Welcome to another edition of Soupin It Up W/Sped! Tonight we're gonna get cheesy!
And a shout out to the 2 people who bid on and won the customized Soupin It Up w/Sped Recipe Books in the NN Auction! Thank you and I hope you're not disappointed :)
Don't forget to vote in tonight's poll for next week's theme!
When I first started making cheesy soups I had a tendency of them turning out kinda grainy...I have since discovered that the secret is to make the soup and then as the final step add the cheese and simmer on low til the cheese is all melted ..try it and let me know if it works for you!
Parmesan Potato
Prep: 20 minute
Cook: 1 1/2 hours
Servings: ~8
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 Yukon potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 medium leeks, sliced in half moons
1 clove garlic, minced small
1 shallot, minced small
3 cups vegetable stock
~ 2 cups 1/2 & 1/2
3/4 lb. shredded parmesan cheese
Garlic Salt, Garlic Pepper and a small pinch of basil
Directions:
- In large pot of water, boil potatoes until soft.
- In soup pot, heat olive oil til hot and lightly sautee leeks, shallot and garlic until leeks just start to crisp.
- Add the vegetable stock and potatoes to soup pot. Simmer on medium 20 minutes.
- In small batches, transfer to blender and puree til smooth. When done return it all to the soup pot.
- Add parmesan cheese, 1/2&1/2 and spices to taste.
- Simmer another 20 minutes on medium or until cheese is melted thru.
Garnish with chives if you want.
Note: you could substitute any cheese you want but my guests love the parmesan...asiago is also a popular combination
Roasted Garlic and Brie Soup
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Servings: ~8
Ingredients:
2 Heads garlic -- unpeeled
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion -- diced
2 celery stalks -- diced
1 carrot -- diced
1/4 cup cornstarch mixed with water
6 cups chicken stock
7 ounces brie; remove rind -- cut into pieces
Black pepper, oregano and thyme to taste
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Drizzle garlic in a baking dish with two tablespoons oil. Cover with foil and bake until golden and tender--about 30 minutes. Cool.
- Cook onions in 4 tablespoons oil until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add celery and carrot and cook about ten minutes.
- Gradually mix in stock. Bring to boil, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until slightly thickened, stirring from time to time--about 15 minutes.
- Peel garlic and place in a processor. Add a cup of soup. Puree. Return mixture to pan.
- Add oregano and thyme. Simmer over low heat, gradually adding Brie, stirring until melted after each addition. Adjust seasonings.
Bacon Bleu Cheeseburger Soup
Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onions
1/2 lb. bacon- cut small and cooked to preferred crispness
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced peeled potatoes
1/4 cup flour
1/2 pound Bleu Cheese crumbles
1 1/2 cups 1/2&1/2
Sea salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
- In a 3 quart saucepan, brown beef, drain and set aside.
- In the same saucepan, saute onion, basil and parsley in 1 tablespoon butter onions are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Add broth, potatoes, bacon and beef, bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Meanwhile in small skillet melt remaining butter. Add flour, cook and stir 3-5 minutes or until bubbly. Add to soup, bring to a boil.
- Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
- Add cheese, 1/2&1/2, salt, pepper, cook and stir until cheese melts.
Cheesiest Tomato
Prep: 25 Minutes
Cook: 1 1/2 hours
Servings: ~8
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
10 roma tomatoes, quartered
2 beefsteak tomatoes, diced
2 medium leeks, sliced
4 cups vegetable stock
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup shredded asaiago
1 cup shredded provolone
Fresh basil, oregano, sea salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
- In large soup pot, heat oil til hot. Add garlic and leeks and cook until leeks just start to crisp and you can just start to smell the garlic in the air.
- Add Vegetable stock and tomatoes and bring to a rolling boil. Cook 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat and in small batches transfer stock and veggies to a blender and puree til smooth. When done, return to soup pot.
- Simmer on low for 1 hour, adding a little cheese at a time til it is all added and melted. Add spices to taste.
Variation: As a twist I use this as the base for my Baked Tomato Soup as described in Tomato Soups, I
Guinness Cheese Soup
Prep: 15 min.
Cook: 1 hour
Servings: ~8
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium leek, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 can Guinness Stout (no bottles, can is best)
3 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese
DIRECTIONS:
- In large soup pot, heat oil. Add the leeks, garlic and Worcestershire sauce and stir well.
2.Add the beer and raise the heat to high and boil for 3 minutes to evaporate the alcohol.
- Add the chicken broth and bring the soup back to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer.
- Combine the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water and stir until smooth. Set aside.
- Add the half-and-half and shredded cheese to the soup. Stir constantly until the cheese melts. Then stir in the cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly until the soup is thick, about 2 minutes. Serve garnished with bacon bits.
Ok soup kitchen's open...what's in your soup pot this week?