Minestrone Soup

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients:
1 T Olive oil
1 T Butter
1 Leek, sliced
8 Q Chicken stock
1/2 C Chickpeas, cooked
2 Potatoes, diced
1 Clove of garlic, minced
1 C Broccoli, cut up
2 Carrots, sliced
1 Stalk of celery, sliced
1/2 C Snap peas, strings removed
1/2 C Asparagus, in 1/2 pieces
1/2 Onion, diced
1/2 t Fresh thyme
1 t Dried oregano
1/2 C Chard, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 C Pasta

Directions:
1.  In a soup pot, saute leek in oil and butter until soft.
2.  Add stock, chickpeas and garlic.  Turn down heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
3.  Add potatoes and simmer for an additional 15 minutes.
4.  Add broccoli, carrots, celery, peas, asparagus, onion, thyme, oregano and chard.   Simmer 5 more minutes.
5.  Add pasta for and additional 7 minutes.

Serves 8-10

Green Garlic Soup

Green Garlic Soup

Ingredients:
2 T Olive oil
1 T Butter
1 Leek, sliced thinly
6 Young green garlic heads with leaves, sliced with leaves set aside
2 t Fresh thyme
8 C Garlic chicken stock
2 C Peas
1/4 C Cream
Salt to taste

Directions:
1.  Heat up the chicken stock and add the leaves from the garlic.  Simmer for 20 minutes.
2.  In soup pot, add olive oil, butter, leeks, garlic heads and thyme.   Saute for about 10 minutes.
3.  Add peas and stock.   Simmer for an additional 15 minutes. 
4.  Puree soup and run though a fine sieve.  
5.  Put back on the stove to heat through and add cream.  Salt to taste. 

Cream of Chicken Soup

Cream of Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

4 Q Chicken Stock

3 C Cooked chicken

1 Leek, sliced

2 Cloves

5 Stalks of celery, finely chopped

4 Carrots, peeled and finely chopped

3 T Butter

2 C Heavy Cream

Salt to taste

Directions:

1.  Saute leeks, carrots and celery in butter until soft.  Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.

2.  Add cloves and let simmer for about 20 minutes. 

3.  Add cooked chicken and turn off heat.  Remove cloves.

4.  Puree in a food processor and return to pot.   Add cream.  Salt to taste.

Serves 10-12



Orzo Mushroom Soup

Hello everyone!  Sorry I have been gone for a few weeks but our wedding is getting close and I have been running around.  I do think it is fair to say that I will post soups on Sundays when I can for the next couple of months.  Today's soup is a light mushroom soup.  Enjoy!   

Ingredients:
8 C Vegetable stock
1 Bay leaf
1 Clove of garlic, minced
5 Scallions, sliced
12 oz Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 C Orzo pasta
2/3 C White wine
1 T Fresh parsley. chopped
Salt to taste

Directions:
1.   Add bay leaf  and garlic to stock and bring to a boil.
2.  Add scallions and mushrooms for about 5 minutes.
3.  Add orzo pasta, cover and let simmer for 7-8 minutes; until pasta is cooked.
4.  Add white wine and parsley and serve.  Salt to taste.

Serves 6-8

Mushroom and Almond Soup

Mushroom and Almond Soup

Ingredients:
2 T Dry mushrooms
2 T Butter
1 T Olive Oil
1 Onion, roughly chopped
3 Cloves of garlic
1 T Dry thyme
1 Pound of mushrooms, roughly chopped
6 C Vegetable Stock
1 C Milk
1/2 C Roasted Almonds, chopped
Salt to taste

Directions:
1.  Soak dry mushrooms for 20 minutes.   Pour soaking liquid in stock and chop the dry mushrooms.
2.  Heat olive oil and butter.  Add onions and garlic.  Saute for 5 minutes. 
3.  Add mushrooms and thyme.  Continue to saute for 3-4 more minutes.
4.  Add chopped dry mushrooms and stock.  Bring to a boil.  Turn down and simmer for 3 minutes.
5.  Turn off and add almonds and milk. 
6.  Puree.  Salt to taste.  Sprinkle with additional almonds. 

Serves 6-8

Black Eye Peas with Tomato Broth

Black Eye Peas with Tomato Broth

Ingredients:
1 C Black eyed peas
2 T Olive oil
2 Onions, chopped
5 Cloves of garlic, minced
1 Hot chili or 2 medium chili's, chopped
1 t Ground cumin
1 t Ground turmeric
14 Oz Can of diced tomatoes
3 C Chicken broth
1/4 C Fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice of one lemon
Pita bread to serve

Directions:
1.  Put beans in a pan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil for 5 minutes.  Turn heat off, cover and set aside for 2 hours.
2.  Drain beans and refill with cold water.  Simmer for 45 minutes.  Drain and set aside.
3.  Heat oil in pan.  Add onions, chili's and garlic.  Saute for 5 minutes.
4.  Stir in cumin, turmeric, tomatoes, stock, half of the cilantro and beans.   Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
5.  Stir in remaining cilantro and lemon juice.  Serve with pita bread.

Makes 4-6

Cream of Artichoke Soup

Cream of Artichoke Soup

Ingredients:
8 Artichokes
2 T Butter
1/2  Onion, diced
2 Cloves of garlic, minced
5 C Chicken stock
1/4 C Heavy cream
Truffle salt or truffle
Directions:
1.  Place artichokes in large pot of salted water.  Bring  them to a boil and simmer until tender, about 12 minutes.
2.  Once cooked, remove all leaves and fibrous cap over heart.
3. In soup pot, saute onions and garlic in butter for 3- 5 minutes.  Add artichoke hearts and stems and cook for 5 more minutes.
4.  Add stock.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 more minutes. 
5.  Puree with an immersion blender or in a food processor.  Run though a fine sieve.  Add a sprinkle of truffle salt or some shaved truffle.

Serves 4-6

Butternut Squash-Apple Soup

Butternut Squash-Apple Soup

Ingredients:
2 T Olive oil
1 Onion, diced
1 Medium butternut squash, peeled and cut in chunks
2 Apples. peeled and cut in chunks
2 Q Chicken Stock
1 t Ginger, grated
1 t Nutmeg
Salt to taste

Directions:
1.  In a soup pot, add olive oil and onion.   Saute until translucent. 
2.  Add butternut squash and apples.  Saute for 5 more minutes.
3.  Add stock and ginger.  Bring to a boil and turn down heat.  Simmer for 45 minutes. 
4.  Puree soup and place back in pot over low heat.
4.  Add nutmeg.  Salt to taste.

Serves 8-10