Dill Pickle Soup

Recipe by: Heather K. "Finely chopped dill pickles are combined with lots of seasonings in chicken broth to make a very unique soup. This does sound like an odd recipe, but it really is good!"

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

7 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup finely chopped dill pickles

2 tablespoons dill pickle juice

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons minced garlic

4 teaspoons onion salt

1 teaspoon dill weed

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2 bay leaves

2 cups warm milk

Directions 

Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Whisk in flour, and cook until the flour just begins to turn from white to a pale beige, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth until thickened and smooth. Increase heat to medium high, add dill pickles, pickle juice, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion salt, dill weed, curry powder, white pepper, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes, whisking frequently. Remove from heat and whisk in milk. Remove bay leaves before serving.

Spring Strawberry Soup

Recipe by: Matt Wencl 

"If you prefer refreshment over sweetness, you'll love this chilled soup's delicious flavor. Perfect as a mini-course, palate cleanser or a lovely, light finish to a good meal, you'll be surprised at just how good this is! Serve garnished with diced strawberries, mint leaves, and yogurt, if desired."

Ingredients

2 pints hulled strawberries

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons simple syrup, or more to taste

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

To Make

Combine strawberries, yogurt, orange juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, and vanilla extract in a blender; blend until smooth. Refrigerate soup until chilled, about 30 minutes.

Cook's Notes:

Use a flavored simple syrup such as mint, thyme, lavender, hibiscus, or orange to add some interesting complexity.

Make this soup vegan by replacing the yogurt with coconut milk.

Hunt’s Tomato Soup with Herb Pesto

Tomato Soup with Herb Pesto

INGREDIENTS:

2 cans (398 mL each) Hunt’s Heirloom – Crushed Tomatoes

1/3 cup (75 mL) olive oil, divided

1 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 tsp (5 mL) each salt and pepper, divided

4 cups (1 L) reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped jarred roasted red peppers

2 bay leaves

1/3 cup (75 mL) 35% whipping cream

2 tbsp (30 mL) lemon juice, divided

1/3 cup (75 mL) finely chopped fresh basil

2 tbsp (30 mL) finely chopped fresh parsley

2 tbsp (30 mL) grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped almonds

1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped fresh dill

1 clove garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS:

Heat 2 tbsp (30 mL) oil in large saucepan set over medium heat; cook onion, carrots, and half of the salt and pepper for about 5 minutes or until slightly softened. Stir in tomatoes, broth, 2 cups (500 mL) water, peppers and bay leaves; bring to boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low; cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until carrots are very tender. Remove bay leaves. Using hand blender, blend until smooth. Stir in cream and 4 tsp (20 mL) lemon juice; heat through.

In food processor, combine basil, parsley, cheese, almonds, dill, garlic, and remaining lemon juice, salt and pepper; pulse until combined. Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days.

Divide soup among bowls. Top with herb pesto.

CHEF'S TIP:

Serve with classic grilled cheese sandwiches made with aged Cheddar 

Quick Manhattan Clam Chowder

Quick Manhattan Clam Chowder

Recipe by: MEGSCOOKIN

 "I was looking for a quick and easy Manhattan clam chowder and never found one, so I made my own!"

1 tablespoon olive oil1 onion, diced4 ribs celery, diced1/2 (16 ounce) package baby carrots, diced1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, or to taste1 clove garlic, minced, or more to tasteblack pepper to taste3 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes4 (6.5 ounce) cans minced clams, undrained2 (8 ounce) bottles clam juice1 (14.5 ounce) can whole potatoes, drained and diced1 dash Worcestershire sauce, or to taste

To Make

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat; cook and stir onion, celery, carrots, basil, garlic, and black pepper until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer 1/2 of the vegetable mixture to a food processor.

Stir 2 cans stewed tomatoes into the pot. Drain the remaining can of stewed tomatoes and add to the food processor. Blend vegetable-tomato mixture until smooth. Stir pureed mixture into pot with vegetables.

