There are as few things as satisfying on a cold wintry day as a white bean soup. The creamy texture seems to almost wrap you in a blanket of goodness. Incredibly hearty and yet light at the same time, the mild flavors mingle to create a bowl of pure delight. This simple recipe uses leeks, shallots, and garlic to add a deep, rich flavor, that will warm you to your toes.

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White Bean Soup with Ham and Leek

Incredibly hearty and yet light at the same time, the mild flavors mingle to create a bowl of pure delight. This simple recipe uses leeks, shallots, and garlic to add a deep, rich flavor that will warm you to your toes.

Course Soup

Cuisine American, Southern

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Soak beans 8 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 1 pound Great Northern beans, soaked overnight
• 1 quart of chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 medium sized leek, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 12-14 ounce cooks ham steak, cubed
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place the beans in a large bowl and cover with water. Soak the beans for at least 8 hours (Beans will expand as they rehydrate so be sure to use a large container with plenty of water. Also do not add any salt to beans as they soak, it will make them chewy)
• Drain the beans and place them in a stock pot with the chicken stock and bay leaves (again do not add any salt to the beans). Bring the pot to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover.
• Prepare your leek by thoroughly washing.
• Thinly slice the halved leek. Finely dice the shallot and garlic. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Lightly sauté the leek, shallot, and garlic until tender. Add to the pot of cooking beans. Add the diced ham and continue to simmer.
• Test the beans by squashing one between your fingers. When the beans are mostly done, add the carrot (I like to add these towards the end of the cooking time to keep them from disappearing).
• Thin the beans with additional stock if needed. Taste the soup and season accordingly with salt and pepper. (Remember when adding salt to a soup, only add a small amount at a time, allow the salt a few minutes to work its way through the soup before tasting again).

Notes

This soup can easily be prepared as a vegetarian dish by omitting the ham and using vegetable stock.

I think cornbread is the perfect side dish for this dish. Toss a few of the sliced shallots with a small amount of olive oil. Place on the center of your cornbread before baking for an added treat.

Squash and garlic roasted together, topped with toasted sage leaves and browned butter, bring the taste of fall into this creamy soup. Surprisingly hearty, this autumn favorite captures the flavors of the season to make a perfectly satisfying meal.

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Roasted Squash Soup

Squash and garlic roasted together, topped with toasted sage leaves and browned butter, bring the taste of fall into this creamy soup.

Course Soup

Cuisine American, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 1 large acorn squash, halved and seeded
• 6 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 to 4 cups chicken stock
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ cup heavy cream, omit for low-fat soup
• sage leaves
• 2 tablespoons butter
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat oven to 400° F. Halve and seed the squash. Lightly oil the bottom of a baking dish. Position the squash cut side up in the baking dish, and place the garlic in the middle of the squash. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast the squash uncovered for about 40 – 50 minutes or until fork tender.
• When cool enough to handle, peel the squash and place it in a sauce pan with the garlic.
• Add the chicken stock and thyme to the squash and garlic mixture. Bring to a simmer. Puree with an immersion blender, or transfer into a food processor, blending until smooth.
• Continue to simmer, allowing soup to thicken slightly. Whisk cream into soup and bring back to a simmer. (For lower calorie soup do not add cream).
• Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a small sauté pan over medium high heat. When butter begins to bubble, add sage leaves.
• Crisp the leaves in the butter. Turn carefully to avoid breaking the leaves. When the butter stops foaming, carefully remove the leaves and place on a paper towel to drain.
• Fill a bowl with the soup, and arrange a few of the crisp sage leaves on top. Using a teaspoon drizzle a few drops of the browned sage butter on the dish.

Enjoyed in many regions of the world, this cold tomato soup is loaded with crunchy cucumber, creamy avocado, and succulent shrimp. This light, fresh, and spicy dish is just the ticket to cool you down on a long hot summer day.

