Spanish Gazpacho is a little different in ingredients. This one uses eggplant and you will become addicted to the flavours of this chilled soup. Trust me, I wouldn’t lead you astray…at least not with this recipe.
- 2 large eggplants, halved lengthwise
- 5 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 2 lbs. roma tomatoes, stemmed and quartered
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- 3/4 cup plain Greek Yogurt
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup tahini paste
- 2 cups water
- extra olive oil, for drizzling
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Drizzle 1 tbsp. olive oil on each of the cut halves of eggplant. Turn over, cut side down and roast for 1 1/2 hours until very tender. Cool and discard the large seed pockets. Scoop the flesh into a bowl, discard the skins and set the bowl aside.
Place the tomatoes in a processor and using the pulse button, process to a coarse puree. Strain the tomatoes into a large bowl and press through to measure 1 1/2 cups of tomato juice. Set the tomato juice aside.
Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a heavy skillet and add the onion and garlic, cooking until the onions are a lovely golden colour. This should take about 25 minutes. Add the cumin, cayenne and pepper and stir for 1 minute. Add the yogurt, tahini paste and lime juice, stir, scraping up any brown bits in the pan. Remove from the heat. Stir in the eggplant to combine.
Place half of this mixture in a blender and while running, gradually add 3/4 cup tomato juice and 1 cup of water. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Repeat this process with the remaining eggplant mixture.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate no less than 2 hours or, if pressed for time, make the day ahead. Keep cold. When ready to serve, scoop into individual bowls and drizzle some oil over the top YUMMMMM.
Gazpacho Soup – The Very Best
I love cold soups in the summer and I have been known to serve company cold soups even in the winter months so…..This is lovely, fresh and truly company fare.
- 2 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 small clove garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 tbsp. grated onion
- 1/4 cup cucumber, peeled and diced (seeds removed)
- 1/4 cup finely diced celery (peeled)
- 1/4 cup yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup finely diced firm Roma tomatoes
- 2 tbsp. Crisco oil
- pinch of pepper
- generous pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp. basil leaves chopped
- 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 2 tbsp. wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. Worchestshire sauce
- 1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
- 3 cups tomato juice
- croutons
Mix together all the vegetables and spices. Stir in lime juice, vinegar, Worchestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce and tomato juice.
Cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 4-6 hours. Serve with croutons and you could even add a dollop of homemade creme fraiche.
Yuuummmyyy! (not a mistake). This is yummy.
Carrot/Ginger Soup With Chile Butter And Cashews
You may not like carrots, but I promise you, you will LOVE this soup. The chile butter and toasted cashews raise this to another level.
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 1/2 lbs. peeled carrots, cut in 1/4 inch rounds
- 1 cup chopped white onion
- 1 medium new potato, peeled and chopped
- 2 1/2 tbsp. minced peeled ginger
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 6-8 tbsp. toasted cashews
Melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots, onion, potato and ginger . Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Saute until slightly softened (do not brown) but stir often for about 10 minutes.
Add the broth and bring up to the boil. Simmer now for 20 minutes and then cool slightly.
Puree in small batches until completely smooth. To make sure, press through a sieve. Return to the soup pot, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.
Ladle soup into bowls. Top with a dollop of chile butter and sprinkle with the cashews.
Chile Butter
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
2 tbsp. finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
Mix together in a small bowl. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.
Toast the cashews in the oven for a few minutes. Chop coarsely.
Now, I ask you…..isn’t this a great way to eat carrots?
Yummy.
Don’s Fresh Tomato Soup With Creme Fraiche
Everyone who knows us, knows my husband could make an icicle taste good. This is one of the many soups he makes, and I might say, is really, really good.
The only thing to add is my grilled cheese sandwich…..just sayin’.
