Rustic Lyonnais Onion & Lardons Layered Soup

This charming baked soup evokes a rustic French kitchen with its slow caramelized onions, and the kind of earthy, unapologetic rich aromas perfuming the hearthside. It feels “authentic,” a culinary story, a lineage.

Number of portions, 7 servings

Serving size ~350 g

Calories per serving ~445 kcal

Speed: Slow

Experienced cook (active time) 50–55 min

Novice cook (active time) 60–75 min

Total elapsed time 2–2.5 hours

LHSS Score 7.8 / 10

LHSS Score 8.9 / 10 when served with the Coleslaw with Vinaigrette if you eat it first

4 oz fatty bacon cut into lardons

6 small onions (2lbs), thin sliced

1 to 2 sprigs thyme, minced

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

⅓ cup white wine

3½ cups rich beef broth

8oz very thin slices of day-old/stale bread

7 to 8oz Parmesan cheese, sliced thin

¼ + cup cream 

CROUTONS

2 slices of crusty bread (about 1 cup)

2 Tbsps butter

1. Render the fat from the lardons in a saucepan over medium heat until they are evenly golden. 
2. Remove the rendered lardons and set aside.
3. Drain all but 2 Tbsps. of the fat. 
4. Slowly cook the onion in the fat, until it turns a deep brown and is falling apart - all the sweetness of the onion will come out at this point. If using a cast iron or stainless steel pan (recommended), a 'fond' will start to develop as the sugars in the onion begin to caramelize and stick to the pan. Don't avoid this stage, but enter it joyfully - this is where your flavour will come from.
5. Add the thyme, mixing it in.
6. Season with the salt and pepper
7. Stir in the wine and cook down for a few minutes.
8. Add the broth. Scrape up all that wonderful fond and continue simmering for about 30 minutes.
9. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
10. In an oven-ready pot or earthenware casserole dish, make consecutive layers of: 
• thinly sliced bread
• thinly sliced Parmesan
• 1 Tbsp of cream
• some of the bacon
• and repeat, continuing with another bread layer, until the casserole is half full.
11. Last but not least, pour the onions and their stock over all this. 
12. Bake in the oven, covered, for 1 hour.

CROUTONS

1. Cube the bread to make croutons.
2. Over medium heat melt the 2 Tbsps. of butter in a small pan (level of butter should be 1/4 inch) and allow it to heat up completely so that when a cube of bread is put in, it will quietly sizzle.
3. Add the bread cubes and fry, stirring constantly so they brown evenly, about 30 seconds to 1 minutes. 
4. Burns easily!
5. With a slotted spoon remove the croutons. You can use any leftover fat as the base of your next cooking project.
6. When the casserole is baked, remove the dish from the oven, sprinkle the croutons on top and return to the oven to broil until the top is gently bubbling and the croutons nestled in.

Potato Leek Soup

This is my favorite potato and leek soup! The flavours are rounded and soothing, a real comfort food for blustery cold days. It's easy to increase for larger groups - I've added the quantities below.

Servings: 12

1/2 cup butter (4oz/114gr)

4 large leeks (24oz/680g), white and light green parts only, roughly chopped (about 5 cups)

3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

2 lbs. potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped into ½-inch pieces

7 cups water or chicken or vegetable broth

2 bay leaves

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

3/4 cup buttermilk (OR yogurt) and 1/4 cup heavy cream (OR just 1 cup heavy cream)

Chives, finely chopped, for serving

1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. 
2. Over low heat add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, until soft and wilted. This will take a while but it's important that the alliums don't brown but just poach in the butter.
3. Add the potatoes, water/broth, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft.
4. Fish out the thyme sprig and bay leaves, then purée the soup until smooth. 
5. Add the heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If soup is too thin, simmer until thickened. If it's too thick, add water or stock to thin it out. 
6. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired.

Double

228 Grams butter

1.36 Kilograms leeks

6 garlic

1.816 Kilograms potato

3.312 Liters broth

4 bay leaves

6 thyme sprigs

12 Grams salt

4.6 Grams pepper

339 Grams yogurt

119 Grams Cream

Triple

342 Grams butter

2 Kilograms leeks

9 garlic

2724 Grams potato

4.968 Liters broth

6 bay leaves

9 thyme sprigs

18 Grams salt

7 Grams pepper

509 Grams yogurt

179 Grams Cream

Ham and bean soup

A hearty, flavorful soup great to use up leftover ham.

