Tortilla Soup

Pin It

Recently I came upon a recipe for Tortilla Soup that reminded me of a memorable one I had years ago at a restaurant in Nashville, Tenn.  After reading at the bottom of the directions that it took six hours to cook, I promptly discarded it.  Not because of the length of time, for I have made some dishes that take this long to nurture, but because I knew that an authentic tortilla soup did not take this long to cook.  So off I went and checked a few of the sources I rely upon, including Rick Bayless' Frontera Grill's Sopa Azteca, and came up with what I felt was an authentic recipe with a few twists.  Two of these were coriander and cumin.  I love coriander seeds for its fragrance and coriander for the nutty and peppery flavor it adds to Mexican dishes.

One of the ingredients I did keep from one of my sources was the addition of Swanson's Tortilla Soup broth, in lieu of regular chicken broth, for more depth of flavor.  I had used their Thai Broth and found it to be a positive addition to some of my Thai recipes.  It had a mild flavor and did not compete with the other spices.  As my best friend would say...it was not offensive.

Tortilla Soup is a filling and flavorful meal that can be made with little effort but one that sings with an unmistakeable Mexican harmony.  Some of the recipes I came across had corn and/or beans, either red or black.  Others used flour to thicken the broth.  I wanted to stick to authentic so I discarded the use of both beans and corn.  As to the flour... it is called tortilla soup...they thicken the broth!

Don't be surprised at the short time it takes to cook the chicken pieces.  I thought it was a misprint.  It's not.  Although I am not an expert on peppers, the Anaheim was a winner.  One had enough heat for our taste.  Add more at your risk and heat tolerance!

 I hope you enjoy this as much as we did.  Madame Mere loved it and she's not much of a fan of Mexican food, though she loves her soups.

We accompanied our meal with this wonderful and inexpensive Rioja voted Wine of the Year for 2013 by Wine Spectator.  Open early and let it breathe!  By the way, it is CVNE and not CUNE as it looks.  It stands for Compania Vinicula del Norte de Espana. and was only $10 at Costco.  

Tortilla Soup

Serves 6


Ingredients:

6 tablespoons cooking oil

8 6-inch corn tortillas, halved and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips

1 Anaheim chili, stemmed and seeded

1 onion, chopped

4 large cloves garlic, smashed

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 1/2 quarts Swanson's Tortilla Broth, canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock

3 cups canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (one 28-ounce can)

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste

1/4 cup lightly-packed cilantro leaves plus 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)

1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

1 avocado, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1/4 pound cheddar, grated or a combination of cheddar and Monterey

Mexican crema, sour cream or creme fraiche

Lime wedges, for serving

Directions:

Quickly toast the chile by turning it an inch or two above an open flame for a few seconds until its aroma fills the kitchen. (Lacking an open flame, toast it in a dry pan over medium heat, pressing it flat for a few seconds, then flipping it over and pressing it again.)

1. In a large heavy pot, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Add half the tortilla strips and cook, stirring, until pale golden, about 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining tortilla strips.
2. Reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the onion, garlic, and spices; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the broth, tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, cilantro leaves, if using, and one-third of the tortilla strips. Bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes; remove the bay leaves.
3. In a blender, puree the soup in batches; pour it back into the pot.  Add the wine.  Add the chicken, bring the soup back to a simmer, and simmer until just cooked through, about 1 minute. Stir in the avocado.
4. To serve, put the remaining tortilla strips in bowls, top with the cheese, and pour in the soup. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro, if using, and serve with the lime wedges and crema or sour cream.

Venetian Fish Soup Or Stew

Pin It

This is probably one of the best fish soups or stews you will ever eat.  It is a classic at Harry's Bar in Venice.

 Having lucked out on some fish this week, I decided to serve it as a stew by adding more fish and shrimp and serving it with white rice on the side. I also cut the pieces slightly larger than I would for a soup.  Either way, it is fish soup (or stew) at its best, but only if you follow it to a t and use good fresh fish.

