Category: Soups

Tomato Soup

No fresh tomatoes?  Canned work too.  You can make the base (no cream) and freeze it when you have the bounty of summer tomatoes.

Ingredients:

  • 4 c tomatoes cut in pieces (2 #1 cans)
  • 2 scallions, finely cut – stems and bulb
  • 1 onion – small, finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme (1/2 tsp fresh)
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil (1 tsp fresh)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp parsley, chopped
  • 1/8 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 pt cream

Directions:

  1. Simmer tomatoes, scallion, onion, thyme, basil, parsley, salt and pepper for 1/2 hour.
  2. Add 1/2 c water or tomato juice.
  3. Heat, but do not boil the cream.
  4. Strain tomato mixture into cream. (or just put the pulp in unstrained for a chunky soup)
  5. Can be served with a dollop of sour cream or croutons on top.  For fun, try popcorn!

Serves: 4

Source:  Some magazine long ago.

 

Freezer Tomato Soup

So, it is the middle of summer and you have run out of friends to give your beautiful tomatoes.  Be selfish! Keep them and make this soup – so good in the middle of winter when fresh tomatoes taste like cardboard.

Ingredients:

  • 7 – 8 lbs tomatoes, ripe (16 – 18 large)
  • 3 onions, large, chopped (2 lbs)
  • 1/4 c sugar
  • 1/4 c parsley, chopped
  • 6 Tab cornstarch
  • 6 Tab water
  • dash of ground cloves (optional)
  • butter or sour cream

Directions:

  1. Core then chop 3 quarts of tomatoes.  Don’t bother to peel.
  2. In an 8 qt pan combine tomatoes, onions , sugar and parsley.
  3. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the tomatoes make juice and come to a boil.
  4. Reduce to medium low.
  5.  Cover and cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Blend cornstarch with water, stir into the tomato mixture.
  7. Cook, stirring until boiling and thickened.
  8. Remove and press through a food mill or fine strainer.
  9. Discard seeds and pulp.
  10. Cool and pack in pint containers.
  11. Freeze.
  12. To serve, thaw and heat.  Add salt, pepper, cloves.
  13. Top each serving with butter or sour cream (or popcorn).

Serves:  12 (makes 6 quarts)

Source:  Sunset

Notes: For cream of tomato soup add 1 c milk or half and half and 1/2 tsp basil.

Egg Flower Soup

For meat lovers, you can add a ½ cup of diced leftover barbecued pork, cooked shrimp, or ham lunch meat.

Ingredients:

  • 6 c Swanson’s low fat chicken broth
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 1 c snow peas
  • ½ c frozen chopped spinach
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 nori 8-x-7-inch sheet
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp white pepper

Directions:

  1. In a medium soup pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil.
  2. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
  3. Julienne the carrots into match stick size pieces ½ in long.
  4. Snap off the snow pea stem ends and remove fibrous strings. Slice to 1/2”pieces.
  5. Add carrots and cook for 2 minutes.
  6. Add snow peas and spinach.
  7. Dissolve the cornstarch in 2 teaspoons of cold water.
  8. Add cornstarch solution to broth and cook, stirring, until the soup comes to a boil.
  9. Cut the nori into 1/8-inch strips.
  10. Stir in the nori. Turn off the heat.
  11. Crack the egg into a bowl and lightly beat it with a fork or whisk.
  12. Slowly pour the egg into the pot, stirring with a chopstick in a circular motion until long threads form.
  13. Stir in the sesame oil, salt, and white pepper.

Serves: 4-6

Source: Chinese Cooking for Dummies by Martin Yan

White Gazpacho

This can be served in pretty mugs for something different with  margaritas or sangria.   As an main dish you can add bacon or shrimp, or avocado, or grated cheese, or croutons, or diced green pepper, or, or, or (use your imagination!).

