Tasting Spoons

I’m beginning to sound like the cooking instructor, Phillis Carey, in my long-winded titles. But, you see, I don’t want you to flip on by this one without realizing what’s actually in this scrumptious soup. If simple comfort food is what you crave, this soup will fit the bill to a T.

We had invited friends over for dinner and they really like to eat light and healthy, so I said I’d make soup. So okay, what to make? I flipped through some of my tried and true recipes but finally decided to wing it - I’d create a new soup for the occasion. We try to limit the carbs we eat, so it was simple enough to put in just a bit of wild rice and a bit of barley instead of larger portions. If I’d done the normal, it would have made this a Wild Rice and Barley Soup with Mushrooms and Turkey Meatballs. No, I wanted the mushrooms to shine and the wild rice and barley to merely provide texture and some good healthy grains. It was perfect for a cold Sunday afternoon as I puttered in the kitchen, adding this and that.

The wild rice and barley were cooked separately because I didn’t want to overcook either of them. They take different cooking times, and I also wanted to add them in just at the last so they’d still have plenty of toothy bite to them. A variety of fresh mushrooms were used including some porcinis. Actually there were a LOT of mushrooms in this soup altogether, but that’s what I had in mind. I wanted it to seem like a real cream of mushroom, but without being loaded with cream itself (there’s just ½ cup in the whole recipe, so that’s one tablespoon per serving). Can I tell you, without sounding too proud of myself, that this is one heck of a good soup? I’m beginning to sound like a broken record since I’ve made some outstanding soups lately. Remember my story about my granddaughter Taylor asking me what was my favorite thing to cook?  I was baking a cake at her house and am sure she was expecting me to say cookies or desserts. And then I burst her bubble and she definitely gave me a funny face when I said “soups.” So, here you are with a new soup that will make your comfort genes happy.

You can add other vegetables to this if you’d prefer – I just had in mind the mushrooms being the star and anything else was a subtle note. The meatballs were easy to make – just remember not to boil the soup once you drop them into the hot liquid because they won’t hold together. I added some egg substitute to the mixture to give it some “glue.” And I added some olive oil to give the meatballs a bit of flavor, and because the only cheese I had with me was cottage cheese, I added a few tablespoons of that too. By all means, put in some other kind of cheese – like feta or cheddar, or jack. Even Parmesan. At the dinner table I heard raves from everyone, so I think this is another winner. Hope you agree. Serve with a salad (and bread if you want it).

Mushroom Soup with Onions, Leeks & Turkey Meatballs

Recipe: A Carolyn T original

Servings: 8

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large yellow onions — diced

3 stalks celery — diced

2 large garlic cloves — minced

2 whole leeks — cleaned, chopped

3 small carrots — diced

2 quarts chicken broth

1 whole bay leaf

1 tablespoon celery seed

2 teaspoons thyme — fresh or dried

1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes

1/2 teaspoon cumin seed

1 1/2 pounds mushrooms — half sliced, half diced

1/3 cup wild rice

1/3 cup barley

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup water — or liquid from boiling wild rice and barley

MEATBALLS:

2 pounds ground turkey — breast meat

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup egg substitute, liquid

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/3 cup cottage cheese — or crumbled feta

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons Italian parsley — minced, for garnish

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot and add the onions and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent. Add the diced leeks and carrots, and continue cooking for about 10 more minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking for about one minute only. Pour in chicken broth plus bay leaf, celery seed, thyme, red chile flakes and cumin seed. Bring to a boil and reduce flame to low and simmer for about one hour.

2. Allow soup to cool about an hour if you have time. This helps develop the flavors a bit. Remove half of the contents of the soup pot and using an immersion blender or food processor, puree the half contents and pour back into the pot.

3. In a small saucepan bring water to a boil for the wild rice, using the amount indicated on the jar or box, for the 1/3 cup. If you don’t want to have to monitor this constantly, add another half cup of water. Bring back to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for about 30 minutes or longer until rice is just underdone. Pour contents into the soup pot, including the extra water, if any.

4. In the same pan as you prepared the wild rice do the same for the barley, also cooking it to an underdone texture (you can do both of these together, but the cooking times are different). Add the barley and any extra liquid to the soup pot.

5. Meanwhile, prepare all the mushrooms, chopping some in small mince and the remainder in slices (more texture). Add them to the soup pot and bring the soup back to a simmer and allow to very lightly boil until the mushrooms are cooked through (about 10 minutes). Add heavy cream and reduce heat to BELOW a simmer.

6. MEATBALLS: In a medium bowl combine the ground turkey, egg substitute, seasonings, oil and cottage cheese (or other cheese or your choice). Using your hands make small roundish shaped meatballs and very gently drop into the soup pot. Make sure the soup liquid does not boil or the meatballs will fall apart. Carefully push meatballs down through the soup so they’re all below the surface and continue heating at BELOW a simmer for 10 minutes. Serve 5 small meatballs into a soup bowl and scoop a cup or two of mushroom soup part in the bowl. Garnish with minced Italian parsley.

NOTES : If you like more vegetable variety, add whatever other small or diced veggies you like to the soup when you add the mushrooms and cook until those veggies are nearly cooked before adding the meatballs. Suggestions: green beans, bell peppers (although they will change the flavor somewhat), fennel, parsnips (just a bit, though), white potatoes (but not much), cabbage, cauliflower (no broccoli, though), more celery, peas.

Per Serving: 443 Calories; 24g Fat (48.8% calories from fat); 31g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 111mg Cholesterol; 1083mg Sodium.

printer-friendly PDF

I’m reposting this recipe - I forgot to include the recipe directions. Sorry!  

With a number of butternut squash soups as favorites in my repertoire (well, two, actually) I looked askance at this new recipe as an intruder. As if I were to say “no, I don’t need another butternut squash soup, thank you.” Well, I hang my head – this is one great soup. Different than my other two (the Roasted Butternut Squash Soup and the Butternut Squash Soup with Jalapeno & Ginger). This one, though, has a very nice subtle flavor – no stronog flavors trying to vie for one another. It’s the crispy, fried pancetta that makes this soup, though.

