The Soup Topic (2013–)

[FrogPrincesse]

[Moderator note: This topic became too large for our servers to handle, so we've divided it up; the earlier part of the discussion is here: The Soup Topic (2007–2012)]

After an extremely bland pumpkin soup (Not pictured. Apparently my pumpkin had not taste at all which was very odd), I made Paula Wolfert's Autumn Squash Soup using a kabocha squash. It is served with a piece of rustic bread fried in duck fat and seasoned with a touch of Espelette pepper. The soup has a little bit of potato and some cream that is added at the end. Chives from the garden.

[PSmith]

Made this one last week, although I left out the garlic as I hadn't got any in house.

Curried parsnip and apple.

http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/european/english/curried-parsnip-and-apple-soup-with-parsnip-crisps.html

However, I am not sure how widely available parsnips are in some parts of the world. I served them to a friend who was staying over in Chicago and they had never had them before.

[Okanagancook]

I have a question about cornstarch thickened soup. Specifically, I make a Chinese Hot and Sour Soup which has white vinegar added for the sour component and is thickened with cornstarch. The soup thickens nicely in the pot but after eating about 1/2 a bowl it becomes noticeably thinner. Any idea what is going on? Is it the amylase enzymes in saliva that weaken the corn starch? Could I use some modernist modified starch to prevent this?

I tried the cornstarch thickening again being careful to bring it to a good boil and being careful with measurements of liquid to starch and it still thinned after time. On my next try I substituted 3 grams of Xantham Gum for the cornstarch. The result was excellent. Pretty close to the thickness of the corn starch thickening BUT the big difference was the flavours of the soup were more pronounced because all that starch did not dull the soup. It did not thin even after being put in the fridge overnight and reheated the next day. I'll be using Xantham Gum from now on.

[christine007]

I was very intrigued by a recipe I found called eight can taco soup. It was stupidly easy, and we were having a very brutal cold snap so I figured, what the heck, I'll give it a whirl.

this made an enourmous amount of wonderful soup! Even my son loved it, he's autistic and notoriously hard to feed sometimes.

it got better the next day, and the leftovers froze perfectly..

You simply combine all the ingredients, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for a few minutes, that is it.

you can serve with taco chips, sour cream and/or some cheese on the top, you can make it hotter or milder, whatever you prefer. I happened to use a cup of frozen corn in place of the canned corn. I also assume you can sub the chicken out for another, equal amount of other meat/seafood, etc, but I did not. I'm going to make this again, very soon.

Ingredients:

• 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
  
• 1 (15.25 oz.) can sweet corn, drained
  
• 1 (12.5 oz.) can white chicken breast, drained
  
• 1 (10.75 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
  
• 1 (10 oz.) can green enchilada sauce
  
• 1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
  
• 1 packet taco seasoning
  

[liuzhou]

Kohlrabi soup.

[FrogPrincesse]

Kohlrabi soup.

Nice. What else did you use in the soup?

[liuzhou]

Nice. What else did you use in the soup?

I sweated some onion and garlic in butter, with one small, red thai chilli, threw in the chopped kohlrabi and stirred it around a bit. Then a 50:50 mix of milk and chicken stock. S&P. Simmered for around 30 minutes till the kohlrabi was tender. Blitzed and served with some shredded spinach leaf on top to make the photograph look less like a bowl of milk for the cat!

[huiray]

Some soups I've made recently:

Angled luffa, fish balls & snow fungus soup.

Full post: http://egullet.org/p1903429

Pickled sour mustard soup w/ pork spare ribs & tofu.

Full post: http://egullet.org/p1903872

"Choy Kon T'ong" [菜乾湯; Yale: choi3 gon1 tong1] - "Dehydrated Cole" soup.

Full post: http://egullet.org/p1905355

Daikon & pork meatballs in peppery pork bone stock soup. With softened "mei fun".

Full description: http://egullet.org/p1906253

[liuzhou]

Mushroom* and Pig's Foot Soup. A winter warmer.

*White button mushrooms, shiitake, honey mushrooms

Edited January 25, 2013 by liuzhou (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

Paul Bertolli's Cauliflower Soup

In the same vein as Gordon's Ramsey broccoli soup, it's hard to beat the simplicity. After sweating thinly sliced onions, the cauliflower is added and cooked in a small amount of water for about 15 minutes (lid on), and then simmered for an additional 20 minutes with additional water (lid off). There are no other ingredients except salt, pepper, and olive oil. The soup thickens when blended and has a very smooth texture. It's really good and highlights the delicate flavor of the cauliflower. This is a nice change from soups that use roasted cauliflower.

[liuzhou]

Jade web soup with bamboo pith fungus and poached quail eggs.

from a Fuchsia Dunlop recipe

[rod rock]

Hm, this is interesting soup combo.

