Category Archives: Soup

You don’t have to be Italian to enjoy gnocchi. This recipe can be adapted  for vegetarians by substituting vegetable broth and baby portabella mushrooms for the chicken.

by Pat Savoie

Ingredients

6    chicken tenders
1   Tablespoon vegetable oil
4    Tablespoons butter
1    onion, chopped
2    ribs celery, chopped
1/2  bell pepper, chopped
4    Tablespoons flour
4    cups chicken broth (I like Better than Bouillon diluted with water.)
1  cup  Kale, chopped
1   cup carrots, chopped
1  16 ounce pkg potato gnocchi
1  cup heavy whipping cream
2    teaspoons Tony’s seasoning  (shake until it looks good)
1/4   cup green onions, chopped

Method

Season chicken tenders with 1 teaspoon of Tony’s seasoning and brown in vegetable oil then remove and set aside.

Add butter, onions, celery, and bell peppers to drippings in pot and saute until onions are clear.

Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally, then add chicken broth and simmer for another few minutes

Add kale and carrots and simmer until carrots are tender.

In a separate pot of salted, boiling water, cook gnocchi for 1-2 minutes (until they float).  Remove from the water and drop into the soup.

Chop chicken into small pieces and add to the soup along with Tony’s seasoning.

Stir in whipping cream and sprinkle in green onions.

Serve with hot French bread.

My friend Biliana grew up in Bulgaria and introduced us to this cold cucumber soup known as tarator.  It’s perfect on hot summer days and makes a nice accompaniment to a salad or sandwich for lunch. In Bulgaria, it is very commonly served before the main course.

Dave and I visited Biliana when she lived in Washington D.C. where she served us this soup and some fantastic Bulgarian feta cheese. Years later, my husband still asks me to make Biliana’s soup. 

by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet, inspired by her friend Biliana

Ingredients

Biliana and I backpacking in Shenandoah National Park.

2 medium cucumbers, grated
16 oz plain yogurt
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp walnuts, finely chopped
fresh or dried dill
1/3 cup water, or more
olive oil
salt to taste

Method

Peel and grate cucumbers. I like to use a food processor’s grater attachment. If you buy English or European cucumber varieties, you do not need to peel them.

Beat the yogurt with a fork until it’s smooth and combine with cucumbers in a large bowl. Add garlic and walnuts.

Season with dill and salt to taste. Add 1/3 cup of water and stir until smooth. Check consistency. Add more water if you’d like it thinner.

Chill by placing soup in the refrigerator or adding a few ice cubes.

To serve, garnish with a little olive oil and crushed walnuts.

Biliana and I playing dominoes after a day of SCUBA diving in Bonaire.

Ever wonder how the egg in egg-drop soup gets its shape?  The secret is in the stirring and a little coordination.

This mild egg-drop soup is a winner with the kids, especially if you serve it in “straw bowls,” which are made for cereal.  Alone, it makes a nice lunch.  Serve it as an appetizer or along with spring rolls for supper.

by Elizabeth Savoie Dronet

4 cups vegetable broth
3 cups water
4 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp powder)

8 oz snow peas, cut into 1/2 pieces
1 1/2 cup bean sprouts

3 eggs, beaten
rice vinegar, sesame oil, and green onions to taste

In a large pot, bring to boil first 4 ingredients.  Add snow peas and bean sprouts.  Simmer about 3 minutes until vegetables are tender.  If you’d like the soup to be thicker, you can add 1-2 Tbsp of cornstarch that has been disolved in a little water.  Be sure to stir it as it is added.  Boil for 1 minute.

Here is where you have to be coordinated.  With one hand stir the soup in one direction.  With the other two hands, slowly pour the egg through a slotted spoon.  Make sure the soup is moving in a circular fashion to ensure that egg ribbons form.  You may have to stop pouring to get the soup moving again and continue.  Add rice vinegar, sesame oil (only a touch) and green onions before serving.

*Small cubes of tofu can be added with the vegetables to make the soup hardier.

It’s the simple things in life that are most memorable and this soup is no exception.  We are always delighted with its richness.  Julia Child knew what she was doing with this Potage Parmentier recipe.

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by Julia Child

Ingredients

1 lb. – 1 1/4 lb.peeled potatoes, diced (4-5 medium potatoes)

3-4 thinly sliced leeks, white and light green parts only

6 cups of water

1 1/2 tsp salt

4-6 T. whipping cream

4  T  butter

Method

After slicing the leeks, soak them in a large bowl of water for a few minutes to remove the dirt and grit.  Once you have thoroughly cleaned the leeks, place them in a large pot with the potatoes, water and salt.  Bring to a boil and simmer for around 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.  Add butter and whipping cream and stir until butter melts.   You can serve with a dollop of sour cream if you choose.  A sprinkling of freshly ground black pepper or thinly sliced green onions also adds a nice touch.

*We have tried both russet and red potatoes.  The red potatoes are a bit creamier and sweeter than the russet.

If you like the mild onion flavor of leeks, check out our Leek and Bacon Dip recipe for your next party.

Use white and light green parts of the leeks.

Wash sliced and separated leeks in a bowl of water.