Category Archives: Soup

by

Bisque of Clam and Chicken (Alice Wesner)

This recipe was revised from one within the Williamsburg cookbook by Alice Wesner.  As far as altering the recipe goes, she says that either shrimp or crab can be used to replace the chicken, if needed, and it is still tasty, although not as good as the original.
This recipe accidentally became a family tradition – she’d made it one year at Thanksgiving, and it received rave reviews.  The next year, there were no specific requests, and there was sadness at the absence of the Bisque.  Since then it has become a traditional starter for holiday meals, and now that I’ve tasted it, I can understand why.

1 1/2 c clam juice (from the can, top off with water)
2 T onion
1/4 c celery, diced
1 small bay leaf
2 c chicken broth
2 T butter
3 T flour
1 can boned chicken (8 oz)
1 can minced clams (8 oz)
1 c light cream
(salt and pepper to taste)
1/4 c whipping cream for the garnish

Simmer clam juice, onion, celery, and bay leaf for 30 minutes.  Add chicken broth and bring to a boil (you can strain it for a smoother texture here, but it tastes quite good without doing so).  While waiting, melt butter in a medium sauce pan and add flour.  Add hot stock, stir until blended.  Add chicken, clams, and light cream.  Season.  Simmer 20 minutes, stirring as needed.  Whip cream and garnish soup.  (Can skip the garnish if you want, still a lovely soup without it.)

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
by

Dal Soup (Madhur Jaffrey)

1 1/2 c green or yellow split peas, washed
6 c chicken broth
24 black peppercorns and 10-15 whole cloves (in cheesecloth or teaball)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 – 3/4 tsp salt (only if broth is unsalted)

Garnish:  8 lemon wedges, 6 slices worth of croutons

Combine split peas and chicken broth in a pot and bring a boil.  Remove scum.  Add cheeseclothed spices, turmeric, and salt.  Cover, lower heat, and simmer gently for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until peas are tender.  Remove cheesecloth, squeeze into soup, and discard.
Garnish with lemon wedges, with the croutons on the side.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
by

Sunday Supper Soup (McCall’s)

As per usual, changed this one up a bit to give it more flavour.  Also, the original recipe called for onion soup mix – having issues with this, I used onions and garlic instead.

Meatballs:
1 1/2 lb ground beef chuck
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 c soft bread crumbs
1/4 tsp salt
1 T chopped parsley

2 T butter
10 oz or so beef broth
18 oz tomatoes, undrained
2 c sliced pared carrots
1/4 c chopped celery or celery tops
1/4 c chopped parsley
1 chopped onion
3 – 5 (or to taste) cloves diced garlic
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil
1 bay leaf

Make meatballs:  combine beef, egg, 3 T water or milk, bread crumbs, salt, parsley.  Mix lightly.  Form into balls.
Heat 2 T butter in 5 qt pot.  Saute meatballs, until browned on all sides.  Set meatballs aside.
Saute the onions and garlic in the drippings from the meatballs, adding more butter if necessary.  Add 2 c water, beef broth, tomatoes, carrots, celery, parsley, pepper, oregano, basil, and bay leaf.  Bring to boiling, then reduce heat, and simmer, covered, about 30 minutes.  Add meatballs and simmer another 20 or until meatballs are cooked through.
We served this over pasta and with grated parmesan, general theory seems to be it is tastier as a straight soup, just serve with bread on the side.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
by

Potato Soup (Madhur Jaffrey)

1 T veget oil
1/8 in pebble asafetida or 1 pinch
1/4 tsp whole cumin
2 medium potatos, peeled and quartered
2 T tomato paste
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1 1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Heat oil in 3 qt pot over medium flame, and put in asafetida and cumin, and stir once.  When seeds begin to sizzle, add potatos, tomato paste, turmeric, salt, and cayenne.  Stir and fry about 2 minutes.  Add 4 c water and bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes.  Turn off heat, mash potatoes.  Serve.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
by