During the cooking class last week with Carissa Giacalone, she talked about her cooking style. She uses a lot of classic recipes and rounds them out with her own little twists. She specifically talked about how she likes to combine different textures in nearly every dish she makes. And this one is no different. And she talked about how important salt can be in a any recipe. (She thinks most home cooks undersalt everything.) The soup is a combination of smooth and chunky (because you don’t puree it completely) and a combination of soft soup with crispy, crunchy pancetta sprinkles to decorate the top of the served soup. Carissa also topped it with a deep-fried sage leaf. Likely I won’t bother with that step, as nice as it is and was. Deep fried sage doesn’t have a lot of flavor anyway (well, in my book at least). And it’s extremely fragile, even in the cooking process. I’ll include it in the recipe below, though, in case you are willing to take the time. Fried sage doesn’t keep but a day, so it’s not like you can save it for a week or two. It’s make-it-and-serve-it tuit suite.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Pancetta, Garlic and Sage

Recipe: Carissa Giacalone, Foot Network Star finalist

Servings: 6-8

SQUASH:

2 pounds butternut squash — peeled, seeded, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons fresh sage — finely chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste

PANCETTA:

1/2 pound pancetta — diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

SOUP:

1 medium white onion — finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons garlic — minced

3 cups chicken stock

2 cups half and half

1 teaspoon fresh thyme — chopped

6 tablespoons unsalted butter — cold, cut in small pieces

SAGE LEAVES:

15 whole sage leaves

1 cup vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.

2. Place the cubed squash on a parchment-lined baking sheet (or use foil). Drizzle with 2 T. oil chopped sage, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Roast for 20 minutes, OR until squash is lightly caramelized and crisp-tender. Do not cook too long as the squash will continue to cook once it’s added to the soup.

3. Remove squash from the oven and set side. Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil and cook pancetta until golden brown and crispy. Drain on paper towels, but leave fat in the pan.

4. Add onions to the same pan and sweat, stirring frequently, for five minutes. Add garlic and sweat one minute, stirring occasionally. Deglaze the pan with chicken stock. Add roasted squash, half and half and thyme. Stir to combine and season generously with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium low and cook 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Heat vegetable oil in a 2 quart saucepan to 330 degrees exactly. (Must use candy thermometer.) Drop in half of the sage leaves and turn them in the oil with a wire skimmer or slotted spoon. Fry for only 7-8 SECONDS, without browning. Remove to paper towels to drain and season immediately with salt. Fry the remaining leaves and sprinkle lightly with salt. Leaves should be crisp when cool. Sage can be fried up to one day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temp.

6. Once soup has cooked for 30 minutes, remove from heat and transfer to a food processor (or use an immersion blender in the soup pot) and puree until a smooth consistency. If you prefer some texture, only puree half way so you’ll have a bit of both. If you prefer a smooth soup, pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot. Taste the soup and re-season with salt or pepper if necessary. Reheat soup, whisking in cold butter in pieces and stir to combine.

7. Divide soup among bowls, sprinkle crispy pancetta bits over and around the soup, top with crispy sage leaves and serve immediately.

NOTES: You can use frozen squash if you can find it. The soup can be made ahead and freezes well. Be sure to use white pepper (but don’t overdo it as white pepper is hotter than black). You do not have to make the sage leaves. The fried sage doesn’t add any particular flavor, just texture. The soup will serve 6 for a hearty portion; if serving as a first course it will easily serve 8 or 9 people.

Per Serving: (does not include calories for oil used for frying sage leaves) 435 Calories; 32g Fat (64.0% calories from fat); 16g Protein; 24g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 87mg Cholesterol; 2134mg Sodium.

printer-friendly PDF

Recently I went with a couple of my watercolor class friends to a Thai restaurant for lunch. I enjoyed my lunch so much I decided to try to recreate it at home. My entrée was a special that day, a creamy (coconut milk-based) sauce with fresh pumpkin cubes and shrimp. It had enough of the sauce/gravy to serve over a bed of rice. It was absolutely out of this world fabulous. I tried to close my eyes and analyze the flavors floating around in my mouth. I hoped it wouldn’t be too difficult to figure out how to make it.

Seeing sugar pie pumpkins at the market reminded me I wanted to try to prepare the dish. I did sleuth on the internet for a recipe, and found one that was similar, but different. I decided to make mine a soup without rice rather than the shrimp entrée sauce over rice I’d had at the restaurant. Since there were already carbs in the dish (the pumpkin) I thought it would be healthier for us anyway. The internet recipe called for shrimp paste (I used a fish soup base) and dried shrimp (I didn’t have them, nor did I buy it). It called for “green chiles,” so I used one Poblano (probably not traditionally Thai, but it was what I had) and one jalapeno. It had a perfect degree of heat for my taste. This other recipe called for basil. I used spinach instead. So I really changed the recipe all around, different proportions of most things and added ingredients plus deleted others.

The seafood soup base I bought from Penzey’s. You’ve read about them here before – their soup bases are just the greatest. I’m generous with how much I use. They don’t keep forever anyway. I’ve had my three jars for about 5 months now and they’re still just fine (stored in the refrigerator).

As I was making the soup I kept tasting the broth. Finally, after I added a jar of Thai red curry sauce I was pleased. The sauce came from Trader Joe’s, but I believe there are other brands out there . . . just seek them out. I purchased frozen already-cooked extra-large shrimp which got added to the soup at the very end. They slow-simmered just long enough to defrost and heat through. The coconut milk gets added at the very last also because it does not like to be boiled. I added the spinach and merely stirred it into the soup minutes before serving. The flavor comes from all the other stuff you put into the broth, though. The garlic, shallots, lemongrass (I used a paste from a tube since I can’t always find fresh lemongrass in my markets), the chiles, Thai fish sauce, and the soup base. There’s also just a tad of sugar in this. The soup is quite versatile – you could easily change the ingredients to ones of your choice. Don’t like pumpkin? Use butternut squash. Don’t like shrimp? Use chicken. Don’t like coconut milk? Use regular cow’s milk or soy (although the flavor will be really different). Don’t like chiles? Add green or red bell pepper instead. But, if you enjoy Thai flavors, this is one fantastic soup. My DH thought it was wonderful too.

