I am continuing with the soups. There is some time pressure with this. It is turning into spring before all of our eyes and in about 2.5 seconds, nobody is going to want to eat any soup! But I promised seven soup recipes and I shall deliver seven soup recipes. And in light of the fast-approaching warm weather, I will do so expeditiously! The French onion soup came from a magazine clipping about a decade ago- no idea which magazine. My mom's escarole soup is the soup that she's been making as a first course for every Thanksgiving and Christmas since she first hosted those holidays. I saw her yesterday and she insisted that the recipe is outdated and nobody would make it, but it is most certainly being posted because it is actually my favorite part of Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts. The cheddar squash apple sauce is a mash-up of a recipe from the Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY http://www.moosewoodcooks.com/ although it doesn't seem to be featured on their website, a cooking class at a restaurant in Asbury Park, NJ called "Market in the Middle" which is unfortunately now closed, and my own twists.
FRENCH ONION SOUP AU GRATIN (serves 6)
Ingredients:
-2 lb white onions, thinly sliced
-1 lb button mushrooms (or, alternatively a pound of mixed types of mushrooms), sliced
-2 c dry white wine (please PLEASE use real drinking wine and not cooking wine, k? thanks!)
-1 T butter
-6 c veggie stock
-1 oz dried porcini
-6 half inch slices of French bread, lightly toasted
-6 oz Gruyere cheese
Instructions:
1) preheat oven to 425 degrees
2) combine onions, mushrooms, white wine, and butter in a shallow baking dish
3) bake uncovered for 40-50 minutes, stirring one or two times while cooking
4) preheat broiler rack 6 inches from the heat
5) in a large saucepan on high, bring stock and mushrooms to a bowl and then simmer while completing the next steps
6) on a baking sheet, arrange 6 ovenproof bowls
7) divide the baked onions/mushrooms evenly into the bowls and ladle with the simmering stock
8) top the bowls with the slice of toast and sprinkle with the cheese
9) place the tray of bowls under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts and turns golden
MOM'S HOLIDAY ESCAROLE SOUP (serves a houseful of holiday guests)
Okay, there are no exact measurements or precise instructions here because I feel like my mom changes it every time she makes it...
Ingredients:
-1 pound bone-in chicken breasts
-carrots (a few), celery (a few stalks), onions (a couple of medium onions), all sliced in large pieces
-salt, pepper, paprika
-1/2 can tomato sauce (about 4 ounces)
-2 bunches of escarole, chopped with removed ends
-grated parmesan cheese, to taste
Instructions:
1) wash the chicken and place in a large pot with water one inch from the top
2) bowl the chicken and water, occasionally skimming the fat off the top
3) add all remaining ingredients (except the escarole and cheese) and simmer with a lid on for approximately 3 hours and then remove the pot from the heat
4) when cooled, cut the chicken from the bone, cut veggies into smaller pieces if desired, and remove and discard the onions
5) meanwhile, cook the escarole by putting all of it in a large pot filled half-way with water
6) bring the escarole to a boil and cook on medium high heat until cooked
7) drain the escarole and then stir it into the soup, bringing to a simmer before serving
8) top each bowl with some GOOD grated parmesan cheese
CHEDDAR, SQUASH, APPLE SOUP (makes a pot of soup)
Ingredients:
-1 chopped yellow onion
-2 T vegetable oil
-2 medium potatoes, sliced
-1 medium carrot, sliced
-1 butternut squash, diced
-pinches of salt, pepper, cinnamon
-2 c vegetable stock
-1 c milk
-1 c grated sharp cheddar
-1 rib of celery, diced
-3 shallots, sliced
-1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
-minced scallions or chives
Instructions:
1) saute the onions in oil in a very large pot for about 5 minutes
2) stir in all of the other vegetables (except the scallions) and apple and saute for about 5 more minutes
3) add the stock and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until all veggies are soft
4) add the spices
5) stir in the milk and cheese
6) puree the soup in batches in a blender
7) gently reheat the soup, add salt to taste, top with the scallions or chives
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