Soup and Salad Recipes:
Recipe Club Hosts' Soups

Beans, Greens, and Sausage Soup
Ginger-Vanilla and Carrot Soup
White Bean and Chervil Soup
Tomato Rosemary Soup
Clam and Corn Chowder
Cream of Chanterelle Mushroom Soup
Apple-Squash Soup with Chive-Sour Cream
Cold Creamy Carrot Soup
Broccoli and Tasso Cheese Bisque
Asparagus Soup
Roasted Tomato and Garlic Soup

Beans, Greens, and Sausage Soup

The hearty flavor of this soup belies its brief cooking time.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

12 ounces mild or hot Italian sausage, casings removed
3   large cloves garlic, minced
1   tablespoon rubbed dried sage leaves
3   cans (15 1/2 ounces each) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3   cans (14 1/2 ounces each) chicken broth
4   cups water
1   cup macaroni
1   bag (6 ounces) baby spinach leaves, stems removed
1   tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
grated Pecorino Romano cheese

seedless red grapes

Preparation:

Crumble the sausage into a large cold pot. Cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, for about 3 minutes, or until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon; set aside. Pour off and discard any drippings.

Add the garlic and sage. Cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the beans, broth, and water. Increase the heat to high and bring just to a boil. Scrape up the browned bits at the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover partially and simmer for 15 minutes.

Transfer about half of the beans, and enough broth to cover, to a blender or food processor. Purée and return to the pot. Add the macaroni and the reserved sausage. Simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Stir in the spinach, vinegar, salt, and the pepper. Sprinkle with Pecorino Romano at the table.

Serve the grapes after the soup.

Note: Any small dried pasta may replace the macaroni.

Source: Chef Sharon Sanders

Ginger-Vanilla and Carrot Soup

This is a wonderful way to "eat your carrots" -- and enjoy them.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups peeled carrots, coarsely chopped
5 to 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup light or regular sour cream, or more

Preparation:

Heal oil in a 3 to 4 quart saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.  Add carrots and stir to coat with oil and onions.  Add stock, reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer until carrots are tender.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Run ingredients through blender or food processor until well puréed.  Add sour cream, vanilla, and ginger, and mix well or run through processor again.  If soup is too thick, add more stock until it reaches the desired thickness.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

This soup is good hot or cold.  Garnish with more sour cream, herbs, or another sprinkle of crystallized ginger.

Source: Patricia Rain

White Bean and Chervil Soup

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 cups dry white beans
6 cups water
2 each onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic
2 each bay leaves
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper, fresh ground
1/4 cup chervil sprigs
1/2 cup unsweetened whipped cream

Preparation:

Lightly boil the dry beans in water with two chopped onions, garlic, bay leaves and thyme leaves until tender - approximately 1 1/2  hours. When the beans are tender, strain and pick out bay leaves.
 
Add stock to the cooked beans and simmer again for 5 minutes Then, blend the soup in a blender - being careful, fill the blender only half way and cover your blender with a towel and hold the lid down tight as heat can make the contents volatile.
 
When the soup is puréed, add salt and pepper and reserve on low heat until ready to serve.

Whip the cream stiff and refrigerate until service

When ready to serve, top each bowl of soup with a dollop of whipped cream and equal portions of chervil sprigs and serve.

Source: Chef Gwen Kvavli Gulliksen

Tomato Rosemary Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup raw cashews
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
1/4 cup instant brown rice
1 quart tomato purée
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon basil if desired
fresh rosemary

Preparation:

Blend cashews, water, onion salt, onion powder, and arrowroot together until smooth.

Pour this mixture into a saucepan with the tomato purée and honey, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally.

Add the rice and simmer until rice is tender.

Salt to taste. Add basil and set off the heat covered for 5 minutes.

Serve garnished with fresh rosemary.

Source: Julianne Pickle

Clam and Corn Chowder

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 large onion, sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter|
1 can whole kernel corn (17 ounces), undrained
2 dozen chowder clams
1 cup heavy cream
4 slices crisply cooked bacon, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

In a large skillet, sauté onion in butter until golden. Add corn and liquid and cook for 6 minutes.

Open clams, reserving their liquor. Keep the meat in the refrigerator.

Bring clam liquor to a boil with cream. Purée onion, corn and cream mixture in a food processor and return to boil.

Divide raw clam meat and bacon among small soup bowls. Add cream mixture and salt and pepper to taste, top with parsley. Serve hot.

Source: Lee Lippert

Cream of Chanterelle Mushroom Soup

Chanterelle mushrooms and half and half merge into a delicate, richly flavored soup that is ideal to serve to guests as it is elegant, yet can be made ahead. Only the quick and simple preparation is more appealing than the wonderful flavor.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 pound fresh chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups half and half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons Madeira wine
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan set over medium heat. When foam from butter subsides, add onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly to coat onions and mushrooms with flour. Add broth, immediately bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

Add half and half, salt and pepper and heat on low, just below a simmer, for 10 minutes. Add Madeira, stir, and serve sprinkled with parsley.

