Souperbowl Cook-Off Recipes

Make-shift signs courtesy of the chalkboard at Jimmy's

Even the impending snow storm didn't scare off die-hard soup lovers.  Of course we had some people cancel but Mark Dingle of Foodie Link and myself were really pleased with the turnout for our first annual Souperbowl at Jimmy's No. 43. Part Cook Off/Fundraiser for the Bowery Soup Kitchen, six participants competed for prizes including a subscription to Edible magazine, Andrea Beaman's new book Health is Wealth, a gift basket and recipes from Brooklyn Bouillon and a gift certificate to Orwasher's Bread. An avid competitor at various food competitions, Lorin won the first prize for her Porcini Mushroom and Barley Soup. She later told us that the soup didn't come out quite like the original recipe, which usually calls for dried porcini mushrooms. Instead she used a variety of fresh mushrooms and hamburger meat - even though it wasn't what she intended to make the crowd loved this hearty soup and voted unanimously for her creation. Naomi of Cantaloupe Alone won second place for her Black Bean and Kale Soup that were topped with some amazing cornbread croutons. She also had a similar story of how her soup recipe changed (originally intended to more of a chili) - but was still packed with rich flavors from the sriracha, chili powder and the beer. Chris won third place for his Pancetta and Corn Chowder. He talked about how easy this soup was to prepare that was also a "lighter "Italian" twist on a Winter classic soup."  An evening of community and delicious food and a running joke about a participant that brought a can of Campbell's chicken noodle soup as their entry made us forget about the impending snow storm. And really, who is afraid of a little snow when you can indulge in an evening of soup!

The Winner Is...

First Place - Porcini Mushroom and Barley Soup By Lorin Cook
Love this soup for a freezing, snowed in day. It's a hit after the kids make a snow man and the little Popsicles need to be warmed up. Hearty and delicious, it's a real winner. I've made this for dinner parties and impressed even the toughest of critics.....my family! It's not only soup... it's a meal!

Lorin talking about her mushroom and barley soup

Porcini Mushroom and Barley Soup

Ingredients:
4 1/4 cups water
1 1/2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
51 oz. good quality chicken stock
1 cup pearl barley
2 teaspoons thyme, chopped

Directions:
1. heat water to steaming and add mushrooms
2. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes, until soft
3. Strain , reserve broth and chop mushrooms
4. Melt butter, add onion, reduce to low and cook,stirring often until caramelized (15 minutes)
5. Add celery and carrots, cook 5 minutes
6. Add mushrooms and garlic, cook 2 minutes
7. Add white wine and cook until almost evaporated
8.Srit in mushroom broth(reserved liquid rom soaking), chicken stock & barley
9. simmer 30 minutes until almost tender
10. Stir in thyme, salt and pepper
11. Simmer 5-10 minutes until tender


Second Place - Black Bean and Kale Soup by Naomi of Cantaloupe Alone
Black beans are a popular favorite in my kitchen. Velvety soft with a deep savory flavor that stands in for meat. Once the beans are ready they are happy on a plate with other foods including eggs, rice, pork or chicken, sweet potatoes, corn bread, kale or chard, and many more mid-autumn and winter favorites. I buy mine from Cayuga Farms, which has a stand at Wednesday's Union Square Farmer's Market. Get them in bulk, make fewer trips, and take benefit of Cayuga's price breaks.

Naomi's soup was a hit!

Black Bean and Kale Soup
Ingredients:
1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 tblsp olive oil

12 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped, divided

2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped, divided

2 cups dried black beans, rinsed

2 qt water

1 bottle of beer (you can even use a local one, I use Brooklyn Lager!)

1 tsp plus 1 tblsp chili powder

1/2 tsp sriracha (chili paste), optional

1/2 cup olive oil

4 large leaves of kale, sliced into ribbons

salt and pepper
 
Directions:
Saute the onion in 2 tblsp olive oil until transparent in a large stock pot over medium. Add half of the garlic and half of the tomato. Cook until tomatoes become shaggy and are falling apart. Add the black beans, water, half of the bottle of beer, and 1 tsp chili powder. Cook for 1 1/2 hours until the beans are mostly tender. Add the rest of the garlic, tomatoes, beer, 1 tblsp chili powder, 1/2 cup olive oil, and sriracha. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 30-45 minutes until beans are very tender. Add the kale and cook for 3 minutes until kale is just beginning to wilt. Serve!

Third Place  - Pancetta Corn Chowder By Dave
A lighter "Italian" twist on a Winter classic. Combining comfort food with an infusion of smoked flavor, this soup will satisfy a variety of tastes.

