Cold Tomato Soup

With summer entering it's last weeks, fresh tomatoes are plentiful. Turning ripe tomatoes into a cold soup for these hot days is a sure winner. If you can, visit a local farmer's market and get the ugly tomatoes. Trust me. Heirloom tomatoes may be misshapen and have split tops, but they have the best flavor. Sometimes you can find nearly over-ripe tomatoes at a discount. If so, grab them up. They're perfect for this soup.

Inspired by a recipe by David Tanis, this chilled soup is a winner. I served it will grilled cheese sandwiches and it made a very nice, light, meal. Toast with avocado would be a nice accompaniment, as well. If you can't get good, fresh tomatoes, this soup also works well with canned tomatoes. Use a 24 oz can, with juice.

Makes 4 servings

Take about 1 hour, including time to chill.

Ingredients

For the soup

2 pounds ripe red tomatoes, cored and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil

1 Tbl sherry vinegar

Pinch of cayenne

1 tsp salt, more to taste

Ground black pepper, to taste

For the garnish

1/2 medium green bell pepper, finely diced

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 Tbl sherry vinegar

1 Tbl chopped fresh parsely, or 2 tsp dried

1 Tbl chopped fresh chive, or 2 tsp dried

Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Put all of the soup ingredients (not the garnish!) in a blender and blend on high speed for 1 minute or until very smooth. Add more salt, pepper, and cayenne, if needed to taste. Put in a non-reactive bowl and chill for one hour or more.

About thirty minutes before serving, mix the ingredients for the garnish together, and refrigerate until needed.

To serve, divide soup evenly between four bowls, and place about 2 Tbl of garnish in the middle. 

Watermelon Gazpacho

In the midst of a heat wave the last thing I want to do is turn on my oven. Second only in kitchen aversion is using my stove. We don't have central AC in this tiny apartment, and so turning on the oven is akin to turning the entire kitchen into a sauna, and not the good kind. The ambient heat, having sapped my will to live, has come into conflict with my gluttonous desire to eat good food. Cold food is a must for these steamy days. Fortunately, both tomatoes and watermelon are in season.

Tomato and watermelon are surprisingly good together. This recipe, based on one by Anya von Brezmen, is surprisingly sparse on ingredients, for a gazpacho, but is perfect for hot summer nights. I think it works better as an appetizer, or aperitif, but it can pass as a light supper when served with cold sandwiches. Make sure you get fresh, juicy melons and tomatoes for this dish, and don't forget the celery. It's heightens the flavors and really brings things together. Don't worry, my friends. Flavorful refreshment is on the way.

Makes 4 servings.

Takes  10 minutes to make, and at least 2 more hours to chill.

Ingredients

4 cups cubed, seedless watermelon, about 1 1/4 lbs

1 lbs ripe tomatoes, cut into quarters

2 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil, more for dizzling

2 Tbl lemon juice, or more to taste

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 tsp Salt. more as needed

1/4 ground black pepper, or more, to taste

Thin celery sticks for garnish

Directions

Working batches, puree all of the ingredients except the garnish in a blender for at least two minutes, until smooth and frothy. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt, pepper, and lemon juice as needed to make the flavor pop. Transfer to a bowl and chill for at least 2 hours, and up to 24 hours. Serve in individual bowls or mugs, garnishing with celery sticks. If there are any leftovers, which there probably won't be, they'll keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Corn Chowder

Corn chowder was one of the first Mexican soups I tried. I really liked it. They say you can tell the quality of a Mexican restaurant by it’s soup. So far, that rule of thumb has worked out for me. The best soups I’ve had seem to come from great Mexican restaurants.

Eating out all the time to get corn chowder, or any other soup for that matter, is ridiculously expensive, though. I had to learn to make my own. I think this recipe stands up pretty well to it’s restaurant relatives.

A hot corn chowder might be best suited for Autumn nights after harvest time, so freshly harvested corn can be used, but it works pretty well for cool spring evenings, too. This recipe specifies two pounds of frozen corn, but ten ears of fresh corn can be easily substituted. I don’t recommend using canned corn. Blech.

