Soups as Comfort Food – Part 2

Yesterday we posted the first part of our soup posts, but there so many great soups that it certainly merits a multi part series.

On 101 Cookbooks I found this great recipe adapted from The Essential New York Times Cookbook:

I had it last night... Mmmmmmmnnn! Photo from: 101 Cookbooks

Carrot and Fennel Soup

…it’s easy to make a meal of this by serving it topped with a poached egg. Alternately, you can make this soup vegan by omitting the Parmesan.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed fronds reserved, thinly sliced
• 2 1/4 pounds / 36 ounces farmer market carrots, thickly sliced
• 2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 10 cups good-tasting vegetable broth or water
• salt to taste
• 3 cups / 12 oz cooked wild rice
• 2 tablespoonsblood orange olive oil or 5 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (OPTIONAL)

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in your largest soup pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add the fennel and cook for 3-4 minutes, until softened a bit.
3. Stir in the carrots and cook another 10 minutes, just long enough for them to soften a touch and start taking on a bit of color.
4. Stir in the garlic and cook another 30 seconds.
5. Stir in the broth. Bring to a simmer and simmer, covered, until the carrots are very tender, another 15-20 minutes or so.
6. Stir in the wild rice, bring back to a simmer, taste and add more salt if needed
7. Remove from heat and stir in the blood orange olive oil or orange juice. Taste and add more if needed.
8. (OPTIONAL) Serve dusted, generously, with freshly grated Parmesan, and a sprinkling of the reserved fennel fronds.

Serves about 6.

Inspired by the Carrot & Fennel Soup in The Essential New York Times Cookbook by Amanda Hesser.

Just remember, if you do use Parmesan Cheese YOU MUST wait 6 hours before you can eat any meat!

I like cream soups, especially if they include mushrooms, I found this delectable soup on the Better Recipes site and changed the butter to margarine and took out the whipping cream.

Photo from: Better Recipes

Creamy Leek Mushroom and Risotto Soup

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons margarine
• 2 cups sliced leeks
• 16 oz whole mushrooms, washed and cut into quarters, but not sliced
• 1 package shiitake mushroom risotto mix
• 30 oz chicken broth
• 1 cup finely chopped tender roasted chicken
• 1 sprig sage
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 2 cups whipped cream (Rich’s is what I use, but it needs to be whipped)
• 3 tablespoon flour
• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flake
• Salt and cracked pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large soup pan or Dutch oven, saute leeks for 4 minutes over medium high heat.
2. Add mushrooms and risotto rice, without the flavoring packet, then saute until leeks are almost tender, about 6 minutes.
3. Pour in broth and add chicken and seasoning flavor packet.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Tie together herbs and add to broth. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.
5. Check occasionally and stir to make sure rice does not stick. Test the rice for tenderness. If not tender, cook another 3-4 minutes.
6. Add the whipped cream and red pepper flakes, then heat through.
7. Ladle 1 cup of broth into a medium bowl and whisk in flour until well blended.
8. Gradually add mixture back to soup. Heat through, stirring frequently, until broth is creamy and thickened.
9. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

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Soups as Comfort Food