The Purloined Recipe

Adapted from MOTHER EARTH NEWS, October/November 2010
Considered by many as Portugal’s national dish, this soups gets its green color from finely sliced kale added to the simmering stockpot for a couple of minutes just before serving. The dish is traditionally prepared with spicy chorizo sausage, but you can substitute another hot sausage or create a lighter dish by omitting the meat.

1/4 cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 spicy sausage, sliced
6 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and diced (I used about 1/2 Japanese salad turnips along w/potatoes.)
10 cups water
1 pound kale leaves, stalks removed, julienned very fine
Cilantro, chopped fine – about 1/4 cup (I added cilantro because I had it fresh and I like it.)
Salt and pepper to taste

In a stockpot, heat the olive oil and add onions and garlic, cook until soft and translucent. In a frying pan, cook the sausage, slice it and set aside. Add the potatoes to the stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and lower the heat, simmering until the potatoes are almost done, about 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and crush some of the potatoes using a potato masher to thicken the broth. Return the pot to the heat and bring to a boil. Add greens and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls and garnish with sausage. Serves 8.

cilantro, garlic, kale, onions, potatoes, soups, turnips

Adapted from simplyrecipes.com

The trick to a great French onion soup is starting with good stock. French onion soup is usually made with beef stock. I’ve made delicious soup with stock from the leftover rib and chine bones of a rib roast. Another important element is the proper caramelization of the onions. Caramelizing onions take at least thirty minutes of slow cooking the onions over medium high heat. The browning, or caramelizing, of the onions brings out the sweetness in them.

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced.
• Olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon of sugar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups of beef stock, chicken stock or a combination of the two (traditionally the soup is made with beef stock)
• 1/2 cup of dry vermouth or dry white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon of dry thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 8 slices of toasted French bread
• 1 1/2 cups of grated Swiss Gruyere with a little grated Parmesan cheese

Method

1. In a large saucepan, sauté the onions in the olive oil on medium high heat until well browned, but not burned, about 30-40 minutes (or longer). Add the sugar about 10 minutes into the process to help with the carmelization.

2. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the stock, vermouth or wine, bay leaf, and thyme. Cover partially and simmer until the flavors are well blended, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Discard the bay leaf.

3. To serve you can either use individual oven-proof soup bowls or one large casserole dish. Ladle the soup into the bowls or casserole dish. Cover with the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Put into the broiler for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F, or until the cheese bubbles and is slightly browned. Serve immediately.

garlic, onions, soups, thyme

Adapted from http://noteatingoutinny.com

The great thing about this soup is that you can flavor it with whatever type of curry blend you prefer. There’s a whole world to choose from, spice-wise, when you use the word, “curry.” Just as it’s perfectly fine to swap different types of curries in this soup, so it is with the squash.

makes about 6 servings

about 2 lb butternut squash (or substitute with acorn squash, delicata squash, pumpkin, etc.)
1 large onion, chopped
1 ripe tomato, chopped
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 cups vegetable stock
1 can coconut milk
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, or more, to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice the squash in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp with a spoon. Save for another use or discard. Spread about 1 tablespoon vegetable oil on the bottom of a roasting tray and place the squash halves cut side-down on the tray. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until the flesh feels soft when poked and it has shrunken away from the skins a bit. Flip over and let cool. Once cool enough to handle, scoop out all the flesh and reserve in a bowl.

Meanwhile, heat a heavy-bottomed pot with another tablespoon or so of vegetable oil and sweat the onions over medium-low heat. Season with salt and pepper and cook until translucent, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the curry powder, optional cayenne, chopped tomato and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, another 4-5 minutes. Add the roasted squash, coconut milk and vegetable stock. Stir to combine thoroughly and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes or so. Using a hand blender, puree the soup to a smooth consistency (this can also be done by transferring the soup in batches to a food processor or blender). Taste for seasoning. Add additional stock or coconut milk if it’s too thick to your liking. Once the soup is to preferred taste and consistency, stir in the lemon juice to taste and serve.

garlic, onions, soups, squash - winter, tomatoes

Ingredients:

• 6 cups water
• 3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 medium Yellow Finn or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 3/4 pound)
• 3 medium leeks, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
• 3 to 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 medium turnips or 1/2 rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 small celery root, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• Freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

In a large heavy saucepan, bring the water, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and salt to a boil. Add the onions, gold potatoes, leeks, carrots, parsnips, turnips or rutabaga, celery root, fennel, and garlic. Simmer, half-covered, until the vegetables are very tender, about 30 to 35 minutes. Pepper liberally.