I know I have just published a recipe from Harry's (the cannelloni) and you may be wondering what's up with me.  While looking for the pasta recipe I came across this and decided I must try it.  Heaven knows I have heard raves about it but never had enough room in me to have both this and a pasta when I visited the restaurant.    So I had to give it a go before this winter was over and here we are, March 1st.  The daffodils are about to pop.

Although I served it for dinner tonight, it would also make a fine main course for Sunday lunch with friends or family.

Make sure you make the fish broth from scratch.  A good stock can make or break a soup or stew like this and fish cubes don't cut the mustard here.  Trust me, the end result will more than reward you.

I used fresh mahi mahi and flash frozen cod.  Fresh shrimp would be great.

Don't skip anything, and that includes the anchovies and the parsley.  I know you are frowning at the former and consider the latter a waste of time.  They are not.
 

Make sure you accompany with a fresh baguette even if you serve with rice on the side.

The real color of the soup is a beautiful saffron or that of butternut squash.  Not being a great photographer, I had to touch up and it came out like this. 

  

 Venetian Fish Soup

Serves 6 to 8 as a first course or 6 if doubling the fish and shrimp and serving with rice as a stew.

Ingredients

• 2 stalks celery, cut into julienne strips
• 2 medium onions, julienned
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1/3 c. olive oil
• 1 medium tomato, peeled, seeded, julienned
• 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 8 cups stock (brodo) -- fish or half fish and half vegetable
• 1/4 (or more) t. saffron threads (steep in tablespoon of hot stock for20 minutes)
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch cayenne
• salt and black pepper
• 1/2 lb. EACH of two kinds of boneless, skinless white fish (such as halibut, sea bass, monkfish) cut into 1/2 inch. pieces
• 1/2 lb. medium shrimp (shelled, deveined), cut into thirds
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1 clove garlic, minced                                                 
• 2 canned anchovy fillets, drained and chopped (or use anchovy paste)
• 3 flat leaf parsley sprigs, chopped
• fresh rosemary, leaves from 1 sprig chopped (or pinch dried)
• fresh thyme, leaves from 1 sprig chopped (or pinch dried)

Directions:                                                 

• First make the brodo or stock (See below). Set aside. 

• Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add celery, onions and carrot and cook, stirring often for 5 minutes or until soft but not brown.
• Add tomato and cook for 1 minute
• Stir in 1/4 c. flour and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Stir in wine and bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes, until mixture has thickened.
• Stir in stock, saffron, bay leaf, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine remaining flour with 1/4 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper in plastic bag, and toss fish and shrimp until well coated.
• Heat 2 Tbsp. of the oil in large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook fish and shrimp, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until browned and just cooked. Don't overcook.
• Add brandy to skillet to warm it, then (standing back) ignite brandy. Swirl the skillet until flames die down, then add contents of skillet to soup.
• Wipe out skillet and heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients, anchovies, rosemary, thyme, parsley and garlic and cook for a minute or two.  Pour the flavored oil through a strainer into the soup.   Let flavors blend a few minutes before serving.

Brodo (fish stock):

2 to 3 lbs bones of any white fish
1 medium onion cut in chunks
2 leeks, white part only, washed and sliced
1 celery rib cut in chunks
2 quarts cold water
1 cup dry white wine
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tsp salt
bouquet garni of
3 flat leaf parsley sprigs
1 thyme sprig
1 bay leaf
10 peppercorns all tied in cheesecloth

Throw everything in a stock pot, bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes on medium partially covered.  Let cool.  Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl


Recipe adapted from Harry's Bar Cookbook
All photos Lindaraxa

Simple Dinners...Minestrone Di Romagna

Pin It

Right about this time of the year I dig deep into my recipe box and pull out my recipe for Minestrone.  I also spend a good ten minutes searching inside my freezer for that old rind of Parmesan cheese I put away in the summer.  The soup really doesn' t need a recipe, I know well what goes into it, but at my age, I just don't trust myself to remember all the extra goodies that I have added in the past to make it my own.

