Soups & Chowders

Soups & Chowders

Beef Barley
Black Bean
Bouillabaisse
Chicken, Ham And Rice
Corn Chowder with Leeks
Crawfish Chowder
French Onion
Gingery Chicken
Jalapeño Cheese
Kale
Lobster Bisque
New England Clam Chowder
Seafood Bisque
Southwestern Black Bean
Split Pea
Wonton

Crawfish Chowder

2 pounds crawfish tails
¼ cup butter
4 onions, sliced
1 cup hot water
6 potatoes, cubed
6 cups milk
8 ounces shredded sharp cheese

Melt butter over medium heat, add onions and cook 5 minutes. Add hot water, potatoes, salt and pepper. Cook 10 minutes. Add crawfish tails, cook another 5 minutes. In a separate saucepan, combine milk and cheese over low heat until cheese melts. Add to crawfish mixture.

New England Clam Chowder

1 quart clams, minced
4 slices bacon, diced
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
½ cup chopped onion
2½ cups milk
1 cup light cream
½ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
½ teaspoon oregano
¼ teaspoon coarse-ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon basil

Drain clams, reserving liquid. Add enough water to reserved liquid to measure 2 cups liquid; set aside. In a large pot, fry bacon until crisp; remove bacon and set aside. Add reserved liquid, potatoes, and onion to fat in pan. Cook, uncovered for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in clams, 2 cups of the milk, and the cream. Blend remaining ½ cup milk with the flour; stir into chowder. Cook and stir till bubbly. Cook one minute more. Add Worcestershire Sauce, oregano, basil, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in bacon.

Kale Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound Chorizo or Andouille sausage, cut into ½-inch slices
1 large onion, chopped
6 to 8 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
¼ pound dried navy white beans, soaked overnight and drained
¼ pound dried red beans, soaked overnight and drain
4 quarts chicken stock
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 bunch kale, stemmed and torn
2 bay leaves
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Black pepper to taste

In a heavy 8 to 9-quart stockpot, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the sausage and onion and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, parsley and beans and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper flakes, and black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until the beans are tender, about 1½ hours. Add the potatoes and kale. Continue to simmer for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Corn Chowder with Leeks

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups minced leeks, white part only
1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
2 stalks celery, minced
5 cups chicken stock
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 parsley sprigs
Salt
4 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 cup heavy cream

Melt butter over medium low heat in a large saucepan. Add leeks, potatoes and celery; cover and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add broth, herbs and season to taste with salt; add corn if using frozen. Raise heat to medium and bring to a simmer; cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add corn if using fresh and cook 5 minutes. Add cream and return to a simmer. Remove herb sprigs and bay leaves and garnish with tarragon before serving.

Lobster Bisque

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 shallots, thinly sliced
12 mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup brandy
1 cup Madeira
6 cups lobster stock
1 tablespoon softened, unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
1½ cups heavy cream
¼ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Dash Louisiana hot sauce

Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Sauté shallots until golden, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook over high heat until slightly browned, about 2 additional minutes. Remove from heat and add brandy and Madeira reserving ¼ cup of each for final seasoning. Cook over high heat until liquid is reduced by half. Add lobster stock and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the strength of the stock. (Weaker stocks need to cook longer to concentrate the flavors.) Occasionally skim and discard foam that rises to the top.

Make beurre manié by mixing butter and flour with your fingers to form a smooth paste. Press onto ends of a whisk.

When broth has a strong, almost salty, lobster flavor, add cream and bring it back to a boil, skimming foam occasionally. Then whisk in beurre manié until dissolved. Cook an additional 5 minutes over high heat, whisking occasionally. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing with the back of a ladle to extract all juices. Season with lemon juice, reserved brandy, Madeira and Louisiana hot sauce. Serve immediately.

Seafood Bisque

12 medium shrimp
24 mussels, well scrubbed
12 sea scallops
2 cups dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic
2 ribs celery
1 1 to 1½-pound lobster
4 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ cup grated carrot
Salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Combine the white wine, bay leaf, onion, garlic, and celery in a large stockpot over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Add the lobster, cover the pot and steam for 10 minutes. Remove the lobster. Add the shrimp, cover the pot, and steam for 5 minutes. Remove the shrimp with strainer or tongs. Add the mussels, cover the pot and steam until they open, about 5 minutes. Remove the mussels with tongs, extract the meat, and discard the shells. Discard any mussels that do not open.

