Shrimp Bisque

Shrimp Bisque - Seriously Soupy

One of my soupy goals for 2011 is to make a Lobster Bisque, a creamy and delicious soup that I have enjoyed for years at restaurants but never attempted because it seemed too difficult. After making soups for over a year, I don't think any soup is impossible anymore (even though some can still seem challenging) and decided to try a variation of a Lobster Bisque by using some shrimp that I had at home. Still hoping to make Lobster Bisque in a few weeks, this Shrimp Bisque included carrots, leeks, celery, onions, sweet potatoes, chives, garlic, non-fat, thick Greek yogurt (I didn't have heavy cream), and some delicious lobster stock from Brooklyn Bouillon that really enhanced the flavors and actually made the soup pretty healthy (as opposed to the rich cream and butter used in most bisques). The addition of parsley, dill, and red pepper flakes also give the soup a nice kick in this delicious and comforting creamy-fish soup.

Rue of celery, stock, onions, garlic and leeks

Shrimp Bisque
Ingredients:
3 cups of water
3 stalks of celery, chopped up
1 sweet potato, chopped up
Dab of butter - use your discretion
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, peeled and minced
Lobster stock 
1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese
1 can of tomato paste
1 leek, cut up (white part only)
3 carrots, cut up
1/4 teaspoon of dried dill
1 bunch of fresh parsley - about a handful
1 pound of shrimp
1/3 cup of flour
1/2 cup of Greek yogurt such as Fage 
1 lemon, squeezed
1 chive, cut up
1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Cut up the chives, onions, garlic, leeks and celery. Add butter to a deep pan and let melt. Add the chives, onions, garlic, leeks, celery and stock. Let soften and cook for 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, dill, red pepper flakes, parsley, water and cut up the carrots and sweet potatoes and add them to the pot. Add the yogurt and flour, stirring periodically and add more water (if necessary). Add the shrimp and lemon and let cook for another 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper, mix and taste. Add the soup to a blender and mix. Enjoy!

Part 3: Soup Swap Recipes

Soups ready to be eaten

Dave Miss and Naomi of Cantaloupe Alone enjoying some soup

Hannah and Sebastian of the tour company Explorecation.com

A giant ladle! (Thank you, Rachael)

As the final post in this three-part entry about the Brooklyn Soup Swap, I am excited to share Sheena's Vegetable Coconut Milk Soup and a Chilled Melon Soup with Stilton Cookies by Chris Ellmann  (perhaps this means warmer and lighter soups are to come?). As with the other soup recipes, please let me know if you have any questions or if you would like to be included on the email list for future swaps. (I can be reached at seriouslysoupy@gmail.com). Also, in case you missed it: be sure to check out part one and part two of the delicious soup recipes shared at the swap!

Chilled Melon Soup by Chris Ellmann

Chris Ellmann dishing out his Chilled Melon Soup 

Chilled Melon Soup with Stilton Cookies by Chris Ellmann (Inspired by Larry Kolar)
Ingredients:
4 cantaloupes
juice of 2 blood oranges
juice and zest of 1 lime
8 oz sour cream
1/4 cup Grand Marnier
1/3 pound prosciutto
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
5 sprigs fresh mint

Directions:
Slice half the prosciutto into thin strips, lay them across an ovenproof wire rack. Bake at 350F until crispy, about 8 minutes.

Get the freshest melons you can find.  Slice them, discard seeds.  In batches, blend all the remaining ingredients except the mint until smooth.  Pour into a big pot.  Bruise the mint leaves.  Add to the pot.
Refrigerate at least six hours, adjust seasonings as needed.

Stilton Cookies
Ingredients:
100g butter (cold, cut into small pieces)
100g stilton (or some other blue cheese)
100g flour

Directions:
In a food processor, mix butter and cheese.  Add the flour and process until smooth.
Roll the immensely sticky dough into a log an inch or so thick, wrap in plastic, leave in the fridge an hour to harden up.

Cut dough into disks maybe 1/4 inch thick.

Bake at 350 about 12 minutes, or until nicely golden brown.  Flipping the cookies halfway through the baking was a bother, but made for prettier cookies.

Serve chilled soup topped with crispy prosciutto and with a cookie or three.

