Tomato Bisque Soup with Orzo

One of my favorite things about the cooler weather is the reappearance of soups in the menu again. Soups are so versatile and usually quite simple. They're warm and comforting on chilly days. And they're also perfect for dipping fresh crispy bread - which is always a good thing.

This soup is so flavorful. It is extra tomato-y and wonderfully creamy.

A warning: This soup is also very addicting. My family polished this off in a matter of hours one afternoon... for, you know, that meal between lunch and dinner...

A huge thanks to our wonderful neighbor and friend, Michelle, for sharing this fantastic soup recipe! 

Notes: You could leave the orzo out of this soup, if you don't have any on hand, but I would strongly advise against doing such a thing. (Pasta makes just about everything better, IMHO.) Also, be sure to taste the soup as you're finishing it up to know if it needs any additional sugar or salt. Enjoy!

Adapted from Michelle's recipe

Tomato Bisque Soup with Orzo  

1/2 pound whole-wheat orzo pasta
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1 medium onion, diced
sea salt
4 cloves garlic, pressed
8 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
2-3 cups water (or vetetable/chicken broth)
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1 teaspoon minced fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3-4 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 cup heavy cream

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously salt it, then add the orzo. Cook just until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups of the cooking water. Set pasta and water aside in separate bowls.

In a large soup pot, heat butter over medium heat until melted and hot. Add the celery, carrots, onion, and a generous heap of salt. Cook the vegetables, stirring often, until just tender. Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Stir in the chopped tomatoes, orzo cooking water, 2 cups water (or broth), tomato paste, basil, oregano, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Let the soup simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, or until slightly thickened.

Working in batches, transfer the soup to a high-powered blender. Puree until very smooth, then return to pan. (You can also puree the soup right in the pot with an immersion blender, if preferred. I find that this doesn't get the soup quite as smooth as a stand blender does.) Add 3 teaspoons sugar, the cream, and the cooked orzo. Taste and add additional water (or broth), sugar, and salt as needed. Heat through, then serve with a little freshly ground black pepper to garnish.

Yield: Serves 6-8          

This post shared on The Nourishing Gourmet and Beyond the Peel

Cauliflower Soup

With the hustle and bustle of the holidays now beginning to slow down, a simple pot of warm, healthy soup is the perfect thing for these last few wintery days of 2011. So go ahead and cozy up with a new book, movie, (or iPad!) and enjoy yourself a steaming bowl of incredibly delicious cauliflower soup.

Now, cauliflower isn't the most flavorful of vegetables... That is, unless it is cooked just right. I particularly love roasted cauliflower, how it transforms into a richly caramelized treat. And now this. This is my new favorite way to enjoy the delicate little "snow-covered trees."

This soup might seem plain, but trust me. Paul Bertolli, often referred to as one of the greatest American chefs, knows exactly how to make a vegetable become the best it can be. This recipe makes for a soup that's delicate, sweet, and silky smooth. 

I hope that you enjoy the simplicity and deliciousness of this soup. And most importantly, I hope you (whoever you are!) have a very, very lovely rest of 2011!

Notes: Be sure to use the freshest cauliflower you can find, as it is the star of the dish. Also, the extra-virgin olive oil and fresh black pepper complete the soup, so I advise against being shy.

Adapted from Cooking by Hand, by Paul Bertolli

Red Lentil Soup

"Can you believe the surprise!?" my 7-year-old brother asked as he came up the stairs. 

The first snow of the season amazed us all as we climbed out of bed this morning. A half-inch layer of beautiful white fluff veiled the yard and surrounding homes.

It happens every year, but for some reason the first snow of the cold months seems to fill us all with wonder. But how can it not? Glistening and shimmering, creating a pristine white blanket over the earth, you can't help but pause by the window for a moment to take it all in.

The snow outside was the perfect excuse to make a big pot of warm soup for lunch. This lentil and rice soup is a snap to throw together - not fussy at all. Just throw it all in the pot and let it simmer away. Thirty minutes later, throw in a bit of salt, ladle your bowl full, and top it off with delicious things (aka: toasted almonds, crumbled feta, and a bit of extra-virgin olive oil).

I love warm soup.

And I love sparkling snow.

Notes: I make this soup frequently and love it more every time. The toppings are what round everything out just perfectly, so I highly discourage leaving them off. In case you are wondering, this soup freezes very well, which is always nice.

Inspired by this recipe

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Sage Croutons

Since Spring just can't decide if it's time to arrive in this part of the world or not, I've taken advantage of the wet, cold, totally-un-spring-y weather, and have been making soup. Lots of warm soup. You'd think it was winter or something.

Anyhow, this soup is my favorite butternut squash soup I've tried. I've made variations - some with apples, others with mascarpone cheese, and a few with curry. But this simple version I'm sharing today brings out the flavor of the butternut just perfectly so that it is the star. No distractions here - just sweet, earthy squash - accentuated by a touch of sage and a little garlic. Sage is a natural companion to butternut squash, to which pairing I am partial. It's one of my favorite fall flavor combinations. (Ahem... fall? I know, it's May, right?)

So if your neck of the woods is experiencing a delightful sun-shiny springtime, maybe bookmark this soup for use in a few months, and be looking forward to it!

Notes: I made just a few changes to the recipe - adding a little more garlic and adjusting the roasting method a little. The sage croutons are wonderful, by the way. They add a pleasant crunch. If you are running short on time, you can leave them off, but just plan to make them the next time around - you'll be glad you did.

Adapted from Cooking After Five

Garlic-Potato Soup

I realize it is now the month of May and soup season has pretty much left us, but I just have to share this recipe. And anyways, the weatherman says that a storm will roll through our area this weekend, so that is my other excuse for talking about soup on this lovely, sunny, and 73-degree spring day.

This potato soup is similar to the typical kinds of potato soup: chunky, thick, and satisfying. BUT it is different because it is the best potato soup in the world (I know! Isn't that great!) and it is so very flavorful, thanks to the gracious amount of tasty garlic in it. It even has garlic chips! (Read on, they're fab...) If you haven't noticed, I have a thing for garlic. We're pretty much BFF, you know.

Notes: I slightly upped the salt in my version because I felt the soup needed just a little more kick to pronounce the flavors more clearly. The original calls for 3/4 teaspoon, but taste as you go and adjust to your personal preferences. I also used water instead of chicken broth, and either will work great. Lastly, if leeks are not available, you can substitute and equal amount of yellow onion.

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated, March & April 2007