Favorite Soups

[Gifted Gourmet]

That reminds me, butternut squash soup is my other Thanksgiving go to soup. Basically, you just simmer peeled, seeded and diced squash and one peeled and diced potato in good chicken broth/stock and puree. A dash of nutmeg, a pinch of salt and it's perfect (splash of cream is optional).

Not unlike Rachel Perlow's soup, one of my all time autumn favorites is Mollie Katzen's Gypsy Soup ... all gloriously jewel-colored with golds and reds and deep greens ... and floating garbanzos! ... sometimes I even top it off with a chilled dollop of sour cream to balance the warmth .... and contrast the deep colors of the vegetables ... delectable indeed!

(but it actually serves more like 6, rather than the 4 as noted)

http://www.ivu.org/recipes/soup/gypsy.html

[schnitzel]

Re clam chowder:

Which do you prefer, Manhattan or New England style?

Is there a "correct" way to make either?

I love both, but Manhattan wins hands down.  The problem for me is that very few places make an appropriately clammy Manhattan clam chowder.  It always seems to me a very watered down tomato soup with clams in it.

Soba

I love both, and Jasper White's recipes in "50 Chowders" are excellent.

[adoxograph]

Black bean soup, carrot ginger soup (can't believe I haven't seen that one listed yet), any soup that's served with a grilled cheese sandwich, all good.

However, being a transplanted New Englander, number one soup means PROPER clam chowder. By that I mean your tomato should be banished, save cream for your coffee, I just want the clam juice. If you have to sully it, a dash, and only a DASH of milk.

Go ahead, have a bowl of that and tell me the Puritans were joyless.

[elyse]

Potato, onion, cheddar chowder.

[Jim Dixon]

Saute leeks in butter-olive oil combo, add stock, peeled cubed celery root and potatoes, simmer, mash coarsely, finish with creme fraiche....mmmmm.

Jim

[Mottmott]

I don't think anyone's mentioned oyster stew. Does not one else like oyster stew?

[pjackso]

My favorite soup of all time is a "carrot star-anise soup" which appeared in Food & Wine, two or three chef's issues ago. Heaven in a bowl...

[curlywurlyfi]

entirely inspired by this thread (and a vile cold) I spent yesterday making leek + potato soup finished with double cream, and pureed butternut parsnip + carrot with ginger, garlic + chilli, finished with mascarpone. and then ate the lot in two meals. yay!

[Mabelline]

I got inspired by 22 degrees and snow to put diced antelope, beef stock, hot Indian curry spice mix, small Yukon Golds, pumpkin cubes, onion, and slices of portobello and hickory-smoked bacon in my slow cooker. It's definitely smelling good, and we'll have it with popovers.

[Pan]

Where are you located, Mabelline?

[Mabelline]

Sorry I was away for awhile, Pan. I'm located in (currently) hounddawg cold Billings, Montana. Tonight at 6:30 I took my little neighbor lady over some supper, and it was 8 degrees. Now it's snowing again. I've got to say that antelope has become one of my new favorite foods. The soup was so savory I was thrilled. I've also become a big fan of elk. I've found both of these game animals to have a complex texture that really stands alone. Have never had moose, but I'd sure try it. Also have never had bear, but that's a personal deal.

[Pan]

I had no idea Montana (or parts of it) was so cold this time of year. Stay warm!

[Mabelline]

Oh Pan, Montana not only gets cold, it has the WEIRDEST weather shifts I've ever seen! Last week we had three days of 75 to 80 degrees, now this, and they say our high tomorrow is 8 degrees for the little hobgoblins. If I still had kiddos, I reckon they would be masqing as an Alaskan native tribe if they wanted outside... you all up in Canada just sent us a great big ole cold front~when you need it back just let us know! I've not only been keeping warm, Pan, I've been reading everyone's Malay blog and spiriting myself to anywhere tropical-and with such scrumptious food.

[Mabelline]

I just caught my morning weather, and today's high will actually get to a toasty 24. Our usual temp is average 52, but this year has been anything but. Still snowing, though, which I actually like.

[Jinmyo]

you all up in Canada just sent us a great big ole cold front~when you need it back just let us know!

Oh no, that's fine. You can keep it. We've plenty more.

[marie-louise]

you all up in Canada just sent us a great big ole cold front~when you need it back just let us know!

Oh no, that's fine. You can keep it. We've plenty more.

Canada, thanks for sending it our way-it's what will ultimately put out the fires in LA (I just heard a great description-snow is the ultimate aerial assault.)

But you can keep the next 27, okay?

edited to add quote

Edited October 31, 2003 by marie-louise (log)

[Tam]

Here's the white cheddar & ale recipe in a nutshell: Saute a mess of chopped shallots and some garlic in a lot of butter. Add a little flour and make a light roux. Add 12 oz. of ale/beer and let simmer for a little while. Drink the rest of the beer and then drink another one. Add some chicken broth. Let simmer for awhile. Gradually stir in grated white cheddar - 2 cups or so. Add a little cream if you want to be really decadent. Top with country ham crunchies or proscuitto crunchies. I also usually put in a little lemon juice and some hot sauce.

