Deb's Spring Garlic Soup

Sunday Soups grew our own green garlic this year.  We started it in the Fall so the green garlic would be ready in the Spring.  It was wonderful smelling and we used the garlic greens throughout the growth.  They are very strong and can be used the same as garlic cloves would be.
Deb's Spring Garlic Soup:

3 T Butter
2 T Olive oil
10 Heads of Green Garlic with greens attached
2 Leeks, thinly sliced
1 Onion, chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
12 C Chicken Stock
2 C Peas
4 Potatoes, preferably russet, peeled and roughly chopped
2 T Fresh Oregano, minced
1/2 C Romano Cheese, grated

Directions:
1.  Trim garlic greens and cut up with heads.  Place 6 heads of garlic and greens in salt water and bring to a boil, twice, blanching them.
2.  Saute leeks, garlic cloves and onions in butter and olive oil until translucent about 3-5 minutes.
3.  Add potatoes and remaining 4 garlic heads/greens and saute for another 5 minutes. 
4.  Add chicken stock, peas, and oregano.  Bring to a boil and turn down heat.  Simmer for 30 minutes, until potatoes are soft.
5.  Puree soup in a food processor.
6.  Push through a chinois (china cap) to make silky.  Make sure you really push through the chinois to make the soup thicker.  Salt to taste.
7. Sprinkle with cheese before serving.

Serves 8-10

Fun Facts: Garlic is claimed to be a wonder drug with its numerous anticancer compounds.  It also helps strengthen the immune system, to help in warding off colds.  It lowers blood pressure and blood cholesterol.

Yellow Split Pea Soup

This soup is made in my loves country, Cyprus.  The split peas make it a rich, thick hearty soup and the rice/potatoes thicken it.  It became one of my favorites immediately when I had it.  I really enjoy the lemon in it and usually add extra.

Yellow Split Pea Soup:

2 C Dried Yellow Split Peas, washed
1/2 C Rice
1 Potato, peeled and chopped
1 Onion, chopped
2 T Olive Oil
Juice of 3 Lemons
8 C Water
4 C Vegetable Stock
Salt/Pepper to taste

Directions:
1.  In a soup pot, boil the yellow split peas in the water.  Skim off any foam from the surface.
2.  Once boiling, add the vegetable stock, potatoes and rice.  Stir to prevent sticking.  Turn down heat, cover and simmer for about an hour, until rice and potatoes are cooked.
3.  Fry the onion in olive oil and a pinch of salt/pepper until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
4.  Add the onions and lemon juice towards the end of cooking.  Salt/pepper to taste. 

Serves 6-8

Fact:  Yellow split peas are a great source of protein; are lean and healthy.   Feel free to use green split peas if you can not find the yellow ones.  They are similar in taste.

French Onion Soup

I have wanted to make this one for a while now.  It is such a rich and delicious soup that you can only eat this one as a side to a meal.  We make this one with chicken stock but it is traditionally made with beef stock.

French Onion Soup:

4 Onions, Red or Yellow, thinly sliced
1/3 C Olive Oil
1 t Sugar
3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
6 C Chicken Stock
1/2 C Dry White Wine
1 Bay Leaf
1 t Fresh Thyme
Salt to taste

Garnish:
French Baguette, cut in rounds
Gruyere Cheese, grated

Directions:
1.  In a soup pot, saute onions in olive oil and a pinch of salt on medium heat until browned, about 30-45 minutes.
2.  Add sugar about 10 minutes in.  This will help the carmelization.
3.  Add garlic and continue to cook for 1 additional minute.
4.  Add stock, wine, bay leaf and thyme.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.
5.  Discard bay leaf and salt to taste.
6.  To serve, toast the French baguette rounds.  Ladle the soup into a ovenproof bowls, float French bread on top and sprinkle with Gruyere. Place under broiler for about 2 minutes, until cheese melts.

Serves 4-6

Tip:  We used a mandolin to slice the onions.  It made it fast and was easier on the eyes.

Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

Since mushroom season is coming to an end, Sunday Soups thought that we would make one more mushroom soup.  This one is all vegetarian.

Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup:

2 T Dried Mushrooms, soaking in 1/4 C of hot water
3 T Butter
1 Onion, chopped
2 Cloves of Garlic, chopped
2 Lbs Wild Mushrooms, chopped
2 t Fresh Thyme
2 T Flour
1/3 C Dry Sherry
8 C Vegetable Stock
1 C Heavy Cream
Salt to taste

Directions:
1.  Soak dried mushrooms in hot water for at least 30 minutes.
2.  In a soup pot, saute onions and garlic in butter for 5 minutes, until translucent.
3.  Stir in mushrooms and thyme.  Continue to saute for 10 more minutes.
4.  Add flour and cook for 1 additional minute.
5.  Remove dried mushrooms and cut up finely.  Reserve soaking liquid.
6.  Add the dried mushrooms, soaking liquid, vegetable stock and sherry to the soup.   Bring to a boil and turn down heat.  Simmer for 30 minutes. 
7.  Puree the soup in a food processor or with an immersion blender. 
8.  Reheat the soup and add the cream.  Continue to heat through.  Salt to taste.

Serves 8-10

Useful Fact:  Mushrooms are low in calories, have no cholesterol and are virtually free of fat and sodium.