much as I do.  The other essential  ingredient is fried sage leaves.  If you haven’t eaten a sage leaf fried in butter, do yourself a favor and give it a try.  Amazing stuff.

This soup would make a perfect starter for your Thanksgiving meal– I made it for that very purpose last year.  It’s a wonderful soup to make ahead of time and reheat right before you serve it.  And it’s not so heavy that your friends and family will leave too much turkey on the platter.  Also, remember that you can adjust the thickness by adding more or less chicken stock.

The Recipe: Red Kuri Squash Soup

Serves 4

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium-large red kuri squash

1 medium white onion

6 -7 cups chicken broth

kosher salt and cracked black pepper

freshly grated nutmeg, about 1/2 teaspoon

Garnishes

3-4  tablespoons butter

fresh sage leaves, use as many as you like (2-3 per bowl of soup works well)

toasted and salted pepitas

sour cream or creme fraiche

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Cut the squash in half and remove seeds.  Place squash cut side up in a baking dish and cover with lid or aluminum foil.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a dutch oven set on the stove top, begin to sautee the onion in olive oil when the squash is nearly cooked.  Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.  When the squash is tender, scoop the flesh from the skin and add it to the dutch oven.  Let cook for a few minutes to make sure the squash is completely cooked through and to let the flavors meld.  Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Use an emersion blender to puree the soup or transfer it to a regular blender.  Adjust seasonings, if necessary.

In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the sage leaves and sautee for just a minute.  Remove from heat.  Ladle hot soup into bowls and top with sour cream, pepitas, and the fried sage leaves.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It today.

Laurie

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African Peanut Soup

Posted in Soup, tagged , , , , , , , on October 20, 2011| 20 Comments »

As I’ve said in prior posts, my family eats a lot of soup through the chilly Fall and Winter months.  Some lighter soups I prepare as a first course to a meal, while other more substantial versions become the meal itself.  This is one of those that is hearty enough to stand alone.  It has the added benefit of not only being delicious, but it’s somewhat unique.  It has an interesting flavor that breaks up the monotony of all those broth-based soups.  My neighbor introduced me to this beautiful soup two years ago.   It is has become one of our favorites.

Take a look at all of those vegetables!  Just when you think you cannot possibly add more, it’s time to put an entire bag of spinach into the pot.  The veggies are just one of the many reasons to love this soup.  The broth is another.  It’s hefty and creamy, with just the right amount of peanut, ginger, and curry to give it that unique flavor.  You may think you’re cheating by eating such an indulgent dish, but fear not– the small amount of peanut butter goes a long way here.  Another reason to love this soup is that it comes together in a snap and cooks up in little time.  The sweet potatoes become tender quickly, so it doesn’t need to simmer on the stove for long.   Finally, the addition of chicken is a nice contrast to all of the vegetables, and makes the soup even more substantial.  If you prefer, you can easily leave it out for a vegetarian version– just be sure to add a few more vegetables.

The Recipe:  African Peanut Soup

Makes 4 -6 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 medium red pepper, chopped

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1/2 cup chopped celery

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

2 tablespoon curry powder

2 cups canned crushed tomatoes

1 bay leaf

4 cups organic chicken stock

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed into bite size pieces

1 – 1 1/2 pounds organic/free-range  chicken breast, cooked and cubed

1/2 cup  or more of peanut butter (try to use a natural kind containing just ground peanuts)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 – 5 oz bag of baby spinach leaves, torn

kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper chopped

peanuts and lime wedges,  for garnish

To make the soup:  Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven.  Saute on medium heat the onion, peppers, carrots, and celery until soft — about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, ginger, and curry powder.  Saute for about  a minute.  Add the tomatoes and bay leaf.  Cook for three more minutes, so the tomatoes can reduce a bit.

Add the broth, sweet potatoes, and chicken.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are soft. 10 – 15 minutes.  Stir in the peanut butter and cook for another 2 minutes.  Stir in the cilantro and spinach.  Cook until spinach wilts.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve with a wedge of lime and a sprinkle of peanuts.  Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from an article in Parade Magazine, I’m told

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It  — have a wonderful weekend!