Ingredients:

  • 3 c peeled chopped (seeded if necessary) cucumbers
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube dissolved in 1/2 c water
  • 1 or 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2 c sour cream
  • 2 c plain yogurt
  • 2 Tab white vinegar
  • 1 – 2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp white pepper
  • chives, sunflower seeds and diced tomato for garnish

Directions:

  1. Process cucumbers, garlic.
  2. Add chicken  broth in food processor until pureed.
  3. Add sour cream, yogurt, white vinegar, salt and white pepper.
  4. Process until pureed.
  5. Pour into bowl.
  6. Refrigerate, covered, until well chilled.
  7. Ladle into each soup plate or cup and garnish with chives, sunflower seeds and diced tomato.

Serves: 16 1/2 cup servings – about 2 quarts

Source: Sherman Gardens, Corona del Mar, CA

Minnesota Wild Rice Soup

Even if you are not a fan of wild rice, you will like this creamy soup.

Ingredients:

  • 3 qts chicken stock
  • 1 1/3 c wild rice
  • 2 c finely chopped shallots
  • 1 qt half and half
  • 1/2 c flour
  • 1 Tab fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 c thinly sliced small button mushrooms
  • ¼ c maple syrup
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • finely cut chives for serving

Directions:

  1. In a 8 quart saucepan, bring the stock and rice to a boil over medium high heat.
  2. Cover and cook, stirring , for 40 minutes.
  3. Add shallots and continue to cook until rice is tender, 5 – 10 minutes.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk half and half, flour, thyme and pepper.
  5. Whisk into soup.
  6. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until soup thickens, about 15 minutes.
  7. Stir in the maple syrup, salt and pepper.
  8. Divide soup between soup plates.
  9. Garnish with chives.

Serves: 10-12

Source: Saveur.com

Sweet Potato Soup with Rum Cream

Worth the effort! (Even if you hate sweet potatoes!)

Soup Ingredients:

  • 5 Tab butter
  • 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
  • 9 c chicken stock
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 5-6 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • ¼ c maple syrup
  • 2-5 small sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 c cream
  • 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • salt and white pepper to taste

Soup Directions:

  1. In a 6 quart heavy bottomed saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
  2. Add the onion and curry powder.
  3. Cook for about 6 minutes stirring occasionally.
  4. Meanwhile, in a separate sauce pan, heat the stock to a simmer.
  5. Add the sweet potato to the onion mixture.
  6. Then add the heated stock, maple syrup , thyme, and cayenne.
  7. Cook until the sweet potatoes are soft, about 25 minutes.
  8. Remove the thyme sprigs.
  9. Puree the soup in small batches and strain.
  10. Return the soup to heat and add the cream, nutmeg, salt & white pepper.
  11. Transfer to individual bowls and serve with a dollop of Rum Cream.

Rum Cream Ingredients:

  • 1 c heavy cream
  • ½ tsp fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ tsp grated lemon zest
  • 5 Tab good quality dark rum
  • pinch of sugar

Rum Cream Directions:

  1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks form.
  2. Add the lemon juice and zest, rum and sugar.
  3. Continue whipping until the cream is almost stiff.
  4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves: 10

Source: The Inn at Little Washington Cookbook: A Consuming Passion, By Patrick O’Connell, Washington, Virgina

Colorado Cache Tomato Bisque

If you have not tasted tomato soup with popcorn, you are in for a treat!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans crushed tomatoes (15 oz each) with juice
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 Tab butter
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 Tab brown sugar
  • 2 tsp basil, finely chopped or 1 tsp dried basil
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 1 pt light cream
  • 1 c sour cream
  • 1 pkg microwave popcorn (3 oz) – popped, buttered and salted

Directions:

  1. In a large pot sauté onion in butter until soft.
  2. Add to crushed tomatoes in a large pot.
  3. Place bay leaf and cloves in a tea ball and add to tomatoes.
  4. Add sugar, salt, pepper, basil.
  5. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are thoroughly cooked, about 25 minutes.
  6. Remove tea ball with bay leaf and cloves.
  7. Transfer mixture to blender or food processor to purèe.
  8. Return to pan.
  9. Add cream and sour cream and heat thoroughly.
  10. Serve in soup terrine or crock pot.
  11. Serve with small punch cups and bowl of popcorn for topping.

