smooth creamed soups
Smooth creamed soups are velvety—without chunks of meat or vegetables—and use milk or cream to create a rich, creamy effect. These tend to be the most luscious of all soups, because they are subtle, elegant, and have a lasting, satisfying flavor. There are some here I’m sure you’ve never had, such as cream of plantain soup, and which you will find memorable. Others, such as cream of mushroom soup, you may have had only out of a can, and once you’ve made your own—which is so simple—you’ll never go back. There are others here that are surprisingly easy to make (especially considering the payoff in terms of taste), such as the various potato and leek soups from different cultures. These will easily slip into your soup-making repertoire.
hearts of palm soup
In North America we think of hearts of palm as something to add to a tossed salad, but in Costa Rica (and many other Latin American countries) they go into this smooth and mild soup, along with some leeks and milk. It’s very simple to make, and canned hearts of palm are readily available in all supermarkets. [ Makes 4 servings ]
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 leek, white and light green parts only, split lengthwise, washed well, and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper and more to taste
One 14-ounce can hearts of palm, drained and cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
Salt to taste
Sweet paprika for garnish
1. In a large pot, melt the butter over low heat, then add the leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the flour, cornstarch, and white pepper, stir to mix, and cook for 1 minute. Add the hearts of palm and the chicken broth and cook, stirring, until well blended and soft, about 5 minutes.
2. Transfer to a blender, in batches if necessary, and process to a smooth purée. Return to a clean pot, add the milk, then bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt and more pepper. Ladle into individual soup bowls, sprinkle lightly with paprika, and serve.
cream of avocado soup
This sopa de aguacate is from Atlixco, an area of Mexico where many avocados grow. It’s creamy smooth, very flavorful, and not too hot—a nice dish to serve before chicken, pork, or salmon. For a spicier soup, you can add a small, finely chopped habanero chile. Some Mexicans eat this soup cold, like a gazpacho, but I think it’s much better hot. [ Makes 8 servings ]
3 large ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced
11⁄2 cups heavy cream
1⁄4 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon grated onion
2 garlic cloves, mashed in a mortar with 1 teaspoon salt until mushy
1 teaspoon freshly ground dried ancho chile or 1⁄2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
6 cups chicken broth
3 corn tortillas, quartered and fried in oil until crisp
Cilantro (fresh coriander) leaves for garnish
1. Place the avocados in a blender with the cream, sherry, lime juice, onion, and garlic and blend at high speed for 30 seconds. Season with the ancho chile, 1 teaspoon salt, and the white pepper.
2. Bring the chicken broth to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and, once the broth is only simmering, add the avocado purée. Whisk the soup until smooth, taste, and add the remaining salt if desired. Serve hot, garnished with the corn tortilla pieces and coriander leaves.
cream of plantain soup
In Cuba, one hardly sees a table without plaintains in some form, and we think of it as an age-old fruit of the Caribbean. But the plantain is an Old World food that only arrived in the Caribbean after Columbus’s voyages. It was likely the Portuguese who, in the 1500s, introduced bananas and plantains to the Americas from West Africa, to which they probably had been brought earlier by Arabs from further east. In our supermarkets plantains are almost never sold ripe, so count on buying them anywhere from two to ten days in advance. When they are ripe their skins will be mottled black and they will start to feel squishy. This Cuban soup is called sopa de crema de platano con cilantro and it is ever so slightly sweet, so I recommend a savory dish to follow, such as garlic chicken or roast chicken. [ Makes 6 servings ]
3 large plantains, peeled and cut into 1⁄2-inch slices
Juice from 1⁄2 lemon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
6 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons salt and more to taste
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste
3⁄4 cup evaporated milk
1⁄2 cup fresh or canned coconut milk
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 2 limes)
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1⁄3 cup finely chopped cilantro (fresh coriander)
1. Place the sliced plantains in a bowl with the lemon juice and toss to prevent their discoloring.
2. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the onion and 5 garlic cloves and cook, stirring frequently, until yellow, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the plantains and chicken broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, season with salt and pepper, and simmer until the plantains are softened, about 25 minutes.