There is no right or wrong minestrone...there is just good minestrone.  In the north of Italy you will find rice in your soup, in the south, beans, or pasta and tomatoes.  The only constants are staples like carrots, celery, onions and potatoes.  At the end what you want is a dense and mellow soup that recalls no vegetable in particular, but all of them at once.  Don't leave out the potato, it gives it depth and helps to thicken the soup to its right consistency.

I prefer to use beef broth rather than chicken.  I also encourage you to make your own broth out of flank or another inexpensive cut of beef.  It makes a tremendous difference and it doesn't take long.  I usually keep some in the freezer for making soups in the winter.

The things that will make this soup especial and not just good are:

Homemade beef stock
San Marzano tomatoes
Old rind of good Parmigiano Reggiano

This soup is better the next day so plan ahead. It's also a great way to clean your refrigerator after the holidays!  It will keep in your refrigerator for 1 week.  Although I have never done it, it should freeze well.


Serves 6

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

3 Tbs butter

1 cup thinly sliced yellow onion

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced celery

2 cups peeled, diced potatoes

1 1/2 cups canned cannellini beans.**

2 cups diced zucchini (about 2 medium zucchini)

1 cup diced green beans

3 cups shredded cabbage, preferable Savoy cabbage

6 cups homemade meat broth or 2 cups canned beef broth mixed with 4 cups of water

The crust of a 2 to 4 inch long piece of Parmesan cheese scraped clean (optional, but well worth it!)

2/3 cup canned  San Marzano Italian tomatoes with their juice

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Handful of chopped fresh chopped basil leaves for garnish.(optional, best in summer)



Preparation

Choose a stockpot large enough for all ingredients. Put in oil, butter and the sliced onion and cook over medium-low heat until the onion wilts and is pale gold in color, but not browned. Add the diced carrots and cook for 2 to 3 minutes , stirring once or twice. Repeat this procedure in sequence with the celery, potatoes,  zucchini, and green beans, cooking each one a few minutes and stirring. Then add the shredded cabbage and cook for about 6 minutes giving pot the occasional stir.

Add the broth, the cheese crust, the tomatoes and their juice and a little bit of salt. (Careful with salt if using canned broth). Cover and cook at a very slow boil for at least 3 hours. If necessary, you can stop the cooking at any time and resume later. Minestrone must never be thin and watery, so cook until it is soupy thick.  

Fifteen minutes before the soup is done, add the canned or cooked dry beans. Just before turning off the heat, remove the cheese crust, swirl in the grated cheese, then taste and correct  for salt.
 
*I have added spinach at the end.

variation: sautéed 5-6 slices of bacon cut in 1 inch slices and 1 ham hock in olive oil.  Add 1 tb. Thyme fresh. Substitute the beef broth with 5 cups of water. Omit green beans. Omit cabbage and add Fresh baby spinach at the end.Shredded Parmesan when serving. 10/21/20 Excellent! 

***Goya, Cento and Progresso carry them


Recipe adapted from Marcella Hazan

Reprise...Lentil Soup With Chorizo And Sherry

Pin It

Now that you've eaten the grapes and thrown the bucket of water out the back door, you must eat some lentils today to ensure luck and success in the New Year.  After that, it's up to the gods!


Serves 4

Ingredients

2 carrots, sliced and chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ham or smoked pork bone

2 tablespoons olive oil (you will need extra to finish the soup)

2 cups dried lentils

6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 chorizo

1/2 Cup Dry Sherry

Olive oil


Directions


Saute carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in hot olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add the ham or smoked pork bone and brown on both sides. Sort and remove any debris from lentils; rinse under cold running water. Add lentils and broth to vegetable mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Slice the chorizo in 1/2 inch rounds, add some olive oil to a small skillet, brown the chorizo. Add the sherry and reduce to half the amount. Add the chorizo and sherry reduction to the lentils. Cook for another 5 - 10 minutes. Serve. After you serve in the bowls, add a little olive oil on top.



