Archive for Soups
September 22, 2008 at 3:58 pm
· Filed under Soups, Vegan
I found this in Nami-Nami’s lovely Estonian cooking blog. I haven’t yet tried it, but I think it sounds wonderful and it will go on the stove when the first cold day arrives.
Meatless sauerkraut soup
(Lihata hapukapsasupp)
3 litres of water
1 kg fresh sauerkraut*
100-200 grams vegetable oil, lard or butter
1-2 large onions
3-4 carrots
1 Tbsp concentrated tomato paste
1-2 chopped floury potatoes
2-3 bay leaves
salt
black pepper
sugar
sour cream to serve
Drain the extra liquid from the sauerkraut, put aside (you may need this to make the soup more sour later on). Rinse lightly under cold water.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the cabbage and pour over enough boiling water to cover by a few centimetres. Bring to the boil, add 2 chopped carrots, diced onion, tomato paste, chopped potatoes and bay leaves. Simmer for 1-1.5 hours, until the cabbage is tender. Add the rest of the boiling water in batches during simmering.
Season with salt. Taste the soup – if it is too sharp and sour, add some sugar. If you think it’s not sour enough, add some of the preserved draining liquid. Being a sauerkraut soup, it’s supposed to be sour, of course. But you’re not aiming for gut-scratching sharp and sour that gives you tummy troubles later.
Add 1-2 finely grated carrots for some crunch and colour, and garnish with a dollop of sour cream.
Serve with rye bread.
* Sauerkraut is available either “fresh” or canned. The latter has been partially cooked already, so needs less simmering time. It also tends to be less sour.
Nami-Nami
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August 21, 2008 at 6:47 pm
· Filed under Soups
Summertime soup
This cool treat bursts with antioxidants in pumpkin, onions, bananas and peanuts, and it has a touch of cinnamon to lower blood sugar.
Cool Caribbean Pumpkin Soup
1 Tb. each, canola oil and butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp. each, cinnamon and ground cumin
5 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 15-ounce can pumpkin (not pie filling)
2 ripe bananas, sliced
1 cup coconut milk
Garnish: 3 Tbs. mango chutney, or more to taste
Heat oil and butter in a medium saucepan. Sauté onion until soft. Add spices and sauté 1 minute, stirring. Turn heat to low; add broth, peanut butter and pumpkin, and stir until peanut butter is dissolved.
Cool for at least 15 minutes in a large bowl. Put half of the soup in a blender; add 1 banana and 1/2 cup coconut milk. Carefully process until smooth. Put it in another bowl. Repeat with other half. Chill soup 1 hour or more. Serve with a dollop of chutney.
Serves 10
Per serving: 206 calories, 17g carbohydrates, 6g protein, 14g fat (6g saturated), 3mg cholesterol, 5g fiber, 268mg sodium
USA Weekend magazine
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July 23, 2008 at 1:13 pm
· Filed under Soups, Vegan
Escape the heat with a refreshing bowl of gazpacho.
Prep: 15 minutes Total: 20 minutes plus marinating
Ingredients
Serves 4.
- 2 pounds yellow heirloom tomatoes, cored and quartered
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium yellow squash (6 ounces), halved lengthwise and thickly sliced
- 1 yellow bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, cut into large chunks
- 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup carrot juice (fresh or canned)
- 3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Coarse salt
- 1 avocado
- 1 small red heirloom tomato
Directions
- In a food processor or blender, working in batches, combine yellow tomatoes, onion, squash, bell pepper, garlic, carrot juice, vinegar, and oil. Pulse until finely pureed. Season with salt. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.
- At serving time, halve, pit, and dice the avocado. Core and dice the red tomato. Serve soup in chilled bowls topped with avocado and tomato.
Whole Living
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July 20, 2008 at 1:04 am
· Filed under Beans, Soups, Stews, Vegan
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped,
- 4 medium zucchini, diced
- 1 can (35 ounce) whole peeled tomatoes, drained
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- couscous, cooked according to package directions
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Lower the heat and sauté the garlic and onion for 5 minutes until translucent. Add the green pepper and cook 5 minutes more. Add the zucchini and cook for 15 minutes. Crush the tomatoes as you add them to the vegetable mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook for another 20 minutes or until the zucchini is soft and translucent but still holds its shape. Stir in the chickpeas and capers and cook for another 5 minutes until the mixture is heated through. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve over couscous.
Serves 4–6
From Whole Foods Market
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January 22, 2008 at 3:24 am
· Filed under Soups, Vegan
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 Tablespoons capers rinsed
- pinch of red pepper flakes or to taste
- 3 large yellow bell peppers cored, seeded, and cut into big pieces
- salt
- 2 vegetable or beef stock
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until golden, stirring often, for about 10 minutes. Add 1 Tablespoon of capers and the red pepper flakes, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring often.