Ladle into bowls and drizzle about 1/2 teaspoon of the remaining olive oil over each serving.

The soup will keep for up to 4 days, covered, in the refrigerator.

Yield: 6 servings

Recipe Source: A New Way to Cook by Sally Schneider (Artisan)

carrots, fennel, garlic, leeks, onions, parsnips, potatoes, soups, turnips

from www.101cookbooks.com

5 tomatoes, cored (if necessary) and quartered
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and quartered
3 medium yellow onions, peeled, quartered
extra-virgin olive oil
5 plump cloves of garlic, unpeeled
fine-grain sea salt
2 – 3 cups light vegetable stock or water
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees and position 2 racks in the middle of the oven. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper, alternately you can just rub them down with a thin glaze of olive oil.

Arrange the tomatoes, skin side down, on a baking sheet. Coat the bell pepper and onions with olive oil and put them on the other baking sheet along with the garlic, place the pepper skin side down as well. Give both sheets a light showering of salt, then bake until the tomatoes start to collapse and the onions start to brown and caramelize, about 45 minutes. Turn the onions if they start getting overly dark on the bottom .Check on the garlic as well, once the cloves are golden and oozy inside, pull them from the oven.

Peel the garlic, dump all of the roasted vegetables into a big, high-sided bowl, and puree with a hand blender. Alternately, use a conventional blender or food processor and work in batches. Blend in a cup of the stock, and keep adding the rest 1/2 cup at a time until the soup is the desired consistency. I like a little chunk and texture to this soup particularly if the weather has a bit of a chill, but smooth or chunky is your call. Add the paprika and a bit more salt if needed – adjusting to your taste.

Serves 4.

garlic, onions, peppers, soups, tomatoes

I used yellow summer squash here, but you can certainly substitute any green summer squash/zucchini.

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 cup / 2 oz / 55g unsalted butter
fine grain sea salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 medium garlic cloves

1 pound / 16 oz / 450 g potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

2 1/2 pounds / 40 oz / 1+kg yellow summer squash, cut into 1/2-inch slices

4 cups / 950 ml good tasting vegetable stock
1 cup / 240 ml buttermilk
1 bunch of chives, chopped

In a skillet, over medium heat, toast the cumin seeds until they are fragrant. Just a minute or two. Use a mortar and pestle to pound the seeds into a fine powder. Alternately, you can use an electric spice grinder. Set aside. In the same skillet, melt the butter and cook until it’s brown and gives off a deliciously nutty aroma. Remove from heat, stir the cumin into the butter along with a generous couple pinches of salt, then set aside in a warm place. You want the butter to stay liquid until you’re ready to use it.

To make the soup, heat the butter in your largest pot or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and a bit of salt. Saute for a few minutes, or until the onions start to get translucent. Stir in the potatoes and squash and cook for another 7-10 minutes, or until the squash starts to soften up. Stir in 3 1/2 cups of the stock (most of it) – the stock should just barely cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, roughly another 25 minutes. Remove the soup from heat, puree completely with a hand blender, then stir in the buttermilk. If you need to thin the soup out with a bit more stock, you can do so. Taste and add more salt if needed. Serve each bowl topped with plenty of the cumin butter, and a sprinkling of chives.

Serves 10.

garlic, onions, potatoes, soups, squash - summer

Excerpted with permission from Farmer John’s Cookbook: the Real Dirt On Vegetables: Seasonal Recipes and Stories from a Community Farm by Farmer John Peterson and Angelic Organics (Gibbs Smith, Publisher). www.AngelicOrganics.com/cookbook

Here’s a spectacularly fresh perspective on what it takes to make a cream of spinach soup. First, skip the cream. Next, refrain for boiling the spinach and potatoes-and refuse to fry any onions. Then get two lovely crisp apples out of the refrigerator. Set one on the counter next to an avocado, and take the other with you to munch on while you enjoy a little more of your summer’s day-perhaps outside on a bench, on a swing, up a tree… You’ve got lots of time. This sumptuously creamy, savory-sweet, and super-fresh raw-ingredients soup won’t take more than a moment to prepare.