Add 2 cups water to the liquid in the pot, bring to a boil, and then add the scallops. Cover the pot and steam for 3 minutes. Remove the scallops with tongs.

Extract the lobster meat, reserving the shells. Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells. Chop the meats into bite-sized portions; cover and set aside.

Return the seafood shells to the pot of broth and add 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the broth and return to the pan. Bring the broth to a simmer over low heat. Add the cream, milk, thyme, parsley and rosemary and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, 5 minutes. Add the lobster, shrimp, mussels, and scallops and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the carrots and simmer another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in the lemon juice.

Black Bean Soup

¾ pound black beans
1½ quarts cold water
2 ounces Salt Pork
¾ pound ham bones
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 green peppers, chopped
½ cup bacon drippings or olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon oregano
¼ cup vinegar
1 Jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

Wash beans. Soak overnight, drain. In a stock pot, add water, beans, salt pork, and ham hock and simmer over low heat. Sauté onions, garlic, Jalapeño, green pepper in bacon drippings until tender. Add to beans. Season with bay leaves, salt and oregano. Simmer until beans are tender and thick, about 3 hours. Add vinegar just before serving.

Bouillabaisse

1 Spanish onion, diced
½cup lobster meat
1 gal. fish stock
3 potatoes, diced
pinch saffron
1 teaspoon dried basil
Scrod fillet, large dice
6 medium shrimp, shelled
¼ teaspoon white pepper
12 Littleneck clams
1 oz. Sambuca
2 cups crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced

Fish Stock:
2 cloves garlic, sliced
2 cups dry white wine
6 to 8 cups water
1 large onion, diced
2 to 3 lbs. fish bones
¼ cup butter
1 medium carrot, diced
8 sprigs parsley
1 tablespoon whole pepper
1 stalk celery, sliced
¼ teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf

Fish Stock:
Melt butter in 6-quart kettle, add onion, garlic, carrot and celery, cook until onions are soft but not browned. Add fish bones, parsley, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaf and wine. Add enough water to cover. Slowly bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Strain and discard solids.

Bouillabaisse:
Prepare fish stock as above (or use prepared clam juice), bring to low simmer, add crushed tomatoes. Add potato, onion and garlic, cook until potato is barely tender, about 10 minutes. Add scrod pieces, simmer five minutes. Add clams, simmer until opened.

Add basil, pepper, saffron, shrimp and lobster meat, simmer until shrimp turn pink. Add Sambuca.

Jalapeño Cheese Soup

6 cups chicken broth
8 celery stalks
2 cups diced onion
¾ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
2 pounds Velveeta cheese
1 cup diced Jalapeño peppers
Sour cream

Dice celery stalks and onions. Cut Velveeta into cubes. In a large saucepan, place the chicken broth, celery, onions, garlic salt, and white pepper. Cook over high heat for 10 minutes or until the mixture reduces and thickens slightly. In a blender or food processor, place the broth and the cheese. Puree until the mixture is smooth. Return the pureed mixture to the saucepan and simmer it for 5 minutes. Add the diced peppers and mix well.

Southwestern Black Bean Soup

1½ cups dried black beans
6 cups water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
1 green or red bell pepper, seeded and diced
½ cup chopped celery
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 to 3 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme or
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
4 scallions, finely chopped

Soak beans in water overnight, drain. Place the beans and water in a saucepan and cook for about 45 minutes. Drain, reserving 4 cups of the cooking liquid, and set aside. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic and Jalapeño. Sauté over medium heat until the vegetables are tender. Add the carrots, beans, reserved cooking liquid, sherry, and all of the seasonings, except the salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, salt and cook for 10 to 15 minutes more.

If you prefer a thick soup, puree half of the soup in a food processor and return to the pan. Stir in the salt. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle the scallions over the top.

Spoon some sour cream or crumbled cheese over the top, or serve with salsa.

Beef Barley Soup

3 cups cooked roast beef, chopped
12 cups water
6 beef bouillon cubes
1 28-ounce can tomatoes, mashed
1 10-ounce can condensed tomato soup
2 cups shredded carrot
2 cups shredded potato
1½ cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
½ cup pearl barley (presoaked in water overnight)
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon thyme

Heat 6 cups water and bouillon cubes in large pot. Stir to dissolve. Add remaining ingredients except beef. Add 6 cups water, bring to boil. Cover and simmer slowly for about 1½ hours. Add beef and simmer ½ hour more.

