2010: The Soups That Were and More to Come!

Happy New Year! - Image Credit: brainz.org

2010 was an exciting time for soup! I made some simple recipes like ribollita that I never created before and interesting soups like Russian beef and cabbage soup using stock from Brooklyn Bouillon that I never thought I would make. There were also a lot of interesting opportunities - getting to interview Rachel Ray, making a soup video with Amy Cao of Amy Blogs Chow, writing for A Child Grows in Brooklyn, Mom Trends, Young Urban Moms, What's The Soup, Food2 and Top Ten Dishes and having a soup party where I was finally able to have people test out my soup other than Mr. Soupy and my fam. I participated in the FoodBuzz Project Food Blog Challenge, the Foodie Link's Fall Recipe Event, the Iron Foodie Challenge, the First Annual Souperama and the Prospect Park Farm Soup Cook-Off. With all of these exciting prospects, 2011 is already looking like it is going to be an exciting and unexpected new year - starting off by teaching a soup class at the Brooklyn Cookery on January 9th and sponsoring a soup contest with FoodieLink at Jimmy's No. 43. Talks of selling the soup are in the works as well as a soup tour of NYC!

Of course, 2010 would be nothing without the recipes from my amazing soupy contributors. Thanks to the delicious contributions from Jessica Hulett of Blind Cavefish; Emily Mak of Eating with EMak; Brenda Abdelall of Eau de Spice; Kathleen of Deja Vu Cook; Sanura Weathers of My Life Runs on Food; Dari Litchman of Papi's Mami and Joan Gioe of The Panini Press Blog, the recipes on Soupy included more variety and added a diverse perspective to the site. For that, I am eternally grateful and hope they could be a part of Soupy 2011 as well as other fans of soup that have recipes they would love to share. 

As we start this new year, I also wanted to take the time to reflect on some of my favorite soup recipes from 2010 and share with you a list of my soupy resolutions for 2011. Happy New Year!

Soup Recipes from 2010:

Roasted Root Vegetable and Turkey Soup

1. Roasted Root Vegetable and Turkey Soup - I originally created this soup for my one-year anniversary party in October. This sweet and savory soup used a combination of seasonal vegetables (leeks, turnips, spaghetti squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, etc) that are marinated in olive oil, salt and pepper. This easy recipe also uses fresh herbs and organic turkey that turned out as a healthy variation to a standard chili.

Hummus Soup

2. Hummus Soup - An unlikely favorite, hummus soup is not only a water-down version of hummus but a delicious garbanzo bean soup that can also be varied. Later in the year, I made a turkey and chickpea soup and a roasted red pepper and hummus soup in the post hummus, three ways. It is also interesting making three different versions of a soup - how many new flavors develop after only altering a few ingredients. 

Borscht

3. Borscht Recipe - A classic soup that I actually never tried before. I learned that it can be served hot or cold and is a traditional soup from Central and Eastern Europe. I combined elements of two soup recipes that resulted in a delicious and sweet beet soup.

Tomato Basil and Carrot Soup

4. Tomato Basil and Carrot Soup with Gnocchi - I'm a big fan of tomato soup but I was looking to vary the classic recipe. I used some simple ingredients that I had at home (carrots, gnocchi, basil) to switch up the flavors that resulted in a chunky and filing new tomato soup.

Malaysian Mutton Soup

5. Malaysian Mutton Soup - The first lamb soup that I ever made on Soupy, this mutton soup was created for Project Food Blog's second challenge. We were asked to create a recipe out of our comfort zone as well as from another country. I decided on using lamb and found an amazing recipe that also used spices I have never used (cardamon pods and fenugreek) and methods of preparation (not in a traditional pot) that made the challenge even more interesting. Part of 2010 was about trying something new and this unfamiliar soup certainly lived up to that mantra.

