Roasted Tomato Soup ~ Served Hot or Cold

Hot or Cold, Roasted Tomato Soup

This is a robust savory soup served hot or cold.  On this occasion, I served it hot for lunch.  The garden is overloaded with tomatoes!  Two varieties of Heirlooms, Celebrity, Roma and small Cherry tomatoes bursting with flavor.  Basil, yes, we have tons of that too!  Perfect for our delicious soup and easy to put together.

Roasted Tomato Soup, Served Hot or Cold,

adapted from CIA Master Chefs

The Chef In My Head

Yields 8 cups

12 fresh tomatoes, any variety, quartered

4 T extra virgin olive oil, divided use

2 tsp kosher salt, divided use

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper, divided use

2 large onions, rough chopped

2 stalks celery, rough chopped

4 garlic cloves, 2 peeled rough chopped, 2 whole

4 C vegetable broth

1/4 C dry white wine

1 bay leaf

1/4 C fresh basil, chopped + more for garnish

Place tomatoes along with 2 whole garlic cloves on baking sheet, drizzle with 2 T olive oil and sprinkled with half of salt and pepper.  Roast in 450 degree oven about 30 to 45 minutes until they are browned and have a rich, roasted aroma.  Set aside.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and celery and saute, stirring frequently until the onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.  Add the remaining garlic and the bay leaf and saute for 2 minutes.  Add the roasted tomatoes, the remaining salt and pepper and roasted garlic along with the broth and white wine.  Scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Remove the soup pot from the heat and discard the bay leaf.  Carefully pour contents into the awesome Vitamix and add the basil and secure the lid.  Turn on machine on and quickly increase the speed to Variable 10, then to high.  Blend for 45 seconds until smooth.   Note: If you do not have a Vitamix yet, then you can use your food processor or blender, blending in smaller batches. 

If serving HOT, pour into serving cups or bowls, garnish with reserved basil sprigs.  

If serving COLD, chill the soup for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.  Check for seasoning just before serving.  Pour into cups or bowls and garnish with basil springs.

Enjoy!

Delicious with crispy garlic croutons or my favorite, a rustic Grilled Cheese Sandwich!

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Moroccan Spaghetti Squash & Sweet Potato Soup

Spaghetti Squash & Sweet Potato Soup

The Vitamix is changing lives!!!   We are using this amazing machine at least two times per day, usually 3.  Today for example, breakfast was a fresh Apricot, Orange and Banana Smoothie!  Beautiful color and delicious too!

Apricot, Orange & Banana Smoothie

Apricot, Orange & Banana Smoothie

The Chef In My Head

Serves 2

1 cup ice

4 fresh apricots, pitted

1 banana, peeled

2 oranges, peeled

1 T. Nopolina (optional)

Place all ingredients in Vitamix in order listed,  Turn on and immediately turn to 10 on dial and switch lever to high.   Blend to desired consistency and enjoy!!  

Too easy and too tasty!!

Lunch today is the beautiful and creamy soup.  I am going to pretend that it is not expected to be over 100 degrees outside.  

After standing with the refrigerator door open for about ten minutes, this is what I came up with.  Man I love this blender, it was so worth saving up for.  Changing lives here....changing lives.

Moroccan Spaghetti Squash & Sweet Potato Soup

The Chef In My Head

Serves 6

1 3-4 pound spaghetti squash

1 large sweet potato, peel and cut into large cubes

1/2 large onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, large dice

1/2 (4 T.) stick unsalted butter

1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cayenne (or to taste)
1/2 tsp tumeric (optional for added nutrition and color)
3/4 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper
1/2 of an orange, peeled
2 cups vegetable broth



Pierce squash (about an inch deep) all over with a small sharp knife to prevent bursting. Cook in microwave oven on high power (100 percent) for 6 to 7 minutes. Turn squash over and microwave until squash feels slightly soft when pressed, 8 to 10 minutes more. Cool squash for 5 minutes.


Place Sweet Potato cubes in microwave safe bowl and microwave on high power (100 percent) until tender when pierce with a fork, about about 4 to 5 minutes.



Meanwhile, melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over moderately high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 1 minute. Stir in spices and salt & pepper and remove from heat.  Add to Vitamix.