In a large pot add:
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 carrots, medium chop
- 2 celery stalks, peeled and chopped fine
- 1 tsp. onion powder (not salt)
- 12 large Roma tomatoes, skinned and chopped
- 1 box (900 ml) chicken broth
- 1 can (398 ml) tomato sauce
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. thyme
- 1 tsp. baking soda*
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- 1 tsp. basil
- 1 tbsp. parsley flakes
- 1 tbsp. sugar
Cook on simmer for approximately 45 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
When cool enough to work with, put in a blender in 3 – 4 batches and blend until really smooth.
Serve hot and add a dollop of creme fraiche or 2 tbsp. sour cream on top.
* the baking soda will neutralize the acid effects on the cream.
Note: If it was me making this, I would alter the chicken broth amounts and put in cream…..that’s just me! But then I would take some puff pastry, cut into squares large enough to cover the filled soup bowls, and bake in the oven until the pastry is cooked to a golden colour. We used to do this. It is a real show stopper.
Shrimp and Artichoke Soup
When we were in New Orleans this past week, these two foodies(us) took in a cooking class at the New Orleans School of Cooking. What a delight it was. Sondra, our teacher for the morning, is a real treasure and this was one of her recipes. Not only that, we served it Friday night at a dinner we put on for friends and they LOVED it..
It is fabulous, and you should try it at least once…..once this week, once again next month and on and on…you will really like it.
- 24 oz. quartered artichokes (rinse really well)
- 1 qt. strong chicken stock**
- 1 tbsp. chopped parsley (for garnish)
- 1 tb sp. fresh thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup flour, plus 1 tbsp.
- 1 qt. heavy cream (whipping cream)***
- 1 cup chopped green onions
- 1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
Combine the artichokes, chicken stock, 1/2 the green onions, pinch of salt, Joe’s Stuff seasoning and thyme. Bring this to a boil and reduce heat and simmer for 12 minutes.
Combine butter and flour for a light roux and add to the simmering pot. (see note below). Stir in the heavy cream and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add shrimp and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve with some of the remaining green onions and the parsley.
**The quart of strong chicken stock can be substituted by the liquid from the artichokes.
***No apologies here. Milk or half and half will not work here.
Note: When making the roux, Sondra says “turn off the tv, unplug the phone and with a flat bottom wooden ‘spatula’, continue to stir the roux until it becomes a light colour. Do not stop stirring”.
It makes 6 to 8 servings. Serve with a nicely chilled Viognier from Quinta Ferreira Wineries and Voila! you did it again. Thanks to Sondra.
Red Pear Bisque With Celery
For the next while, I will be posting, hopefully, some new ideas for your traditional Christmas celebration. It is nice to stick to the ‘same old-same old’ dishes of our past, but sometimes it is nice to upgrade to add a new one. There is nothing wrong with deleting one as well. In our house, for sure, it would be Brussel Sprouts. You?
- 5 tbsp. butter
- 5 cups thinly sliced, but peeled, celery including leaves. Finely chop some of the leaves for garnish and set aside.
- 3 – 3 1/2 cups red skinned (Red Bartlett or Red Williams) pears, unpeeled and sliced thin. Save a few slices and chop fine for garnish. Sprinkle with lime juice to avoid browning.
- 1 cup chopped leeks, dark green tops only
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
- 1 1/2 tbsp. flour
- 3 cups chicken broth
- whipping cream, optional (really worthwhile)
Melt butter in a large pot on medium heat, Add the celery, pears, leek tops, bay leaves and thyme. Cover and cook for about 7-8 minutes, until the celery softens. Be sure to stir occasionally so as not to burn anything.
Add the broth and reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes. Check to see that the celery is cooked.
Remove the bay leaves, and puree in a blender or use the hand held emulsifier until smooth. Return to the pot, season to taste, and if you wish to make it a nice thicker bisque, add enough whipping cream to make it wonderful.
Serve in your prettiest bowls, putting a sprinkling of the finely chopped leavesand pear on top.
Stand back and wait for the applause to cease. Enjoy! Absolutely wonderful.
Silky Butternut Squash Bisque
This is truly a super winner! You may think you don’t like squash, BUT give this a try and I promise you, you will make it often.