Thai Pumpkin, Shrimp and Coconut Milk Soup

Recipe: Inspired by but significantly changed from a recipe on dlife.com

Servings: 5

3 cups pumpkin — fresh, peeled, cubed (don’t use the large carving-type pumpkins for this)

2 whole garlic cloves — crushed

2 large shallots — finely chopped

1 teaspoon seafood soup base — or chicken soup base

2 tablespoons lemongrass — fresh, chopped or lemongrass paste

2 whole green chiles — seeded (see notes for explanation)

4 cups chicken stock

16 ounces shrimp — fresh, shelled

11 ounces Thai red curry sauce

1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce

1 teaspoon granulated sugar — or more if desired

4 ounces spinach — baby type

1/2 cup canned pumpkin — optional

2 cups coconut milk — canned

Salt and ground black pepper

1.  With a sharp knife or very sturdy peeler, peel the pumpkin, and cut into quarters.  Scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon and discard.  Cut the flesh into chunks (about 3/4 inch) thick and set aside. 

2.  Put the garlic, shallots, fish soup base, lemongrass, and green chiles in the food processor.  Process to a paste, stopping periodically to scrape down the sides of the workbowl.  Continue to process until it’s a smooth paste. 

3.  In a large, heavy pot, bring the chicken stock to a boil.  Add the ground paste and stir well to dissolve.  Add the pumpkin chunks and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.  Don’t overcook.

4.  Stir in the shrimp, bottled Thai red curry sauce and spinach, bring to a simmer and cook 1-2 minutes.  Add the coconut milk, then bring the soup back to simmer.  Be careful not to let it boil.  Add a bit of water if you want more quantity (up to about 2 cups). Add the fish sauce, canned pumpkin, sugar and ground black pepper to taste.  Add more salt if needed.  Cook (below a simmer) for 2-3 minutes.  Serve in warmed soup bowls.  Since the spinach floats to the top, it provides a lovely garnished LOOK to the soup. No need to garnish with anything else unless you want to sprinkle some shredded spinach on top.

NOTES : You can use your own choice of chiles.  I happened to use one poblano and one jalapeno.  Neither was very hot on the Scoville rating.  If you don’t mind being un-authentic, add some frozen peas and mushrooms to the soup too.

Per Serving: 645 Calories; 39g Fat (52.8% calories from fat); 29g Protein; 50g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 139mg Cholesterol; 3972mg Sodium.

Printer-friendly PDF.

I’m re-posting this because one of the links STILL isn’t working. For those of you who subscribe, my apologies for getting this now for the third time!

Waiting for the weather to turn Fall-ish seems to take forever here in Southern California. On our recent driving trip we even got up to snow level (in Mt. Lassen), and endured 4 days of rain in Oregon, but as soon as we headed south again it was back into Indian Summer. The air conditioning has been running some hours nearly every day. But, it does cool off at night, thankfully. It’s not warm enough to eat outside in the evening (besides, by the time we eat it’s pitch dark now), and because I’ve been very busy trying to catch up on “things,” I’ve done some quick and easy dinners of late. Whenever the weather turns cool, my mind turns to soup. Soup is probably my most favorite food to cook, believe it or not. I even considered naming my blog something related to soup. But then, I cook a little bit of everything, so that would have been quite misleading and far fewer people would read my blog.

As I was baking Dana’s recent birthday cakes, my granddaughter Taylor asked me what was my favorite thing to cook. When I told her it was soup she gave me a funny look. When she comes to visit us I usually bake with her (cookies, cakes, desserts - I mean, what kid doesn’t love desserts . . . I always hope that one of my grandaughters or grandsons will have an interest in cooking).  So she was a bit mystified, I guess, that I said soup! Her mother (my daughter) doesn’t eat soup. Period. I don’t know where I went wrong there – she doesn’t eat eggs (or breakfast, for that matter), mushrooms or soup. Nor does she drink coffee or tea. Or wine. Or beer for that matter. Oh well. We eat/drink almost all of them. Back to soups . . . I’ve even written up a post about my soup “library” in my freezer – the vertical stack of flattened freezer bags full of soup. Twice this week I’ve pulled out bags from my inventory. I’m getting ready to start firing up the burners for a new season of soups.

I read somebody else’s blog this morning which gave me the idea that maybe some of you haven’t been reading my blog all that long. And maybe you haven’t read some of my older posts about my favorite soups. If you haven’t looked at my RECIPES page, you can always go there and view a list of all (or most all) of the recipes of all types that I’ve posted since I started my blog. Each recipe contains a link for the story I wrote (the blog post) and a link to the pdf file I have created for every one of my blog recipes. I fall behind now and then in updating it with my most recent posts. But most recipes are there.

This soup list below isn’t all-inclusive . . . I’m only telling you about my favorite hot soups. The ones I make year after year after year. The ones I crave. Here you go:

Cabbage Patch Stew -  Kind of a cross between soup and stew. Simple to make and served with a topping of freshly made mashed potatoes. This is one of my all-time favorites because of the combination of hearty soup and the potatoes. Freeze the potatoes separately.

Cream of Tomato Soup -  From a cooking class I took last year up in Sonoma. Oh so much better than Campbell’s. This is the first soup I’ll be making very soon. I crave this soup, especially with a half of a toasted sharp cheddar cheese sandwich made on grainy wheat bread.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup - a rather complicated fresh butternut squash soup. It also contains onions and apples, all oven roasted before concocting the soup itself. Succulent and a bit sweet. Freezes really well.

Roasted Poblano Asiago Soup -  the recipe I researched after going to Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen and having a similar soup. I crave this soup too.

Butternut Squash with Ginger & Jalapeno - a completely different soup than the above one - spicy, smooth and quite simple to make.

