Pumpkin Soup with Herbs

It's been a banner year for squash and pumpkins in our garden. I do love a good pumpkin soup, one redolent with savoury tastes. This soup freezes well and is lovely to enjoy with a slice of fresh bread.  

Pumpkin Soup with Herbs

6-8 cups of peeled, cubed pumpkin

3 leeks, cleaned and sliced

1 onion, coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Tablespoon olive oil

6-8 cups stock, either chicken or vegetable

sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and sage tied together in a small bundle

salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the leeks, onion, and garlic and slowly saute until softened.

2. Add the pumpkin. Note: I added a small Red Kuri Squash into the mix, as well. 

3. Add the stock and place the herb bundle on top. Simmer until the pumpkin is completely softened and falling apart, about 30 minutes. Discard the herb bundle. 

4. Puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust. 

5. Serve and eat. A bit of cream on top adds smoothness. I saved the pumpkin seeds and roasted them to add for a bit of crunch, along with some toasted kale leaves. 

White Chicken Chili

 

On a day with chilly winds and dropping temperatures, a favourite meal of ours is White Chicken Chili. The credit for the recipe goes to Penny, a former blogger. I've adapted it slightly. I like to make a double batch and freeze portions for the future. 

White Chicken Chili

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1-2 cups frozen corn kernels

1 (4 oz) can diced green chilis

1/2 cup Salsa Verde

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

1 (15oz) can cannellini beans (white kidney beans) drained and rinsed

4 cups chicken broth

Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil in a skillet and saute the onion until soft. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-7 hours. Remove the chicken pieces and shred them with two forks. Return the chicken to the pot.

Serve in bowls with toppings of grated cheese, crushed tortilla chips, salsa, sour cream, and avocado. All depending on your taste.

Broccoli Soup

 

A lovely, healthy soup with the goodness of lots of vegetables. I can eat soup every day and never tire of it. This one comes together quickly and with some bread, and/or a salad, is a full meal. I use frozen broccoli when fresh is expensive, and find no difference in the soup. The carrots mellow and sweeten the broccoli a little.

Broccoli Soup

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

2 medium carrots, diced

500 grams (1 pound) of broccoli, fresh or frozen

4-6 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

crumbled blue cheese for serving, if desired

Heat the olive oil in a soup pot, gentle saute the onion and garlic until tender. Add the carrots, broccoli, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until all the vegetables are tender, 20-30 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the mixture, then season to taste. 

Thai Red Curry Noodle Soup

 

The delicious flavour of Thai dishes is due to a great balance of sweet, sour, creamy, and salty. Spicy heat often adds another layer of flavour. This soup is hearty enough for a full meal, and comes together quickly. It's easy to adapt the vegetables and meat to whatever you have, but the sweet (brown sugar), sour (lime juice), creamy (coconut milk), and salty (fish sauce) are critical. Plus the Thai red curry paste for a bit of heat. 

This particular recipe is light on the meat, and serves 2-3 people. It's easy to double, and leftovers heat well. 

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1 skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch chunks

salt and black pepper to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, diced

1 Tablespoon red curry paste

1 teaspoon freshly minced or grated ginger

3 cups chicken broth

1/2 of 380 ml can of coconut milk (stir before dividing)

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 of 250 g package of rice noodles

2 teaspoons fish sauce

2 teaspoons brown sugar

For serving

2 green onions, thinly sliced

fresh parsley

lime juice (about 1 teaspoon per bowl)

Heat oil in large soup pot. Season chicken and add to pot, stirring until golden and just cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside.

Add minced garlic and onion, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes, or until onion is tender. 

Stir in grated ginger and red curry paste. Cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. 

Add chicken broth and coconut milk. Stir in chicken. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes to slightly reduce the soup and concentrate the flavours. 

Add the red pepper and simmer another 5 minutes. Stir in the rice noodles, fish sauce, and brown sugar, and cook 3-5 minutes until the noodles are tender. 

Ladle into bowls and top with sliced green onion, fresh parsley, and lime juice to taste. 

Two Soups

I do love soup and know of few people who don't! Yes, soup dislik-ers actually exist! I've been roasting vegetables for soups this month - it's an easy way to add flavour. 

The first soup is a Roasted Cauliflower Pear Soup. Making soup is an easy-going method of cooking and I never measure or follow recipes exactingly. Hence the rather loose recipe. 

To make Roasted Cauliflower Pear Soup, I cut up about 1/2 to 3/4 of a head of cauliflower, chopped an onion, peeled a couple of garlic cloves and tossed everything together on a baking sheet. Drizzle some olive oil over top - a tablespoon or two and mix with your hands. 