- 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cubed (1″ – 1 1/2″)
- 2 stalks celery, peeled and chopped
- 1 clove garlic, smashed
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 50 g butter
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 litres vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp. flour
- 250 mls whipping cream
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a large baking sheet, place cubed squash in one layer and bake for 45 min. Let cool, remove from pan and deglaze.
Heat a large pot over medium heat, then add 2 tbsp. vegetable stock. Now add the celery, onions, garlic, carrots and stir, cooking until soft.
Add the flour and continue stirring and cook a further 2 minutes. Add the stock , cream, squash and deglazed juice. Bring to a boil then turn down the temperature and simmer for about 50-60 minutes.
With a hand held emulsifier, (I call it a motorboat blender) blend until very, very smooth and strain*, making sure to press it all through. If there is any pulp, simply discard. Garnish with Creme Fraiche (recipe below).
* If you use your blender, you may have to strain this bisque, otherwise, it is not necessary. It is sooooooo smooth.
Creme Fraiche
- 3 parts whipping cream
- 1 part buttermilk
Stir together until well combined. Put in a glass jar or container, cover with saran wrap and poke a few holes in the saran. Sit it on the counter for 2 nights then refrigerate for up to 1 week. (If this is summertime, only sit it out for 1 night).
This is truly sumptuous and oh, with the left over buttermilk, maybe your perfect husband will make pancakes the next day. Yup! mine did. Gotta love that man!
The Heartiest French Onion Soup
Company is scheduled to come in a few days, and you think you want to serve French Onion Soup ……this is with a difference! Here we go.
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions, peeled and sliced thin in half moon shape (5 cups)
- 1 tsp. brown sugar
- 3 2/3 cups beef broth with 2 tbsp. brandy
- 1/2 cup Chardonnay white wine
- 1 tb sp. Dijon mustard
- 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Baguette
- 1 tbsp. room temperature butter
- 2 cups Asiago cheese (grated)
Heat the butter and oil in a large and wide saucepan. Add the onion half moons and sprinkle on the sugar. Cook, uncovered, for about 15 minutes. Be sure to stir this often so it won’t burn. Reduce the heat if it starts to caramelize too quickly.
Add the broth (mixed with the Brandy), mustard and seasonings. Scrape up any and all brown bits off the bottom of the pan. (If using “carton” broth, add 1/2 cup water). Bring this to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer now over a medium heat for about 30-35 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and thyme and discard.
Cut the baguette in 1/2 inch thick pieces. Butter both sides and on a parchment lined cooking sheet, toast both sides until lightly golden.
In oven safe bowls, pour in the soup, add two toasts per bowl, sprinkle heavily with the cheese. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and broil until the cheese is bubbly (about 4-5 minutes).
Serve immediately ….be sure you have a glass of chilled white wine on hand.
**Note: If want it even heartier than this….simply change out the Brandy for fresh mushrooms, chopped fine.
Fall Corn Soup
Before the last of the corn is gone, get some more and make this soup. You will be sorry if you miss out.
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, veins stripped and sliced thinly
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 4 ears of fresh corn, kernels cut from the cob (reserve the cobs)
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup whipping cream
- pinch of salt and pepper
- freshly popped and seasoned popcorn, for garnish
In a pot, melt the butter and add the onion, celery and garlic. Season lightly with the salt and pepper and cook until the onions are translucent (about 5-6 minutes). Add the stock, kernels, corncobs and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and add the milk, simmer for 15 minutes and add the cream. Stir to mix and remove from the heat.
Cool slightly, and remove and discard the cobs. Puree the soup in small batches until silky smooth. With a fine strainer, strain the soup into a large bowl, pressing hard to extract all the liquid possible.
Season with the following:
Popcorn Garnish
- Pinch of sweet smoky paprika
- pinch of cayenne powder
- pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 lb. crab leg meat (no shell)
Toss the hot popcorn with the spices. Pour the soup into bowls, garnish with the poporn and add some crab leg meat on top.
Serve with Road 13 Chardonnay. Perfect match.
