Chestnut-Apple Soup
yield: Makes 4 servings
active time: 35 minutes
total time: 50 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 small Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 7.41-ounce jar vacuum-packed chestnuts*
1 large celery stalk, chopped
3 small fresh thyme sprigs plus 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
3 tablespoons brandy
3 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
1/4 cup crème fraîche
Directions
Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, apple, chestnuts, celery, and thyme sprigs. Sauté until onion is soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Add brandy; stir until liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add 3 cups broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until chestnuts are soft, about 15 minutes; cool slightly.
Working in batches, puree soup in blender until very smooth. Return soup to pan and cook until heated through, adding more chicken broth by tablespoonfuls to thin as needed and stirring often, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Stir crème fraîche and minced thyme in small bowl. Divide soup among bowls. Drizzle with crème fraîche and serve.
Avocado Soup with Herbs, Slivered Radishes, and Pistachios
Ingredients
2 cups low-fat buttermilk
1 cup yogurt, preferably whole-milk
1 large avocado, peeled and pitted
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 large garlic clove
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3 slender scallions, white parts plus a bit of the green, finely minced
2 tablespoons chopped dill
1 tablespoon snipped chives
1 tablespoon minced marjoram or oregano
1 tablespoon minced tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/2 jalapeño chile, seeded and chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon sweetener, such as agave syrup, to taste
To Finish:
Finely sliced chives and chive blossoms
Thinly slivered radishes
Dill, mint, and cilantro sprigs
1/3 cup shelled pistachios or walnuts
Directions
1. Puree the buttermilk, yogurt, avocado, and a quarter of the peeled cucumber in a blender until smooth, then pour it into a bowl.
2. Mash the garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir it into the puree along with the scallions, herbs, chile, and lime zest. Season to taste with salt, pepper, lime juice, and sweetener, if needed. Seed and finely dice the remaining cucumber and add to the soup. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled. Just before serving, taste and correct the seasonings.
3. Ladle the soup into bowls, then cover the surface with the chives, radishes, herb sprigs, and pistachios.
Cool Jade Soup
Ingredients
3 pounds lima beans in pods, shelled (scant 3 cups beans), or 2 (10-ounces) packages frozen baby lima beans, thawed
1 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces (5 cups)
4 cups water
2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup packed cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons dill leaves
2 tablespoons mint leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
Directions
Simmer lima and green beans, water, broth, scallions, cumin, cayenne, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan over medium heat, covered, until beans are tender, about 15 minutes. Purée mixture in batches in a blender until very smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Force purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids. Chill (covered once cool) until cold, about 1 hour.
While soup chills, purée herbs with oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in cleaned blender.
Season soup with salt and pepper. Serve with herb oil swirled in.
Rustic Tomato Soup with Toasted Cumin and Mini Rajas
Ingredients
Soup:
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups chopped onions (about 2 large)
6 large garlic cloves, peeled
2 teaspoons achiote paste*
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 28-ounce cans peeled whole tomatoes with basil in juice, tomatoes diced, all juice reserved
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 3-to 4-inch dried guajillo chile,** stemmed, seeded, coarsely torn
Cayenne pepper (optional)
Coarse kosher salt
Rajas:
Vegetable oil (for frying)
4 4-inch corn tortilla squares (cut from round tortillas), halved, cut into 2 x 1/4-inch strips
1 5-ounce package mini bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, cut into thin strip
Directions
For soup:
Stir cumin seeds in small skillet over medium heat until starting to smoke and pop, about 4 minutes. Pour seeds onto plate; cool. Grind finely in spice mill. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Chill in airtight container.
Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions. Cover and cook until tender but not brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Using garlic press, squeeze in garlic. Add achiote and allspice. Stir over low heat 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice, broth, and guajillo chile. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Working in 2-cup batches, blend soup in processor to coarse puree (some texture should remain). Return to same pot. Mix in 11/2 teaspoons toasted cumin; season with cayenne, if desired, and coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.
For rajas:
Pour enough oil into heavy medium saucepan to reach depth of 3/4 inch. Heat oil over medium heat 4 minutes. Fry half of tortilla strips until just golden. Using slotted spoon, transfer strips to paper towels to drain (color will darken slightly). Repeat with remaining strips.
Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons tortilla-frying oil from saucepan in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add mini peppers. Toss until tender, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. DO AHEAD: All rajas can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
Reheat soup over medium heat. Ladle into bowls. Top with tortilla and pepper rajas and sprinkle with toasted cumin. Serve, passing additional cumin separately.