Serve with a crusty baguette and a robust red wine.



Photo: Google Images

Butter Bean Soup With Duck And Chorizo...Fabada Con Pato Y Chorizo

Pin It

Butter beans, or lima beans are the main ingredient of a very popular Spanish dish called Fabada Asturiana.  The Spanish name is fabas and you can get them either dried or canned.  In this recipe, they are combined with leftover duck confit and chorizo for my take on a hearty winter soup.  You can substitute a ham bone or pork for the duck.

Plan to make the roasted duck legs on Saturday night so you can enjoy this hearty soup for lunch the next day!


6 meal size servings:

Directions

 1 pound dried lima beans, soaked over night

2 carrots, finely chopped

1 onions, finely chopped

1/2 large green pepper

3 mashed garlic cloves

2 roasted duck thighs shredded

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 TB tomato paste

1 bay leaf

2 small chorizos sliced in 1/4 inch rounds

1 tsp Pimenton de la Vera

2 cups chicken stock, plus 1 qt water (or use all water)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 Cup Sherry

½ cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)


Directions


Heat oil in a frying pan and sauté garlic, green pepper, onions and carrots until softened. Add bay leaf.

Add chorizo and cook to brown, about 3 minutes.  Add the pimenton, mixing thoroughly and the tomato paste.  (you might need to add a little water to mix paste with rest of ingredients.

Add shredded duck only to heat through, about another minute or two.  Remove from heat.

Drain and rinse beans and add enough chicken stock to cover plus and inch.  Stir

Add the duck and rest of ingredients from the skillet to the beans and mix.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and cook on medium for about 45 minutes.  The first 30 minutes I cooked uncovered to concentrate the liquid, the last 15 covered.   Add the sherry and cook uncovered for about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and let rest at least an hour.  Warm before serving and sprinkle chopped parsley on top before serving.

Serve with crusty bread and a Spanish Rioja o Ribera del Duero.

Pumpkin Pear Soup With Coriander

Pin It

Once you discover a good recipe, stick with it.  Sure, you don't want to serve it to the same people all the time, but use it as a benchmark and only substitute when you must.  I see so many new cooks, particularly the young ones, always trying something new and never sticking with a recipe they like for long.   Don't make that mistake.  You don't need a million recipes to be a good cook.  Make and perfect a few good ones and soon enough, cooking will be a breeze.  If you are entertaining, this is not the time to try something new. Stick to the old tried and true and only experiment with  family or close friends. 

This fabulous soup is one I used to make when I entertained in Florida and it always got rave reviews.  It was my star soup of the Fall and I loved to serve it in small pumpkin shells for my Halloween dinner parties.   Somehow I forgot all about it when I moved until I found it under some papers a couple of days ago. I feel as if I've had found a relic!

The combination of the pear and the coriander seed together with the pumpkin gives it an exquisite taste.  No one will be able to guess what it is! Use coriander seed instead of powder  In this case it will make a difference.

Tell me, do you have a favorite soup for the Fall?

Printable Recipe 

yield:  8 servings

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 scallions, finely chopped

3 large shallots, finely chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 lb fresh sugar pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 lb yellow-fleshed potatoes such as Yukon Gold, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock or 2 cups chicken broth mixed with 2 cups water

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds

2 teaspoons fine sea salt

Freshly ground mixed or black peppercorns

1 ripe Bartlett pear

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Garnish:

finely chopped fresh cilantro and fresh chives


Directions

Heat oil in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook scallions, shallots, and onion, stirring, until softened but not browned. Add pumpkin, potatoes, stock, sugar, coriander, salt, and pepper to taste, then simmer, covered, until pumpkin is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

While soup is simmering, peel and core pear and cut into 1-inch pieces. Stir pear into soup and remove from heat. Cool 10 minutes and pureé in a blender in batches, transferring to a bowl (use caution when blending hot liquids).

Return to pan and add butter. Reheat over moderate heat, stirring, until butter is melted. Season with salt and pepper and, if desired, thin soup with water to desired consistency.