[pangty]

Soup in our family always mean cook in slow cooker. I love pork rib, peanut and carrot soup. Or maybe you can add some potatoes. After hours of cooking in slow cooker, all ingredients are soft and the soup smells so nice. Oh...ya… another one which is my favourite is coconut chicken soup. Use coconut water and some coconut meat to cook with chicken. It is so sweet and smells so good.

[Emily_R]

Just chiming in to support the Cauliflower Soup that FrogPrincess posted. That recipe is amazing -- it is hard to believe a 3-ingredient soup (one of which is water) can be so flavorful and filling. Highly recommended!

[huiray]

Some recent soups:

Lotus root soup w/ snow fungus, cloud ear fungus, peanuts, etc.

Full post w/ picture: http://egullet.org/p1906659

Wontons in chicken soup (simmered w/ anchovies & shiitakes as well).

Full post w/ picture: http://egullet.org/p1906828

Pork ribs - vegetable soup, w/ soba noodles.

Full post w/ picture: http://egullet.org/p1907459

Pickled sour mustard ("Harm Choy") soup, w/ chicken, tomatoes, tofu.

Full post w/ picture: http://egullet.org/p1907660

[liuzhou]

Snake soup

Snake soup is often served at wedding banquets here in southern China as a fertility symbol.

[liuzhou]

Bitter melon and tea tree mushroom soup.

Melon and mushrooms simmered with chopped shallots in a vegetable / mushroom stock, then finished with a little sesame oil.

Edited February 6, 2013 by liuzhou (log)

[Dejah]

Seeing some unfamiliar combinations in the Chinese soups posted by huiray and liuzhou. Learning something new everyday on egullet.

One of my favourites is butter melon soup. I've never had it with mushrooms of any kind, but I love adding rehydrated oysters - seared in a hot pan with a shake of pepper and a big chunk of ginger before adding to the pot of pork ribs and stock. This is simmered for an hour of so before adding the bitter melon to simmer for another hour or so.

[liuzhou]

Seeing some unfamiliar combinations in the Chinese soups

I'm sure that the bitter melon/tea tree mushroom combination is unfamiliar - I've never come across it either, but I had some of both that needed using up or throwing out. I wasn't sure if it would work, but I was happy with the results.

I think most, if not all, of the other soups I've posted have been more normal.

before adding the bitter melon to simmer for another hour or so

You simmer bitter melon for an hour or so? I usually give it five to ten minutes.

[Dejah]

liuzhou: I cut the bitter melon into quarters - big chunks, not slices.

[Dejah]

Made a batch of the Carrot-Ginger Soup posted by Frogprincess up post. I thought it needed "something". Maybe it was the carrots I had. Made a second batch and added the "lots of something" that I had - KAFFIR lime leaves and lemongrass.

Added a little more than a pinch of curry powder at the end.

Very nice! Loved the fragrance of the lime leaves and lemongrass. It didn't detract from the taste of carrot and ginger. I think the aroma enhanced my enjoyment. Thanks for bringing that recipe to my attention, Frogprincess.

[FrogPrincesse]

Made a batch of the Carrot-Ginger Soup posted by Frogprincess up post. I thought it needed "something". Maybe it was the carrots I had. Made a second batch and added the "lots of something" that I had - KAFFIR lime leaves and lemongrass.

Added a little more than a pinch of curry powder at the end.

Very nice! Loved the fragrance of the lime leaves and lemongrass. It didn't detract from the taste of carrot and ginger. I think the aroma enhanced my enjoyment. Thanks for bringing that recipe to my attention, Frogprincess.

You are very welcome Dejah. Nice looking soup!

I was lucky to have ginger that was very fresh and particularly fragrant, so I did not need to add anything else.

[FrogPrincesse]

I finally made Alain Passard's Pumpkin Soup with Basil and a Cappuccino Topping (inspired by mm84321's post here) for a dinner party a couple of weeks ago. I used a butternut squash. It is similar to a traditional French recipe where you cook the squash slowly in milk. Basil and olive oil are added at the end when the soup is blended.

I loved it. There was a vegetal flavor imparted by the fresh basil and the olive oil that was unexpected for a squash soup but quite delicious. The cappuccino foam was fun as well.

[lochaven]

Love the cup and saucers.....out of this world.

Edited March 21, 2013 by lochaven (log)

[SylviaLovegren]

I finally made Alain Passard's Pumpkin Soup with Basil and a Cappuccino Topping (inspired by mm84321's post here) for a dinner party a couple of weeks ago. I used a butternut squash. It is similar to a traditional French recipe where you cook the squash slowly in milk. Basil and olive oil are added at the end when the soup is blended.

I loved it. There was a vegetal flavor imparted by the fresh basil and the olive oil that was unexpected for a squash soup but quite delicious. The cappuccino foam was fun as well.

Oooh, and my favorite 50s pattern china! Edited March 21, 2013 by SylviaLovegren (log)