Vegetable Coconut Milk Soup by Sheena

Vegetable Coconut Milk Soup by Sheena

Ingredients:
1 onion, peeled and chopped up
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
drizzle of olive oil
Various vegetables (Sheena used broccoli, cauliflower, peppers and carrots)
1-2 sweet potatoes, cut up
pre-cooked beans
1 can of coconut milk
half a lime lime or lemon juice
bunch of fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Saute an onion (any type) and a couple cloves of garlic minced in some olive oil in the pot.  When the onion gets translucent add some vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, pepper, carrot).  Cook for a little with the onions till tender then add 4 cups of broth (any stock, though vegetable or chicken broth taste best), and bring to a boil.  Once boiling add 1-2 potatoes (any variety...sweet potatoes are really yummy in the soup) that have been diced and boil for 10 minutes.  Add some beans (precooked), a can of coconut milk, some lime or lemon juice (a tablespoon or so of the juice or half a lime), and cut up some fresh cilantro. Let soup simmer for a few minutes.  Salt and pepper to taste. And enjoy!  

Behind the Soupy Scenes

Some ingredients for the Fava Bean Pesto Soup

As I am prepping for the soup swap I wanted to share some 'behind the scenes' pictures of the prep work. I finally decided on a soup (no less than this morning) with a Fava Bean Pesto Soup with Pesto Croutons Wrapped in Prosciutto. Having never worked with fava beans before I am really excited to test out this combination in a soup as well as make my own pesto. The recipe will be posted on Monday as well as the recipes from the swappers. Hope you can join us at the swap!

Fava beans

Fava Bean Pesto Soup in the works

Delicious homemade pesto

White Bean Chicken Chili

White Bean Chicken Chili - Seriously Soupy

This past weekend turned out to be the weekend of minor injuries. A changing table fell on my foot (ouch!), a blade cut my finger as I was making icing for my daughter's b-day (double ouch!) and then the worst one of them all: I rubbed my eyes after cutting a HOT Jalapeño pepper - causing the worst burning sensation (mental note: when cutting peppers don't rub your eyes immediately after!). Once the water washed the pepper out of my eyes and I stopped cursing the soup I was ready to continue and make this white chili. Obviously you know that I added hot peppers, but I also added some red pepper flakes, green peppers, zucchini, chicken breasts and some flavorings (dill, bay leaves, rosemary, etc) for a light, but tasty alternative to a traditional chili. When it was all said and done, the soup actually needed more spice – but I wouldn’t have been able to tell by the way it burned by eyes. Enjoy, but prepare with caution!

White Bean Chicken Chili
Ingredients:
3-4 cups of water
4 chicken breasts, washed and cut into quarters
2 cups of dry white beans
1 zucchini, cut up
1 yellow onion, peeled and cut up
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
3-4 bay leaves
Bunch of fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon of dill1/4 teaspoon of rosemary1/4 teaspoon of chili powder
1/2 Jalapeño pepper
1 green pepper, cut up
salt and pepper

Directions:
Soak white beans for 2-3 hour or until soft. Add water to a pot on a low heat. Cut up the onions and garlic and add them to the pot, along with the chili powder, sage, dill, rosemary and bay leaves. Cover and let boil. Add the white beans and cover, cooking for about an hour and a half or so. Add the zucchini, chicken breasts, Jalapeño pepper, green pepper and cover. Let cook for another 30 minutes. Taste with salt and pepper and serve.

How have you made your white chicken chili?
Seriously Soupy Serena

SmartBran™ Curried Squash Soup

SmartBran™ Curried Squash Soup

I recently learned more about Nature's Path and their line of cereals and products at The Cooking Experience a few weeks ago. A family-owned company, I've been a fan of their healthy cereals and was excited to learn that they also featured recipes on their site such as this Curried Squash Soup by Lorna Sass, the award-winning cookbook author of Whole Grains, Every Day, Every Way and Whole Grains for Busy People. A simple recipe, this soup makes soup making easy by using frozen vegetables (though I prefer fresh - when possible), curry powder, cilantro, and the fiber-rich SmartBran™cereal. Never having made my soups with cereal I'm interested to see how this recipe comes together and adds a new dimension to my soup making.

SmartBran™ Curried Squash Soup

Yield: Serves 6

Ingredients: 

• 1 tbs. vegetable oil
• 4 tsp. Madras-style (mild) curry powder
• 2 pkg. (12-oz. each) frozen, pureed, unseasoned squash
• 4 c. vegetable broth
• 1 c. SmartBran™ cereal
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tbs. finely chopped cilantro, for garnish 

Directions: 

1. In a 3-quart, heavy soup pot, heat oil over medium heat.
2. Add curry powder and stir for 10 seconds. Immediately set both blocks of frozen squash and into pot.
3. Pour in broth and add SmartBran™. Bring mixture to a boil.
4. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Stir well, breaking up any blocks of squash.
5. Season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until all squash is defrosted and all SmartBran™ cereal has dissolved and thickened soup, about 2 more minutes.
6. Ladle into soup plates. Garnish each portion generously with cilantro. 