Cooks' note: •Soup may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

Crab And Corn Chowder

Pin It

This is another one of those recipes conceived when you have nothing on hand and it's dinner time.  You may have noticed that the most recent recipes on Lindaraxa's Garden and the country blog have included crabmeat or corn which is in abundance right now and cheap, cheap, cheap!  This recipe is a byproduct of cleaning the refrigerator before the weekend guests arrived and a cup of leftover crabmeat from last night's crab cakes waiting to be put to good use.  The good news is I am saturated with corn and I have sworn I will not buy another ear, no matter how cheap, until next summer.  We'll see how long that lasts...

You can substitute chicken for the crabmeat, but in my estimation, it's not even close!  This is the one time of the year when crab and corn  are in season and can be bought for a reasonable price.  Actually, the crab is reasonable, the corn they are giving away!  Take advantage of it.

Printable Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

4-6 ears sweet white corn, such as Silver Queen , shucked
OR 3 cups

4 pieces thick-sliced bacon, chopped

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 stalks celery chopped fine

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups good fish stock**

2 cups whole milk

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup white breadcrumbs, firmly packed

1 cup crab meat

Dry Sherry (optional)

chopped parsley

chopped chives


Method

Schuck, wash and cut enough corn from the ears to equal 3 cups.

Sautee the bacon until most of the fat is rendered.  Remove to a paper towel to drain and chop in 1/2 inch piece.

Add the onions and celery to pan. Saute until tender and translucent, about 5 - 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the broth and corn.  Bring to a boil, reduce to medium and simmer for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Add the nutmeg and cayenne. Add the cream, and the crabmeat.  Cook for another 5 minutes.  If you opt to add sherry, do it now and simmer another 5 minutes.  Add the dry breadcrumbs and cook until the are incorporated, about another 5 minutes. Remove from stove and add chopped parsley and chives.. Pour into a serving bowl and garnish with the reserved  parsley and chive.*

*I like to rest the soup rest for about 30 minutes to absorb all the flavor.  You can reheat if it cools.

** You can make a quick fish broth by boiling some white fish, celery, onion, bay leaf, parsley, carrot and salt and pepper for about 30 minutes in about 4 cups of water.  Freeze what you don't use.  It will come in handy when you make the Simple Paella for Sunday Lunch

Adapted from Lee Damon Fowler,
The Savannah Cookbook

Tuscany in Winter...Pasta e Fagioli (Tuscan Bean Soup)

Pin It

This may be the last recipe of winter. ..and what a way to go!  I sincerely hope so, I'm sick of cashmere, fireplaces and comfort food.  Bring on Spring!

The picture above appeared on this weekend's New York Times. I just had to post it and find one of my recipes to go with it.  Just had to...

Servings 10

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes


Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

5 ounces diced pancetta

1 cup minced onion

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

Salt

Pepper

4 minced garlic cloves

2 tablespoons minced fresh sage (or 2 teaspoons dried)

10 cups chicken or beef stock

8 oz.  Pomi Crushed Tomatoes

2 cups small soup pasta

4 20 ounce cans drained Tuscan Cannellini beans

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or if you have saved the parmesan rind, throw it in!)

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add the pancetta and saute for 3 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, salt, and pepper and cook for five minutes. Add the garlic and sage and saute for two minutes more. Add the stock and crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cook for 30 minutes. Add the pasta and beans and cook for 10-15 minutes or until al dente. Mix in the cheese and parsley before serving with additional cheese and bread.

Le Cordon Bleu French Onion Soup (Soupe a l'Oignon)

Pin It

When my parents moved to Europe after I was married, my mother attended the Cordon Bleu school in Brussels.  This was one of the many recipes on the course  and the only one she ever graced us with. I wonder what ever happened to the rest...

Onion soup is the quintessential French comfort soup and another great remedy for a hangover.  Cookbooks are fond of saying that onion soup was a favorite of locals stopping by the central Paris open markets after the theater or cabaret. As famous as the onion soup of Les Halles may have been, I have not been able to find a recipe purporting to be actually from this famous marketplace.