Add yellow peppers and salt, cover, and cook 10 minutes, shaking often. Add stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes–until the peppers are soft.
Puree the mixture, then strain back into the saucepan. Ladle into bowls, garnish each with a few capers, and serve.
Soup Song
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January 21, 2008 at 2:38 pm
· Filed under Fruit, Soups
- 1 medium cantaloupe – peeled, seeded and cubed
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Peel, seed, and cube the cantaloupe.
- Place cantaloupe and 1/2 cup orange juice in a blender or food processor; cover, and process until smooth.
- Place yogurt in a large bowl and beat with a whisk until light and smooth. Stir in melon mixture, lime juice, cinnamon, and remaining orange juice. Cover, and refrigerate for at least three hours. Garnish with mint if desired.
Adapted from Vegetarian Times 61 Quick & Healthy Recipes, page 23.
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November 8, 2007 at 7:52 pm
· Filed under Fruit, Soups, Squash, Vegan
This soup is one of my favorites. Simple, easy and – especially on a snowy winter day – it makes the whole place smell wonderful.
2 cups butternut, buttercup or other winter squash, peeled, seeded & chopped
2 cups sweet potato, peeled & chopped
3 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored & chopped (Spartan, Macintosh or similar)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups water or just enough to cover apples and veggies
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon Chinese 5 spice or pumpkin pie spice
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Bring the vegetables, apples and water to a boil in a saucepan on high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. Add the seasonings and use a blender to process the mixture. Heat in the saucepan again on low heat until hot. Keeps 3 – 5 days refrigerated. Serves 6.
Notes: “Winter squash” is used to describe hard-shelled varieties that be stored for months; it is distinct from thin-skinned “summer squash” such as zucchini and pattypan. Of course, these days, both types are available year-round. Pumpkin pie spice is a mixture of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, allspice and nutmeg.
I found this recipe on SOAR (The Searchable Online Archive of Recipes), a site that has evolved into RecipeSource.com. The original posting gives credit to Jeanne Marie Martin’s Vegan Delights.
Texas Wren’s RecipeCrossing
Unofficial Support
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September 1, 2007 at 1:54 am
· Filed under Soups, Vegan
Tomato and Bread Soup
3 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 large garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with ½ teaspoon salt
2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped (some like to deseed them as well)
1/2 lb. of STALE white bread, crusts removed, broken into pieces – do NOT use pre-packaged sliced bread it will go horribly slimy, use country bread like ciabatta, bloomer, sourdough etc.
1 1/2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
10 -12 fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
~~~~~
Extra virgin olive oil, basil leaves, Parmesan shavings – for serving/garnish
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté the garlic gently without letting it brown, then add the tomatoes, basil and bread (tear the basil leaves with your fingers, NEVER chop basil with a knife or scissors it changes the flavour).
Add the stock, little by little, stirring and mashing the bread down until the mixture begins to resemble a porridge, pour in any remaining stock. Taste and season. Garnish with a swirl of olive oil, extra torn basil, and some shavings of Parmesan.
This can be served hot, warm or cold but I think it is at its best at room temperature on a hot day. It can be made a day ahead and reheats beautifully, but doesn’t freeze well.
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May 31, 2007 at 3:42 am
· Filed under Dairy, Soups
2 T. butter
2 c. chopped onion
2 c. peeled, seeded, cubed cucumbers
3 c. tomatoes, peeled, cored & cubed
3 basil leaves or 1 tsp. dried
2 c. chicken broth
2 c. yogurt
salt
1 tsp. chopped fresh mint (Optional)
1. Melt butter in a saucepan and add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes but do not brown.
2. Add the cucumber, tomatoes, basil & chicken broth. Cook, stirring frequently, about 30 minutes.
3. Put the mixture, including the vegetable solids, through a sieve or blend in an electric blender.
4. Empty the mixture into a bowl and add yogurt & salt to taste. Chill thoroughly. Add the mint & serve. Yield: 6 servings.
Originally published in the New York Times on July 27, 1975.
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May 24, 2007 at 7:01 pm
· Filed under Eggplant, Soups, Squash
Noni says, “I make double batches — last night’s new batch has some celery in it and I used stewed tomatoes instead of whole. Enjoy!”