Mix clams, clam juice, and potatoes into the pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer soup until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Season soup with Worcestershire sauce.

Red Curry Coconut Squash

Red Curry Coconut Squash

Recipe by: dana.killingthyme

 "This curried squash soup has such an amazing balance of flavors and has officially become my favorite soup. Perfect for a chilly fall day! The fall weather always serves as inspiration for soup, especially butternut squash soups. I really wanted to put a spin on the typical squash soup this time, though. Optional garnishes include sliced scallions, toasted squash seeds, or shrimp. I highly suggest the toasted squash seeds as a garnish. They really add a lot!"

1 medium butternut squash

2 tablespoons butter, or more as needed

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1/2 onion, chopped

2 roasted red peppers, drained and sliced

2 tablespoons red curry paste

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk (such as Thai Kitchen®)

1/2 cup skim milk

To Make

Peel butternut squash. Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Cut flesh into cubes.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter and coconut oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add squash, red peppers, red curry paste, ginger, and garlic. Mix thoroughly and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add extra butter if the pot dries out, to avoid burning onion or squash.

Pour coconut milk and skim milk into the pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer soup, stirring often, until squash is soft, about 25 minutes.

Pour 1/3 of the soup into a blender. Cover and hold lid down with a potholder; pulse a few times before leaving on to blend. Pour into a large bowl. Repeat twice more.

Footnotes

Cook's Note:

To prepare the squash seeds, give them a good rinse. Place in a small pot with just enough salted water to cover. Boil for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and pat dry. Toss in a small splash of olive oil and sea salt, then roast at approximately 325 degrees F (160 degrees C) for 10 minutes or until they have a nice crunch.

Disneyland's Clam Chowder Recipe (Copycat)

Disneyland's Clam Chowder Recipe (Copycat)

5 Tablespoons butter

5 Tablespoons flour

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup red pepper

1/2 cup green pepper

1/2 cup celery

2 1/4 cups clam juice 

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 cup clams, chopped

1/2 Tablespoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pinch white pepper

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

sourdough bread, slices (optional)

To Make

Melt the butter in a saucepan and then add the flour to make a roux. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring often, then set aside.

In a large pot, heat the oil and saute the potatoes, onion, peppers and celery over medium heat until the potatoes are just barely tender, about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked.

Add the heavy cream, clam juice, clams, thyme, salt, pepper, Tabasco sauce, and roux. Whisk well to blend in the roux.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more seasoning to taste.

The Serve with a side of sourdough bread, if desire.

Cream of Celery Soup

Cream of Celery Soup

Recipe and Photography Credit

Elise Bauer SimplyRecipes

Taste the raw celery you plan to use in this soup. The celery should be fresh and good on its own, not old or bitter. If you have a particularly tough or bitter bunch of celery, please don't use it in this soup, find another use for it.

3 Tbsp butter, divided into 2 Tbsp and 1 Tbsp

1 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups sliced leeks, white and light green parts only

5 cups of chopped celery, and 1 1/2 cups of diced celery  (from one large bunch of celery or two small bunches)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 bay leaves

4 cups chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon to 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, to taste

1/4 to 1/3 cup of cream

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Fresh chopped chives or parsley for garnish

To Make

1 Sauté onions, leeks, 5 cups of chopped celery: Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a thick-bottomed 4 to 5 quart pot on medium heat. Add the diced onion, the leeks, and 5 cups of the chopped celery.

Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes until softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for a minute more.

2 Add stock, bay leaves, salt, then simmer: Add the chicken stock and bay leaves to the pot. Taste for salt and add salt. (If you are using unsalted butter and unsalted stock, you will need to add more salt than you expect, if not, maybe just a little salt will be needed.)

Increase heat to bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover to maintain a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes.

3 Braise remaining celery to soften: While the soup is simmering, prepare the extra celery that will be added later to the soup. In a separate small sauté pan, melt 1 Tbsp of butter on medium heat. Add 1 1/2 cups diced celery to the butter.

