. Seriously Soupy: December 2010

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Red Lentil and Kale Soup with a Poached Egg

Red Lentil and Kale Soup with a Poached Egg - Seriously Soupy
I recently tried a version of this soup at The Farm on Adderley, a farm-to-table restaurant in my neighborhood. I love lentil soup and was really excited to try their version that also included braised kale, parmesan cheese and a poached egg. Instead of using regular lentils, I added red lentils along with some onions, garlic, rosemary, pepper, kale and the egg - which made a creamy and rich soup that wasn't quite the same as the Farm's but was still a delicious take on their recipe. Making this soup also allowed me to poach an egg, a basic cooking technique that I never tried before. I followed the step-by-step instructions on Serious Eats and like many of the soup recipes that I have tried on this site, I realized how easy it was. With our without an egg, this soup is an easy variation on the classic soup recipe thanks to the hearty kale and the creamy parmesan.


Red Lentil and Kale Soup with a Poached Egg
Ingredients:
6 cups of water
2 cups of dry red lentils
Bunch of kale, about 3-4 leaves
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese
Bunch of fresh rosemary
5 dried bay leaves
sea salt
black pepper
1 tablespoon of dried thyme
1 egg, poached


Directions:
Add water to a pot and start boiling. Cut up the onions and garlic and add them to the pot, along with the lentils. Add the parmesan, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper and let cook for 20-30 minutes, checking on the soup periodically and adding water (if needed). Add the kale and let cook for another 10 minutes. Taste and turn off the flame. Set aside while the egg is poached. Read this article on how to poach an egg. Top the soup with some parmesan cheese and the egg. Enjoy!

How do you make your lentil soup?

Seriously Soupy Serena

Monday, December 20, 2010

Cream of Corn Soup

Cream of Corn Soup by Deja Vu Cook
Guest Blogger: Kathleen of Deja Vu Cook

Bring a taste of summer to the winter table with this soup celebrating the great flavors of corn and tomato together.  Through the summer this combination is common to all areas of the country, so if you miss the combination I think this will satisfy those taste buds that are craving the magnificent pairing.

Cream of Corn Soup
Ingredients:
2 C. Whole Kernal Corn (canned or frozen)
1 C. Onion (chopped
1 C. Carrot (diced)
1 C. Celery (diced)
1/4 C. Olive Oil
4 C. Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1/2 C. Heavy Cream
Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper
Addl. Whole Kernal Corn (Optional for Garnish)
Roasted Juliette Tomatoes (Optional for Garnish)
    Preparation:
    1. Saute the onion, celery, carrot and corn in the oil until soft; add the stock and bring to a boil
    2. Cook for 15 minutes; them remove from heat and blend with an immersion blender or blender
    3. Strain through a colander (optional) and return to a boil, skim the surface
    4. Add the cream and season to taste
    5. Serve in warmed bowls and garnish with the corn and tomato garnish or pass garnish separately
    Garnish
    Ingredients and Preparation:
    Mix together and warm; serve in a warmed serving bowl

    (Serves 4)
    Recipe adapted from www.finestchef.com


    To read more recipes by Kathleen, be sure to check out her blog, "Deja Vu" Cook.

    Do you have a soup that you would like to contribute to Seriously Soupy? Email me at seriouslysoupy@gmail.com for more details!

    Wednesday, December 15, 2010

    Foodie Link and Seriously Soupy's Souperbowl Winter Soup Contest

    With the temps dropping into the single-digits I have definitely been taking refuge by making soups. FoodieLink, a website that focuses on healthy food, good eating and long-term sustainability and myself have paired up to sponsor a Soupbowl Winter Soup Contest. Contestants - both amateur chefs and professionals - are asked to submit their favorite soup recipe (using at least one locally-sourced ingredient) to compete in a live soup cook off at Jimmy’s No. 43 in January. Members of the FoodieLink community will have a chance to vote for their Top 10 favorite soup recipes. Contestants will then be asked to compete on January 26th in a live-judging/all-you-can-eat soup taste tasting event. The grand prize winner will be featured on FoodieLink along with exciting prizes for the second and third place soup recipes.

    A quarter of the proceeds will go to the Bowery Mission, a non-profit soup kitchen in NYC.
    TICKETS for this fundraiser and all-you-can-eat soup party costs $30/per person and includes bread from Orwasher’s Bakery, regional cheeses, and the chance to get to know good foodies including NYC food professionals. Soup recipes are free to enter and the top 10 contestants will attend the event for free.