Vegetable Wonton Soup

6. Vegetable Wonton Soup - One of my favorite soups to eat out, I made my own wonton soup using mushrooms, carrots, spinach, bok choy and bamboo shoots, wonton wrappers, and a base of cabbage. After some fumbling - and some broken wontons - I finally ended up with a hearty bowl of soup.

7. Russian Beef and Cabbage Soup - As I mentioned above, I created this soup recipe using Brooklyn Bouillon, a cage-free, locally-sourced and produced bouillon created by Rachael Mamane. I had the pleasure to meet Rachael after she won a soup contest on the site. Using her recipe, I also created this recipe for the anniversary soup party that also ended up being the second favorite recipe of the night. Using grass-fed beef, cabbage, tomatoes, demi-glace and various vegetables, this rich soup was also enhanced thanks to the vibrant flavors from the bouillon. To learn more about Rachael, please visit Brooklyn Bouillon. 

Chestnut, Celery and Apple Soup

8. Chestnut, Celery and Apple Soup - Emily of Brooklyn Cookery shared this Daniel Boulud soup recipe with me, which I also decided to make for Thanksgiving. Using celery instead of celeriac root, Fiji apples, crushed chestnuts and cream, this velvety and luxurious soup is definitely one to try out this winter.

Roasted Eggplant and White Bean Soup

9. Roasted Eggplant and White Bean Soup - Created for the 'First Annual Souperama' at Jimmy's No. 43, this low-fat and healthy soup is essentially eggplant and white beans with basil, mint, broth and some onions. Other than the cooking time involved to roast the eggplants, this soup is also an easy recipe to try out. 

Green Tea-Infused Melon Soup

10.  Green Tea-Infused Melon Soup - Prior to starting Soupy, I was never a fan of chilled soup, or really, I never really gave it a try. I liked gazpacho but other than that I would stick to eating traditional soups. Since I create soups every week throughout the year, I'm not always excited about making a hot soup when it's 100 degrees outside. This year I made the traditional chilled favorite - gazpacho - but also experimented with fruit soups like the watermelon and lime soup and using a cantaloupe and making three different soups from it. An unexpected favorite was the green-tea infused melon soup that infused apricots, green tea, honey, lemon and ginger with the cantaloupe. A simple way to enhance cantaloupe and mix-up the smoothie/salad routine of the summer.

10 Soups to Try in 2011:

Some people are shocked that I can have a blog that is dedicated solely to soup making. I've heard comments like "Are there really enough soups to cover a soup a week." Well, with books dedicated to soup recipes like 500 soups and blogs like Soup Chick that solely focus on soup making, I think I have only just begun. Not only are there so many variations of a given recipe but there are regional soups, seasonal soups, International soups and new creations to make up. To get me started or at least a little focused, I devised New Years Resolutions soup list that I want to try this year - hopefully they will make their way on the site sooner rather than later.


1. Goulash, traditional Hungarian soup
2. Clam Chowder - both Manhattan and New England
3. Pho Bang, national soup of Vietnam
4. Avgolemono
5. Pickle Soup
6. Bisque - Lobster and/or Shrimp
7. Pappa al Pomodoro Soup (Bread and Tomato Soup)
8. Coconut and Shrimp Curry Soup
9. Stocks - Beef, Fish, Mushroom
10. Pork and Mushroom Noodle Soup
11. Potage
12. Moroccan Lamb and Couscous Soup
13. Gumbo
14. Beer and Cheese Soup
15. Beef and Barley Soup
16. Czarnina, Polish Duck Soup
17. Chilled Pea Soup
18. Crab Soup
19. Caldo Verde, a Portugeuse soup
20. Kimchi stew

What soups do you want to try in the new year?

Happy New Year!