3. Transfer the soup mixture to a blender, in batches, and purée until almost smooth, in five 2-second pulses. Caution: don’t over process or it will be ruined. Return the soup to the pot, add the evaporated milk and coconut milk, and heat over low heat for 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, rinse the blender clean, then add the lime juice, orange zest, cilantro, and remaining garlic and blend until smooth. If necessary, add a little soup to get the blender blades to move. Pour into the soup, stir, and serve.
crema de chile poblano
Chile nomenclature drives chefs nuts because there is so much variation. The poblano chile, for example, a plump, heart-shaped, dark green chile about four inches long when mature, is called an ancho chile when it is dried. In California, supermarkets (for some completely mysterious reason) call the poblano chile a pasilla chile, which is in fact another skinnier, longer, and darker variety. Poblano means “from Pueblo,” and this soup originates in the Mexican state of that name. Some cooks add cooked shrimp or roasted almonds to the soup as garnish. The Mexican crema and cheese can be found in many supermarkets. [ Makes 4 servings ]
3⁄4 pound russet potato, peeled and cubed large
6 poblano or pasilla chiles
3 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cups chicken broth
3⁄4 pound Mexican crema, crème fraîche, or sour cream
5 ounces Mexican queso panela or queso fresco or mozzarella, cut into strips
1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
2. Place the potato in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then cook until tender, about 35 minutes in all. Drain and mash the potato or pass it through a strainer.
3. Place the chiles and garlic in a baking pan and roast until the garlic is softened, about 30 minutes, and the chiles are blistered all over, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Peel the garlic and chiles and discard the chile seeds. Place 5 chiles and the garlic in a food processor and run until mushy. Add the potato and run in pulses until blended. Cut the sixth chile in strips and set aside.
4. In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the poblano-potato mixture, and cook, stirring, for 15 minutes. Add the chicken broth and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.
5. Ladle the soup into individual serving bowls and add some strips of the remaining chile, a dollop of crema, and a slice of cheese. Serve hot.
pasilla chile and pork soup
This smooth soup is enhanced by the roasting of the vegetables and the type of chiles used. Ideally, you will find pasilla chiles for this recipe, but if you don’t then you can use Anaheim (New Mexico), poblano, or peperoncino chiles. All these are mildly hot. You do not want to use very hot chiles, such as serranos or jalapeños, in this soup. Adding to our confusion about chiles is the fact that some supermarkets in the western United States call poblano chiles pasilla chiles. A pasilla, more correctly, is a distinct and very flavorful chile used in moles. In Mexico, it is called chile negro, or chile chilaca when fresh. It is a narrow, very dark green chile, while the poblano (called ancho chile when dried) is dark green (but lighter colored than the pasilla), short and squat, and heart-shaped; it is the chile used for chile rellanos. [ Makes 6 servings ]
2 fresh pasilla or poblano chiles
1 medium white onion
4 large garlic cloves
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons roasted ground almonds
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄2 pound pork belly or fatty part of pork shoulder, diced
1 Mexican-style chorizo sausage (about 5 ounces), casing removed and meat crumbled
1 zucchini, peeled and diced small
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste
1⁄2 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Crumbled Monterey Jack cheese or Mexican queso panela
Cilantro (fresh coriander) leaves for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
2. Place the pasilla chiles, onion, and garlic on a baking tray and roast until the garlic is soft, 20 minutes, and the chiles are blistered black and the onion is soft and golden, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, peel off the blistered skin of the chile, and place them all in a blender with the crushed tomatoes, 1 cup of chicken broth, and the almonds and blend until smooth.
3. In a pot or flame-proof casserole, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then cook the pork, turning occasionally, until brown and crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove the pork from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat. Reduce the heat to low, add the sausage, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it turns color, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Return the pork to the pot with the oregano, cumin, and cloves and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes more.
4. Add the remaining chicken broth and the vegetable purée from the blender, season with the salt and pepper, and stir. Add the sour cream and lime juice and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring or whisking to blend the sour cream. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes. Serve the soup garnished with crumbled cheese and cilantro leaves.
ecuadorian peanut soup
In Ecuador this soup is called sopa de mani. It is made by blending peanuts with potatoes, and the taste is simply heavenly. But you need to make sure the peanuts are not granular, otherwise they will tickle your throat. If you decide to use peanut butter in their place, make sure that it is 100 percent pure peanut butter with no additives. [ Makes 4 to 6 servings ]
1 pound boiling potatoes (such as red bliss or white rose), peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, skins removed and finely ground until nearly a paste
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons salt or more to taste
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1. Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Turn the heat to medium-high and once the water comes to a boil in about 15 minutes, turn the heat down to medium and cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes more. Drain the potatoes and then mash well.
2. In a skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat, then add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Place the onion in a food processor with the peanuts and 1 cup of broth and process until smooth, about 2 minutes of processing. Add the mashed potatoes and process in short pulses until smooth, but for no more than 15 seconds of processing.