Have you ever used cereal in your soups?

Seriously Soupy Serena

Brazilian Shrimp Soup

Brazilian Shrimp Soup - Seriously Soupy

I first learned about this quick soup recipe from my run-down about National Soup Month. I loved how easy it seemed - but also how it packed a punch of flavors from the creamy coconut milk and the spicy red-pepper flakes. I didn't have any rice, so that part was omitted but I still found it to be a hearty and satisfying soup that did fine without the starch. The recipe can also include okra - as a traditional addition to the soup. Enjoy!

Brazilian Shrimp Soup

Recipe from Food and Wine

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup long-grain rice
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (from one 15-ounce can)
5 cups water
1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and cut in half horizontally
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro


Directions:
    1.    In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes.
    2.    Add the rice, red-pepper flakes, salt, tomatoes, and water to the pot. Bring to a boil and cook until the rice is almost tender, about 10 minutes.
    3.    Stir the coconut milk into the soup. Bring back to a simmer and then stir in the shrimp. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are just done, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the black pepper, lemon juice, and parsley.

Notes:
Variation Instead of the shrimp, use one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about three), cut crosswise into quarter-inch strips. Cook for the same amount of time.


What soups from Brazil have you made?
 Seriously Soupy Serena

Sweet Potato and Split Pea Soup

Sweet Potato and Split Pea Soup - Seriously Soupy

This winter I have been saying use what you have at home to make soups since virtually any combination of ingredients can be made into a tasty brothy delight. Without wanting to spend money on this weeks soup, I decided to use some yellow split peas I had in my cupboard and two sweet potatoes. I also added in some carrots, onions, garlic and some flavorings (bay leaves, sage, and dill) for a creamy and delicious winter soup. This soup can also be easily modified to use lentils or green split peas instead of the yellow ones or regular potatoes instead of sweet potatoes. Or you might just want to create a simple yellow split pea soup where you don't have to blend the ingredients - whatever combination of ingredients you have, try it out. You'll be amazed at your own Soupy creations.

Sweet Potato and Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:
3-5 cups of water, approximately
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut
2 cups of dry split peas, soaked for 2 hours
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2-3 stalks of carrots, chopped up
2-3 bay leaves
 handful of fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon of dill

Directions:
Soak the beans for 2 hours or until tender. Add 3 cups of water to a pot on a low flame. Cut up the garlic and onions and add them to the pot. Let boil and add the split peas, bay leaves, sage and dill. Cover and let cook for 30 minutes. Cut up the potatoes and the carrots and add them to the pot. Add some salt and pepper and cover for another 30 minutes. Check on the soup periodically, stirring and tasting as you go. After about 45 minutes (or when peas are completely tender), let cook and then turn off the flame. Use a hand blender or place into a blender and puree the soup. Enjoy!


Enjoy!


What soup are you making this weekend?

Seriously Soupy Serena

Soups from National Soup Month

Image Credit: Keshia Pace (http://www.coroflot.com/)

Not only is it the last day of January but today marks the last day of National Soup Month - a fun way to celebrate this beloved and comforting dish. Hopefully you had a chance to try a new recipe or at least enjoy a bowl or two this month. I loved celebrating by teaching a class at the Brooklyn Cookery,  holding a Soup Cook-Off and contributing soup recipes to Food 2 and Mom in the City. I also enjoyed making the Creamless Asparagus and Leek Soup and Italian Wedding Soup for the first time as well as sharing Deja Vu Cook's top picks for the month. Even though this exciting month has come to an end, you can always find soup recipes on this site and hopefully some of these recipes will inspire you to continue the celebration all year.

Interesting Recipes from National Soup Month:

Texas Penicillin - Soup is said to cure all and heal the soul and Ginnie Bivona, a chef from Texas, also said that about her Texas Penicillin - except for a cure of a broken heart. A variation of chicken noodle soup, this recipe includes a Southwestern twist with chili powder, green onions, corn, red pepper and cilantro. The soup is an also an award-winning recipe and won the Best of Show and First Prize at an Ohio State University Chili Cook-off!