Seriously Soupy Serena

Project Food Blog: First Challenge - Soup is the Word

You may have noticed flashy widgets on the right side of this blog featuring the likes of Kelly Ripa or a Buick Lacrosse ad or pictures of food. These ads are generated by my food blogging community Food Buzz (much like facebook for foodies). Through this community I have been able to share my recipe with bloggers from all around the world, scope out food eye candy and participate in taste testing programs. Food Buzz is currently running an interactive food competition called Project Food Blog where over 2,000 featured publishers (bloggers) will compete in a virtual culinary cooking contest -- think an online version of "Top Chef." The competition will be judged other featured publishers, Dana Cowin, editor-in-chief of Food and Wine magazine, Nancy Silverton founder La Brea Bakery, co-owner Mozza and Pim Techamuanvivit author of ChezPim.com and "The Foodie Handbook." These challenges will take place over the course of 12 weeks until one foodie is left standing. The prize? A hefty 10,000 and a chance to be featured on a Food Buzz for a year (that's a whole lotta soup). For the first challenge in Project Food Blog, we have to tell the world: what defines you as a food blogger and why should you be the next food blog star? Ok, here I go...

Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe

 

Cream of Broccoli Soup Recipe - Seriously Soupy

I was almost certain that this creamy broccoli soup has been on Seriously Soupy before -- but after some digging into the archives I only found it in this post -- 10 Super Soups for the Superbowl -- and not as an original recipe. I was excited to try (and eat) this comforting soup and everything about it was pretty simple to make: chop onions, garlic and broccoli and add basil and cream, cook and blend. But, what was amazing was the rich and creamy texture that can be modified to include parsnips, mushrooms, spinach, etc -- any extra veggies would be a perfect match for this rich soup. Enjoy!

How to Make Vegetable Stock

Medley of veggies cut up for stock - Seriously Soupy

Veggies in water - Seriously Soupy

As I mentioned in my recent ode to fresh herbs post, bouillon and store-bought stock used to be the norm here on Seriously Soupy, but fellow soup lover, I didn't realize how easy it is to actually make your own stock. Silly, I know, especially since all you need to make stock is a medley of veggies, water and a container. For this simple veggie stock recipe, I used a massive stalk of scallions (see picture!) and carrots (also massive) from my local farmers market, an oldish head of broccoli, onions, zucchini, dill, potatoes, salt and pepper -- that's it! After only two-three hours of cooking, I had eight cups of veggie stock that I will be using for two different soups this week (check out the first soup recipe on Friday). Another cool thing about stock is that you can add any combination of veggies and their bits and pieces -- ends, roots, whatever. The more, the better, and trust me, your soup never tasted and looked so good!

Book Review: Raw Energy

 "Raw Energy: 124 Raw Food Recipes for Energy Bars, Smoothies and Other Snacks to Supercharge Your Body"

(Photo Credit: Food & Beverage World.com)

Raw energy, um I could use some of that, and maybe after reading Stephanie Tourles book -- by the same name -- I will be on my way thanks to her super healthy non-cooked soup recipes. Although, the book is packed with raw recipes ranging from vegetable chips, trail mixes, energy bars, smoothies and even cookies and candies, the obvious focus for this review is all about her soups.

Having a raw focus means that none of the soups in Tourles book are cooked or use processed ingredients. I've featured a few raw soups on Soupy like this chilled watermelon/lime soup and Jessica Hulett's raw spinach soup and am certainly a fan of simplicity in the kitchen (not to mention reaping the benefits of eating raw). After reading Tourles' collection of soup recipes there are so many more exciting soup recipes to try out that only require a blender and some patience while the soups chill. Here are some of my favorites.

1. Tahitian mango ginger soup recipe, which also happens to be the first recipe to kick-off the soup section, is described as having a "delicious hint of warming spices" that also aids the digestive system and cleans the kidneys. I love the combination of mint sprigs, gingerroot and curry -- and the fact that it only takes a few minutes to prep doesn't hurt.

2, Honey melon pear soup sounds like the perfect and refreshing recipe for those sticky and humid summer months. Essentially just the melons and some honey and lime the soup is a great source of vitamin C, fiber and just happens to relieve constipation.