Freezing the bacon for about 15 minutes will make it easier to cut, or you can cook it first and cut it later.

Equipment needed
Mixing bowls
Blender or food processor
Cutting board
Measuring cups and spoons
Dutch oven or other large pot
Garlic press (optional)
Large spoons

Ingredients
2 pound frozen corn, thawed
4 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 table dried parsley
1 cup heavy cream
Salt
Pepper

Directions
Put half the corn and all the stock into a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside.

Cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven or kitchen pot over medium heat until crispy, about 8 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes more. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the broth mixture and the milk, scraping up any of the browned bits (fond) off the bottom of the pot. Stir in the potatoes, bay leaves, thyme, and parsley. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes and just starting to get tender, about 15 minutes. Add the remaining corn kernels and the cream. Keep simmering until the corn is tender, but still has a bit of resistance to it, and the potatoes are cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Discard the bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.

Chunky Slow-cooker Chili

Many of you already know of my love affair with the slow-cooker. I have a slow-cooker with a removable pot. I particularly enjoy setting things up in the pot on a Saturday night, then pulling the pot out of the refrigerator Sunday morning and letting it do it’s thing all day until Sunday dinner. It certainly makes my Sunday’s less stressful.

I wanted to figure out some way to cook chili in the slow-cooker, but I couldn’t find any recipes that really got me excited. Instead, I modified a stove-top chili recipe that I really like. The original recipe uses ground beef. I had some cheap cuts of beef hanging around my freezer, so I substituted them to make a chunkier version. You can  certainly use hamburger, if you like. Knowing I wasn’t going to get as much of a reduction in the liquid using the slow-cooker, I decided to drain the tomatoes, first. I think the results were pretty tasty.

Equipment Needed
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Measuring cups and spoons
Garlic press (optional)
Colander
Large skillet
Slow-cooker
Large spoon
Paring knife
Mixing bowls

Ingredients
2 onions, peeled finely chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (15 oz.) dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds stew meat or other beef, cut into small chunks
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained
1 can (20 oz.) tomato puree

Directions
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the meat and cook until just browned. Transfer to the slow-cooker.

Return the pan to the heat. Add more oil if needed and reduce heat to medium. When the oil is shimmering, add the onions, chili powder, cumin, bell pepper, cayenne pepper and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds more, until fragrant. Remove from the the heat and transfer to the slow-cooker. Turn off the stove. Everything else will be done in the slow-cooker.

To the slow-cooker, add the beans, diced tomatoes, tomato puree, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir together. Cook on high for 6 hours, or low for 8 hours. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste.

Makes 8 servings.


Garnish with sliced scallions, sour cream, grated cheese, chopped onion, or diced avocados as desired.

Low and Slow (Cooker) Beef Stew

I’d be hard pressed to find a food my wife likes better than beef stew. It’s a winter staple for her. We have cans of the stuff hanging around the pantry all the time. I can’t stand the canned stuff. Most of it is crap. To make it palatable I’ve always got to mess with it or I won’t be able to keep it in my mouth long enough to chew and swallow. Making your own is much better, even if it can take all day to do it.

Enter the slow cooker. I love using a slow cooker for cheap cuts of meat. It takes what can be a chewy mess and turns it into a tender and tasty indulgence.

Low and slow is the answer, my friends. Low and slow.

I’m not going to kid you, though. This recipe takes a bit more work than most slow cooker recipes. A bunch of stuff gets cooked a bit before putting it into the crock pot in order to get better caramelization and richer flavor. The results are worth the effort, though. Even my wife agrees.

Now I just need to figure out what to do with all of these extra cans.