Laurie

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Roasted Chicken Vegetable Soup with Lemon and Pesto

Posted in Soup, tagged , , , , , on October 14, 2011| 5 Comments »

Unfortunately the glorious Indian Summer in Minnesota appears to be ending.  That’s the way of it up here, I guess.  The tempermental mid-Summer months were suffocating at times, keeping us indoors more days than I like.  And the cool comfort of Fall just isn’t long enough.  At least it was magical.  Now the last couple of days have been gray, wet, and cold.  I’m not ready for the long dark of Winter, though I expect my wishes won’t hold it back much longer.  I suppose I should be thankful for the recent– if brief– temperate weather, because I recall  as a child trick-or-treating in October during snowstorms.  Memories of huge freshly-piled snowbanks, and the frustration of not being able to see because my glasses had fogged-up beneath my mask.  Yes, it’s time to appreciate these few weeks, even if they are getting cool, windy, and wet.

One benefit of the colder weather is that many of our meals shift towards warming comfort foods, like soup.  I love soup.  Not like a typical person loves soup, but on a fundamental– maybe inherited genetic– level.  My Mom likes to declare that she “could live on nothing more than soup!”  And she cooks up some divine ones.  While I won’t be so bold as to say I could survive on it alone, soup gets me through those bone-chilling days.  It’s genius– a hearty bowl is the best way to warm up from the inside out, and the smell of a simmering kettle on the stove for a few hours chases the cold away for awhile.

Today’s recipe is my variation on the old ‘vegetable-chicken’ soup that is the staple of so many Winter meals.  While it may look familiar, it offers so much more than the simple vegetable, chicken, and broth flavors you’re used to.  The reason is the addition of lemon and pesto (or pistou if you prefer to make it without the nuts…and want to show off your command of Provençal).  The lemon provides a subtle, though noticeable, hint of interesting acidity.  And the dollop of pesto is brilliant.  It combines the boldness of fresh herbs along with a delicate saltiness.  You can make your own, or buy it at your local market.  For the meat, I generally use roasted chicken, though it is also beautiful with the more potent flavors of wild pheasant.  Like most soups, you can experiment with the ingredients to make it your own.  This soup has become a family favorite that we all love– even my little ones.  I hope you enjoy it, too.

The Recipe:  Roasted Chicken Vegetable Soup with Lemon and Pesto

(As always, you will get the best results by using fresh organic ingredients.)

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 small leek, chopped

4-5 medium carrots, peeled and diced

4-5 medium parsnips, peeled and diced

2 small celery stalks with leaves, diced

1 medium white onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 cup green beans, trimmed and chopped

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 1/2 cups roasted chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 cup pearled barley, rinsed

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 tablespoons parsley,  finely chopped

2 quarts chicken stock (homemade or store -bought)

kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

red pepper flakes, to taste

Pesto:

1 3/4 cup fresh basil, torn

1/4 cup fresh parsley, torn

1/3 cup grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese (or Grana Padano — almost as wonderful, but at a much better price.)

1/4 cup lightly toasted walnuts, chopped

2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (adjust more or less, depending upon your desired consistency.)

pinch of red pepper flakes

Kosher salt, to taste

To make the soup: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven.  On medium heat, sauté  the onion, leek, celery, carrots, parsnips, green beans, and a bit of salt and pepper until the vegetables start to become tender, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and sauté for another minute.  Add the chicken broth, barley, chicken, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until the barley is done, about 3o-40 minutes.  Add the lemon zest and juice.  Stir in the parsley.  Season with more salt and pepper, if needed, and a pinch of red-pepper flakes.

To make the pesto:  Add the basil, parsley, garlic, Parmesan-Reggiano cheese, walnuts, pinch of salt and red pepper flakes to a mini-food processor.  Pulse a few times to incorporate everything together.  With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil.  Adjust seasonings, if necessary.  Serve a dollop on top of a bowl of hot soup.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It today — wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Laurie

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Borscht

Posted in Soup, tagged , , , , , , , on August 22, 2011| 8 Comments »

While growing up, I recall my parents, grandparents, and aunts and uncles always talking about how much they loved Borscht.  As a child, I had to disagree.  They couldn’t be talking about that deep-red vegetable soup that I sat at the table and stared at, hoping it would somehow disappear so I could go play, could they?  I’d like to believe I wasn’t too keen on Borscht because of the not-so-wonderful sounding name, though no doubt my palatte has simply changed.  I get what my family was talking about.  Now I make this soup all of the time.  Take one look at that beautiful color, and then a spoonful of those lovely vegetables and comforting broth, and you’ll see why.