3. Cucumber avocado cream soup actually doesn't have any cream, but is a creamy-like soup with a kick thanks to the use of avocados and jalpeno peppers. Now, that is an interesting combo and this  "beauty soup" (described by Tourles) is a great source of antioxidants, healthy fat, protein and fiber.

Other yummy soups featured in "Raw Energy" cool cucumber cress soup, raspberry ricky soup, papaya sunset soup and dreamy carrot cream soup.

Check out Tourles' book. Couldn't we all use a little more 'raw energy' in our lives?

Serioulsy Soupy Serena

Mushroom Garlic Soup

 Creamy and Rich Mushroom Garlic Soup -- Seriously Soupy

Last weekend I tested out an amazing roasted garlic soup at Terrapin Red, a lovely little spot in Rhinebeck, NY (the very same town where Chelsea Clinton wed a week ago). I have been meaning to try my own garlic soup and this creamy/sweet soup was just the inspiration I needed. I'm not exactly sure what was in the soup -- the menu describes it as a "roasted garlic soup with an ancho chile crouton." For my verison, I used mushrooms, onions, cream and of course loads and loads of yummy garlic. Although a delicious soup, it is a little a definitely strong kick in your mouth, or maybe more so for anyone you encounter. But I promise you: any foul breath will be worth it.

Ready for chopping

Mushroom Garlic Soup

Ingredients:
1/2 package of babybella mushrooms
1/2 of a yellow onion, chopped up
2-3 cloves of garlic, chopped up
1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
2-3 cups of water
1 tablespoon of olive oil
salt to taste
*Makes 3 bowls of soup

Directions:
Chop up the garlic and onions. Add 1 cup of water (approximate) and the olive oil to a medium-sized pot, along with the garlic and onions. Let cook on a low flame for 20 minutes or so. Chop up the mushrooms and add them to the pot, along with more water and cream. Cover and let cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the flame and taste the soup, adding salt and pepper. Let cool and add soup mixture to a blender. Make sure the soup has liquefied and serve with a crouton. Enjoy!

How do you make your garlic soup?
Seriously Soupy Serena

Mushroom Garlic Soup

Friday Soup Links

Barbara Kafka's Moroccan Tomato Soup by The Wednesday Chef

Chilled and veggie soups are all the rage for the summer, and and it's easy to see why: they're light, easy to prep and taste pretty darn good. Here are some veggie soups that caught my eye this week.

1. Barbara Kafka's Moroccan Tomato Soup-  While reading The Wednesday Chef's tale of soup-making I couldn't help but smile. I, too have had a hard time creating soup with the heat (hence the lack of posts), but when there is some relief I quickly figure out what the next soup will be, gather up my ingredients and start cooking. Luckily for us, the WC had a break from the heat and was able to hop on her bike, locate some yummy tomatoes and get cooking. Her hearty (and I mean hearty) tomato soup is packed with spices (cayenne pepper and cumin), cilantro, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, and of course tomatoes.

2. Puree of Turnip Soup - I have yet to use turnips in a soup, but I'm thinking that is about to change, especially after reading about Julie Morris' Puree of Turnip Soup. Another simple one -- Morris added broth, potatoes, onions and turnips -- with an interesting addition (almond milk) that may also make an appearance in future soupy's.

3. Asparagus Soup- The beauty of this interesting-looking vegetable is that it is not only tasty (in my personal opinion), but it is also very versatile in soup. Food Junta's white asparagus soup -- inspired by recipe from Emeril Lagasse uses shallots, leeks, heavy cream and stock that is good to go in an hour.

What new vegetable soups have you made this week?
Seriously Soupy Serena

Tomato Pesto Soup

 Gorgeous Tomatoes -- Before the Soup

 Tomato Pesto Soup -- Seriously Soupy

The heat wave in NYC has made the whole soup-making thing quite difficult (to say the least). Of course there are chilled soups, but making anything in general has not been favorable, especially when there is ice cream! However, there was a bit of a relief today (with temps in the upper 80s), and thanks to the farmers market I was inspired to break a sweat and make a soup.  I found these gorgeous tomatoes -- a mixture of orange, heirloom and green -- and decided to use them as a base, along with homemade pesto. But, I must warn die-hard pesto lovers: my pesto isn't 100% authentic -- more of a variation used to compliant the soup. This light summer soup was so easy to make,  leaving less time to sweat and more time to enjoy this delicious basil and tomato soupy. Let me know what you think and I'm hoping to try a chilled number next week. Stay cool!