    To enter your soup recipe, please fill out this form on FoodieLink. To learn more about this exciting winter soup contest, please visit FoodieLink.

    Monday, December 13, 2010

    Colombian Chicken and Potato Soup

    Colombian Chicken and Potato Soup
    A few months ago I learned about some soups from South America and was excited to learn about locro, sopa de sorrel and Ajiaco Bogotano - a chicken and potato Soup from Columbia. Considered Colombia's national dish, I discovered another recipe for chicken and potato soup in the January 2011 edition of Real Simple magazine that included corn, lime juice, celery and potatoes. Topped with avocado and cilantro (optional), this delicious comfort food was also an easy and quick soup to prepare that used minimal spices (lime, oregano, salt, and pepper). A great variation on the chicken soup and one that will have you wanting more. Enjoy!

    Colombian Chicken and Potato Soup, Adapted from Real Simple Magazine
    Ingredients:
    1 whole chicken (Real Simple: 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs - about 4)
    4 cups of chicken broth - *I used this chicken stock recipe
    4 corn-on-the-cob pieces
    1 tablespoon of olive oil
    1 small onion, thinly sliced
    1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
    4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    2 medium russet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces - *I also used purple and red potatoes
    2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving - *I used lime juice
    1/4 teaspoon of dried oregano
    kosher salt and black pepper
    Cut-up avocado, fresh cilantro sprigs, and capers for serving
    *celery salt
    *topping with sour cream


    *Seriously Soupy addition/modification.


    Directions:
    1. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine the chicken broth and 1 cup of water and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and corn and simmer until the chicken is cooked, 10 to 12 minutes.

    2. Remove the chicken and corn from the saucepan and reserve.

    3. Wipe out the saucepan and heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the potatoes and the reserved cooking liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.


    4. Meanwhile, shred the chicken and cut the corn pieces into 1-inch thick rounds. Return the chicken and corn to the soup. Add the lime juice, oregano, salt, pepper and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Serve the soup with avocado, cilantro, capers, or lime wedges. 


    What soups have you made from Columbia?


    Seriously Soupy Serena


    Wednesday, December 8, 2010

    Tomato Soup with Chickpeas and Spinach

    Tomato Soup with Chickpeas and Spinach - Seriously Soupy
    Sometimes it takes a little inspiration to create a new soup. I was perusing through "Great Tastes Soup" by Bay Books and discovered a delicious-looking chickpea, potato and spinach soup and an interesting tomato soup that included celery stalks and carrots. I decided to combine aspects of the two to create this creamy tomato soup with chickpeas and spinach by adding some simple flavors like rosemary and thyme and omitting the potatoes, sugar, and bay leaves. A classic recipe that can continuously be altered - and that is the beauty of soups.


    Tomato Soup with Chickpeas and Spinach
    Ingredients: 
    5-6 heirloom tomatoes, cut up
    3 cups of water, approximately
    1 yellow onion, peeled and cut up
    2 green onions, finely chopped
    2-3 garlic, minced
    2-3 stalks of celery, cut up
    2-3 carrots, cut up
    1 can of tomato paste
    Pinch of rosemary
    Pinch of Thyme
    1 can of garbanzo beans (chickpeas) 
    1/4 cup of light cream
    Bunch of fresh spinach
    Sea salt and pepper to taste
    Sprinkle of Parmesan cheese
    Drizzle of olive oil

    Directions:
    Cut up the onions - both yellow and green - and place them in a medium-sized pot, along with the garlic and olive oil. Cover and let cook for 10 minutes as you cut up the tomatoes, celery, and carrots. Add them to the pot, along with the paste, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper and some water (use your discretion). Cover and let cook for 30-40 minutes. When the vegetables are soft, turn off the flame and mix the ingredients together in a blender with the cream. Return to the pot and add the spinach and chickpeas. Let cook for another 5 minutes. Taste with salt and pepper and top with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

    What are your favorite recipes for tomato soup?