Source: Terri Pischoff Wuerthner, Ccp

Apple-Squash Soup with Chive-Sour Cream

This soup pulls in some of the best foods autumn has to offer.

Serves 8

Ingredients:

Soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 10 ounce packages puréed squash, defrosted
4 cups chicken stock
12 ounces apples (approximately 1 1/2 apples), peeled and finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup cream

Chive sour cream:

1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh minced chives
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Heat olive oil in a medium-sized soup pot set over medium-low heat and sauté onion and garlic for 10 minutes. Add squash, stock, apples, lemon juice, thyme, salt and white pepper and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Purée soup. Stir in cream and heat for 10 minutes longer over low heat.

Combine sour cream with the chives and pepper. Top each serving of soup with a spoonful of the chive-sour cream.

Source: Terri Pischoff Wuerthner, Ccp

Cold Creamy Carrot Soup

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh carrot juice
1 large avocado
1 handful alfalfa sprouts cut into thirds
1 small sprig parsley or cilantro leaves

Preparation:

Make or buy carrot juice. Cut avocado in half, peel and remove pit.

Place carrot juice and avocado in blender, and blend until smooth.

Put sprouts and parsley on top of the soup.

Note: Any combination of vegetable juice can be used to make soup.

Serving Ideas: You can add ginger to this recipe

Source: Personal Chef Terry Henderson

Broccoli and Tasso Cheese Bisque

Broccoli and cheese are a match made in Heaven. Be careful not to overcook the broccoli, this will help to maintain its green color and allow it to stay crunchy.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 pound Tasso ham, cubed
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup flour
8 cups chicken broth, heated
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 pound cheddar cheese
1 pound fresh broccoli cut into pieces
2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup chopped green onions

Preparation:

Heat vegetable oil in a large saucepot over medium heat. Add Tasso ham and cook for 5 minutes. Be careful not to brown it.

Add onion, red and green bell pepper, celery and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add flour and stir until a roux is formed. Do not brown flour. Then add the heated chicken broth and whip until a light sauce is formed. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in heavy cream, cheddar cheese, broccoli, Creole seasoning and white pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add parsley and green onions.

Divide into 6 large bowls and serve.

Source: Chef Patrick Mould

Asparagus Soup

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound of fresh jumbo asparagus
1 quart boiling water
1 tablespoon salt
5 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup minced leeks, washed well (use all parts)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon chopped parsley

Preparation:

Wash, peel and snap off the lower stalks of the asparagus. Reserve the peelings and lower stalks.

Lay the asparagus in a deep pan, so that the tips are facing in the same direction. Cover with the boiling water seasoned with salt. Cook for five to seven minutes, or until the asparagus is tender but still crisp.

Lift the asparagus from the boiling water and plunge into ice water. Reserve the cooking liquid. Only one-quarter of this asparagus is used in the soup. (Serve the remaining pieces with vinaigrette, as a salad, or with melted butter as a side dish.)

Cut the tips from one-quarter of the cooked asparagus, reserving both stalks and tips for the soup. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy 3-quart saucepan.

Stir in the onions and leeks, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, but do not brown.

Dust the onions and leeks with the flour and mix thoroughly. Pour in the reserved liquid, blending vigorously with a whisk. Add the raw asparagus peelings, lower stalks, and the reserved cooked stalks.

Season with the pepper. Cover and boil gently for 30 minutes.

Purée the soup in a blender or food processor (may have to purée in several batches) and force through a fine strainer.

Before serving, reheat the soup and with a whisk stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the cream. Adjust seasonings.

Add the reserved asparagus tips and garnish with croutons and freshly chopped parsley.

Hint: Most soups may be prepared ahead of time, but do not add the cream or butter until ready to serve.

Source: Chef Jacques Haeringer

Roasted Tomato and Garlic Soup

Makes a gourmazing first impression. Roasted cloves of garlic lend a smoky sweetness to this hip and healthy soup.

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

10 ripe plum tomatoes, halved
1 onion, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 heads garlic, cloves separated, unpeeled
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth.
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, olive oil, pepper and salt. Transfer to baking sheet, placing tomatoes cut-side down. Add the garlic cloves, and bake vegetables for 20 minutes.

Once cool enough to handle, squeeze garlic cloves out of their skins and add to slow cooker, along with tomato mixture.

Stir the broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, and thyme into the slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.

Discard the bay leaf, and transfer the soup to a blender or food processor; purée in batches until smooth.

Return mixture to the slow cooker, stir in the lemon juice and brown sugar and serve.

Source: Rebecca Field Jager