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 46th 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.
Tune in Comcast channel 22 & BrightHouse 199 to watch host, Valerie Hart, interview chefs in their kitchens "The Back of the House", or watch it live on your computer at www.lakefronttv.com. Follow her food page on Wednesdays in The Daily Commercial.
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