Stone Soup
Several smallish stones, preferably something like quartz that won't break apart and doesn't have a lot of nooks and crannies for dirt to hide.
4 medium potatoes, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small can whole tomatoes, chopped
1/2 head cabbage, chopped
Other vegetables can be included
5 tsp bouillon granules
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil
2 tsp dried onion flakes
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 bay leaf
1 tsp salt, more or less to taste
pepper, to taste
First, prepare the stones by washing them, then putting them into a pot of water and bringing to a boil. Repeat 3-4 times, or until no more grit or 'dirt' taste makes its way into the water. Let stones cool.
Combine all seasonings in a bowl.
Each guest gets one or more vegetables, and one guest gets the bowl of spices.
Explain to the guests that you are going to make a pot of delicious stone soup.
Put stones in pot with 6 cups of fresh water, and bring to a boil. Taste the soup, and pretend it's delicious...but...it really could use a little seasoning - ask the guest with the bowl of seasonings if he or she will share.
Repeat this process with each guest, starting with whatever will take the longest to cook (the potatoes in this case), and finishing with whatever will get done quickest (the cabbage).
Taste, add more salt if desired, and serve.
Serve with a stone in each bowl, but of course remove the stones before attempting to eat the soup.
| Christopher Robin |  |
| Collin |  |
| Isaac |  X "A hundred" |
| Annette | X "Ten" |
Sweet Potato Soup
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 shallot, diced
salt
1/2 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced
(More or less to taste)
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups chopped sweet potatoes - about 2 large
cinnamon stick
1 1/2 cups 1/2 and 1/2
2 tbs brown sugar
2 tbs maple syrup
grated fresh nutmeg
Make a light roux with the butter and flour. Add the shallot, and a pinch of salt, and cook until softened. Add minced chile, vegetable broth, sweet potatoes, and cinnamon stick and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are cooked through. Remove cinnamon stick, cool slightly, and blend thoroughly. Return to pot, and 1/2 and 1/2 and reheat. Stir in brown sugar, maple syrup, and garnish with nutmeg.
| Christopher Robin |  |
| Collin |  |
| Isaac | |
Rosemary Corn Soup
allrecipes.com serves 8
2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
7 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn, divided
6 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 cup half-and-half cream
salt and pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, saute onions, carrots and celery in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Add 3-1/2 cups corn, broth, rosemary, garlic and cayenne. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool; process in batches in a blender or food processor until pureed. Return to the pan. In a small skillet, saute red pepper in remaining butter until tender. add to corn mixture. Stir in cream and remaining corn; heat through, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.
| Christopher Robin | |
| Collin | |
| Isaac | X "Six and a half" |
| Annette | X Ten |
Hot-and-Sour Soup
Epicurious
5 oz boneless pork loin, cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips (2/3 cup)
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
4 small Chinese dried black mushrooms
12 small dried tree ear mushrooms
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
12 dried lily buds (sometimes called golden needles)
1/2 cup canned sliced bamboo shoots, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch-wide strips (from an 8-oz can)
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 to 4 oz firm tofu (about a quarter of a block), rinsed and drained, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick strips
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens
2 tablespoons fresh whole cilantro leaves
Toss pork with dark soy sauce in a bowl until pork is well coated.
Soak black and tree ear mushrooms in 3 cups boiling-hot water in another bowl (water should cover mushrooms), turning over black mushrooms occasionally, until softened, about 30 minutes. (Tree ears will expand significantly.) Cut out and discard stems from black mushrooms, then squeeze excess liquid from caps into bowl and thinly slice caps. Remove tree ears from bowl, reserving liquid, and trim off any hard nubs. If large, cut tree ears into bite-size pieces. Stir together 1/4 cup mushroom-soaking liquid (discard remainder) with cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside.
Meanwhile, soak lily buds in about 1 cup warm water until softened, about 20 minutes, then drain. Trim off tough tips of lily buds. Cut lily buds in half crosswise, then tear each half lengthwise into 2 or 3 shreds.
Cover bamboo shoots with cold water by 2 inches in a small saucepan, then bring just to a boil (to remove bitterness) and drain in a sieve.
Stir together vinegars, light soy sauce, sugar, and salt in another small bowl.
Heat a wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Pour peanut oil down side of wok, then swirl oil, tilting wok to coat sides. Add pork and stir-fry until meat just changes color, about 1 minute, then add black mushrooms, tree ears, lily buds, and bamboo shoots and stir-fry 1 minute.
Add broth and bring to a boil, then add tofu. Return to a boil and add vinegar mixture. Stir cornstarch mixture, then add to broth and return to a boil, stirring. (Liquid will thicken.) Reduce heat to moderate and simmer 1 minute.
