Friday, November 2, 2007

Pureed Soups

I know most of my recipes don’t have complete measurements. I just toss things together and I estimate quantity for recipes later…if I remember to write it down. So bear with me as I struggle to measure while concocting. Soups aren’t a science, there’s personal preference for thickness, smoothness, dimension and flavor. Play with your food.

Pureed Soups
I have used all the vegetables of the celeriac soups as veggie patties (grated raw or grated roasted) or as mashed potato alternative too.

Celeriac * Fennel * Sage soup
1 –ish lb celery root, cubed
1 large fennel bulb and light green shoots, chopped
1 T. olive oil
pinch of salt
1 –ish cup soy or nut milk
1 –ish cup broth or water
fresh sage leaves (can fry whole leaves in oil and use as garnish or sauté chopped with vegetables)

2 – 3 cloves garlic
Saute chopped veggies, garlic and salt in olive oil. Add liquid and simmer til veggies are soft. Puree and serve.

Celeriac o Turnip o Apple soup

1 – 1.5 lb celery root
2 -3 med turnip
1 roasted granny smith
Broth, enough to thin to soup consistency

I had an extra peeled granny left over from pie baking day. I roasted it and the exterior remained dry and white but the inside was complete mush. It was awesome. I roasted it along with the celery root and turnips. Neither was majorly soft but celeriac was easy to chop. Toss all into soup pot with broth. Simmer until soft and puree.


Pumpkin Coconut Curry soup
2.5 cups pumpkin roasted
7 – 14 oz coconut milk
7 oz nut or soy milk (optional)
2 cups water
1 T each turmeric, ginger, coriander, allspice
2 T mustard

several shakes cayenne
pinch salt

In enameled cast iron soup pot over medium low heat, toast dry spices stirring continuously so spices don’t burn. The aroma of the spices will release within 5 minutes of heating and stirring. Add oil and pumpkin and incorporate with spices. Stir in 7 oz of coconut milk with the 7 oz of nut or soymilk for less fattening soup or 14 oz of coconut milk for full fat rich variation. Pour in 2 cups of water and combine with soup. Puree with immersion hand blender or transfer to blender or processor. Flavors will intensify if stored 24 hours.

With the above ingredients soup will have mild rich flavor with little dimension other than the kick of cayenne. To heighten flavor, try adding either 1 roasted granny smith, pureed; or 2 roasted parsnip, pureed; or 1 stalk lemongrass simmered with the 2 cups water; or julienned mint, basil, cilantro. These alternatives will provide you with 4 completely different soups.