Tomato & Smoked Shellfish Soup (Trina)

Tomato & Smoked Shellfish Soup

Recipe from 1 Stock, 100 Soups

by Linda Doeser

Recipe 75

You can find this recipe on page 168 of this wonderful cookbook

about taking 1 basic recipe and making 100 kinds of soup

These are the ingredients you will need for this recipe:

Basic Vegetable Stock

Cucumbers

Tomatoes

Shallot

Sherry Vinegar

Sugar

Dijon Mustard

Tabasco Sauce

Smoked Oysters or Smoked Mussels

Salt and Pepper

Croutons, to serve

Serves 6

This soup was fairly simple to make. All you do is chop up the veggies and mix in a large bowl with the stock and the other ingredients.

I didn't have time to peel and seed fresh tomatoes, so I used some diced canned tomatoes.  I was also out of dijon mustard, so I substituted a yummy roasted red pepper one.  Add salt and pepper to taste and mix it together.

I have never dealt with smoked oysters before.  I have eaten the oysters that come in a regular can, and I dip them in egg and flour and fry them at Christmas.  However, these oysters in a tin were a little different.  I get a little weirded out by cold shellfish.  I am easily bothered by textures when something is cold.  I rinsed the oysters and tried to remain optimistic. 

I mixed it all together and let it chill overnight.  I toasted some bread to make croutons, and when I was ready to serve, I chopped them up and put some on top of my soup.  It looked kind of pretty.  I really, really, tried to like this soup, but I just couldn't do it. I am not having the best luck with cold soups.  Maybe I am not a cold soup kind of gal.  So I don't get discouraged, my next one will be a hot soup with no shellfish!  And, if you are not as neurotic as me, you may like this soup.  I just get weird about things.  Anyways,

Happy Cooking!

Cucumber Shrimp Soup (Trina)

Cucumber Shrimp Soup

Recipe from 1 Stock, 100 Soups

by Linda Doeser

Recipe 74

You can find this recipe on page 166 of this wonderful cookbook

about taking 1 basic recipe and making 100 kinds of soup

These are the ingredients you will need for this recipe:

Basic Vegetable Stock

Cucumbers

Scallions

Fresh Dill

Cornstarch

Water

Green Food Coloring

Peeled Cooked Shrimp

Light Cream

Salt and Pepper

Serves 6 

This was my first soup from the book since making the stock.  I was a little nervous because it is a cold soup, and I wasn't sure how I'd like it.  However, I am trying to make the soups that have seasonal ingredients right now, and I have plenty of cucumbers outside.  I don't think I have ever peeled a cucumber before...it makes them look kind of funny.  The scallions and dill were also from my garden. 

All the veggies get simmered in the soup stock.  I used dried dill because it was late and I didn't feel like fighting the mosquitoes and other various winged insects outside in the pitch dark.

After the veggies are done, I took them out and ran them through my food processor to make them smooth.  While the pot was vacant, I cooked the little shrimp.  When it was done, I put the shrimp on a plate, and  I returned the soup to the pot.

While the soup reheated, I mixed a paste of cornstarch and water, and then added the paste to the soup.  I stirred the mixture until the soup thickened, and then added salt and pepper to taste.  At this point I added the shrimp back in.

Then, you should cool the soup for at least 4 hours.  I did mine overnight so I could eat it today.  I should mention that I knew I would be the only one home to eat the soup, so I halved the recipe, so yes, it does look like a smaller amount.  When you are ready to serve, add a whirl of light cream and enjoy cold!  Have you ever made cold soups? 

Happy Cooking!

Basic Vegetable Stock (Trina)

Basic Vegetable Stock

 Recipe from 1 Stock, 100 Soups

by Linda Doeser

You can find this recipe on page 10 of this wonderful cookbook about

taking 1 basic recipe and making 100 kinds of soup

These are the ingredients you will need for this recipe:

Sunflower Oil 

Onion

Leeks

Celery

Potato

Carrots

Parsnips

Turnip

Bay Leaves

Parsley

White Wine

Makes 4 cups 

This stock is the basic recipe from which all the soups in the book are based.  I followed it pretty closely the first time.  I did not include turnips because I am kind of burned out on those after the spring harvest.  First I chopped the potatoes, onions, and celery.  You can see them simmering in the pot.

After the first veggies are softened, in go the root vegetables.  Next is the bay leaves, parsley, and white wine.  I love the smell of the wine cooking off the veggies.  When the alcohol has evaporated, add water and bring to a boil.  Then you are going to let the stock simmer for over an hour.

It looks and smells fantastic.  I had to switch to a larger pot after this picture because I tripled the recipe.  I wanted to make enough to make 3 recipes off one batch.  Not all of the recipes take the same amount of stock, so I had to look ahead and add up how much the first 3 soups I wanted to make needed. 

After the soup has simmered, I put it through a strainer.  I pressed gently on the back of the veggies with a spoon to get as much broth out as possible.  Look at the beautiful golden color of the broth!

After it cooled off, I put it into glass jars with these neat plastic twist on caps. They are reusable and can be used in the freezer.  I think they are neat for when you make something and can most of it, but keep on for the fridge. Unfortunately, I think I let mine simmer too much over the hour, and it evaporated too much of the water.  I was hoping for 12 cups but only got 9 cups.  Next time I won't cook it so long, or I'll add more water.

This stock can be adapted to use the veggies you have on hand in your garden or fridge.

Happy Cooking!