Holly's turn

To say Holly's soup was souperb would be an an understatement. It was soupendous. Holly used some of my favorite ingredients and flavor combinations. Bravo Holly.

Menu
Arugala Salad
Caramelized Onion and Portobello Mushroom Soup with Goat Cheese Croutons
Homemade Blackberry Sorbet

Arugala Salad

Ingredients
Roasted beets
Arugala
Goat cheese
Balsamic vinegar

Directions
Beet preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cover beets in oil and salt, and wrap in tin foil. Roast until tender, about an hour. Allow the beets to cool, then peel and cut into thin slices.

Place a portion of arugala on each place. Top with beets, goat cheese and balsamic vinegar.

Caramelized Onion and Portobello Mushroom Soup with Goat Cheese Croutons

Ingredients

3 tbs butter

5 cups onions, halved and thinly sliced 

4 fresh thyme sprigs

1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms, stemmed, caps halved and cut into 1/4-inch strips

3 tbs brandy

3 garlic cloves, minced

8 cups vegetable broth

1 cup dry white wine

18 slices French-bread, cut 1 inch thick and toasted

8 ounces soft fresh goat cheese

Directions
Melt 1 tbs butter in a large pot, at high heat. Add onions and thyme; cook until onions begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cook until onions are caramelized, stirring occasionally. This may take awhile, about 20 minutes. The onions should be a rich brown color. Transfer onions to a medium bowl.

In the same large pot, melt the remaining 2 tbs butter, over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, and cook about 12 minutes.

Add brandy and garlic; stir to combine. Add onions, broth and wine. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer until onions are very tender, about 45 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs, and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat broiler. Place bread slices on a large baking sheet. Spread an equal amount of goat cheese on each slice. Broil goat cheese croutons until cheese begins to brown, about 1 minute. Divide soup among 6 bowls, and serve with croutons.

Homemade Blackberry Sorbet

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 1/2 pounds frozen unsweetened blackberries, thawed, juices reserved

2 tbs fresh lemon juice

fresh blackberries and raspberries for garnish

Directions

In a small saucepan combine sugar and water. Over high heat, bring mixture to a bowl, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Boil 1 minute. Transfer the simple syrup to a bowl. Chill for about 3 hours.

In a blender puree blackberries with juices and cold syrup, until smooth. Pour mixture through a strainer and into a large bowl. Discard seeds, and stir in lemon juice.

Using an ice cream maker, process berry mixture, according to the manufacturer's instructions. Transfer sorbet to a container; cover and freeze until firm, about 6 hours. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep frozen.)

Scoop sorbet into bowls. Garnish with fresh blackberries, raspberries, and waffers. 

Beer and Wine Served