Roasted Parsnip Soup

1 pound parsnips (3 or 4 parsnips), peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 large russet potato, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped into 1-inch pieces
6 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons ground coriander or 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
Freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Toss the parsnips, potato, onion, and garlic in a bowl with the olive oil, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Turn the vegetables out onto a sheet pan, arranging them in a single layer, and roast for 40 to 45 minutes, until tender and somewhat browned.

Transfer about half of the vegetables to a blender or a food processor and add one cup water. Puree until completely smooth, letting the machine run for a few minutes. Transfer the puree to a medium soup pot. Puree the rest of the roasted vegetables with another 1 cup of water and add to the soup pot. Whisk in an additional 1 cup water or more to thin the soup to the desired consistency. Season to taste with additional salt and freshly cracked black pepper, heat to the desired temperature, and serve.

 Makes 4 to 6 servings

From Wild Flavors, Didi Emmons

Sunchoke Bisque

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 cups chopped leek (white)
3 pounds sunchokes, roughly chopped
1 large russet potato peeled and roughly chopped
7 cups of vegetable broth
Salt and pepper
Extra olive oil for drizzling

Heat the butter and the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and onions and sauté until slightly caramelized, about 15 minutes. Add the sunchokes, potatoes and broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, and let simmer until the potatoes and sunchokes are soft, about 15 minutes.

Puree the soup in a blender until smooth. If you prefer a thicker soup, keep some of the liquid in the pot when you ladle the soup into the blender.

Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary, and serve serve with a few drizzles of olive oil.

Makes 10 servings

From my favorite cookbook these days:
Wild Flavors from Didi Emmons

Parsnip Soup with Leeks and Parsley

2 Tbsp butter
3 leeks, white and pale green parts only, sliced lengthwise, cleaned, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 to 2 pounds parsnips, peeled and chopped
2 strips lemon zest, 1 x 2 inches each
1-2 teaspoons salt
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
2 cups finely chopped fresh parsley (reserve a little for garnish)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pepper to taste

Heat butter in a 4 to 6 quart pot on medium heat. Add the chopped leeks, toss to coat with the butter. When the leeks are heated enough so they begin to sizzle in the pan, lower the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook until soft, but don't let the leeks brown.

Add the parsnips and olive oil, and toss to coat. Sprinkle on the salt. Add the stock and water. Add the strips of lemon zest. Bring to a boil and reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook until the parsnips are completely tender, at least 30 minutes.

Remove and discard the lemon zest. Add the parsley. Purée the soup until smooth, either by using an immersion blender or by working in batches with a stand-up blender. If using a standing blender, fill the
bowl no more than halfway, hold the cover on the blender bowl, and start blending at the lowest speed. Return the puréed soup to the pot.

Stir in lemon juice and add more salt to taste, if needed.

Garnish with freshly ground black pepper, a little olive oil, and chopped parsley or chives.

Serves 6

From: http://simplyrecipes.com/

Potage à la citrouille

1 c. à table de beurre
1 poireau ou 1 oignon haché
10 tasses de citrouille en cubes
 ———————————
3 pommes de terre coupées en cubes
4½ tasses de bouillon de légumes
Sel et Poivre
———————————
1½ tasse de lait (ou kéfir)
Muscade

Faire fondre le beurre dans une casserole puis y faire sauter le poireau et la citrouille*. Ajouter les pommes de terre, le bouillon, le sel et le poive. Couvrir et laisser mijoter 40 minutes. Réduire en purée homogène au robot culinaire ou au mélageur.

Remettre dans la casserole, porter à ebullition puis ajouter le lait. Ne pas faire bouillir. Ajouter de la muscade pour parfumer.


*Laver les graines de citrouille à l’eau froide et bien les éponger. Déposer ensuite sur une plaque à biscuit et saupoudrer de sel. Mettre au four à 250° pendant environ 20 minutes, jusqu’à ce qu’elles deviennent sèche et croquantes.

Fragrant Thai Broth

3-3/4 cups vegetable stock
2 or more ginger root slices
2 cilantro spring
1 stem of lemon grass (optional)
Seaweeds to taste
1 red chile
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cup diced plain tofu
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 ounces dried whole-grain noodles
2 carrots, cut into matchstick pieces
1-1/4 cup sliced fresh mushroom
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Cilantro leaves, to garnish

Into a large pan, pour stock. Add ginger root, cilantro, lemon grass, seaweeds, chile and garlic. Slowly bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 25 minutes. Meanwhile, marinate tofu in soy sauce 25 minutes.