1 lb. dry soup beans (or 2.5lbs canned)
3 Tbsps. oil (leftover fat from the skimming when boiling a ham is choice)
1 onion (6oz/170g) chopped
4 carrots (12oz) chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6-8 cups chicken stock
OPTIONAL: ham bone
(14oz/398mL) diced tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dry oregano

1 tsp dry basil

1 tsp dry thyme 

a generous pinch of hot pepper flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper, to taste
2 cups (5oz/150g) shredded cabbage or kale
2 to 3 cups (350-400gr) diced cooked ham
1 tsp salt, to taste

1. Soak beans overnight then rinse.
2. In a large soup pot sauté the onion and carrots in the oil for 4-5 minutes or until the onion starts to soften. Add the garlic and sauté one more minute.
3. Add the beans, the chicken stock, the ham bone, the tomatoes, bay leaf, herbs and pepper. NOTE: if using kale, add at this point.
4. Bring to a boil then reduce and simmer, covered lightly, for 90 minutes or until the beans are soft.
5. Add the ham and cabbage (if using) and cook for 15-20 minutes more. Adjust the seasoning. Discard the bay leaf and serve.

Lentil Soup with Winter Vegetables

Soups and winter just go so well together. And cool weather crops make for great soup ingredients. Matched with the savory crunch of rendered crispy bacon, the flavor is nicely rounded and hearty.

1 cup lentils du Puy 

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs fresh thyme 

6 oz bacon or just 1⁄4 cup (2oz/58gr) lard 

2 carrots (6oz/170gr), finely diced

1 small celeriac or parsnip (8oz/250gr) or both, finely diced

1 leek or onion (6oz/170gr), finely chopped 

4 cloves garlic, minced  

4 to 5 cups beef stock (30gr of paste concentrate)

1⁄4 tsp pepper

1 1⁄4 tsp salt 

A handful green leaves - spinach or chard or arugula or radish tops, chopped (about 2 to 3oz/75gr)

1. Boil lentils for 30 minutes with bay leaf and thyme in enough water to cover, plus an inch, and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, cut the bacon into match-stick sized lardons and, in your soup pot, render the fat from it. Once the bacon is brown and crispy, remove it and set it aside to sprinkle the crispy savory morsels on top when serving. 
3. To the fat add the carrots, celeriac and onion. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables have softened.
4. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Dump the whole lentil pot into your soup pot, lentils and cooking liquid and all. Add the beef stock, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper and continue cooking until the lentils are tender, about 5 to 10 minutes more.
6. With an immersion blender or by transferring 1⁄3 of the soup to a blender, mash part of the soup to create a different texture in the broth. Add more stock if you find it too thick OR blend more of the lentils if you find it to be too thin.
7. Add greens, and keep warm long enough to let the leaves wilt before serving.

Zuppa di pasta e fagioli

Hearty and warming. I usually don't like pasta that get all fat and soggy, but in this soup it actually works. The starch from the pasta cooking in the soup makes the broth wonderfully silky, and the soft pasta works well with the beans. This is a quick weekday version, but there's a more involved, slower version that makes the beans much more flavorful.

Number of portions: 6 servings
Serving size: ~550 g
Calories per serving: ~395 kcal (reduced from ~430)

1 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for drizzling

2-3 slices bacon (35-50gr), cut into lardons 

5 cloves garlic, smashed

1 small onion (4oz/114g) roughly chopped

¼ tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste

½ tsp fennel seeds

5 fresh plum tomatoes (10oz/285mg) or ½ canned, diced 14oz (398mL) 

2 lb. 5 oz cooked beans like pinto or romano or cannellini 

6 cups water (only 3 cups if using cooked beans)

6 cups light beef broth (1 Tbsp Better Than Bouillon)

2 bay leaves

1 piece parmesan cheese rind (30 to 40g)

1 tsp salt, to taste

1 sprig finely chopped fresh rosemary

1/3 cup (43g) grated parmesan, and more for topping

8oz/230g small pasta such as shells or ditalini or orzo

1 bunch (4 to 8oz) mustard leaves, ribs sliced thin, leaves chopped (can subst. kale and/or chard)

