S.O.S. Help! I need soup!

So I’ve always been in the camp that cold soup is kind of weird. However, after I made the gazpacho, I did a complete 180. I LOVE COLD SOUP. It’s very refreshing and perfect for a hot day. My love of cold soup has brought me to the conclusion that Souperstars needs a new section. SOS, meaning Soups of Summer, but also cause I know you are all in some desperate need for soup. So stop crying I hear you! I give you soup, and it’s CHILLY.

Mango-Ginger-Curry Soup With Shrimp
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 ripe mangoes (about 1 lb each), peeled and cubed
1/2 habanera pepper, finely minced
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon finely grated ginger
1 teaspoon curry powder (or more to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (13.5 oz) light coconut milk
1/2 cup water
3 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (or more to taste)
1 cup raw shrimp, de-shelled
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 

Directions
Using an immersion blender pulse mangoes, habanera pepper, shallots, garlic, ginger, curry powder and salt in a large bowl.

Add coconut milk; pulse until well combined.

Stir in water and lime juice. (Thin with tap water if desired.) Cover and chill until cold, 1 hour. Place thawed shrimp on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Bake at 375 for 10 min. 

Divide soup among 4 bowls; garnish with shrimp and cilantro before serving.

Cinco De OH MY OH!

Last week the souperstars met for a celebratory and traditional Cinco de Mayo feast. For the festivities I decided to make gazpacho. I have always been skeptical of gazpachos and cold soups in general. I am very happy to say I was very mistaken. It was fantastic, fresh, and flavorful. This is sure to be a summertime staple in my house.

Gazpacho
Serves 8
*adapted from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

2 cloves Garlic, Minced
½ whole Red Onion, Diced
1 whole Large Cucumber, Diced
5 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced

1 whole Zucchini, Diced
2 stalks Celery, Diced
1 red pepper, Diced
1 jalapeno, Minced
1 cup cilantro, Chopped
1 dash Salt To Taste
¼ gallons Tomato Juice
¼ cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
⅛ cups Red Wine Vinegar
1 lime, juiced
6 dashes Tabasco
1 dash Black Pepper To Taste

Garnish
Green onions
Sliced avocado
Cilantro

Directions

In a bowl combine half the red onion, half the cucumber, half the tomato, half the zucchini, half the celery, half the red pepper, half the jalapeno, and half the cilantro.

Add the minced garlic with half the tomato juice, olive oil, red wine vinegar, Tabasco, and a dash of salt.

Using an immersion blender, Pulse until all ingredients are blended well; mixture will have a nice speckled, colorful texture.

Add the rest of the tomato juice, lime juice and the remaining vegetables. 

Stir mixture together and check seasonings, adding salt if needed. Chill soup for at least a couple of hours; preferably overnight.

Remove the soup from the fridge and stir. Check seasonings one last time. Ladle into a bowl and garnish with green onions, a sliver of fresh avocado, and cilantro.

Watermelon Soup??

Last night Andrew hosted the last soup night of the season. My lovely league of liquid loyalist had to say good-bye for another year. Andrew made a very unique, spring menu that is heavily Thai influenced. It was a hit! The guests loved the dip. It was the perfect way to start the meal and very easy to make. Enjoy the recipes below and don’t worry just because soup season is over this is not the last you have heard from me….

Menu
Avocado and Yogurt Dip with Red Peppers and Sweet Potato Chips
Green Papaya Salad with Shrimp
Thai Spiced Watermelon Soup with Crabmeat
Stout Floats with Whipped Cream and Shaved Chocolate

Avocado and Yogurt Dip
Makes 1 1/2 cups
*adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients
1 16-oz container plain low fat yogurt

1 tsp. ground cumin
1 large avocado, peeled, halved, pitted, coarsely chopped
4 tbs chopped fresh cilantro
½ jalapeño, minced
1 small garlic clove, minced

Directions
Set strainer over medium bowl; line with double layer of cheesecloth. Place yogurt in cloth-lined strainer. Cover with plastic wrap; chill overnight. Discard liquid drained from yogurt. Transfer yogurt to processor. Add cumin to processor, then avocado, 3 tablespoons cilantro, jalapeño, and garlic. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer dip to small bowl. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with sliced red peppers and sweet potato chips.