Winter Squash Soup with Fried Sage Leaves
Ingredients
2 1/2 to 3 pounds winter squash
1/4 cup olive oil, plus extra for the squash
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
12 whole sage leaves, plus 2 tablespoons chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
Chopped leaves from 4 thyme sprigs or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Salt
freshly milled pepper
2 quarts water or stock
1/2 cup Fontina, pecorino, or ricotta salata, diced into small cubes
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Brush the surfaces with oil, stuff the cavities with the garlic, and place them cut sides down on a baking sheet. Bake until tender when pressed with a finger, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat the 1/4 cup oil until nearly smoking, then drop in the whole sage leaves and fry until speckled and dark, about 1 minute. Set the leaves aside on a paper towel and transfer the oil to a wide soup pot. Add the onions, chopped sage, thyme, and parsley and cook over medium heat until the onions have begun to brown around the edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Scoop the squash flesh into the pot along with any juices that have accumulated in the pan. Peel the garlic and add it to the pot along with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes. If the soup becomes too thick, simply add more water to thin it out. Taste for salt.
Depending on the type of squash you've used, the soup will be smooth or rough. Puree or pass it through a food mill if you want a more refined soup. Ladle it into bowls and distribute the cheese over the top. Garnish each bowl with the fried sage leaves, add pepper, and serve.
Cucumber Gaspacho Soup
Serves 10
Ingredients
1/2 cup English cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon green onion, including green tops, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, minced
salt to taste
4 - 6 drops Tabasco sauce
Directions
For garnish cut 10 cucumber skins 1/2-inch x 3-inch with thin layer of flesh. Make ahead, cover and refrigerate.
In a blender or food processor, puree cucumber, chicken broth, onion, sour cream, parsley, salt and Tabasco sauce; taste for seasoning. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Pour 2 tablespoons soup into each demitasse cup, garnish and serve. Makes 1-1/4 cup.
Wine Recommendation: Gewürztraminer
Green Pea Mint Soup
Yield: 1 cup (2 - 3 servings)
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 scallion, chopped
2 tablespoons celery, chopped
1/2 small garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup petite peas, frozen
1/2 cups chicken stock or broth
6 tablespoons fresh mint leaves chopped plus 2 sprigs for garnish
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt to taste
Directions
Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat, add scallion, celery and garlic; sauté for 2 minutes; add peas, chicken stock and mint leaves. Bring to a boil then turn the heat down and simmer 4 to 6 minutes.
Transfer the green pea mixture to a food processor; puree then strain. Pour into a container with a pouring spout, add cream and salt to taste, cover and chill in refrigerator.
When ready to serve pour into martini glasses and garnish.
Black Olive Soup
Ingredients
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
1 small white onion, minced
1 large clove, crushed
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup cream
¼ tsp salt
2 Tbs cilantro, chopped
Directions
In a soup pot mix the olives, chicken stock, garlic, and onion and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Lower the heat and allow to simmer for 15 minutes.
Mix the eggs and cream together in a small bowl.
Stir a small ladle of stock into the egg mixture and beat well.
Pour the egg-cream mixture slowly into the stock.
Heat thoroughly, but do not boil.
Stir in salt and cilantro.
Vichyssoise
Yield 6 servings
Time 1½ hours
Tools
Dutch oven or large saucepan with lid
wooden spoon
blender or food processor
large bowl
Ingredients
2 T butter
3 c onion, chopped
1 t salt
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
4 c water
2 c milk
white pepper
1 c heavy cream (optional)
several T chives, chopped
Directions
Sauté the butter, onions, and salt until onions begin to brown, about 15 minutes.
Add potatoes and water, bring to boil, cover, lower heat, and simmer until potatoes are cooked, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Transfer to blender and purée until very smooth. Pour into bowl and add milk, pepper, and optional cream.
Chill and serve topped with chives.
Oven-Roasted Mushroom Soup
Serves: 4
Oven Temp: 400
Ingredients
1/3 cup(s) olive oil
1 1/2 pound(s) shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps roughly chopped into large pieces
1 1/2 pound(s) cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped into large pieces
3/4 teaspoon(s) salt
3/4 teaspoon(s) coarse-ground pepper
1/2 cup(s) very finely chopped shallots
3/4 cup(s) white wine
3 cup(s) low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoon(s) heavy cream
1 tablespoon(s) lemon juice
Directions
Roast the mushrooms: Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the olive oil in a large (about 16- by 13-inch) nonstick roasting pan. Add the mushrooms and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper and toss. Roast on the lowest shelf in the oven for 20 minutes. Add the shallots, stir to combine, and continue to cook for 10 more minutes. Remove about 1 1/2 cups of the mushrooms, set aside and keep warm.
Make the soup: Remove the roasting pan from the oven and pour in the wine; stir, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the roasting pan. Add the low-sodium chicken broth, 2 cups of water, and thyme leaves. Return the pan to the oven and let cook, simmering, for about 20 more minutes. Remove pan from the oven and transfer its contents to a large serving bowl.