In a large pan of boiling water, cook the noodles. Add the tofu, carrots and mushrooms to the stock. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes until tender, then add the lemon juice. At this point, you can put the noodles into bowls and pour the soup over them or simply add the noodles to the soup. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve at once.

Makes 4 servings.

Adapted from:

Minestrone

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
3 cups tomato juice
3 cups water
2 carrots, cut into chunks
1 stalk celery, sliced, including top
2 medium potatoes, scrubbed and cut into chunks
2 T.S. chopped parsley
1½ tp. Basil
¼ tp. Black pepper
1 medium zucchini, diced
½ cup pasta shells
2½ cups chopped greens (spinach, kale)
1 15-ounce can kidney beans
½-1 ts. salt


This is a hearty and delicious vegetable soup which takes kindly to embellishment with additional vegetables if you are so inclined.

Heat the oil in a large pot and add the onion and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat until the onion is soft, about 5 min. Add the tomato juice, water, carrots, celery, potatoes, parsley, basil, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook 20 min. Add the zucchini, pasta, chopped greens, and kidney beans with their liquid. Cover and simmer 20 min, until the pasta is tender. Add salt to taste. Extra tomato juice or water may be added if a thinner soup is desired.

Serves 8

Crème de Maïs

Simple et délicieuse!

4t. d'eau

4t. de maïs congelé

2 oignons

½ c. à thé de paprika

½ c. à thé de poudre de cari

1½ c. à thé de sel

2 c. à table d'huile

Cuire le maïs dans l'eau. Frire les oignons et ajouter au maïs avec les épices et le sel. Laisser mijoter 10 à 20 minutes. Passer au mélangeur et ajouter l'huile. (5 portions) 

Squash Flowers Soup

3 Tbsp butter
1 small onion
1-2 garlic
3 dozen squash blossoms
3 cups broth
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper

Melt butter, onion, garlic. Add flowers. When soft, add broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 min. Blend, add milk and seasonings.

Split Pea Soup

1 lb (2¼-2½  cups) green split peas
7-9 cups water
2 medium onions
¼ cup oil or butter
3-5 tsp. tamari
2 tsp. parsley
1½ tsp. sea salt
1-2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. each: basil, oregano, mint leaves
½  tsp. each: thyme and kelp
¼ tsp. each: marjoram and savory
Optional: 1-2 potatoes and/or carrots—chopped small and presteamed

Cook split peas and water 1½ to 1¾ hours on medium until peas totally dissolve into the liquid. Then add the onions, herbs. veg. Cook medium-to-low heat 20-25 min.

Spicy Bulgarian Tomato Dumpling Soup

Soup
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups chopped fresh tomatoes (or drained canned tomatoes)
———————————————
2-3 teaspoons hot chili powder
1 tablespoons unbleached white flour, sifted
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups vegetable stock, tomato juice, or water

Dumplings
2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
2 eggs, separated
¼ cup quick-cooking couscous
¼ cup boiling water
¾ cup unbleached white flour, sifted
¼teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh dill weed (1 teaspoon dried)
⅓ cup milk or vegetable stock
————————————————
Chopped fresh parsley
Grated sharp cheddar cheese

In a medium soup pot, sauté the onions and garlic in the oil, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to soften. Add the tomatoes and cook until the onions are golden and the tomatoes soft.

Stir in the chili powder, flour, salt, and pepper and mix well to coat the vegetables evenly. Pour in the stock slowly while whisking diligently to completely dissolve the flour. Coarsely blend the soup in a blender or food processor and return it to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer it gently for 20 to 30 minutes.

While the soup simmers, prepare the dumplings. Cream the butter with the egg yolks until smooth. Place the couscous in a small bowl. Pour the boiling water over the couscous, cover the bowl with a plate or pot lid, and allow it to steam for 5 minutes. Add the steamed couscous and the flour, salt, dill, and milk or stock to the butter mixture and blend well. In a separated bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and then fold them into the couscous mixture.

Drop the dumpling batter into the simmering soup by rounded tablespoons and cook, covered, for about 15 minutes. The dumplings will rise to the top; scoop one out and test it to be sure it is thoroughly cooked.