Equipment Needed
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Garlic press (optional)
Measuring cups and spoons
Paper towels
Large skillet
Slow cooker
Large spoons, slotted and non-slotted
Whisk
Vegetable peeler

Ingredients
3-4 pound boneless beef chuck roast
1 large onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound carrots, cut into 1/2-inch circles
3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper as needed
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup red wine or cooking sherry
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups beef broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup flour
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 Tablespoon dried parsley

Directions
Pull apart the roast along it’s major seams, using a knife as needed. Trim excess fat and silver skin. Cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks.

Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat until smoking. Brown the beef in batches, about 5 minutes for each batch, and add to the slow cooker. Add more oil as needed.

Reduce the heat to medium, adding 2 more teaspoons of oil until shimmering. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds more, until fragrant.

Stir in the wine and tomato paste, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Simmer, uncovered, until the wine reduces by half, about 3 minutes. Pour into the slow cooker.

Add the 3 1/2 cups of the broth, bay leaves, and thyme to the slow cooker. Stir in the potatoes and carrots. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.

Discard the bay leaf. Set the cooker to high. Whisk together the flour and remaining 1/2 cup broth until smooth. Stir into the cooker. Add the peas and parsley. Cover and continue to cook until the sauce is thickened, the flour is cooked, and the veggies are tender, about 30 minutes to an hour more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 6 servings

Vegetable Soup

Classic vegetable soup is an odd form of comfort food for me. My mother used to served canned vegetable soup from time to time and, to be honest, I didn’t like it. Little did I know that making it myself would change my feelings. This recipe, stolen from America’s Test Kitchen, is delicious. It’s comfort food, improved on.

To improve the flavor, cook the vegetables over low heat using some of the same techniques as quick soups. This draws out the natural sweetness of the vegetables and improves the flavor of store-bought vegetable broth. You could make this with chicken broth, but I don’t recommend it. This soup is much better when the vegetables take center stage. If you’d like, replace the potatoes with a can of white beans. Just drain and rinse them before adding to the pot.

Equipment Needed
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Garlic press
Fine-mesh strainer
Measuring cups and spoons
Dutch oven or large pot (6 quart)
Vegetable peeler
Large spoon
Mixing bowls

Ingredients
1 onion, minced
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium russet potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt as needed
5 cups vegetable broth
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Ground black pepper

Directions
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or 6 quart pot over medium-low heat until shimmering. Stir in the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and 3/4 tsp salt. Cover and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the broth, potatoes, and tomatoes. Bring to simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the peas and remove from the heat. Let the soup stand for 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 6 servings.

Cream of Pea Soup

I have always liked peas. I’ve eaten plenty of split pea soup in my life, too, but I wasn’t in the mood for something heavy in the middle of summer. Finding this recipe for cream of pea soup seemed like it might be just the right solution for a light summer meal.

What I don’t like about most cream soups is they taste mostly like cream. It’s like the vegetables were there just to make your mother, or nutritionist, happy. I wanted more robust vegetable flavor. According to America’s Test Kitchen, processing the raw veggies before adding them to the soup helps add flavor and reduce cooking time. Certainly the flavors in this cream of pea soup recipe were brighter and fresher than I expected.

I had a problem, though. My food processor broke down and I’ve not replaced it. I tried using my blender instead, chopping up the peas in batches, but the results were less than desirable. Most of the peas broke up, but I suspect I would have gotten smoother results if I’d used a food processor. Cleaning the blender wasn’t any fun, either

This recipe uses frozen peas, but you can substitute equal amounts of other fresh or frozen vegetables. Broccoli, asparagus, or carrots also make delicious cream soups. You could even try combining them. If you use fresh veggies, I recommend blanching them before chopping them.

Equipment Needed
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Food processor
Measuring cups and spoons
Large cooking pot or Dutch Oven
Large spoon
Rubber spatula
Blender or Hand Blender

Ingredients
1 yellow onion
1 1/2 pounds frozen peas, thawed
2 Tbl butter
Salt as needed
2 Tbl all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
Ground black pepper
Chopped parsley or chives to garnish

Directions
Peel and mince the onion into very small pieces and set aside. Place the peas in a food processor and pulse until chopped fine.

