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300 Sensational Soups!

300 Sensational Soups
by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds
Paperback, 384 pages

Yesterday was rainy and cold. Today was rainy and cold. Tomorrow is forecasted to be rainy and cold. There may not be snow here yet, but BBQing is out. All I want to do is curl up with a nice hot bowl of soup. And bread (which goes without saying).

Sure, you might get the odd craving for the chicken and stars from your childhood. But how about something a little more fun - like Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons? Broccoli, Bacon and Cheddar Chowder? Or how about Provencal Vegetable Soup with Pistou?

With 300 Sensational Soups you can make all different kinds of soup from exotic and far away recipes to homey and deliciously familiar. You will never run out of great soup ideas and never go back to that can!

Contents include:
Soup Stocks
Chilled Soups
Fresh from the Garden Vegetable Soups
Beans, Beans and More Beans Soups
Cheese Please Soups
Hearty Soups for Meat Lovers
Chicken and Turkey Soups to Comfort the Soul
Go Fish: Fish and Shellfish Soups
Chow Down Chowders
A World of Soups
Just Dessert Soups
Gilding the Lily: Toppings and Garnishes

Here are a couple of sample recipes to help warm you up!

Vegetarian Soups – page 88
Cream of Roasted Turnip Soup
with Baby Bok Choy and Five Spices

When turnips are roasted, they become so sweet and flavorful that we don’t want to eat them any other way. We love the cute and tender baby bok choy lightly sautéed with Chinese five-spice powder.

Tip
Five-spice powder is a blend of ground cloves, fennel seeds, cinnamon, star anise and Szechwan peppercorns. Most large grocery stores stock it, but if you can’t find it, just use a mixture of the individual spices. It will still taste delicious.

Serves 6

•    Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)
•    Rimmed baking sheet

11⁄2 lbs    turnips, peeled and diced    750 g
1⁄4 cup    olive oil, divided    50 mL
3⁄4 tsp    salt, divided    3 mL
    Freshly ground black pepper
1    large onion, finely chopped    1
5    heads baby bok choy, sliced    5
2    cloves garlic, minced    2
1⁄4 tsp    five-spice powder (see tip)    1 mL
6 cups    chicken or vegetable stock    1.5 L
1⁄2 cup    half-and-half (10%) cream    125 mL
2 tsp    freshly squeezed lemon juice    10 mL
Pinch    ground nutmeg    Pinch
Pinch    cayenne pepper    Pinch
2 tbsp    minced fresh chives    25 mL

1.    On baking sheet, combine turnips, 2 tbsp (25 mL) of the oil, 1⁄2 tsp (2 mL) of the salt and black pepper to taste; toss to coat evenly and spread in a single layer. Roast in preheated oven until turnips are tender and begin to color, about 20 minutes.

2.    In a large pot, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add bok choy, garlic, five-spice powder and the remaining salt; sauté until bok choy is tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer bok choy to a plate and keep warm.

3.    Add stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Add turnips, reduce heat and simmer until turnips have flavored the liquid, about 10 minutes.

4.    Using an immersion blender, or in a food processor or blender in batches, purée soup until smooth. Return to the pot, if necessary. Stir in cream, lemon juice, nutmeg and cayenne; reheat over medium heat, stirring often, until steaming. Do not let boil. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper, if necessary.

5.    Ladle into heated bowls and garnish with bok choy and chives.


Excerpted from 300 Sensational Soupsby Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca All rights reserved: May not be reprinted without publisher permission.

Chow Down Chowders / Seafood Soups – page 278
Rich Lobster and Roasted Corn Chowder
“Decadent” is the best word to describe this luxurious chowder. Fresh lobster is paired with sweet and toasty roasted corn for a unique and memorable taste sensation.

Tips
You can use either fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels.
If you prefer, you can replace the chicken stock and clam juice with 5 cups (1.25 L) fish or shellfish stock.

Serves 6

•    Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C)
•    Large rimmed baking sheet

3 cups    corn kernels    750 mL
11⁄2 tbsp    olive oil    22 mL
1 tsp    salt, divided    5 mL
1⁄2 tsp    freshly ground black pepper, divided    2 mL
4    slices bacon, chopped    4
2 cups    chopped onions    500 mL
Pinch    cayenne pepper    Pinch
1 lb    boiling potatoes, peeled and diced     500 g
3 cups    chicken stock    750 mL
2 cups    clam juice    500 mL
11⁄2 cups    whipping (35%) cream    375 mL
2 tbsp    unsalted butter    25 mL
3    cooked lobster tails (each about 10 oz/300 g),     3
    meat removed and cut into bite-sized chunks
3 tbsp    chopped fresh chives    45 mL

1.    On baking sheet, combine corn, oil, 1⁄2 tsp (2 mL) of the salt and 1⁄4 tsp (1 mL) of the black pepper; toss to coat evenly and spread in a single layer. Roast in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Stir and redistribute into an even layer. Roast
until corn is lightly but evenly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

2.    In a large pot, sauté bacon over medium heat until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside.

3.    Pour off all but 2 tbsp (25 mL) of the fat in the pot. Add onions and sauté until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add cayenne and sauté for 1 minute. Add potatoes, stock, clam juice and the remaining salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in roasted corn and cream; return to a simmer, stirring often. Simmer, stirring often, until potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Do not let boil.

4.    In a large, heavy skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add lobster meat and sauté until heated through, about 1 minute.

5.    Ladle chowder into heated bowls and top with lobster. Garnish with reserved bacon and chives.

Excerpted from 300 Sensational Soupsby Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca All rights reserved: May not be reprinted without publisher permission.



Hearty Soup for Meat Lovers – page 114
Wild Mushroom and Orzo Soup with Italian Meatballs
Wild mushrooms have a big, beefy flavor that partners well with meatballs. This soup’s gutsy Italian flavors are sure to make it one of your favorites.

Tip
Grocery stores sometimes carry uncooked meatballs, packaged in the meat case, that they have made up themselves. We think it makes good sense to take advantage of this step-saving bonus, especially when the meatballs are of good quality. One caveat, though, is that store-bought meatballs are usually on the large side. We cut them in half and then reroll them into a ball. It only takes a minute, and they are a more “attackable” size in your soup bowl.

Serves 6 to 8

2 tbsp     unsalted butter                   25 mL
2 tbsp     olive oil                         25 mL
1          large onion, minced                   1
112 lbs   wild (exotic) mushrooms, sliced   750 g
1          stalk celery, chopped                 1
1 tsp      salt                               5 mL
1 tsp      dried basil                        5 mL
1 tsp      dried oregano                      5 mL
6 cups     beef or chicken stock             1.5 L
           Italian Meatballs (Store bought)
1 cup      orzo                             250 mL
14 cup    minced fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley    50 mL
2 tsp      freshly squeezed lemon juice      10 mL
14 cup    freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 50 mL
           cheese
           Freshly ground black pepper
           Additional freshly grated
           Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1.   In a large pot, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, celery, salt, basil and oregano; sauté until vegetables begin to soften and mushrooms have released their liquid, about 5 minutes.

2.   Add stock and bring to a boil. Carefully add meatballs and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until meatballs are cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and bring soup to a boil. Stir in orzo and boil until tender, about 8 minutes. Add parsley, lemon juice, cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

3.   Ladle into heated bowls and pass additional cheese at the table.

Excerpted from 300 Sensational Soupsby Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds © 2012 Robert Rose Inc. www.robertrose.ca All rights reserved: May not be reprinted without publisher permission.

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