Ladle 1/2 cup of the simmering stock from the soup pot into the sauté pan. Simmer on low for 5 or 6 minutes to soften the celery. Set aside.

4 Purée soup: Remove the soup pot from heat, let cool slightly. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender, filling the blender no more than a third full at a time (keep your hand on the lid so the hot liquid doesn't explode). Return the puréed soup to the pot.

5 Stir in the cream and the braised diced celery.

Taste for salt and add more if needed. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and chopped chives or parsley to serve.

TOMATO SOUP 2.0

Ree Drummond

The Pioneer Woman

INGREDIENTS

3 10.75-oz cans condensed tomato soup

¼ cup sherry

¼ cup heavy cream 

3 Tbsp pesto

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

½ cup diced fresh tomatoes

Drizzle of olive oil

A few fresh basil leaves, chopped, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Add the soup to a pot with 3 cups water and heat over medium heat according to the can instructions.

2. When hot, add the sherry, cream, pesto and Parmesan. Stir and heat through.

3. Serve up the soup in bowls and sprinkle on the tomatoes, a drizzle of olive oil, more grated Parmesan and some basil.

Read more at http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/tomato-soup-20/21273/#l8cpZSmIbljoFcqC.9

Apple and Parsnip Soup

Recipe by: Glen Oliver

“I make this every year at Christmas but it is good on any cold winter day or night”

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 large onions

1 clove garlic

2 large parsnips

2tsp medium curry powder

1 1/2 ltrs chicken stock

1 lb cooking apples (3 good size Granny Smiths is what I use)

300ml light cream

To Garnish

1 cup pecans 

1tsb butter

150ml creme fraiche or sour cream 

To Make

Peel and kcore two of the apples, then cut them into 1-inch pieces. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat Add the garlic and onions and sauté for three minutes. Add parsnips and sauté for three more minutes. Add the apple pieces, salt and curry powder salt and stir for one minute. Add 1 Ltr of I’m broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes. Slowly add the cream stirring all the time. At this point, if the soup is too thick for your liking, add more broth 1 cup at a time and return to a simmer.

Allow the soup to cool slightly. Purée until smooth, either by working in batches in blender or using a hand blender, thinning with more broth by half-cupfuls as desired. Return soup to pot and bring to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Melt butter in a small pot. Add pecans and sauté for 3 minutes. Peel and finely dice the remaining apple. Ladle the soup into bowls. Drizzle with creme fraiche or sour cream. Sprinkle some pecans and diced apples on top and serv

Clam and Bacon Soup

Photograph by Ryan Liebe

1/2 cup dry vermouth or white wine

24 littleneck clams, scrubbed

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 slices bacon, chopped

1 head garlic, cloves roughly chopped

3 spring onions or scallions (white and light green parts only), thinly sliced

3 stalks celery, thinly sliced, plus chopped leaves for topping

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup fresh or frozen peas

1/2 cup half-and-half or light cream

1 small baguette, sliced

To Make

Bring 4 cups water and the vermouth to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add the clams, cover and cook until they start opening, 4 to 10 minutes; as the clams open, transfer them to a bowl using tongs. (Discard any unopened clams.) Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl; set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the bacon and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon starts to crisp, about 7 minutes. Add the spring onions, sliced celery, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 7 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables in the pan; cook, stirring, until incorporated, about 1 minute. Slowly add the reserved clam cooking liquid, stirring and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the clams to the saucepan (remove from the shells and chop, if desired); add the peas. Cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the half-and-half. Top with celery leaves and serve with the baguette.