Melt the butter in a large cooking pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/2 tsp salt and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute more. This removes the “raw” flavor of flour.

Slowly stir in the chicken broth, scraping any browned bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add the peas and simmer until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes more. Puree in batches in batches a food processor or blender. Alternately, you can use a hand blender.

Return the pureed soup to the pot and stir in the cream. Bring the soup to a brief simmer, then remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives.

Makes 6 main dish or 8 side dish servings.

I like eating cream soups with crusty bread and butter. It makes an excellent light lunch or dinner.


For a vegetarian version of this soup, substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock.

Black Bean Soup

I really like black beans. Because of that, we've got a lot of canned black beans in our food storage, and I mean lots. Enough that I’m not sure we’re going to eat them all before the expiration date. Consequently, I’m always on the lookout for new ways to make them. Why not a black bean soup?

This recipe for black bean soup is easy to make, and pretty tasty. It relies on chiles to kick the flavor up a bit, so try not skimp thinking it will be too hot. Fortunately, it doesn’t use too many. If you want to make this a vegetarian dish, substitute vegetable stock for the chicken stock.

Equipment Needed
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Garlic press (optional)
Colander
Measuring cups and spoons
Dutch Oven or large sauce pot
Blender or food processor

Ingredients
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 jalapeno chile, seeds removed, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 15 oz. cans black beans
1 Tbl canola oil
2 tsp chili powder
1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
2 Tbl fresh lime juice
Parsley or cilantroMa to garnish
Salt as needed

Directions
Drain and rinse the black beans in a colander. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large sauce pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, jalepeno, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook about 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the chili powder and cayenne pepper. Cook for one minute more to bloom the spices. Stir in the beans, broth, water, and 1/2 tsp salt. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Process three cups of the soup in a blender or food processor until smooth. (Be careful, it’s hot.)  Return the pureed soup to the pot. My preference is to use a hand blender and process until mostly smooth. Add up to 1/2 cup more of water, if you think it’s too thick. Return to a simmer.

Remove from the heat. Add the lime juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro.

You can also garnish with sour cream, minced red onion and/or diced avocado, if you’d like.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Turkish Lamb Stew

Before it gets too warm, I thought I'd share one last warming stew for cold nights. Turkish Lamb Stew may have it's origins in the Middle East/Eastern Mediterranean, but I can easily see my ancestors making something similar, although they would have used potatoes and this recipe does not. My paternal grandfather may have enjoyed something like it while he sheered sheep throughout Utah and Southern Idaho. It uses minimal seasonings (only salt and pepper), allowing the flavor of the meat and vegetables to take center stage.

Equipment needed
Measuring cups and spoons
Cutting board
Kitchen knife
Frying pan (with lid)
Tongs
Wooden or plastic spoon
Ladle

Ingredients
2 pounds lamb
1 1/2 large onion, finely chopped
3 carrots
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 large green bell pepper
4 medium tomatoes, diced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 1/3 cups stock (any kind)
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions
Peel and finely chop the onions. Peel and slice the carrots into 1/2 inch round slices. Seed and core the bell pepper. Slice into strips, about 1/2 inch wide by 1 inch long. Dice the tomato into 1/2 inch thick cubes. Cut the lamb into 3/4 inch cubes. In a dish, lightly salt and pepper both sides. Set all aside.

Heat the olive oil in the pan over medium high heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Saute until softened and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the lamb and saute until completely brown on all sides. Add the carrots, pepper, and tomato. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the stock, cover with a lid, and wait until the mixture comes to a boil.

Remove the lid, reduce the heat to medium low and skim off any foam. Add the peas, bring back to a simmer, and cover again with the lid. Simmer for 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 6 servings.

Fresh ingredients are best, but this recipe adapts very well to food storage items. Honestly, it's too early in the season to get things from anyone's garden. Why not use up some of your canned food storage? Got left over lamb? Use it, instead.


With canned foods, here are some conversions to keep in mind:


1 medium tomato is about 8 oz or about 3/4 cup. 1 large carrot is about 7.5 ounces.