Interior of Les Halles, 1835, a painting by Max Berthelin.

In this recipe beef consomme rather than beef broth is used.  There has been a lot of argument going back and forth between American versions that use beef broth and french versions that use water. Supposedly, the french version tastes more "oniony"  than ours; so be aware when ordering in France.  I checked out Balthazar's (chicken stock) and Julia Child's (beef broth) cookbooks.  Both recipes are almost identical to this one with the exception of the stock, so Vive La Difference!

 If you live in Paris, you can find wonderful French onion soup at the Brasserie Balzar or at Au Pied de Cochon, a two minute walk from Les Halles.  This is actually where the workers went for their soup late at night. Similarly in New York,  I understand Artisanal and Balthazar serve a delicious one, although I have never had it...I have other fish to fry when I go there.  Here at the lake we make my mother's Cordon Bleu recipe and frankly, it is the best I've ever had, particularly on a cold winter night. A tarte au citron or a pear or apple crisp for dessert is all you need to wrap up the meal.

Serves 2 - 3

Ingredients:

2 large Spanish onions, total weight about 500 g (1 lb)

2 x 295 g cans condensed beef consommé (I use Campbell's)

90 g (3 oz) butter

salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 teaspoons plain flour

125 ml (4 fl oz) dry white wine

1 bouquet garni*

6 - 9 slices of baguette

60 - 90 g (2 - 3 oz) Emmental, Gruyère of Jarlsberg cheese

2 - 3 tablespoons Port or Madeira*


Method:

1. Halve the onions lengthways and finely slice them. Make the consommé up to 1.2 litres (2 pints or 1 quart) with water and heat to boiling. Keep hot.

2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the onions, stir well and season with a generous pinch of salt. Cover and cook gently for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, increase the heat to moderate and cook the onions until light golden brown in colour, 12 - 15 minutes. Stir frequently during this time and watch carefully towards the end of cooking, to prevent the onions catching on the bottom of the pan.

3. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 - 2 minutes, then add the wine and bring to the boil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to loosen the browned pieces of onion on the bottom of the pan. Add the hot consommé and the bouquet garni, stir well and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler and lightly toast the slices of baguette on both sides. Leave the broiler on. Thinly slice the cheese and arrange it on top of the baguette. Remove the bouquet garni from the soup, stir in the port or Madeira (if using), then season the soup to taste.

To serve: Ladle the soup into individual flameproof bowls. Top each serving with 3 slices of baguette and put under the broiler until the cheese melts and bubbles. Serve.


Chef's Tips

Don't skimp on the browning time for the onions - this is essential to give the soup a good colour and flavour

*If you don't have Port or Madeira, you can use Sherry or Brandy but it won't quite be the same.  I STRONGLY SUGGEST PORT.

*The bouquet garni is parsley, thyme and laurel leaf.  Tie some together with a string so you can remove easily.

I use Gruyere cheese.

If making the day before, cook the soup up to the end of step 3, then remove the bouquet garni. Cool over and refrigerate the soup. Before serving, reheat the soup until bubbling, preheat the grill and prepare the croûtons.


Source: Le Cordon Bleu

Bridge Night...Lentil Soup with Chorizos and Sherry

Pin It

One of my biggest pleasures in life is a game of bridge with dear and close friends.  I have been playing since I was in school and have been lucky that both my former spouses also played.  I even won a tacky trophy a few years back playing duplicate at one of those Bridge Championships held all over the country.  Nowadays, I try to host a table at home at least once a week. I will give up a dinner or cocktail party any day of the week for an evening of bridge anytime, anyplace.

On Friday or Saturday nights, when none of us is otherwise engaged, we will get together late in the afternoon for a game of bridge and dinner.  Obviously, these have to be followed by simple and robust dinners, since nobody wants to stop for even a minute to let the hostess spend too much time in the kitchen and waste precious time;  yet, whatever is served, has to carry the group until none of us can keep our eyes open.  With age, this has gotten to be ealier and earlier.