Tuscan Chicken Soup -  not a chicken soup at all. Very easy soup with ground beef and greens.

Sopa de Calabacitas - a favorite because I just l-o-v-e calabacitas (a Southwestern combo of corn, poblano chiles, onion, zucchini and cilantro). Usually served as a side vegetable, I like the mixture so much I made it into a soup.  

    

And just because I’m writing up a post about soups, here are two cold soups that are particular favorites too, which I probably won’t be making again until next spring sometime:

Cream of Cucumber Soup -  A cold summer soup from my friend Jackie. I must have made it 5 times over this last summer.

Strawberry Gazpacho -  from a cooking class a couple of years ago. Simply scrumptious. When strawberries come in season in the spring I’ll be making this right away quick.

I created the photo collage from photos in my archive. Once I finished it I realized the top left isn’t soup, it’s salsa. From the tiny thumbnail, it looked like tortilla soup. But the rest are soup photos from my recent cooking.

Since we ate exceedingly well on this trip, we decided that we should make every effort to eat some lighter meals once we got home. I went to my soup file and tried to find something new and different, lower in calorie, but also full of flavor. I have recipes in that file (and all the other ones as well) that go wa-a-a-y back. This one did. I have no idea where the photocopy came from, but I changed the recipe some anyway, so I guess I’m clear with the recipe police.

I like fairly substantive soups. They need to have lots of texture and layers to make me happy. I don’t make clear soups at all. Never have; probably never will. That’s a “why bother” in my book. So when I read this recipe I figured I could make it more my own by adding vegetables and revising the seasonings. I could tell by looking at it that it would be low in calorie (the bacon is the only no-no in it).

The toughest part of the recipe is cutting up the chicken. I read this recipe all the way through, then went back and read it through again. It was so unusual. So I went on the internet and researched the word “hamburgese.” It appears it’s the word for the people who live in Hamburg. That’s it. I found no mention of any soup. So I really don’t know the origin of this. The chicken pieces (minced finely) are the dumplings. This isn’t any traditional kind of dumpling, trust me. There is a little bit of chopped up fresh bread crumbs, but you hardly know they’re there. I know why I saved the recipe – it has nuts (I used walnuts instead of pistachios called for), green peppercorns, minced ginger, cumin and cinnamon in the seasoning. I mean, gee whiz, where does that combination come from? Not likely from Hamburg, Germany. I’m sure that’s what intrigued me.

So anyway, you have to cut up the chicken. Words of advice here – if you have frozen chicken breasts, partially defrost them and mince them up while they’re still mildly frozen. That will be a whole lot easier than doing it once they’re totally defrosted like I did. The recipe said you can’t use a food processor (wrong texture), but if you have a meat grinder that will do. Otherwise it’s mince it by hand. I’ll just tell you that it took longer than I wanted to spend mincing the slippery strips of chicken.

The soup is a broth (I used some more of the Penzey’s soup base), but I wanted the soup to have more to it than these chicken dumpling things and broth, so I added onion, carrot, celery and mushrooms. It reminds me of albondigas, the Mexican meatball soup that’s similarly made, but has totally different seasonings in it. Anyway, the veggies just simmer in the broth, then you add the little blobs of dumpling (hand formed gently) and they simmer in the broth at just BELOW a boil (otherwise they’ll all break apart).

I must say this soup is different. Good different. My DH didn’t get it when I dished it up – I’ve never served him a soup with chicken dumplings before. But once he tasted it he liked it. I followed the proportions for seasoning, but I think it should be more highly seasoned, so have increased the amounts in the recipe below. Please note that a 2-cup (approx.) serving is only 247 calories. You place the dumplings in a wide bowl, ladle the vegetable soup over the top and garnish with Italian parsley and some of the bacon bits.

Chicken Hamburgese or Chicken Dumpling Soup

Servings: 8

CHICKEN DUMPLINGS:

3/4 pound chicken breast, no skin, no bone, R-T-C

4 ounces bacon — divided use

1/2 cup onion — minced

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic — minced

3 tablespoons walnuts — minced

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon fresh ginger — minced

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

SOUP:

12 cups chicken broth

3 whole carrots — cut in coins

1/2 cup onion — chopped

1 stalk celery — chopped

1 cup fresh mushrooms — sliced

GARNISH:

3 tablespoons Italian parsley — minced

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1. Cut the bacon into 1/2 inch chop. Cook until crisp, drain on paper towels and reserve the bacon grease.

2. CHICKEN: The chicken meat needs to be cut into a very fine dice or be put through a meat grinder (a food processor isn’t the right texture). Ideally, cut the chicken when it’s still partially frozen (it will be easier to cut). Place in a medium sized bowl and set aside.

3. Place a bit of the bacon grease in the skillet and add the onion. Saute until the onion is translucent, then add the garlic and stir for just one minute. Remove from heat and spoon into the bowl with the chicken. Add the bowl the walnuts, pepper, ginger, cumin, cinnamon and a bit of salt. Stir until the mixture is combined. Add about a tablespoon of bacon grease to the chicken and stir (this holds it together).

4. SOUP: Use canned broth (or make your own) or use some kind of poultry stock base. Bring to a boil and taste for seasoning. Reduce heat to a simmer.

5. DUMPLINGS: Add half of the bacon pieces to the chicken and then add the bread crumbs. Stir to combine, then using your hands form the dumplings into an elongated oval. You should be able to make between 20-25 of them. Place on a plate or pan while you complete the soup.

6. SOUP: Add the carrots and onion to the simmering broth. Allow to cook for about 5 minutes, then add the celery and mushrooms. Allow that to simmer for just a few minutes. Reduce the flame so the soup is at a very low simmer (bubbling will cause the dumplings to break apart). Then add about 1/3 of the dumplings. Allow them to cook for about 3 minutes, or until they’re cooked through (remove one and test it). Repeat with another third of the dumplings, remove, and repeat again. Taste the soup for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.

7. SERVING: Place about 4 chicken dumplings in a wide bowl and ladle the soup over the top. Garnish with Italian parsley, lemon zest and the reserved bacon bits.