Split Pea Soup (Betsy Codier)

2 lb split peas
3-4 qt water
1 ham bone or smoked ham hock
1-2 c chopped celery
1 c chopped onion
3 large diced carrots
1-2 bay leaves
1/4 – 1/2 tsp thyme
salt and pepper (and turmeric) to taste

Wash and sort peas, add enough water to cover them + s inches.  Boil for 2 minutes, cover and let stand for one hour.  Add everything else, heat to boiling, and simmer for three hours.  Remove bone, add diced ham if desired.  Fix seasoning.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
by

Random Stew (Betsy Codier)

1 1/2 lb (ish) of stew meat

2 c bouillon

1/2 c red wine

Vegets of preference (carrots, potatoes, onions, etc…)

bay, salt, pepper, worcestershire sauce, etc…  to taste

Bring to a simmer, and allow to simmer until meat and vegets are done enough to eat.  Thicken if neccesary. (Simmering will take at least an hour, depending on size of various bits.)

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
by

Vegetable Cheese Soup (International Cheese Book)

1 c grated Swiss Cheese (for three servings, in my household)
1 small, shredded head of cabbage (I got frustrated with the shredding and just chopped it up.)
1 large potato, sliced (thinner you slice, the faster the initial boiling goes)
1 Qt milk
3 T butter
Pinch salt, pinch pepper (Went a bit heavier on this for my household, though was still cautious)

Cook the cabbage and potato together in lightly salted boiling water until soft.  Drain.  Mash or mix (depending on your texture preference) together, and add butter, milk, salt, and pepper. Cook over a low flame for 10-12 minutes.  (I just waited until it seemed warmed through enough to be ready to eat.)  Remove and dish into bowls.  Spoon in grated Swiss.  Place under a broiler for 2 minutes, or until the cheese has bubbled and starts to brown.

Surprisingly lovely delicate flavour.  My housemates are both meatatarians, and there was not a single word of complaint.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
by

Chicken and Mushroom Soup (Wok Cookbook)

4 oz chicken breast

1 oz dried mushrooms

4 c broth (I used 1/2 chicken, 1/2 mushroom)

(opt:  1/2 oz Szechuan mustard pickles, 1 oz bamboo shoots, 1 oz cooked ham)

Marinade:  1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp white or rice wine, 1 tsp cornstarch (or flour)

Cut chicken and mushrooms into thin slices.  Marinate chicken (at least 15 minutes).  Bring mushrooms to a boil in the broth.  Take broth off heat and add marinated chicken carefully.  (Slipping it in with chopsticks worked well.)  return the broth to a medium heat and heat until chicken is done.

(If you want to use the optional ingredients, put them in with the mushrooms.)

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
by

Italian Vegetable Cheese Soup (Mine)

Saute 1 c or so chopped onion with 3-6 cloves of pressed garlic .
Add 2 c broth, beef or mixed beef and mushroom
Add 1 large can chopped tomatoes
Spice with black pepper, basil, oregano, and parsley to taste.  (Fresh if possible)
Add sliced peppers, green beans, and broccoli to preference.
Cook until vegets are tender.

Ladle into bowls, cover top with a combination grated Romano and Parmesan and broil for a couple minutes.

Dinner last night.  Was lovely.  Started as a recipe I decided I disagreed with near entirely, so I made the concept “my way.”

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
by

Potato and Leek Soup (Lifescript)

1 T oil
1/2 c finely chopped onions
2 c chopped Leeks
1 sprig fresh or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 1/2 qt chicken stock
2 c potatos, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 T fresh chives for garnish

Heat oil.  Add leeks, onions, and thyme.  Season.  cook 15 minutes.  Add stock, bring quickly to a boil.  Lower the temperature, and simmer until leeks are tender.  add potato and simmer until tender.  Puree.  adjust seasoning.  Garnish and serve.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email