¼ cup roughly chopped fresh parsley

2 Tbsps. olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 to 2 tsps white wine vinegar to drizzle on top

Lots of freshly ground pepper

OPTIONAL - Fresh Croutons

1. Render the lardons in a large soup pot (it makes lots of soup) until lightly brown and crispy. Remove all but 1 Tbsp of fat and add the olive oil. This is to increase heart-healthy practices. If it isn't a concern for you, keep the bacon fat and never mind the rest.
2. Add the garlic, onion, red pepper flakes and fennel seeds. Cook until the onions soften.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until they start to release their juices. If using canned tomato, cook until they start to break down.
4. Add the beans, water, broth, bay leaves and parmesan rind and stems cut away from the greens. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the flavors soften and blend, about 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Return the soup to a boil and add the kale/chard leaves and the pasta and cook until the pasta is cooked. (NOTE: if using mustard greens, they are more delicate and cook more quickly. Wait until pasta is cooked and water level is correct, then add and cook for about 5 minutes.)
6. The soup should be thick and creamy; if too thick, thin with water until you get the consistency you want.
7. Remove the bay leaves and parmesan rind; add the salt, rosemary, the grated parmesan, parsley and remaining 2 Tbsps. olive oil. Adjust seasoning to taste. Top with more olive oil and parmesan and a few grinds of black pepper. Optional is a drizzle of white wine vinegar per serving.
8. Optional 'croutons'. These are not true croutons, just a quick and dirty version. Figure for 1 slice per bowl of soup. Double toast some bread until pretty dry (but not completely), butter while hot, and chop up with a knife. Garnish each bowl of soup.

Slowly Cooked Spiced Red Cabbage Soup

This has Fall and Winter written all over it. All of the main ingredients are late season products or products that keep in the winter: bacon, onion, carrot, apple, cabbage. It has such a warming, comforting flavor, not quite like a dessert but it has all the earmarks of a soothing cold weather soup.

Number of portions: 6 servings
Serving size: ~540 g per serving
Calories per serving: ~410 kcal (mostly from bacon and stock fat)
Speed: Slow Food (hands-on cooking is moderate, but simmering is long and patient)
Experienced cook (active time): 35–45 min
Novice cook (active time): 50–65 min
Total elapsed time: 1 hr 30–1 hr 45 min
LHSS Score: 7.5 / 10

6 slices smoked bacon (approx. 190g), chopped en lardons
1 large onion (10oz/285g) finely diced
1 large carrot (4 to 5oz/145g) finely diced
1 firm, tart apple, finely diced
1½ tsps. caraway seeds
1 small head (1½ lbs.) cabbage, diced (preferably red but just for the appearance)
¼ tsp pepper
⅛ tsp nutmeg
In a cheesecloth bundle collect: 5 or 6 juniper berries; 3 or 4 whole cloves; 2 fresh bay leaves; a strip of fresh lemon or lime peel (grated instead, maybe?); 1 small cinnamon stick
1⁄4 cup plum vinegar or cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
6 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
1 tsp salt

1. In a soup pot render the fat from the bacon until the meat is crisp. Remove the bacon bits and set aside. If there isn't enough fat at the bottom of the pot, add some oil.
2. Add the onion, carrot, apple, and caraway and cook until the onion is soft. 
3. Add the cabbage and season with pepper and nutmeg. Cover and cook just to wilt the cabbage. 
4. Return the bacon to the pot and add the spices, the vinegar, brown sugar, stock, water and salt, and bring to a boil. 
5. Simmer uncovered until the cabbage is very tender and the soup has thickened/reduced, about 1 to 1½ hours.
6. Adjust the salt to your taste.
7. Serve with the Autumn Grain & Green Salad for a LHSS score of ~8.7–9/10.

Silky Rutabaga Velouté

The properties we've been living on here in the Southern Gulf Islands of BC have often been quite wet in the winter, holding water and often becoming waterlogged. Which seems to be ideal conditions for growing rutabaga (not underwater, but very wet soil seems to be fine). We've grown the Marion variety of rutabaga from Salt Spring Seeds, which seems to be very fine flavored and very sweet, without the harsh tang some rutabagas are famous for. 

