The Soup Topic (2007–2012)

[Rover]

I've been thinking of an African Peanut Soup for my next soup excursion. The first time I tried one was years ago in the cafe of a bookstore (whose name now escapes me) in Fairhaven, WA on a trip across the border from Vancouver. Spicy and exotic.

Moderator note: This topic continues in The Soup Topic (2007–2013)

[Wholemeal Crank]

Soup, my favorite food....some favorites that aren't too ordinary include

West african groundnut stew from the Sunday's at Moosewood cookbook--sweet potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, peanut butter, spices. Double the spices--especially the pepper--and it's a crowd favorite.

Chickpea and onion stew from Flatbreads and flavors--chickpeas, onions, tomatoes, peppers, and a fabulous spice blend of cinnamon, saffron, and coriander.

Spelt and mint soup with cheese, utterly simple, but utterly fabulous. Just really good stock, spelt, mint, and cheese.

The corn and sweet pepper soup I invented for a thanksgiving a few years ago is still amazing.

Depending on where you live, it might already be too late for tomato-basil soup, where you need best summer tomatoes and tons of basil, because there's not much else to it either.

Kwati, a sprouted bean soup from Nepal, is another one even the foodiest of your other guests are unlikely to have had before.

And even if they've had lentil soup before, I've got two excellent lentil soup recipes posted--the ultimate comfort food version of german lentil soup and a sophisticated armenian lentil soup.

Can't go wrong with a good stock and any of these recipes.

[Snadra]

Laksa! A good laksa makes me swoon. You can purchase a paste instead of making your own and still be swooning.

[djyee100]

I suggest Catalan Onion and Almond Soup, a recipe from Joyce Goldstein. It's a rich almond and orange flavored soup with a sweet-savory base from onions. Very unusual, & I thought it was irresistable when I tasted it. The trick is to cook the onions until they are meltingly soft, but not brown. The taste of the chicken stock is important, too. Try to make the soup with homemade chicken stock, or good quality commercial chicken stock.

The recipe for Catalan Onion and Almond Soup is here (page 7 of the pdf):

http://www.almondboard.com/FoodProfessionals/AlmondsInFood/Documents/RecipeCards.pdf

I also like Beverly Gannon's Maui Onion and Ginger Soup. It's an onion soup that's gone Hawaiian with fresh ginger. I find it warming and satisfying in winter. I've cooked this soup with yellow onions, and it's come out fine. I also gradually add the fresh ginger to the soup, and keep tasting it, since the intensity of fresh ginger can vary. Too much ginger will overspice the soup. At the end of cooking I add 1 TB or more of brown sugar to balance out the spiciness of the soup with a little sweetness.

The recipe for Maui Onion and Ginger Soup is here:

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Recipes/Soups-and-Stews-247/Maui-Onion-Ginger-Soup-1094.aspx

[kayb]

One word. Posole. Chris Amirault's mother-in-law's recipe, from the eGullet posole cookoff thread. If there's any posole out there any better, I don't want to know about it.

[ChezZoot]

I recently had two delicious soups in Seattle as an amuse bouche. The first from The Book Bindery Restaurant was a Cream of Celery Root (Celeriac) with truffle foam. The second from Rovers, was a Foie Gras soup with eggnog foam. Both were very rich and served in about 2 oz. portions which might be good if you’re having 20 soups. I don’t have recipes for either but Thierry Rautureau of Rovers described the Foie Gras soup as a reduced stock made from roasted duck bones to which seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras is added then blended. He didn’t elaborate on the eggnog foam.

[Shel_B]

Caldo verde.

Good suggestion. I'd forgotten about Caldo Verde. I've a few recipes on file, so, even if not used for the soup party, I'll make a batch for home use. Thanks!

[Shel_B]

I absolutely love the corn soup made with milk from Diana Kennedy's first cookbook--it is very successful with frozen corn, garnished with rajas de chile poblano and cheese.

My GF loves corn, so this might be a nice hit for her. Thanks!

[Shel_B]

I downloaded your Roasted Corn and Sweet Pepper Soup. Plan on trying it at home over the weekend. Toots loves corn! I'll look at the other recipes later on. Thanks!

Soup, my favorite food....some favorites that aren't too ordinary include

West african groundnut stew from the Sunday's at Moosewood cookbook--sweet potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes, peanut butter, spices. Double the spices--especially the pepper--and it's a crowd favorite.