Chris talks pancetta

Third Place - Pancetta Corn Chowder
Ingredients:
One Slab of Pancetta
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 Yukon Gold Potatoes
2 Yellow Onions
1 Tbsp Minced Fresh Garlic
1 Tbsp Thyme
1 Tsp Tarragon
1 Tbsp Cayenne Peppr
1 Tsp Smoked Paprika
1 Tbsp Dill
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Pepper
¼ Cup Of Sugar
2 Pints Heavy Cream
Half Gallon 2% Milk
2 Lbs Sweet Corn (Not on the cob)
¼ Cup Flour
2 Tbsp Butter

Directions:
1)      Place diced Pancetta with extra virgin olive oil in a pan and cook until slightly brown, not over cooked (est 5 – 10 min).
2)      When finished, place the Pancetta and pork drippings into a large soup pot add small diced potatoes, small diced yellow onion, minced garlic, thyme, tarragon, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and dill.  Sautee for a few minutes over medium heat.
3)      Add in the heavy cream and 2% milk, bring to a boil, then reduce to medium (20 minutes)
4)      Lay sweet corn on a baking sheet, spray with extra vigin olive oil and sprinkle with a touch of sugar.  Cook at 450 until slightly browned (cooking time varies 10 -15 min).
5)      Make a roux – Sautee flour and butter until golden brown
6)      Add roasted sweet corn and the roux to the soup and continue cooking over medium heat (20 minutes).
7)      Garnish with paprika and fresh parsley.

Beautiful gift basket provided by Brooklyn Bouillon

Andrea Beaman's new book - Health is Wealth was awarded to all 3 winners

Rachael Mamane passionately discussing her company - Brooklyn Bouillon

We are having yet another soup party in February. Email me at SeriouslySoupy@gmail.com for more details.

Seriously Soupy Serena

Thanksgiving Day Soup Recipes

For many, the turkey is the main attraction on Thanksgiving but being all about soups, I was focused on finding some interesting and delicious soup recipes to start the feast. I'll be making a variation of Daniel Boulud's chestnut, apple and celery soup, but if that isn't what you are looking for hopefully one of these soup recipes will inspire you this Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Day Soup Recipes

1. Oliver Baussan's Chestnut Soup- Forwarded to me from my friends at Top Ten Dishes, this velvety holiday soup is packed with flavor from the cardamom pods, black truffle oil and chestnuts. I also love the addition of porcini powder, which have I never cooked with but would be excited to try out in this soup.

Celery and Blue Cheese Soup by Deja Vu Cook

2. Celery and Blue Cheese Soup - Kathleen of Deja Vu Cook recently made this delicious celery and blue cheese soup that she describes as having an "unforgettable taste thanks to the blue cheese." Adding, "If you have never tried celery soup this is a must." I certainly agree with that and love the combination of simple flavors in this soup (garlic, onions, butter and stock) that will surely leave your guests with a meal to remember.

Cranberry Bean and Pearl Barley Soup - Photo Credit: Saveur.com

3.  Cranberry Bean and Pearl Barley Soup - Very excited to see a cranberry bean soup and this one from Saveur.com also includes barley, pancetta, and various fresh seasonings (parsley, rosemary, basil, and sage). The directions also noted that farro can be used to replace the barley.

4. Gingered Butternut Squash Soup with Spicy Pecan Cream - I'm a huge fan of butternut squash and having been making my variation - roasted butternut squash with carrot soup - for months. The beauty of soups is that there are so many variations using the many of the same ingredients that can completely change the taste of a soup much like this gingered butternut squash soup. Featured on Food and Wine.com, the recipe by Dean Fearing includes the classic staple - butternut squash - along with pecans, butter, coconut milk, ginger and hazelnut oil - creating a delicious twist to the classic recipe.

Harvest Corn Chowder with Chirzo - Photo Credit: Bon Appetit

5. Harvest Corn Chowder with Chirzo - Described as a "smoky soup," this corn chowder with chirzo includes fresh corn, red potatoes, Spanish chirzo, thyme and cayenne pepper for a kick. A hearty way to start Thanksgiving that can also be varied as a simple corn chowder without the chirzo. 

6. Selection of Soups from the NY Times - As you can see, I love lists and this featured on the NY Times.com is collection of soups from their archives that might be perfect for your Thanksgiving. Featuring a peanut soup, cranberry borscht, and game stock - I'm sure you'll find some soup ideas from this list.

This is just the tip of the soup iceberg for Thanksgiving recipe ideas. Please feel free to leave your soup link or recipe ideas in the comment section.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Seriously Soupy Serena

 

Salmon Butternut Squash Corn Chowder

Salmon Butternut Squash Corn Chowder with Dill - Seriously Soupy

Salmon Butternut Squash Corn Chowder - Seriously Soupy

This week I wanted to make a corn chowder, but instead of using potatoes and bacon, I decided to use a butternut squash I had lying around. Hardly a traditional chowder, I really wanted to experiment with a less watery soup and one whose ingredients weren't all blended together (there as been a lot of that lately). I read about a salmon chowder in "The Soup Bible" and I liked the idea of a creamy fish soup. I decided to use carrots, corn, tons of dill and of course butternut squash. Thanks to the fresh dill, scallions and onion, I found that the recipe didn't need that much seasonings -- only some salt and pepper -- that resulted in a sweet soup that became another favorite of mine. It was also nice to test out butternut squash in a different recipe other than as an ingredient in my all-time favorite soup -- puree of butternut squash. I hope you enjoy this one; it definitely a great hearty meal-like soup for those cooler days ahead.