Cream of Roasted Red Bell Pepper Soup with Roasted Sweet Corn and Cilantro- Lime Sour Cream

8 large red bell peppers

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup chopped onion

2 cloves minced garlic

1/4 cup tomato paste

6 cups chicken stock

2 cups heavy cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup sweet corn kernels, lightly roasted

Cilantro Lime Sour Cream, recipe follows

Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream:

1 cup sour cream

1/2 lime, juiced

 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh cilantro leaves

To Make

Slice the peppers in half lengthwise; remove stem, seeds and membrane. Place under the broiler skin side up until the skin turns black and blisters. Remove and immediately place in a small paper bag or plastic container with a tight lid. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes; this will loosen the roasted skin. Remove peppers and rub off the black skin with your fingers. Chop skinned peppers and set aside.

Saute the butter, onions, and garlic until soft in a heavy bottomed soup pot on medium-low heat. Add the reserved red peppers, tomato paste, and chicken stock. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat, and then simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Stir in the cornstarch mixed with a little cold water to thicken. Simmer 5 minutes. *Let the soup cool slightly, and then blend in batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender to puree. Sprinkle the roasted corn over the soup before serving and top with a dollop of Cilantro Lime Sour Cream.

Cilantro-Lime Sour Cream:

In a mixing bowl, whisk all ingredients vigorously until light and creamy.

Absolutely Ultimate Potato Soup

Recipe by: Karena

"I have made this for many whom have given it the title. This takes a bit of effort but is well worth it. Please note: for those who do not wish to use bacon, substitute 1/4 cup melted butter for the bacon grease and continue with the recipe. (I generally serve this soup as a special treat as it is not recommended for people counting calories.”

1 pound bacon, chopped

2 stalks celery, diced

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

8 potatoes, peeled and cubed

4 cups chicken stock, or enough to cover potatoes

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon dried tarragon

3 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

To Make

 In a Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat until done. Remove bacon from pan, and set aside. Drain off all but 1/4 cup of the bacon grease.

Cook celery and onion in reserved bacon drippings until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, and continue cooking for 1 to 2 minutes. Add cubed potatoes, and toss to coat. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes. 

Return bacon to the pan, and add enough chicken stock to just cover the potatoes. Cover, and simmer until potatoes are tender.

In a separate pan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the heavy cream, tarragon, and cilantro. Bring the cream mixture to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir the cream mixture into the potato mixture. Puree about 1/2 the soup, and return to the pan. Adjust seasonings to taste. 

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

1 teaspoon olive oil1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 red bell peppers

4 large tomatoes - peeled, seeded and chopped

1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 teaspoons paprika

1/8 teaspoon white sugar

6 cups chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

1 pinch ground cayenne pepper

1 dash hot pepper sauce 

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

6 tablespoons sour cream

To Make

Roast peppers: rub oil on peppers and put them under the broiler until blackened, turn to get all sides. Put into paper bag and seal. Let rest for 15 minutes, then peel will come right off and core and seeds will fall out. Chop peppers. Reserve one chopped pepper; set aside.

Heat olive oil over moderate heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato, bell peppers (except reserved), thyme, paprika, and sugar. Cook over medium-low heat until all the tomato juices have evaporated, about 25 minutes. 

Stir in chicken stock, salt and pepper, cayenne pepper, and hot sauce (if using). Bring to boiling, lower heat, and simmer, partially covered, for 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Strain soup, reserving broth. Place solids in food processor or blender, and process until fairly smooth. Add puree back into broth.

Melt butter and stir in the flour, cook for 1 minute. Stirring slowly, add the broth/vegetable mixture. Add reserved chopped pepper and bring to boiling. Lower heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and add 1 tablespoon of sour cream to each bowl. For a lighter soup, this is also delicious without the sour cream.

Cream Of Mushroom Soup

8 Ounces fresh mushroom
2 tablespoons onions, chopped
2 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2-3 tablespoons flour (separated)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup light cream or
1 cup evaporated milk
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg

To Make

Cut the mushrooms into slices.

Melt butter in large frying pan. Add in onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook until onions are soft.

Blend in 2 T. flour and stir.

Add in the chicken broth and heat until slightly thickened while stirring

Stir cream with additional 1 T. flour and seasonings.

Add the cream to soup. Heat to thicken while stirring frequently.