Broccoli Soup

Ingredients

2 cups water

1 large head fresh broccoli and stems, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup carrot, chopped

1 cup onion, chopped

5 tablespoons butter

7 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken broth (see Chicken Broth recipe)

2 cups milk

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped

1 – 2 cloves garlic, crushed, optional

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1. In a Dutch oven, bring water to a boil. Add broccoli, celery and carrots; boil 2-3 minutes. Drain; set vegetables aside.

2. In the Dutch oven, sauté onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour to form a smooth paste. Gradually add the broth and milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for one minute. 3. Add vegetables and remaining ingredients. Lower heat; cover and simmer until vegetables are tender.

Makes about 8 cups

Bouillabaisse

The best Bouillabaisse comes from Marseille and uses at least five to seven freshly caught fish. You can serve it with rouille or without, your preference.

Ingredients

3 pounds of at least 3 different kinds of fish fillets

¼ - ½ cup extra virgin Olive oil

1-2 pounds of Oysters, clams, or mussels

1 – 1 ½ cup cooked shrimp, crab, or lobster meat, or rock lobster tails

1 cup onions, thinly sliced

2 or 3 leeks, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 – 1 ½ large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 sweet red pepper, chopped

4 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2-inch slice of fennel or 1 teaspoon of fennel seed

3 sprigs fresh thyme or ¾ teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

2 whole cloves

Zest of half an orange

½ teaspoon powdered saffron

2 teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup clam juice or fish broth

2 Tbps lemon juice, optional

2/3 cup white wine

Sliced French bread to serve on the side

1.

  Heat half of the extra virgin olive oil in a large (6-qt) saucepan. When hot, add onions and leeks. Sauté for a minute, then add crushed garlic to taste, and sweet red pepper. Add tomato, celery, and fennel. Stir the vegetables into the oil with a wooden spoon. Then add the other half of the olive oil, thyme, bay leaf, cloves and the orange zest. Cook until the onion is soft and golden but not brown.

2.  Cut fish fillets into 2-inch pieces. Add the pieces of fish and 2 cups of water to the vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Add oysters, clams or mussels (though these may be omitted if desired) and shrimp, crabmeat or lobster tails, cut into pieces.

3.  Add saffron, salt, pepper. Add clam juice, lemon juice, and white wine. Bring to a simmer and cook 5 minutes.

4.  Before serving, add salt and pepper to taste. Add two tablespoons lemon juice (optional). Many people like to put a thick slice of crusty French bread into the soup bowl and ladle the bouillabaisse over the bread. If desired, serve with Sauce Rouille. 

Serves 6

This is my mother's recipe which she cooked in different ways, depending on what was available.

 

Sauce Rouille:

1 Tbsp hot fish stock or clam broth.

2 cloves peeled garlic

1 small red hot pepper

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup soft white bread, pulled into bits

½ cup olive oil

  Put hot fish stock or clam broth into the bottom of a blender. Add garlic and red hot pepper, salt and bread. Blend until very smooth. With the blender still running, add olive oil slowly and stop the blending as soon as the oil disappears.

  At serving time pass Rouille in a little bowl along with the bouillabaisse. Each serving is about 1/2 a teaspoon that you stir into your soup. Use gingerly like Tabasco. It tastes something like garlic mayonnaise.

Borscht II (Russian)

Ingredients
1 lb venison or beef brisket, cut into ½ inch pieces

4 beets, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes

1 large carrot, cut into thin rounds

1 medium onion, chopped

14 oz. (1 can) chopped sauerkraut, drained, (may be rinsed for less salty flavor)

2 - 4 tablespoons cream or half-and-half

1 clove fresh garlic, peeled and minced
In a Dutch oven, braise meat over medium heat using very little cooking oil, (spray pan coating, such as Pam, is good.)

2. Add all other ingredients in Dutch oven.  Add enough water to cover ingredients by one inch.  Heat to boiling and cover.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring frequently.

Can be served immediately, but is best if allowed to cool, stored overnight in refrigerator, reheated and served the following evening. 

