Two Cold Summer Soups

Today I have two cold soups for you. The first one is a White Gazpacho.
I have always wanted to try a White Gazpacho and my first attempt was a great success with my family. It is so rare that all four of us love a recipe equally but it was just the case with this soup. Light and refreshing, this soup makes a great dish on hot summer days. My soup turned out not to be white, but light green because I used small cucumbers and left the skin on.
I let it sit over night and found that the flavor improved over that period of time. Both soups need to be really really cold. So put your serving dishes in the fridge as well before serving the soup.

My second recipe for you is a cold tomato soup from Cooks Illustrated.  Half of the tomatoes are roasted in the oven which gives the soup an intensive sweet and aromatic flavor. There is no bread in this soup. Instead, Olive Oil is added to the pureed tomatoes which thickens the soup and gives it body.
Enjoy these soups on hot summer days and you will wish that summer never ends.

Dovetail’s White Gazpacho
Yield: 4 portions

¼ cup whites of leeks, sliced thin and washed
3 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
10 green grapes, washed
¼ cup blanched almond slivers (use Marcona Almonds if you can find them)
1 ½ tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 cups cucumbers
½ cup English cucumbers, peeled and juiced
½ tablespoon sour cream
¼ cup good quality olive oil
2 cups cold water
1 tablespoon salt

1. Cook leeks in a medium-size sauté pan over medium-low heat until translucent and tender, then chill in refrigerator.

2. Combine all ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth. (I soaked the bread for a couple of minutes in the water first before adding everything to the blender.)

3. Season with salt, adjusting amount as needed.

4. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve or chinois.

5. Serve very cold.


CHILLED FRESH TOMATO SOUP

Chilled Fresh Tomato Soup

(Cooks Illustrated)

serves 4

• 2 lbs. tomatoes, cored
• 1 shallot, sliced thin
• 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• ⅛ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
• Pinch Cayenne pepper
• Salt
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar, plus extra as needed
• Pepper (optional)

To create a chilled tomato soup recipe that produced a dish with complex flavor, we used a combination of fresh and roasted tomatoes. This gave us a dish with bright, tangy freshness as well as a deep, sweet flavor. We also used a small amount of tomato paste and lightly roasted garlic and shallot to boost the chilled tomato soup’s flavor.

1.Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with vegetable oil spray.

2.Cut 1 pound tomatoes in half horizontally and arrange cut side up on prepared baking sheet. Arrange shallot and garlic cloves in single layer over 1 area of baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, then remove shallot and garlic cloves. Return baking sheet to oven and continue to roast tomatoes until softened but not browned, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

3.Peel garlic cloves and place in blender with roasted shallot and roasted tomatoes. Cut remaining 1 pound tomatoes into eighths and add to blender along with tomato paste; paprika, if using; cayenne; and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Puree until smooth, about 30 seconds. With motor running, drizzle in olive oil in slow, steady stream; puree will turn orange in color.

4.Pour puree through fine-mesh strainer into nonreactive bowl, pressing on solids in strainer to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. Stir in vinegar. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled and flavors have blended, at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

5.To serve, stir soup to recombine (liquid separates on standing). Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and vinegar, as needed. Ladle soup into chilled bowls, drizzle sparingly with extra oil, and grind pepper over each, if using. Serve immediately.

Mushroom and Chorizo Minestrone

Minestrone is a thick Italian Soup that is made with vegetables and often has pasta and/or rice.
This soup contains mushrooms, chorizo, potatoes and orzo pasta. The chorizo adds some spice and a very rich flavor to the soup. The mushrooms add a deep and earthy flavor and the the addition of pasta and potatoes makes this souop a full meal. This minestrone is utterly delicious and it is the perfect dish for a cold winter day.

Mushroom and Chorizo Minestrone

from britishlarder.co.uk

• 200 g / 7 oz peeled and sliced onions (approximately two medium sized onions)
• 375 g / 13.2 oz Desiree potatoes, peeled and cubed 2cm
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 2tb s olive oil
• 200 g / 7 oz field mushrooms, sliced
• 100 g / 3.5 oz button mushrooms, sliced
• 160 g / 5.6 oz chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 100 g / 3.5 oz chorizo, cut into 1cm pieces (the hard kind) 
• 100 g / 3.5 oz orzo pasta
• 125ml / 0.5 cups white wine
• 1.2 L / 5 cups vegetable stock
• 1tbs chopped chives for serving

1.The most difficult task of this recipe is the preparation of the ingredients, it takes a bit of time, so pour yourself a glass of wine and take your time. Peel the onions and slice them through the root, like a cake, into thin slices. Peel and dice the potato into 2cm cubes and cut the chorizo sausage into 1cm pieces. Cut all the mushrooms into wedges as per the onions and crush the garlic.

