Asparagus and Potato Soup

Asparagus and Potato Soup

2 cloves garlic, crushed 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup new red potatoes cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 ½ cups leeks, chopped

2 quarts of vegetable stock

1 teaspoon thyme

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1/3-inch chunks

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

red pepper chili flakes as garnish

chives, chopped as a garnish

1.  Sauté garlic with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high

      heat for 1 to 2 minutes.

2.  Add potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until crusty, 4 to 5 minutes.

3.   Add leeks and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

4.  Add stock, bay leaf, thyme, and salt.

5.  Stir well, scraping potatoes from pot bottom.

6.  Cover, bring to a boil and add cut asparagus.

7.  Lower heat to vigorous simmer and cook, uncovered, about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally

     until reduced by a third.

9.  Remove from heat and season with pepper and more salt to taste.

10. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle chives, and red pepper flakes.

Watercress Soup with Toasted Almonds

Watercress Soup with Toasted Almonds

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 medium potatoes, diced

3 cups vegetable broth

3 bunches watercress, roughly chopped

¼ cup Greek yogurt

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 dashes of cayenne

2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

watercress, diced

olive oil 

1.      In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat.

2.      Add onions and garlic; cook 3 minutes.

3.      Add potatoes; sauté 3 minutes.

4.      Add broth; simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

5.      Add watercress to pan; cook 3 minutes, until wilted.

6.      In batches, purée soup in a blender; return to pan.

7.      Whisk in ¼ cup yogurt, salt, pepper, and cayenne; reheat gently (do not boil).

8.      Serve with remaining 3 tablespoons yogurt and almonds.

9.    Garnish with almonds, watercress, and drizzle olive oil.

Tortellini and Spinach in Garlic Broth

Tortellini and Spinach in Garlic Broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, sliced

1 cup green beans, chopped

6 cups veggie broth 

1 teaspoons salt

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 yellow squash, cut lengthwise and sliced

1 pound cheese tortellini 

1 pound spinach, stems removed, leaves washed well 

Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

1.  In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat.

2.  Add the garlic, carrots, and green beans and cook, 

     stirring, for 1 minute.

3.  Add the broth and salt and bring to a boil.

4.  Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

5.  Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted 

     water, cook the tortellini until just done. Drain.

6.  Add tomatoes, squash, and spinach to the soup and 

     cook about 3 minutes.

7.  Stir in the tortellini.

8.  Serve the soup sprinkled with grated Parmesan and 

     pass more of the grated cheese at the table.

Black Bean Pistou Soup

Black Bean Pistou Soup

2 ¼ cups dried black beans, picked over and rinsed
1 gallon of vegetable broth

1 bay leaf
2 large onions, diced
9 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12 large basil leaves, julienned for garnish
1 cup green beans, sliced diagonally into 1-inch pieces
3 small zucchini, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 1 teaspoon cup olive oil
12 large cloves garlic
4 ½ cups fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.  Place black beans in a large stockpot, and add enough water to cover by 2

      inches.

2.  Cover pot, and set aside at room temperature to soak overnight.
3.  Drain beans, and return to pot.

4.  Cover with 1 gallon of broth.

5.  Add bay leaf, onion, and garlic, and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam.

6.  Reduce heat to low, and cook until beans are very tender, for about 2 ½ hours, stirring

     occasionally.

7.  Add water, if needed, or boil soup down until thickened but not dried out.

8.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. Heat saucepan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil saute beans for 3 minutes.

10. Add zucchini and red pepper, and saute until beans are tender, about 2 minutes more.

11. Place rest of olive oil, garlic, and basil in blender.

12. Process until smooth, pulsing on and off and stopping to scrape down sides of

      container.

13. Season with salt and pepper.

14. Bring soup to a boil.

15. Season vegetables with salt and pepper.
16. Stir three-quarters of vegetables.

17. Ladle into four soup plates.

18. Divide remaining vegetables and basil purée over top of each serving of soup, and garnish with 

      julienned basil.

Italian Lentil Stew

Italian Lentil Stew

1 gallon vegetable stock

2 bay leaves

1 ½ lbs small Italian lentils, picked over

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

12 slices Italian bread, toasted

6 medium potatoes, diced

3 large onions, finely chopped

6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

6 cups tomatoes, finely chopped

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2/3 cup chopped fresh basil

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano

1.  Bring 9 cups broth and bay leaves to a boil in a large saucepan, and then add lentils and

     simmer, uncovered, 2 minutes.

2.  Remove pan from heat and let lentils soak 1 hour.  Drain lentils in a colander.

3.  Cook butter in a large pot over moderate heat, stirring until deep golden, 6 to 8 minutes.

4.  Add oil in pot and heat over moderately high heat until hot then fry bread, turning once, until

     golden, about 1 minute total.

5.  Transfer toasts to paper towels to drain and lightly season with salt.

6.  Add potato pot and sauté, stirring, until 7 to 8 minutes.

7.  Transfer with a slotted spoon to fresh paper towels to drain.

8.  Add onion and garlic to the pot and sauté, stirring, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes.

9.  Stir in lentils, tomatoes with their juice, sugar, salt, pepper, and remaining broth and simmer,

     uncovered, stirring occasionally, until lentils are just tender, and stew is thickened, 40 to 45

     minutes.

10.  Discard bay leaves and stir in potatoes, paprika, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper.

11.  Thin stew with water then serve with toasts on the side. 

Caribbean Spinach Soup

Caribbean Spinach Soup

4 cups of chopped spinach

6 cups of coconut milk

6 tablespoons of flour

10 cups of vegetable stock

1 big onion cut into thin slices

2 teaspoons of Tabasco sauce

12 tablespoons of plain yogurt

4 tablespoons of butter

Black ground pepper

Salt

1.  Heat the butter at low heat and cook the onion until it is soft and golden, add the

     spinach and sauté for a minute.

2.  Add the flour until it is well mixed and turn off the fire.

3.  Mix all the ingredients (except the yogurt) in the blender. Blend well and sift.

4.  Put on the stove at low fire until it becomes thick. Adjust salt to taste.

5.  Top with yogurt.

Golden Beet Soup

Golden Beet Soup

·       1 ½ tablespoons olive oil

·      2 medium leeks, cut into ¼-inch half-moons

·      Coarse salt

       5 cups small golden beets, peeled and cut lengthwise into ¾ inch wedges

·      8 medium carrots, cut on the diagonal into ½ -inch pieces

·      ½  yellow bell pepper, cut into ½ -inch pieces

·      7 cups vegetable stock

       3 sprigs of fresh thyme, chopped

·      2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving

·      Freshly ground pepper

·      8 chives, cut into 1-inch pieces, for serving

1.    1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. 

       2. Add leeks and a pinch of salt. 

       3. Partially cover, and reduce heat to medium. 

       4. Cook, stirring occasionally until leeks are soft, 6 to 7 minutes. 

       5. Stir in beets, carrots, bell pepper, and stock. 

       6. Raise heat to medium-high; bring to a boil. 

       7. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, partially covered, until beets and carrots are tender,               

           50 to 60 minutes.     

       8. Stir in lime juice, fresh thyme, and season with salt and pepper. 

       9. Divide soup among 4 bowls; garnish each with chives and a lime wedge.