Number of portions 6

Serving size 500 g

Calories per serving 423

Speed: 

Experienced cook (active time) ~1 hr 20 min

Novice cook (active time) ~1 hr 40

3 Tbsps (42gr) butter

1 medium onion, diced (6oz/170gr)

A meagre pinch of celery seed or 1 stalk celery, diced

2 large rutabagas, peeled and diced (1.5kg)

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth 

2 cups heavy cream

Spice options:

1. ¼ tsp ground chipotle, ¼ tsp paprika, or
2. 1¼ tsp paprika, 1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp ground pepper

Salt to taste

1. Melt the butter in a large pot and add the onion, cooking until browned. Season with salt and add the celery seed. 
2. Add the rutabaga and the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the rutabaga is fork-tender, about 30 minutes. 
3. Add the chipotle and the pepper. Stir well.
4. Process in a blender or food processor until smooth, and pass through a fine mesh sieve to remove any chunks. 
5. Stir in the cream and taste to adjust the seasoning to your liking. 
6. Gently simmer for 15 minutes more before serving.

Beef Barley Stew / Soup

I have a special place in my heart for warming stews. I just love then unctuous, hot, earthy flavors that come from braising grains and vegetables and meat in a rich broth. And I love the chewy/custardy texture of barley. While this is an excellent slow-cooker recipe, it is also perfect for cooking in a far corner of the woodstove over an afternoon.

1½ to 2 lbs beef chuck (sirloin tip, top sirloin, etc) or round beef roast, in ¼" cubes (cut when half-thawed to make it easier)

⅔ tsp tsp salt

¼ tsp ground pepper

1 Tbsp oil

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

6 to 8 oz mushrooms, thin slice

⅔ cup red wine

1 tsp fresh thyme or 2 to 3 sprigs 

1 bay leaf

2 tsps  Dijon mustard

2 to 6 cups beef stock

⅔ cup pearl barley

2 medium carrots, peeled and diced

¼ cup flat leaf parsley chopped

1. Melt/heat the oil in a large pan and when hot, add the meat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sear the meat until it is browned on all sides. Put in the slow cooker.
2. Add oil to the pan if necessary and cook the onion until it is soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook until browning. Dump into the slow cooker.
3. Add the wine to the hot pan a reduce by half or more.
4. Add 2 cups of the broth to the pan and add to the slow cooker, along with the rest of the broth.
5. Add the carrot, the thyme and bay leaf, the mustard and of course the barley.
6. Cook on high for about 6 hours or until beef is perfectly tender.
7. Before serving, stir in the parsley.

Gingered Carrot Soup

I've made this soup several times, and find that there are no alterations required. Big thanks to Maxine Bonneau for creating such a lovely, smooth, sunny recipe for an easy, quick carrot soup.

2 Tbsps. (1oz/28g) butter
2 onions (12oz/340g), peeled and chopped
1 lb 8oz (680g) carrots, sliced
2 Tbsps. grated fresh ginger, divided
6 cups chicken broth (substitute vegetable broth for vegetarian)
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsps. salt, divided, to taste
¼ tsp. pepper

1. In a soup pot, melt the butter and cook the onions, stirring often, until they are soft, translucent, and just beginning to take on a little colour.
2. Add the carrots, 1 Tbsp. of the ginger, and 1 tsp. of the salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5–8 minutes, allowing the carrots to begin softening.
3. Pour in the broth, cover, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots are completely tender.
4. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of ginger and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
5. In a blender, or with an immersion blender, purée until completely smooth. (When I'm feeling particularly picky, I like to first blend it, then run it through a fine strainer.)
6. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the cream. Add the remaining salt and the pepper, tasting and adjusting the seasoning as needed. Reheat until quite hot, but do not boil.

Split Pea Soup

The chemistry in cooking is always fascinating. While it seems odd, adding oatmeal in the mix makes for a luscious, unctuous, creamy soup, unlike the grainy pea soups I've had. While perfectly good made fresh, like stew, the flavours really come out when re-heated on the second day.