3. Return the contents of the food processor to the pot, stir in the remaining 3 cups of the broth, and heat over medium heat, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half, season with the salt and pepper, and simmer just long enough to heat through, about 5 minutes. Serve garnished with the chives.
pumpkin soup
This purée of pumpkin soup is popular in New England for Thanksgiving. It looks creamed but in fact uses very little cream. Like many chowders, you will find that this soup tastes even better the next day—so much so that I instruct you here to cool it and reheat later. Typical garnishes are drizzled olive oil, roasted red bell pepper, chopped chervil or parsley, Parmesan cheese, and oyster crackers. Of these, Parmesan cheese is my favorite. [ Makes 6 servings ]
41⁄2 pounds fresh pumpkin, seeds discarded, or 4 cups pumpkin purée
Extra-virgin olive oil for brushing
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
Ground nutmeg for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. If using fresh pumpkin, brush the flesh side of the pumpkin with olive oil, then bake until easily pierced with a fork, about 11⁄2 hours. Remove the pumpkin and discard the skin. Purée the pumpkin flesh in a food processor.
3. In a pot or flame-proof casserole, melt the butter over low heat, then add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, to form a roux, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking thoroughly to blend.
4. Add the pumpkin purée, stir to mix well, and continue cooking for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cream. Cook for another 5 minutes. Let cool in the saucepan, then refrigerate overnight and reheat in a pot the following day. Dust the top with nutmeg and use any of the garnishes mentioned in the introduction if desired.
Variation: Add 1 roasted red bell pepper to the pumpkin purée in Step 2 or 1 roasted red bell pepper diced as a garnish.
cream of mushroom soup
This recipe is what cream of mushroom soup could have tasted like in 1933. By 1934,the Campbell’s Soup Company had canned a condensed cream of mushroom soup, and thereafter few people made it from scratch. But this you should try. It’s a very intense mushroom soup and utterly delicious. I say “could have tasted like in 1933” because the shiitake mushrooms, Marsala wine, and crème fraîche called for here were little known in Depression-era American kitchens. [ Makes 6 servings ]
1⁄4 cup unsalted butter
11⁄4 pounds white or shiitake mushrooms, brushed clean and sliced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
11⁄2 cups hot milk (any kind)
2 tablespoons dry Marsala wine
4 cups hot chicken broth
1⁄2 cup crème fraîche (preferably) or sour cream
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until browned and softened, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the flour and cook, stirring, until it has blended with the mushrooms, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the hot milk, stirring until it is all absorbed, then simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Stir in the Marsala wine, then add the chicken broth and simmer for another 15 minutes. Place the mushroom mixture in a blender, in batches if necessary, and run for 2 minutes or until smooth. Transfer the blended mixture back to the pot and stir in the crème fraîche and heavy cream. Simmer over a low heat for 35 minutes. Season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper and serve.
cream of celery soup
Cream of celery soup is an American favorite probably introduced in Michigan in the 1870s. Although celery was domesticated in the Mediterranean, eighteenth-century London is where celery soup shows up on the menus of clubs and restaurants. The vegetable was not widely known in America until a Scotsman, George Taylor, began its mass cultivation in the 1850s in Kalamazoo, Michigan, where the rich, mucky organic soil was ideal for the plants. At first, celery was a novelty sold by vendors to passengers on trains passing through Kalamazoo. But it wasn’t long before the simple celery soup of London became a smooth cream of celery soup, common enough for the Campbell’s Soup Company to condense and can in 1913. You can serve the soup garnished with celery leaves, parsley leaves, or butter-fried croûtons, if desired. [ Makes 4 servings ]
3 cups water
11⁄2 cups chopped celery
1 small potato, peeled and diced
1 small carrot, peeled and diced
1⁄2 small onion, chopped
31⁄2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
3 cups whole milk, hot
1. In a pot, add the water, celery, potato, carrot, and onion, bring to a boil, season with 3 teaspoons of the salt, and cook at a boil, stirring once or twice, until tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer the vegetables and the remaining liquid to a blender in batches and blend until smooth.
2. In a pot, prepare a thin béchamel (white) sauce: melt the butter over medium heat, then stir in the flour to form a roux, season with 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and the white pepper, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat, then slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly. Return the pot to medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens a bit and is bubbling, about 12 minutes.
3. Transfer the smooth celery purée to the pot with the béchamel sauce. Stir well to blend and reheat over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Correct the seasoning if necessary and serve.
cream of carrot with ginger soup
Our familiar orange carrot, the only color a carrot should have, many feel, was first cultivated in seventeenth-century Holland, so it’s unlikely a cream of carrot soup existed before then. Until then it seems likely that people ate wild carrots, which are white. More than likely it was the French who created a cream of carrot soup. In any case, although we don’t know whose idea it was to add ginger, this delicious soup became popular in American restaurants in the 1980s. It’s quite easy to make at home, and it appeals to many palates. [ Makes 6 servings ]
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
11⁄2 pounds young carrots, peeled and sliced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
6 cups hot chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
11⁄2 cups half-and-half
3 teaspoons salt or more to taste
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the garnishes (choose one)
Croûtons fried in butter
Chopped cilantro (fresh coriander) leaves
1. In a pot, melt the butter over low heat, then add the onions and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 15 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-low, then add the carrots and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until the carrots are softer, about 20 minutes.