Beat eggs with a fork and add a few drops of sesame oil. Add eggs to soup in a thin stream, stirring slowly in one direction with a spoon. Stir in white pepper, then drizzle in remaining sesame oil and divide among 6 to 8 bowls. Sprinkle with scallions and cilantro before serving.
| Christopher Robin | |
| Collin | |
| Isaac | X "Nineteen" |
| Annette | |
Tomato Soup
Michael Chiarello
1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream, optional
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Strain the chopped canned tomatoes, reserving the juices, and spread onto a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, to taste, drizzle with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and roast until caramelized, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion and garlic, cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted chopped canned tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, chicken broth, bay leaf and butter. Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add basil and cream, if using. Puree with a hand held immersion blender until smooth.
| Christopher Robin |  |
| Collin | |
| Isaac | X "A hundred twelve" |
| Annette | "Zero" |
Tom kha gai
Wikipedia
1 can coconut milk
2 3/4 inch pieces galangal, peeled and finely sliced.
2 stems lemon grass, lower part, 1/2in slices
2 kaffir lime leaves
coriander (cilantro) leaves for garnish
2 tbsp lime juice
4 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sugar
2-7 (mild to medium) small Thai chillies, seeded and sliced
1 can of straw mushrooms, drained and rinsed
1 chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces
2 cups chicken stock
Pour the coconut milk into a sauce pan, stirring over a gentle heat to make sure that the milk is smooth.
Heat the prepared stock in a much larger saucepan, adding galanga, chillies, lemon grass and kaffir lime leaves.
Stir in the warmed coconut milk.
Add the fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice (or the juice of 1 lemon).
Allow to come to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, taste and adjust the seasoning.
Bring back to a boil, drop in the chicken pieces a few at a time so that they remain separate.
Cook for 3-4 minutes until the chicken pieces are cooked.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.
| Christopher Robin | |
| Collin |  |
| Isaac | X "A hundred" |
| Annette | X "Twenty-five" |
| Melody | |
| Audrey | |
| Rhys | |
Bacon and Chickpea Soup
The Soup Book, Edited by Anne Sheasby
2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in cold water
1/2 cup butter
5 oz pancetta or bacon, roughly chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
1 tbs chopped fresh rosemary
2 fresh bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, halved
For tortilla chips:
6 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp ground cumin
6 oz plain tortilla chips
salt and ground black pepper
Drain the chickpeas, put them in a large pan and cover with plenty of cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain and set aside.
Melt the butter in a large pan and add the pancetta or bacon. Fry over medium heat until just beginning to turn golden. Add the chopped vegetables and cook for 5-10 minutes until soft.
Add the chickpeas to the pan with the rosemary, bay leaves, garlic cloves, and enough water to cover completely. Bring to the boil, half cover, turn down the heat and simmer for 45-60 miuntes, stirring occasionally. The chickpeas should start to disintegrate and will thicken the soup.
Allow the soup to cool slightly, then pour it into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Return the soup to the rinsed-out pan, taste and season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Reheat gently.
to make the tortilla chips, preheat the oven to 350 F. Melt the butter with the paprika and cumin in a pan, then lightly brush the mixture over the tortilla chips. Reserve any leftover spiced butter.
Spread the chips out onto a baking sheet and warm through in the oven for 5 minutes.
Ladle the soup into bowls, pour some of the reserved spiced butter over each and sprinkle with a little paprika. Serve with the warm tortilla chips.
| Christopher Robin | |
| Collin | |
| Isaac | X "Ten" |
| Annette | "Zero" |
Italian Wedding Soup
Giada De Laurentiis
Meatballs:
1 small onion, grated
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 large egg
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 slice fresh white bread, crust trimmed, bread torn into small pieces
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
8 ounces ground beef
8 ounces ground pork
Freshly ground black pepper
Soup:
12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound curly endive, coarsely chopped (1 pound of escarole would be a good substitution)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
To make the meatballs: Stir the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese, beef and pork. Using 1 1/2 teaspoons for each, shape the meat mixture into 1-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a baking sheet.
To make the soup: Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and curly endive and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the curly endive is tender, about 8 minutes. Whisk the eggs and cheese in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the soup in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg, about 1 minute. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Finish soup with parmesan cheese if desired.
| Christopher Robin | |
| Collin | |
| Isaac | X "A hundred" |
| Annette | X "Ten million" |
Borscht
Elise
8 cups beef broth
1 pound slice of meaty bone-in beef shank
1 large onion, peeled, quartered
4 large beets, peeled, chopped
4 carrots, peeled, chopped
1 large russet potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
3/4 cup chopped fresh dill
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring 4 cups of the beef broth, the beef shank, and onion to boil in large pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meat is tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
Transfer meat to work surface; trim fat, sinew and bone and discard. Chop meat; cover and chill. Cool broth slightly. Chill in pot until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 1 day.