After Spaghetti Squash has cooled slightly, cut it in half, scoop out seeds and discard (or save to toast for garnish).  with a large spoon, scoop flesh of squash into Vitamix, reserving a small amount of "noodles" for garnish if desired.


Place cooked cubed Sweet Potato into Vitamix.  Toss in orange and 2 cups of Vegetable broth.  


Secure lid on Vitamix.  Turn on machine, turn dial to 10 and lever to high.  Add more Vegetable broth as needed.  Let machine remain running on high until you see a fair amount of steam escaping lid.


Pour into serving bowls, garnish and serve.


Unbelievably creamy and delicious!!

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Pozole (Pork & Hominy Soup)



My "Gringo" Pozole

This soup is different and so delicious.  The base is pork loin with hominy, onions and tomatoes, seasoned of course.  Then topped with a plethora of fresh veggies and cheese that gets gooey and yummy!   So I knew my family's Pozole wasn't completely traditional, now I know how spoiled I was!

Check this out!!

Ritual significance:

Since corn was a sacred plant for the Mexicans and other inhabitants of Mexico, pozole was made to be consumed on special events. The conjunction of corn (usually whole hominy kernels) and meat in a single dish is of particular interest to scholars because the ancient Mexicans believed that the gods made humans out of cornmeal dough. According to research by the National Institute of Anthropology and History and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, in these special occasions, the meat used in the pozole was human. [4] After the prisoners were killed by having their hearts torn out in a ritual sacrifice, the rest of the body was chopped and cooked with corn. The meal was shared among the whole community as an act of religious communion. After the conquest, when cannibalism was banned, pork became the staple meat, as it "tasted very similar", according to a Spanish priest.[5] (Source:Wikipedia)

"tasted very similar" YIKES!!! 

This delicious soup is made with PORK LOIN, and not your Great Aunt Ethel!!!  This is a fun soup to serve to a group.  Keep the soup heated on the stove and set up all of the condiments for your guests to garnish themselves.  For most of your friends, it will be their first encounter with this fabulous and festive (super easy on the hostess) soup!

POZOLE (Pork and Hominy Soup)

SOUP:
2 lbs pork loin, trimmed of fat and cubed in 1-inch pieces
2 quarts water
4 C chicken stock
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 med. onions, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
2 large Hatch, Anaheim or New Mexico chiles, roasted, peeled and diced
2 T Cilantro, chopped
2 cans hominy (one white & one yellow) drained.  *Reserve 1/2 of one of the cans.
1 T dried oregano
2 T chile powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp salt, to taste
Fresh ground pepper, to taste

Garnish with any of the following:
shredded lettuce
thinly sliced radishes
thinly sliced green onions
limes, cut into wedges
shredded carrots
chopped avocado
sliced jalapenos
shredded Jalapeno Jack cheese
shredded cheddar cheese
Tobasco sauce and/or salsa
toasted tortilla strips
sour cream

Soup:

Put all of the ingredients listed for soup into a large stock pot.  Take the reserved 1/2 of can of hominy and process it in your food processor then add it to the stock pot.  This just adds to the consistency of the soup.  Simmer for two hours.  You can make this ahead, chill and skim off the fat before reheating.  Like most soups or stews, it always tastes better the next day.  If you trimmed the pork well of any fat, skimming shouldn't really be necessary.

Serve in warm soup bowls and let your guests and family garnish themselves.  It is ALWAYS a crowd pleaser and I guarantee you will be asked for the recipe again and again. 

Now I guess if your Great Aunt Ethel really is a problem, you can improvise on your ingredients, I'll never tell....



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Chilled Avocado Soup

Chilled and creamy served as an appetizer

I love this recipe and it is a breeze to make.  Lovely flavors with just a touch of cayenne and oh so delicious fresh lime juice.  This is my sweet Mom's recipe and it's one of my favorites, just perfect for spring time.  Or summer for that matter, as it happens to feel like in Texas already.  I searched until I found just the right over sized shot glasses to serve this for the girls in my bunco group.  This is an easy recipe to double or triple.  Just allow for 1 avocado per person.  The recipe below serves 4 regular soup bowl servings or a bunch of single appetizer servings.  Don't get the idea it is just for girls, my husband gobbles it up too!