Serves: 6 (small punch cups – 12)

Comment:  May be made the day before (except for cream) and refrigerated.

Source: Colorado Cache Cookbook, Junior League of Denver

New England Clam Chowder

A real purist would not add flour, which would make a thinner soup. Reheats well, but does not freeze.  Very filling!

Ingredients:

  • 3 oz bacon, diced fine
  • 2 ¼ c onions, finely chopped (about 3 medium =1 ½ lbs)
  • 4 potatoes peeled and diced (about 2 lbs)
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • 3 c clam juice (Crown Prince – 1 bottle = 1 cup)
  • 3 cans clams with liquid (Crown Prince 10 oz each)
  • 3 c half and half
  • ½ c flour
  • ½ c cold water
  • salt and pepper
  • 3 Tab parsley, chopped for garnish
  • oyster crackers

Directions:

  1. Saute bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until it has rendered all its fat and is lightly browned.
  2. Add onions and saute until onions are soft and transparent, but not brown.
  3. Add potatoes, thyme and clam juice and simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are cooked but not falling apart – about 10 minutes.
  4. Mince clams.
  5. Add clams, their juice, and the half and half.
  6. Simmer about 10 minutes.
  7. Mix the flour with water.
  8. Pour into the boiling soup slowly, stirring all the time with a wire whisk.
  9. Simmer, stirring all the time for 3 minutes.
  10. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
  11. Serve in small soup bowls and sprinkle with parsley.
  12. Traditionally served with oyster crackers on the side.

Serves: 10

Source: Soup, Salad and Pasta by Ursel Norman

 

 

Cream of Corn Soup

Sooo good when it is cold and wintery out.

Ingredients:

  • 4 slices bacon, finely diced
  • ¼ c onion, chopped fine
  • 4 c corn, frozen or fresh
  • ¼ c butter
  • ¼ c flour
  • 4 c milk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 4 c light cream (half and half)

 

Directions:

  1. Fry bacon until crisp.
  2. Add onion and saute until soft.
  3. Add corn to bacon and onion.
  4. Cook until the corn begins to brown.
  5. Add butter, stir till melted and add flour.
  6. Cook for 3 minutes.
  7. Add milk, salt and pepper and cook until thickened.
  8. Add light cream and heat thoroughly.

Serves: 8-12

Source: Recipes from Iowa With Love, Peg Hein and Kathryn Cramer

Cream of Vermont Cheddar Soup

I like soups but do not make them often.  This is one I would definitely make.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 lb bacon, raw, slice 1/3 inch thick and cut into 1/3 inch dice
  • 1/2 c celery, finely chopped
  • 1/2 c onion, finely chopped
  • 1 Tab jalapeño, seeded, finely minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 Tab thyme finely minced
  • 12 oz beer
  • 2 c chicken stock
  • 4 Tab butter, unsalted
  • 1/4 c flour
  • 2 c heavy cream
  • 1 lb Cabot cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded
  • 1 tea Kosher salt
  • 12 tsp black pepper
  • 4 Tab parsley, freshly minced

Instructions:

  1. In a large saucepan, cook the bacon over moderate heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, 7 minutes.
  2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a bowl.
  3. Add the celery, onion, jalapeño, garlic, butter and thyme to saucepan and cook over moderate  heat, stirring, until                    softened, 8 minutes.
  4. Add the flour to create a “blond” roux.  Cook for 5-8 minutes.
  5. Add the beer and cook until reduced by half, 5 minutes.
  6. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
  7. Cook until thickened, about 8 minutes.
  8. Add the heavy cream, cheddar cheese and simmer, stirring occasionally ubtil thick and creamy, about 5 minutes.
  9. Stir in bacon and season with salt and pepper.
  10. Add a few additional tablespoons of broth if the soup is too thick.
  11. Garnish with parsley.

Serves:  12 6 oz portions

Source: Executive Chef, The Independence, American Cruise Lines