Per Serving: 247 Calories; 12g Fat (45.2% calories from fat); 23g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 38mg Cholesterol; 1910mg Sodium.

printer-friendly pdf

The first time I had posole was my first visit to Santa Fe, New Mexico. That was about about 20 years ago, I’d guess. It was a culinary tour, and the guide packed in 4 days of day and night eating, shopping, museums, tours and more food. It was heavenly fun. The food was out of this world. If you’ve ever had a food epiphany, then you can relate to what I felt on that trip. I realized I was truly enamored with Southwest food.

I’d never even heard of posole (poh-so-lee) until that trip, and hence learned that traditionally it’s a pork and hominy stew, typical of that region. Likely you can find it in Texas too, probably Arizona as well. In the stores there you can buy posole mixes (yes, I bought one). Hominy isn’t something I buy at all – I bet I’ve only purchased it a couple of times in my life (canned). But hominy is a requirement for this recipe. However, I didn’t have any. What to do? I used garbanzo beans instead. Not exactly authentic, but close.

In my repertoire of recipes I found one for posole made with chicken, so it at least gave me the formation of this recipe since chicken was what I had defrosting for the evening meal. The soup came together in rapid order – maybe not quite 30 minutes, but almost.

The recipe I was reading suggested you add a can of enchilada sauce. Well, I didn’t have that either. So I made my own. Well, actually, I just added the ingredients to the soup. Then I added in my own tweaking here and there (chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, some powdered cocoa), and now I’ve got a new soup recipe for my collection. This soup was fansastic if I do say so myself.

Now, I will say, I used Penzey’s turkey soup base concentrate for this recipe. And, if you read my blog piece a few days ago, you know that I’m a huge fan of Penzey’s soup bases. And once again, it provided a delicious depth of character to what was a relatively simple soup. The spinach is added in at the last and is barely cooked. I used baby spinach, which made the bites manageable. If you buy regular spinach, you’d best chop it up a little.

Chicken Posole, New Mexican Style

Recipe: My own recipe with inspriation from a couple of internet recipes

Servings: 5

1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts, no skin, no bone, cut in 1/2 inch cubes

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 whole onion — peeled, diced

1 1/2 whole red bell peppers — trimmed, cubed

3 cloves garlic

3 cups water

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon concentrate — preferably Penzey’s soup base

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon chipotle chile canned in adobo — minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

14 1/2 ounces garbanzo beans, canned — drained, or hominy

10 ounces tomato sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano — crushed

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 ounces spinach leaves — baby spinach if possible

1 cup corn — fresh, or canned & drained

1.  In a large nonstick skillet or soup pot add the raw chicken cubes with the 2 tablespoons of water.  Cover, but stir frequently and cook until most of the water is gone.  Remove lid and increase heat and cook until chicken pieces are lightly browned and cooked through.  Remove to a plate and set aside.

2.  Into the same pan add the olive oil, then add the onion.  Saute until onion has begun to wilt, then add the red bell pepper pieces.  Stir a bit and cook for about 2 minutes.  Add the garlic and continue stirring for one minute.

3.  Add the flour to the chicken pieces and toss until the chicken has absorbed nearly all the flour.

4.  Add the water and bouillon concentrate (or use chicken stock in lieu of the water and concentrate/granules) and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat, then add the cocoa powder, chile powder, tomato sauce and oregano.  Add the canned corn and bring to simmer again.  Add the chicken pieces that have been set aside along with the cream.  Bring to a simmer again, then add all the spinach leaves and stir in until they’re all covered in soup.

Per Serving: 466 Calories; 17g Fat (32.3% calories from fat); 39g Protein; 42g Carbohydrate; 9g Dietary Fiber; 116mg Cholesterol; 1019mg Sodium.

printer-friendly pdf

Last week was my week to entertain two of my friends for Scrabble, and we had agreed from the beginning that we’d each eat lunch at home first. No pressure on the hostess except for some cookies and tea. After all, we’re getting together to play Scrabble, not to eat. But I was still sipping on a small glass of my new favorite cucumber soup (my third batch in a month) when the ladies arrived. I had plenty, so I gave both Gloria and Irene a small glass too. Gloria mentioned that it was similar to her favorite chilled zucchini soup. I promptly asked for the recipe, and the next day I had it in my hands. It is similar to the cucumber soup I make, but yet it’s different too. It’s a combo of zucchini and green onions, but this one is thickened with cornstarch, and has some curry powder to give it a little zip. And, you add a shot or two of some sweet white wine (Sauterne, if you have it) to it. So, it is different from the other one. I couldn’t wait to make it.

The recipe is very straight forward – you sauté the onions in butter, add garlic, the sliced zucchini, some chicken broth, seasonings, then whiz it up in the blender. Then you add cold milk mixed with the cornstarch, bring it up to a boil, cool, add the Sauterne, and chill. I had some good Wolfgang Puck’s chicken broth, so added that instead of using canned granules, but then I also added a little spoon of chicken bouillon concentrate. I buy it from Penzey’s, and think it’s better than any others I’ve ever used. Really good chicken flavor.

I added a goodly jolt of curry powder to it – I’d purchased a new one, and it was much hotter than I’d anticipated. So I stirred in some sour cream to the finished soup, to bring down the heat a little bit. Otherwise, I made no alterations to the soup. My DH adored it – he had two bowls of it, and he really enjoyed the heat (curry) in it. Just be gentle unless you know how hot your curry powder really is. Next time I might serve it with a little sprinkling of fresh chopped mint on top. Zucchini and mint go together well. Thyme and zucchini go together well, too, if that sounds more interesting.

Chilled Zucchini Soup

Recipe: From my friend, Gloria D.

Servings: 8

1/3 cup butter

1 cup green onions — diced, using all the tops too

1 clove garlic — minced

3 cups zucchini — sliced, about three

1 cup chicken broth — or water

2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon curry powder — or more to taste

4 cups milk

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup sauterne wine — or other white wine

1.  In a large saucepan melt butter.  Add onion and cook about 5 minutes.  Add garlic during the last minute.  Add zucchini slices and continue cooking for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until zucchini is fairly soft.  Add broth, bouillon cubes and all seasonings.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.  Place batches of the soup in a blender and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.