The pear was a last minute addition - a couple of Bartletts were ripening fast on the counter top and so I quartered and cored them (the peel remained), and threw them onto the baking sheet. Add a good sprinkle of salt. Roast at 420 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and beginning to caramelize. 

Place all the vegetables into a suitably sized pot and add 3-4 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes, then use an immersion blender to create a smooth texture. Taste, add seasonings as desired, and perhaps a couple of tablespoons of cream to smooth out the flavour. 

This soup is delicious with a hint of sweetness from the pears. I served the soup with a bit of crumbled blue cheese on top. Creamy. 

The second soup is a Roasted Tomato Soup. It's best made with sweet home-grown tomatoes of any size - as you can see there are tiny cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes and full-size tomatoes on the baking sheet. 

Cut the tomatoes in half - a baking sheet covered with tomato halves makes enough soup for 4-6 servings. Chop an onion and sprinkle it over top, and some garlic, too. Oregano is still doing well in the garden, so I added some fresh leaves, but dried works just as well. 

Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over top - 3-4 tablespoons, and season the tomatoes with salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast at 350 degrees for 1-2 hours. As you can see from the photo, the edges are quite caramelized. The house will fill with wonderful fragrance, and you'll be tempted to eat those caramelized tomatoes straight from the pan. Resist.

Once the vegetables are roasted, put them into a pot and add 3-4 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes or so, then use an immersion blender to smooth it all out. This is a rustic soup, with lots of texture. If you want a really smooth soup, you'll have to strain it.

Taste for seasoning. If the soup is too thick, add some water or broth and simmer for a bit longer. A bit of cream added at the end finishes this soup well, as does a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 

Gazpacho à la provençal

Chilled tomato soup is not only eaten in Spain, but throughout the Mediterranean region. This recipe is adapted from Laura Calder's book French Taste, and is utterly refreshed on a hot summer evening. It's so easy to make; simply chop, chill, and blend. 

Making tiny croutons as a topping is optional, but cubing, drizzling with olive oil, and sprinkling with salt and herbs, then baking until crispy results in tiny irresistible bites. Once I begin snacking on them, I find it hard to stop. 

Toppings are a fun part of eating this soup. Drizzle with olive oil and a little bit of balsamic vinegar, then add croutons, feta cheese, fresh basil, avocado - whatever takes your fancy.

Using fresh, garden-ripe tomatoes is ideal, but failing that, store-bought, vine-ripened, fully ripe tomatoes will suffice.

Gazpacho à la provençal

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, quartered, seeded, chopped
1/2 English cucumber, diced
1/2 sweet red bell pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup tomato juice, OR de-fatted chicken stock, OR vegetable stock
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
12 fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of cayenne pepper
Honey (optional) I used 1 Tablespoon

Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl. Cover and chill overnight. The next day, puree the mixture, leaving some chunks, if desired. Season to taste. 

Carrot Ginger Soup

It's been a couple of weeks of influenza/colds/conjunctivitis around here. I think we're at the tail end of it all. On Friday night I felt like cooking something and what I craved was this carrot soup, laced with healing ginger and garlic. Easy, filling, and oh, so comforting.

Carrot Ginger Soup

1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped (or whole)
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh ginger (use more or less to taste)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
5-8 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 zucchini, washed and roughly chopped
1 quart chicken stock (preferably home made)
salt and pepper to taste
a swirl of cream, optional

In a medium-large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the garlic and ginger. Saute for a further minute or two.

Add the carrots, zucchini and chicken stock. Cover and bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are very tender.

Cool slightly and puree with an immersion blender. Season to taste. A couple of tablespoons of cream will smooth out the flavors and add richness. I usually add cream, but this time I didn't have any on hand and the soup is fine without it.  

Zucchini Soup Base

Too much zucchini? It's the time of year when I go out to the garden and hope that I don't find another giant zucchini lurking under a leaf. Fortunately, there are many wonderful zucchini recipes out there for eating now and later. Making a soup base to freeze for later is one thing I do to cope with the glut of zucchini. It's fast and easy.

Zucchini Soup Base

1-2 medium onions, chopped
1 head (about 15 cloves) of garlic, peeled
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1-2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
10-12 cups (roughly) cut up zucchini
3-4 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute for several minutes. Add the garlic and continue sauteeing for another minute. Add the carrots, the zucchini, the chicken stock and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender. 
Remove the bay leaf (don't forget this step!). Puree the vegetables and broth with a stick blender or countertop blender. Cool and pour into containers to freeze.

I divided the amounts given in this recipe into three and froze it in quart jars, leaving space for expansion, so I'm guessing there are about 3 cups, maybe a little more, in each jar.

