Cream of Broccoli Soup

Like many cream of vegetable soups, the base is reminiscent of leek-potato called Vichyssoise and like that soup, this one may be also served warm or cold. Like all cream of vegetable soups, this one too is quite elegant and could be served as a first course in any fine meal.

 

1/2 large chopped red onion (or an equal amount of Shallots)

2 medium new potatoes

Salt

White pepper

Red pepper

2 cups good clear chicken stock 

3 tablespoons sweet butter

1 cup tender broccoli flowerets 

1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 

1 cup heavy cream

1 crushed chopped clove garlic

2 or 3 bay leaves

Sauté the onion in butter. Cut up and add the potato, white and red peppers, sauté gently for ten minutes in sweet butter, then add chicken stock. Cover and cook on low until broccoli is tender. Puree until fine with a post blender. Add enough cream to achieve the degree of taste required. Taste the soup and correct the salt and white pepper. Serve with a sprinkle of very finely chopped chives

TOM YUM CATFISH SOUP / HOT & SOUR CATFISH SOUP RECIPE

This is almost satisfying soap full of flavour.

3 lbs catfish steaks (about 2 CF steaks per person)

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes (halved)

2 large shallots (halved or roughly chopped)

7 kaffir lime leaves

1 galangal (thickly sliced into about 6 pieces)

1 stalk lemongrass (pulverize and chop)

1/2 cup tamarind paste (gives the soup that yummy sour taste)

handful cilantro (chopped for garnish - optional)

a handful green onion (chopped for garnish - optional)

1/4 cup coconut milk or cream

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. salt or soy to taste

1 tbsp. chicken bouillon powder

2 tbsp. fish sauce or less if you wish

1 tbsp. Sweet paprika to add color

If you like some heat, and I do, I crush some Thai chiles in a motor until pulverised. 

Stir well the tamarind as it is all stuck together.

Assunta’s Calabrese Bread Soup

Assents was our maid in Rome and this is a family favorite especially nice in the winter. She was a large lady that loved to laugh. This soup was one of her favorites and making it, for some reason, made her giddy happy. The soup made us happy too. This is my favorite tomato soup.

3 Tablespoons best fruity unfiltered olive oil plus a teaspoon per bowl. 

3 Cloves chopped garlic
1 Teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups very good chicken stock
Whole Italian San Marzano tomatoes, 28 ounce can
1/2 Cup Pinot Grigio wine
10 whole dry Mexican bay leaves (milder than Bay Laurel leaves) 
Sea salt as required
Black pepper
1 Loaf stale Ciabatta bread or other good bread
Garnish with fresh grated hard Italian cheese - any of the following would be good:
• Parmesan
• Grano Padano
• Romano
• Asiago

In a stock pot over medium heat, add olive oil and when the oil is hot, add chopped garlic and the crushed red pepper flakes. Cook 1 minute while stirring all the time. Add wine, chicken stock, tomatoes, and the bay leaves. Cook until the tomatoes are well softened. Correct the seasoning with salt and ground black pepper. Remove the bay leaves and discard.

Cut a piece of stale bread that generally covers most of the bottom of each bowl. Ladle the soup over the bread. Drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil in each bowl and serve. You can allow the soup to cool while bread soakes up the flavours. .