Soups – Rants Raves and Recipes

June 12, 2015June 12, 2015

Easy Manhattan Clam Chowder

I remember as a child, my grandfather making Manhattan clam chowder. Of course, since he learn to cook in the army during WW1, his recipes were always in fairly large amounts, and the chowder was an all day affair.

Long Island in those days seemed to be the clam capital of the world. Every restaurant with a view of the water had cherrystone clams on the half-shell as an appetizer, and anyone with a boat or anyone who knew someone with a boat would have gone clamming with their toes. Scooping up the clams to purge in a big bucket of salt water and then going onto the beach to devour them, opened and fresh with ketchup horseradish and lemon sauce. The chowder size clams set aside to take home and make soup.

Although fresh is best, it is a chore to open and chop so many calms and in many places they are not easy to find, so using canned ingredients is certainly acceptable. I think that the two secrets to a great Manhattan clam chowder are a great clammy taste and a lot of thyme. This recipe will give you both with easy to use items from your cupboard.

I like to use a large straight sided sauté pan to make this recipe as it makes cooking the vegetables easier, just make sure it’s large enough to accommodate all the ingredients.

Ingredients for Easy Manhattan Clam Chowder:

1 medium onion diced
2-3 stalks of celery finely diced
2 medium carrots finely diced
2 Tbs Olive oil
1 tsp hot pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
3-4 Tbs dried thyme leaves more if necessary
1 24oz can crushed tomatoes
2 15 oz cans whole potatoes or 3-4 medium waxy potatoes cut into ¼” cubes
4-6 6.5oz cans minced clams, broth reserved
1 bottle calm juice
salt & pepper to taste

Directions for Easy Manhattan Clam Chowder

Open the cans of clams and using a sieve drain the juice of the clams into a bowl, place the clams in a separate bowl and set aside covered in the refrigerator.

In the pan heat the Olive oil to medium and then add the onion, celery, and carrots and about 1 tsp of salt and pepper each and cook until the vegetables are wilted but not browned.

Carefully add the tomato, pepper flakes, bay leaves, 2 Tbs thyme, potatoes and the juice from the clams and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour until the potatoes are cooked through.

Just before serving add the clams. Taste and adjust seasoning at this time. If not clammy enough add a little of the clam juice, not enough thyme add more and if needed adjust the salt and pepper.

Makes a great soup course or a filling meal served with Scottish Scones: http://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/scottish-scones/.

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
Simply Calphalon Nonstick 5-qt. Sauté Pan & Cover
Le Creuset Stoneware Soup Bowl, 10-Inch, Palm

I don’t have time for thyme, a little too spicy for a delicate S.A.P.P. but everyone else seemed to enjoy.

Yum

Easy Manhattan Clam Chowder

Ingredients

1 medium onion diced
2-3 stalks of celery finely diced
2 medium carrots finely diced
2 Tbs Olive oil
1 tsp hot pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
3-4 Tbs dried thyme leaves more if necessary
1 24oz can crushed tomatoes
2 15 oz cans whole potatoes or 3-4 medium waxy potatoes cut into ¼" cubes
4-6 6.5oz cans minced clams, broth reserved
1 bottle calm juice
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Open the cans of clams and using a sieve drain the juice of the clams into a bowl, place the clams in a separate bowl and set aside covered in the refrigerator.
In the pan heat the Olive oil to medium and then add the onion, celery, and carrots and about 1 tsp of salt and pepper each and cook until the vegetables are wilted but not browned.
Carefully add the tomato, pepper flakes, bay leaves, 2 Tbs thyme, potatoes and the juice from the clams and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour until the potatoes are cooked through.
Just before serving add the clams. Taste and adjust seasoning at this time. If not clammy enough add a little of the clam juice, not enough thyme add more and if needed adjust the salt and pepper.
Makes a great soup course or a filling meal served with Scottish Scones: http://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/scottish-scones/.

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April 23, 2015April 26, 2015

Onion Soup

One of the great misconceptions in the world of recipes is that onion soup must have a melted cheese topping. For the record that is Soupe à l’Oignon Gratinée, or Onion soup gratineed, meaning to serve with a crust of browned bread or cheese.

A more traditional way is to serve with croutons that are browned basted with Olive oil and rubbed with garlic and perhaps sprinkled with cheese. It can also be served without the cheese on the croutons and the cheese served on the side.

I prefer to serve it this way. the cheese does not congeal to a large hard to separate mass on top of the bowl, making it easier to eat each spoonful of soup without having to cut and untangle the cheese. Plus you can add more cheese as you please.

Traditional recipes call for the addition of vermouth or sherry, and a finishing touch of cognac. While they certainly do enhance the flavor of the soup they aren’t an absolute necessary item. Well cooked onions and a good beef stock cooked properly will suffice. The recipe to follow is for 4 servings.

Also the cheese can certainly be varied. Tradition is for Swiss or Parmesan. You can use Gruyère, and in this recipe I used a combination of grated Asiago and Parmesan.

Ingredients for Onion Soup:

5-6 medium to large yellow onions thinly sliced
2 Tbs butter
1 Tbs oil
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1½ Tbs all purpose flour
4 cups good quality Beef stock
4 Tbs vermouth or sherry (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
2 Tbs cognac (optional)
Toasted slices of baguette
1 clove garlic (optional)
1 cup grated cheese

Directions for Onion Soup:

Thinly slice the onions and in a large saute pan with the butter and oil begin to brown them on medium-low heat.

Cover them for the first 10 minutes. Then remove the cover add the sugar and salt and continue to cook, bringing the heat up to medium. You need to keep a careful eye on the onions stirring frequently to prevent burning. It will take about 30 -40 minutes for the onions to achieve an even deep golden brown color.