Carbonada (Argentine Beef Stew)

A new year and a new site design deserves a special new recipe to kick things off. Why not a hot plate of Carbonada to keep you warm on a cold night?

Carbonada is a classic home-cooked beef stew from Argentina. Being one of the world's major beef suppliers, so it's no surprise the people of Argentina would develop some incredible beef recipes. Argentine cuisine has evolved distinctly from other Latin American countries due to the influence of Italian, Spanish, French and other European dishes.

With Carbonada, chunks of beef are slowly stewed with vegetables native to Argentina: tomatoes, potatoes and corn. Sometimes dried or fresh fruits, such as apricots or pears, are added, although in this recipe, I left them out.

I wanted to make this a cold weather recipe. While all of the ingredients can be found in our grocery stores during winter, not all of them are in season. I also wanted to make it easier to use ingredients normally found in long term food storage so, you'll see notes about using both fresh, and canned versions of some ingredients.

Equipment Needed
Large saucepan with lid
Kitchen knife
Cutting board
Can opener
Measuring cups and spoons

Ingredients
1 pound beef *stew meat
1 1/2 yellow onion
6 oz. winter squash, such as butternut or banana squash (about 2 cups, cubed)
3 medium tomatoes or one 16 oz. can diced tomatoes
12 oz. fresh or frozen corn, or 1 15 oz. can corn, drained
1 medium sweet potato**
2 bay leaves
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
3 3/4 cups stock (beef or chicken)
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and ground black pepper as needed
Parsley to garnish

Directions
First, there's some prep work to be done. Rinse and dry the stew meat. Season with a small amount of salt and pepper and set aside.

Peel and finely chop the onion, and set aside.

Scoop out the seeds from the squash, along with any stringy bits, peel, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.

If using fresh tomatoes, remove the stems and roughly chop. You can remove the seeds if you like, but I don't. If using canned tomatoes, drain them and set aside.

Thoroughly wash the sweet potato and cut the pointy ends off (save them for making stock). Prick the potato all over with a fork and microwave on high for 1 minute to start the cooking process. (The other ingredients will cook faster than the potato will, so we cook the potato a bit, beforehand, to make sure the squash doesn't overcook before the potatoes are done.) Being careful not to get burned, cut the partially cooked potato crosswise into 1-inch thick rounds, leaving the peel on. Cut each round into quarters and set aside.

Now, let's get down to business. Heat the olive oil in the sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and brown it completely. Transfer the beef to a dish and set aside.

In the same saucepan, add the onion, along with a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to medium and saute the onion until soften and slightly browned. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, and stock. Stir just until the tomato paste is dissolved. Add the bay leaves.

Turn the heat up to high, bringing to stock mixture to a boil. Return the beef to pan. Add the corn, squash and sweet potato. Stir a bit, and then cover the pan with a lid. Leave it on high heat. Once the broth comes back to a boil, remove the lid and skim off any foam from the top. Reduce the heat to medium-low, put the lid back on, and simmer for approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

At this point, check the potatoes to see if they're done by sticking them with a fork or skewer. If the skewer goes through easily, they're done. If not, cook for an additional 5 minutes, and check again.

Season to taste with additional salt and ground black pepper.

Makes 6 servings.

I like serving this with rice, but you don't have to. A hearty sourdough bread would be great, as well.


*Stew meat is cut and cubed from cheaper, tougher, cuts of beef. After long stewing times, though, it becomes quite tender.

**Some recipes call for regular white potatoes or a combination of sweet potatoes and white potatoes. I prefer this dish with sweet potatoes, alone.

Killer Split Pea Soup

Split pea soup is a favorite around our house. It's certainly my wife's favorite soup and she likes it thick. Very thick. Thick enough you can patch holes in your roof. I like a thick creamy soup as well as the next guy, but it's is more like green Spackle. Delicious, creamy, green, Spackle.