Tomato Pesto Soup

Ingredients:
For Soup
4 cups of water- approximately
4 tomatoes - mixed blend
bunch of fresh basil
bunch of fresh sage
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper


For Pesto:
1/4 cup of pine nuts
bunch of fresh basil -- approximately a handful
2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
pinch of pepper
pinch of salt

Directions:
Start by boiling water into a medium-sized pot. Dice tomatoes and place them into the boiling water, along with the fresh basil, sage, and salt. Cover the pot and start making the pesto. Mash the pine nuts. I used a rolling pin, but you can also use a sturdy can or grind them in a blender. Chop up the basil (very fine) and place it in a bowl, along with the pine nuts olive oil, basil, lemon, salt and pepper.  Place the pesto mixture into a blender until the mash is semi-liquefied -- (the grind setting did this nicely!). There will be some chunks, if that bothers you continue to blend. Add the pesto to soup and cover. Let cook for 15 more minutes, tasting the soup along the way. I ended up adding another cup of water. Turn off the flame and enjoy!

Seriously Soupy Serena

Friday Soup Links

 Green Soup created by April Paffrath of Wicked Tasty Harvest

• Cold Carrot Soup with Dill Cream - A fellow Brooklynite - Emily Beebe of the Wooden Spoon - created this tasty looking carrot an dill cream soup. Using petite carrots, dill and yogurt  (and really how could you do any harm with that combo?), Emily create a rather exciting chilled soup. I also can't wait to test out her dill to slab on salads or top onto another soupy creation.
• Thai Coconut Shrimp Soup - Cinnamon Spice created this Thai coconut shrimp soup that she describes as "fast, healthy and completely delicious!" Sounds good to me, especially with its hints of spice and citrus flavors, rice noodles and shrimp. I am also very excited to test out her coconut broth and I'm sure you will too!
• Green Soup - We could all use a little more greens in our life and this concoction created by April Paffrath of Wicked Tasty Harvest makes this conundrum that much easier. Using arugula, the leaves of Swiss chard and beet greens (along with some milk), April created an interesting soup that even her four-year-old went ga ga for. If this soup can get a toddler to have greens (and ask for more), I'm more than game to test this out.

What new soups have you tried this week?
Seriously Soupy Serena

Community Supported Agriculture

Holton Farms in Westminster, Vermont

Hibernation season is over! The spring/summer months are here and that means we can finally enjoy longer days, soak in a good dose of vitamin D and chow down on fresh and locally produced food directly from a farm such as through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. These program allow participants to purchase a share of farm so that a farmer can have a source of income for seeds, labor and the ability to maintain their gardens during the off-peak season. During the spring/summer months -- when the crops are ready-- seasonal vegetables are available every week and delivered to various drop-off locations. Here in NYC, we have access to numerous CSA's such the family-owned Holton Farms located in Westminster, Vermont. This eighth generation of farmers produces over 100 items, including "a diverse selection of agricultural products including vegetables, herbs and fruits, grass-fed beef cows, pigs, cage-free eggs, maple syrup and more," according to Jenny Lee of Holton Farms.

The CSA program at Holton runs from May 17 until November 21, bringing seasonal produce to  various drop-off locations (check out the Holton Farms map for locations near you!). Plans are aviable through three membership options (ranging from $250-$1,000) and participants can use Holton's online ordering system to check out the availability of crops.