Chilled Avocado Soup

4 avocados (1 per person)
2 C heavy cream
2 C chicken stock
2 T lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
healthy dash of cayenne

Process all ingredients except heavy cream, in food processor or blender until smooth.  Stir in cream. Taste to adjust seasonings.  Allow to chill in refrigerator.  Garnish with lemon or lime slices.

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VELVET CORN CHOWDER WITH RED PEPPER CREAM

Baby it's cold outside....... I love soups with different flavors drizzled on top! This is a simple soup everyone thinks you slaved over. The spicy red cream sauce packs a punch of color and flavor to this creamy corn chowder. And a few words about corn, I cringe in the produce section or the Farmers Market when I see people pulling apart the protective husks to see if the corn is in straight rows on the cob. WHO CARES?? It isn't staying in a straight row when you cook it. It matters how it tastes, that's all that matters, nothing else matters!!! Fully ripe sweet corn has bright green, moist husks. The silk should be stiff, dark and moist. You should be able to feel individual kernels by pressing gently against the husk. Fresh corn, if possible, should be cooked and served the day it is picked or purchased. As soon as corn is picked, its sugar begins is gradual conversion to starch, which reduces the corn's natural sweetness. Corn will lose 25% or more of its sugar within 25 hours after harvesting it. If for some reason corn is not being used immediately or has been purchased from the supermarket, add sugar to replace that which has been lost. Add one teaspoon sugar for each quart of water. Between purchasing and cooking, keep the corn moist and cool. Pack in a cooler for the trip home from farm or market and refrigerate corn immediately after taking it home. By refrigerating the corn, it helps the corn stay sweet by not letting the sugars turn to starch. Use within two or three days. - From What's Cooking America RED PEPPER CREAM: 2 lg red bell peppers 2 T fresh oregano 1 tsp cayenne pepper 1 T olive oil ½ tsp salt 2 T heavy cream Roast peppers under broiler or over flame until blackened and blistered. Place peppers in bowl and cover for about 10 minutes. Peel away skins, discarding stems and seeds. Chop peppers and place in blender. Add oregano, cayenne, olive oil and salt. Puree the mixture, drizzling the cream in while blending. Transfer to bowl and set aside. CORN CHOWDER: 2 slices bacon, chopped ¼ C. celery, finely diced 1 small yellow onion, finely diced 2 C. chicken broth 4-5 red new potatoes, diced 1½ T. fresh thyme 1 bay leaf Salt and pepper, to taste 2 C. milk, heated 6 ears of corn, remove kernels saving as much juice as possible In a heavy saucepan over med-low heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and reserve for another use. Increase your temperature and add the celery and onion and saute until translucent. Increase the heat to high and add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the potatoes, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper and return to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the milk and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the corn and the juice, simmer until the corn is tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Serve the soup in individual bowls topping with a spoonful of the red pepper cream. Serves 6-8

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ITALIAN MEATBALL SOUP

Colorful, flavorful soup, “souper” easy to make.
My personal take on Rachel Ray's &  Giada's soups.

SOUP BASE:

 3 T Olive oil

 5 slices bacon, chopped

¼ tsp. liquid smoke

1 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced or grated

2 heads Escarole, cleaned well and rough chopped

Salt & Pepper, to taste

1 tsp Red pepper flakes

Nutmeg, freshly grated, to taste, be generous

1 15oz can Cannellini beans (white kidney beans)

2 Quarts Chicken stock

3-5 C. water, as needed

1 lemon, zested

MEATBALLS:

⅓ pound ground beef

⅓ pound ground veal

⅓ pound ground pork

1 egg

2 handfuls bread crumbs

Splash of milk

1 handful grated Parmesan cheese

¼ tsp Allspice

½ tsp Tony’s

 ¼ tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Pepper

1 handful fresh Parsley, finely chopped

SOUP PREP:

 Heat olive oil in a heavy soup pot over med-high heat. Add bacon and Liquid Smoke, cook until crisp, remove about half of the grease. Add onion and garlic and saute just until they begin to caramelize. Add the escarole and wilt. Season with Nutmeg, Salt, Pepper, and Tony’s. Add beans with juice. Stir well. Add chicken stock, increase heat to high and deglaze, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pot, bringing to a boil.  Add meatballs. Make sure you have added enough water to cover as meatballs are added, stirring as needed to make room. Adjust heat a little lower and continue to boil for about 10-15 minutes to cook meatballs. Turn off heat, and add lemon zest. Serve with more grated Parmesan at table.