I don't like making quite that thick. With autumn in full swing, and winter not too far behind, a hearty, warm, bowl of soup can be just the thing. Don't worry. This is my favorite split pea recipe, not my wife's. It can easily be doubled so you'll have leftovers the next day.

At the end of the recipe, I'll give you some tips on how to dress it up, and even make a very tasty vegetarian version.*

Equipment Needed
kitchen knife
Cutting board
large pot with lid

Ingredients
1 cup dry green or yellow split peas
4 cups of chicken stock
1 meaty ham bone, or 1 cup diced ham
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
1 large celery stalk, finely chopped
1 small clove garlic, crushed
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Rinse and sort the peas. Combine all the ingredients in large stock pot and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat. Simmer for about one hour.

Remove the ham bone (if using). Cut the meat from the bone and chop into small pieces. Be careful not to burn yourself.

Return the meat to the pot. Give the bone to a friendly dog. Add salt and pepper as needed. I don't like salting it before hand because you can't be sure how much salt the ham will give the soup.

Cover and simmer for another 20 minutes, or until desired thickness is achieved. Remove the bay leaf and serve.

Makes 4 main dish servings.

This is still a pretty thick soup. You can dilute it with water or milk, if you like. You can also put it into plastic freezer bags and freeze it for later, if you like.

Variations
I love this soup because you can substitute so many ingredients to make variations. Any stock will do. You can even use water with a little bouillon. Try replacing the ham with crispy chopped bacon, either in the soup or on top as a garnish. Croûtons make a great garnish, or try a dollop of sour cream. Instead of marjoram, cumin makes a tasty variation as well. A shot of lemon juice can be interesting, as well. I've not tried it, but it just occured to me that a dash of wasabi powder would add a nice kick.

*Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
If you want to make a vegetarian version, use vegetable stock and omit the ham, adding one teaspoon soy sauce to the stock (optional). Add 1/4 cup chopped olives during the last 2 minutes of cooking for a surprisingly tasty zing.

Home-Canned Tomato Soup

One of our readers, Donna, found that my family was from Redmond, Utah. She mentioned her Great Aunt Geniel Bowers participated in making a ward cookbook in Redmond. Even though I do have many of my grandmother, and great-grandmother's recipes, I don't have a copy of any Redmond Ward cookbooks. My immediate family hasn't lived in Redmond for well over sixty years.

Specifically she asked about a recipe for canned tomato soup. I scoured my family recipes, but I'm afraid I couldn't find anything. Looking through some older cookbooks, though, I did come across this recipe. I've updated some of the direction to suit the modern kitchen, and my own taste.

Donna, I hope it will be a good substitute until you can find your aunt's recipe. If you do find it, let me know. I'd love to share it, here.

Equipment Needed
Stockpot
kitchen knife
Either an immersion blender, standing blender, food processor, or food mill.
6 pint canning jars, with lids and rings
pressure cooker/canner

Ingredients
4 quarts peeled, cored, and chopped tomatoes (about 24 large tomatoes)
3 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped red bell pepper (about 4 medium peppers)
1 1/2 cups carrots, sliced (about 3 medium carots)
Salt and pepper as needed.
1 teaspoon dried basil (or 2 teaspoons fresh chopped basil)
1 bay leaf.
cooking oil as needed (I like olive oil for this)

Directions
Add a little oil to a large, hot, stock pot. Add the tomatoes and a dash of salt, and cook until soft. Remove from the pot.

Rinse the pot, dry, and reheat. Add a bit more oil, the onions, celery, pepper, carrots, and another small dash of salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until soft.

Return the tomatoes to the pot, with the vegetables. Add the dried basil. Using an immersion blender, puree the vegetables until smooth. Alternately, you can puree them in a standing blender, food processor, or food mill, although you'll have to do it batches.

Bring the heat back up boil, and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Add the bay leaf. Cover and cook slowly until the soup thickens, about 1 hour. Stir frequently to prevent sticking and to keep the cooking even. Add additional salt and pepper as needed - about 1 more teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper should do it. Make sure you taste as you go. You don't want the salt or pepper to overpower the vegetables. Remove from the heat, and remove the bay leaf.