2.Heat the oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat and sauté the onions, diced potato, salt and pepper, smoked paprika, all the mushrooms, chorizo and the crushed garlic until golden brown. Cover the pan with the lid for a few minutes while sautéing so that it does not take on too much colour, stir frequently to prevent sticking and burning. Do not be tempted to add more oil, the sautéing process takes about 8 - 10 minutes.

3.Add the orzo pasta and mix well.

4.Once you are happy with the amount of colouring deglaze the pan with the wine and cook until all the wine is absorbed.

5.Add the stock, cover the pan with a lid and bring the soup to a gentle simmer, stir frequently to prevent the pasta sticking to the base of the pan and gently simmer for 25 minutes over low heat.

6.Serve the piping hot soup with a sprinkling of chopped chives and warm freshly baked bread on the side.

Corn Chowder

Like most of Cooks Illustrated recipes this soup is a little bit more time consuming than other recipes, but the result is so incredibly delicious that you shouldn't hesitate a minute to invest the extra time. You will be rewarded with a sweet and aromatic soup, not a flour and cream heavy kind of soup, but light and full of sweet corn flavor. You will get the best result if the corn for this soup is very fresh and juicy.

CORN CHOWDER

From Cook's Illustrated.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Starting our Lighter Corn Chowder recipe with sautéed bacon lent our base a sweet smokiness. Dialing back on the dairy allowed the fresh corn flavor to come through. To make up for the body that our Lighter Corn Chowder lacked after losing most of the dairy, we pureed a portion of the chowder in a blender. Highlighting the corn was the ultimate goal of our Lighter Corn Chowder recipe. To do this, we made a homemade corn broth using the juice from the cobs after stripping them of their kernels. (less)

SERVES 6
Be careful to remove only the part of the corn kernel sticking out of the cob; cutting deeper will pull off fibrous material. Yukon gold potatoes can be substituted for the red potatoes, minced chives for the basil. Depending on the sweetness of your corn, the finished chowder may need to be seasoned with sugar.

INGREDIENTS
8ears corn , husks and silk removed
3tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion , chopped fine
4slices bacon , halved lengthwise then cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2teaspoons minced fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
1/4cup all-purpose flour
5cups water
3/4pound red potatoes , cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1cup half-and-half
Sugar
3tablespoons chopped fresh basil

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Using chef’s knife or corn stripper, cut kernels from corn; transfer to bowl and set aside (you should have 5 to 6 cups kernels). Holding cobs over second bowl, use back of butter knife to firmly scrape any remaining pulp on cobs into bowl (you should have 2 to 2 1/2 cups pulp). Transfer pulp to center of clean kitchen towel set in medium bowl. Wrap towel tightly around pulp and squeeze tightly until dry. Discard pulp in towel and set corn juice aside (you should have about 2/3 cup juice).

2. Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion, bacon, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened and edges are beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add water and bring to boil. Add corn kernels and potatoes. Return to simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes have softened, 15 to 18 minutes.

3. Process 2 cups chowder in blender until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Return puree to chowder; add half-and-half and return to simmer. Remove pot from heat and stir in reserved corn juice. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and up to 1 tablespoon sugar. Serve, sprinkling with basil.

Blueberry-Mango Soup

Thick fruit soups are a typical Swedish treat and can be served hot or cold, depending on the season. This recipe was created by famed Swedish chef Marcus Samuelsson, Executive Chef and co-owner of Aquavit in New York City. His cardamon-spiced version  can also be used as a sauce over ice cream or fresh fruit. 

Blueberry-Mango Soup
(Marcus Samuelsson)

Ingredients:

6 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cardamom (or less)
3/4 cup mango purée
1 cup Muscatel, ice wine or honey wine
Preparation:

In a saucepan, combine blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cardamom. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil. Cook and stir until sugar dissolves, about 7 minutes. Slightly cool blueberry mixture and transfer to a blender container. Purée.
In a bowl, combine blueberry purée with mango purée and wine. Strain mixture through a fine sieve. Cool well.