Finish the soup. Remove 3/4 cup of the mushrooms with a slotted spoon; puree with 1/4 cup of the soup liquid in a blender. Stir the puree, cream, lemon juice, and remaining salt and pepper into the soup. Serve hot, topped with the reserved mushrooms.
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*
p.s. Hey. ** David Ehrenstein, Thanks much for the great interpolation of Bacteriaburger's post. I know that one of these days I'm going to get Pasolini as I seem destined to do. Thanks for the advice re: 'Porcile'. It's the Clementi/ cannibalism portion that I'm particularly looking for, as it's a big turning point in my novel, and the last time I watched it, Clementi wasn't the god he is to me now, and of course he wasn't conceivably in a novel of mine. Yes, RIP Gloria Stuart. She made it last. ** Allesfliesst, Oh, yes, it's all coming back to me now. The quote's context, I mean. Interesting chat and chatting companion you had going on there, obviously. ** Kiddiepunk, Thanks, M. Let's talk in a bit. Oh, when I was walking back to the metro last night after having dinner with my agent, I saw David Lynch having a coffee at Deux Magots, so I would guess that lecture/ event of his must be happening any second? ** Plexus, There you are. Hey, G-Force. So, well, there it is, your prize. Humble but well intentioned and soupy enough, I hope. Messy family stuff you've got going on there. It seems like you've been up there in Vermont forever. When do you get to escape? At least your writing isn't suffering at all. Anyway, have a very happy prize, such as it is, and I'll expect you to have made one of those soups or have made out with one (or more) of those blonds or his (or their) doubles by ... let's say, uh, Friday. Love to you, Plexter. ** Mr Lonely, Hi, welcome, and thank you. I've only just peeped at your blog, but it looks pretty interesting, yeah, so I'll try to make it a habit. Everyone, Mr Lonely dropped by here yesterday to say hello, and he left a link to his blog '!A Growing Teenager!', and it looks pretty interesting, so how about if you guys slip over there and see for yourselves. Do so by clicking this. Thanks again, take care, and hope to see you again soon. ** Creative Massacre, Hey there, pal! It's awesome that you're doing fantastic even with all that crap in your immediate past. If it were me, I might be more shell-shocked. Yeah, the switch to Mac is pretty big. The greater ease is really nice, yeah? Lovely to see you. ** Sypha, Ah, a cold, yeah, it did sound like the makings of one, and colds are pretty trendy right now, at least in France. Hope you're at least a bit declogged today. ** Dan, Hi, Dan! How nice! I was just thinking about you. Holy shit, I heard it was 113 degrees in LA yesterday or thereabouts. Spooky. All the very best to you, man. ** Trees, Hey, T. Oh shit, a partner coming off heroin, Jesus. That's about as rough as it gets. I really hope he or she manages to kick, and of course I'm counting on that SPD being just notch in your belt or whatever straight away. Do you know that I've never had an STD? Weirdest, odds-defying thing imaginable. Someone should study me instead of my books. Gardening and chickens in the Bay Area? I can see it, but it's still kind of surreal. Well, obviously, that synth-punk post will be manna and a blog saver whenever you've aced it. Thank you, man. You writing at all? I'm good, thanks. It's novel novel novel on my end right now. ** Pilgarlic, That does sound like a tight haunted house. I sort of vaguely consider myself a connoisseur if not even an expert on spooky houses. I walk through them like the writers at Cuisine Magazine sit through dinners. I keep wanting to rally my friends into making one with me, but then I never do, mostly because a decent spooky house is cost-prohibitive. This place I'm living in now -- an ancient monastery/ military hospital/ prison/ squat is custom made for a s.h., and I'm positive that if Parisians had one available to walk through, it would cause a sensation and make me millions, etc. I just need a financial backer, and, well, who doesn't? ** Bernard Welt, Right before I spied David Lynch coffeeing at Deux Magot last night, I bumped into John Epperson aka Lypsinka. Man, is he a talkative trip who knows his way around skin products. See your point precisely on the contemporary 'witchhunting' in the US, and I would raise it if you didn't know more about all of that than I do. ** Pisycaca, You have a cold now too? I hope it's speedier than mine was, even though mine could have been worse. Maybe you or Xet should make one of the soups on display today. Yeah, Nuit Blanche is going to be so much fun. It looks really good this year. I'll probably share some stuff from it if all goes well. Feel better, dear Montse. ** Wolf, Wolf! I mean Raccoon! It does feel like it's been a long time. But it sounds like you've been making all kinds of strides on multiple fronts, and that's ultra-cool. Is there any video of the Esther/band gig? I want to link up Stephen too, if so. I quite like the new background color of your blog. It may not be red, but it still feels deliciously extruded from some Pandora's Box. And the new photos are just