Food To Satisfy The Soul, Canadian; Heritage Style; Chowders, Soups, Stews

Tomato Bisques-“Cream of “ Tomato Soups.

2014-12-21T12:14:00.000-08:00

British Dictionary definitions for bisque (from French, pronounced: bɪsk/noun).

1. A thick rich soup made from shellfish.

2. A thick cream soup, especially of puréed shellfish OR vegetables.

Bisque is sometimes used to refer to cream-based soups that do not contain seafood, in which the pre-cooked ingredients are pureed or processed in a food processor or by forcing through a fine "China Cap" strainer. Common varieties include squash, tomato, mushroom, and red pepper. “Cream of Tomato Soup” Is Really Tomato Bisque.

If you are making any recipe ahead of serving time and wish it to keep-without going sour-use a QUALITY Veloute Sauce instead of ANY milk product.

Tomato Bisque #1

Ingredients:

4 Tbsps. unsalted butter

1 Tbsp. minced or fine dice, bacon (about 1/2 ounce)

1 Spanish onion, small dice

1 carrot, small dice

1 stalk celery, small dice

4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

5 Tbsps. all-purpose flour

5 C. chicken broth, homemade or if, absolutely necessary, Low-Sodium (salt) canned

1 (28-ounce) can- whole, peeled tomatoes (with liquid-crush tomatoes, with potato masher)

3 parsley sprigs

3 fresh thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

1 C. heavy cream

1 3/4 tsps. kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

· Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.

· Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until crisp and most of the fat has rendered, about 1 minute.

· Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

· Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes.

· Stir in the flour(to make a roux) and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes-omit this step, if you are making the soup ahead of time and using a Veloute sauce.

· Pour in the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow cooling.

· When the soup base is cool, remove and discard the herb bundle. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.

· Using a sieve, over a large bowl, strain the tomato puree.

· Return the puree to the pot and reheat over medium heat.

· Using a piano wire whip, whip the heavy cream and salt into the soup and season with pepper to taste. Divide among warm soup bowls, garnish with the crispy bacon, and serve immediately.

Tomato Bisque Recipe #2

Ingredients:

3/4 cup carrots, finely diced

1/2 cup celery, finely diced

1/2 cup onions, finely diced

1 tsp. garlic, crushed and minced

6 ozs. tomato paste

1 (15 1/2 ozs.) can tomato puree

4 cups water

2 tsps. salt

3 Tbsps. Sugar

1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Pinch Italian seasoning

Procedure:

· Heat olive oil in a large stock pot and sauté the carrots, celery and onions until they are soft.

· Add the minced garlic and cook for another two minutes.

· Add the tomato paste, tomato puree and water, mix well and bring to a boil.

· Reduce the heat and add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for 45 minutes.

· Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Fresh “Cream of” (tomato bisque) Tomato Soup #1

Ingredients: Servings: 4

2 C. quality, chicken broth/stock (preferably, homemade)

4 Cs. ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (approx. 5 large tomatoes)

1/3 C. sweet onion-large dice

1/2 cup celery-large dice or straight sliced (usually use about 3 large ribs)

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2-1 C. light cream

1 Tbsp. fresh basil (optional) or 1 Tbsp. fresh dill-cut (optional)

Salt, to taste

Pepper-fresh ground, to taste

Directions:

· Place all ingredients except the cream and basil or dill (if using) in a large saucepan.

· Simmer, for approximately 30 minutes, or until vegetables are soft NOT over cooked and mushy.

· Using a blender, or fine China Cap strainer, puree the vegetable mixture.

· If using, add light cream (start with 1/2 cup and add more to taste(amount will depend on flavour of the tomatoes).

· Heat the soup, gently, over low heat.

· Before serving, stir in fresh herbs (if using), and season to taste with salt and pepper.

· Serve soup hot or chilled, whichever you may prefer.

Fresh “Cream of” Tomato Soup #2

3 Tbsps. GOOD olive oil

1 1/2 cups red onions (2 onions), small dice

2 carrots, well washed but not peeled, small dice

1 Tbsp. crushed (makes removing of the skin much easier) then minced, garlic (3 cloves)

4 Lbs. ripe tomatoes, large dice (5 large)

1 1/2 tsps. sugar

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

1/4 cup packed cut fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves, for garnish

3 Cs. quality, chicken stock, preferably homemade

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

2 tsps. freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup heavy cream

Croutons, for garnish

Procedure:

· Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat.

· Add the onions, carrots, and then sauté for about 10 minutes, until tender but not overcooked and mushy.

· Add the garlic and cook (very carefully, do not burn) for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt, and pepper and stir well.

· Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.

· Force the soup through a fine China Cap into a bowl.

· Discard only; any dry, stringy, pulp that still maybe left.