To serve: Ladle soup into shallow soup bowls or dessert dishes. Garnish with fresh blueberries, thin melon and/or mango slices, and lemon zest curls, if desired.

Watermelon and Tomato Gazpacho

Are you looking for a nice refreshment on a hot summer day that is even simpler than a gazpacho? This soup is a mix between a smoothie and soup. It is simply prepared in a blender and suprises with a flavorful mix of watermelon and tomato. Feel free to add tiny Olive Oil Croutons, slivered basil, mint, or
edible flowers as a garnish.

Watermelon and Tomato Soup
(adapted from The New Spanish Table from Anya from Bremzen)


4 cups cubed seedless watermelon, about 1 1/4 pounds
1 pound ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
1/4 cup fragrant extra-vergin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1/2 cup chopped celery (2 ounces)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Finely slivered basil, for garnish


Working in two batches, purée all of the ingredients except the garnish in a blender for two minutes or longer until frothy and smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings, making sure you have used enough salt and lemon juice for a vivid flavor. Transfer to a bowl, and chill for several hours. Taste and adjust seasonings. Ladle the soup into pretty glasses, drizzle olive oil on top, and serve sprinkled with basil.

Yield: Four to six regular servings, or 8 to 12 aperitifs.

Advance preparation: You can serve this soup the day after you make it. Leftovers are good for two or three days.

Gazpacho

Gazpacho is a cold, Spanish, tomato-based, raw vegetable soup originating in the region of Andalusia.

Typically it includes stale bread, tomato, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, vinegar and salt.

Until I owned a blender it never occured to me to make it myself but this tool makes it very easy and in minutes you have the most luscious soup you can imagine. It is refreshing on a hot summer day, healthy, and light. My version doesn't contain bread, so feel free to add some.

Gazpacho

Soup

5 big tomatoes

2 cloves of garlic

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 green or yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 cucumber, peeled an diced

1 onion (I don't add the onion), peeled and diced

3 - 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

1 Tablespoon sherry vinegar or more

Optional: 2 big slices of a day-old country bead, remove crust, cube, soak in water for 5-10 minutes, drain and squeeze out the excess liquid

Garnish

1 Tablespoon olive oil 

salt to taste

2 slices of white bread

small dices of cucumber, bell pepper, tomato

Put the tomatoes in a bowl, cover them with boiling water and let them sit for 30 seconds. Drain, then peel and cut into pieces. Put the vegetables (and bread) into a blender together with the olive oil and vinegar. Blend until very smooth. Taste with salt and pepper. Put into the fridge until very cold, at least for 2 hours.

For the garnish

Remove crust of the bread, heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the bread cubes until golden brown. Salt and set aside 

Put the diced vegetables and bread cubes in individual bowls an serve together with the soup.

Cold Tomato Soup with Mozarella

Insalata Caprese or Tomato Mozarella is a popular appetizer around the whole world. When you are sitting outside on a hot summer day it, you feel like you are in Italy. This recipe is a liquid version of the tasty dish. However, this soup is cooked with a red beet which gives it an incredible dark red color and a hint of earthyness. Use the best ingredients you can find, it will make all the difference.
Michel Richard recommends adding a piece of pineapple to the soup if the tomatoes are not perfectly ripe.

Tomato Soup with Fresh Mozarella

Michel Richard: Happy in the Kitchen

(serves 4)

1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil

1 1/2 cups (about 1 1/2 medium) finely chopped yellow onions

3 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

1 medium beet, peeled and cut into eights

2 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf, 1 small sprig rosemary (Bouquet Garni)

2 garlic cloves

Fine sea salt and ground black pepper

1/2 lemon

Garnishes

1 ounce (30 g) fresh mozarella, cut into 1/4 inch dice

1  cup dice (1/4 inch) peeled tomatoes

16 small basil leaves

Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until translucent. Add the tomatoes, beet, and bouquet garni. Using a rasp grater, grate the garlic directly into the pot (or mince the garlic and add it). Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cook, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. (I cooked my tomatoes on a low simmer with the lid on).

