Black Bean Soup with Sherry

My experience with making BLACK BEAN soup has always started with canned black beans, but recently, with the coming of cold weather, I began to think of all the hearty, thick winter soups we like. It seemed time to do the right thing and start from scratch with dried black beans.

A further incentive was the limitation of my husband’s diet. Mr. What’s-For-Lunch is not supposed to eat salt, and canned beans come with their own pre-packed salt quota. Working with dried beans, however, meant planning ahead. Unlike split peas and lentils, black beans need to be soaked, and even after soaking, they require considerable cooking.

Back to the salt issue. Many recipes call for ham or bacon with black beans, but my preference is always to substitute pancetta. So this recipe uses pancetta as a way to add flavor to the vegetables. By pureeing part of the soup, the entire result has a thick, creamy texture. Sour cream can dress up the bowl when you serve, but isn’t required.

Ingredients

2 cups dried black beans

1 large onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped fine

1 stalk celery, chopped fine

1-2 jalapeños, seeded and chopped (depending on size and your spice tolerance)

2 large cloves garlic

6 cups stock (chicken, beef, or vegetable)

4 oz. pancetta

1/8 tsp. thyme

2 bay leaves

1/3 cup dry sherry

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro or 1 Tbsp cilantro pesto

Directions

1. Soak beans overnight or for 3 hours.
2. Add Thyme and Bay Leaves and cook with just enough water to cover beans until they are tender. (This will depend on soaking time.)
3. Chop pancetta. In a separate pot, cook pancetta but do not brown,
4. Add garlic, onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until vegetables are soft.
5. When the beans are tender, add them to the vegetables, along with the stock, sherry, and cilantro. Cook for 10 minutes.
6. Remove bay leaves. Take three cups of the soup and puree. Return puree to pot. 

After the Feast

After the feast… for those of you staring at a turkey carcass, or a casserole of leftover sweet potatoes, there is aid at hand. This is a reminder that for Thanksgiving of 2010 I posted recommendations on what to do with Thanksgiving leftovers.

The entry recommended a series of possible soups, as though the Pilgrims had migrated from a variety of other parts of the world. They all start with making a soup base, but from there on, they have quite different takes on the bird soup. Depending on what you have on hand, give one a try.

Corn Chowder Au Pistou

Corn Chowder au Pistou is a Provençal take on a very American soup. In fact, for the French people, corn is considered animal feed and serving it to guests is not what is done in a French kitchen.

For the record, I have to admit that I have already stated that corn is enough starch for one soup (see 22 August 2010) and have avoided recipes with corn and potatoes. Nevertheless, here is a spicy recipe with an unusual flavor that uses both corn and potatoes. One thing to watch out for is that the soup has the right consistency: not as sludgy as hot cereal (in restaurants this is usually caused by the addition of flour as a thickener), and not too thin. This can be adjusted at the end by the addition of the cream/milk.

As in many chowders, bacon is called for to give flavor because the vegetables are cooked in the fat. However, as in most recipes calling for bacon, we substitute the Italian version: Pancetta. This is much less salty, a big goal in our kitchen, but Pancetta is delicate, and takes watching as it browns so that there is something left to crumble up at the end. It also gives off only a small amount of fat, so when cooking the vegetables keep the top on the pot to keep in liquid.

You may want to wear gloves when preparing the chilies, but in any case, keep your hands away from your eyes.

Ingredients

10 cups water

6 ears of corn, shucked

¼ pound pancetta, coarsely chopped

2 leeks, white and green parts chopped and well washed

½ pound potatoes, peeled and diced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 jalapeños chilies, finely chopped

¼ to 1 cup half-and-half or low fat condensed evaporated milk

Pistou

4 cups basil leaves, rinsed

2 cloves garlic

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup grated Parmesan

 To prepare: puree all ingredients in food processor until blended.