1 cup water
1 1/4 cups eggplant, peeled and cubed
1 (14 1/2 oz) can no salt added whole tomatoes undrained and chopped
1/2 can diced mushrooms drained (I use fresh)
1 garlic clove minced
3/4 cups zucchini coarsely chopped (I just slice small)
1/2 tsp dried italian seasoning
1/8 tsp pepper (I use more)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Combine the first nine ingredients in a large pan stirring well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Cook for about 25 minutes until veggies are tender. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cheese. Makes 4 servings.
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May 22, 2007 at 2:27 pm
· Filed under Fruit, Soups, Vegan
Mark Bittman says this is “the mildest, most delicious, creamiest gazpacho I’ve ever tasted. Make sure to use ripe cantaloupe and tomato at the height of the summer for the best results.”
• 4 tomatoes (about 11/2 pounds), peeled and seeded
• One 3-pound cantaloupe
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Juice of 1 lemon
1. Cut the tomato flesh into 1-inch chunks. Seed the melon and remove the flesh from the rind; cut it into chunks. Put a tablespoon of olive oil in each of two 10- or 12-inch skillets and turn the heat under both to high (you can do this sequentially if you have only one skillet). Add the melon to one skillet and the tomatoes to the other and cook, stirring, until they become juicy, no longer than 2 minutes.
2. In a blender, puree the melon, tomato, 11/2 cups water or 1 cup water plus 1/2 cup ice cubes, and the basil, along with some salt and pepper. Chill, then add lemon juice to taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve. Serves 4
Time: 20 minutes, plus time to chill.
From “Mark Bittman’s Quick and Easy Recipes from The New York Times” by Mark Bittman.
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February 5, 2007 at 6:43 pm
· Filed under Soups
“Since I just finished a bowl of this soup, I thought I’d post a recipe that I’ve made many times and that everyone always loves.”
3 Tbs. butter
1 medium onion, sliced
1 garlic clove
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup orange juice
2 Tbs. raw white rice
salt and pepper to taste
1. In large saucepan, heat butter over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic until soft but not brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Add ginger and carrots, and sauté 5 minutes longer.
2. Stir in broth, orange juice, and rice, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Allow to cool, then purée in batches in food processor or blender. Add salt to and pepper to taste. Reheat before serving. Serves 6.
Per serving: 140 calories, 2g protein, 6g total fat (3.5g saturated fat), 20g carbohydrates, 15mg cholesterol, 340mg sodium, 3g fiber, 10g sugars.
TexasWren’s Soups
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February 4, 2007 at 7:38 am
· Filed under Soups
This is a classic Spanish soup. It is delicious and wonderful, especially in the summer when everything is so fresh. There are a lot of ingredients, but prep is really simple. Basically, you just throw everything in the food processor.
6 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 purple onion, finely chopped
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, chopped
1 sweet red bell pepper (or green) seeded and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1-2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
6 or more drops of Tabasco sauce to taste
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (omit for vegetarian option)
4 cups tomato juice
Combine all ingredients — don’t puree smooth — you want to leave the gazpacho a bit chunky. Place in non-metal container (metal will give it an “off” taste), cover tightly and refrigerate overnight, allowing flavors to blend. Serves 8.
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February 4, 2007 at 7:36 am
· Filed under Cheese, Soups
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 cup chopped onions
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium sweet potato, diced (about 2 cups)
1 medium white potato, diced (about 2 cups)
4 cups vegetable stock or water
1 cup sharp or extra sharp cheddar, grated or chopped
3 ounces cream cheese, cubed
4-ounce jar pimientos, chopped
salt and ground black pepper to taste
In a heavy saucepan, sauté the celery in the vegetable oil, stirring occasionally. When the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes or so, add the sweet potato, white potato, and stock. Simmer until the vegetables are soft, for about 20 minutes.
Remove the soup from the heat, add the cheddar and cream cheeses, and allow it to sit a few minutes to soften the cheese. In a blender or food processor, purée the soup with half of the pimientos. Add salt and pepper to taste. If the soup is too thick, thin to the desired consistency using milk, water or vegetable stock. Stir in the remaining pimientos. Reheat gently, but do not boil. Serves 4 to 6.
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February 4, 2007 at 7:36 am
· Filed under Soups, Vegan
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion or sliced leek
1 large red bell pepper, diced
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
1 vegetable bouillon cube
16-ounce can diced tomatoes
5 to 6 ounces fresh spinach, rinsed, stemmed, and chopped (I just use a package of frozen chopped)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or dill,
or a combination, or more to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion or leek and sauté over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the red pepper and garlic and sauté the vegetables for another 5 to 8 minutes, or until the onion or leek turns golden and the red pepper softens.