Garlicky Tortellini Soup -  As a staple in most soups, garlic has a way of making any soup better. This soup, created by Mignardise, uses the delicious flavoring in question, as well as spinach, tomatoes and tortellini - creating a soup simple that also uses ingredients you may have lying around the house.

White Lentil Soup with (or without) Spicy Sausage - I'm a big fan of lentil soups, so I was really excited to see this variation on the classic using white lentils ("black lentils with the outer skins split and removed.") Not something you will find in your standard grocery store, Soup Chick says that you can find white lentils in a gourmet or Indian market or if you can't locate them red lentils also work. This interesting recipe also uses Turkish urfa biber pepper, kale, some hickory-smoked barbecue sauce and the option to add turkey sausage. If I could locate white lentils, I know what recipe I am going to try.

Pear/Coconut Soup - Another amazing thing about soup is that it is packed with tons nutritional properties to help the digestive system, skin or the lungs and kidneys such as with this light and summery soup. Created by Five Flavors Kitchen, this pear and coconut soup uses simple ingredients such as pears, coconut water, cinnamon, lemons, salt, and honey that is sure to inspire thoughts of chilled and lighter soups for the warmer months ahead.

Brazilian Shrimp Soup - Featured on FoodandWine.com, this delicious soup uses coconut milk, tomatoes, shrimp, and rice that the writer says "will keep you coming back for more." With its unique combination of flavors and easy preparation, I think I know what soup I am going to try next week.

What soups did you try this month?


Seriously Soupy Serena

Vietnamese Noodle Soup with Miracle Noodle

Vietnamese Noodle Soup with Miracle Noodle - Seriously Soupy

As I mentioned in the Creamless Leek and Asparagus Soup with Celeriac Root and Kefir post, I recently attended the Cooking Experience, a culinary mash-up where participants learned about various products and brands such as Lifeway, LG, Welch's, SoyJoy, Nature's Path and Miracle Noodle, a all-natural Japanese noodle made from the root of the Konnyaku Imo plant. Since this isn't your typical grain-based pasta, Miracle Noodle contains only water and soluble fiber - making it gluten-free, soy-free and remarkably calorie-free. Not only touted to help with weight loss, Miracle Noodle actually tasted like, well noodles, and after I received a sample I was excited to try this product in a Vietnamese Noodle Soup that I read about on their website. Using everything except the cilantro (didn't have any), this quick soup (miracle noodle only takes about a minute to cook!) had a slight kick from the chili sauce that was also slightly sweet thanks to the ginger and lime. The unique combination of flavors and the hearty noodles also made for a filing soup that you would never realize wasn't the "real" thing. To learn more about Miracle Noodles, please visit: http://www.miraclenoodle.com.

Vietnamese Noodle Soup
Recipe from Miracle Noodle
Ingredients:
3 cups organic reduced sodium chicken stock

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp minced ginger

1/4 tsp cardamom

1- 7oz bag of Miracle Noodle Angel Hair Noodles

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast sliced crosswise into 1/8 slices

1 cup bean sprouts

2 scallions, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces

1 tsp chili sauce (optional)

1/2 lime, cut in half

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/3 cup of mushrooms-any variety (optional)
 - I used dried porcini mushrooms
1 thinly slice chili pepper with seeds removed (optional)

 
Method:
    1.    In a 3 quart saucepan, bring chicken stock to a boil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger and cardamom and let simmer for 10 minutes.
    2.    In a colander rinse noodles with warm water for a couple of minutes, pat dry with a small hand towel or paper towel to remove excess water. Divide noodles into two bowls.
    3.    Add chicken to stock and let cook for 5 minutes(until completely cooked)
    4.    Pour soup into bowls over the noodles. Divide bean sprouts between 2 soup bowls then top each serving with half the scallions and chili sauce. Garnish bowls with a slice of lime and pieces of cilantro.
 
Nutritional Info:
2 Servings
Calories 180

Total Fat 3.6g

Saturated Fat 1.0g

Cholesterol 73mg

Total Carbohydrates 6.2g

Dietary Fiber 1.7g

Protein 31.1g

Garbanzo Bean and Roasted Tomato Soup

Garbanzo Bean and Roasted Tomato Soup - Seriously Soupy

I recently had the pleasure to share this garbanzo bean and roasted tomato soup with the readers of Food 2. One of my favorites, hummus soup, was the inspiration for this hearty and delicious winter soup. Using roasted tomatoes, fresh herbs (dill, rosemary, basil, cumin and tumeric) as well as tahini, this soup is great with some pita and lemon juice for a healthy mini-meal.