    Seriously Soupy Serena

    Friday, December 3, 2010

    Matzo Ball Soup and Hanukkah Soup Recipes

    Matzoh Ball Soup - Seriously Soupy
    Happy Hanukkah (or Chanukah)! This eight-day Festival of Lights revolves around spending time with family and friends, playing games like the drediel, lighting the menorah, and enjoying delicious foods like latkes, "sufganiyot" (jelly-filled doughnuts), and brisket. Being a winter holiday, it is also perfect to enjoy soups - ranging from the traditional matzo ball soup and cabbage soup to new variations such as a beef and braised beef soup. Enjoy the holiday and the soup!


    1. Matzo Ball Soup

    Part One—Chicken Stock
    Ingredients:

        •    1 whole chicken cut into 1/4's (I used a small organic chicken)
        •    1 large pot almost completely filled (75%) with water
        •    4 carrots
        •    2 stalks of celery, cut up
        •    2 small parsnips or 1 large parsnip, cut up
        •    1 small yellow onion, diced into small cubes
        •    1 small bunch of dill tied tied together with white thread
        •    1 small bunch of parsley tied together with white thread
        •    Approximately 2 tablespoons of salt, tasting throughout the simmering process, adding more if needed


    Directions:
    Fill up a pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and cover. While that is cooking cut up, tie the thread around the dill and parsley, and the clean the vegetables. When the water/chicken starts to boil, clean any bubbles or dirt that acclimates to the surface. Add all of the vegetables and the salt to the pot. Set to a very low flame and allow the water to simmer slowly for two hours. Periodically check the pot and taste the concoction, adding salt if needed. After three hours let the vegetables sit in the pot until they cool. Discard all vegetables except carrots. Depending on when you are making the matzo meal you may need to keep your broth in the fridge or remove the vegetables and place the pot  immediately back on the heat as the matzo balls are added.

    Part Two—Matzoh Ball Mix

    Ingredients:
        •    2 eggs
        •    2 tablespoons of olive oil
        •    1/2 cup matzoh meal
        •    1/2 teaspoons of salt
        •    2 tablespoons of cold seltzer
    * Makes approximately six medium-sized matzo balls

    Directions:

    In a medium-sized bowl mix eggs and oil with a fork, but do not beat the mixture. Add the matzoh meal, salt, seltzer, and mix together.  Cover with aluminium foil and place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. Start your pot of broth again and bring it to a slight boil. After 20 minutes remove the matzoh from the fridge and wet hands. Make the balls and place them in the boiling pot.  Lower the flame, cover, and cook for 40 minutes. Remove the matzoh balls and broth with a spoon, place into a soup bowl, and enjoy!


    2.  Sweet-and-Sour Cabbage Soup - A recipe from cookbook author, Lisa Yockelson, this brisket and cabbage soup includes raisins, cabbage and beef for a tasty soup that can also be enjoyed throughout the year. The post also includes a soup recipe for a potato and dairy soup.

    3. Apple and Parsnip Soup - A perfect pairing with your potato latkes, this simple parsnip and soup includes Granny Smith apples, coriander, olive oil, onions and parsnip. Also a quick and light treat any time of the year.

    4. Mushroom Barley Soup - A classic soup that is also a delicious treat for Hanukkah. The recipe includes pearl barley, mushrooms, celery, and tomatoes that is said to cook under an hour!

    5. Beet and Braised Beef Soup - Featured on Epicurious, this beet and beef soup is a hearty soup for the holiday that includes lima beans, carrots, beef ribs, beef, celery root, beets and cabbage. The flavor combination of dill, scallion and red wine vingear that Peter Hoffman (creator of this soup) says would be paired well with a "well-dressed salad of fall greens and great rye bread." The recipe also includes a tutorial on how to choose the meat for the soup.

    Wednesday, December 1, 2010

    Soup and Wine Pairings

    A perfect pairing - wine and soup. Image Credit: Slash Foods
    Guest Blogger: Becky Tyner of Small Wine Lots
     
    Last month, I was asked by a well known chef to make a soup, pair it with wine, and then tweet about it. At first I thought it would be a difficult feat. But after thinking about it I realized that pairing soup with wine is like pairing any other meal with wine. Let’s take a steak dinner.  On the plate are some veggies, mashed potatoes, and then the steak. When picking out the wine for that plate we mainly focus on the wine though we do take into consideration the side dishes.  Soup is similar to this. It’s basically a plate of food in liquid form. So, when pairing the most important thing is to focus on the main flavors. Chicken, spice, mushrooms, whatever it is..and figure out which wine will go with those flavors. Of course the best pairing is that you drink wine you like with food that you like!
     