Chickpea and onion stew from Flatbreads and flavors--chickpeas, onions, tomatoes, peppers, and a fabulous spice blend of cinnamon, saffron, and coriander.

Spelt and mint soup with cheese, utterly simple, but utterly fabulous. Just really good stock, spelt, mint, and cheese.

The corn and sweet pepper soup I invented for a thanksgiving a few years ago is still amazing.

Depending on where you live, it might already be too late for tomato-basil soup, where you need best summer tomatoes and tons of basil, because there's not much else to it either.

Kwati, a sprouted bean soup from Nepal, is another one even the foodiest of your other guests are unlikely to have had before.

And even if they've had lentil soup before, I've got two excellent lentil soup recipes posted--the ultimate comfort food version of german lentil soup and a sophisticated armenian lentil soup.

Can't go wrong with a good stock and any of these recipes.

[Shel_B]

Laksa! A good laksa makes me swoon. You can purchase a paste instead of making your own and still be swooning.

That's a new one for me ... Thanks!

[Doodad]

Sam Choy has a great Tahitian crab soup that is in one of his cookbooks and probably online somewhere. We have loved it for years and make it for special occasions. Very simple as well.

[Shel_B]

The recipes look pretty nice, esp the onion ginger soup, although I love Joyce Goldstein's cooking ... might try her recipes at some point. Thanks!

I suggest Catalan Onion and Almond Soup, a recipe from Joyce Goldstein. It's a rich almond and orange flavored soup with a sweet-savory base from onions. Very unusual, & I thought it was irresistable when I tasted it. The trick is to cook the onions until they are meltingly soft, but not brown. The taste of the chicken stock is important, too. Try to make the soup with homemade chicken stock, or good quality commercial chicken stock.

The recipe for Catalan Onion and Almond Soup is here (page 7 of the pdf):

http://www.almondboard.com/FoodProfessionals/AlmondsInFood/Documents/RecipeCards.pdf

I also like Beverly Gannon's Maui Onion and Ginger Soup. It's an onion soup that's gone Hawaiian with fresh ginger. I find it warming and satisfying in winter. I've cooked this soup with yellow onions, and it's come out fine. I also gradually add the fresh ginger to the soup, and keep tasting it, since the intensity of fresh ginger can vary. Too much ginger will overspice the soup. At the end of cooking I add 1 TB or more of brown sugar to balance out the spiciness of the soup with a little sweetness.

The recipe for Maui Onion and Ginger Soup is here:

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Recipes/Soups-and-Stews-247/Maui-Onion-Ginger-Soup-1094.aspx

[IndyRob]

One of the few truly OMG! inducing things I've ever made was Julia Child's Cream of Scallop Soup from Mastering the Art....

[plum tart]

Laksa! A good laksa makes me swoon. You can purchase a paste instead of making your own and still be swooning.

Oh I agree. I looove Laksa and was planning to make myself some this weekend, paste and all if I can get some fresh turmeric. I have a fabulous recipe with all sorts of garnishes. It is my favourite soup of all! Even better than my borscht. Yummm

[OliverB]

Thomas Keller's cauliflower soup from Ad Hoc at home is delicious and easy to make. The French Laundry chilled carrot soup is a carrot explosion in your mouth, recipe can be found here It's like eating a whole carrot with each spoon. You need a juicer or at least access to really good fresh made carrot juice, though it would probably also work with what ever carrot juice you can find.

And some of the best soups I've made where created from left overs like roasted potatoes, mushrooms, (beef/chicken) stock, heavy cream, butter, the works. A bit of nutmeg sprinkled on top, served steaming hot. I love making soup inventions from left over things

[suzilightning]

made some spicy bean soup last week - didn't have black beans so used some red ones. chipotle in adobo, homemade chicken stock, carrots, onions, garlic, pimenton d'espisse, cumin, granulated garlic, oregano, thyme. nice and spicy.

today was about 2" of snow followed by sleet/freezing rain/rain. just finished shoveling half of what i have to do. yesterday i did a shoprite run and picked up some smoked ham hocks. used one(froze the rest) to make some split pea soup with carrots, onions, potatoes and bay leaf. i was speaking with one of the neighbors who was off from work and asked what she had to trade for 2 pints of soup. she said she had some chicken paprikash. sold.

my other neighbor made some lentil soup so we traded the same amount. there are 3 couples and one single male neighbors and we do get sick of our own cooking so we are starting to do some trading - though i have to put up some 1/2 pints for my mother-in-law.

