Soup Recipes

Having a delicious soup is always great way to start up your meal. Below are some of my soup recipes to share around for all the soup lovers out there.

 

HOT AND SOUR SHRIMP SOUP (Thai-Style)

Ingredients:

1 lb. med. shrimp

2 sticks of fresh lemongrass

4 fresh or dried kaffir lime leaves or

1 Tbsp finely grated lemon zest

1 1/2 qt chicken stock

1 Tbsp fish sauce or salt to taste

3 Tbsp fresh lime juice or to taste

1 tsp Thai chili paste (nam-prik-pow) or

*substitute 1/4 tsp. cayenne, 1/4 tsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. oil

15 oz can straw mushrooms or 12 med. fresh mushrooms

3 fresh hot green chilies

3 Tbsp cilantro

Directions:

Wash, peel, de-vein shrimp. Save shells. Wash shrimp again, drain, pat-dry, cover and refrigerate. If using fresh lemongrass, cut each stick into three 2 inch pieces, starting from rounded bottom end. Discard straw-like top. Lightly crush the 6 pieces. In a pan, combine lemongrass, lime leaves, stock, and shrimp shells. Bring to boil.

Lower heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Strain stock, then add fish sauce, lime juice, and chili paste. Adjust fish sauce and lime juice to taste. *Add more chili paste if you prefer hot.

Drain straw mushrooms and add to stock. (If using fresh mushrooms, quarter them and drop in lightly salted boiling water. Boil 1 minute. Drain and add to stock.) “The soup can be prepared to this point several hours ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator”.

Prepare garnish shortly before serving. Cut green chilies into fine rounds. Wash and dry cilantro. Just before serving, heat the soup, when it begins to boil, drop in peeled shrimp. Cook on medium heat for 2 minutes or just until shrimp turn opaque. Garnish with chilies and cilantro leaves. Serve hot.

HOT AND SOUR SOUP (Chinese-Style)

Ingredients:

6 cups chicken stock (seasoned with some ginger)

2 Tbsp light soy sauce

1/4 lb lean pork, in 1/4 inch cubes

6 dried Chinese mushrooms (soaked 3hrs, drained, julienned)

3/4 tsp ground white pepper or more to taste

1/4 cup white vinegar -- more or less to taste

5 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 5 Tbsp water

Add salt if needed

1/2 cup bamboo shoots, julienned

1/4 dried cloud ears, soaked 1 hr., drained, and shredded

1 cake bean curd, cut into 1/4 inch cubes

4 eggs, beaten

Garnish:

cooked ham, cut in slivers

green onion, chopped

sesame oil to taste

grated carrot

ground black pepper

Directions:

Bring stock to simmer, add soy sauce, pork, and mushrooms. Simmer 10 minutes. Add pepper, vinegar, and thicken with cornstarch mixture. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add bamboo, cloud ears, and bean curd.

Bring to simmer and pour in eggs in a very thin stream over the surface of the soup. Wait 10 seconds and stir gently. Add garnishes and serve.

Note: Add garlic and red chili paste for more heat.

LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp butter

6 to 8 leeks, white parts only, sliced

3 to 4 potatoes, peeled & chopped

2 Tbsp flour

1/3 cup sour cream

4 cups hot water

Chopped chives

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Melt butter in heavy skillet. Sauté leeks until tender. Do not brown. Remove pan from heat. Sprinkle flour over leeks, and return pan to low heat. Cook several minutes, stirring constantly, until flour is well blended. Remove from heat. Add hot water, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until blended. Add salt & pepper. Heat to simmer, add potatoes, and cook, partially covered, 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in sour cream and serve, or press mixture through food mill. Garnish with finely chopped chives.

Miso Soup

Ingredients:

1.5 cubic inches Miso (fermented soybean paste)

1 small Potato

0.5 teaspoon Special Seasoning

0.5 teaspoon Wakame (dried seaweed)

Few dashes Tamari soy sauce (optional)

Directions:

Thinly slice the potato and boil it in enough water for 2 bowls full of soup. Meanwhile soak the wakame in cold water for a few minutes, during which it will expand to about seven times its dry volume and lose some of its salty taste. Add the special seasoning to the boiling potato.

Just before the potato is cooked, strain the seaweed (discarding the water in which it has been soaking), and add it to the soup. When the potato is cooked, remove from heat and add the miso. This is best done by placing it into a small hand-held sieve or tea strainer, then dipping it into the soup and jiggling it around. If necessary, gently force the miso through the sieve using a teaspoon. Do not boil after miso has been added as this will impair the flavor and consistency. Add soy sauce for more taste if you like.

CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM SOUP

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, crushed

4 sprigs coriander

1.5 tsp peppercorns, crushed

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

4.5 cups chicken stock

5 Chinese dried black mushrooms, soaked and chopped

1.25 Tbsp fish sauce

4 oz chicken (or a bit more), cut into strips

2 green onions, thinly sliced

Coriander to garnish

Directions:

Using a pestle and mortar or food processor, pound or mix garlic, coriander sprigs and peppercorns to a paste. In pot, heat vegetable oil, add paste and cook for 1 min, stirring. Stir in stock, mushrooms & fish sauce. Simmer for 10mins. Add chicken, reduce heat & cook gently for 5mins. Scatter green onions and coriander over surface to garnish.

POTATOE SOUP - COUNTRY STYLE

Ingredients + Instructions:

Cut 4 peeled potatoes, lengthwise, into quarters. Then slice thinly and

measure (approx. 4 cups).

Place in a large saucepan and add:

1 cup thinly sliced onions

1 tsp celery salt

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 cups boiling water

Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add: 2 cups milk, 1/4 cup chopped parsley.