In the meantime, cook the orzo in a separate saucepan until al dente. When done, drain. Add the 5 cups water, the bouillon cubes, and tomatoes to the soup pot. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add the cooked orzo to the soup along with the spinach and herbs. Stir in the lemon juice, then season with salt and pepper. Serve at once.
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February 4, 2007 at 7:26 am
· Filed under Soups
“I love this soup, which is pure and full flavored. I make it often.” — From “French Farmhouse Cookbook” by Susan Hermann Loomis.
1 pound carrots, peeled, trimmed, and cut into 1/2-inch rounds (you can just throw in a bag of baby carrots)
1 medium potato, starchy such as russet, or all-purpose such as Yukon Gold, peeled and cut into quarters
5 cups water
Sea salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Place the carrots, potato, water, and salt to taste in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, covered. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the carrots are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.
2. Transfer the vegetables and 1 cup of the cooking liquid to a food processor and purée. Return the purée to the pan and add the butter, stirring until it has melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately. 4 servings.
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December 8, 2006 at 7:54 pm
· Filed under Potatoes, Soups
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
1 2/3 cups coarsely chopped onion
1 large clove garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon coarsely grated ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper flakes, optional
2 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
6 cups no-salt-added chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh goat cheese
1. Heat oil in a nonstick pot large enough to hold all the ingredients. Sauté onion until it begins to brown (about 10 minutes). Add garlic and sauté, stirring, for 30 seconds.
2. To make the curry flavoring, add ginger, cumin, coriander, cardamom, turmeric and optional hot pepper flakes and stir well. Add sweet potatoes and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until potatoes are soft.
3. Remove the sweet potatoes from the soup and mash; return to pot (if you don’t mind washing more stuff, you can puree the soup in a blender or food processor). stir well, season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot in mugs with a spoon of cheese on top and stir a bit to melt the cheese.
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November 9, 2006 at 8:15 am
· Filed under Soups, Squash, Stews, Vegan
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups 1-inch cubes peeled winter squash (butternut, acorn, kabocha, buttercup, etc.)
1 (16-ounce) can diced, peeled tomatoes
1 1/4 cups corn kernels or 1 (15-1/4 ounce) can whole corn kernels, drained
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can golden or white hominy
1 red or green bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut in 1-inch squares
In a large pot, bring 1/2 cup of the broth to a boil over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion softens (about 5 minutes). Add the squash, tomatoes, corn, thyme, salt, pepper and remaining 2 cups of broth. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to maintain a simmer, and cook 10 minutes. Add the hominy and bell pepper and return to simmer. cover and simmer until the squash and bell pepper are tender when pierced but not mushy, about 10 minutes. Serves 4.
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November 9, 2006 at 8:00 am
· Filed under Poultry, Soups
“Chef Chai Chaowasaree says extracting the full benefit from a black chicken requires long, slow cooking. His method is similar to poaching, letting the chicken sit immersed in liquid over very low heat. “You don’t want to rush the heat, you want all the nutrition to come out slowly, slowly, slowly.”
“He makes soup using ginseng, ginger and garlic, also believed to have healing qualities and which lend the broth a peppery flavor. Don’t bother peeling the ginseng or ginger, he says, and use whole heads of garlic, leaving the paper skins in place.”
1 silkie chicken (about 2 pounds), whole or halved
3 thumb-sized pieces ginseng root
6-1/4 cups water
1 thumb-sized piece ginger, smashed
2 large heads garlic, halved
1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
Salt or soy sauce to taste
5 dried figs
Sliced green onion for garnish
Cut chicken in half if necessary to fit pot; otherwise leave whole. Soak ginseng in water 1 hour.
Place ginseng and its soaking water in pot; add chicken, ginger, garlic, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil and skim impurities. Reduce heat to a very low simmer (no bubbling at all) and cook until chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender, 2 to 4 hours. Or cook in a crock pot on low heat, about 6 hours. In last hour of cooking, add figs.
Strain soup and debone chicken if desired, or serve with root pieces. Garnish with green onion.
From the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 2002.
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November 8, 2006 at 7:53 pm
· Filed under Beans, Soups
Garnish with fresh herbs or croutons, serve with bread and a small salad for a great winter meal.