Wonton Soup

1 beaten egg
¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped water chestnuts
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
½ pound ground pork
1 4½-ounce can shrimp, drained and chopped
40 wonton skins
8 cups water
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup coarsely-shredded Chinese cabbage
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 6-ounce package frozen pea pods, thawed and halved lengthwise
½ cup sliced bamboo shoots
4 green onions, bias-sliced into 1½-inch lengths

For filling, combine egg, onion, water chestnuts, soy sauce, ginger root, sugar, salt, and pepper in bowl. Add ground pork and chopped shrimp; mix well.

Position wonton skin with one point toward you. Spoon 1 rounded teaspoon of filling just below center or skin. Fold bottom point of wonton skin over the filling; tuck point under filling. Roll up skin and filling, leaving about 1 inch at the top of skin. Moisten the right-hand corner of skin with water. Grasp the two lower corners of triangle; bring these corners toward you below the filling. Overlap the left-hand corner over the right-hand corner; press to seal. Use 20 for soup; wrap, label, and freeze remaining 20 filled wontons.

In a large saucepan bring 8 cups water to boiling. Drop the wontons, one at a time, into boiling water. Simmer, uncovered, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and rinse with cold water; drain well.

In same large saucepan bring chicken broth to boiling. Add Chinese cabbage, mushrooms, pea pods, bamboo shoots, and the pre-cooked wontons. Simmer, uncovered, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in green onion. Ladle soup into individual serving bowls.

Gingery Chicken Soup

2 cups poached chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
1 tablespoon crushed dried red chilies
1 tablespoon thinly-sliced green Birdseye chilies
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced fresh galangal
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 to 4 cups chicken stock
2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce
Juice of 3 or 4 limes
2 stalks of Lemongrass, bruised
2 Kaffir lime leaves or
1 teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 or 3 tablespoons sliced bamboo shoots
Black pepper to taste

Heat a wok dry and warm the dried chilies, then crumble them. Add a little oil to the wok, and sauté the chilies, ginger, galangal, shallots and garlic until aromatic.

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a boil, add the sautéed ingredients, the fish sauce and lime juice. Add remaining ingredients and return to boil before adding the chicken. Simmer until chicken is heated, about 3 minutes. Adjust seasoning as necessary, and serve.

French Onion Soup

6 large sweet onions (Maui or Vidalia^®)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
1 bay leaf
2 quarts beef stock
½ cup dry white wine
Swiss or Gruyere cheese

Peel onions and slice ¼-inch thick. Melt butter in stock pot. Add onions and sugar; cook, uncovered, over low heat about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and slightly caramelized. Stir in pepper, paprika and bay leaf; sauté over low heat 10 minutes more, stirring frequently. Pour in stock and wine. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about an hour. Refrigerate overnight.

To serve, heat soup in microwave or on stove top. Pour into oven-proof crocks or bowls and top with a slice of bread and a sprinkling of grated cheese. Heat under the broiler until cheese melts and bubbles, about 5 minutes.

Chicken, Ham And Rice Soup

4 pounds whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 cup diced cooked ham
1 medium onion, peeled, cut in half
1 quart chicken stock
2 quarts cold water
6 medium tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup raw long grain rice
Black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

In a 5-quart casserole, combine the chicken, onion, chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, meanwhile removing all the scum from the surface as it forms. Reduce the heat to low, cover the casserole, and cook undisturbed for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender but not falling apart. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a bowl, and discard the onion. Skim off and discard as much of the surface fat as possible and return the stock to the casserole. Add the tomatoes, carrots, rice and a few grinding of black pepper, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the casserole and simmer stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Remove the skin from the chicken and cut chicken meat into strips about 1/8-inch wide and 1 to 1½ inches long. Add the chicken and ham to the simmering soup, and cook for 4 or 5 minutes to heat through. Stir in the parsley and serve.

Split Pea Soup

1 pound dry split peas
1 cup cubed ham
2 quarts water
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
Salt and pepper
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Soak and clean peas according to package directions. Combine all ingredients and cook 2 hours.