Directions

1. Bring water to a boil in a soup pot. Add shucked corn. Cook for 10 minutes.
2. Take corn out and cool sufficiently to handle. SAVE COOKING WATER.
3. Cut corn off cobs.
4. Cook the pancetta in the soup pot until just beginning to turn crisp. Remove to paper towel.
5. Add leeks to pot and cook covered 5 minutes. Add potatoes. Cook covered 10 minutes.
6. Add corn, pepper, chilies and the cooking water from corn. Cook for 1 hour.
7. Remove 3 cups of soup and puree in blender. Return to pot.
8. Add cream/milk to achieve desired consistency.
9. Add Pistou to pot and stir to blend.
10. Add crumbled Pancetta.  

Fish Soup "A La Nage"

Fish Soup Å La Nage derives from a particular way of cooking fish and vegetables by a group of people in a part of Indonesia. In addition to fish and vegetables, their cooking involves a distinct group of liquids: lime juice, wine, and coconut milk, and a certain combination of seasonings. The result is a light and spicy base for fish, with or without the addition of seafood. I make it with a combination of fish and shrimp.

The process is divided into a few sections. First, the fish is marinated in limejuice. While the fish is marinating, the vegetables are cooked, the liquids added, and part of this is pureed. At that point the fish is added.

Ingredients                                                            

2 pounds fish, cut into ½ inch pieces,

or 1 lb  fish plus 1 lb shrimp cut in half

3 Tbsp limejuice

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

8 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 Tbsp ginger, minced

2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced

1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced

3 leeks, thinly sliced and rinsed

4 cups fish stock or clam juice

1 cup water

1 cup dry white wine

1 14 ounce can unsweetened low-fat coconut milk

¼ cup packed thinly sliced mint leaves

Directions

1. Marinate fish in limejuice and refrigerate while preparing vegetables.
2. Heat oil in soup pot and cook garlic, ginger, jalapenõs, fennel and leeks on moderate heat until soft.
3. Add fish stock, water, and wine and cook 30 minutes.
4. Add unsweetened coconut milk and take half of solid ingredients and some broth and puree.
5. Return pureed soup to pot and add fish and mint. Cook until fish is no longer translucent, about 10 minutes. 

Mushroom Bisque

This recipe for Mushroom Bisque makes a soup that is filling without being heavy or too spicy, which means it is good year round. Recently, when sliced brown mushrooms were on sale, I stocked up and made this Bisque, which we enjoyed for several meals. Many recipes for mushroom soup call for a blend of exotic types, but this recipe does fine with anything except white mushrooms.

With the mushrooms in hand, the rest of the ingredients are fairly common. Since mushrooms are bland, the seasoning comes from the assortment of ingredients: garlic, ginger, and thyme, with a dash each of sherry, soy, and lemon juice. The “Finishing” can be done at the same time as the soup is made, regardless of when it will be served.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup sliced onion

1 heaping tsp chopped garlic

1 Tbsp chopped ginger

4 cups sliced fresh mushroom

½ tsp thyme, fresh or dried

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup water

2 cups milk, low-fat or regular

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp sherry

To Finish

1 Tbsp butter

1 ½ cups thinly sliced mushrooms

1 Tbsp chopped chives

Directions

1. Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in soup pot. Add onions, garlic and ginger. Cook until soft.
2. Add mushrooms and thyme. Sauté until mushrooms are slightly brown.
3. Add stock, water, lemon juice, soy sauce, sherry and salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes.
4. Purée and add milk.

To Finish

Heat 1 Tbsp butter in frying pan. Add 1 ½ cups thinly sliced mushrooms and sauté over high heat until mushrooms are just browning. Add browned mushrooms and chopped chives.

Smoked Whitefish Chowder

I have posted other fish soups previously, and they are favorites because, in addition to taste, they are relatively straightforward to make. Smoked Whitefish Chowder does not fit that description. However, it is a dish so special that it can be served as a main course for company. It was introduced to us by one of our children, who loves to cook no matter how demanding the recipe.

Whitefish looks like the fish any amateur would draw, the archetypal fish, and is found in North American lakes. By the time it is smoked, it becomes golden and wrinkled. The flesh takes on a pinky gray tinge and develops a strong flavor.

Although Smoked Whitefish is what is called for, another smoked fish might work if it was meaty enough to provide 3 cups of skinless, boneless fish. This is a thick and rich dish; although the fish is only added toward the end, there has to be enough so that the other ingredients don’t overwhelm it. When working on taking the fish off the bones, either wear rubber gloves or have a lot of lemon on hand to get off the fish smell.