Remove the beet and bouquet garni. Save the beet for another use or discard; discard the bouquet garni. Transfer the tomato mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth. Strain into a bowl and let cool. Refrigerate, covered, until cold, or for up to a day.

Before serving, stir in lemon juice, Tabasco, and additional salt to taste. Divide soup among four soup bowls. Garnish with the cheese, diced tomatoes, and basil leaves.

Ramen Shrimp Pouch

Everybody knows those Ramen noodle packages for a couple of cents that save every student from starving to death, right? But did you know that you can make an impressive dish out of it? This recipe only takes minutes to prepare and everybody will think you were sweating in the kitchen for hours.

Take a big piece of tin foil, stack the ingredients, add the liquid and cook it in the oven for 15 minutes.

In addition, you can make each package individually according to everybody's likings. Shrimp, chicken, or more vegetables can be substituted for fish and since this recipe is so simple it is just as easy to make for one person as it is to make it for a whole dinner party.

Ramen Shrimp Pouch

(Alton Brown)

serves 4

2 packages Ramen noodles, divided ½ cup dried mushrooms, chopped 20 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined ½ cup finely chopped onion ½ cup sliced scallions ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 quart vegetable broth ½ cup mirin, (sweet rice vinegar) ¼ cup soy sauce 4 teaspoons sesame oil Special equipment: 4 (18-inch) squares aluminum foil 1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 2.Divide ramen noodles evenly in center of each of the 4 pieces of aluminum foil. Stack the following ingredients on top of noodles, in this order: mushrooms, shrimp, onions, scallions, red pepper flakes, and salt. Pull sides and corners of pouch up to form a small basket shape leaving an opening at the top to pour in liquid. 3.In small bowl, combine vegetable broth, mirin, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Distribute liquid evenly among packs. Press foil together, leaving a small opening to allow steam to escape. Place on cookie sheet and bake in oven for 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Bright Green Asparagus Soup

                         

With chirping birds outside, the sun shining bright and a sky so incredibly clear and blue you could have thought that spring was finally here last week. It felt like we could take out the garden furniture and start cleaning up the winter dirt.  But we all do know better, right? There is still more winter to come, I am sure about that. But I realized when entering our local supermarket, that the choice of vegetables is already changing and I found some very fresh bright green asparagus. So I decided to whip up this beautiful soup.

The recipe comes from Cooks Illustrated and it is bursting with asparagus flavor, flawlessly smooth yet without lots of cream and butter. To keep the color bright green they added peas to the soup. Pretty, don't you think? 

Creamy Asparagus Soup
Serves 4

Look for asparagus spears that are not more than 1/2 inch thick. If using thicker spears, use a vegetable peeler to peel the length of the spears before cooking to ensure a silky soup.


2 bunches thin asparagus (about 2 pounds) tough ends trimmed
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin and rinsed thoroughly
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Salt and Pepper
3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup frozen peas (2 ounces)
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1. Cut the tips off the asparagus spears and chop the remaining spears into 1/2 inch pieces. Bring 1/2 cup of water to a boil in an 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus tips, cover, and cook until the tips are tender, about 2 minutes. Remove the tips, pat dry, and set aside.

2. Combine the remaining asparagus pieces, leeks, butter, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon papper in a large saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8 - 10 minutes.

3. Add broth to the pot, bring to a simmer, and cook until the vegetables are completely tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and Parmesan.

4. Working in two batches, process the soup in a blender until completely smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the soup to the pot. Stir in the reserved asparagus tips, half- and half, and lemon juice and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Tandoori Red Lentil Soup

Nothing heats you more up than a steaming hot cup of soup on cold winter days. Especially this rich and silky red lentil soup. The vibrant red-orange color already lights up your day. The special ingredient in this soup is the home made tandoori paste. It adds an incredible flavor to the soup. The lentils and the tomatoes give it texture, and the coconut milk is a perfect combination with the spiciness of the chillis.

Spiced Red Lentil Soup

(From: Britishlarder.uk)

80 g home made tandoori paste

50 g tomato puree

50 g sunflower oil

400 g tinned diced tomatoes

250 g coconut milk

150 g dried red lentils

200 g carrots, peeled and 10mm diced

200 g celery, 10mm diced

200 g banana shallots 10mm diced

1 large red chilli de-seeded and sliced

salt and pepper

600m l vegetable or white chicken stock

1. Heat a large saucepan with the oil to a medium temperature.

2. Sauté the diced carrots, shallots and celery with a little bit of seasoning. Always remember to season, especially soups,a bit at a time, as during the cooking and reduction processes the flavours becomes stronger and it’s easy to over season. Cook until the vegetables become transparent but not coloured.