Beets– probably the most vibrant vegetable around.  I love their slightly-sweet flavor, and eat them both roasted and raw.  They are the foundation of this soup, along with a nice selection of other fresh vegetables.  I like to add as wide a variety of vegetables as possible– in particular root vegetables– but if you don’t have exactly what I used, don’t worry.  Like any good soup, this one is forgiving and you should be able to find a substitute.  I used fresh tomatoes because I had them on hand.  I also used the last of my homemade tomato juice.  When I don’t have fresh tomatoes in winter, I rely on my homemade crushed canned tomatoes– about 2 cups.  If you use canned crushed tomatoes, be sure to make the appropriate adjustments to the amount of liquid you add.  In other words, you may not need as much water.

Speaking of the broth, this is generally the only soup that I make using just water.  In this soup the ingredients are so numerous and fresh that they provide that additional flavor that you generally get from vegetable broth.  If you want a little more taste, you can add a ham shank or ham juice– like my Mother does.  Both wonderful additions.  The two ingredients where you won’t want to vary from the recipe are the fresh dill and addition of vinegar.  Both are keys to making this soup complete.  So how do you add fresh dill in early January when you want to linger over a bowl of Borscht?  Thankfully, dill freezes very well.  Stick it in a freezer storage bag and it’ll last for months.

So why am I writing about a warm soup in late August?  Good question.  The last two weeks have seen crisp air at night here in Minnesota.  I bought apples at the farmers’ market this weekend.  And right now my house smells of cinnamon, as my husband is bottling a batch of his home-brewed Autumn Spice Ale.  It has seemed like an unusually short summer– and though it going to be hard to let it go, I think I’m getting ready for Fall.  This soup was a test and I think it feels right.

The Recipe:  Borscht

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

4 tomatoes, diced

4 beets, peeled and diced

4 carrots, peeled and diced

3 parsnips, peeled and diced

1 turnip, peeled and diced

1 onion, chopped

1/2 head small cabbage, chopped

1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped

1 bay leaf

3 tablespoons white vinegar

2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4  teaspoon cracked black pepper

6 cups water

1 cup tomato juice

In a large heavy-bottomed kettle, such as a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and add the onion, beets, carrots, parsnips, turnip, and tomatoes along with the kosher salt and black pepper.  Saute until the vegetables start to soften, 10-12 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the cabbage and allow to wilt a bit, another 3-4 minutes.  Add the water, tomato juice, bay leaf and vinegar.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer.  Allow to simmer until the vegetables are tender, 30-45 minutes, depending upon how high the heat is.  Stir in the fresh dill.  Make seasoning adjustments if necessary.   Serve with a dollop of sour cream.  Enjoy!

Thanks again for stopping by Relishing It!  Have a great day.

Laurie

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Gazpacho

Posted in Soup, tagged , , , , , , on August 17, 2011| 6 Comments »

Gazpacho.  Cold soup.  Not much of a selling point is it?  But for those of you who have had gazpacho, you know just how refreshing it is.  Gazpacho is a Spanish tomato-based raw vegetable soup.  It originated in the sunny southern region of Andalusia as a fresh, cool meal to combat the summer heat.  There are many different versions, though this one is my favorite.  For those of you who are hesitant to eat a cool soup, I can only say this: give it a try– I guarantee you’ll make this one every summer as the temperatures get above 90 degrees.  It’s one of the most refreshing dishes you’ll ever taste.

The soup is a combination of the all the wonderful usual suspects from your late-summer garden or farmers’ market– cucumbers, red peppers, purple onion, garlic, and fresh tomatoes.  They’re finely chopped in a food processor and then combined with tomato juice,  a bit of white wine vinegar, and a really good olive oil.   For gazpacho, you’ll definitely want to go with the best olive oil you have as it’s flavor is central to the soup.  I also used my homemade, canned tomato juice, though as my stock is running low (canning tomatos will be available soon!) I can’t lend you an extra jar.  If you can juice, use it as you’ll notice the difference in the final flavors.  As an alternative, several grocery stores carry high-end juices which should work well.  If you instead use a nation-wide brand, use Sacramento.  I personally think it tastes better than any of the other well-known brands.