To learn more about Holton's CSA Select program, check out for the ABC's of the CSA: http://www.holtonfarms.com/how-to-buy/csa-select/how-it-works/ and this one for pricing info: http://www.holtonfarms.com/how-to-buy/csa-select/


PROMO!
All Seriously Soupy readers will receive 5% off of their next purchase at Holton Farms. Use the promo code HFSERENA to redeem the coupon at checkout.

Seriously Soupy Serena

Lentil, Sweet Potato and Spinach Soup

Lentil, Sweet Potato and Spinach Soup

Since I started this little blog,  I wanted to learn more about soups and expand from my soupy routine (butternut squash, lentil, and white bean were my soupy norm). Since October of 2009, I have made a matzoh ball soup, a sweet potato/cranberry soup, and even a hummus soup (hooray for soupy); but despite the various new soups that I never thought I would create there are always the classics that I miss having on a regular basis. Low and behold, a rainy, dreary day hit NYC and all I wanted was a classic lentil soup. I added in some curry, sweet potatoes and peanut butter (yep, I said pb!) to change up some of the flavors (only slightly). The classic staples (bay leaves, carrots, onions, garlic, and of course lentil) was also used to create this old favorite. Sometimes an oldy, but a goodie is just enough. Enjoy!

Lentil, Sweet Potato and Spinach Soup
Ingredients:
6 cups of water
2 cups of dry lentils
1 teaspoon of chopped garlic
1 whole sweet potato, chopped up
1 yellow onion, chopped up
bunch of carrots, cut up
1 tablespoon of smooth organic peanut butter (optional)
5-8 whole bay leaves
bunch of spinach
pinch of cumin
pinch of curry
pinch of pepper
pinch of sea salt

Directions:
Let the dry beans soak for a 2-3 hours before you start the soup. When ready to cook, pour the water in a pot, let boil and add the onions and garlic. Add the lentils, peanut butter, and bay leaves when the water comes to a steady boil. Cover the pot and cut up the potatoes and carrots. Let the lentils cook for an hour or so, checking on it periodically (adding water is common). Then add the potatoes and carrots, along with various seasonings (curry, salt, pepper and cumin) and cover. Make sure to taste as go and let cook for about another 45 minutes to an hour. Turn off the flame and place a bunch of fresh spinach on the bottom of a bowl, pour in the soup and enjoy!

How have you made lentil soup?

Seriously Soupy Serena

A Brief History of Soup

Soup — I obviously love it, but where did this simple, yet complex food come from? After some intense research I was able to discover some exciting historical data about soup from all over the world. There is clearly way more historical information to document so I only included the most relevant in hopes that the article would come across as informational and not too dull. Here is a basic rundown of what I found:

It seems that soup has always been around, and for the most part it has. Its origins roughly began   concurrently with advances in pottery (5000 BC) when ceramic pots and pans where able to hold hot liquids without breaking. During this time people used large pots to boil tough grains, hard root vegetables, beans, and meat where the remaining water (broth) was extracted for use at another point. This created a new combination of tastes and flavors as various vegetables, potatoes, and marrow were muddled together to make a main dish and the extracted liquid (often called stew, gruel or porridge) was served on the side with toast (precursor of the crouton?). The bread also serviced as a spoon that enabled people to soak up their food effectively since modern cutlery was not yet available. ¹

Soup continued to be a major part of the meal that was nutritional and filing and was consumed three times a day during the Middle Ages, which was an affordable option for families, especially during numerous food shortages. Some households used broth, but anything instead of water was generally reserved for the rich since solid food items (vegetables, meat) were not readily available to the poor in abundance at this time.