3. Add the sliced red chilli, tandoori paste and tomato puree, cook for 3 minutes, add the dried red lentils and stir.

4. Add the tinned diced tomatoes and the stock, bring the soup to the boil, turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid.

5. Simmer the soup for 40 minutes over low heat.

6. Add the coconut milk, turn the heat to high, bring the soup back to the boil and cook for 10 minutes.

7. Use a ladle and scoop a third of the hot soup in to a food processor or a thermomix and puree until smooth, add this back to the soup and stir. By blending only a third of the soup, this will ensure that your soup has a silky thick and creamy texture with some whole bits of carrots and lentils.

8. Serve the soup garnished with extra virgin olive oil, cooked red lentils mixed with sliced spring onions and fresh basil.

 Home Made Tandoori Paste

80g fresh coriander

100g fresh ginger, peeled

2 lemons, zest grated and juiced

50g cumin seeds

50g mild paprika

4 fresh large red chillies, de-seeded

5 cloves of garlic, peeled

250g tomato puree

2 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

 Wash the coriander, peel the ginger and garlic. Gently toast the cumin seeds in a hot pan, cool the toased cumin seeds before using.

 Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until a smooth paste.

 If you are not using the paste immediately spoon the paste in a clean ice cube tray and freeze. Once frozen remove the ice cubes and place them in a freezer bag until needed.

 As this paste is a strong concentrate you do not need a lot of it. If you want to marinade chicken, meat or fish mix equal quantities of the paste with natural yoghurt, mix well and spread submerge the protein in the marinade, leave for a minimum of 6 hours before use. I normally let the protein marinade over night to ensure penetration.

 Makes a large quantity more than required for the soup, freeze the rest.

 This Tandoori Paste recipe is über cool, natural and versatile. I normally make a large batch of the paste and freeze it in ice cube trays, once frozen pop the cubes out in to a freezer bag and use them as required. This way the fresh spices and herbs remain super pungent and you always have a magical natural ingredient to hand. This recipe is strong and you require only a small amount to give extra flavour and depth to your cooking. When you wish to use the paste defrost the frozen cubes and either mix the Tandoori paste with equal quantities of natural yoghurt to home made tandoori paste and use it as a marinade for fish or meat. The use and versatility is endless, stir a couple of cubes in to a home made curry or soup for extra depth of flavour or mix a bit in to couscous for an exciting and tasty salad.

Celery-Celery Soup

Happy New Year to all of you.
After weeks of parties, feasts, good food and maybe too much wine you might crave some healthy light dishes that can help you loose those additional pounds that you put on over the holidays. With lots of vegetables and an optional amount of cream involved, this soup might help you reach your goal.
Celery root and celery stalks provide the base for this hearty vegetable winter soup. The apples add a surprise in the center of the soup. Another winning recipe of Dorie Greenspan's new book "Around my french table".

Celery-Celery Soup
(From "Around My French Table" by Dorie Greenspan)


2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 celery stalks with leaves, trimmed and sliced
2 large onions, chopped
2 sweet apples, such as McIntosh or Fuji, peeled, cut into 1- to 2-inch cubes
Salt, pepper
1 pound celery root, peeled, cut in 1- to 2-inch cubes
1 bay leaf
1 thyme sprig
6 cups chicken broth
Creme fraiche, heavy cream or sour cream, for serving (optional)


Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over low heat. Toss in the sliced celery, onions and apples, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. 


Add the cubed celery root and turn it around in the butter. Toss the herbs into the pot, add the broth and bring to the boil. Lower the heat and cook at a gentle simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the celery root is soft enough to mash with the back of a spoon. If you can, pull out the bay leaf and what's left of the thyme.


Working in small batches in a blender (first choice) or food processor, puree the soup until it's smooth. (If you're using a processor or an immersion blender, you might not get a super-smooth soup. If you'd like, you can run the pureed soup through a strainer, but it's really not necessary. As you can see, mine is pretty chunky.) Taste for salt and pepper. 


