Cream of Leek and Asparagus Soup

This soup is a great way to celebrate asparagus, and the addition of leeks in the recipe gives a boost of extra iron as well as delicious flavor. This sumptuous soup tastes even better if made a day ahead, and it can serve as a creamy and satisfying main meal alongside a tender salad and some crusty wholegrain bread. 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 cup chopped onion

2 large celery stalks, diced

1 ½ pounds asparagus

6 large leeks, white and palest green parts only, chopped and well rinsed

vegetable stock (about 3 cups or as needed)

½ teaspoon each: dried tarragon and dried basil

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1 to 1 ½ cups low-fat milk or soymilk, as needed

salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste 

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and celery and saute over moderate heat until the onion is golden. 

Brazilian Shrimp Soup

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup long-grain rice
• 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 3/4 cups canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree (from one 15-ounce can)
• 5 cups water
• 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 1/2 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and cut in half horizontally
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes.

Add the rice, red-pepper flakes, salt, tomatoes, and water to the pot. Bring to a boil and cook until the rice is almost tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir the coconut milk into the soup. Bring back to a simmer and then stir in the shrimp. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are just done, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the black pepper, lemon juice, and parsley.

Now, I know that a real Brazilian shrimp soup should also have okra in it, but my soup was thick enough without it. You can, of course, instead of the shrimp, to use one pound of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about three), cut crosswise into quarter-inch strips. Cook for the same amount of time.

Enjoy!

French Onion Soup (Anne Burrell's recipe)

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 large onions, thinly sliced from stem to root end
• Kosher salt
• 6 ounces dry sherry
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 bundle thyme
• 2 quarts chicken stock
• 12 thin slices baguette
• 1/2 pound Gruyere, grated
• 1/2 bunch chopped chives

Coat a large deep pot with olive oil. Add the onions and sprinkle generously with salt. Bring the pan to a medium heat. Stir the onions to coat with oil. Cover the pot and sweat for 15 to 20 minutes.

Once the onions have gotten very soft and let off a lot of water, remove the lid and let the onions cook low and slow. That's right low and slow to really develop their rich brown color and sweet flavor. There is no shortcut or rush for this, do not try! Caramelized onions take a long time, about an hour, accept it and move on. 

Green Lentil and Canadian Bacon Soup

My friend Sandi started the lentil soup trend and really got me into the game. My soup is obviously not entirely vegetarian, but the meat in it is very lean, as you know Canadian bacon is recognized for its lack of fats. Without further ado, let's proceed:

- 1/2 lb lentils, picked and rinsed

- 2 stalks green celery, chopped

- 1 large yellow onion, chopped

- 1/2 lb Canadian bacon, finely diced

- 4-6 cups chicken broth

- 2 garlic cloves, chopped

- 1 pinch dried thyme

- 1 bay leaf (optional)

- olive oil

- salt and pepper to taste

Cosi-style Tomato Basil Soup with Crisp Rosemary Flatbread

I am a fan of the tomato-basil soup at Cosi, I must've had it at least half a dozen times in the past two weeks. The other day I thought I should try and find the recipe on the net, and I came across something that looked promising. However, after I began making it, I discovered it needed adjustments, as the recipe I had found did not have enough liquid for my taste. So, this is what I came up with, for 4 servings:

For soup:

- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
- 1 (28 oz.) can of diced or crushed tomatoes

- 2 cups chicken broth (can be replaced with vegetable stock if desired)

- 1 cup heavy cream, heated (can be replaced with half and half, or with milk)
- 12-14 leaves fresh basil, chopped

- 1/4 tsp white pepper

- salt

Mini-Meatballs Sour Soup

This must be one of the all-favourite traditional dishes we had back home. My daughter is crazy about it and dances around whenever I tell her we have it on the menu.  It may take a little bit of time, but I guarantee it is definitely worth it!

This is what I used for starters:

 

- 1 large yellow onion, chopped

- 2 carrots, peeled and finely sliced

- 3 celery stalks, finely sliced

- 1 parsnip, peeled and finely sliced

Potatoes and Smoked Ham Sour Soup

Another recipe that is very traditional to me, comfort food simple to make and completely satisfying.

Ingredients:

- 1 bunch scallions, cleaned and finely chopped

- 1 medium onion, also finely chopped

- 2 medium carrots, cleaned and finely sliced

- about 1/3 lb smoked ham, cubed

- salt and pepper to taste

- tomato juice

- sauerkraut juice (or lemon juice), to taste

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat, then add the carrots, scallions and onion and allow them to sweat for 5-10 minutes.

Asparagus Soup - Supa de sparanghel

We need:

Sunt necesare:
 

- 1 lb young asparagus - 1/2 kg sparanghel

- 40 gr butter- 40 gr unt

- 3 onions, sliced - 3 cepe, taiate julienne

- 600 ml vegetable stock or water - 600 ml supa de legume sau apa

- 1 tablespoon lemon juice - 1 lingura suc de lamaie

- 1 cup of milk- 1 cana (250 ml) lapte

- 1/2 cup single cream - 1/2 cana smantana lichida

- salt and freshly grounded black pepper - sare si piper negru proaspat macinat

Trim the stalks of the asparagus and cut 1 inch off the tops of the asparagus and set aside for a garnish.