 Hearty dishes that can be made ahead and warmed up at the last minute are very appropriate for this kind of evening.  One of my favorites is lasagna, the other is this lentil soup with chorizos and sherry.  I usually serve a green salad with cheese afterwards and a light dessert or homemade cookies.  You don't want to get too full and give the opponents an edge!

Serves 4


Ingredients

2 carrots, sliced and chopped

2 stalks celery, sliced and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 ham or smoked pork bone

2 tablespoons olive oil (you will need extra to finish the soup)

2 cups dried lentils

6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 chorizo

1/2 Cup Dry Sherry

Olive oil

Saute carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in hot olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add the ham or smoked pork bone and brown on both sides.  Sort and remove any debris from lentils; rinse under cold running water. Add lentils and broth to vegetable mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender.  Slice the chorizo in 1/2 inch rounds, add some olive oil to a small skillet, brown the chorizo.  Add the sherry and reduce to half the amount.  Add the chorizo and sherry reduction to the lentils.  Cook for another 5 - 10 minutes.  Serve.  After you serve in the bowls, add a little olive oil on top.

Serve with a crusty baguette and a robust red wine.

Photo:  Google Images

Chestnut Soup With Creme Fraiche

Pin It

This is one of my favorite recipes and it's always on my menu for Christmas Eve dinner.  If you can't find  prepared chestnuts in a jar, there's a simple way of roasting them.   I used to be able to find them at Williams-Sonoma or other specialty stores but this year they are nowhere to be found.  Fresh chestnuts can be found in the produce area of most supermarkets at this time of the year.

Serves 6

Ingredients

2 Tbs unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/4 tsp ground cloves
15 oz whole peeled chestnuts
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
Salt & pepper to taste
1/3 cup creme fraiche
Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Procedure

In a soup pot over medium heat, melt butter.  Add onions and cloves.  Saute, stir until translucent. 4-5 min.

Add chestnuts and broth, bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 20 mins.  In a blender or food processor, puree soup until smooth.  return soup to pot.  Season with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish each with one tsp. creme fraiche and a pinch of chopped parsley.

A Quick Light Lunch...Steamed Clams & Clam Chowder Tomorrow!

Pin It Some of my best recipes come when I have to improvise. Last weekend, while visiting my son and family in Atlanta, we took a fast run to Costco and as luck would have it, my daughter in law also loves clams. On the way out we picked up a bag of fresh clams and a baguette for a quick lunch and salivated all the way home without remembering we were out of onions! but the night before I had seen some leeks that needed to be used fast and had mulled the idea of leek and potato soup. Ta ta! I substituted them instead of the onions and added some heavy cream that I found fresh in the refrigerator. The result was a softer version of my recipe for Clams Provencal and a keeper. Use the leftover broth and clams for New England Clam Chowder tomorrow!

Ingredients

3 leeks, chopped
4 TB.butter
1/2 bottle of dry white wine
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1 large bag of clams
8 sprigs of dill
parsley
Pepper

Directions

In a tall pot, sautee the leeks in the butter until soft and translucent. Add the clams and the wine to cover them by about 3/4 full. Add dill, parsley and fresh pepper. Cover and steam until all the clams are open. About 15-20 mins. Discard those that don't open. Add the cream and steam for another minute. Serve with a nice crusty bread, a salad and a nice dry white wine or rose.

A tale of Two Soups...Split Pea Soup and Potage St. Germain

Pin It

Remember the ham bone I told you to save? Depending on your mood and the occasion,here are two wonderful soups to make from your leftovers...Green Pea Soup Yankee style and its French cousin, Potage St. Germain. The latter is Andre Soltner's recipe from the famous and now defunct Lutece in New York City. I had the pleasure of dining at this restaurant for my husband's 40th birthday. Even though we did not have this soup, I will never forget the menu, which, amongst other things, included the tenderest venison I have ever tasted.