This needs to be served very hot (especially on a snowy day) and, while it really doesn't need an embellishment, like just about everything else in the world, it's better with cream, so either stir some into the pot or put a spoonful in the center of each bowl and let everyone swirl it into the soup.


Playing around: 
It's fun to put a little surprise in the bottom of the soup bowl. Cut a peeled and cored apple or two into chunks and toss it into a skillet with a little melted butter. Stir it around, season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle the cubes with some curry powder. Heat, stirring, until the powder is fragrant and coats the apple evenly. Put a spoonful of apple and/or croutons in each bowl before you ladle in the soup.


Curried apples:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon curry powder
2 apples, peeled and cut into spoon-able cubes


Curried croutons:
2 cups crustless stale bread, cut into small cubes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon curry powder. 


For the curried apples, melt the butter in a large skillet. Stir in curry powder. Add apples and saute over medium heat just until crisp-tender.


Do the same thing with the crouton ingredients, cooking just until browned. Season with salt and pepper.

Spanish Chickpea and Chorizo Stew

This is the kind of food that is perfect for this time of the year. Rich and earthy with chunky pieces of chorizo and tiny meatballs simmering in a paprika flavored comforting broth: this stew is everything an autumn family meal should be. I added one Russet potato to make it a whole meal itself. It is equally tasty with the Chorizo alone. Just skip the meatball part and increase the amount of chorizo to ten or twelve ounces.

Chickpea Stew with Chorizo and Meatballs

(The new Spanish table)

serves 4 or 5

For the Chickpeas

1 cup dried chickpeas (garbanzo beans), soaked
1 bay leaf
6 oz. sweet Spanish-style chorizo sausage

For the Meatballs
2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
10 oz ground pork (not too lean)
1/4 grated onion
1 small egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
Olive oil

For Finishing the Stew
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 medium-size onion, finely chopped
1 medium-size carrot, finely chopped
4 medium-size garlic cloves, chopped
2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon smoked sweet Spanish paprika
3 Tbs finely chopped fresh flat-lea parsley
Sea Salt
1 Russet Potato cut into small dices (optional)

1. Prepare the chickpeas: Place the chickpeas in a heavy 4 - 5 quart pot, add cold water to cover by 2 inches, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the bay leaf, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, partially covered, for 1 hour, periodically replenishing the liquid with more water.

2. After 1 hour, cook the chorizo in boiling water for 2 minutes and drain it. Add the chorizo to the chickpeas and continue cooking until the chickpeas are tender but still a little al dente, about 30 minutes longer, adding more water to maintain the level of liquid.

3. While the chickpeas are cooking, make the meatballs: Place the bread in a small bowl, add cold water to cover, and let soak for 5 minutes. Drain and squeeze out the excess liquid, then finely crumble the bread. Place the bread, pork, onion, egg, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Gently knead the meatball mixture with your hands just until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. If the mixture is too moist to form into meatballs, refrigerate it for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

4. Preheat the oven to 425 F.

5. With oiled hands, shape the mixture into meatballs the size of a cherry tomato. Arrange the meatballs on a baking sheet and bake, shaking the pan once or twice, until they are lightly browned and firm to the touch, about 12 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.

6. To finish the stew: Heat the olive oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion, carrot, and half of the garlic and cook until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cover the skillet, and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the paprika, stir for a few seconds, then stir the tomato mixture into the chickpeas. Cook the stew until the chickpeas are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes longer ( add the potatoes if using).

7 . Using as slotting spoon, transfer the chorizo to a cutting board, cut it into 1/2 inch slices and return them to the pot. Gently stir in the meatballs and simmer them in the stew for about 5 minutes.

8. Place the remaining garlic, the parsley, and a pinch of salt in a mortar and, using a pestle, crush them to a paste. Stir the parsley mixture into the stew and let it cook until all the flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Let the stew cool for about 5 minutes, then ladle it into bowls and serve.

Creamy no Cream Cauliflower Soup

I love vegetables, but cauliflower is not really one of my favorites. I guess simply because I didn't find the right recipes yet. They all seem kind of boring to me. Not this one. I found it in Dorie Greenspan's new book: "Around my French Table" and I thought I have to try it. I was not disappointed. Onions and Celery are slowly roasted before you add the cauliflower. This brings out all the sugar of the veggies. Then you have to cook it for another 20 minutes with the cauliflower. There is no need to add any creme whatsoever and the result is a smooth and silky soup, full of delightful flavors. 