2 slices of thick bacon (approx 20g) (or use the cooking water from boiling a ham or the braising liquid from pork steak stew, maybe with a little ham fat)
2 onions (12oz/340gr), chopped
1 tsp of sugar
½ tsp of pepper
12 cups (3.5 quarts) cold water
2 cups (450g) yellow split peas
1 to 3 tsps. of salt (to taste, depends on broth or hock)

4 oz/114g (about 1 generous cup) of quick cook oats
Optional: 1 sprig thyme, 1 bay leaf and/or 1 large carrot

1. Soak the peas in hot water for 2 to 4 hours before using. This helps avoid the odd overly firm pea being left in the soup.
2. Cut the bacon into lardons.
3. Together, combine the lardons and the onion in a soup pot and cook, rendering the fat at medium heat, for about ten minutes.
4. Season with the sugar and pepper, then add the cold water and the drained peas.
5. If using, also add the aromatic(s) and/or the carrot.
6. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the peas become quite soft, about an hour.
7. Add the salt, and slowly stir in the oatmeal to avoid lumping (I'll sometimes use a whisk which also helps the peas break up) and simmer for another twenty minutes.

Curried Acorn Squash Soup

We grow acorn squash pretty much to make this soup. It is delightfully sweet, its curried flavour gently elevated by a hint of dill.

Number of portions: 4

Serving size: ~300 g (just under 1 1/3 cups)

Calories per serving: ~180 kcal

Speed: Everyday Dish / Slow Food hybrid 

Experienced cook (active time): 25 minutes

Novice cook (active time): 40 minutes

Total elapsed time: 60–70 minutes (including squash baking)

LHSS Score: 6.1 / 10

2 lbs acorn squash (+ a little oil)

1 Tbsp (½ oz/14gr) butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
½ teaspoon dry dill weed
¼ teaspoon curry powder (can use more to taste)
1 pinch cayenne pepper
3 cups chicken stock (+ potentially more at the end, see point 6, Veg stock for Vegetarian)
½ cup heavy cream (or 1/4 cup yogurt)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

1. To bake the squash, cut it in half, scoop out the seeds and cover the cut sides with oil. Turn over onto baking sheets and bake at 425°F for 20 to 30 minutes. Allow to cool before scooping out the flesh.
2. Once the squash flesh has been scooped out, sauté the onion in the melted butter. 
3. Add the squash and the herbs, mixing well. 
4. Add the stock, stir to combine, and simmer for 20 minutes.
5. Blend until perfectly smooth.
6. Pour in the cream and mix, and bring the soup back up to a gentle simmer before serving. (add stock to get the consistency of heavy cream)
7. Add salt and pepper, adjust the seasoning, and serve.

Velouté of Turnips

What? Yes, that's right, a cream of turnip soup that even turnip-dislikers will enjoy. Just to be clear, a turnip is small and has white flesh. Often in grocery stores I have see either large, powerful tasting turnips or even large rutabagas (which have yellow flesh) labelled as 'turnip'.

1 leek (6oz/170gr) chopped fine

½ cup (4oz/114gr) butter

2lbs small turnips peeled and diced
4 cups chicken stock (veg stock for vegetarian)
1 cup crème fraîche
¾ to 1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

1. In a soup pot, saute the leek in the melted butter at a very low temperature, so that you're pretty much poaching the leek in the butter. Poach until completely soft.
2. Meanwhile bring the stock to a boil and put in the diced turnips. Set to simmer.
3. When the turnips are thoroughly cooked, dump in the leek and butter, the crème fraîche, the salt and pepper.
4. Blend, season, and pass through a strainer.
5. Adjust the thickness of the soup with whatever liquid remains in the pot.
6. Serve hot with fresh snipped chives.

Herbed Courgette Soup - good hot or cold

I've lifted this recipe pretty much exactly as it's written on the My Gourmet Connection Web site. The version below is merely my personal preference for the options provided in the original. It makes for a tasty soup to bring on a picnic since it's as good hot as it is, cold.

¼ cup (2oz/58gr) butter
1 cup onion, chopped
4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup flour
3½ cups chicken broth (veg stock for Vegetarian)

1½ lbs unpeeled any kind of summer squash - a mix of colours is nice
½ cup cream
1½ Tbsps lemon juice
1½ to 3 Tbsps chopped fresh tarragon OR 1 Tbsp dry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Note: Choose small to medium squash with tender skins and leave them unpeeled for both extra colour and nutritional value.

1. Cut the squash into small (½") cubes and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute longer.
3. Add the flour to combine and, stirring continuously, cook until the flour is pale golden in colour, 3 to 4 minutes. 
4. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
5. Add the squash and season with salt and pepper. (If using dry tarragon, add now and mix in). Cover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
6. Remove the soup from the heat and purée until smooth. Return the pot to the stove, stir in the cream and lemon juice and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Taste and adjust the seasoning, add the tarragon, ladle into serving bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream if desired.
8. OR allow to cool completely and serve with freshly chopped tarragon sprinkled on top.

