Soup, Glorious Soup

The holidays are just around the corner and I’m starting to think about menus for my family’s Thanksgiving/Christmas feasts

I always love to start the meal with a Soup. I think it’s very elegant and brings a certain formality to the start of a meal after getting everyone to the table. People tend to settle down and focus on what is placed before them and more importantly, the flavors presented. I think it has a very calming effect.

And so today, I began the wonderfully relaxing and creative process of meandering my way through my collection of recipes from holidays past and favorite cookbooks, and of course, the ubiquitous epicurious.com.

I like to serve soup either in big and wonderfully oversized white bowls, or quite the contrary, in small white demitasse cups.

Take a look at some of the wonderful things I’m considering for this year. Which one would suit your palette?

Craig Claiborne’s Crème Crecy (Cream of Carrot Soup)

1lb. (8-10) carrots

1lb. (3-5) potatoes

2 TBS. butter

½ c. coarsely chopped onion

6c. fresh or canned chicken broth

2sprigs fresh thyme, or ½ tsp dried

1bay leaf

1 c. heavy cream

1/8 tsp Tabasco, or, to taste

½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp sugar

salt & freshly ground pepper

1 c. cold whole milk

Trim off the ends of the carrots. Pare both carrots & potatoes, then carrots into rounds and cube potatoes. Set aside.

Heat the butter in a large pot and add onion. Cook briefly, stirring.

Add the carrots, potatoes and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add thyme and bay leaf. Bring to the boil and simmer 30-40 minutes or until carrots and potatoes are tender.

Put mixture through a food mill and chill for 3-4 hours to set the flavors. Put in the container of a food processor or electric blender and blend. This may have to be done in 2 stages.

After blending, transfer mixture to saucepan if you are going to serve hot. Bring to a boil and then add remaining ingredients. If you are going to serve it cold, transfer mixture to a bowl, add remaining ingredients and chill thoroughly. Serves 6-8

Food & Wine’s Velvety Beet Soup November 2002

3 lbs. medium red beets

2 large parsnips

2 large carrots

1 ¾ lb. celery root

4 TBS. unsalted butter

½ c. water

salt and freshly ground white pepper

7 c. chicken stock

¼ c. balsamic vinegar

Green Tabasco Sauce

Preheat oven to 375. Wrap beets in 2 sheets heavy-duty foil. Set the packages on a baking sheet and roast beets for 1 ½ hours, or until tender. Let cool in the foil.

Meanwhile, peel the parsnips, carrots and celery root; cut into ¼” dice. In a large skillet, melt the butter in the water. Add the diced vegetables and cook over moderate heat until almost tender, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper and remove from heat.

Peel and quarter the roasted beets. Working in batches, in a blender, puree the beets and stock until very smooth. Transfer to large saucepan. Stir in the vinegar, season with salt, white pepper and green Tabasco. Add parsnips, carrots and celery root and simmer over moderate heat for 5 min before serving. The soup can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Serve with crème fraiche and fresh beet sprouts.

House Beautiful’s Butternut Squash Soup with Leeks

(November 1999)

6 TBS. butter

4 leeks, white part only, coarsely chopped, plus inner green leaves of 2 leeks, julienned (will be used for the garnish)

1large onion, peeled and roughly chopped

4 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed

10 c. chicken stock or broth

1/3 c. rolled oats

½ tsp cayenne pepper

salt

1 c. vegetable oil

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the white part of the leeks and onion. Sauté, stirring constantly until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the squash, chicken stock, oats and cayenne. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until squash is tender, about 20 minutes. Puree the soup in a blender, then return to the pot. Add salt to taste. Keep warm over low heat.

For the garnish, heat vegetable oil in a small heavy saucepan over medium high heat. Add green leeks. Fry until crisp and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fried leeks. Serves 12

Bon Appetit!

Barbara Ashfield