Green Papaya Salad with Shrimp
Serves 4
*adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients
1/4 pound small shrimp (about 9), shelled
1/2 lb. green papaya, peeled, seeded, and coarsely shredded, preferably using a mandolin
1 seedless cucumber, shredded
1 carrot, shredded fine
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, washed well and spun dry
2 tbs roasted peanuts, crushed

For dressing
1 large garlic clove, forced through a garlic press
3 tbs fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs sugar
1 serrano chili seeded and chopped fine 

Directions
In a bowl whisk together dressing ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Season shrimp with salt. In a sauté pan heat olive oil over medium heat and add shrimp. Cook until golden brown. In a large bowl add shrimp, papaya, carrot, and cilantro to dressing, tossing well. Salad may be made 2 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Serve salad sprinkled with peanuts.

Thai Spiced Watermelon Soup with Crabmeat
Serves 4
*adapted from Epicurious

For soup

5 cups coarsely chopped seeded watermelon
1 fresh lemongrass stalk
3 tbs finely chopped shallot
1 1/2 tbs finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 tbs finely chopped garlic
1 1/2 tbs mild olive oil
1 serrano chili, finely chopped including seeds
2 tbs fresh lime juice, or to taste
Sea salt and pepper

For crab
10 oz jumbo lump crabmeat (2 cups), picked over
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tbs mild olive oil
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste

For Garnish
lime wedges
chopped scallions

Make soup:

Purée watermelon in a large bowl, using an immersion blender. Discard 1 or 2 outer leaves of lemongrass and trim root end. Thinly slice lower 5 to 6 inches of stalk and then mince, discarding remainder.

Cook lemongrass, shallot, ginger, and garlic in oil in a large saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring, until aromatics are pale golden, about 5 minutes. Add about one third of watermelon purée and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, 5 minutes.

Remove watermelon mixture from heat, add chile, lime juice, and salt and blend until smooth, using an immersion blender. Add remaining watermelon purée and blend briefly. Season soup with more chile, lime juice, and salt if desired, blending if necessary. Return to heat, and warm soup throughout. Season with salt and pepper.

Prepare crab:
Toss crabmeat with cilantro, oil, and salt.

Pour soup into bowls, and top with crab. Garnish with lime wedges and scallions.

Stout Floats with Whipped Cream and Shaved Chocolate

We also made root beer floats for the babies. Put two scoops of ice cream in a large glass. Top with either root bear or a double chocolate stout, whipped cream and shaved chocolate.

Beer and Wine served

Mari's Miso Mushrooms

Well soupies, the soup season is almost done. This week, which was the second to the last soup night, was Maricela’s turn to host soup night. She did a wonderful job, providing an Asian influenced menu. Her soup was one hundred percent original. I hope that by next soup season we are all doing original recipes. Bravo Mari.

Menu
Edamame
Potstickers
Miso Mushroom Soup
Green Tea and Sesame Mochi with Green Tea and Lychee Ice Cream

Edamame

Store bought. Boil, drain, and season with sea salt.

Potstickers

Store bought. Boil, drain, and sauté in oil.

Miso Mushroom Soup
Serves 10

Ingredients
2 lbs shitake mushrooms
1 lb oyster mushrooms

1 lb enoki mushrooms

1 lb crab meat

1 cup green onions, thinly sliced

2 tbs garlic, minced

1 tbs ginger, minced

10 cups vegetable stock

2 cups bok choy, roughly chopped

1 cup miso paste

4 tbs sesame oil

soba noodles

soy sauce

Directions

In a large saucepan, sauté the mushrooms in the sesame oil for 5 minutes. Add the green onion, garlic, and ginger, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the stock and bok choy chard and stir well to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, and allow to boil for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, stir together the miso and a little of the cooking liquid from the saucepan. Add the miso mixture , dumplings, soba noodles, and toasted sesame oil to the pot, stir well to combine, and let simmer for another 20 min. Serve hot.