DuPuy Lentil Soup

A simple wintery soup. I've indicated "beef broth concentrate" in the recipe, but any very rich beef broth will do. Just make sure the flavours are big and bold or they'll get lost in the warm richness of the other flavours.

Servings : 6

180g of bacon cut in small cubes (retain 4 Tbsps. of the rendered bacon fat)
5 onions, chopped (approx 800gr)
3 Bay laurel leaves
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
6 garlic cloves, minced
1½ cup DuPuy lentils
8 cups water
1½ Tbsp beef broth concentrate
¾ tsp salt

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Ground black pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste

1. In a large casserole slowly render the bacon until it is brown and crispy. Cook the onion in the hot fat, along with the Bay leaves and cumin until the onion is tender. (Cooking the onions over low heat for a long time allows for the sweetness of the onion to come through). 
2. Add the garlic and cook another 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Toast the lentils in the hot bacon fat and onion mix for 2 to 3 minute.
4. Add a bit of the water to start and scrape up as much of the fond that developed from browning the onions as you can, then add the rest of the water and beef broth concentrate and bring to a boil. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until the lentils are completely soft.
5. Optional: Once the lentils are cooked, you can blend about a quarter of the soup. This will make it thicker.
6. Stir back in the rendered bacon, along with the salt, pepper and vinegar.
7. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
8. Serve with ground black pepper on top and, if desired, a few drops of hot sauce.

Velouté aux chanterelles - Wild Mushroom Soup

Our friend Lorenzo honoured us this weekend by bringing us to the spots where he picks wild chanterelle mushrooms. He informed us that it's a bit early in the season, but with his help we managed to harvest a little over a kilogram of the delicate flavoured beauties. Since they are specialty foods, and expensive, I've never cooked with them before, but I think this soup is a good starting place. It is mildly creamy, a little sweet, and gently mushroomy.

1 Tbsp (½ oz/14gr) butter
1 shallot, finely diced
2 tsps flour
2 cups chicken broth (veg broth for Vegetarian)
¾ cup white wine
2 Tbsps finely chopped fresh parsley
¼ tsp finely chopped fresh thyme
7 oz fresh chanterelles
½ cup milk
½ cup crème fraîche
¼ tsp salt
Pepper, to taste

1. In a soup pot melt the butter and add the shallot and flour. Cook until the butter bubbles and foams and the flour starts to go blond.
2. Add the chicken stock, white wine, parsley and thyme. Bring to a slow boil, then cover and gently simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, shred the chanterelle mushrooms. At the end of the 15 minutes, add the mushrooms to the broth, and cook another 5 minutes. Bring to a slow boil.
4. Low the heat to minimum. Add the milk, crème fraîche and salt. Gently simmer another 5 minutes.
5. OPTION - at this point, you can either run the mixture in a blender for a velouté, or serve immediately with it all chunky.
6. Before serving, grind some fresh black pepper on top.

Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup

This is such a comforting soup. I like to finely dice the gingerroot so that I get small bursts of ginger while I'm eating my soup. It is definitely warming and good for cold and rainy or wintery weather. Can be made with Olive Oil instead of butter.

2 lbs carrots, peeled and cut into 2" lengths
2 + 2 Tbsps. olive oil
1 onion, diced (6oz/170g)
2 large rib celery, diced (to yield about ½ cup) or a good pinch celery seeds
1" piece of fresh ginger, tiny dice (not grated)
8 cups chicken or veg broth
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
Chopped fresh chives or chervil for garnish (optional)

1. Heat the oven to 375°F.
2. Drizzle the carrots with the oil and place them on a baking dish in a single layer. Roast them in the oven until they start to blister and brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. Browning is essential for flavour.
3. Meantime, in a soup pot, start to cook the onion in butter until it's soft, about 2 to 3 minutes. 
4. Stir in the celery and ginger and and continue to cook until the onions start to brown, about 5 minutes. 
5. Add the roasted carrots, broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and let vigorously simmer until the carrots are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. 
6. Let the soup cool before putting in the blender - hot liquid makes the air expand in the blender urn and the liquid can explode out of the blender and burn.
7. Purée the soup in batches in the blender (also, don't overfill the blender).
8. To serve, return the soup to the pot and reheat it over a gentle flame. Garnish with the chives or chervil. 