Cover and simmer 10 minutes longer. Season to taste.

Sprinkle each serving with 1 tablespoon shredded old cheddar cheese.

Chicken & Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

1 lbs chicken breast

1 chopped onion

5 Tbsp butter

2 stalk chopped celery

4 cups fresh corn (6 ears)

2 med. boiling potatoes, diced

3-4 Tbsp flour

3 cups chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream (or substitute buttermilk)

Directions:

Melt butter and fry chicken, but do not let brown. When it's glistening, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until meat is firm. Remove chicken breast, and cut up to small cubes and set aside. Puree 2 cups of corn until smooth and keep the rest for later.

Next, from the fry-pan drippings, sauté onion and celery until soft. Sprinkle with flour and cook until bubbly. Add rest of ingredients, and simmer for 15

minutes, until the potatoes is tender. Stir in cream or buttermilk, salt and pepper. Heat and serve.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:

2 bunches broccoli, stalks removed

2 parsnips, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 large onion, diced

3/4 pound of mushrooms, diced

5 cloves of garlic, minced

2 cups of white wine

==== above to puree ====

1 pint of whipping cream

1 pint of low-fat plain yogurt

1 Tbsp of dried basil

2 Tbsp nutmeg

1 1/2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

4 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Add salt and pepper to taste

PREPARATION TIME: about 45 minutes

MAKES: about 10 servings

Directions:

Put vegetables in BIG pot and cover with wine and water. Bring to a boil slowly and let simmer until vegetables are soft. Puree the mixture (a hand blender is handy). Add the remaining ingredients, stirring while doing so. Let simmer for a few minutes before eating. Feel free to play around with the seasonings for preferred taste.

CHEDDAR BEER SOUP

Ingredients:

10 oz frozen mixed vegetables

4 Tbsp margarine

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dry mustard

2 cups milk

1 tsp tabasco sauce

2 cups shredded cheese

(use medium sharp cheddar or your favorite)

1 cup beer (Any brand)

Instructions:

Cook vegetables in pot and drain.

Melt margarine, stir in flour, salt, and mustard. cook over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat. Add milk and tabasco. Heat mixture until it coats the spoon. Add cheese. Cook over medium heat until cheese melts. Stir in beer and vegetables bring to a simmer. Cook about 15 minutes. Serve with preferred garnishes. (croutons or paprika)

FRENCH ONION SOUP

Ingredients:

5 - 6 onions

200g of grated cheese.

3 Cups of vegetable/ meat stock.

50g Butter

Add salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven at 200C. Slice the onions and fry it in some butter until light brown. Add the liquid stock. Let cook for 10 minutes, but not boil. Pour in the oven pot, add the Swiss cheese and cook in oven for 15mins. Serve.

GOLDEN SUMMER SOUP

Ingredients:

1 large onion, chopped

2 Tbsp oil

2-3 Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 1/2 lbs yellow crookneck squash, chopped

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup butter milk

1/4 cup fresh basil, minced

Directions:

In large pan, sauté onion in oil over medium heat until golden. Add tomatoes and stir until soft (5 min.) Add squash and broth to pan. Bring to boil on high heat. Cover and simmer until squash is tender (15-20 min.)

Puree mixture with buttermilk in blender or food processor until smooth. Stir in basil. Serve warm or cold, garnished with some basil and thin, round slices of Roma tomato floated on top. This is a beautiful and delicious soup.

Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup minced shallots

1/2 cup onions

3 cup chicken stock

2 cup cooked pumpkin puree

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp sugar

1/8 tsp crushed dried chilies

Add salt and pepper to taste

1 cup cream

Directions:

Sauté shallots and onions in butter until golden.

Add stock and everything else, except the cream and simmer 15 minutes. Cool slightly and puree in batches in blender.

Return to saucepan, add cream taste and add salt and pepper. Simmer 5 min. but do not boil. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle with paprika.

Spinach Soup

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, minced

3 pounds fresh spinach, stemmed

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups low fat milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Thin slice of lemon and minced chives, for garnish

Directions:

In a large saucepan, melt the butter over moderate heat. Add the onion and reduce the heat to low. Cook until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes.

Increase heat to moderate and add the spinach leaves by the handful, stirring to wilt them before adding the next handful. When all the spinach has been added, cook for about 1 minute to completely soften the spinach. In a food processor, puree the soup in batches until smooth. Return the soup to the pan and stir in the stock and milk. Simmer over moderate heat until heated through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in soup bowls, garnished with a slice of lemon and a sprinkling of chives.

TOMATO POTATO SOUP

Ingredients:

10 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 caned tomato paste

4 Tbsp flour

3 Tbsp sour cream

1 cup Cream milk

Add salt to taste

Instructions:

In a pot, cover potatoes with water. Add a little salt and boil until tender. Dilute tomato paste with a little water and add to potatoes.

Mix in a small bowl or cup, flour and just enough milk to form a paste. Stir until smooth. Add sour cream; stir until blended, then add more milk. Pour all mixture into soup pot. Simmer for 20 minutes and serve.

Watercress Soup

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

3 leeks (white part only), chopped

1 1/2 pound zucchini, peeled and diced

4 cups chicken stock

1 bunch of watercress, tough stems removed

1/3 cup heavy cream

salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:

In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter over moderately low heat. Add the leeks and cook until softened but not browned, 5 to 7mins. Add the zucchini, increase the heat to moderately high and sauté for 2mins without browning. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderate and simmer until the zucchini is just tender, about 5mins. Add the watercress and simmer for 1mins longer.

Using a food processor or blender, puree the soup, in batches, until smooth. Add the cream, if desired and season with salt and pepper to taste.