Monday 6 June 2011

Soups

Potato leek soup (Chantal)
My grandmother's recipe

1 1/2 cups leeks, diced
1/2 cup celeri, diced
3/4 cup carrot, sliced
1 clove garlic
3 tbsp butter
4 cups potatoes, diced
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp tarragon
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 cups milk (optional)
1/2 cup cheddar (optional)

Saute first 4 ingredients in butter. Add to large pot. Add potatoes,stock, spices and herbs. Simmer. covered, for an hour. Add more water if needed. Add milk and cheese before serving if desired.


Ramadan Soup (Chantal)
One of my favourite soups and really easy to make!

large bunches of parsley and cilantro
8 cups chicken stock
1 cup whole dry lentils (you can also use a can of lentils. Just rinse them and skip the simmering)
2 cans tomatoes (drained and diced)
1 can chickpeas, rinsed
2 onions, chopped
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cumin, ginger, turmeric, pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil

Chop 1/4 cup coriander (cilantro) and parsley leaves, stems removed. Tie the remaining bunches together. Boil, then simmer for 15min, discard bundle.
Add lentils, cover and simmer for 15 min.
Add chickpeas, tomatoes, onions and spices and simmer 30min
Cool and puree 3 cups and return to the pot. Add lemon juice and oil.
serve with lemon slices and dates.


Cream of lentil and vegetable soup (Chantal)
A recipe from Ricardo magazine. I freeze half the lentil pilaf recipe and make the soup a second time. 

Lentil Pilaf
2 shallots, finely chopped (can also use onion)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups dry green lentils, rinsed
~3 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
S&P

Brown the shallots in the oil. Add the lentils and mix well. Add the broth and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer until the lentils are tender (~45min). Add broth as needed.


Soup
4 zucchini, diced in chunks
4 plum tomatoes, halved and seeded
2 large red peppers, cored and diced in chunks
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 lentil pilaf recipe or 2 cups cooked lentils
S&P

With the rack in the middle, preheat oven to 450F.
Toss the vegetables in vinegar, oil, S&P and roast until the veggies are tender (~20min).
In a saucepan over high heat, bring the broth, veggies and lentils to a boil, then simmer until the the veggies and lentils are very tender.
Puree, adding broth as needed.