Zuppa di salsiccia

This is such a lovely and simple soup. I have a note on this at the bottom, but it bears mentioning several times because it really makes a difference - save your Parmesan rinds and add to the soup while it simmers. It's delicious! I called this soup simply Italian Sausage, Chard and Cannellini Bean Soup, but Ben felt that it didn't have enough mystique. So I called it Zuppa di salsiccia, which Google Translate says means Sausage Soup.

1 or 2 Tbsps olive oil or bacon fat
1 lb spicy Italian sausage
1 onion (6oz/170gr) chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup white wine
6 to 8 cups chicken stock
OPTIONAL: Parmesan cheese rind
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp ground fennel
4 cans Cannellini beans, drained OR 16oz dry beans
Tender leafy greens such as Swiss chard or Turnip greens or young nettle tops, about 250g
Salt, to taste (if you follow the NOTE, consider adding less salt, since the Parmesan rind will add saltiness)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. If using dry beans, soak them the night before.
2. Drizzle the oil in a soup pot and squeeze the sausage out of their casings into it, then turn on the heat. When the sausage meat starts to sizzle, add the onions and mix to break up the sausage, then let cook until onions are soft and the sausage begins to brown. You will notice a stage when a lot of liquid is liberated from the sausage and the onion - the browning begins once this excess water is cooked off. (If you want to reduce the fat, you put the cooked sausage and onion mix in a colander and rinse with hot water).
3. Scrape the browned sausage bits off the bottom of the pan as the mixture cooks. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute more. 
4. Deglaze the pan by adding the white wine and cook until almost all gone, then add the chicken stock, making sure to scrape off as much of the sausage that may still be sticking to the bottom of the pot. If using, add the cheese rind. Increase the temperature to bring to a boil.
5. Meanwhile, add the beans, the fennel seeds and the basil. If using dry beans, cook the soup for one hour or until the beans are tender.
6. Wash the chard, and cut out the stems. Slice the stems very fine, and add them to the soup. Once it starts to boil, reduce the temperature and let it simmer for about a half hour.
7. While the soup simmers, lay out the chard leaves on top of each other, fold lengthwise once or twice, and cut into thin ribbons, about ¼" wide.
8. When the soup has simmered at least 30 minutes, add the chard ribbons and simmer for another 10 minutes more, or until the chard is softened and the flavours have come out. Serve the soup hot, with freshly grated Parmesan cheese - the cheese adds to the flavour of the soup (see NOTE).

NOTE: If you happen to have a Parmesan rind in the fridge, add it to the soup when you first start simmering for added flavour.

Chłodnik - Polish Cold Yoghurt Beet Soup

This makes an unusual, violent pink soup that is beautiful and delicious. It's great for a lunch on early fall days, with the warm, buttered potatoes and the cool, colourful soup.

Serves 8

One bunch of young beets with leaves (about 6)
1 tsp lemon juice, to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
5 cups of boiling water
1 English cucumber, quartered and finely diced
about 10 radishes, halved and sliced
4 spring onion tops or chives, chopped (40 to 60g)
A small bunch of dill, minced
4 cups natural yogurt or cultured buttermilk
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
golden caster sugar to taste - optional
4 to 6 hard boiled eggs to serve
1 to 1½ kg cooked baby potatoes to serve
1 Tbsp (½ oz/14gr) butter for potatoes

1. Wash beet leaves, stems and roots. Peel roots and dice them, chop leaves and stems (if there are lots of leaves use only half).
2. Boil water, add beet material along with garlic and lemon juice. Cook covered until beets are soft but still crunchy.
3. Remove from heat, add cucumber, radishes, half of the dill (reserve the rest to sprinkle over potatoes), spring onions and set aside to cool down a bit. Add yogurt (or buttermilk), season to taste with salt, pepper (and sugar if using, but good young beets should be plenty sweet already) and place in the fridge for at least an hour.
4. Serve chilled with freshly cooked baby potatoes topped with butter and dill and hard boiled eggs on the side.
5. Add more boiled water if the soup is too thick or too intense in flavour.
6. If you have too many beetroot leaves, wash and chop them and freeze to use later in different soups.

