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Authors: James Beard
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course, any of the soups may be served cold.
Once you start to play around with the basic recipe that follows, you can alter and adjust it to suit yourself, adding different flavoring herbs and experimenting with various vegetables and combinations of vegetables. For instance, a cut-up avocado put in the blender or food processor (not the food mill) with a zucchini, watercress, or cucumber soup will both thicken and give a lovely flavor and velvety texture.
2 cups Chicken Stock
1 cup sliced or finely cut vegetable
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herb of your choice or 1 teaspoon dried herb
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cream (heavy, light, sour), half-and-half, or yogurt
Instant mashed potato for thickening, if needed [see Editor’s Note, here ]
Chopped fresh parsley, dill, or chives, or a sprinkle of paprika, for garnish
Put the stock, vegetables, and herbs in a saucepan and simmer until tender but not mushy. Purée the vegetables in a food processor or blender. [ Editor: Whenever you purée a hot mixture in a blender, vent the opening in the lid so the steam can escape. Otherwise, the steam will build up in the container and create pressure that splatters puréed food all over the kitchen walls—and you. ]
Return the vegetables and liquid to the pan and season to taste with salt and pepper, depending on how seasoned the stock is. Stir in the cream and reheat. If using sour cream or yogurt, be sure to keep the soup under the boiling point, or it will curdle.
If the soup needs more thickening, stir in instant mashed potatoes and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until thickened to taste. The amount will depend on the natural thickness of the vegetable used. Serve with a garnish of chopped parsley, chives, dill, or whatever herb is appropriate, or a dash of paprika.[ Editor: Add the instant potatoes by the tablespoon into the simmering soup until it reaches the desired thickness. ]
VARIATION
ARTICHOKE SOUP: Boil 3 or 4 large artichokes in a pot of lightly salted water until tender. Remove the bottoms, discarding the chokes. Scrape the artichoke meat from the leaves and discard the leaves. Purée the artichoke bottoms and meat; you should have 1 cup. Use in place of the sliced or chopped vegetable.
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Vegetable/Seasoning Combinations for Basic Cream of Vegetable Soup
Jerusalem Artichokes/Fennel Seed
Parsnips/Cinnamon
Rutabagas/Rosemary
Pumpkin/Nutmeg
Salsify/Chervil
Summer Squash/Dill
Winter Squash/Ginger
----
BLACK BEAN SOUP
MAKES 12 SERVINGS
One of the greatest of all American soups, this version comes from Leon Lianides, owner of the Coach House Restaurant in New York, where it was a specialty of the house. Black bean soup freezes well and is worth making in quantity. Hot corn sticks are wonderful accompaniments.
2 cups dried black beans
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
2 large yellow onions, coarsely chopped
3 leeks, white and pale green part only, well washed and coarsely cut
1 celery rib, coarsely cut
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 bay leaves
2 or 3 whole cloves
1 ham hock, split, with bone and rind
3 pounds beef or veal bones
8 whole black peppercorns
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 to 5 quarts water
½ cup Madeira wine
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, 2 or 3 finely chopped hard-boiled eggs, thin slices of lemon, for garnish
Soak the beans overnight in cold water to cover. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a stockpot, add the onions, leeks, celery, garlic, bay leaves, and cloves. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add the ham shank and bones and cook for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the peppercorns and flour and blend well. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, then add 4 to 5 quarts water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, skim off the scum, and simmer for 8 to 10 hours, covered, except for a small air space between the pot and lid. Strain the stock, discarding the bones, bay leaves, cloves, and peppercorns. Return the stock and
Once you start to play around with the basic recipe that follows, you can alter and adjust it to suit yourself, adding different flavoring herbs and experimenting with various vegetables and combinations of vegetables. For instance, a cut-up avocado put in the blender or food processor (not the food mill) with a zucchini, watercress, or cucumber soup will both thicken and give a lovely flavor and velvety texture.
2 cups Chicken Stock
1 cup sliced or finely cut vegetable
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herb of your choice or 1 teaspoon dried herb
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cream (heavy, light, sour), half-and-half, or yogurt
Instant mashed potato for thickening, if needed [see Editor’s Note, here ]
Chopped fresh parsley, dill, or chives, or a sprinkle of paprika, for garnish
Put the stock, vegetables, and herbs in a saucepan and simmer until tender but not mushy. Purée the vegetables in a food processor or blender. [ Editor: Whenever you purée a hot mixture in a blender, vent the opening in the lid so the steam can escape. Otherwise, the steam will build up in the container and create pressure that splatters puréed food all over the kitchen walls—and you. ]
Return the vegetables and liquid to the pan and season to taste with salt and pepper, depending on how seasoned the stock is. Stir in the cream and reheat. If using sour cream or yogurt, be sure to keep the soup under the boiling point, or it will curdle.
If the soup needs more thickening, stir in instant mashed potatoes and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until thickened to taste. The amount will depend on the natural thickness of the vegetable used. Serve with a garnish of chopped parsley, chives, dill, or whatever herb is appropriate, or a dash of paprika.[ Editor: Add the instant potatoes by the tablespoon into the simmering soup until it reaches the desired thickness. ]
VARIATION
ARTICHOKE SOUP: Boil 3 or 4 large artichokes in a pot of lightly salted water until tender. Remove the bottoms, discarding the chokes. Scrape the artichoke meat from the leaves and discard the leaves. Purée the artichoke bottoms and meat; you should have 1 cup. Use in place of the sliced or chopped vegetable.
----
Vegetable/Seasoning Combinations for Basic Cream of Vegetable Soup
Jerusalem Artichokes/Fennel Seed
Parsnips/Cinnamon
Rutabagas/Rosemary
Pumpkin/Nutmeg
Salsify/Chervil
Summer Squash/Dill
Winter Squash/Ginger
----
BLACK BEAN SOUP
MAKES 12 SERVINGS
One of the greatest of all American soups, this version comes from Leon Lianides, owner of the Coach House Restaurant in New York, where it was a specialty of the house. Black bean soup freezes well and is worth making in quantity. Hot corn sticks are wonderful accompaniments.
2 cups dried black beans
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
2 large yellow onions, coarsely chopped
3 leeks, white and pale green part only, well washed and coarsely cut
1 celery rib, coarsely cut
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 bay leaves
2 or 3 whole cloves
1 ham hock, split, with bone and rind
3 pounds beef or veal bones
8 whole black peppercorns
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 to 5 quarts water
½ cup Madeira wine
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, 2 or 3 finely chopped hard-boiled eggs, thin slices of lemon, for garnish
Soak the beans overnight in cold water to cover. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a stockpot, add the onions, leeks, celery, garlic, bay leaves, and cloves. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add the ham shank and bones and cook for 3 or 4 minutes. Add the peppercorns and flour and blend well. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes, then add 4 to 5 quarts water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, skim off the scum, and simmer for 8 to 10 hours, covered, except for a small air space between the pot and lid. Strain the stock, discarding the bones, bay leaves, cloves, and peppercorns. Return the stock and
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