2. Add the chicken broth to the pot, bring to a boil over medium heat, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat and add the milk. Transfer to a blender and blend, in batches if necessary, until it forms a purée. Return the soup to the pot, add the half-and-half, season with the salt and pepper, and cook until very hot without letting it come to a boil. Serve hot with one of the garnishes.
cream of tomato soup
There are two famous American tomato soups: one is a winter cream of tomato soup using canned tomatoes and cream, and the other a summer tomato soup using fresh ripe tomatoes. I suppose the most famous tomato soup is the one Andy Warhol used as a subject for his 1960s pieces featuring Campbell’s tomato soup cans (among others). This recipe is soothing and delicious. If you don’t have ripe fresh tomatoes available, then use good-quality canned tomatoes. I have clearer memories of the grilled cheese sandwich that always accompanied cream of tomato soup, because the soup my mom gave me always came out of a can. This, however, is the real thing, and quite amazing. Older recipes call for baking soda to prevent the milk from curdling, but in this recipe I use cream. [ Makes 4 servings ]
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
11⁄2 pounds ripe tomatoes, fresh or canned, peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1. In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the flour, then add the tomatoes, chicken broth, sugar, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes.
2. Let the soup cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a blender, in batches if necessary, and blend until smooth. Return to a cleaned pot and stir in the cream. Heat over medium heat until the soup is hot and serve.
cream of red kidney bean soup
This quick and easy soup uses a can of dark red kidney beans, which give the soup an appetizing purple haze, flecked ever so minutely with specks of red. I usually garnish with croûtons, but you can also use thin slices of cooked Italian sausage, chopped chives, or chervil. [ Makes 4 servings ]
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
One 16-ounce can red kidney beans, undrained
3 cups chicken broth
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup croûtons
1. In a pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat, then add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the kidney beans and their liquid and heat for a couple of minutes, then add the chicken broth and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
2. Transfer the soup to a blender, in batches if necessary, and blend for about 2 minutes. Return to the pot, stir in the cream, and heat over medium heat. Season with the salt and pepper and serve with croûtons.
cream of kohlrabi and green bean soup
Kohlrabi is the swollen corm— the turniplike part of the stem just above ground level—of a plant in the cabbage family, but its taste is not at all like cabbage. Kohlrabi has a curious shape that I swear reminds me of the first Russian satellite, Sputnik. Originally a Mediterranean vegetable, it is not well-known. In this creamy soup, the vegetables are the real stars, but it’s the truffle oil and walnut oil that put it over the top. Truffle and walnut oils can be found in Italian markets and in supermarkets among the oils or in the gourmet foods aisle. [ Makes 4 servings ]
6 cups water
Salt to taste
2 kohlrabies, trimmed, peeled, and cut into french-fry shapes
1⁄2 pound green beans, trimmed
6 tablespoons heavy cream
4 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon truffle oil
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup croûtons (cooked in 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and 1 tablespoon walnut oil)
1. Bring the water to a boil in a pot, salt lightly, then add the kohlrabies and green beans and cook until tender, 13 to 15 minutes.
2. Transfer the vegetables and liquid, in batches if necessary, to a blender and purée until smooth. Return to a clean pot and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the cream, lemon juice, truffle oil, 4 teaspoons salt, and pepper and heat for another 5 minutes over medium heat. Serve the soup hot with the croûtons.
cream of brussels sprouts soup
The comment I receive the most about this soup is, “This is great, and I don’t even like Brussels sprouts.” So without a doubt, this is how you introduce people to Brussels sprouts. This soup is based on a similar one, called kohlsprossensuppe, that I had when I lived in Salzburg, Austria, through the fall and winter of 1977. I found it thoroughly enjoyable then and still like to make it during colder weather. [ Makes 6 servings ]
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed
1⁄4 cup unsalted butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
2 large egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil or parsley
2 tablespoons hazelnut oil (optional)
3 tablespoons crushed roasted hazelnuts (optional)
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat, then add the Brussels sprouts and boil until tender when pierced by a fork, about 20 minutes. Drain, saving 2 cups of the cooking water, and set aside the Brussels sprouts.
