Vegetable Soup – 3 Winter Warmer Recipes

Soup is the ideal winter warmer – especially if it contains plenty of nutrition. We think you will like these three soup recipes that came in to us on the RSS feeds.

INGREDIENTS

2 medium russet potatoes (about 1/2 lb. each)
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 1/2 cups sliced leeks (about 2 medium leeks; white and light green parts), rinsed well
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups homemade or low-salt canned chicken broth
1/2 cup milk (low-fat, optional)
1/2 cup sour cream (low-fat, optional)
4 thick slices bacon
1 cup grated sharp cheddar (about 1/4 lb.)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion greens or chives

1. Heat the oven to 375º F. Scrub the potatoes in water, pat dry, and pierce in several places with a fork. Set them directly on an oven rack and bake until very tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Let cool completely on a wire rack. If desired, use a cookie sheet covered in tinfoil topped with a cooling rack and place individual strips on the cooling rack. Cook until the bacon is crisp, checking frequently, it should take 20-25 minutes to crisp.
2. Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and garlic, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the broth and 2 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the leeks are very tender, about 20 minutes.
3. If you haven’t cooked your bacon in the oven, put the bacon in a skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon saucer lined with paper towels to drain and cool. Chop finely.
4. When the potatoes are cool, cut one of them in half lengthwise. Use a large spoon to scoop the flesh in one piece from each half. Cut the flesh into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside. Coarsely chop the potato skin and the entire remaining potato and add to the pot with the leeks.
5. Purée the contents of the pot in a blender until very smooth (you’ll need to work in two batches). Return the puréed soup to a clean soup pot and reheat over medium low.
6. Whisk together the milk and sour cream until smooth and then whisk this into the soup, along with 1/2 cup of the cheddar. Stir in the diced potato.
7. The soup should be fairly thick, but if it seems too thick, thin it with a little water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with the remaining cheddar, the bacon bits, and the scallions or chives.

   Makes about 6 cups and serves 4.

   Leek Soup

   Who says healthy can’t be hearty? A Manhattan restaurant is doing just that.

   At Dig Inn’s five locations in Manhattan, the food is right off the farm.

   The first Dig Inn location happens to be down the block from the Union Square Farmers Market.

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   Daniel Angerer’s recipes put the produce first.

   “We try to keep it as simple as possible let the vegetable talk for itself,” he said.

   Veggies make up about 70 percent of the menu. You can also order a protein, grains or greens. For more information about Dig Inn, visit diginn.com.

   Potato Leek Soup
   (recipe yields four portions)
   Recipe by Executive Chef Daniel Angerer

   INGREDIENTS:

   2 pounds leek, dark-green part removed
   2 stalks green celery
   2 cloves garlic
   1 onion
   1 pound potatoes such as Yukon Gold
   2 tablespoons vegetable oil such as canola
   1 teaspoon sea salt
   fresh black pepper
   4 cups vegetable broth
   2 cups water
   2 teaspoons fresh oregano leaves

   1. With a knife cut leeks and celery into small pieces and soak in a bowl filled with water. Swish leeks around in water – this will release gritty soil parts and they will collect on the bottom of the bowl. Lift celery and leek with a slotted spoon out of the water on to a kitchen paper lined plate.

   2. Peel garlic and onion, then chop into small pieces.

   3. Cut potatoes in half then chop into small pieces.

   4. Heat vegetable oil in a 1-gallon sized pot. Combine celery, leeks, garlic, onion and potato in the pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook mixture for 25 minutes stirring with a cooking spoon every five minutes.

   5. Combine vegetable broth and water with the leek/potato mixture and bring to a boil. Continue to simmer on low heat setting for 20 minutes.

   6. Puree soup with an immersion blender or in a food processor.

   7. Ladle soup into four bowls and sprinkle with oregano.

   Chef’s Tip: Before serving enrich the soup with a spoonful of unsweetened coconut milk.

   —
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   Anne Yarymowich, executive chef of Frank Restaurant, at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, combines slow-simmered parsnips with ripe pears in this gently nutty and velvety winter soup. Sour golden raisin gastrique adds a nice contrast.

   Servings: 6

   Parsnip Soup

   1 pound Vidalia or other sweet onions (1 large or 2 small), peeled and thinly sliced into strips

   4 tablespoons organic pumpkin seed or sunflower seed oil, or butter

   1 tablespoon kosher salt

   Pinch ground white pepper

   Pinch ground ginger

   3 pounds parsnips, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes

   2 pounds Bartlett or bosc pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

   3 litres cold water

   2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

   Salt to taste

   Sweet and Sour Golden Raisin Gastrique

   ½ cup white sugar

   ½ cup apple cider vinegar

   ½ cup golden raisins

   1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

   1 teaspoon kosher salt

   Method

   In a large soup pot, heat oil or butter over medium-low heat, add sliced onions, salt, pepper and ginger, and sweat onions gently until soft and transparent.

   Add chopped parsnips and pears and continue to sweat gently over medium-low heat until parsnips and pears have started to soften. You can add butter and oil at this point if you want a richer, creamier soup. Stir frequently to prevent browning.

   Add the water and increase heat, stirring occasionally until the liquid reaches a boil. Immediately reduce heat, cover and simmer until parsnips are very tender (about 20 to 30 minutes).

   Remove from heat and puree in a blender (do not fill blender more than halfway, cover with a dry tea towel, hold down lid and start at low speed), food processor or with an immersion stick blender.

   For the best texture, pass the puree through a fine sieve.

   Return to a clean pot, adjust thickness as desired with water. Heat to the boiling point, add cider vinegar, and season to taste with kosher or sea salt.

   For the topping, heat sugar and vinegar over medium heat in a small pot until sugar is melted and liquid is beginning to simmer gently. Add raisins, ginger and salt. Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, until raisins are plump and soft. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

   Drizzle a tablespoon into hot soup and serve immediately. Keeps well in the fridge, in a sealed jar, up to 3 weeks.

   Soup recipes with Bill & Sheila
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