Serves 2

2 tablespoons chopped or slivered almonds or other nuts
1 apple, peeled, cored, cut into chunks
1 cup water
2 cups coarsely chopped spinach (¾ pound)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, plus 2 small sprigs for garnish
1 ripe avocado, peel and pit removed, quartered freshly squeezed juice of ½
lemon
1 tablespoon almond oil or olive oil
½ teaspoon salt

1. Toast the almonds in a heavy, dry skillet (cast iron) over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until they are lightly browned and begin to smell toasty. (Be careful not to over toast them, as they will burn very quickly once they are toasted.) Transfer nuts to a dish to cool.
2. Put the apple chunks and water in a blender and puree. Add the spinach and tarragon; pulse the blender a few times to partially blend in the leaves. Add the avocado pieces, lemon juice, oil, and ½ teaspoon salt. Blend the ingredients until smooth, thinning with more water if necessary (add 1 tablespoon at a time). Add more salt to taste if desired.
3. Pour the soup into two bowls, top with the toasted almonds, and garnish each with a fresh tarragon sprig.

Recipes By Ingredient, soups, spinach, The Recipes

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 2-pound squash, peel, cubed\ – 6 Cups
1 14 1/2-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons dry Sherry
2 1/2 C(or more) canned vegetable broth
2/3 cup nonfat milk
2 Tbs chopped fresh thyme or 2 tsp dried
Nonfat plain yogurt, Fresh thyme sprigs

Other varieties of sweet yellow-fleshed winter squash-such as acorn squash-are perfect for this soup.

Heat olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add butternut squash and sauté until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and Sherry. Boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 30 seconds.

Stir in 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until squash it very tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Puree soup in blender in batches until smooth. Return soup to same saucepan. Stir in milk and chopped thyme. Bring to simmer.

Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

(Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Bring soup to simmer before serving, thinning with more broth, if desired.)

Ladle soup into bowls. Top with dollop of yogurt. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

onions, Recipes By Ingredient, soups, squash - winter, The Recipes, thyme, tomatoes

(Cream Of Squash Blossom Soup)

A delicate, creamy soup flecked with gold.

Serves 4

3 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 pound squash flowers (40-50), chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups light chicken stock
1/3 cup sour cream
2 Anaheim chiles or sweet peppers, charred, peeled, seeded and chopped

Melt butter and sauté onion and garlic until translucent. Add chopped flowers and salt. Cook over low flame, covered for 10 minutes or until flowers are tender. In blender buzz flowers with 1 1/2 cups stock.

Return to pan and add remaining stock. Cook over low flame for 8 minutes. Stir sour cream until smooth and add to soup. Reheat soup but do not boil, adjust seasoning and serve garnished with chopped chiles or peppers.

chiles, garlic, onions, Recipes By Ingredient, soups, squash blossoms, The Recipes

From Molly Beverly

Serves 8 to 10

1 ounce dried mushrooms OR 4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 onions, chopped
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium beets, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 bay leaf
10 peppercorns, crushed
1 Tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup chopped cabbage

If using dried mushrooms, simmer them in 3 cups water for 15 minutes. Set aside.

Sauté fresh mushrooms in oil until golden. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add beets, carrot and celery, cook 5 minutes. Add 6 cups boiling water, bay leaf, peppercorns, lemon juice or vinegar, and tomato paste and simmer 15 minutes. Drain dried mushrooms from stock and chop them. Add mushroom stock and mushrooms to soup.

Add cabbage and simmer 20 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf.

Taste, add salt and pepper as needed. Cool to let flavors blend. Serve cold or reheat with sour cream.

beets, cabbage, carrots, onions, Recipes By Ingredient, soups, The Recipes