Poitou-Style Pea Soup

As a child my Dad loved green pea soup, and ate it religiously. I thought he was completely crazy, and even the smell sent me running to my room. Granted he ate the canned kind so maybe he kind of was ;)

Now however I have seen the light and there is nothing I love more than a bowl of pea soup. There is something incredibly refreshing and light about it, it is honestly perfect at any time of the year. Oh, and the crostini, my new favorite snack in to have in the middle of the afternoon :)

Pea Soup (From Great soups, Empty Bowls):

• 3 Tbsp butter
• 1 onion thinly sliced
• 5 cups frozen peas
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp savoury
• 3 Tbsp fresh parsley
  
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3 cups butter lettuce chopped
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Heat butter in soup pot. Add onions and cooked until softened, but not browned. Add peas, herbs, sugar and lettuce and toss until coated. Add broth, and salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

Using blender, puree soup in batches until smooth. Serve either hot or cold.

Over Sized crostini:

• 1/4 cup ricotta
• Sliced French bread
• 2 Tbsp walnuts chopped

Spread ricotta on bread, and sprinkle to with walnuts. Place in toaster over or normal oven until bread it crisp.

Serve with soup.

Enjoy!

Hidden Tresures

Years ago for my birthday, by some of my dearest friends, I was given this beautiful little Japanese teapot and set of cups. I absolutely adore it, and was somehow lucky enough to stumble across some of the matching dishes at Home Sense one day. Of course I walked out with as many as I could afford that day, knowing I would never get a chance to pick them up again there. When I got them home though I put my treasures in a box (home was still the condo at that point) and forgot completely about them. It wasn't until we moved, and I unpacked the unmarked box that I discovered them again. This time a space in the cupboard was made. This time I vowed to use them soon.

Well I finally did last night, and it was on a recipe I wish I had found a long time ago too! The dish was sort of an at home version of one of my favorite Vietnamese dishes, Pho. I pleasantly was surprised at the ease and speed in which everything came together, and the versatility that the recipe holds. I can definitely see it being repeated in our house, instead of going out to eat quite so often at least.

Beef Noodle Bowls: (Serves: 4) - Originally from: Eat, Shrink, & Be Merry

• 4oz rice noodles or whole wheat spaghetti
  
• 6 cups beef broth
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp grated ginger root
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 12 oz beef tenderloin very thinly sliced
• 3 cups thinly sliced bok choy (I like this addition because we are trying to each more veggies at the moment)
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 chopped basil

To serve along side:

• bean sprouts
• lime, cut into wedges
• mint leaves
• Chili sauce
• cilantro leaves

Cook noodles according to package directions, rinse in cold water and set aside.

Combine broth, ginger, soy sauce, oil and lime juice in pot. Bring to boil reduce heat and simmer for three minutes.

Add bok choy, basil, green onion and beef. Cook until beef is just cooked through.

To assemble: Place noodles on bottom of bowl, top with bean sprouts. Ladle soup over top. At this point season to individuals taste with mint, more lime juice, cilantro or hoisin and chili sauce.

(Our personal favorite thing to add!)

Enjoy!

Soups on

It's cold, and snowy. The wind is blowing and only on a good days does the sun seem to peak from behind the clouds. To top it all off, it is only half way through January and here we have many more weeks of this to go before the snow starts to melt and the temperature warms up.

So depressing, the winter blahs. At least it is a good excuse to make and eat lots of soup. Here are a couple of recent ones from our kitchen:

Potato, Leek and bacon soup:

• half pound bacon, roughly chopped
  
• 4-5 medium leeks; cleaned, dark green part removed, and sliced thin
  
• 4 small yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubbed
• 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
  
• 1 cup heavy cream
  
• salt and pepper, to taste

In large pot, cook bacon until starts to turn golden, but not crispy. Add leeks and stirring occasionally, cook until soft, approximately 20 minutes.