Tried your recipe today with great success. Just the smell alone created a sensation and it is garnering rave reviews. I am looking out a window at a full winterscape, five inches of snow and quite cold. Thank you for for my warm, satisfied belly. Suddenly, outside doesn't seem so bad.

[Coop]

Cream of Celery Root with a slick of white truffle oil on the top.

[bilrus]

Along the lines of listing your favorite soup, what do you like to garnish them with?  Croutons?  Chives?  Cilantro?  Bruschetta?  Roasted cauliflower?  Scallops?  Oyster tempura?  Creme fraiche?  Foie gras wontons?  Or nothing at all...?

Mine depends on the soup. 

As for croutons, I prefer homemade anyday.

Soba

Hot sauce works well with a lot of soups.

[Dee]

I once had the most wonderful pumpkin soup baked right inside the pumpkin. It had leeks, fennel, toasted bread croutons and chunks of gruyere cheese. Definitely comfort food!

[KAPDADDY]

Crab corn chowder

Chicken noodle

Beef stew

[tanabutler]

Yesterday I made the very simple Tassajara recipe for green bean soup.

LEMON BUTTER BASIL

In the food processor, 1-1/2 cups basil with a stick of butter, 1/4 teaspoon salt, the juice and zest of one Meyer lemon. Let sit to gather flavor while cooking the beans.

GREEN BEAN SOUP

Sauté one chopped white onion in 4 TBL. butter until completely soft. Into boiling, lightly salted water, throw 2 pounds of green beans. When they are tender and still bright green, strain them and rinse with the coldest water possible, to stop cooking. In a big pot, toss the beans with the onions, and 2 quarts of stock (I used vegetable bouillon and green bean cooking water). Cook 15 minutes over medium heat, then purée in the blender.

Top with a dollop of lemon basil-butter (or blend the whole business into the soup) and a few tendrils of basil chiffonade.

----------------

Other favorites I love to make:

Mushroom soup

Tuscan white bean with rosemary croutons (Greens cookbook)

Carrot-cashew soup with ginger (the original Moosewood cookbook)

Butternut squash with shiitake mushrooms and curry

Oyster chowder

Tomato soup with coconut and curry (Molly Katzen's Still Life with Menu)

Roasted corn with lime-chile cream (Bobby Flay's Bold American Food)

French onion soup

Tuscan bread soup

Moosewood recipe for vegetable chowder using only fresh, perfect summer garden vegetables (peas, corn, beans, etc.)

Potato soup

Cream of spinach soup (likewise chard soup, mmmm)

Cream of red pepper soup (Molly Katzen's Still Life with Menu)

Oh, and I make turkey soup after Thanksgiving. I will not put rice in it—that's so lunchroom. Instead, I use oranges, shiitakes, and the same herbs I use on the bird (rosemary, sage, thyme, tarragon), and very thinly sliced celery. I've sometimes added the leftover dressing (with shiitakes and pine nuts), and that's fantastic, too. (The oranges I put in whole, and cook them that way. When the soup is ready, I juice the oranges into it.)

In restaurants, I love lobster bisque, clam chowder, avgolemono, vischysoisse, hot and sour, Tom Ka Gai, cheese soup, borscht, and this one Italian soup: a very very light broth with roasted chicken, slivers of garlic, lots of pepper, and tortellini.

Making soup is one of my favorite ways to spend time in the kitchen.

[Basilgirl]

Here's the white cheddar & ale recipe in a nutshell: Saute a mess of chopped shallots and some garlic in a lot of butter. Add a little flour and make a light roux. Add 12 oz. of ale/beer and let simmer for a little while. Drink the rest of the beer and then drink another one. Add some chicken broth. Let simmer for awhile. Gradually stir in grated white cheddar - 2 cups or so. Add a little cream if you want to be really decadent. Top with country ham crunchies or proscuitto crunchies. I also usually put in a little lemon juice and some hot sauce.

Tried your recipe today with great success. Just the smell alone created a sensation and it is garnering rave reviews. I am looking out a window at a full winterscape, five inches of snow and quite cold. Thank you for for my warm, satisfied belly. Suddenly, outside doesn't seem so bad.

Tam: Just saw your post. This makes me very happy. That is always the first soup to be made in my house when cold weather hits. Glad you like it.

[FistFullaRoux]

Presented with any more than one of these choices means I order two bowls of soup as dinner:

Okay, since I'm not sure if gumbo counts as soup or not, I'm listing it anyway. And it has to be chicken and sausage. Either smoked or fresh pork sausage.

I love potato soups. Made with whatever extras you want.

Big hearty bowls of corn soup (essentially vegetable beef soup made with brisket and only corn) - with tomatoes

And also tied at the top of the list is tortilla soup.

I live in a ramen free zone. I was too poor for too long to go back to those salty little bastards.

edit=fixed typo

Edited November 5, 2003 by FistFullaRoux (log)

[bourdain]

Portugese Kale (and Chorizo) Soup

Soup de Poisson with rouille, crouton and parmegan garnish

Potato Leek

New England Clam Chowder

Any Thai soup

Any Vietnamese soup