MEATBALL PREP:

Combine all ingredients for meatballs. Use hands and mix until just combined. Over mixing will make meatballs tough. Dampen hands and form into balls about the size of a walnut. Set aside until needed.

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Some Like It Hot......Roasted Poblano Vichyssoise with Lime

Few people realize that Vichyssoise, the cold potato leek soup with the French name, was invented, not in Paris or Lyons or even in Vichy, France, but in New York City at the beginning of the 20th Century.




It was 1917 and the fashionable Ritz-Carlton Hotel on Madison Avenue at 46th Street was about to open a new roof garden restaurant. The head chef was a Frenchman named Louis Diat (1885-1957). He often made a potato and leek soup from a recipe given him by his mother, Annette Alajoinine Diat, and he was preparing to serve it at a party celebrating the opening of the roof garden. Whether, according to legend, the soup, prepared in advance, wasn't re-heated in time to be served as a first course, or whether the day was warm and Chef-de-Cuisine Diat felt culinarily creative, he added cream to his mother's soup recipe and served it cold, sprinkled with chopped chives. He called it Creme Vichyssoise Glacee, or Chilled Cream Vichyssoise, in honor of the town where he was born.


The original Ritz-Carlton has long since been demolished but Vichyssoise lives on.


God Bless the Ritz Carlton and all of the special memories, events and amazing food that came from there.


Mmmmmmm....Vichyssoise, Some of us love it as it is cool and flavourful and creamy, as it should be.  Some of us, such as our son, cannot wrap his head around a cold soup. To him, it just doesn't make sense.  Bless his heart, in the summer he can expect to expand his tastebuds with wonderful soups like Avacado Soup, Cantelope Soup and many many more.  He'll come around, I have faith!


Yesterday was one of those days I just happen to have all the right ingredients on hand, plus, of course, I still have poblanos growing like crazy.  So this was my interpretation of Vichyssoise.

Roasted Poblano Vichyssoise with Lime adapted from a Gourmet Magazine Recipe

1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and small diced
5 C. water
4 med. Leeks, green tops removed, white cut lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 med. onion, diced
1 Tbl unsalted butter
2 tsp kosher salt
2 C. milk
1 C. Heavy Cream

1 C. Half-and-half
4 lg poblano peppers, roasted and charred exterior removed along with stem and seeds, finely sliced into strips
1 C. Sour cream
1/4 C. fresh lime juice, or to taste
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

Garnish: several thin slices of poblano and halved lime slices to float on top

Place diced potatoes in bowl with water.  In another bowl or vegetable sink, soak leeks in water to cover.  Agitate to remove dirt and sand, drain in colander. Thinly slice leaks.  Add butter to heavy bottom soup pot, on med/low heat, add leeks and onion, cook until wilted, do not carmelize or it will discolor you finished soup.

Add potatoes with water,salt and poblanos, simmer, covered for about 40 minutes, or until potatoes are very soft.   Add milk, cream and half-and-half and bring just to a boil, stirring.


In your amazing food processor (or my crappy one that leaks all over my counters) puree soup in batches.  Return to clean soup pot.  Stir in sour cream and lime juice.




At this point you can serve the soup hot, or you can chill it, covered until very cold and up to 1 day.


Hot or cold, serve soup garnished with remaining poblanos and slices of lime.

Enjoy, Approximately 10 cups.

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Soupe A' l'oignon (French Onion Soup)

Soupe A' l'oignon

4 T butter

2 T olive oil

2 lbs onions, thinly sliced (about 7 cups)

1 tsp salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

1 T sugar

1 T balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tsp thyme (fresh if you have it)

3 T flour

2 qts beef stock (I usually include some chicken stock)

1/4 - 1/2 C dry red wine

In a heavy 4 - 5 quart stock pot, melt the butter with the olive oil over moderate heat.  Stir in the onions, salt, pepper,sugar, balsamic vinegar and thyme.  Cook uncovered over low/med heat, stirring occasionally for 20 to 30 minutes or until the onions are a rich golden brown.  Sprinkle flour over the onions and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the red wine to deglaze then add beef/chicken stock.  Bring the pot to a low boil then turn down to simmer for another 40 minutes (or longer).  Occasionally skim off any fat.  Taste for seasoning.