Gazpacho is the perfect make-ahead dish.  It tastes better the longer it sits– the flavors have a chance to meld together.  I like to make some homemade croutons to top it all off with.  Hope you enjoy!

The Recipe:  Gazpacho

2 medium-sized garden cucumbers, halved and seeded, but not peeled

2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded

5-6 Roma tomatoes

1 red onion

3 large garlic cloves

3 cups good quality tomato juice

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

scant 1/4 cup good extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Add 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes for a little heat, if desired

For the Croutons:

2 – 3 cups crusty bread, such as a baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

To make the croutons: Preheat oven to 375°F.  Toss cubed bread pieces with the olive oil, salt and pepper.  Place on a baking sheet.  Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until they have reached your desired crunchiness.

Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into small pieces, roughly a 1-inch cube.  Put each vegetable into a food processor fitted with a steel blade, separately.  This is important for texture.  Pulse until it is coarsely chopped.  Make sure not to over-process.

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Mix well and chill before serving.  The longer it sits, the better it will be.  Before serving top each bowl of soup with a handful of homemade croutons and some torn basil, if desired.  Enjoy!

Source:  Adapted from Ina Garten’s The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

Thanks for stopping by!

Laurie

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Italian Wedding Soup

Posted in Soup, tagged , , , , on March 27, 2011| 19 Comments »

Judging by my previous posts here (as well several others on Bliss), you probably think its all sweets at our house. Obviously I love to bake, and I generally agree that we shouldn’t deprive ourselves or our kids of these treats. Truthfully though, we eat healthy meals.  I  usually prepare something with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and/or legumes.  My husband can confirm that I probably make quinoa with chickpeas more often than I should.  Which brings me to today’s dish.  This soup is incredibly flavorful and healthy.

Meatballs?!  Yup.  Healthy soup with meatballs?  That’s right.  A little background:  I come from a German/Hungarian/Bohemian background.  From my childhood through today, whenever my extended family gets together for a holiday, we have four different types of meatballs.  Four!  I’m a connoisseur.  When I saw this soup– with it’s chicken meatballs (rather than the beef versions of our holiday meals)– I had to give it a try.

I’ve made a few variations on the meatballs in this soup.  They’re all fantastic.  Ground turkey (rather than ground chicken, as in the recipe) works just fine.  Also, if you can’t find chicken sausage, substitute an equal amount of ground chicken and add extra black pepper and one teaspoon each of sweet and sharp paprika to the mixture.  While each is slightly different, no one version is better than the others.

What about the flavor?  It’s amazing.  The meatballs, with their combined garlic, parsley, parmesan, and romano cheese are both savory and fresh.  Fresh may sound weird, but there’s really no other way to describe how the parsley affects these little meatballs.  The broth is incredible as well.  The dill stands out, but it doesn’t overpower the soup. The spinach really adds to the fresh-feel of this Spring dish.  Make it– you’ll be happy you did so.

The Recipe: Italian Wedding Soup

(Serves 6-8)

For the meatballs:

3/4 pound ground chicken

1/2 pound chicken sausage, casings removed

2/3 cup fresh whole wheat bread crumbs (Ina uses white)

2-3 teaspoons minced garlic (3 cloves)

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

3 tablespoons milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Soup:

2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 cup minced white onion

1 cup diced carrots ( 3 carrots)

3/4 cup diced celery ( 2 stalks)

10 cups good quality chicken stock

1/2 dry white wine  (Note: If you don’t have any wine, the soup will still be delicious without it)

1 cup any small pasta, such as tubetini or stars

1/4 cup minced fresh dill

12 ounces baby spinach, washed and trimmed   (Use a little less if you feel this is too much for you)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, garlic, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork.  You should get 40 meatballs from this mixture.  Make a round ball and score the meat into 4 equal parts.  You will get 10 meatballs from each of them.  Drop meatballs onto the pan with parchment paper and bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked through and lightly browned.  Set aside.

In the meantime, for the soup, heat the oil over medium-low heat in a large dutch oven or soup pot.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil.  Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6-8 minutes, until the pasta is tender.  Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute.  Taste for salt and pepper.  Stir in the fresh spinach and cook  for another minute, until it is just wilted.  Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese.

Source:  Adapted from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics Cookbook

Thanks again for stopping by!

Laurie

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