From:

Miso Soup

4 cups water or Japanese Seaweed Broth
1 tsp minced garlic
½ medium onion, thinly sliced
1½ tsp grated fresh ginger
½ cup matchstick-cut carrots
1 cup thinly sliced shiitake or button mushrooms
1 3-inch piece of wakame, dulse, or other seaweed (optional)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced seasonal vegetables (asparagus, green beans, water cress, dandelion greens)
4 Tbsp miso
8 to 10 ounces tofu, cut in small cubes

Combine the water or broth, garlic, onion, ginger, carrots, mushrooms, and seaweed in a soup pot. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until carrots are barely tender,
about 5 to 10 min. Add the green onions and seasonal vegetables. Simmer for 5 more minutes or until those vegetables are crisp-tender. In a small bowl, slowly add 1 cup of the soup broth to the miso and whisk until there are no lumps left. Add the miso and tofu to the soup. Turn off the heat and cover the pot. Let the soup steep for 3 to 4 min.

Serves 4

From:

Kidney Bean Stew

1 lb. dry kidney beans - soaked
1 lb. (6-7) carrots - sliced in ⅓-½ inch pieces
1 small or medium eggplant - chopped in ½-¾ inch chunks
8-20 stalks celery - chopped in ⅛-½ inch pieces
6-8 medium potatoes - in one inch chunks (leave skin)
3-4 medium onions - chopped
2-3 green pepper - in chunks
Optional: 6-8 Jerusalem artichokes - chopped
     “      : 1-2 cups fresh or frozen corn and/or peas
——————————————————
2-3 Tbsp. Tamari
1-2 Tbsp. vegetable broth powder OR 2-3 vegetable cubes
1 Tbsp. parsley
1½ tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. each: sea kelp and basil
½ tsp. paprika
⅛ tsp. or less cayenne pepper
Optional: ⅛ tsp. cumin powder OR dill weed

Drain the soaking water from the beans. Wash the beans and cover 1 inch above them in water. Cook until tender. Pour off and save all the cooking juice except for 2 cups. (Save for gravy) Leave the 2 cups
with beans.

While the beans are nearly finished, in separate pot, steam the hard vegetables like potatoes, artichokes, carrots and eggplant for 10-15 min. Then add the rest of the veg., and cook another 7-10 min. until tender but still slightly crunchy.

Then add all the drained veg. to the beans along with all the herbs and spices. (save the steaming water for stock) Simmer everything together on low to medium heat for 20-30 min. until the flavours mingle.

Serves 10-12

Japanese Seaweed Broth (Kombu Dashi)

1 4-inch piece kombu seaweed or dulse
2¼-inch slices fresh ginger
¼ cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp sake or dry sherry (optional)
1 Tbsp mirin

Soak the kombu in 4 cups of cold water for 8 hours or more. Remove the kombu and reserve for another use. The stock can be used at this point to make a light miso soup.

Add the ginger, soy sauce, sake or sherry to the pot. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 min. Add the mirin. Taste broth and adjust the seasonings.

For an earthy-tasting broth, add 1 or 2 dried shiitake mushrooms per cup of water. The kombu that is soaked for the broth can be saved, cut into strips, and stir-fried with tofu or vegetables, or added back into a soup at the end of cooking.

Makes about 4 cups

From:

Curried Coconut Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon grated ginger root
2 teaspoons curry powder
½ cup white rice
5 cups vegetable stock
6 ounces spinach
2 ounces creamed coconut
⅔ cup boiling water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper

In a large saucepan, heat oil. Add onion, garlic, gingerroot and curry powder. Cook 5 minutes, add rice. Stir-fry 2 minutes or until transparent. Add stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Rinse spinach, discard tough stems and dry well. Cut into thin shreds. Add to pan and cook 5 minutes longer.

Into a small bowl, place coconut. Stir in boiling water, stirring until melted. Stir into pan with cilantro. Heat through 2 to 3 minutes, without boiling. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot.

Makes 6 to 8 serving

Crème de Courgettes et Poireaux

3-4 leeks, rinsed well and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1½ tablespoons olive oil
1½ tablespoons butter
3-4 medium zucchini, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
1 tablespoon dried tarragon
1-1½ teaspoons ground fennel seeds
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups vegetable stock
————————————
1 cup milk

In a medium soup pot, on medium heat, sauté the leeks and onions in the olive oil and butter until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in the zucchini, salt, and garlic. Sauté for 10 more minutes, until the zucchini is tender. Add the tarragon, fennel, and black pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes. Remove half of the vegetables and set aside.