To serve, thaw the soup base, place in a saucepan and heat through. Add more chicken stock to thin the soup to your liking, season to taste with salt and pepper, and add about 1/2 cup light cream just before serving.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Cooler nights mean cooler days which means soup is so appealing. I could eat soup every day. This is almost a non-recipe, consisting of just 5 ingredients (plus seasoning.) It's similar to the Ginger-Warmed Butternut Squash Soup recipe posted in January, but without the ginger and pear. It's filling, homey, and warming - and with some grilled cheese sandwiches - makes a lovely supper. 

 Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-2 inch cubes
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 Tablespoon olive oil
4 cups chicken broth
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 F. Toss the squash cubes and onion quarters with the olive oil. Spread on rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes, or until tender and browning.

Place the vegetables in a large pot, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Cool slightly, then puree. Add more broth or water if the mixture is too thick. Adjust seasonings, Just before serving stir in the cream. 

For a fun presentation, drizzle a bit of cream on top of each soup bowl and sprinkle with a few sunflower seeds. 

Ginger-Warmed Butternut Squash Pear Soup

On a cold day in January (or any other month), there's nothing like a bowl of soup, along with some crusty bread and a salad, for dinner. I created this soup from what was on hand - ginger, garlic, onion, butternut squash, and a ripe pear. Additional flavour comes from roasting the squash in the oven until tender and just beginning to carmelize. The layers of flavours blend into a creamy, satisfying soup that I plan on making again and again. The pear addition is optional, but added a touch of sweetness that I enjoyed.

Ginger-warmed Butternut Squash Pear Soup

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 - 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 ripe pear, peeled and cored, cut into chunks
4 cups chicken stock
salt to taste

Toss the squash cubes with the first amount of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast at 400 degrees until tender and just beginning to brown, about 45 minutes. 

While the squash is roasting, heat the second Tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy pot. Add the diced onion and saute until softened. Add the minced garlic and ginger, stir for 1 - 2 minutes and then add the pear chunks. When the butternut squash is cooked, add it to the mixture, and pour the chicken stock over all. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer about 20 minutes, until all the vegetables are thoroughly cooked. Remove from the heat, puree with a stick blender, season to taste and serve. 

 

 

Red Onion Soup

Our traveling children are currently in the Calabrian region of Italy. The other day in the library I came across this book --

Part cookbook, part memoir, the author, Rosetta Costantino chronicles the traditional foods of southern Italy. Tropea, a small village perched on a cliff overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea is famous for its sweet red onions. Rosetta gave a recipe for a red onion soup that I thought sounded delicious.

And so it is. It's similar to French Onion Soup, but sweeter. Very mellow and rich. The famous red onions of Tropea are not available here, but Rosetta suggested using the red onions we do have. Unlike the French version of onion soup, this one has no crouton on top, just cheese, broiled until brown. I tinkered with the recipe a little, adding in some red wine and using chicken stock in place of water or vegetable stock.

The recipe is simple, but give yourself enough time to make it. The onions need to cook slowly, not browning at all, for at least one hour, then an additional 30 minutes in the stock.

Red Onion Soup

3 pounds sweet Italian red onions, halved and thinly sliced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 Tablespoon kosher salt

1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) chicken stock (or water, or vegetable stock)

1/2 cup red wine

freshly ground black pepper

freshly grated Pecorino cheese

Pour the oil into the bottom of a 6-8 quart pot. Stir in the onions and the salt. Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and sweet, not browned at all. This will take about 60 minutes. 

Add the wine and the stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer gently for about 30 minutes. 

Run an immersion blender through the soup, just enough to give it a slight creaminess, but not pureeing it entirely. Or, remove about 1/2 of the soup to a blender and puree it, then return it to the pot. Sprinkle with pepper, add more salt if needed. 

Divide the soup among 6 oven-proof bowls. Sprinkle cheese on top of each and run under the broiler for a minute or two until the cheese melts and browns. Watch carefully so as not to burn it. 

For a more hearty meal, place a slice of toasted crusty bread in the bottom of the bowl and ladle the soup over it.  

Parsnip and Carrot Soup with Ginger

What's better than soup on a rainy winter day? Soup and fresh bread - a match that never fails. Tonight's soup is filled with sweetness and ginger. Parsnips are not that common anymore, but I love them in this soup (or just cooked and served with a buttery brown sugar sauce). But that's a recipe for another day.

I found this recipe in a Fine Cooking magazine - Cooking Fresh 2005. I've made it several times and tweaked it a little. It's always good.