Fall Colours In Trout Soup
We just bought some beautiful looking trout and this recipe came to mind.
- 1/2 baguette
- 2 tbsp. good olive oil
- 1/3 cup Romano cheese, grated
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- pinch of sea alt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 medium onion, cut into a small dice
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 cups vegetable stock
- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in a medium dice
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 8 oz. fresh trout, skinned and boned
- 1 tbsp. mixed fresh herbs, chopped fine
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Tear the baguette into bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, combine the first amount of olive oil, romano cheese and cayenne. Add the bread and toss to coat. In a saucepan, toast the bread over medium heat turning often, until a golden brown. Remove from heat and place on a baking sheet in a single layer to cool.
In a straight sided pan, cook the onion in the second portion of olive oil until golden or about 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute more. Add the vegetble stock, potatoes and carrots. Simmer over medium-low heat until the potatoes are cooked through but still holding shape (about 12 minutes).
Add the trout to the pan and cook for 5 minutes until the fish is opaque and will flake easily. Stir in the olives and herbs, breaking the fish into bite size pieces as you do so.
Serve immediately with the croutons and cheese.
This only needs that ‘missing’ glass of chilled white wine like a Mistura Branca from Quinto Ferreira Wineries. Yummmmmm…..
Onion Soup With Mussels (Moules) And Beer
While on vacation with Don’s daughter, Carole in Antwerp, Don had a feast of Moules et Frites and thought I should share a recipe similar to what he had. His mouth still waters at the thought of it.
- 5 tbsp. butter
- 3 onions, sliced thinly
- pinch of salt
- 3 cups vegetable stock
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 cup good strong beer
- 2 lbs. mussels, cleaned and rinsed
- 1/2 baguette, sliced
- 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup asiago cheese, grated
In a large frypan, melt the 4 tbsp. butter and cook the onions down for about 20 minutes, stirring often until softened and beginning to brown. (wipe the tears if you have to). Season with salt, reduce temperature to low and continue cooking a further 10 minutes again, stirring often. Deglaze with the vegetable stock and set aside.
While the onions are cooking, heat the remaining butter in a large pot on high heat. Saute the garlic for 30 seconds and add the beer and cook for 1 minute. Add the mussels, cover and cook for 4 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally until the mussels have opened. Discard any that are broken or have not opened. Set aside 12 mussels in their shell and when the rest are cool enough to handle, remove them from their shells, reserving them separately.
Add the onions and stock to the cooking liquid, bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes.
Preheat the broiler. Place the bread slices on a parchment lined baking sheet, cover with the mozzarella cheese and broil for 1 minute until melted and browning.
Reheat the shelled mussels in the soup. Ladle the soup into 4 bowls, place 3 mussels in the shell in each bowl, and top with a mound of the grated Parmesan cheese and set a slice of the cheese toast on the side of the bowl.
If you like mussels, you are going to LOVE this soup.
Chestnut Soup
Another way to use these nuts and I’ll bet you have never tried them.
- 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup EACH of finely chopped celery, carrots and onion.
- 2 flat leaf parsley sprigs
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 jar peeled, cooked whole chestnuts, crumbled (approx. 15 ounces)
- 1/4-1/3 cup Madeira
- 1/4-1/3 whipping cream
- cheesecloth and some string
Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat and stir in the carrots, celery and onion and….this is different….cover the vegetables with parchment paper that has been buttered on the side touching the food, cover with a lid and sweat for about 15-16 minutes. The veggies, not you!
Wrap the parsley, cloves and bay leaf in the cheesecloth square and tie off with some string.
Discard the parchment paper, add the broth and the cheesecloth bundle and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered for about 20 minutes. Add the chestnuts, Madeira and simmer, covered for about 3 minutes.
While hot (and be careful here) pour in a blender in small batches and puree until smooth. Strain into a clean pot, add the cream, pinch of salt and pepper and reheat. Do not boil now or it will separate. Stir occasionally to mix well and serve.
This makes an elegant first course for you and your guests.