Note: do not add salt as sauerkraut is already quite salty

Borscht I

Ingredients

8-9 cups homemade beef broth (homemade chicken broth acceptable)

1 pound of meaty bone-in beef shank

1-2 onions quartered

3 cloves garlic, minced (optional)

4-5 large beets, peeled, chopped

4-5 carrots, peeled, chopped

1 large peeled potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cups cabbage thinly sliced

1 cup chopped fresh dill

3-4 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 cup sour cream (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil 4 cups of the beef broth, the beef shank, onion and garlic in large pot. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until meat is tender, 1 hour 30 minutes.

2. Transfer meat to work surface; discard fat, sinew and bone. Chop meat; cover and refrigerate. Cool broth. Chill in pot until cold, overnight.

3. Next day, remove fat from top. Add remaining 4 cups broth, beets, carrots, and potato; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until vegetables are tender, 30 minutes.

4. Stir in meat, cabbage and 1/2 cup dill; cook until cabbage is tender, 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add vinegar.

Serve in bowls. Top with sour cream and remaining 1/2 cup dill (optional).

Makes about 6 servings

Note: My grandmother lived in Russia for a few years and collected many Russian recipes, including this one.

Black Bean Soup III

Ingredients
1 lb black beans, soaked

8 cups water

1 tablespoon salt

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup green chopped pepper  

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon cumin (or to taste)

4-5 teaspoons white vinegar or to taste.

1. Simmer beans in water until soft. Sauté onion, pepper, celery and carrots in extra virgin olive oil until the onions turn golden brown. Add garlic, cumin and vinegar. Cook, stirring for 3 minutes. Drain about 1/2 cup water from beans and add it to the sauté.

2. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes.

3. Combine vegetables with beans.

4. Cook for another 30 minutes, adding more water if necessary.

Garnish with chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, chopped hardboiled egg or chopped English cucumber.

Serves approx 6

Black Bean Soup II

Ingredients

4 cups dried black beans, rinsed

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 large green chopped bell peppers

2 chopped cooking onions

7 minced garlic cloves

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

8 oz. canned dice green chilies

2 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup fresh lemon or lime juice

Chopped tomatoes

Chopped red onion

Grated cheddar cheese

Sour Cream

Chopped fresh cilantro

Totopos (Baked Tostitos, optional)

1. Place beans in large pot. Add enough cold water to cover by 3 inches and soak overnight. Drain beans, reserving 3 cups soaking liquid. Return beans to pot. Add enough cold water to cover. Simmer beans until tender, stirring frequently, about 2 hours. Drain well.

2. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add bell peppers, 1 onion, garlic, cumin, chili, basil, oregano and Tabasco and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add beans, reserved soaking liquid, green chilies and tomato sauce and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until chili is thick, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Mix in lemon or lime juice. Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve chili in bowls. Pass tomatoes, red onion, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and chips separately.

Makes 12 servings

Barley Soup

Ingredients

½ cup pearl barley

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

5 large carrots, peeled, cut into thin rounds

1 pound fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 onion, chopped

6 cups vegetable or chicken stock (see our recipes for stocks)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

4 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped

2 tablespoons lemon juice, optional

1. In a medium soup pot, bring two cups water to a simmer.  Remove from heat, add barley and set aside.  Drain after 20 minutes.

2. In a Dutch oven, heat extra virgin olive oil.  Sauté carrots, mushrooms, and onion.  Add stock, barley and two tablespoons finely chopped dill.   Cover and reduce heat.  Simmer for 45 minutes. 

3.  Add remaining dill, salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and lemon juice if desired.

Serves approx 6

Black Bean Soup I

Ingredients
2 lbs. dried black beans

2 ham bone (or 1 lb. salt pork, chopped into match sticks)

4 med. onions, chopped

2 carrot, chopped

2 stalk celery, chopped

2 or 3 cloves garlic, crushed

2 bay leaf or laurel leaf

1/2 c. wine vinegar (optional)

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Wash the beans and pick out rocks. Place beans with all ingredients (except vinegar) in 3 quarts of water in heavy pot. Bring to a boil and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Puree half of the beans and add the rest. Add vinegar, if desired. Add more water or stock if too thick. Remove bones or bay leaf. Top with a spoonful of sour cream (optional) or a dusting of chili powder, serve garnished with a sieved hard boiled egg or finely chopped green onions.

Makes 12 servings.

NOTE: You can make half the recipe. Wonderful on a cold day.