2. In a pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat, then stir in the flour to form a roux and cook, stirring constantly, until golden, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour in the 2 cups of reserved cooking water and the chicken broth. Cook, stirring frequently, until smooth, about 5 minutes. Add the Brussels sprouts, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes. Pass the soup through a food mill into another pot. If you don’t have a food mill, process briefly in a blender.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the egg yolks and cream. Stir the cream mixture into the soup and heat over medium heat, making sure it does not bubble or boil. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with the chervil and hazelnut oil and hazelnuts, if desired. Serve hot.
roasted garlic soup
One thinks of garlic as the quintessential Mediterranean condiment or spice, but in the Middle Ages the English were fond of garlic, the French and Italians only used it in sauces, and city folk thought it a primitive peasant food. This recipe is a modern one, and although you might think the garlic would be overwhelming, it’s not. This is a very smooth, creamy soup that is delicious and filling. Make sure you use very dry sherry and not cream sherry, which will discolor the soup and give it an odd taste. [ Makes 4 servings ]
4 garlic heads, left whole, top quarter of nonstem end sliced off
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3 leeks, white part only, split lengthwise, washed well, and chopped
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups hot chicken broth
6 tablespoons very dry sherry
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
11⁄2 teaspoons salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Place the garlic heads in a small, shallow baking dish, cut side up, and drizzle with the olive oil. Bake until golden and soft, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove the garlic from the oven and when cool enough to handle, squeeze out the garlic. Chop the garlic.
3. In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the onion, leeks, and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and mushy, about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the flour to form a roux, then cook, stirring occasionally, until pasty and thick, about 10 minutes.
4. Pour the hot broth and sherry into the pot in a slow stream while stirring constantly, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until bubbling, about 20 minutes. Turn the heat off and let cool for 15 minutes.
5. Transfer the soup to a blender and purée, in batches if necessary. Return the soup to the pot. Add the cream and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice and season with salt and white pepper. Serve garnished with chives.
czech smooth potato soup
If you didn’t know better you might think the only soups Czechs eat are those with potatoes, bacon, beer, cream, or leeks. Well, it’s true there is a theme to Czech soup cookery, and any time you put potatoes and bacon together with cream you are going to have one delicious soup. This is called bramborova lisovana polevka, or “smooth potato soup,” and although from the ingredients it sounds quite rich, the final effect is not heavy at all. You could, of course, replace the pork lard with butter, but I recommend the lard for an authentic taste. The ideal bread to use is soft poppy-seed rolls. [ Makes 4 servings ]
11⁄4 pounds all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cubed
5 cups water
3 teaspoons salt or more to taste
1⁄4 cup pork lard or unsalted butter
1 cup diced slab bacon (about 1⁄4 pound)
2 soft bread rolls (4 to 5 ounces), sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1 large egg yolk
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1. Place the potatoes in a pot with the water and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and cook until tender, about 35 minutes in all. Remove the potatoes without dumping the water, pass the potatoes through a food mill or sieve, and return to the potato water in the pot.
2. Meanwhile, in a skillet, melt the lard over medium heat, then add the diced bacon and cook, stirring, until crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Cook the bread slices in the skillet until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes in all. Remove and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, mix the cream and egg yolk, then stir into the soup and heat over low heat for a few minutes, until the soup is very hot but not bubbling. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt, stir, then taste and add some more if necessary. Add the bacon and parsley, stir, and serve with the slices of fried bread.
russian swiss chard soup
It’s a wonder that this Russian favorite known as shchav isn’t better known. Well, it is hard to pronounce. In Russia, it’s quite a famous soup. Shchav means “sorrel,” so you can make the soup with sorrel, but Swiss chard is traditional as well. This soup is also known elsewhere in eastern Europe—in the Ukraine, Poland, and among eastern European Jews. Once you taste it you’ll have a new perspective on that otherwise tough, leafy green vegetable considered spinach’s poor relation. [ Makes 4 to 6 servings ]
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound Swiss chard, washed well, stems sliced, and leaves chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
11⁄2 cups chicken broth
1⁄2 cup sour cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 large eggs, hard-boiled, shelled, and cut in half
1. In a flame-proof casserole, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the Swiss chard stems and cook, covered and stirring once or twice, for 4 minutes. Add the leaves and cook covered, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes more.
2. Sprinkle with the flour and stir until blended. Slowly pour in the chicken broth and sour cream and cook, covered and stirring once or twice, until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.