Spoon fat from top of chilled broth and discard. Add remaining 4 cups broth, beets, carrots, and potato; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.
Stir in meat, cabbage and 1/2 cup dill; cook until cabbage is tender, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in vinegar.
Ladle soup into bowls. Top with sour cream and remaining 1/4 cup dill.
Serves 6.
Virginia Willis' Potato and Cheddar Soup
Virginia Willis
Serves 6 to 8
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 teaspoon freshly picked thyme leaves
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 quart (4 cups) homemade chicken stock or reduced fat low sodium chicken broth
3 cups whole milk
4 large russet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 1 3/4 pounds)
3 cups packed freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 12 ounces)
Tabasco, to taste
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Freshly snipped chives, for garnish
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in stock, then milk. Add potato and bring soup to boil. Reduce heat and simmer soup until potato is tender, about 20 minutes.
Add cheese 1/3 cup at a time, stirring until melted and smooth after each addition. Tasted and adjust for seasoning with Tabasco, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately.
| Christopher Robin | |
| Collin | |
| Isaac | X "A hundred" |
| Annette | X "Ten million" |
Southern Biscuits
Alton Brown
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons shortening
1 cup buttermilk, chilled
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Using your fingertips, rub butter and shortening into dry ingredients until mixture looks like crumbs. (The faster the better, you don't want the fats to melt.) Make a well in the center and pour in the chilled buttermilk. Stir just until the dough comes together. The dough will be very sticky.
Turn dough onto floured surface, dust top with flour and gently fold dough over on itself 5 or 6 times. Press into a 1-inch thick round. Cut out biscuits with a 2-inch cutter, being sure to push straight down through the dough. Place biscuits on baking sheet so that they just touch. Reform scrap dough, working it as little as possible and continue cutting. (Biscuits from the second pass will not be quite as light as those from the first, but hey, that's life.)
Bake until biscuits are tall and light gold on top, 15 to 20 minutes.
Not Very Authentic Soba Noodle Soup
1 tbs vegetable oil
1 tbs ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
6 cups chicken stock
2 bundles soba noodles
3 tbs soy sauce
3 tbs mirin
2 tsp sesame oil
3 green onions, chopped
Saute ginger, garlic, and shallot in oil on medium heat until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add chicken stock and stir. While this heats up to a simmer, cook the soba noodles according to package directions, drain, rinse, and add to the soup. Add soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and green onions. Serve hot.
| Christopher Robin | |
| Collin |  |
| Isaac | X "Eighty" |
| Annette | X "Ten million" |
Winter Squash Soup with Sauteed Apples
Virginia Willis, copyright 2008. Published by Ten Speed Press.
Serves 4 to 6
You’ll find many types of winter squash in your produce department. For this sweet-savory soup, reach past the standard acorn and butternut varieties for something new like carnival, delicata, or kabocha for a different feel and flavor.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, very finely chopped
Bouquet garni (3 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley, 2 sprigs of thyme, 10 whole black peppercorns, tied together in cheesecloth)
3 pounds winter squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped
3 cups chicken stock or low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
1 sprig thyme
1/2 cup heavy cream (optional)
1 teaspoon firmly packed dark brown sugar
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
To prepare the soup, in a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-low heat until foaming. Add the shallot, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes.
Add the bouquet garni, squash, and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, decrease the heat to low, and simmer until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, to cook the apples, in a skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the diced apple and remaining sprig of thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apple is tender and lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
To finish the soup, remove the bouquet garni and discard. In the Dutch oven, using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Or ladle the soup into a blender and puree until smooth a little at a time. Leave it coarse and chunky if you prefer a more rustic soup or puree until smooth for a more elegant soup. Add the cream, brown sugar, and nutmeg. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
To serve, ladle into warm bowls and garnish with the sautéed apples. Serve immediately.
| Christopher Robin | |
| Collin | |
| Isaac | "Zero" |
| Annette |  |
Stout Batter Bread
Virginia Willis, copyright 2008. Published by Ten Speed Press.
Makes one 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf
Other than sharing the quick bread gene, this beer batter bread doesn’t have much of a Southern heritage. For minimum effort and maximum results, it’s hard to beat. This takes the phrase “dump and stir” to a whole new level. Different beers produce breads with different flavors and textures. This recipe calls for stout, producing a bread somewhat dark in color with a slightly heavy flavor. It goes well with a hearty stew or pot roast. Lighter ale produces a lighter loaf and would be more appropriate with milder dishes such as this soup.
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the loaf pan
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 (12-ounce) bottle stout, at room temperature
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Brush one 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan with some of the butter.
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Add the beer and 2 tablespoons of the remaining melted butter, stirring just until combined. (The batter will be somewhat lumpy.)
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Bake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly, then invert onto the rack to cool until warm. Serve warm or at room temperature.
