Tag Archives: Soup

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

Posted by thehipvegetarian in Soup, Stew, Vegetarian and tagged with , , ,

Recently I’ve been addicted to Pinterest and am finding I don’t have enough time/meals/days to make all the wonderful things my friends are discovering for me.  However I pushed this recipe for Roasted Cauliflower Soup to the top of my list; mostly because cauliflowers are in season at the farmer’s market, and secondly my sister-in-law gave this a huge thumbs up.

I probably used too much cauliflower because my soup turned out like a stew. However the flavor was oh, so good!  My husband gave this recipe his personal stamp of approval, so I think this will make it onto the family cookbook.

I must give @hailskitchen over at the Tasty Kitchen kudos for this recipe.  I used yellow sharp cheddar instead of white — only because that’s what I had available.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

  • 1 head Cauliflower, Roughly Chopped
  • 2 whole Shallots, Roughly Chopped
  • 3 cloves Garlic, Roughly Chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 4 cups Chicken Broth
  • 1-½ cup White Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
  • 1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme, Chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon Coarse Salt

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. On a cookie sheet, drizzle the cauliflower, shallots and garlic with the olive oil and season with coarse salt. Roast for about 40 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork-tender.

Carefully place the vegetables in a food processor or blender and roughly puree. Texture is good, large chunks are not so good. Place the vegetables in a pot along with the chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about ten minutes. Add the cheese, thyme and a good dose of black pepper. Season to taste with salt. Serve with warm, crusty bread and enjoy!

Creamy Thyme Mushroom Soup with Parmesan & Herb Croutons

Posted by thehipvegetarian in Soup and tagged with , , ,

photo taken by thehipvegetarian

My friend Heather sent me this recipe. She and all her friends were swooning over how delicious this soup is.

I must admit when I was assembling it, I had my doubts.  Mushrooms and leeks simmering in a stock base looks pretty much like I was brewing a witches brew brought in from the garden. WARNING: This soup does not look visually appealing while being assembled on the stove.

But what this soup lacks in color makes up for in the deepest and richest of flavors.

This Creamy Thyme Mushroom Soup has cast a spell on me — it’s now my all time favorite soup.

Creamy Thyme Mushroom Soup

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 large yellow onion
(I added 2 garlic cloves)
3-4 large Portobello mushrooms or 1 lb , brushed clean and chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken or veggie stock (I used Better than Bouillon Organic Mushroom Base)
1.5 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 bay leave
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly group pepper
1 cup heavy whipping cream

In stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Swirl to coat bottom of pot and add leaks and onions. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 mins until slightly softened and well coated with butter. Reduce heat to very low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally for about 30 mins. until leaks and onions are melting soft but not browned. Add the mushrooms and stir to combine. Cover and cook x 10 mins. Raise the heat to medium, stir in the flour, and cook 3 mins. Add the stock, thyme, bay leave, salt, sugar, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover partially, and cook for 10 mins longer.

Let soup cool x 10 mins. Discard bay leave. Working in batches, put in food process until a smooth puree. Return puree to pot and add cream. Cook over low heat until heated through, but don’t let boil. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serves 8

Croutons

5 cups fresh bread cubes about 3/4 inch, from artisan loaf with crust removed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1/2 tablespoon fresh oregano

Preheat oven to 375. In large bowl, Combine cubes, olive oil, cheese, and pepper and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the herbs over the bread cubes, toss to combine, and continue to bake until the cubes are crisp and golden.

Ladle soup into warmed bowls, and garnish with croutons.

 

Come join SoupaPalooza at TidyMom and Dine and Dish sponsored by KitchenAid, Red Star Yeast and Le Creuset.

Curry Pumpkin Soup

Posted by thehipvegetarian in Soup, Vegetarian and tagged with , ,

Photo taken by thehipvegetarian

These chilly nights put me in the mood for Curry Pumpkin Soup.  This is a recipe I discovered in 2002 while traveling with my childhood friend in New Zealand. We were visiting a cousin of her’s outside Auckland and we’re served this soup.

The best pumpkin that I’ve found for soup is the Blue Hubbard variety.  It has a beautiful blue-gray skin and makes a lovely decorative addition to any home until you’re ready to use it.  However if Blue Hubbard is out of season then Acorn Squash is a good substitute.

This recipe calls for Indian curry.  I’ve used a variety of Indian curries over the years and they are all good.  However this week I tried a Thai yellow curry paste and I wasn’t disappointed. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities.

You’ll need to experiment to find the best texture and thickness for your liking.   Try adding more/less pumpkin, more/less cream, more/less water, etc.

When I tasted this soup for the first time I immediately fell in love. I think you will too.

1 Large Onion
3-4 Cloves of Garlic
1.5-2 t Curry Powder OR 1 T Thai Yellow Curry Paste
5 Cups of Water
8 t Vegetable Stock
4-6 cups of pumpkin or squash (I like Blue Hubbard pumpkins the best)
300 ml Full Cream

Saute Onion and garlic in melted butter with curry powder or paste. Add water and vegetable stock, pumpkin (peeled & cooked) and boil until soft. Place all ingredients in blender and whiz to mushy liquid. Add cream & parsley.