3. Transfer the soup to a blender and process until it is puréed. Transfer to a pot, season with salt and pepper, heat for a few minutes, and serve with the egg halves as a garnish.
belgian lettuce and pea soup
This smooth, flavorful soup is made with the soft buttery lettuce known as Boston head lettuce or, appropriately, butter lettuce. In Belgium, where this dish is much appreciated, it is called soupe mosane, meaning soup from the Meuse, the great river valley that was the scene of heavy fighting in World War I. Be careful with the salting, as your ham may be saltier than expected. [ Makes 4 servings ]
1⁄4 cup unsalted butter
1 head Boston lettuce, shredded
4 scallions, trimmed and sliced
1 celery stalk, chopped
6 cups water
1⁄2 pound (2 cups) fresh or frozen peas
1⁄2 pound cooked ham, in one piece
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat, then add the lettuce, scallions, and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the water, peas, ham, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour.
2. Remove the ham and cut into small pieces. Strain the broth. Place the vegetables in a blender and purée using some of the broth to help the blade turn. Return the broth and the puréed vegetables to the pot along with the ham. Add the cream, heat to just below a boil over medium heat, then serve with parsley.
basler mehlsuppe
In the early 1970s I lived in Basel, Switzerland, for a year. The trolley from my home to school wound its way through the city’s historic center, and sometimes I would alight there to shop, meet friends, or have some lunch. In the winter, a Basler mehlsuppe was a most welcome soup—smooth, richly flavorful, and very satisfying even if very simple. The soup uses a hard raw whole-milk cheese called Sbrinz made in the Swiss cantons around Lucerne. When it’s young it has the consistency of Gruyère, which is what I now most often use. When it’s older it’s a grating cheese like Parmesan. You can order Sbrinz via the Internet at www.igourmet.com. I’ve adapted this recipe from Marianne Kaltenbach’s Aechti Schwizer Chuchi: Schweizer Kuchenrezepte Rund ums Jahr (1977). [ Makes 4 servings ]
1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄4 cup (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter
1 pound onions, halved and very thinly sliced
6 cups beef broth
3⁄4 cup dry red wine
1⁄4 teaspoon dried marjoram
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Salt to taste
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces Sbrinz cheese (or other Swiss cheese such as Gruyère or Emmentaler or domestic Swiss cheese), shredded
1⁄4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives
1. Place the flour in a cast-iron skillet without any fat, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook the flour, shaking the pan or stirring almost constantly, until it is dark brown, about 8 minutes; as the flour darkens, make sure it doesn’t burn and turn black by stirring a little faster. Remove from the skillet and let cool.
2. In a pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat, then add the onions and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 8 minutes. Stir in the flour and mix well. Add the beef broth slowly, stirring the whole time. Add the red wine, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 1 hour. Season with the marjoram, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
3. Transfer the soup to a blender and run until a smooth purée is formed. Return to the pot and check the seasonings. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, then serve with the shredded cheese. Garnish the soup with the cream, parsley, and chives.
lobster mushroom and hazelnut butter soup
This unique and quite extraordinary soup called potage aux oronges et aux noisettes, magnificat (a praiseworthy Caesar mushroom and hazelnut soup) is from the Franche-Comté, the Alpine French province next to Switzerland, and is made with Caesar mushrooms called oronges. These are Amanita caesarea, the thin orange-capped mushrooms very popular among gourmets of France and Italy, but not at all so in North America because of their similarity to poisonous varieties of Amanita, which are in fact known as death’s heads. In this recipe you can play it safe with lobster mushrooms or chanterelles. The powdered dried mushroom called for in the ingredient list can be made by placing dried mushrooms in a coffee mill or spice grinder. [ Makes 8 servings ]
1⁄4 pound (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
3 ounces blanched hazelnuts (about 1⁄2 cup), ground fine in a food processor
3⁄4 pound lobster mushrooms or chanterelle mushrooms, julienned
2 heads Boston lettuce, greenest leaves removed and used for salad, remaining lettuce shredded
1 tablespoon salt
11⁄2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper or more to taste
1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
1⁄4 cup medium or long grain rice
1 veal knuckle or 2 beef oxtails (about 11⁄2 pounds in all)
1 medium onion, chopped
1⁄2 teaspoon dried mushroom powder
6 cups water
4 cups whole milk
1 teaspoon truffle oil
2 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
1. Place half the butter in a food processor with the ground hazelnuts and process until it forms a nut butter. Remove the hazelnut butter and push it through a fine mesh strainer with the back of a wooden spoon or a pestle. Set the butter aside until needed.
2. In a bowl, toss the mushrooms with the lettuce, salt, pepper, and sugar.
3. In a small pot, bring 1⁄2 cup of water to a boil over high heat, then add the rice, cook for 1 minute, and drain.
4. In a large flame-proof casserole, melt the remaining butter over medium-low heat, then add the lettuce and mushroom mixture, stir, cover, and steam, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
5. Add the veal, onion, rice, and mushroom powder, and then the water and milk. Bring to a near boil over high heat, making absolutely sure it does not come to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the meat is nearly falling off the veal, about 21⁄2 hours. Remove the veal and reserve for making Minestrone with Beef, Veal, and Pork Spareribs.