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Gazpatcho with Shrimp

Enjoyed in many regions of the world, this cold tomato soup is loaded with crunchy cucumber, creamy avocado, and succulent shrimp. This light, fresh, and spicy dish is just the ticket to cool you down on a long hot summer day.

Course Soup

Cuisine Mexican

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Chill 4 hours hours

Servings 8

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
• ½ onion, diced
• 4 scallion, sliced
• 1 avocado, cubed
• ½ red pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno, diced
• 3 tablespoon cilantro, rough chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 24 oz spicy V-8
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pound cooked salad shrimp, 50 ct
• 8 shrimp 16-20 ct cooked, peeled, and deveined for garnish (optional)

Instructions

• In a large non-reactive mixing bowl place the tomato, cucumber, onions, avocado, peppers, cilantro, and juices. Using a wooden spoon, toss gently to coat all ingredients with the lemon and lime (This will prevent the avocado from turning brown).
• Add the V-8 juice, cumin, and shrimp. Stir to combine and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
• Garnish with the large shrimp.

One of the sure signs that spring is just around the corner is the arrival of fresh asparagus in the market.  It is not that asparagus in not available other times of the year, but around the beginning of March the produce displays begin to swell with a plethora of attractively priced, delicate spears. During the winter months in our local markets, asparagus typically runs between $5 and $6 a pound, making it something reserved for a special occasion. But as the days grow warmer, local growers start shipping their produce in abundance, and we are able to afford to feast on the bounty.

Asparagus is actually a member of the lily family, and was found to have been used in Aswan, Egypt about 20,000 years ago as a vegetable, and a diuretic. The Greeks and Romans ate it fresh in season, and dried it for use in the winter months. The Roman Emperor Augustus had the delicate spears transported by his ‘Asparagus Fleet’ to regions high in the Swiss Alps for frozen storage to insure fresh spears for the Feast of Epicurus. It was not until the 1500’s that these tender shoots were given attention by the English and Germans.  Asparagus finally made its way to the new world in about 1850.

Today China is the largest producer of commercial asparagus, followed by Mexico and California. Planted in sandy soil about a  foot deep, this flower is not harvested until its third year, allowing the root system to fully develop.  Once established, asparagus crowns will produce for six to seven weeks each spring, and will have a productive life of about 15 years. Under ideal conditions, a crown can produce a ten inch spear in a 24 hour period.  The outdoor temperature determines how quickly the spears will shoot up.  Asparagus can also be found growing wild, many times being found in the same places as wild mushrooms and morels.

Our local market has been offering asparagus for .88¢ a pound, which means I get to make a soup!

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Creamy Asparagus Soup

The subtle flavor of tender asparagus is the star of the cream soup.

Course Soup

Cuisine French

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh asparagus
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 - 6 cups chicken stock, (or vegetable stock)
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Instructions

• Cut tips from about 12 asparagus 1½ inches from top and reserve for garnish. Cut the remaining asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Cook onion with 2 tablespoons butter in a heavy 4-quart pot over moderately low heat, until translucent. Add asparagus pieces and dash of salt and pepper, sauté about 5 minutes.
• Add 5 cups chicken stock, cover and cook until asparagus until it is very tender, about 20 to 30 minutes.
• While the soup simmers, blanch reserved asparagus tips in lightly salted boiling water until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes, then drain. Shock tips in cold water to stop cooking and preserve color.
• Purée the soup in several small batches with an immersion blender or in a regular blender. Use caution if using a standard blender. Fill the blender no more than half full, and hold the lid on tight using a towel! Hot liquids will expand when blended.
• Strain liquid through a fine mesh sieve to remove any remaining fibers. Return soup to pan over medium heat . Stir in creme, then add more broth to thin soup to desired consistency.
• Bring soup to a boil and whisk in remaining tablespoon butter. Add lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with asparagus tips.

Notes

This soup is also delicious as a cold dish!

Wild asparagus is usually discovered after the fern like fronds appear.  Hunters mark areas to return to in the spring in hopes of harvesting the fresh spears.