2 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup celery, chopped
½ cup leeks, chopped
Smoked ham hock or bacon (optional)
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ lb. dried Great Northern white beans, soaked overnight in cold water, rinsed and drained
1 cup tomatoes, diced (canned is fine)
12 cups chicken stock or broth
Fresh basil or parsley (optional – as garnish)
Croutons (optional – as garnish)
Sauté the onions, garlic, celery and leeks in the olive oil; if using ham hock or bacon, add it to the pan. Add the beans, tomatoes, the juice from the tomatoes and stock. Simmer for 1 – 1 ½ hours and serve hot.
http://www.texaswren.com/soups.htm#White%20Bean%20and%20Tomato%20Soup%20by%20annulla%20(Brooklyn,%20New%20York,%20USA)
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November 8, 2006 at 5:49 pm
· Filed under Beans, Soups, Vegan
Well, I can’t find my mom’s recipe, but this is very similar.
1/2 pound of small brown/green lentils, soaked overnight
1 pound of ripe tomatoes or 1 large can of tomatoes
4 1/4 cups of water
2 – 3 medium onions, minced
6 cloves of garlic, peeled
5-6 carrots cut in thin rounds
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/2 cup of olive oil
2 bay leaves
salt
black pepper
Soak the lentils overnight, then rinse and drain. Pick through to remove any small stones or sticks, then set aside.
Puree the tomatoes in a food processor bowl or blender or open the can. Add tomatoes and liquid to a stock pot. Add water, bay leaves, onion, garlic, carrots, celery and some salt & pepper.
Bring to a boil & add the lentils and oil. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook about 3 hours or until lentils are soft and starting to break apart.
Remove from the heat, take out the bay leaves. If needed, add more salt and pepper to taste. Lots of people add a little vinegar when they serve this soup, but it is really up to you.
This tastes even better the next day.
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August 8, 2006 at 7:56 pm
· Filed under Soups
This is wonderfully refreshing on a hot summer night. Delicious, simple and you don’t have to go near the stove.
4 English (seedless) cucumbers (about 12 ounces each), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cups plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 medium shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons snipped fresh dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash hot pepper sauce
Crème fraîche and fresh dill sprigs for garnish (optional)
In large bowl, combine all ingredients except garnish. In food processor or blender, blend half of cucumber mixture just until cucumbers are finely chopped but not pureed. Pour mixture into soup tureen. Repeat with remaining cucumber mixture; add to soup in tureen. Refrigerate soup if not serving right away.
To serve, garnish each bowl of soup with a dollop of crème fraîche and a dill sprig.
Note: If you don’t have any crème fraîche, garnish the soup with plain yogurt or sour cream.
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August 8, 2006 at 7:56 pm
· Filed under Soups, Sweets
This chilled summer soup is very refreshing as a starter, and it can also be served as a light dessert. For best results, use the season’s freshest, ripest fruits. You can prepare the soup with just peaches, but nectarines add an extra dimension.
1 cup thinly sliced peeled peaches
1 cup thinly sliced peeled nectarines
2 T lemon juice
1 T honey
1 cup cranberry juice cocktail (low-calorie version, if desired)
1 cup apple juice
1 cinnamon stick
1 whole nutmeg
2 whole cloves
1/4 cup sour cream
Place the peaches and nectarines in a food processor; process until smooth. Pour into a large bowl. Stir in the lemon juice and honey; cover and refrigerate.
In a 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the cranberry juice, apple juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves to a boil. reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain and discard the spices. Set aside to cool completely.
When cool, stir the juice mixture into the puree. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Serve topped with the sour cream. Makes 4 servings.
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August 8, 2006 at 3:51 pm
· Filed under Soups
A classic dish of poor Italian housewives, served on days when the only food in the house is tomatoes and stale bread. I have NO idea what kind of bread “bloomer” is, so please don’t ask.
PAPPA AL POMODORO: Tomato and Bread Soup
3 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 large garlic cloves, crushed to a paste with ½ teaspoon salt
2 lbs. ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped (some like to deseed them as well)
1/2 lb. of STALE white bread, crusts removed, broken into pieces – do NOT use pre-packaged sliced bread it will go horribly slimy, use country bread like ciabatta, bloomer, sourdough etc.
1 1/2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
10 -12 fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
~~~~~
Extra virgin olive oil, basil leaves, Parmesan shavings – for serving/garnish
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and sauté the garlic gently without letting it brown, then add the tomatoes, basil and bread (tear the basil leaves with your fingers, NEVER chop basil with a knife or scissors it changes the flavour).
Add the stock, little by little, stirring and mashing the bread down until the mixture begins to resemble a porridge, pour in any remaining stock. Taste and season. Garnish with a swirl of olive oil, extra torn basil, and some shavings of Parmesan.
This can be served hot, warm or cold but I think it is at its best at room temperature on a hot day. It can be made a day ahead and reheats beautifully, but doesn’t freeze well.
BTW the word “pappa” in the name of the soup doesn’t have anything to do with dad, daddy, father – it means pap/puree/mush.
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