SUMMER SOUPS

SUMMER SOUP 

As we continue to contend with overwhelming heat, it becomes increasingly difficult to be creative - to find alternatives to meat and potatoes and fried foods that sit heavily in our digestive tracks without satisfying our hunger. Cold Soup to the rescue! However, few men are enamored with cold soups. It’s just not a guy-thing. Many years ago we attended a dinner given by the Confrérie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs gourmet society of which I was a member. The first hour was dedicated to tasting miniscule samples of expensive wine accompanied by tiny one-bite what’s in this? canapés. Conversation among these connoisseurs was limited to dissecting the ingredients with continuous referral to other memorable meals “when I was in Paris” or “London” or “with the Duke and Duchess of”.  My husband, Buddy, could never tolerate pomposity or pretension and remained overtly quiet while inwardly craving a Scotch and some popcorn. Once seated at our respective tables, an imperious waiter who mimed the personalities of the guests placed soup at each person’s place. Buddy raised his spoon, swallowed one taste and began to wave his arm wildly in the air, calling out, “Waiter, Waiter”! The waiter came to full attention, crossing the floor in three steps. “Yes Sir, is something wrong?” All eyes were now focused in our direction. “My soup”, came the pronouncement, “It’s cold”! Too perplexed to answer, the waiter scooped up the Vichyssoise and returned it to the chef to perform the unpardonable sin of heating the cold soup he had mastered to perfection. Buddy never cracked a smile and the elite gourmet group did not catch the humor. I spent the remainder of the dinner counting the flowers on the wallpaper. Actually, Vichyssoise and Artichoke soups can be served cold or hot. Berry soups, on the other hand, are really a cool luncheon thing for ladies, although the possibility of turning them into a fruity dessert is quite attractive.

Vichyssoise History

The original recipe called for 3 leeks, white part only, split lengthwise, and roasted on a flat sheet at 400°F in the oven until browned before chopping to add to the soup pot. An onion may also be added. Leeks have a unique flavor, pleasant to some and not so appealing to others. They are also costlier than onions. It is interesting to note that this sophisticated rendition of peasant cooking with a French title did not originate in France at all, but, rather, the fashionable Ritz-Carlton Hotel on Madison Avenue at 46^th Street in New York. The year was 1917, and the head chef was a Frenchman named Louis Diat (1885-1957), who later became a regular contributor to the early issues of Gourmet Magazine. One of his favorite recipes was a potato and leek soup given to him by his mother. According to legend, he had planned to serve the soup for the opening of the roof garden.  He made it the day before with the intent of reheating. However, someone, in the confusion, forgot to remove it from the refrigerator. With instant culinary creativity, he left it cold, added cream and sprinkled it with chopped chives. He quickly renamed it “Crème Vichyssoise Glacée”, or Chilled Cream Vichyssoise, in honor of Vichy, the town in which he was born.  The proper pronunciation is “vee shee swahzz” and not “vee shee swah”, because, in the French language, an “e” after the final “s” signals the sound “zzz”. Slice yourself a piece of rustic bread and pour an icy cold light beer or a German Reisling wine to take the heat off all the summer blahs.

           

Vichyssoise
Yield: Approximately 8 cups

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 large onions, sliced

2 celery ribs, sliced

2 pounds potatoes, peeled and sliced

1 quart rich chicken broth

½ cup vodka

1 bay leaf

Salt to taste, approximately 1 tablespoon

1 teaspoon white pepper

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup heavy cream

4 tablespoons chopped chives or scallions

1.                  Melt the butter in a soup pot.  Slice the leeks and onions thin and sauté in the butter until soft.   

2.                  Add the celery, sliced potatoes, chicken broth and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Boil gently 45 minutes.  Add salt and peppers. Cool to room temperature.

3.                  Purée in a blender. You will have to do this in batches.

4.                  Strain the soup into a bowl or plastic container, pushing the thickness through.  Stir in the heavy cream.  Taste for seasoning.  Chill overnight.

5.                  Serve in cream soup bowls that have been chilled in the refrigerator.  Garnish the tops with fresh chives

Cold Tomato Soup

Gluten-free

2 teaspoons of instant tapioca may be exchanged for the tomato paste to thicken the soup.

Dill may be exchanged for the basil for a different taste sensation. Some cooks incorporate both into recipes but I personally feel the two spices confuse each other when mixed. This is personal preference. This soup, when made with basil, can change to Tomato-Curry with the addition of one teaspoon curry powder. Delicious!