Garbanzo Bean and Roasted Tomato Soup
Serves 4
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 60 mins
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:
3-5 cups of water – may need to add more as you go
1 12.5-ounce can of garbanzo beans, drained
3-4 tablespoons of sesame tahini
1 clove of garlic, minced and divided
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2-3 heirloom tomatoes, roughly chopped
Drizzle of olive oil, enough to coat the tomatoes
2 bay leaves
Juice of 1 lemon
*Bunch of fresh dill, chopped (about a handful)
*Bunch of fresh rosemary, chopped (about a handful)
*Bunch of fresh basil, chopped (about a handful)
Pinch of curry powder
Pinch of cumin
Pinch of turmeric
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
* Can also use dried herbs: about 1 teaspoon dried for each tablespoon of fresh
Serving suggestion: Side of Pita Bread

Directions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Add the water to a medium-sized soup pot or Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Add onions and half of the garlic to the pot and reduce to a simmer.
2. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet. Drizzle with some olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining garlic. Cover with aluminum foil and cook for 30 minutes.
3. Add garbanzo beans to the soup pot, along with the tahini, bay leaves, rosemary, basil, dill, cumin and turmeric, lemon juice, sea salt and pepper. Cover and let cook for 10-15 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes to the pot and let simmer for another 20 minutes. Remove from heat and, using an immersion or standard blender, blend until smooth. Taste, adding more salt and/or pepper if needed, and serve.

Creamless Leek and Asparagus Soup with Celeriac Root and Kefir

Leek and Asparagus Soup with Celeriac Root and Kefir - Seriously Soupy

I recently had the opportunity to learn more cooking at an event called the Cooking Experience, a culinary mash-up where participants learned about various products and brands (Lifeway, LG, Welch's, SoyJoy and Nature's Path, to name a few) as well as and how to prepare recipes in a creative, yet healthy way. Part meet 'n'greet, interactive cooking lesson, and food sampling, the evenings dinner menu was created by Registered Dietitian and Chef Diane Henderiks. Her delicious and mouth-watering dishes focused on nutritionally-rich food and various out-of-the-box flavor combinations that highlighted the various products such as an amazing pecan crusted barramundi that we had for our main course and a velvety leek and asparagus soup with parmesan-panko crips. Instead of using heaving cream, the soup used Lifeway kefir, a probiotic beverage made from fermented milk and kefir cultures that made it rich and velvety without being heavy. I decided to try a variation of this recipe at home that included leeks, asparagus and potatoes and my own additions - celeric root and dill. Try this at home, and trust me you won't miss the cream either.

Creamless Leek and Asparagus Soup with Celeriac Root and Kefir

Based off of Diane Henderiks' Velvet Asparagus and Leek Soup
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 medium leek (white and pale green parts only); cleaned and thinly sliced
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1 1/2 pounds asparagus; trimmed and coarsely chopped
1 celeriac root, peeled and chopped
2 medium potatoes; peeled and quartered
1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup Lifeway Lowfat Plain Kefir
2 cups of water
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of celery salt
1 tablespoon of dried dill


Directions:
1. In a medium soup pot, saute the onions, leeks and garlic in oil until tender
2. Add the water, celeriac root, potatoes, asparagus, dill and celery salt. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 30-40 minutes.
3. Puree the soup in a blender. 
4. Add in Lifeway Kefir, salt and pepper and Enjoy!


What other alternatives have used instead of cream?
Seriously Soupy Serena

What Ingredients Should You Always Have at Home to Make a Simple Soup?

Some simple ingredients can make a delicious soup

One of the reasons why I love making new soups so much is that soup making is actually pretty easy. Of course there are intricate recipes that use spices that I’ve heard of or require methods of preparation that are new to me, but for the most part, soup making is essentially about interchanging ingredients to create a balance of flavors. This balance can be something that is familiar like with a classic chicken noodle soup or with an international soup where you trying something new. No matter what type of soup you want to create, most likely, you already have some key ingredients right in your home. So, check the list, clear out your cupboard, and get chopping to make your unique homemade soup tonight.

1.Salt and Pepper. Some soups can be bland and lifeless without these every day aromatics. Make sure you always have them stocked up in your cupboard and in particular sea salt and cracked pepper.