Add potatoes and broth to pot. Increase heat to medium-high in order to bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer approximately 45 minutes, or until potato is tender.

Remove from heat. Either using immersion blender, or blender, puree soup until smooth. Slowly stir in heavy cream, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

For a vegetarian option, omit bacon and use 3 tbsp of butter to cook leeks in.

Enjoy!

Italian Turkey soup: (Original recipe courtesy of Epicurious)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
  
• 1 small onion, chopped
  
• 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
  
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
  
• 6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
  
• 1 large zucchini, diced
  
• 2 carrot, diced
  
• 1 9-ounce package fresh cheese tortellini
  
• 2 cups diced cooked turkey

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion, garlic, basil, and crushed red pepper and sauté until vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth. Cover pot and simmer 10 minutes. Add zucchini and carrot. Cover and simmer until carrot is almost tender, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to high and bring soup to boil. Add tortellini and boil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add turkey and cook just until heated through, about 1 minute. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Serve, passing cheese separately.

Enjoy!

Savory Soup

I don't like raw mushrooms, shhhh it is a secret. Simply I can't stand the texture of them, all spongy and squigy! Now if you fry them up and cook them in something you have a totally different story as I can't stop eating them. There is something about the earthy flavor that develops, and the change in texture, that I can't get enough of. If you put them in a soup and I am in even more trouble. Consequently whenever I stumble across a mushroom soup recipe I have to try it, no if ands or buts! Hubby of course complains at the start due to the lack of meat, but normally enjoys it just as much as I do in the end.

This recipe here is by far the simplest one I have completed to date. Not many complicated ingredients, so it allows the full bodied flavor of the mushroom to be full enjoyed. It was also very quick and easy, something I definitely appreciate after a long day at work and a almost three year old who desperately wants my attention.

White Mushroom Soup:

• 2 lbs white mushrooms, sliced
  
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp flour
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed
• 4 1/4 cups chicken broth or water
• Salt and pepper

Melt butter in soup pot. Add onion and cook slowly until translucent. Add mushrooms and cook until soft.

Add flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring. Add thyme, chicken stock and salt and pepper. Bring to boil and cook covered for approximately 15 minutes.

Transfer half to blender and puree, and return to pot, stirring well to incorporate.

Serve and enjoy!

Goodbye Summer

I am welcoming Fall with arms wide open. To celebrate I made soup last night, and enjoyed every single minute of it! Of course since doing so the sun has come out, and it is 28C, but that is okay.

Normally I am not quite so welcoming of the season change, and I am sure once fall is officially here I will be regretting my early indoctrination of it. Of course to be honest my longing for colder weather is simply due to the my overwhelming desire to use my new cookbook, Great Soup, Empty Bowls. Did I mention that I was able to get a copy of it for only $5 at HomeSense, I really love that store. Because I wouldn't let myself make soup in too early, I have been reading it over and over again. Flagging all the ones that catch my eye, which is most of the book. I was even reading it in the ER last week, while I was waiting for my Hubby. I do believe they people there though I was a tad strange. Oh well!

Anyway this I was very impressed with first one and can't wait to try more of them.

Fresh corn chowder and roasted red pepper cream:
(Serves 4)

• 4 cobs of corn
• 2 tbsp butter
  
• 1/2 onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 baking potato, peeled and cubbed
  
• 2 cup milk
• 1 poblano pepper: roasted, peeled, seeded and minced
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Salt
  

Start by cutting corn off of cobs. You should end up with approximately 2/5-3 cups. In soup pot, melt butter and cook onion and garlic until soft. Add potato, corn and milk. Bring to a simmer and semi-cover pot with lid cooking until potato is soft. Approximately 10 minutes.

Add whipping cream, poblano pepper, and season with salt. Return to a simmer. Stirring frequently, cook for an additional 5-7 minutes.

For the cream:

• 1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 red pepper: roasted, peeled, seeded and pureed

Combine all ingredients for the cream. Add a dollop on top of soup and serve.

Enjoy!