Soup's on!

[Emily Ray]

Fall is definetly here in the the north and for me that means SOUP! Funny as a man never really liked soup and I still don't when it is summer, but now is fall and for the first time since transitioning I have my own kitchen, pots, pans, and dishes. I am learning how to cook! In my entire adult life up till now the extent of my cooking was Mac and Cheese. Now though I am beginning to expand my abilities. Even my eggs have added a mexican flair to them with Cactus, onion, green peppers, tomato, and jalopeno pepper in them. Now though is the season for soup! Yesterday my mom took me grocerie shopping and we bought ham hock and split peas for soup. I cooked up the ham bones last night and this afternoon I am making the soup. The house smells soooo good! I think I will end up with close to a half gallon so I can freeze half of it for next week. I actually think I'm a good cook. I guess after nearly half a century of watching the women around me cook I have learned a thing or two. There can't be much nicer than a bowl of hot soup with a dog resting at your feet in front of a warm fire. I have to imagine the fire , but it is still very nice. Now where did those soup muggs go?

[Joelene9]

  I bumped this tiny thread because the title is appropriate.  I just closed out the warmer part of the garden due to a cold front with freezing temps.  Here's a good soup I've been making for years with my garden produce.  Enjoy!


Vichysoisse
serves 6-8

A versatile thick potato-leek soup with cream.  Can be served hot or cold, with or without cream if on a diet. Can be served lumpy (Julia Child recipe) or smooth from a blender.  A nice cold summer soup or a hot winter warm-up after digging out or in a Thermos at the worksite or at a  dark sky site.  I had leeks in the garden this year as well with the Yukon Gold potatoes. 

2 tbsp butter or oil, if vegetarian.
3 cups chopped leeks.
3 cups potatoes in 3/4" cubes.
1 1/2 Qts chicken broth or vegetable broth.
2 cups heavy cream.
Chopped chives or chopped parsley to garnish.

Leeks:
Cut the leafy tops off, about 1" below. Slice lengthwise from about 1" from root end to the cut end.  Rinse the grit out from between the sections under cold water while separating sections without removing them from the white bulb end.  After rinsing, Cut off the roots as close to the end as you can and discard the roots. 
Chop by slicing crosswise in 1/8" slices, the lenghtwise cut earlier will give them half-moon slices.  Use the white portions only with the little of the lighter green portions.  One cup of the leeks in the recipe can be substituted for 1 cup chopped mild onion. 

Potatoes:
Yukon Gold, red skinned Kennebec or other boiler potatoes.  Julia child recommends the older softened potatoes. Peeled and cut into 3/4" cubes.

In a large heavy bottomed pot, melt the butter or add oil and add the leeks and gently sweat them by stirring often over medium heat.  Do not brown them, takes about 5 minutes.  They will be limpy and translucent. 
Add the potatoes and the broth, bring to a boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are soft.

Lumpy Julia Child method:
When the potatoes are soft, mash them in the pot with a potato masher until the right lumpy/ smooth consistency.

Smooth soup
Your preference or perfect for the thermos:
When the potatoes are done, remove from heat for a few minutes.  Scoop some from the pot into a blender, no more than half full, put the blender top back on and hold it while while you puree it in the blender to a smooth consistency.  This stuff is hot! Pour it into a large bowl, repeat with the rest of the soup. 

Above is the potato-leek soup base.  The cream is added after you chill or heat up the soup.  The leftover base can be frozen to 1 1/2 months for use later.  The leftover finished soup can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days. 
Reheat or chill the soup base, add the cream, stir and serve.  Or you can leave out the cream as an option by putting a pint carton out on the table for your guests.  About 1/4 cup of cream per bowl.  Garnish with fresh chopped chives or chopped parsley. 
Bon Appetit!

Joelene

P.S. This is a good thread for those other soup recipes!

[Ms. OBrien CVT]

for me it is always potato soup with cheese, onion, bacon and sour cream.

[justmeinoz]

The supermarkets here all do a vegetable soup pack with potato, parsnip,carrot, swede,onion and celery. All I have to do then is get a bacon bone from the deli and I am set. Lots made over the winter. Funny how no matter how much I made it never seemed to last long enough to get frozen.

[Elsa]

I LOVE SOUP!!!

and I love making soup espcially ones with a lot of asian flavours having South and South-East Asian influences.

Joelene9 will try Vichysoisse and let you know how it goes. 


Chicken Clear Soup

Ingredients-1    
4 nos    Chicken pieces (with bones)
1   Onion
1   Tomato
1   Carrot
½ cup    Celery (optional)
¼ tsp    Ginger
¼ tsp    Garlic
2 pinch    Turmeric powder
2 pinch    Red chilli powder
¼ tsp    Salt

Ingredients-2    
1 tsp    Ghee / butter
¼ tsp    Cumin seeds
6   Black peppercorns
5   Curry leaves

Ingredients-3    
¼ tsp    Black pepper powder
2 pinch    Salt (or to taste)

Instructions

Wash chicken, roughly chop onions, carrots , celery and tomatoes. Pressure cook chicken, onions, celery, carrots, tomatoes, chopped ginger, garlic with turmeric, red chilli powder, salt and 2 cups water. Cook up to 4 to 5 whistles. Allow the steam to settle and slowly open the cooker. Now take a small pan heat ghee and add cumin seeds, black peppercorns and curry leaves. Let splutter and add this to the soup solution. Strain the broth and discard the solids.  Check for salt and sprinkle pepper powder and serve hot. If desired garnish with finely chopped curry leaves.