Archives for posts with tag: soup

creamy brussels sprout soup

February 9, 2015 //
0

another episode of ‘cleanin’ out my fridge’: the brussels sprouts edition.

brusselssproutsoup(1)

yesterday after my trip to the farmers market, i was putting away my veggies, and came across a bag of these cruciferous vegetables from a couple weeks ago that i needed to use.

i have a few different ways i like to prepare these wee cabbages. simply roasting them with olive oil, salt and pepper is easy enough, but recently i have been slicing them thin, sautéing with olive oil, shallot, fresh lemon juice, tossing with pecorino romano, toasted sliced almonds, and finishing with a little bit of red wine vinegar. this was my inspiration for this soup.

of course, when i am cooking from the hip, i often don’t actually write down amounts as i go, or take photos, so the list of ingredients will be approximations, and you only get the one photo.

ingredients:

  • 3 cups brussels sprouts, thinly sliced
  • olive oil, as needed
  • 1 leek, white part cut in half lengthwise and sliced thin
  • 4 cloves of garlic, diced small
  • 3 celery stalks, diced small
  • 4 carrots, diced small
  • 2 tsp fresh savory, minced
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 4 cups stock (i used homemade turkey stock)
  • 1 cup spinach, chopped coarse (optional)
  • cream, to taste
  • salt + pepper, to taste

garnish:

  • toasted sliced almonds
  • pecorino romano, grated
  • chives, minced
  • red wine vinegar, drizzle

in a large dutch oven, heat up a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. add the brussels sprouts, some salt and pepper, and cook until soft and browning. add the leeks, carrots, celery, garlic, savory and a little more olive oil, salt and pepper. combine and allow to cook down a bit. add the wine, and scrape off any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. add the stock, bring to a boil, and then let simmer over medium-low heat until all the veggies are soft. this is when i added the spinach. honestly, i doubt that it added much flavor wise, but i had a little bit in the fridge that was just beginning to wilt, and thought it might add a little green color back into the soup, which it did. once the spinach becomes soft, but hasn’t lost it’s color, i turned off the heat. i used a hand blender to purée the soup until creamy. (i’m sure a regular blender or food processor would do the same thing.) slowly add cream to your liking.

garnish with almonds, pecorino romano, chives and drizzle with red wine vinegar. enjoy!

serves 4.

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Categories recipes

red kuri squash + tomato soup

September 9, 2011 //
4

summer meets fall by combining delicious sweet tomatoes and vibrant red kuri squash. i’ve also added a bit of madras curry to give it a little bit of heat. i know it was a bit crazy to make soup on a hot so-cal september day, but the colors of these beauties inspired me.

ingredients:

  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 onion, diced small, about 2 1/2 cups
  • 3/4 cup carrots, diced small
  • 2 tbsp garlic, minced
  • 2 1/2 to 3 lbs red kuri squash, skin removed, seeded, and cut into 1-2 inch chunks
  • 2 tsp of madras curry powder
  • 4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock to make it vegetarian)
  • 6-7 medium tomatoes, seeded (reserve juices, strained of seeds), roughly chopped
  • 2 tsp of thyme, plus extra for garnish
  • pinch of cayenne
  • s+p to taste (i ended up using about 2 tbsp of coarse hanapepe salt and at least a dozen grinds of a pepper mill)
  • crème fraîche, as garnish
  • 1 cup half + half (optional)

yield: 8 cups, 4-6 servings

directions:

melt the butter in a large heavy bottomed pan, such as a dutch oven.

add onions and carrots, and a touch of salt. let cook until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes.

add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. then add the squash and stir to combine. cook, stirring occasionally, until a slight brown fond starts sticking to the bottom of the pan.

add the curry and cayenne. stir to combine.

add the reserved tomato juice and stock. use a wooden spoon to remove any fond from the bottom of the pan. add some s+p. i added about 1 tbsp of hanapepe salt and several cranks on the pepper mill at this point.

bring to a boil. reduce to a simmer. add the tomatoes and thyme. let cook about 20 minutes, or until the squash is soft.

purée until smooth. i use a hand blender for sheer ease, but a regular blender will work, just make sure you do it in batches and don’t over fill.

taste and add any additional s+p at this point. i added another few cranks on the pepper mill and probably another tbsp of hanapepe salt. then i allowed the spices to meld a little while longer on low heat.

there are a few finishing options. add a dollop of crème fraîche, and a pinch of thyme for garnish.

to add creaminess all the way through, turn off the heat and add 1 cup of half + half. if saving some for the next day, or freezing it, hold off on adding the cream until slowly reheating it.

also, one of my favorite things is grilled cheese and tomato soup, and this makes a wonderful alternative to a mainstay meal.

enjoy!

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Categories meatless monday, recipes

creamy carrot + tarragon soup

June 20, 2011 //
0

makes 4 cups

  • 8-10 medium-large carrots, or about 3 cups, diced small
  • 2 celery ribs, or about ¾ cup, diced small
  • ½ large onion, or about ¾ cup, diced small
  • 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
  • 2 tbsp fresh tarragon
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cups chicken stock (can be made with vegetable stock)
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • black pepper, several cranks on a grinder
  • dash of cayenne pepper, optional
  • crème fraîche (or sour cream), for garnish
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

heat oil in a large pot over medium-high. add the carrots, celery, onions and salt and sauté until the celery has softened and the onions are clear, about 5-10 minutes. stir in the garlic, tarragon and black pepper and continue cooking for about 5 more minutes.

pour in the chicken stock, stir and bring to a boil.

reduce the heat to a simmer for about 25-30 minutes until the carrots are very soft. turn off the heat and use a hand blender to purée the mixture. you can use a regular blender, but it is just more of a process.

gradually pour in the milk, mix well, and season with more salt and pepper to taste. add cayenne if you want some kick.

garnish with a dollop of creme fraiche (or sour cream) and sprinkle with parsley. you could easily make this with a vegetable stock, and would be a great option for a meatless monday meal. i just always have homemade chicken stock on hand. also, this is a great chilled soup.

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Categories meatless monday, recipes
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