2.  Return soup to saucepan.  Stir cornstarch into the milk and dissolve thoroughly, then add to soup.  Cook until it comes to a boil, remove from heat, add wine, cool to room temperature, then chill. 

Per Serving: 173 Calories; 12g Fat (63.2% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 37mg Cholesterol; 463mg Sodium.

printer friendly pdf

When my friend Cherrie and I divided up the food prep for our luncheon tea last week, she opted to make the chilled soup. And what a lovely one it was. The recipe came from an article in the Los Angeles Times food section, and was a soup served at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort, a very luxury resort right on the Pacific Ocean in Dana Point, here in Southern California. When the resort first opened some years ago, Cherrie and I had breakfast there, and another time we went for lunch. But we ate in the café, which is pricey, to say the least. For a café. They did have a dinner restaurant there, called Aqua, but it’s since been replaced by another restaurant, Stonehill Tavern. I haven’t eaten at either one, but while the chef, Alan Ashkinaze was at Aqua, he provided this recipe.

The soup is so low in calorie it’s almost non-existent (yes, really, just 67 calories), it has zero fat, and is so refreshing. You make simple syrup with lemongrass as a subtle undercurrent. The soup itself is watermelon, cantaloupe, peach and blueberries. Then it’s also accented with cayenne, Cointreau, champagne, fresh mint, orange juice and club soda. Does that not sound unusual? I just loved it. Not everyone did, however (don’t know why, and certainly wouldn’t ask). But if you enjoy fruit, and you like some unusual combinations, try this. Sorry for the blurry picture - I had to snap it in a big rush as the ladies were about to sit down.

Watermelon Blueberry Soup

Recipe By: Chef Alan Ashkinaze of now-defunct Aqua, St.Regis Monarch Beach Resort

Servings: 8

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup water

2 tablespoons white wine

1 stalk lemongrass

1 1/4 cups watermelon — peeled, cubed

1/4 cup peach — peeled, cubed

1/2 cup cantaloupe — peeled, cubed

1/4 cup blueberries — divided use

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 1/2 teaspoons mint — cut in chiffonade (tiny shreds)

1 pinch cayenne

1 1/2 teaspoons Cointreau

6 tablespoons champagne — or sparkling white wine

3 tablespoons club soda

1.  Combine the sugar, water, white wine and lemongrass in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and gently simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.  Turn off heat and let mixture steep for at least 1 hour.  Strain and set aside.

2.  In a blender, combine the watermelon, peach, cantaloupe and HALF the blueberries.  Puree until smooth.  Strain the mixture through a chinois or fine sieve (if you have a juicer, you can use it instead of a blender and skip this step because a juicer will strain the fruit.) Add the orange juice and some of the lemongrass simple syrup to taste, about 1-2 tablespoons.  Chill the mixture.

3.  Just before serving, cut the remaining blueberries in half and place in a small bowl.  Add the mint, ground cayenne pepper, a pinch of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of Cointreau.  Stir gently and divide among 8 demitasse cups or small glasses.

4.  To the watermelon mixture, stir in 1 1/4 teaspoons Cointreau, the champagne and club soda.  Divide the mixture among the cups, pouring over the blueberries.  Serve immediately.

Per Serving: 67 Calories; trace Fat (3.3% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 5mg Sodium.

printer-friendly pdf

It’s been years – eons even – that I’ve been making cold cucumber soup. And I always thought my recipe was just the greatest. Well . . . until I tasted my friend Jackie’s soup recently. It was a lovely bridal shower at her home, and this cold cucumber soup was served as a first course. It was absolutely wonderful. Smooth. Extra smooth, with a different texture than mine has. Jackie graciously shared the recipe with me (thank you, Jackie!), and come to find out this is a COOKED soup (mine is a raw soup only, although it also has buttermilk added). And this one has the addition of Cream of Wheat (just a little bit) to thicken it very slightly. You have no idea it’s there, but that’s what the elusive texture was.

You cook up some green onions with butter, then add chicken broth, vinegar and dill weed (fresh), also some Cream of Wheat and finally the chopped-up cucumbers. The soup is smoothed twice in the blender and sour cream is added at the end. Then you garnish it with a bit more dill weed. I did make it with full-fat sour cream. Next time I might try it with low-fat just to see how it tasted. A lovely soup. Try it. Highly recommended.

Cream of Cucumber Soup

Recipe: From my friend, Jackie P.

Serving Size: 8

1/2 cup green onions — minced

3 tablespoons butter

6 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dill weed

1 1/2 pounds cucumbers — peeled, seeded, chopped fine

4 tablespoons Cream of Wheat — (farina)

salt and pepper — to taste

2 cups sour cream

2 tablespoons dill weed — for garnish

1.  In a large saucepan melt butter over medium heat and add green onions.  Sauté for 3-4 minutes.  Add chicken broth, vinegar and dill weed.  Bring to a boil, add the Cream of Wheat and the chopped cucumbers.  Simmer, partially covered, for 20-25 minutes.

2.  In batches, blend soup mixture in a blender (hold lid and don’t overfill or the heat will blow off the top).  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Allow to cool completely, then refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

3.  Blend soup again with the addition of sour cream.  This can be done up to an hour before serving.  Whisk soup just before serving. Serve cold sprinkled with dill weed on top.

Per Serving: 225 Calories; 18g Fat (69.5% calories from fat); 7g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 37mg Cholesterol; 652mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1/2 Grain (Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 3 1/2 Fat; 0 Other

Carbohydrates.

Printer-friendly PDF recipe

If you don’t know it already, I’m crazy about soups. I make them all four seasons of the year, although in our hottest months, I must say it doesn’t always appeal as much. This is a hearty one – for those times when you want something to fill your stomach. And if you need a really quick throw-together soup, here’s your e-ticket. I didn’t have quite all the ingredients on hand (I rarely buy frozen vegetables, let alone the “mixed vegetable” type) but I was in a hurry to get a meal on the table. My DH had invited a friend for dinner, and we were going to a concert right after dinner, so it needed to be a casual meal and one that I could prepare, serve and clean up quickly.