This soup is the perfect start for an elegant dinner. 

Creamy Cauliflower Soup 

(Dorie Greenspan: Around my French Table)
serves 4 

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Vidalia, Spanish, or large yellow onions (about ¾ pound) coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, split, germ removed and thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 thyme sprigs, leaves only
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 head cauliflower, leaves removed, broken into florets (discard the tough core)
5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Optional toppings
Extra-virgin olive oil or walnut oil
Grated cheese
Crushed toasted walnuts
Crème fraîche or sour cream
Caviar
Shaved truffles

Put the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot and warm over low heat. When the butter is melted, add the onions, garlic, celery, thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of white pepper. Stir until all the ingredients glisten with oil and butter, then cover the pot and cook slowly, stirring often, for 20 minutes.

Toss the cauliflower into the pot and pour in the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat so that the broth simmers gently, and cook, uncovered, for another 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is very soft.

Puree the soup in batches in a blender or food processor; or use an immersion blender. This soup is best when it is very smooth, so if you think it needs it, push it through a strainer. (If you used a standard blender, this shouldn't be necessary.) Taste for salt and pepper; I like to pepper the soup generously.

Serve plain or garnished with the topping of your choice

Mexican Lime Soup with Chicken

Lime juice, jalapeno pepper, Mexican Oregano  and Queso Fresco, a mild unaged white cheese, makes this soup very special. Even if you don't like Mexican Food, you should try this one. If you can't find Queso Fresco use a very mild Feta. 

MEXICAN LIME SOUP WITH CHICKEN
 Williams-Sonoma
(SERVES 4 - 6)


3 - 4 limes
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves, each about 10 oz. (315 g)
1 t kosher salt, plus more, to taste
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
1 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 large onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno chile, minced
3 cups (750ml) low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp. dried Mexican oregano (or regular Oregano)
1 Avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
2 oz. (60 g) queso fresco or mild feta cheese, crumbled


Cut 1 lime into 4 to 6 wedges - set aside for serving. Juice as many of the remaining limes as needed to measure 1/4 cup (60ml).

Season the chicken with the 1 tsp.salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper,Ina large saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Add the onion to the pan and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and chili and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the broth, 3 cups (750ml) water, the lime juice and oregano, then return the chicken to the pan.

Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover partially and simmer until the chicken shows no sign of pink when pierced with a tip of a sharp knife near the bone, about 40 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let cool slightly. Meanwhile, keep the soup at a simmer. Remove and discard the skin and bones, and shred the chicken into bite-size pieces. Stir the chicken into the soup. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.

Put the avocado, cheese and lime wedges in separate small bowls. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and serve immediately. Pass the avocado, cheese and lime wedges.

Tomato Soup

Even my daughter who is not a soup lover at all loves this creamy tomato soup. The flavor of the tomatoes is incredible and the smooth and silky texture makes you want more. You could also use  canned tomatoes and omit the cream and it is still delicious.

Tomato Soup

(serves 4)

Jamie Oliver: jamie's dinners

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 garlic glove, peeled and finely chopped

1 carrot, coarsely grated

Olive oil

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

2 egg yolks

1 kg (2 lb) super ripe tomatoes

2 pints chicken stock or 2 pints vegetable stock (5 cups, 1,18l)

Sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

• Directions

1. Put your onion, garlic, carrot and basil stalks into a large pot with a couple of lugs of olive oil. Cover the pan and simmer gently without colouring for 20 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.
2. Whisk together the cream, vinegar and egg yolks in a small bowl and put to one side.
3. While the vegetables are simmering, drop the tomatoes into boiling water for 30 seconds, then remove the skins and roughly chop the flesh. Add these to the veg, then pour in the stock and simmer for a further 20 minutes with the lid on.
4. At this point it's nice to puree the soup using either a food processor a blender or a hand-held blender, but be careful as it will be hot.
   
5. Put back into pan, bring back to a simmer and season carefully with salt and pepper.
6. Just before serving to enrich the soup and give it a shine and silky texture, whisk in the cream mixture, but (don't reboil it after adding the egg yolks or it will scramble) and 
   serve straight away sprinkled with a few torn up basil leaves.