[Emily_R]

Just made this recipe for pasta e fagioli from Food52 -- it was quick, easy, and flavorful! I replaced the bacon with about 1/4 pound of pancetta, and used some homemade stock. With some toasted sourdough and a salad it made for a perfect weeknight meal.

http://www.food52.com/blog/1599_pasta_e_fagioli

[Kerry Beal]

Tom kha tonight in my Thermomix roughly following the recipe from David Thompson's Thai Food. Last batch I made the chunks of lemon grass were rather annoying - the TMX made quick work of them this time around.

Edited February 12, 2011 by Kerry Beal (log)

[Anna N]

Cream of Crisper Drawer soup last night. A sad head of cauliflower, one stalk of broccoli, some goose stock from the freezer and then finished with gratings of the odds and sods of cheese hanging about the 'fridge. Blitzed in the TMX until silky smooth. Very satisfactory when served with a garnish of crispy bacon bits.

[Beth Wilson]

Cream of Crisper Drawer soup last night. A sad head of cauliflower, one stalk of broccoli, some goose stock from the freezer and then finished with gratings of the odds and sods of cheese hanging about the 'fridge. Blitzed in the TMX until silky smooth. Very satisfactory when served with a garnish of crispy bacon bits.

Anna that name is Brilliant!!! The soup sounds good too! I just realized that I make Crisper Drawer soup all the time but it never had a good name...I will try adding the bits of soup from the dairy drawer next time as it sounds like a winning combination. Thanks for the idea

[Rover]

Last night I made Bourdain's (Les Halles) Mushroom Soup which has got to be one of the easiest, most delicious preparations in the world. I had a bag of slightly aging, crinkly mushrooms which revived instantly and tastily in the soup.

Next, I think I might be heading towards the Les Halles French Onion Soup, although the Fennel & Tomato is lovely, too.

[Anna N]

Last night I made Bourdain's (Les Halles) Mushroom Soup which has got to be one of the easiest, most delicious preparations in the world. I had a bag of slightly aging, crinkly mushrooms which revived instantly and tastily in the soup.

Next, I think I might be heading towards the Les Halles French Onion Soup, although the Fennel & Tomato is lovely, too.

That mushroom soup truly is amazing. Can't bring myself to try the Onion soup as I am tied irrevocably to Julia's!

[Rover]

Last night I made Bourdain's (Les Halles) Mushroom Soup which has got to be one of the easiest, most delicious preparations in the world. I had a bag of slightly aging, crinkly mushrooms which revived instantly and tastily in the soup.

Next, I think I might be heading towards the Les Halles French Onion Soup, although the Fennel & Tomato is lovely, too.

That mushroom soup truly is amazing. Can't bring myself to try the Onion soup as I am tied irrevocably to Julia's!

I used to have the same attachment to Julia's for years, but Bourdain's is far simpler and a great deal less time-consuming. However, it's been quite a while since I prepared Julia's version, it seems only fair to re-visit and refresh my memory. Thanks for the reminder, Anna!

[suzilightning]

i roasted a chicken - because i wanted to. will use the white meat to make chicken waldorf salad with some dried cranberries, apples and shallots.

i stripped the carcass and used the bones - along with some onion, bay and garlic - to make a broth. added in the jus from the roasting, the dark meat and then did a cleanout of the fridge. leftover saffron rice, carrots, peas, roasted asparagus and some green beans.

served to john when he got home from the woods with a whole grain roll. and it's what for breakfast for me today.

[suzilightning]

am i the only one making soup? it was wet today and i was inspired by the latest issue of Saveur that included an article about soups - specifically the soups of mittle europe.

i had roasted a pheasant on sunday. today stripped most of the meat from the carcass and it is simmering with bay leaf, juniper berries and the bag of vegetable scraps from the freezer. in an hour or so i will strain it and then transform the broth into a german barley and knockwurt soup. dinner will be that with some rye bread, some good butter and some sauteed greens.

come on folks - it's getting cooler in the midwest and the east coast of the us - how about you guys from europe? south of the equator you are just coming out of winter into spring...surely there is more soup out there to brag about.