Green Tea and Sesame Mochi with Green Tea and Lychee Ice Cream

*you can find mochi at most asian grocery stores.

Beer and Wine Served

Souptopus!

This week was Jason’s turn to host soup night. Jason is a huge seafood fan, and his menu reflected this love. This year the souperstars have really been experimenting with seafood. Jason played his hand at squid and clams. Eating squid, clams, and listening to some R and B, not a bad evening.

Menu
Squid Salad
Manhattan Clam Chowder
Key Lime Pie

Squid Salad
Serves 12
*adapted from about.com

Ingredients:
Squid:
2 bay leaves
4 peppercorns
2 tbs salt
5 pounds squid (fresh or frozen and thawed), thoroughly cleaned (see below)

Dressing:
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:


How to Clean Squid: Working in a kitchen sink, hold the body of squid firmly in one hand. Grasp head firmly with the other hand and pull, twisting gently from side to side. Head and contents of body should come away in one piece. Cut tentacles off head and set aside. Discard head and contents of body. Grasp tip of pointed, thin, clear cartilage protruding from body, pull out and discard. Rinse squid under cold running water. Peel off and discard spotted outer membrane. Pull off side fins and set aside. Rinse inside of squid body thoroughly under running water to remove any grit or other matter.


Source: Louisiana Cookin', December 2005.

Bring 3 quarts water to a boil in large stock pot. Add bay leaves, peppercorns, salt, and cleaned squid, and cook for about 5 minutes or just until squid is soft. Don't overcook! Drain and allow squid to cool to touch. Remove bay leaves and peppercorns.

To make the dressing: In a medium bowl, combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, and set aside. 


When squid is cool, slice into 1/4-inch rings and place in a large bowl, Toss with dressing and allow to marinate in refrigerator 2 to 3 hours. Serve on a platter of greens.

Manhattan Clam Chowder
Serves 8
*adapted from Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients
 8 pounds quahog or large cherrystone clams, scrubbed and rinsed, opened clams discarded
4 slices bacon, cut into 1/2-inch lengths
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
3/4 cup diced carrot
1 1/2 tbs minced garlic
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 1/4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 cup chicken stock
3 cups peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes or 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, chopped and juices reserved
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt

Directions

In a large stockpot bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add clams, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover, quickly stir clams well with a wooden spoon, and recover. Allow clams to cook 5 to 10 minutes longer (this will depend on the type and size of clams you are using), or until most of the clams are opened. Transfer clams to a large bowl or baking dish and strain broth through a fine-meshed sieve into a bowl. (You should have about 6 cups of clam broth. If not, add enough water to bring the volume up to 6 cups.) When clams are cool enough to handle, remove them from their shells and chop into 1/2-inch pieces. Set clams and broth aside.

In a large heavy pot add bacon and render until golden and crispy. Pour off all fat except 4 tablespoons. Add celery, bell pepper and carrots and cook for 10 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Do not allow to color. Add garlic, bay leaves, oregano, thyme and crushed red pepper and cook an additional 2 minutes.

Increase heat to high and add potatoes, reserved clam broth, and chicken stock and bring to a boil, covered. Cook for 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and the broth has thickened somewhat. Add tomatoes and continue to cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and add reserved clams and parsley and season with pepper and salt, if necessary. Allow chowder to sit for up to 1 hour to allow flavors to meld, then reheat slowly over low fire if necessary. Do not allow to boil. Serve with French bread.

Key Lime Pie
Serves 8
*adapted from Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tbs (1/2 stick butter) melted
2 (14-ounce) cans condensed milk
1 cup key lime or regular lime juice
2 whole eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 tbs powdered sugar
1 tbs lime zest

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter with your hands. Press the mixture firmly into a 9-inch pie pan, and bake until brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature before filling.

Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

In a separate bowl, combine the condensed milk, lime juice, and eggs. Whisk until well blended and place the filling in the cooled pie shell. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes and allow to chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Once chilled, combine the sour cream and powdered sugar and spread over the top of the pie using a spatula. 

Sprinkle the lime zest as a garnish on top of the sour cream and serve chilled.

Beer and Wine Served