Pour into clean, hot, pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch of head-space, and seal with canning lids and rings. Process in a pressure canner for 20 minutes at 10 pounds pressure.

Yields about 6 pints.

For more information on pressure canning and food safety, visit the National Center of Home Food Preservation.

Picture by David Sawford

How to Make Gazpacho

On hot summer nights, it's nice to have something cool and refreshing for dinner. Why not take advantage of the full swing of late summer vegetables and make gazpacho?

Gazpacho is the best known of Span's chilled soups, and is made best with fresh summer vegetables, blended with olive oil, vinegar and bread. It is a smooth and creamy soup, although there is no milk or cream. It makes a great soup course, or appetizer, but works equally well as the main course for a simple dinner.

Gazpacho takes no more than about ten minutes or prep time, and should be chilled in the refrigerator for about twenty or thirty more minutes. The quick preparation makes it perfect for a weeknight meal.

Although baguettes are specified in the recipe, any white bread will do. Adding a dash of red pepper flakes will make the dish more colorful and add a bit of spice, if desired.

Equipment Needed
Blender or Food Processor
Cutting Board
Kitchen knife
Measuring spoons
Large strainer
Mixing bowls
Rubber spatula
Plastic wrap
Vegetable peeler


Ingredients
4 baguette slices, 1 /2” thick
2/3 cup water
6 small ripe tomatoes (or 5 medium ones)
1/2 green pepper
1 1/2” length of cucumber
1/3 small onion
1 small garlic clove (or 3/4 medium garlic clove)
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
salt (as needed)
ground black pepper (to taste)
additional extra virgin olive oil to finish

Directions
Cut the baguette slices into 3/4 inch pieces and put in a large mixing bowl. Add the water and let them soak while preparing the other ingredients.

Remove the stems from the tomatoes, the seeds and stem from the pepper. Peel the onion, cucumber, and garlic clove. Cut each vegetable into 3/4 inch pieces and add to the bowl with the bread.

Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon of white-wine vinegar, a pinch of salt and ground pepper, and mix well.

Put the vegetable mixture into a blender of food processor. Blend the ingredients until smooth and creamy.

Don't over fill your blender. It's okay to do this in batches.

Place the sieve over a clean bowl (rinsing and wiping cleaning the bowl you just used will be fine) and pour in the mixture. Strain the mixture through the sieve using a rubber spatula to push the liquid through. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Cover the bowl in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled (about thirty minutes).

Transfer the soup to individual serving bowls and drizzle some olive oil over the top. Serve with additional baguette slices, or better yet, bruschetta, as desired.

Makes 6 servings.

You don't have to strain the soup through a sieve if you don't want. I don't mind the occasional tiny piece of tomato or cucumber seeds and skin. If I were serving this for an elegant dinner party, I would do it, though. What you may want to do is scrape the leavings out of the sieve, add a bit of salt, pepper and olive oil, and have a quick treat yourself, as a reward for making dinner. There's a lot of flavor in those bits!

How to Make Borscht

I've never made Borscht before. Mostly because I'm not a huge fan of beets, so I rarely buy them. When a friend gave us a few though, I had to find something to do with them. Having been disappointed by my previous attempts at making Harvard beets (a sort of sweet-and-sour beet dish) I was in the mood for something else. The only recipe in my Nintendo DS Personal Trainer: Cooking program that included beets was Borscht, so I thought I'd give it a try. Then I modified it to make it easier to actually cook.

Borscht is a traditional Russian beef and vegetable soup with a bright red broth, courtesy of the beets. It's flavors are subtle, and it can take a couple of hours to make, but I was pleasantly surprised. It's surprisingly filling and my eight-year-old declared it to be delicious, finishing it to the last drop in her bowl.

The original recipe calls for beef shank. This is a tough, but inexpensive cut, containing a lot of connective tissue. It does have a rich and distinctive flavor when slow simmered, however. Still, other cuts could easily be used.