The soup can be frozen, which is helpful since it is almost too rich to eat several days in a row, although we enjoyed it at two dinners the week our son came and cooked it for the family.

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs. potatoes, peeled, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 cup heavy cream*

1 cup milk

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

3 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 leek, washed and thinly sliced

1 tsp thyme

1 cup dry white wine

3 ½ cups (low sodium) chicken broth

1 10 oz package frozen corn kernels, thawed

3 cups smoked whitefish (approx. 2 lbs of fish with skin and bones)

2 Tbsp chopped dill

2 Tbsp chopped parsley, flat leaf

Dash of Tabasco to taste

*As always, heavy cream may be too rich, in which case one of the following might work: low fat evaporated milk, half and half, whole milk. The pureed potatoes make the soup thick so heavy cream is not necessary for that purpose.

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, cook the potatoes chunks with cream and milk, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook partially covered until tender, about 15 minutes.
2. In a large soup pot melt butter and oil. Add onion, celery, leek, and thyme. Cook over medium heat until soft, about 4 minutes.
3. Add wine and boil until nearly evaporated, 5 minutes.
4. Add chicken stock.
5. Transfer ½ cooked potatoes to a soup pot.
6. Transfer remaining potatoes and all the liquid to a blender and puree until smooth.
7. Add pureed potatoes and corn to soup pot and simmer until corn is just cooked, about 4 minutes.
8. Stir in whitefish, dill, parsley, and Tabasco. 

Cabbage, Potato, and Leek

This Cabbage, Potato, and Leek Soup was meant for Saint Patrick’s Day, but could work any time of the year. It is quite healthy, and with its cross-cultural addition of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, hearty, too.

The recipe took a whole medium size cabbage, with the outer leaves trimmed off and the core left out. Since the soup is NOT pureed, it is necessary to shred the cabbage, either by hand or in a food processor. However, if the consistency isn’t pleasing, a small amount of the soup can be pureed and then put back in the pot to create a smoother base.

Ingredients

6 Tbsp unsalted butter or margarine

3 medium leeks, white and light green parts, cleaned and thinly sliced

8 cups shredded cabbage

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

4 cups chicken stock

4 cups water

2 tsp salt (depending on how much is in the stock)

2 springs of thyme, or two pinches dried

1 tsp pepper

3 Tbsp Grated Parmigiani cheese

Directions

1. Melt butter in soup pot and cook leeks and garlic until soft and beginning to turn golden.
2. Add the cabbage and stir occasionally until cabbage begins to caramelize.
3. Stir in potatoes, stock, salt, pepper, thyme and bring to a simmer.
4. Cook until potatoes begin to disintegrate, about 50 minutes.
5. Add cheese.

Moroccan Lentil Soup

This Moroccan Lentil Soup could be considered a variation on a previous Moroccan style soup posted earlier. However, this version is interesting as one of few soup recipes that call for eggplant among its ingredients. Although the list of ingredients looks long, the actual preparation is straightforward.

Eggplant often shows up in dishes that emanate from parts of the world where lamb is a frequent menu item, and lamb stock was the base for the previous Moroccan soup (see 23 February 2011). This recipe calls for chicken stock, a somewhat milder base, but has plenty of ingredients to give it the intensity that the lamb stock provided in the 2011 soup. Beware, like the previous Moroccan soup, this one is on the spicy side.

Since the recipe only calls for 1 ½ cup of chopped eggplant, the question becomes what to do with the rest. Another 1 ½ cup went into a minestrone soup, and a couple of remaining slabs appeared at our dinner table as Eggplant Parmesan. For the cilantro, I keep a container of cilantro pesto in the refrigerator and dole that out when cilantro is called for. In this case, I happened to also have mint, so used some of each, but heavier on the mint.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped fine

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. curry powder

½ tsp. allspice

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. red pepper flakes, or start with less and add

1 ½ cups peeled, finely diced eggplant

1 14 ½ oz. can diced tomatoes

1 16 oz. bag lentils, preferably red

10 cups stock, or combination of stock and water

¾ cup cooking sherry

2 tsp. cilantro or mint

Salt and pepper

Juice of ½ lemon

Yogurt when serving if desired

Directions

1. In a soup pot, melt butter over medium heat and cook garlic, cumin, curry powder, allspice cinnamon, and pepper flakes until spices release their flavor.
2. Add oil and cook onion, carrots, and eggplant until coated and just soft.
3. Add stock, tomatoes, lentils, sherry, cilantro and lemon juice, and chopped mint, if using. Cook until lentils are completely soft. 