Curatati sparanghelul si taiat cam 2,5 cm din varfuri, pastrati-le pentru decor 

Chicken Soup with Grits Dumplings - Supa de pui cu galuste de gris

It's so cold these days that I thought of a remake of my daughter's favourite soup, perfect for the winter time, real comfort food: chicken soup with grits dumplings. You are, of course, more than welcome to replace chicken with vegetable soup, but I have absolutely no idea how that might work, because to me these dumplings are always associated with chicken soup. However, chicken stock can be successfully substituted for beef stock, but the first remains my preferred version.

E atat de frig zilele astea incat m-am gandit sa fac din nou supa preferata a fetitei mele, perfecta pe timp de iarna: supa de pui cu galuste de gris. Evident ca supa de pui se poate inlocui cu supa de legume, insa n-am nici cea mai mica idee ce gust va avea, pentru ca, pentru mine, galustele sunt intotdeauna asociate cu supa de pui. Puteti inlocui supa de pui cu supa de vita, insa cea de pui ramane varianta mea preferata.

I would normally use chicken backs and necks to make the chicken stock. Well, there was no sign of those at my local grocery store, so being this cold outside, I decided to stop fussing around and use bone-in, skin-on thighs instead, then add the cooked meat in the soup at the end.

In mod normal folosesc spate si gat de pui pentru a face supa de pui. De data asta, n-am gasit partile astea la magazinul care imi e aproape, si fiind atat de frig afara am hotarat sa folosesc pulpe cu os si piele, urmand sa adaug carnea fiarta in supa, la sfarsitul prepararii. 

Roasted Potato Leek Soup

• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 4 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned of all sand (4 leeks)
• 1/4 cup good olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, plus extra for serving
• 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock, preferably homemade
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces creme fraiche
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the potatoes and leeks on a sheet pan in a single layer. Add the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat the vegetables evenly.

Supa toscana - Tuscan Soup (Zuppa Toscana - at "Olive Garden")

Mi-am adus aminte ca n-am mai trecut de multisor pe la restaurantul "Olive Garden" si mi s-a facut pofta de supa lor toscana.

I remembered I haven't been in a while to the "Olive Garden" and I was missing their Tuscan soup. I found a very nice recipe from Maria Apascaritei, and I decided to put it here for you, too.

Asadar: o ceapa mijlocie, maruntita, cam 750 gr cartofi, curatati si taiati cubulete, aproximativ 300 gr carne de carnati proaspeti (carnea scoasa din mat), o lingura de faina, un catel de usturoi dat pe razatoare, oregano, cimbru proaspat, smantana, sare si piper, zeama de lamaie, 2 linguri ulei, 1 lingura unt, 250 ml lapte, 3 litri apa sau supa de legume

So: one medium onion, finely chopped, about 1.5 lbs potatoes, cleaned and cubed, about 3/4 lbs Italian sweet sausage (casings removed), one tablespoon flour, one garlic clove, grated, oregano, fresh thyme, sour cream, salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 cup milk, 3 quarts water or vegetable stock

Cream of Roasted Bell Peppers Soup - Supa-crema de ardei copti

Ce ne trebuie: - We need:
- 4 ardei grasi spalati, curatati, taiati in jumatati; - 4 bell peppers, cleaned and cut in halves
- o ceapa potrivita - one medium onion
- niste catzei de usturoi, io am pus vreo 4 - 4 garlic cloves
- zeama de legume cam 2 litri - 2 quarts vegetable stock
- putin ulei de masline - some olive oil
- sare, piper (eu am pus rosu) - salt and pepper to taste (I used red pepper)

Mai intai am pus ardeii la copt

First put the peppers to broil on "High"

Cream of Celery Root and Potatoes Soup - Supa crema de telina si cartofi

Ingrediente:

We need:

 

- 3 cartofi medii - 3 medium potatoes, peeled
- 1 ceapa mare - 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 radacina telina - 1 large celery root
- 2 frunze proaspete de salvie - 2 fresh sage leaves, chopped
- thyme proaspat - 1 fresh thyme sprig
- smantana lichida - 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 litri supe de legume (sau de pui) - 3 quarts vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
- patrunjel - parsley (dried or fresh)
- sare, piper dupa gust - salt and pepper to taste

Tocati ceapa, cartofii, telina

Finely chop the onion, dice the potatoes and celery root

Tomato Soup with Israeli Cous-cous - Supa de rosii cu cuscus israelian

Foarte rapid si simplu de facut, satioasa si foarte gustoasa, iata mai jos ingredientele:

Very fast and simple to make, filling and very tasty, here are the ingredients:

in traducere libera:

- 2 linguri de ulei de masline - 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 ceapa, tocata - 1 chopped onion
- 1-2 morcovi, maruntiti - 1-2 chopped carrots
- 400 gr. rosii maruntite - 1 pound chopped tomatoes
- 6 catei de usturoi, tocati marunt - 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1,5 l supa de legume sau de pui - 1.5 quarts soup (vegetable or chicken)
- 200-250 gr cuscus israelian - 1/2 pound Israeli cous-cous
- 2-3 tulpini de menta, maruntite, sau ceva menta uscata - 2-3 sprigs of fresh mint or some dry mint
- 1/4 lingurita de chimen pisat - 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 legatura de coriandru proaspat (eu am pus cateva boabe uscate si pisate) - 1/4 bunch fresh coriander, I replaced with some dry ground coriander
- sare, piper cayenne (eu am pus negru), dupa gust - salt, cayenne pepper to taste

Eu am injumatatit cantitatile de mai sus, voi faceti cum doriti .
I halved these quantities, of course you can do as you wish.

Se incinge uleiul, se adauga ceapa si morcovul si se calesc la foc mic pentru aproximativ 10 minute, pana se inmoaie.

Heat the oil, add the onion and carrots and leave on low heat for about 10 minutes, till they soften.

Potato and Roasted Garlic Soup - Supa de cartofi cu usturoi copt

Avem nevoie de: - Ingredients
- 2 capatani mici de usturoi (sau una mare) - cam 20 de catei - about 20 cloves of garlic
- 0,5 kg cartofi - 1 pound potatoes
- cam 2 litri de supa de legume (sau de pui, sau de vita) - about 2 quarts broth (vegetable, chicken or beef broth)
- sare, piper, patrunjel pt. ornat - salt, pepper, parsley to decorate

Intai si-ntai am pus la copt usturoiul, necuratat, in cuptorul preincalzit la 200 grade C, cam 35 minute, pana ce a fost moale la mijloc.

First place the garlic to bake in the not-heated oven, at 400 F, for  about 35 minutes, until soft in the middle

Am curatat cartofii - peel the potatoes

Supa-crema de ceapa verde - Cream of Spring Onions Soup

Ingredientele: We need: - 2 legaturi ceapa verde (cam 150 gr) - 2 bunches scallions - 2 linguri/25 gr de unt - 2 tablespoons butter - 1 ceapa uscata mica, taiata marunt - 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped - 250 gr cartofi, curatati si taiati cubulete - 1/2 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed - 2 linguri zeama lamaie - 2 tablespoons lemon juice - 600 ml supa de legume (ori de pui/vita) - 2/3 quarts vegetable stock (or chicken/beef) - 350 ml smantana lichida - 1.3 cups light cream - sare, piper alb - salt, white pepper - ceapa ciorii pt decorat (sau ceapa verde ) - chives to garnish Se toaca marunt toata ceapa (verde si uscata) si se pune la dunstuit in 2 linguri de unt (se poate inlocui cu ulei de masline), se acopera si se lasa vreo 10 minute pe foc foarte mic: Finely chop all the onions (spring onion and yellow), heat the butter (can be replaced with olive oil) in a small pot, add the onion, cover and allow to soften on very low heat

Supa-crema de rosii coapte - Roasted Tomatoes Cream Soup

Ingredientele, in ordinea numerelor de pe tricou, ar fi:
Let's see the ingredients:

- 8 rosii, taiate jumatati - 8 halved tomatoes
- 2 ardei grasi, curatati si taiati in sferturi - 2 bell peppers, cleaned and quartered
- 1 ceapa medie, curatata si taiata in sferturi - 1 medium onion, cleaned and quartered
- 8 catei de usturoi (ai mei au fost mai mari, am pus doar 6) - 8 small garlic cloves (mine were larger, I only used 6)
- 4 linguri ulei de masline - 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 linguri otet balsamic - 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1,5 litri supa de legume (a mea a fost de pui, ca asa s-a nimerit) - 1.5 quarts vegetable or chicken broth
- 150-180 gr pasta de tomate - 5 oz tomato paste
- thyme proaspat (o varianta mai occidentalizata cica a cimbrului), merge si uscat daca proaspat nu e - fresh or dried thyme
- sare, piper dupa gust - salt and pepper to taste


Se preincalzeste cuptorul la 200 grade Celsius. Rosiile, ardeii si ceapa se aranjeaza cu pielita in sus intr-o tava.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Lay the tomatoes, bell peppers and onion skin up on a baking sheet.

Se amesteca usturoiul dat pe razatoare sau taiat marunt (cum preferati), sarea, piperul, thyme, otetul balsamic, 2 linguri de ulei de masline

Combine the grated (or finely chopped, if you prefer) garlic, salt, pepper, thyme, balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small recipient

Acest preafrumos si gustos amestec




se toarna cu duiosie peste legume

pour the mix over the vegetables