If you have all the mirepoix ingredients on hand (onion, celery and carrots), use that. I bought the quart-sized already-chopped one at Trader Joe’s. You render some bacon, add shallot, the mirepoix, a little flour to thicken, some thyme and ground bay leaves, some chicken broth (or fish broth, or vegetable stock . . . whatever you have), a load of milk, then add the potatoes, the vegetables (I bought an “Italian mixed vegetable” package at the grocery store that contained green beans, carrots, asparagus, red bell pepper, soybeans and corn). Cook until the potatoes are just barely cooked through, then you add the shrimp and cook just a short time. I added a splash of heavy cream and garnished with some Italian parsley. Done.

As I’m typing this it’s 95 outside, and even with the A/C on, I’m uncomfortable. Preparing hot soup over a hot stove on a hot night is not my idea of fun. But I didn’t have anything on hand in the freezer that seemed appropriate. Nor did I want to do a full-on dinner with a meat, veg and salad or something else. That seemed like way too much work. My dear friend, Linda, came up to visit (an overnight stay) the day before, and I was enjoying catching up with her, rather than doing food prep in the kitchen. Once she left I dashed to the market and bought what I needed before our other guest arrived. We were delighted to have this friend come by; it’s just that I was very pressed for time and knew I couldn’t do a very elaborate meal. Sometimes, though, those are the best.

In my view, adding bacon to almost any kind of soup just gives it a lot more character. More depth of flavor. Period. So, even though I’d not made this soup, I was sure it would be delicious. And indeed it was.

Shrimp, Bacon & Vegetable Chowder

Serving Size: 5           

4 slices bacon — chopped

2 medium shallots — peeled, minced

2 medium onions — peeled, chopped

2 whole carrots — peeled, chopped

2 stalks celery — chopped

12 ounces frozen mixed vegetables

3 medium potatoes — cubed small

1 teaspoon thyme

4 cups 2% low-fat milk

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream – optional, or half and half

1 pound shrimp — I use large ones, chopped

1/4 teaspoon ground bay leaves — or use one leaf and remove before serving

Salt and pepper — to taste

1.  Render the bacon in a very large, heavy soup pot (I use Le Crueset cast iron) until golden brown.  Remove and drain and paper towels.

2.  In bacon fat remaining in pan, add shallots and onions.  Sauté for about 5 minutes, then add carrots and celery.  Continue cooking until some of the vegetables have slightly caramelized on the bottom, stirring every minute or two.

3.  Add the chicken broth, milk, thyme and bay leaves.  Bring to a simmer.  Watch carefully as it can boil over quickly.

4.  Add potatoes and mixed vegetables and reduce heat.  Simmer until potatoes are just about cooked through.

5.  Add salt and pepper to taste - taste it to be sure it’s to your satisfaction.  Add the shrimp and the reserved bacon and continue to cook at a very low heat for about 3-4 minutes until the shrimp is opaque and cooked through.  Do not overcook.  Add the heavy cream, heat briefly, then scoop into soup bowls.  Sprinkle top with chopped Italian parsley and serve.

Per Serving (main course servings): 449 Calories; 17g Fat (34.6% calories from fat); 33g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 190mg Cholesterol; 537mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1 Grain (Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 3 Vegetable; 1 Non-Fat Milk; 3 Fat.

Printer-friendly PDF recipe.

Oh, yum. Oh yes, another winner of a soup. I think the recipe came from Gourmet Magazine, but am not sure, since I made no note on the clipping. (These food mags change their format so frequently lately that I no longer recognize the arrangements or layouts anymore.)  I wasn’t able to find it online, so can’t confirm, however the paragraph with it says the origin of the recipe is Estela Salas Silva who runs a Mexican cooking school in Puebla, Mexico. If you search for her name online, you’ll find mention of her in several places.

One of my very favorite vegetable combos is Southwestern Calabacitas. I wrote up a post about it last year. I like it so much I could easily make it my entire dinner. So when this recipe went across my radar as a soup, well, I thought, how perfect. Calabacitas (cal-a-bah-see-tas) is/are actually a Mexican squash, very similar to zucchini, but normally smaller, a bit more squat in shape, and have a more mottled green and yellow skin. But taste-wise, they’re almost the same. However, when you say “calabacitas” in Southwestern cuisine, it means a mixture of corn, the squash, probably onion and poblano chiles. They’re one of those combinations that represent a food marriage, to me anyway.

Ideally you’ll make this in the summer when zucchini and corn are in season, but surely it would be good with frozen corn, especially the frozen grilled corn sold at Trader Joe’s, for instance. You will need access to the poblano (also known as pasilla) chiles, and at least some kind of hotter type like Serrano or jalapeno. I used jalapeno because the serranos at my market didn’t look all that great.

There is a bit of chopping and mincing, but if you don’t care about the size of the chopped stuff, do it in the food processor, and it would take no time at all. I was experimenting with my new Alligator chopper. It’s immensely cool. And easy. Love this new toy (except for finding a home for it in my kitchen since it’s a tad bulky). I took a photo of it - with a small red onion inside. First you peel the onion and I only put in a half an onion at a time, but with the slam of the chopper you have a bunch of perfectly chopped vegies. I’ve used it for onions, small celery stalks, squash, shallots, garlic, peeled fresh tomatoes, radishes, bell peppers and apples. As you chop, the chopped stuff goes up into the clear plastic box on the top. Once you’re done, or it’s full, you turn the whole thing over and flick the box off and empty the container into your pot, or salad, or whatever. In case you wonder - why do you need one of these? If you want perfectly cut minced squares of things, this is it. As wonderful as a food processor is, it doesn’t chop things up uniformly, which is fine in most cases, but if you want exactly 1/4 inch cubes, the Alligator is your answer.

