Time to cuddle up and enjoy some comforting soup.
Written by Becky Ellis / Photographed by Sara Schober / Photo Above: Grilled Artichoke Soup.
Grilled artichoke soup
Makes 4 servings
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 leeks, rinsed well, sliced thin, white part only
- 1 medium shallot, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup celery, finely diced
- 1 cup peeled and diced Yukon Gold potatoes
- 1 (14.6 oz) jar grilled artichoke hearts, drained well
- 3 cups chicken stock
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Garnish for each bowl: 2 teaspoons sour cream, 1½ teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese, and snipped fresh chives
Melt butter in a large pot. Add leeks and shallot and sauté over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add garlic and lower heat to medium-low. Heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add celery and sauté 1 minute. Add potatoes, grilled artichoke hearts, chicken stock, salt, pepper, thyme and lemon juice. Stir.
Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer until potatoes are very tender, about 20-25 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow soup to cool for 15 minutes. Place half of soup in blender container, cover and blend for one minute. Soup should be very well pureed. Pour blended soup into a large pot.
Place the rest of the soup in the blender, cover and blend for one minute. Pour soup in the large pot with the rest of the blended soup.
Heat soup over low heat for 3 minutes.
Serve in soup bowls, garnished with sour cream and sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese and snipped fresh chives.
Southwestern Corn and Bean Soup
This recipe is compliments of Judy Gearing, my dear friend and cook extraordinaire!
Enjoy this original vegetarian recipe or add shredded chicken or browned ground beef for a hearty meal. You can add chopped avocado and cilantro as garnish and serve with tortilla or corn chips. Ready in 15 minutes.
Makes 5 cups
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup frozen corn
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 (14 oz) can unsalted vegetable broth* (14 oz can=1¾ cups)
- 1 (15-19 oz) can reduced-sodium black beans, rinsed
- 1 (14.5 oz can) diced Rotel tomatoes and green chilies (do not drain)
- Lime wedges and sour cream for garnish
Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium-high. Add onion, cumin, garlic, and oregano; cook 1½ minutes. Stir in corn, pepper, broth, beans, and tomatoes with liquid; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Serve with lime wedges and dollops of sour cream.
Melting Parmesan Roasted Red Pepper Bisque
This bisque is thinner than traditional bisque. The Parmesan in the breadcrumbs melt into the bisque.
Makes 4 servings
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1½ cups fresh breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ cup finely chopped onion
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeds removed
- 1½ cups vegetable broth
- 1 cup Cento San Marzano crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- Garnish: chiffonade basil
Preheat oven to 350°.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Spread breadcrumbs on the parchment paper. Drizzle melted butter over the breadcrumbs and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Toss breadcrumbs with butter and cheese to coat the breadcrumbs with butter and cheese. Bake for 7 minutes in preheated oven. Toss breadcrumbs halfway through baking. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
Place olive oil in a sauté pan. Heat over medium-low heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook and stir until onions are soft and transparent, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Chop roasted red peppers into chunks. Place red peppers, onion and garlic in a blender container. Cover blender container and blend on low speed until pureed. Add vegetable broth. Blend on low speed until broth is incorporated with other ingredients. Add tomatoes. Blend on low speed until pureed.
Strain bisque through a fine mesh strainer into a medium size saucepan, using a large spoon to help push bisque through strainer.
Add heavy cream, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, and balsamic vinegar to bisque. Stir and heat over medium-low heat.
To serve: Pour bisque into soup bowls. Sprinkle each bowl of bisque with 4 tablespoons Parmesan breadcrumbs. Sprinkle with chiffonade basil.
Note:
Judy makes vegetable broth with Better Than Bouillon vegetable broth paste—very flavorful—instead of using canned vegetable broth.