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, sliced

1 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks (I used 3 parsnips)

3/4 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks (I used 3 carrots)

1 1/2 quarts homemade or low-salt chicken or vegetable broth (more might be needed)

1/4 cup grated fresh ginger

1 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 cup white wine (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

sour cream, crème fraîche, or heavy cream

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Put the onions in the pot and saute them until soft, but not brown. Add the parsnips, carrots and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Strain the soup into a large bowl, reserving both vegetables and broth. Transfer the vegetables to a blender or food processor and purée. Gradually add the broth to the purée until the mixture is loose enough to pour. Add the ginger, thyme, nutmeg, and white wine (if using). If necessary, thin the soup with salt and pepper. I like to add about 2 Tablespoons of cream to the soup, and then drizzle a little on top when serving as well.

Yields about 8 1/2 cups

Chilled Avocado Soup

This is perfect for a hot summer evening. Cold and creamy with a hint of mint. This can be made ahead, in fact, it needs to chill for an hour or so. It's fast and delicious. I adapted the recipe from one found in the June 2007 issue of Country Living magazine.

1/2 seedless cucumber, chopped
1 medium avocado, peeled and pitted
1 shallot, chopped ( I used a slice of Vidalia onion)
2 Tablespoons plain yogurt (Greek yogurt or Balkan)
2 - 4 large fresh lemon balm leaves (or mint leaves)
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup cold water

Throw everything into a blender and process until smooth. Chill for at least 1 hour. Serve garnished with a sprig of lemon balm or mint.

Ginger Chicken Soup

I wanted to make some chicken soup, but also wanted something a bit different than the usual, and very good, traditional flavour. So I thought about what I had in the fridge, and what I felt like, and ginger came to mind. A bit of red curry paste paired with the ginger made for a soup that was comforting and spicy and oh, so warming. I've made it again and like it even more.

1 T vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon red curry paste
2 T minced fresh ginger
2 leeks, sliced (white part and a bit of the green)
1 can coconut milk
4 cups chicken broth (homemade, or low-sodium)
1 sweet red pepper, diced
5 baby bok choy, sliced (white and green parts)
2 carrots, diced
1-2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
2 T fish sauce
1 T brown sugar
1-2 T lime juice
2 T fresh basil

Heat the oil in a large soup pot and add the red curry paste. Stir until fragrant and the oil is colored. Add the ginger and stir for about 1 minute. Add the leeks and continue stirring just until barely softening. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, sweet red pepper, and carrots and bring to a boil. Simmer gently until the carrots are almost tender, 15 - 20 minutes. Add the chicken and the bok choy. Simmer another 5 - 10 minutes.

Stir in the fish sauce, the brown sugar, the lime juice and the fresh basil. Taste the soup. There should be a nice balance of sweet, salty, and sour. Adjust the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar if needed.

Enjoy the fragrance and the taste - both are wonderful!

This is a very forgiving recipe - if you don't have leeks, use onions. No bok choy? Try kale or spinach. 

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Now that fall is here soup is on the menu more often. I could eat soup every day - there are so many ways to make it and serve it. Soup and sandwiches, soup and salad, soup and bread - the perfect pairing. On Sunday our youngest daughter and her boyfriend came for lunch before she had to fly to Alaska on her first business trip. I made this Cream of Broccoli Soup, a Roasted Tomato Tart and a Green Salad, with berries and white chocolate sauce for dessert.

Making soup from scratch doesn't take much time at all and tastes so much better than even the best packaged soup, be in from a can or a tetra pack. What made this soup special is that I sprinkled a little crumbled blue cheese on top just before serving and it melted into creaminess that blended perfectly with the fresh broccoli.

Cream of Broccoli Soup
Serves 4

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4-5 cups broccoli, very coarsely chopped (not really chopped, in florets, with the stem in one-inch chunks)
3-4 cups chicken broth, preferably homemade, or low-sodium
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons heavy cream (whipping cream)
1/4 - 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Heat oil in medium saucepan. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft, but not brown. Add broccoli and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover and simmer about 15 minutes or until broccoli is very tender. Let cool slightly, then puree, either with a stick blender, or regular blender. Adjust seasonings. Just before serving, stir in the cream. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle 1-2 Tablespoons of blue cheese over bowl.

Chilled Avocado Soup

This is perfect for a hot summer evening. Cold and creamy with a hint of mint. I like to serve it in martini glasses (I've never actually had a martini - I tend to stick with wine, but I love the shape of the glasses.)

This can be made ahead, in fact, it needs to chill for an hour or so. It's fast and delicious. I found the recipe in the June 2007 issue of Country Living magazine.

1/2 seedless cucumber, chopped
1 medium avocado, peeled and pitted
1 shallot, chopped ( I used a slice of Vidalia onion)
2 Tablespoons plain yogurt
2 Tablespoons fresh mint (I use a lot less, just a few leaves)
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin (I prefer it without)
1 cup cold water

Throw everything into a blender and process until smooth. Chill for at least 1 hour. Serve garnished with a sprig of mint.