3 cups diced potatoes
1 quart vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can of creamed corn
1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes
2½ cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
In a soup pot, sauté the onions and garlic in the oil until the onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chiles and potatoes. Add the broth, cover, and bring to a boil. Add the corn and tomatoes, cover, and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes.
Divide the cheese among four to six bowls. Ladle the hot soup over the cheese.
serving & menu ideas
Serve with a green salad topped with avocado and jicama and dressed with Cilantro Lime Dressing. A platter of refreshing watermelon and cantaloupe would be perfect for dessert.
asparagus avgolemono
Try this variation of the familiar Greek egg-lemon soup in the springtime when the first tender shoots of asparagus hit the markets.
SERVES 2 TO 4
YIELDS 5 CUPS
TIME: 25 MINUTES
1 quart vegetarian mock chicken or vegetable broth
¼ cup pastina, orzo, or similar small pasta
2 cups asparagus cut into 1½- to 1-inch lengths
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
2 eggs
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt and pepper
In a soup pot, bring the broth to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until almost al dente, about 4 minutes for pastina and 8 minutes for orzo.
Add the asparagus and dill and simmer until the asparagus is just tender, about 5 minutes.
While the asparagus cooks, in a bowl, whisk the eggs and lemon juice. When the asparagus is tender, whisk a ladleful of the hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture. Lower the heat and slowly pour the egg mixture into the soup in a thin stream, stirring briskly all the while. Continue to stir until the soup is thickened somewhat and heated through, a couple of minutes. (Constant stirring and low heat prevent the eggs from curdling.) Add salt and pepper to taste.
variations
Other green vegetables, such as chopped spinach, broccoli, and kale, may be substituted for the asparagus.
For a smooth soup, purée with an immersion blender or in batches in a blender.
serving & menu ideas
Peppercorn Citrus Marinated Feta with pita, Greek Salad, and Greek Antipasto Pita all pair well with this soup.
creamy onion soup with sherry
Many of us think to eat creamed pearl onions only once or twice a year at holiday feasts. We thought it would be fun to turn the traditional side dish into a soup for any day of the week.
SERVES 4 TO 6
YIELDS 9 CUPS
TIME: 30 MINUTES
5 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 16-ounce package of frozen pearl onions (whole small onions)
3 garlic cloves, pressed (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg, or more to taste
¼ cup unbleached white flour
¾ cup dry sherry
½ cup sour cream
CROUTONS
3 cups ½-inch cubes of crusty bread, such as sourdough, pumpernickel, rye, or French
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried marjoram
In a saucepan on medium heat, warm the milk and 1 cup of water to just under a simmer. Don’t let the liquid boil. Cover and keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a soup pot, melt the butter. Stir in the onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Sprinkle the onions with the flour and stir for a minute. The butter and any liquid will be absorbed and the mixture will thicken. Stir in the sherry, cook for a couple of minutes, and then stir in the sour cream. Increase the heat to medium, add about 2 cups of the hot milk, and stir until smooth. Add the rest of the milk, lower the heat, and slowly bring to just below a simmer, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat until the croutons are done.
To make the croutons, toast the bread cubes until crisp on the outside but still soft and moist on the inside. In a small pan on low heat, melt the butter. Add the olive oil, thyme, and marjoram and sizzle the herbs for a minute. Put the toasted bread cubes into a bowl, drizzle on the herbed butter, and toss well.
Serve the soup piping hot, topped with the croutons. A note of caution: Be careful when you bite into an onion! It may be surprisingly hot.
serving & menu ideas
A side of Baby Greens with Pecans & Pears or tangy Lemony Green Beans complements this creamy soup. For dessert, try Apples Two Ways or New England Squash Pie.
Greek Antipasto Pita
crostini
Crostini are toasted or grilled slices of bread with tasty toppings, often served as an appetizer. For a relaxed supper, put a plate of toasted baguette slices and bowls of various toppings on the table (however many you like or have time to make) and have a make-your-own crostini simple supper night.
THE BREAD:
Many bakeries can thinly slice a baguette for you in their slicing machine. You usually get about 25 slices per average baguette. Each of the toppings recipes makes enough topping for 15 to 20 baguette-sized crostini, although the number depends on how high you pile the toppings. Of course, you can make crostini with the larger Italian or French loaves, also. The slices should be ¼- to ½-inch thick.
Toast the baguette slices. There is a difference of opinion on how toasty they should be: Some people like them just lightly toasted, while others like them very dry and crisp, almost like croutons. The bread can be toasted a couple of hours or even days ahead of time. When the slices are cool, store them in a well-sealed container or plastic bag until you’re ready to assemble the crostini.
blue cheese topping
TIME: 5 MINUTES
3 ounces blue cheese
3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 tablespoons milk, or more if needed
toasted walnut halves
Crumble the blue cheese into a bowl and mash it a bit with a fork. Mix in the cream cheese, adding a little milk if necessary to get a spreadable consistency. Spread about 2 teaspoons