magnificent! Maybe my favorites of your photography ever. Wow. Hold on. Everyone, Wolf is great, as you well know, and she's partly great because she employs a camera like nobody's business, and she has some new photographs up on her blog, and you really, really will be very, very glad once you've clicked this and put your eyes where mine were when I clicked that. Just do it. Thank you. I'm doing okay. G. and I will be starting hard work on the maze/ theater piece soon, and I'm using every minute until then to try to try to finish my novel. The maze is going to be awesome. It'll be all animatronic lifesize dolls inside. Twitching, talking, crying, breathing, etc., etc. Well, them plus spooky decor plus spooky sounds and texts and stuff. And maybe even a minotaur, you never know. First I have to write the script and structure, and then we'll see what works and what makes the final cut. It premieres in Brest in March. You should come. ** Laurabeth, Hey, Laura. I thought that class on the beginnings of the domestication of plants and animals sounded quite interesting. I'll try to have a fantastic day. It's a bit chilly outside, so it'll probably be up to me and my novel. Oh, I need to buy some food, and I'll try to buy fantastic food. Pastries, I guess. May the fantastic overtake your day ahead as well, pal. ** Bacteriaburger, Hi, Natty. Thank you so much for yesterday. It was a total beauty, and I was hardly the only one who thought so. That 'Witch Hunt' documentary sounds really promising, yeah. Let me ... Everyone, Bacteriaburger, who created the very fine Satanic Panic post yesterday, highly recommends that you investigate, in his words, ' a documentary called "Witch Hunt" about a pedophile-panic outbreak in California, the movie is on Netflix instant and it's highly recommended, I cried through almost the entire thing: link.' I love your use of the word 'lumpen' in your mention of he who never existed and shall not be named. Take care, man. ** Steevee, I guess it could be fractured? A hairline fracture or something? Hopefully not even that. Healing vibes to you. The Assayas interview should be very interesting, I'd think. It's about 'Carlos', I assume? ** Statictick, Hey. The Mike Kelley stuff sounds like really big fun. I'll check youtube. Surely someone tracked some of that with a camera. Really, really great luck and, uh, break a leg re: the EMG tomorrow. Let me know what the results are please. ** Killer Luka, You make NYC sound so fun or ripe or something. I'm not going to tell Paris to go fuck itself. You know me better than that. I might tell it to make of itself a place where the terms fucking and frolicking would have the same dictionary definition. I can do that. ** Ken Baumann, When it comes right down to it, I probably just smell like cigarettes unless organic cotton has a noticeable scent. Secret project? I love secret projects. I'm all about secret projects, Baumann. So yours gets my blessing so long as you whisper the secret into my blog or ear when it's safe to do so. I don't know 'Castle'. I'll investigate. I hope it's about an actual castle and not about a private eye named Castle or something. I think it's just appalling that 'House' is about a doctor named House and not about a house. I hope 'Castle' isn't a spin-off of 'House'. Swells are good. May one swamp you. Was it really 113 degrees in LA yesterday? Jesus. Curious to hear what you think of 'Trash Humpers'. Oh, no, no, no, say it isn't so! Everyone, oh, no, no, no, say it isn't so! Yours, Dennis ** Armando, Hey, man! Missed you too. I did. 'No, thanks' is not in my lexicon. AM Homes: I'm not a big fan, to be honest with you. I haven't read her recent stuff, so I can't speak to that. But, no, I'm not so into her work. Many are though, and some of the many are not without good taste. I'm doing fine. And you? Yeah, when I finish 'Imperial Bedrooms', which might take me a bit 'cos I'm in heavy work mode, I'll share for sure. ** The Evil Ghost of JW Veldhoen, Ah, ha ha! Not only do you return, you get into the spirit of my favorite holiday. God or Satan or both love you for that. Oh, me too. And for referencing the sublime pop-rap stylings of 'Baby's Got Back' which I often chant to myself in the shower. ** Bill, It's a good thing you can't see my haircut or lack of one. It's bordering on religious scheister style. Trailers, soon, ... yum. ** Mark, Hey. Oh, awesome. My email address is dcooperweb@gmail.com. Thank you so much! I hope your eyes is depinking and treating you a lot better now. ** Paul Curran, Hold on, let me turn down this Stryper CD. Okay. Wait, who are you again? ** Bollo, I forgive you on the lack of castle pix. I didn't take a pic of David Lynch drinking coffee at Deux Magot last night, so let's call it even. 'Salt' ... oh, right, Angelina Jolie. I figured it was a guaranteed future in-flight entertainment choice, so I skipped it. I think the 'Them' interview is just on the Artforum website. Good morning, no, wait, good afternoon, sir. ** I'l leave you now to look over Plexus' shoulder at the scrumptious liquids and liquid containers until tomorrow, same time, same blog. Bye.
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