Yield: Approximately 4 cups after it has been strained

3 pounds ripe beefsteak tomatoes, sliced

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 cups organic vegetable broth (Pacific® preferred by this foodie)

1 large garlic clove, peeled and split

Large handful of fresh basil leaves, stems removed

½ teaspoon ground thyme or 1 large sprig fresh

½ teaspoon white pepper

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

8 ounces onion (1 small) or 1 large shallot, peeled and chopped

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons lime juice

Pinch of Hungarian hot paprika or cayenne pepper or hot sauce, if desired.

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Fresh basil leaves, chopped or left whole to decorate. Chopped hard-boiled eggs to decorate.

Optional: Heavy cream or fat-free half & half served on the side to temper the acid

1.                  Combine all the ingredients except the tomato paste in a pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat    to low or simmer if soup boils too hard. Cover and cook, gently, 45 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Remove bay leaf.

2.                  Remove to a blender or, if you own one of those fabulous professional hand blenders, known as the “Smart Stick” (priced from $20.00 - $150.00 - The cheap ones work just as well as the expensive). Blend the ingredients until smooth. Strain into a bowl.

3.                  Stir in the tomato paste. Add paprika or cayenne, if desired. Taste for more white pepper and salt. Refrigerate until very cold. Leaving it overnight will allow the flavors to settle.

4.                  Serve topped with basil leaves and, if you wish, chopped egg or chives to decorate.

5.                  Offer fat-free half and half or heavy cream in a cream pitcher to minimize the acid.

Senegalese Soup

 (Senegal is a republic in N. Africa on the Atlantic. Once a French colony, it achieved independence in 1960.) This creamy curry soup that incorporates fresh African ingredients and spices is traditionally served cold, although it is equally delicious hot. This recipe looks long, but is quite uncomplicated.

Adapted from the recipe served at the ‘21’ Club in New York City.

Yield: Approximately 6 servings

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tart (Granny Smith) apples, peeled and chopped

1 large yellow onion, chopped coarse

1-2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

¼ cup black raisins

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

(Gluten intolerant? Exchange the flour with a medium potato, peeled and sliced thin)

1 tablespoon curry powder

½ teaspoon ground ginger or 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

4 cups chicken broth

½ cup heavy cream

Major Grey® Chutney to garnish

1.      In a heavy soup pot, bring the butter to the bubbling point over medium heat. Add the apples, onion, garlic, celery, carrot and raisins. Reduce the heat to low and cook very slowly until the onion, garlic celery and apples have softened. Add the flour (potato), curry and ginger.

2.      Slowly stir in 2 cups of the chicken broth, bringing the soup to a full boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and boil gently 10 minutes, covered. Remove from the heat to cool 15 minutes.

3.      Transfer the soup to an electric blender and blend smooth. Return to the pot.

4.      Slowly stir in remaining 2 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 45 minutes or longer, covered.

5.      Taste for salt and pepper.

6.      Pour the soup through a strainer into a large bowl or container.

7.      Cool and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

8.      Stir in the heavy cream directly before ladling into bowls topped with a spoonful of chutney.

Avocado Soup

Yield: Approximately 4-6 servings

1 ripe large Florida or 2 Hass avocados, peeled, pitted and diced

2 tablespoons lime juice

3 cups vegetable broth or unsweetened coconut milk

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried

2 cups Romaine lettuce, chopped

2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves

3 scallions, green part only, minced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Optional: 1 ounce melon liqueur

1.      Combine ingredients in a blender and blend smooth. Refrigerate until very cold.

2.      Top with a spoonful of plain yogurt or sour cream, chopped tomatoes and bell peppers of choice.

Berry Chilled Fruit Soup

Yield:  Approximately 8 cups with fruit

1 bottle (750 ml.) sweet wine, such as Riesling or Beringer® Zinfandel

3 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca

1 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

Handful fresh mint leaves or 2 tablespoons Crème de Menthe liqueur

10 ounce package frozen strawberries or raspberries in syrup

1 cup fresh raspberries

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup fresh strawberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ cup granulated sugar

Fresh mint leaves

1.                  Bring wine, tapioca, vanilla bean, mint leaves, sugar and salt to a boil. Boil gently until mixture reduces to 3 cups. Pour through a fine strainer, discarding mint and vanilla bean.

2.                  Purée frozen strawberries in a blender.  Strain into wine mixture through a fine strainer to remove seeds. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

3.                  Toss fresh berries in the lemon juice and sugar and stir into the soup, leaving some to decorate. Ladle into individual glass bowls and decorate with reserved berries and mint leaves.

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