During the Renaissance period soup began to be served before the meal as the first course since many people felt that a soup bowl crowded their plates. In addition, during this time preparation of soups began to evolve as seasonings became more readily available and tastes developed, which in correlation with the invention of the spoon meant that soups become hearty and richer and not just those that were strictly liquid based dish.²

The actual word origin of the word suppa, later evolved to soup is debatable. Some sources say that it came from a Frankish word (the Franks, were the most powerful of the Germanic tribes, who came to inhabit the former Roman provinces of Gaul, and who eventually became the French). Others state that it originated in France in the 16th century as sope or soupe, which was later used in England as sop¹ or that it came from a classical Latin verb suppare, which translates as bread soaked in broth.² The widely accepted idea of the word is that it came from France in the 16th century, which was used to describe a concentrated and inexpensive broth. This broth was sold by vendors in the street that was advertised as a cure for physical exhaustion. In 1765, a Parisian entrepreneur opened a shop specializing in such soups, which started appearing in restaurants soon after^{. 1}

In America, recipes were popping up in newspapers, magazines and travel journals that discussed various forms of broth and soup. The actual first reported cookbook was published in 1742 by William Parks that was based on the principals of Eliza Smith entitled “The Compleat Housewife,” (this was the actual spelling at the time), which featured several recipes for soups and bisques such as "pease soop, craw fish soop, soop with teel, and green peas soop^{." 3} Soups began to progress along with advances in science and technology. Canned and dehydrated began to appear in the early 19th century, which supplied military, covered wagon trains, cowboy chuck wagons, and extended the shelf life of soups in the pantry.2 This later evolved to canned and microwave ready soups with additives and preservatives as well as those that could fit specific dietary needs (low salt, high fiber, etc.). ²

Although, I am speaking about these time periods in general terms it should be noted that there was a great deal of similarities in food preparation, as well as variations on the same idea. For example: popular soups in England were mainly potato based with broths, whereas the French had a potato and leek variation, and America had a potato and cream-base with vegetables. This is also seen in numerous soups, which are rooted in similar ideas, but based on local seasonings and ingredients as the alterations.

Today, numerous varieties of soup are available at virtually any restaurant and are a staple food in many families whose signature recipes get passed down from generation to generation. As a timeless staple, soup is truly a beloved food that is economical, nutritious, easy to prepare and one that I am excited to see constantly evolve.

Thank you references:

¹ Early French Cookery, D. Eleanor Scully & Terence Scully [University of Michigan Press:Ann Arbor] 1995.

² An A-Z of Food and Drink, John Ayto [Oxford University Press:Oxford] 2002.

³ History of Soup: www.cheftalk.com/...History/89-History_Of_Soup.html

Photo credit: http://www.egos-school.com/site/public-file/aboutus/Soup2RC350.jpg

 

Tomato Cream Soup

I was stumped at what soup I wanted to test out this week. I couldn't do anything that was to involved (although I would like to down the line), so I opted to try a basic tomato soup. I never made a tomato soup before but it sounded simple enough, so I got together some fresh and canned tomatoes, rosemary, lime juice, chives, heavy cream for a rich and hearty blend. I was told that I should have added more cream, but I thought it was fine as is, however these are personal choices and adding more or less cream is your choice, especially when creating your own soupy. Enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of organic diced tomatoes
• 2 large tomato, cut up
• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 cup of chicken broth (still need to get on that make my own broth thing)
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1/2 of a red onion, cut up
• 1 clove of garlic chopped up
• 1 tablespoon of lime
• 1 stalk of chives, cut up into small segments
• 1 teaspoon of rosemary
• 1 teaspoon of basil
• 1/4 cup of whipping cream (heavy cream will also suffice)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
  

Directions:

Start boiling the water with onions, basil, rosemary, garlic, lime juice, and chives. Once you have a boil add the tomatoes, canned and fresh to the pot. Add your bouillon cube and some broth and cover for 30 minutes. Add the whipping cream to the mix and add salt and pepper to taste. Cover for an additional 10-15 minutes and let cool. The recipe will make a chunky soup, but you can thin it out by blending the soup with a hand blender when it cools down.

Approximate cooking time: 1 hour.

Seriously Soupy Serena

P.S. The picture shows that the soup is topped with asparagus. I had extra, so I decided to roast it in the over for 10 minutes with some extra tomatoes, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil. A quick and easy side that paired really well with this soupy.