Anyway, this is a simple soup, really: onions, zucchini, poblanos (that have been grilled, skins removed), garlic, corn, cilantro, some cream at the end, and a tad of dill. And, if you happen to have them, some squash blossoms to garnish the soup bowl. I made this full recipe - which says it serves 8 - well, maybe 8 small servings. We had it for dinner last night, and with our hungry son-in-law Todd on hand, the entire pot of soup disappeared. My DH said - please make this again. Soon. Okay by me, but I’m going to double the recipe and freeze half.

Sopa de Calabacitas (Mexican Zucchini & Corn Soup)

Recipe By: Estela Salas Silva, and I think via Gourmet Mag.

Serving Size: 8

1/2 pound poblano chiles — 2 or 3

1 1/2 pounds zucchini — or calabacitas squash, cut in 3/4 inch cubes

1 cup onion — chopped

2 small leeks – chopped [not in the original recipe]

3 whole garlic cloves — minced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups water

2 cups fresh corn kernels — about 3-4 ears

3 tablespoons cilantro — or more to taste

2 tablespoons fresh dill — or epazote leaves, chopped

1 teaspoon serrano pepper — minced, or 1 jalapeno, minced, seeded

1 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste — or to taste

1 cup squash blossoms — coarsely chopped, optional

1.  Roast poblanos: roast on their sides on racks of gas burners, 1-2 chiles per burner, on medium-high heat (or on rack of a broiler pan 2 inches from broiler), turning frequently with tongs, until skins are blistered and lightly charred all over, 4-6 minutes (6-8 if broiling).  Transfer to a large bowl, then cover with a plate and let stand 20 minutes.  Peel or rub off skin.  Slit poblanos lengthwise, then stem, seed and devein.  Cut poblanos in 1/2 inch squares.

2.  Soup: cook zucchini, onion, garlic and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in butter in a wide 4-6 quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring, until vegetables are softened.  Add broth, water, poblanos and corn and simmer, partially covered, until corn is tender, about 5 minutes. 

3.  Puree 2 cups soup in a blender with cilantro, epazote (or dill) and serrano or jalapeno chile until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids).  Return to pot.

4.  Stir in cream, the squash blossoms (if using, using remainder for garnish), salt and pepper to taste.  Return to simmer, then serve garnished with blossoms.

Per Serving (based on eight 1-cup servings): 200 Calories; 15g Fat (60.3% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 49mg Cholesterol; 29mg Sodium.  Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 3 Fat.

Cook’s Notes: Usually poblanos (also called pasilla) are not hot, but in some months of the year they may be warmer than usual. Likely any hotter chile will work for the Serrano or jalapeno, but this is not supposed to be a truly spicy hot vegetable. Leeks were added by me, just because I had them on hand but they’re not typical for this dish. I’d add them next time anyway. I didn’t have epazote, or squash blossoms, so used dill, and added crushed up tortilla chips on top to give the soup some added texture.

Printer-friendly PDF recipe.

The photo is a bit distorted - the glass isn’t really that bowl shaped at the top. I served the soup in these small 4-ounce glasses, with a small spoon. Even though it was served hot, you could hold onto the bottom or top of the glass without burning your fingers.

My theory must have been, back when I clipped this recipe from Bon Appetit, that it was unusual, therefore, I’d like to try it. Unusual it is. Good? A resounding YES. Perhaps it’s not the right first course for just any dinner, but it made a big hit at our recent dinner party. I made it two days ahead, then reheated it, added the cornstarch thickener (so little of it, I hardly think it mattered) and the Armagnac. The recipe comes from a now-defunct restaurant in Oxford, Maryland, called Mathilda’s.

In case you don’t know about Armagnac, here’s the lowdown from Wikipedia:

• Armagnac [pronounced ar-mahn-yak] is a distinctive kind of brandy or eau de vie, made of mainly the same grapes as cognac and undergoing the same aging in oak barrels, but mainly with column still distillation (cognac and part of armagnac is distilled in pot stills).

It comes from the mountainous regions in France near the Pyrenees. I always thought Armagnac had some affinity with apples, but no, it’s all grapes. It’s just the method of distillation and barreling that differentiates it. Much of the soil is rocky. Anyway, Armagnac is not an everyday staple in liquor stores, so you may have to seek it out. But you could also use Cognac or brandy instead. Just don’t use some $4.99 bottle of rot-gut. The flavor does come through in this soup.

Cook’s Notes: I didn’t find unsalted cashews, so I used the lightly salted ones from Planter’s. But, I did use low-sodium chicken broth. That way you can add salt if you would like to. If doing the cornstarch thing doesn’t interest you, just eliminate it. I could not discern a bit of difference in the consistency of the soup after adding it. The chives add a nice touch - since the soup is definitely BEIGE, it needs a tad of color.Cream of Cashew Soup with Armagnac
Recipe By: Mathilda’s, Oxford, Maryland (restaurant is now closed), via Bon Appetit
Serving Size : 6
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 cups cashews — roasted, unsalted
1/3 cup shallots — chopped
28 ounces low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup cream sherry
2 cups half and half — or fat-free half and half
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons cognac — or Armagnac (preferred)
2 tablespoons fresh chives — minced
1. Melt butter with oil in heavy, large pot over medium heat. Add cashews and shallots. Cook until shallots are golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add broth and Sherry; increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the half and half and cream. Reduce heat to medium/low and simmer uncovered, until cashews are tender, about 20 minutes. Allow soup to cool about 20 minutes before continuing.
2. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until VERY smooth. Strain soup into a large saucepan, discarding solids left in strainer.
3. Whisk the water with cornstarch in a small bowl to blend. Bring soup to a boil, whisk cornstarch mixture into soup, stirring until soup thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in Armagnac. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among soup bowls or short glasses, sprinkle with chopped chives and serve.
Per Serving: 546 Calories; 49g Fat (75.7% calories from fat); 16g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 78mg Cholesterol; 148mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Non-Fat Milk; 9 Fat.
Printer-friendly recipe, click HERE.