Sprinkle the flour into the soup pot, stirring, until the vegetables are well coated. Whisk in the stock. Heat, stirring frequently, until the soup begins to thicken. Remove it from the heat. When the soup has cooled a little, purée it in a blender or food processor and return it to the pot.

Add the reserved vegetables and heat the soup to simmering. Stir in the milk. Heat very carefully, using a flame tamer if you have one. Take care not to let the soup boil.

Serves 6

From:

Cream of Summer Squash Soup

1½ pounds yellow summer squash
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, sliced
¼ lemon, sliced, seeds removed
¼ cup flour
6 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
Fresh nutmeg
1 cup of milk

Wash and trim squash. Slice, reserving 8 very thin slices for garnish. In a large saucepan, melt butter; gently sauté onion and lemon. Sprinkle with flour and cook slowly, stirring, until flour is absorbed. Add broth gradually, then sliced squash, salt and pepper. Simmer for one hour. Puree soup in blender. Add nutmeg and milk. Do not allow to boil. Garnish.

Serves 8

Borscht

 
4 cups water from steamed vegetables
4 cups cabbage - shredded
2 cups beets - chopped or sliced
1 cup potatoes—chopped in small cubes
1 cup tomato puree
½ cup carrot - sliced thin (about 1 medium)
2 large onions - chopped small (about 1½ - 2 cups)
1½ - 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1½ - 2 Tbsp. honey (same amount as vinegar)
1 Tbsp. veg. broth powder OR 2 veg. bouillon cubes
1 - 1½ tsp. sea salt
3 bay leaves
¼ tsp. dill weed
Cayenne to taste
3 Tbsp. oil or butter
Optional toppings: chopped tomatoes, or chives or fresh parsley and/or sour cream or yogurt

Steam the beets, potatoes and carrot until tender and save the steaming water. Add extra water if needed to equal 4 cups stock and put aside. In a soup pot, sauté the onions in hot oil or butter until semi-tender. Add the cabbage and sauté another 5-8 min. until the cabbage is fairly tender. Add the 4 cups vegetables water and veg. Add rest ing. (except toppings), stir, cover and simmer on low heat ½ hour. Remove bay leaves, adjust flavour…

Serves 8 to 10

Cilantro Soup

3 cups fresh cilantro
6 cups broth
8 Tbsp soy butter
8 Tbsp flour
2 cups soy milk
8 garlic cloves (more or less)
½ tsp red pepper
½ tsp cumin
Salt
Lemon juice

Blend cilantro and broth. Melt butter, mix with flour then add to the blended  mixture until thick. Add spices, milk and some lemon juice.

Lentil Soup

Soupe aux lentilles

4 tasses d’eau (4 cups water)
1 tasse de lentilles (1 cup lentils)
4 à 6 branches de céleri tranchées (4 to 6 branches of celery or some fresh lovage)

2 carottes tranchées (2 sliced carrots)

1 gros oignon haché (1 chopped onion)

1 ou 2 gousses d’ail émincées (1 or 2 minced garlic cloves)

2 c. à table de margarine ou de beurre (2 Tbsp of margarine or butter)
2 c. à table de tamari (2 Tbsp of soy sauce)
3 c. à thé de persil (3 Tbsp of pasley)
1 c. à thé de sel de mer (1 tsp of sea salt)
½ c. à thé de basilic, d’origan et de thym (½ tsp basil, origan, thyme)
Une pincée de poivre de cayenne ( a pinch of cayenne pepper)
½ c. à thé de graines d’aneth (facultatif) (½  tsp dill seeds)

Amener les lentilles, les légumes et l’eau à ébullition et laisser mijoter 1 heure à feu doux ou jusqu’à ce que les lentilles soient très tendres. Ajouter le reste des ingrédients et faire mijoter un autre 15/20 minutes en brassant occasionnellement. Cette soupe se conserve une semaine au réfrigérateur. Faites-en une bonne quantité et congelez-la!

(Bring the lentils, vegetables and water to boil and cook for 1 hour on low heat or until the lentils are very tender. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on low heat an other 15-20 minutes, stirring once in a while. Enjoy!)