6. Strain the soup 3 times through a fine mesh strainer, pushing the solid pieces through with a pestle the first 2 times. The third and last time you strain, discard any bits that remain.
7. Pour into a clean pot, add the truffle oil, and correct the seasoning if necessary. Turn the heat to medium, but do not let the soup boil. Place the nut butter in the bottom of a soup tureen with the egg yolks and cream. Pour in the hot soup, stirring vigorously, and serve hot.
potato and leek soup # 1
Leeks, onions, and potatoes are all favorite vegetables in Croatia, and here they come together in a goose- and/or duck-based broth called juha od poriluka. After the leeks are cooked it is probably easier to liquefy them in a blender, rather than passing them through a food mill or using a food processor. If using canned chicken broth instead of homemade, taste for saltiness at the finish and adjust accordingly. [ Makes 6 servings ]
1⁄4 cup unsalted butter
11⁄2 pounds leeks, split in half lengthwise, washed well, and chopped
2 large onions, chopped
6 cups goose or duck broth (preferably) or chicken broth
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3⁄4 pound potato, peeled and diced
1⁄2 cup sour cream
1. In a flame-proof casserole or large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the leeks and onions, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and slightly caramelized, about 45 minutes.
2. Add the broth and cook until the leeks are very tender, about 1 hour. Strain, then put the leeks in a blender in batches with a cup of broth each time so the blender can work properly and run until liquefied, about 1 minute blending at the highest setting. Return the puréed leeks and broth to a large pot, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Add the potato and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Correct the seasoning, add some sour cream to each individual serving bowl, ladle in some soup, and serve hot.
potato and leek soup # 2
Potage parmentier is one of the most famous and delightful French soups. It was named after Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, a French economist and agronomist, who was a prisoner of war in Hanover under the Prussians during the Seven Years’ War. He survived on potatoes, then not at all popular in France, and upon his return was inspired to work for the reintroduction of the potato to France. He subsequently wrote Sur la pomme de terre (On the potato), published in 1789, and today any preparation called parmentier is one with potatoes. The soup is also known as soupe à la bonne femme (old wives’ soup). When served cold it is known as a vichyssoise or crème gauloise. [ Makes 4 servings ]
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 leeks (1 pound in all), white part only, split lengthwise, washed well, and thinly sliced
1 pound baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
4 cups water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cups hot milk
1 large egg yolk
2 tablespoons crème fraîche or heavy cream
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chervil (optional)
Croûtons fried in butter for garnish
1. In a pot, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over low heat, then add the leeks and cook, stirring, until softened, about 20 minutes. Add the potatoes and water. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil, covered, until the potatoes are softened, about 20 minutes. Mash the potatoes in the pot.
2. Pass the potatoes and leeks through a food mill into a clean pot. Add the milk to thin the soup and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the egg yolk, whisking constantly, then add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the crème fraîche and turn the heat off. Add the chervil, if using, and let heat for a few minutes. Serve hot with fried croûtons.
soup of upland cress
In the more rural areas of Provence, in the small valleys and foothills, away from the touristy coast, one finds cooks more willing than the bourgeois housewives of the cities to use wild salad greens in their preparations. Most such greens are rarely cultivated, although a few are. They appear for the most part in soups, salads, and omelets. This soup, called potage de cresson Alénois, is a wonderful way to use upland cress (Barbarea verna), which here is usually sold by gourmet greengrocers and at farmers markets. Some supermarkets sell it, too, but label it watercress (read the fine print and you can see it’s upland cress). You can replace upland cress with watercress. [ Makes 4 servings ]
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
3⁄4 pound upland cress (garden cress), heavy stems removed, washed well, and chopped
1 quart vegetable or chicken broth
10 ounces all-purpose potatoes, peeled and sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1⁄4 cup heavy cream
Croûtons (but fried in butter), for garnish
In a pot, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat, then add the cress and cook, covered, until it wilts, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth and potatoes and cook over medium-low heat until tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Pass the broth through a sieve or food mill and return it to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, add the cream and remaining butter, heat thoroughly, and serve with croutons.
watercress soup
This beautifully colored soup, called potage au cresson, is found everywhere in France. It was adapted from a recipe in my friend Alexandra Leaf’s Impressionists’ Table: Recipes and Gastronomy of 19th-Century France. The soup is delicate without being creamy or heavy, and it’s perfect served before roast veal or chicken. [ Makes 4 servings ]
1 medium-size all-purpose potato
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 bunches watercress (about 1 pound), leaves only
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1⁄2 cup heavy cream
2 large egg yolks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Place the potato in a pot and cover with water by several inches. Turn the heat to medium-high and once the water comes to a boil, after about 15 minutes, reduce the heat to medium and cook until easily pierced by a skewer, about another 20 minutes. Drain, peel, crumble, and set aside.