    Here are some of my recommendations for wine and soups:

    1. Roasted Butternut Squash - Pair with Spann Vineyards Chardonnay -
    A naturally sweet soup, butternut squash works well with this Spann Vineyards Chardonnay - a crisp, refreshing and food-friendly wine.

    2. Beef and Barley Soup- Pair with Clark Claudon Cab
ernet -
    Containing black fruit aromas such as black cherry, plum and cassis with hints of pomegranate, this Cabernet works well with the rich and hearty beef in this soup. The wine is also described as being "full on the palate" whose complex tastes include "cured meats, floral notes and shaved dark chocolate leading to a long cedar, black fruit and mocha finish."

    3. Turkey and Vegetable Soup - Pair with a light D’Argenzio Tocai Fruilano 
-
    A delicious addition to mix up a typical Turkey Soup, this seasonal delicacy pairs well with the fruity notes in this wine.

    4. French Onion Soup - Pair with Mount Rose of Syrah -
    A pungent soup generally made from beef stock, French Onion Soup and its rich gruyere cheese is a classic that pairs well with wine from New Zealand. Described as having a "deep, rich color with a concentration of flavors." This wine works well with the rich flavors of this soup.

    5. Potato and Leek Soup - Pair with Spelletich Chardonnay (non ML)
 - 
    A creamy and velvety soup, Potato and Leek Soup pairs well with Spelletich Chardonnay, a wine from Napa Valley. Described as containing "hints of lavender and caramelized apricots lead into a perfectly balanced mouth feel with a tantalizing soft hint of cream" this complex blend balances well with this earthy and flavorful soup.

    6. Chicken Noodle Soup - Pair with Broman Sauvignon Blanc - 
    A classic soup recipe that is not only a hearty meal but mom's choice as a natural cold elixir.  Broman Cellars' Savingnon Blanc is the perfect pairing with this soup that features a vibrant blend of citrus fruits (grapefruit, lemongrass and lime zest) and some white peach and apricot.

    
7. Manhattan Clam Chowder - Pair with Tool Box Pinot Grigio
 - 
    The tomato sauce version, Manhattan Clam Chowder combines the perfect blend of fresh clams, celery, onions, pepper, and potatoes. The Tool Box Pinot is balanced with fresh green apple, bright citrus and clean mineral flavors" that provides a crisp and satisfying finish when paired with a fish-based soup.

    8. Minestrone Soup - Pair with Spotted Owl Alexandria’s Cuvee
 - 
    A hearty vegetable soup with red beans, macaroni pasta, carrots, tomatoes, zucchini and much more is an easy and quick soup recipe that pairs well with Spotted Owl Alexandria’s cuvee, a wine that is not produced every year. This unique varietal is reminiscent of a Syrah as well as aromas of dark cherry, blackberry, mulberry, and spice.

    9. Pork Wonton Soup - Pair with a Halleck Dry Gewurztraminer
 - 
    A traditional Chinese dish, pork wonton soup is a delicious combination of vegetables and pork broth that pairs well with a Halleck Dry Gewurztraminer, a wine from the Russian River Valley. Containing "deep lychee, pineapple, rose petals and magnolia," this complex wine is said to leave a "long cleansing finish." 

    10. Kale, White Bean and Sausage Soup - Pair with Moshin Vineyards Bowman Zin (2007
) -
    A wine that contains notes of white pepper, spice, vanilla and blueberry that complements the smoky flavors of the sausage (or chirzo), hearty beans and rich flavors in the kale. 

    11. Lentil Soup - Pair with Renard Roussanne (2007) - 
    One of my favorites, Lentil Soup is classic comfort food that also happens to be healthy. This Renard Roussanne, a chardonny from Santa Barbara, is a complex blend featuring "almond blossom, nectarine, apricot and honeycomb as well as accents of melon and mint. Said to have a "lasting finish," this wine can enhance the flavors in the lentils and make for a luxurious meal. 

    Small Wine Lots is a boutique company that focuses on smaller lost wineries in order to connect the wine enthusiast to a winery and to make sure they have fun while doing so. Small Wine Lots hosts wine events, provides tours to wineries, hosts dinners with their Sommelier and has a wine club. To learn more about Small Wine Lots, please call (707) 501-7954, email info@smalllotsbigwines.com or visit their website: Small Wine Lots.