2. Fresh or Dried Herbs. There is nothing like fresh herbs to season a soup. You can use a bouillon but I find them too salty and adding herbs like basil, rosemary, mint, thyme, or oregano to your soup will really add a lot of depth and flavor to a seemingly boring soup. Of course, if don’t have a garden or fresh herbs available to you, dried seasonings are a great (and long-lasting) substitute.

3. Onion and Garlic. I can’t say enough about these aromatic ingredients. I use them in almost every soup I make since their powerful flavors works really well to enhance vegetables and make a boring soup something amazing. Since cutting cloves of garlic can be time-consuming, I often buy a big jar of pre-chopped garlic (lasts for months!) and onions by the pound.

4. Form of Protein. Do you have some chicken from last nights dinner or something in the freezer, but don’t know what to make with it? Well, the simplest answer is to give your food new life in a soup. Chop up your chicken, fish or meat add in some water and fresh herbs for a simple and comforting dinner. And protein doesn’t just apply to meat – tofu, beans and some grains like quinoa, barley, and buckwheat are excellent in soup.

5. A Vegetable. Another easy ingredient to have around the house. Try to go fresh, but if not the frozen variety makes it very easy to whip together a soup. I love a simple carrot and pea soup, along with some onions, garlic, salt and pepper and you have a quick and hearty soup.

Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup - Seriously Soupy

I recently saw this Italian Wedding Soup recipe on The Kitchn and instantly knew this was my next Soupy experiment. Since I never tried or prepared this soup, I was excited to test out what was described as being "simple to prepare, but has enough flourishes." I also learned that a variation of this Italian-American soup was also wildly prepared in Spain with a variety of meats that are boiled and shredded.

I used the recipe as a base - especially as I attempted a new technique (cooking an egg into the soup) and a fun way to prepare meatballs (adding cheese to the meat then cooking it). This really enhanced the flavors of the stock and of course the meat itself. The recipe also used hearty kale (can also use with spinach, endive, escarole, etc) and the delicious flavorings of oregano, basil and thyme - that made for the perfect winter soup.

Italian Wedding Soup

Recipe from The Kitchn
Serves 6-8
3/4 pound ground organic meat (chicken, turkey, pork or beef)
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
3 large eggs
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups chicken stock
1 bunch greens trimmed and torn into bite-sized pieces (about 6 lightly packed cups)

Directions:
Combine the ground meat, bread crumbs, 1 egg, 1/4 cup of each cheese, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly, then form the mixture into 3/4-inch to 1 1/2-inch balls. You should have 20 to 30 meatballs, depending on how large you form them.

In large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium high heat. Add the meatballs in batches, and cook, turning, until browned all over, 3 to 5 minutes. (If they are still a bit pink in the middle, don't worry, they will continue to cook in the broth.) Set them aside on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

In a 4 to 6 quart soup pot, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until onions are tender and garlic is soft, but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Add the greens, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the meatballs and cook another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine remaining 2 eggs and remaining cheeses in small bowl and stir with a fork to blend. Slow pour the egg mixture into hot soup, stirring constantly. Cover and simmer just until egg bits are set, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, maybe even a squirt of lemon juice, and serve immediately in a low bowl if possible so the meatballs are visible.

To re-heat, simmer gently over low heat.

Happy National Soup Month

Guest Blogger: Kathleen of Deja Vu Cook 

I was making a list of the top ten favorite recipes from the readers on my website and at the same time I saw that it was National Soup Month (January).  During the first year of trying to document family, friends and my recipes I was fortunate to meet @SeriouslySoupy (Twitter).  She has wonderful ideas, recipes, classes and events in New York all about soup.  She invited me to guest post on her site Seriously Soupy a few times and we share recipes.  This list was great for me to review of my own soups that I make and people would like.  The biggest surprise was the interest in chilled soups.  Living in Florida it is normal for chilled soups, but three out of ten was not only great but an inspiration to create more chilled soups for 2011.  Enjoy!


Corn Chowder with Bacon

Soupe a l’Oignon Gratinee

Split Pea and Ham Soup (and a lot of Carrots) 

Potage Crecy (French Carrot Soup)

Saint Lioba Beer and Mushroom Soup
 
Tanzanian Coconut Bean Soup

Chilled Pea and Mint Soup

Cuban Black Bean Soup

Chilled Zucchini Soup

Chilled Cucumber and Dill Soup

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

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