Croutes

12 - 16 one-inch thick slices of French bread (I always make more than we need to have a couple per serving)

2 tsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, cut in half

1 C grated Gruyere cheese

While the soup simmers, make the croutes.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Spread the bread slices in one layer on a baking sheet.  With a pastry brush, lightly coat both sides of each slice with olive oil.  Bake for approx 15 minutes on each side.  They should be completely dry and lightly browned.  Rub each slice with the cut garlic.  While they are still warm, top each slice of bread with shredded cheese and set aside.

To serve, place croutes in individual bowls and ladle the soup over them.

Serves 6 - 8.

I've been making this soup for at least 25 years, we all love it.  Now the kids are grown and I still make the same amount and freeze the rest.  It's even better the next day!  A great recipe to make ahead.

Bon Appetite!

Remember to skip on over for Tasty Tuesdays!  http://www.beautyandbedlam.com/

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Two Color Soup and Stuffed Pork Chops with 3 Sauces

This will teach me to skip a couple of days, too much to catch up. 

Friday evening was a dinner party in honor of my friend's birthday.  Love you Tracy, you're the best!!!

Roasted Yellow Pepper Soup and Roasted Tomato Soup with Serrano Cream

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Roasted-Yellow-Pepper-Soup-and-Roasted-Tomato-Soup-with-Serrano-Cream-11554

I have made this elegant soup for years, it is our favoite and I really wish I could take credit for the creation of it.  It came from Gourmet Magazine, March 1993 issue (link above).  I have only made slight changes over the years.  I use fresh thyme, not dried and add a dash of cayenne in the pepper soup and I add a splash of cognac to both soups.  This soup was my excuse to purchase two matching All Clad pots and my very own Chinois. The matching pots I bought after major struggling to get the two soups the same consistancy(I can justify just about anything for my kitchen).  Important when it comes time to ladle the soups in the bowl at the same time, to get it to split down the middle.

The Chinois.

It is a conical sieve with an extremely fine mesh. It is used to strain custards, purees, soups, and sauces, producing a very smooth texture. It can also be used to dust pastry with a fine layer of powdered sugar.

I love this thing!

I had my butcher cut bone in pork chops 1 1/2" thick.  I cut a pocket in each of them and stuffed them with spicey sausage.  I use our HEB brand sausage but you can use Jimmy Dean Hot sausage.  The outside of the chops are dried and rubbed with cayenne.  I refrigerate them until about 45 minutes before I begin to saute them.  The three sauces were a Dark Cherry Sauce, Orange Marmelade and Apple Chutney.  With this I also served Asparagus with Hollandaise and Roasted Fingerling Potatoes.

Cherry Preserve Sauce
12 oz jar Cherry Preserves
2 Tbl. light corn syrup
1/4 C Pomegranate infused Red Wine Vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat to boiling, stiring constantly.  Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.  Keep sauce warm. Note: You can also use this sauce spooned over a pork lion roast to glaze, bake and serve the remaining on the side.

Orange Marmelade Sauce

12 oz. jar Orange Marmelade (good quality)
2 - 2 Tbl Hot Dijon Mustard, to taste

Heat to boiling, stiring constantly.  Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.  Keep sauce warm.

Apple Chutney

3 Tbl. butter
3 cooking Apples, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 wedges
1 3-inch cinnamon stick or 1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 C dried cranberries
1/4 C. Rum
1/4 C. Apple Cider (I like Woodchuck Draft Cider, Amber)

Heat butter in saute pan to med-high heat, add apples and cinnamon.  Saute until soft with a little bite left in them.  Deglaze pan with Rum and add cranberries.  Add apple cider and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Cook until the apples are the softness that you like.  Keep Warm.

For the chops, heat 2 Tbl. olive oil in large pan on high heat, saute chops on both sides until brown.  Move to pan with roasting rack, cover with foil, and bake at 350 degrees until medium rare.  Let chops rest for about 10 minutes and serve with sauces.

Our evening was a fantastic success!  Luckily we had good weather so we set the table and ate outside and enjoyed delicious wine and each other's company until late in the evening.  We are planning Paella sometime before it gets too cold, just waiting for the lobster to go on sale!

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