2. In a flame-proof casserole or pot, melt the butter over low heat, then add the onion and cook, stirring, until it is translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the watercress and cook, stirring, until it has wilted. Add the broth and cook for 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender with the crumbled potato and purée for 3 minutes. (Don’t worry, the potato will not become gummy as it would if you processed it alone.)
3. Blend the cream and egg yolks in the pot or casserole and then add the soup. Cook over low heat, seasoning with salt and pepper, until hot, about 10 minutes, without ever letting it come to even a near boil. Serve hot.
cream of cauliflower soup
In the 1950s, when I was a child, my father was stationed in France with the U.S. Air Force, and we lived for some time in Beaumont-le-Roger in Normandy. Although I don’t remember the food from those halcyon days of my rural French childhood, I have made many subsequent trips to the area and am quite fond of Norman food. The region is famous for its duck, apples, and Camembert cheese. Norman soups, especially cream soups, have a lusciousness I always associate with French cuisine. [ Makes 4 to 6 servings ]
4 cups chicken broth
1 cauliflower (about 2 pounds), trimmed and broken into florets
1 small boiling potato (5 ounces), peeled and diced
Bouquet garni, tied in kitchen twine, consisting of 2 tarragon sprigs
3⁄4 cup heavy cream
1⁄8 teaspoon curry powder
1⁄8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
1. In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat, then add the cauliflower and potato with the bouquet garni, cover, and cook until very tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Transfer the vegetables to a blender and blend until puréed. Return the purée to the pot, add the cream, and stir. Add the curry powder, nutmeg, lemon juice, salt, and pepper and heat over medium heat until hot. Serve in individual bowls sprinkled with the chives and tarragon for garnish.
purée of root vegetable soup
The French seem to be masters of the puréed soup, and their vegetable soups are some of the best. The combinations are infinite, of course, but in this instance the flavors are based on root vegetables. There is very little fat used, and as a result the taste is light and refreshing, yet satisfying. [ Makes 4 servings ]
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 leek, white and light green part only, split lengthwise in quarters, washed well, and chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
11⁄2 cups (1⁄2 pound) coarsely chopped carrots
1 cup (6 ounces) coarsely chopped turnips
6 cups water
11⁄2 cups (1⁄2 pound) peeled and diced potatoes
1⁄4 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream
21⁄2 teaspoons salt or more to taste
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste
1. In a pot, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over low heat, then add the leek, garlic, and parsley and cook, covered, until they sweat, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and turnips, stir, cover, and cook, stirring, for 5 more minutes. Pour in the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until very tender, about 45 minutes.
2. Remove the soup from the heat and strain the broth. Return the liquid to the pot and place the vegetables in a blender with a little of the liquid to help the blades turn. Blend until puréed, then return to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then remove from the heat, and whisk in the remaining tablespoon of butter and the crème fraîche. Season with the salt and pepper and serve hot.
artichoke velouté
The name for this northern Italian soup, vellutata di carciofi, comes from the French word velouté, meaning “velvety.” This creamy, smooth, and elegant soup made of artichokes typically is served as a first course. Because it is rich it is best followed by a simple second course, such as grilled fish. [ Makes 4 to 6 servings ]
1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1⁄4 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
5 cups chicken broth
8 large cooked fresh artichoke hearts or 16 canned artichoke hearts (two 14-ounce cans)
4 large egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
Croûtons (optional)
1. In a pot, melt 1⁄4 cup butter over medium-high heat. Using a wire whisk, stir in the flour and cook, stirring, until the flour becomes light brown and smells nutty, about 3 minutes. Slowly pour in 4 cups chicken broth, whisking all the time until smooth and creamy.
2. Place the artichoke hearts in a food processor and process until finely puréed, stopping the machine and scraping down the sides when necessary. You should have about 2 cups artichoke purée. Beat the egg yolks and cream together.
3. Remove the artichoke purée from the food processor and blend into the broth, stirring in the remaining 1 cup chicken broth. Return the artichoke broth to the food processor in batches and process until completely smooth and a little frothy, transferring it to a pot as you process each batch.
4. Bring the soup to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and vigorously and constantly whisk in the egg yolk and cream. Return to very low heat and whisk in the remaining 1⁄4 cup of butter 1 tablespoon at a time until completely melted. Serve immediately, with croûtons, if desired.