Creamy Vegetable Soup

This Creamy Vegetable Soup is utterly French in the rich delicacy of its texture and taste. Even those who are generally attracted to the exotic and spicy in their cuisine might occasionally enjoy something so elegant as this soup.

Hard as it may be to get excited about a soup based on cauliflower, squash, and onions, when you want something soothing, try this. A thinner version of this might also be the basis for a cold soup in a different season, although I haven’t tried it and have never actually been served a cold soup in France.

This recipe calls for cream, however, once the soup is pureed, it IS CREAMY, without the addition of actual cream. I had planned to serve it that way, when a bottle of heavy cream came my way, so I added just a couple of tablespoons to give the soup an even richer taste. Normally, when cream is called for I would use Low Fat Evaporated Milk. In this case, if the soup is very thick, even a little milk might work.

Ingredients

4 lbs. butternut squash, peeled and seeded

1 small cauliflower

2 Tbsp. butter

4 medium onions, peeled and chopped

8 cups chicken stock

4 Tbsp. cream

Salt and pepper

¼ tsp. nutmeg

Directions

1.    Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.

2.    Take enough of the squash to make one cup finely diced. Put squash in boiling water.

3.    Remove core and break cauliflower into florets. Take enough of the top florets and break into smaller pieces to make one cup. Add to boiling water. Par boil until JUST tender (Squash takes at least twice as long as cauliflower).

4.    Immediately rinse vegetables in cold water and set aside.

5.    Chop onions and cut rest of squash in chunks.

6.    Melt butter and add onions, squash chunks, and remainder of cauliflower, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Cook covered until vegetables are soft, but do not brown.

7.    Add chicken broth and cook until all vegetables are soft. When cool enough, puree vegetables. Return soup to pot and add cream and reserved vegetables.

Curried Cream of Celery Root Soup

Each food group has its own candidate for the ugliest, the least likely to succeed in attracting through appearance. Monkfish are mighty ugly when encountered head on; wild boar are pretty scary; and there are some prickly looking fruits that resemble weapons more than edibles.

Among vegetables, the celery root is right up there when it comes to daunting looks. However, the vegetable has its uses. In addition to celery remoulade, the sophisticated French way with a raw vegetable, celery root can be cooked, often combined with potatoes. Recently I tried out a celery root soup and found it both delicate and flavorful. It was the curry that brought out the taste without overwhelming the flavor.

One problem of dealing with this vegetable is that the weight in the store includes scary hairy protuberances that have to be trimmed, so it is hard to know how much root one will end up with. Some of the bulbs are only baseball size, while others are considerably larger but include a lot more that needs trimming.

Since I like my soup to have a sturdy consistency, this recipe requires a large bulb, or a couple of smaller ones. I find that a peeler works on the top and sides, but the bottom definitely requires knife work.

Ingredients                                                               

4 Tbsp butter

2 leeks, cleaned and chopped or one medium onion

1 Tbsp sliced garlic

1 Tbsp curry powder

2 tsp ground cumin

3 lbs. celery root, peeled and cubed

6 cups chicken broth

salt and pepper

½ cup cream, half and half, evaporated milk or to desired consistency

chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish

Directions

1. Melt butter in a soup pot. Add leeks, or onion, and garlic and cook until soft
2. Add curry powder and cumin, salt and pepper, until seasoning releases its flavor.
3. Add celery root, stir to coat vegetable,
4. Add broth and bring to a boil.
5. Cook until celery root is soft, about 25 minutes.
6. Cool sufficiently to puree in blender.
7. Add cream to desired consistency.