The first recipe is an adaptation from Yankee Magazine and is your typical American green pea soup. I make it so often that my book is split in two at this page.

Split Pea Soup

1 lb green split peas
3 quarts water
1 meaty ham bone
2 medium onions, sliced
1 clove garlic
parsley and thyme, 1 sprig each
2 tsps. salt
peppercorns
bay leaf
1 carrot, sliced
1 parsnip, sliced
1 rib celery. sliced
1 cup white wine

Soak the split peas overnight and drain. Put the peas in a large pot with water, the ham bone, and all other ingredients, except the white wine. Simmer on back of the stove for 2 hours or so,stirring occasionally. Remove the bone, cut off the meat and return meat to soup. Add the wine and simmer for 15 minutes.


Potage Creme St. Germain, Lutece

1/2 lbs. split peas
4 Tb. unsalted butter
2 oz smoked bacon, diced (I use ham when I have leftovers from a good smoked ham)
1 medium white onion, sliced
1 leek, white part only, cut in 1/4 in slices
1 carrot, peeled, cut in 1/4 in. pieces
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 bouquet garni(parsley, thyme bay leaf, tied with white string
salt
pepper
3 slices white bread, crusts removed, cut in 1/4 in cubes
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp chervil leaves

Wash the split peas in several changes of cold water. Then soak them in cold water for 2 hours. Drain and set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt 2 TB. of the butter. Add the bacon or ham and saute over medium heat for 4 minutes. Add the onion, leek, carrot, garlic and saute over low heat for 3 more minutes.

Add the split peas and 1/2 quarts of water. Add the bouquet garni, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, and simmer over low heat, covered, for 1 1/2 hours.

While the soup is simmering, melt the remaining 2 TB of butter in a skillet and saute the croutons until golden brown. Drain on paper towel and set aside.

When the soup has cooked, remove the bouquet garni, puree the soup in a soup processor or blender (about 2 min) and pass through a fine sieve. Return soup to pot and bring to a simmer. Stir in the cream, add salt and pepper, stir in chervil and serve with the croutons.

April in Paris...Creme of Asparagus Soup

Pin It When I think of April, I think of Paris, and when I think of April in Paris I think of asparagus, white and green, on every menu, in every restaurant of that wonderful city. Some of us may not be able to eat there this Spring, but we can surely bring Paris, and April into our kitchen. The following is a wonderful creme of asparagus soup from Restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris. It's simple, it's easy, it's authentic and very economical. I just bought two bunches of asparagus for $1.98/lbs at Milam's this afternoon and in less than an hour, we were enjoying this wonderful soup for dinner!

Creme D'Asperges, Restaurant Guy Savoy

Serves 4
Active Time: 20 min Start to finish: 50 min

2 lbs green asparagus, trimmed
1 large onion, chopped
3 TB unsalted butter
Salt and White Pepper
5 to 6 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup creme fraiche or heavy creme
1/4 tsp. fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Cut tips from 12 asparagus 1 1/2 inches from top and halve tips lengthwise if thick. Reserve for garnish. Cut stalks and all remaining asparagus into 1/2 inch pieces.

Cook onion in 2 TB butter in a 4-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring until soft. Add asparagus pieces and salt and pepper to taste (I added white pepper which has a wonderful taste in soups) then cook stirring 5 minutes. Add 5 cups broth and simmered, covered, until asparagus is very tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

While soup simmers, cook reserved asparagus tips in boiling salted water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain and set aside.

When the soup has cooled down a little bit, puree soup in batches in a blender until smooth, transferring to a bowl and return to pan. Stir in creme fraiche or heavy cream. If you find the soup is too thick (I didn't), add more broth to thin soup to desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Bring soup to a boil and whisk in remaining tablespoon of butter.

Add lemon juice and garnish with asparagus tips.

Cook's Note
Soup keeps, covered and chilled, 2 days. If making ahead, add last tablespoon of butter and lemon juice after reheating. Don't miss adding the lemon juice to this soup... it's only a few drops, but it makes a difference.