Ingredients:
1 pound beef shank, cut into 1/2” pieces
1 beet, peeled and cut into 1/4” sticks
1 small potato (or 1/2 large one), peeled and cut into 1/4” sticks
1 medium yellow onion, cut in half and then into 1/4” slices
1/2 celery stalk (or 1 small one), cut lengthwise, and then into 1/4” thick diagonal slices
2 cabbage leaves, cut into 1/4” strips
1 medium tomato, cut in half and then into thin wedges
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
2 1/2 quarts water
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
ground black pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons cooking oil
4 tablespoons sour cream
additional salt (as needed)

Directions

Cut the beef and vegetables, preparing them to easy add to the dish, later.

Bring the water to a boil in a large pan. Add bay leaf and beef and bring it back to a boil. Skim off any foam from the surface. Add a pinch of salt, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for at least 1 hour.

While the beef is simmering, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the onion, celery, garlic and beet. Stir the vegetables to coat with the oil, add a pinch of salt, and saute until tender. Remove from heat and wait for the beef.

When the hour is complete, add the sauteed vegetables to the pan with the beef. Add the tomato, potato, cabbage, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Return to a boil, reduce to medium low, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potatoes become tender. Add additional salt, as needed, to tatste.

Transfer the soup into serving bowls and drop 1 tablespoon of sour cream into the center of each bowl. Sprinkle on coarsely ground pepper, to taste.

Stir the sour cream into the broth before eating. It makes all the difference.

Makes 4 hearty servings, or 6 normal ones.

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How to Make Leek and Potato Soup (Vichyssoise)

On cold winter evenings it's nice to settle in with a nice warm bowl of homemade soup. Hearty stews and chili dishes are normally thought, but what if you're in the mood for lighter fair? Have no fear, fellow foodies. Leek and Potato soup is the answer.

Leek and potato soup is a great recipe to add to your repertoire. It's silky smooth texture goes well with a crusty bread. Surprisingly filling, it's great for lunch, or supper, either as a main dish for a simple meal, or as an elegant first course for a larger one.

Winter isn't the only time to enjoy leek and potato soup, though. It can be prepared the day before a summer dinner party served chilled as vichyssoise.

Ingredients

3 leeks
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons of butter
1 pound potatoes (yellow or russet)
5 cups chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup light cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish

Trim most of the green tops from the leeks, leaving some for color. Cut in half, lengthwise, and then across into 1/2 inch slices. Rinse thoroughly in a colander using plenty of cold water to get rid of any grit.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until the foaming stops. Add the leeks an chopped onion. Stir to coat with butter. Cover and cook over medium heat until soft – about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid browning. This is one of the few recipes where you don't want the onions to caramelize.

While the leeks and onions are cooking, peel the potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. When the leeks and onions are soft, add the potatoes to the pan.

Add the chicken stock, salt, pepper, and ground nutmeg. Taste the stock to make sure it's got enough seasoning, but be careful with the salt. The stock may already have enough to begin with.

Bring the stock to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover the pan. Simmer the mixture for about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft.

Remove the pan from the heat. Using an electric hand-held immersion blender, puree the soup for about 3 minutes, until smooth. Keep the blades under the level of the soup to avoid splashing hot soup everywhere. If you don't have an immersion blender, let the soup cool a bit and then puree half at a time in a food processor or freestanding blender. A food mill would probably work, too.

Return the soup to the stove, on medium heat, and stir until it boils. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cream and lemon juice. Check the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, or nutmeg, as needed. You shouldn't taste a lot of the nutmeg. It's just there to add body.

Serve hot, and garnish with chopped parsley. Fresh parsley is always preferred, but dried will do nicely.


For Vichyssoise

After blending, and before adding the cream or lemon juice, let the soup cool completely. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. Chilling will dull the flavor, so make sure you taste it before adding cream, lemon juice, and any additional salt and pepper. Instead of parsley for the garnish, try snipped chives.

Picture by Naama.

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