Macho Mushroom Soup - Acquacotta

The original asks for porcini but who the hell can afford a lb of fresh porcini mushrooms! Gosh, I sure would like to be one of them, though. Anyway, I suppose this is a completely inauthentic version since I just use any old mushroom - usually button or Parisian mushrooms, plain old white, but you know what? It's still quick, easy, and friggin' delicious.

¼ cup olive oil

1 white onion, coarsely chopped

1 lb. fresh mushroom, cleaned and coarsely chopped

1 bunch spinach (approx 12oz), washed, stemmed and chopped

1 fresh chilli pepper, minced

2½ cups water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmigiano cheese, for sprinkling

1. Heat up the olive oil in a deep saucepan. Add the onion and cook until soft. Then add the chopped mushrooms and chopped spinach and mix together. Add the chile pepper, salt, and pepper.
2. Add the water, enough to cover the vegetables. Simmer for approximately 15 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with Parmigiano cheese just before serving.

Potage Fontange (Mixed Vegetable Soup)

This is a soup which was eaten at Giverny, Monet's country home where grows to this day the garden that inspired so many of his paintings. I've leaped into the book Monet's Table once again and tried a couple more recipes. I've made substitutions to this soup just because some of the ingredients are a little challenging to find here - not impossible, just not at the grocery store nearby. I've indicated the substitutions as well as the original ingredients for the sake of keeping a record - my additions are in parentheses and italicized.

Part 1 - the peas

2 cups dried green or yellow (split) peas

Part 2 - the soup

2 Tbsps (28gr) of butter

1 onion (6oz/170g) thinly sliced

2 leeks (12oz/340gr) white parts only, thinly sliced

½ lb sorrel (or ½ lb spinach, plus 1 Tbsp lemon juice added later) trimmed and shredded

1 head iceberg (or romaine) lettuce (550g) trimmed and shredded (or 300g Swiss chard, thick midribs removed)

3 sprigs chervil (or 1 Tbsp finely chopped French tarragon or parsley), finely chopped

2 potatoes (16oz) peeled and cut in half (or quarters for a piece in each bowl)

6 cups rich beef broth (or any broth) or water

½ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

Part 3 - the cream

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2 egg yolks

1 cup crème fraîche, full fat yogurt or heavy cream (maybe just ½ cup?)

½ cup (4oz/114gr) butter, gently melted and allowed to cool 1 to 2 minutes

Bread to accompany the soup

1. The split peas: Soak the dried peas in water for 2 hours (I put it in a pot and left it on the stove at the lowest temperature, just to keep the water hot but not boiling to make this go faster) then drain.
2. The soup: In the meantime, melt 2 Tbsps of butter in the soup pot. Add the onion, leeks, sorrel (or spinach, not the lemon juice yet), lettuce (or chard) and chervil. Cook over low heat until the veg are well coated; do not let them brown.
3. Add the split peas and potatoes, give it a good stir, then add the broth. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer gently for 60–120 minutes, or until the split peas are completely soft and beginning to break down.
4. (If using spinach, add the lemon juice now). At this point you have two choices: 1) strain the soup (using a vegetable mill or forced through a sieve using a wooden spoon) or 2) keep it chunky where it's recommended you break up the potato with the back of a spoon and mix it in. Either way, you'll then need to make the cream, and for this you must...
5. The cream: The purpose of this step is to enrich the soup with a classic French liaison — it will give the finished soup a velvety, rounded quality that sets it apart from a plain pea potage. 
1. Beat the softened butter with a wooden spoon until it is completely smooth with no lumps.
2. Beat the dairy and egg yolks together in a bowl. in the crème fraîche or cream a little at a time until fully incorporated, then beat in the egg yolks one at a time. 
3. While whisking continuously, stream in the melted butter into the dairy/yolk bowl. The mixture should look uniform and creamy. 
4. 
   
5. Place this cream either in a warmed soup tureen or divide it among individual bowls. NOTE: Your soup must be very hot when you pour it on top — ladle a small amount of the hot soup over the cream first, stirring it directly into the cream to begin warming it gradually, then pour or ladle the rest of the soup over slowly, continuing to stir as you go. This gradual approach warms the egg yolks gently without scrambling them, and brings the whole thing together into a rich, unified soup.
6. Enjoy with crusty bread.