While the onions are cooking place your stock into a pan large enough to accommodate all the ingredients and bring it up to a simmer.

When the onions are cooked add the flour, stir to combine and cook for about 3 minutes. During this time bring the stock up to a boil.

Add the onions to the boiling stock and if using the vermouth add it now and reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for about an hour covered. While it is simmering, taste to adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Just before serving, bring the soup up to a boil to heat and toast the slices of baguette and when browned rub both sides with the garlic. Add the cognac to the soup if you are going to use it and then ladle the soup into bowls and float the toasted baguette rounds on top. Serve with the grated cheese on the side.

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
Cuisinart 622-30G Chef’s Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 12-Inch Skillet with Glass Cover
BIA Cordon Bleu Porcelain Individual Lion’s Head Soup Bowls 14-Ounce Capacity, White, Set of 4

Soup with onions not exactly something a S.A.P.P. can sink her teeth into. Rule #1 applies- No Tasty No Ratey.

Yum

Onion Soup

Ingredients

5-6 medium to large yellow onions thinly sliced
2 Tbs butter
1 Tbs oil
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1½ Tbs all purpose flour
4 cups good quality Beef stock
4 Tbs vermouth or sherry (optional)
salt & pepper to taste
2 Tbs cognac (optional)
Toasted slices of baguette
1 clove garlic (optional)
1 cup grated cheese

Instructions

Thinly slice the onions and in a large saute pan with the butter and oil begin to brown them on medium-low heat.
Cover them for the first 10 minutes. Then remove the cover add the sugar and salt and continue to cook, bringing the heat up to medium. You need to keep a careful eye on the onions stirring frequently to prevent burning. It will take about 30 -40 minutes for the onions to achieve an even deep golden brown color.
While the onions are cooking place your stock into a pan large enough to accommodate and bring it up to a simmer.
When the onions are cooked add the flour, stir to combine and cook for about 3 minutes. During this time bring the stock up to a boil.
Add the onions to the boiling stock and if using the vermouth add it now and reduce the heat and simmer the mixture for about an hour. While it is simmering taste to adjust seasoning if necessary.
Just before serving toast the slices of baguette and when browned rub both sides with the garlic. Add the cognac to the soup if you are going to use it and then ladle the soup into bowls and float the toasted baguette rounds on top. Serve with the grated cheese on the side.

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January 23, 2015

Leek and Potato Soup with Ham

One of the benefits to making a baked ham in the winter is all the great secondary dishes you can make with the leftover ham, for those chilly nights here in south Florida.

Leek and potato soup with ham is one of those warm comfort food dinners, served with Scottish Scones ( http://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/category/recipes/breads-and-pastries/recipes-for-all-kinds-of-biscuits/scottish-scones-recipes-for-all-kinds-of-biscuits ) and butter and jam makes a very filling meal.

Ingredients for Leek and Potato Soup with Ham

For this recipe the leeks should be quartered lengthwise and well washed, the potatoes peeled and cubed. The choice of stock is up to you. You can use water, or vegetable or chicken stock.

You will also need either an immersion blender, or very good, large food processor to blend the soup.

3 Leeks white and very light green parts only
5 – 6 medium yellow potatoes
6-8 cups stock
2 cups cooked ham (cubed)
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs neutral oil
1 Tbs butter
Chopped parsley for garnish

Directions for Leek and Potato Soup with Ham

In a stock pot, that will be large enough to hold 10 cups easily ,melt the butter and add the oil. Once hot put the chopped Leeks and Potatoes in and cook until just softened and beginning to brown. Add 6 cups of stock, bring up to a boil and then simmer for about 40 minutes.

Once the vegetables are completely cooked using the immersion blender puree the mixture. It will very likely be extremely thick once completely blended.

Add ¼ – ½ cup of additional stock at a time to the soup and mix until you achieved your desired consistency.

Continue to warm and add the ham and once hot serve.

Sprinkle chopped parsley over the top as garnish.

Here are a few items to help make this recipe:
Cuisinart 77-412 Chef’s Classic Stainless 4-Piece 12-Quart Pasta/Steamer Set
Cuisinart CSB-79 Smart Stick 2-Speed 200-watt Immersion Hand Blender with Attachments

Another of those darn vegetable things, not a S.A.P.P. friendly dish, but those who like that kind of thing did enjoy it.

Yum

Leek and Potato Soup with Ham

Ingredients

For this recipe the leeks should be quartered lengthwise and well washed, the potatoes peeled and cubed. The choice of stock is up to you. You can use water, or vegetable or chicken stock.
You will also need either an immersion blender, or very good, large food processor to blend the soup.
3 Leeks white and very light green parts only
5 - 6 medium yellow potatoes
6-8 cups stock
2 cups cooked ham (cubed)
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs neutral oil
1 Tbs butter
Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

In a stock pot, that will be large enough to hold 10 cups easily ,melt the butter and add the oil. Once hot put the chopped Leeks and Potatoes in and cook until just softened and begining to brown. Add 6 cups of stock, bring up to a boil and then simmer for about 40 minutes.
Once the vegetables are completely cooked using the immersion blender puree the mixture. It will very likely be extremely thick once completely blended.
Add ¼ - ½ cup of additional stock at a time to the soup and mix until you achieved your desired consistancy.
Serve with parsley sprinkled over the top.

Schema/Recipe SEO Data Markup by Yummly Rich Recipes

https://www.rantsravesandrecipes.com/leek-potato-soup-ham/

If you enjoy our site and are thinking of purchasing anything from Amazon, please use the link to Amazon from our site. It doesn’t cost you anything and we profit from the ads and purchases .

Please help us keep our blog going by letting your friends know we’re here and by checking out the links on our front page.