Clam Bisque

2014-12-21T10:02:00.000-08:00

Clam Bisque

24 clams in the shell

2 cups water

2 cups thin béchamel sauce

1 Tbsp. diced celery or 1 tsp. minced parsley

1 1/2 cups thin Veloute sauce

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup cream

1. Scrub the clams thoroughly, and then pack into pot with a tight-fitting lid, using 1/2 cup water to steam.

2. When all have popped open, remove, and cool in their own liquor.

3. Shuck clams from shell put through food chopper and add strained liquor.

4. Add water, diced celery and parsley and cook 10 minutes.

5. Press through a sieve and add to the sauce.

6. Finish (See methods of preventing skin forming) and serve.

Traditional Ukrainian Style Borscht, Served With Pyrizhky

2013-06-29T08:05:00.001-07:00

This is one traditional, recipe; for the classic, hearty, Main Dish, Ukrainian Style, vegetable soup: containing beets, and beef; cooked in beef stock; and served with beef pasty. See my other Borscht recipes.

Ingredients: For the Soup:

2 1/2-3lbs shin of beef

1 large marrowbone

1 Tbsp. salt

2 quarts water

1 (16ozs.) can of tomatoes (undrained)

1 medium onion, peeled and quartered

1 celery stick, large dice

3 sprigs of parsley

10 whole black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

1 cup cabbage, coarsely shredded

½ cup, thickly-sliced carrots

1 onion, large dice

2 Tbsps. fresh dill, diced

1/3 cup cider vinegar

2 Tbsps. sugar

1 (16 ozs.) can julienne beets (undrained)

Sour cream, fresh dill, minced, to garnish

1 batch Pyrizhky

Preparation Method:

The day before you’re going to serve, combine the beef, marrowbone, 1 Tbsp. salt, and water, in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil; then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour.

After this time add the tomatoes, quartered onion, celery, parsley, black peppercorns and bay leaves. Return to a simmer; then cover and cook for 2 hours.

Remove the pan from the heat, lift the beef from the stock then discard the marrowbone.

Strain the stock through a colander. Retain the liquid but discard the solids.

Return the stock, and beef, to the pan then add the cabbage, carrot, diced onion, and minced fresh dill, vinegar, sugar and 1 ½ tsp. salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are completely tender.

Take off the heat and set aside to cool then refrigerate overnight. The following day, skim off any fat then remove the beef. Strip the meat from the bones and cut into 1 inch cubes (if desired you can use ½ pound of the meat for the Pyrizhky). Return the meat to the pot along with the beetroot. Bring to a simmer and cook until the Pyrizhky are done. Now prepare a batch of Pyrizhky according to the recipe. When ready, ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with sour cream and chopped dill and serve with the PyrizhkyPyrizhky (Ukrainian Meat Patties) Recipe from Ukraine

This is a traditional Ukrainian recipe for a classic meat patties or pasties made from sour cream pastry and filled with a mix of onions, beef, sour cream and herbs. Pyrizhky (also known as Pyrohy or Piroshki) are classic Ukrainian meat patties, often served as an accompaniment to soups and stews that, in some sense are the Ukrainian version of Cornish pasties.

Ingredients:

10.5 ozs. (about, 2/3 batch) Ukrainian sour cream pastry

2 Tbsps. butter 1 oz. (large dice) onions

3 Tbsps. sour cream

½ cup, cooked beef, cubed

1/2 tsp. dried dill

1/2 tsp. salt

Generous pinch of freshly-ground black pepper

1 egg yolk

1 Tbsp. water

Preparation Method: Prepare the pastry, as directed for a Ukrainian sour cream pastry recipe.

Whilst the pastry is resting in the refrigerator melt the butter in a pan and use to sauté the onion for about 2 minutes.

Stir-in the sour cream diced beef, dill, salt and black pepper and stir to combine. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly-floured work surface to about 2/16 in. Cut into oblongs about 4x8 ins. Cut each of these oblongs in half diagonally then spread a rounded Tbsp. of the filling over one half of the divided oblong, not quite going to the edges. Take the other half of the oblong and use to cover the filling.
Crimp the edges to seal and cut slits in the top as steam holes.
Transfer the Pyrizhky to a lightly-greased (or lined) baking tray. Whip the egg yolk and the water together and use to glaze the tops of the pasties.
Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 210°C and bake for about 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
Remove from the oven and serve hot either as a snack or as an accompaniment to soup dishes

Ukrainian Style Sour Cream Pastry

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp. salt

½ cup cold butter, cubed

½ cup cold lard, cubed

¼ cup (approx.) ice water

3 Tbsps. thick, sour cream

Preparation Method:

In a large bowl, whip together flour and salt; then using a pastry blender, cut in the butter and lard until it is mostly fine crumbs, with a few larger pieces.

In a liquid measure, whip sour cream together with water. Drizzle over the flour mixture, while tossing briskly with a fork. Add a little lemon juice or vinegar, if necessary, until ragged dough forms.

Divide in half; then press into 2 disc shapes. Wrap, refrigerate until chilled (approx. 30 minutes). This dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen in an airtight container for up to a month. Like puff pastry, this one also loves being kept cold even chilly.

Clear Mushroom Soup

2013-05-16T21:44:00.003-07:00

Simmer together for 45 minutes in 3 cups of water, 2 stalks celery, 1 carrot, 1 onion, and 3/4 lb. mushrooms (small dice). Strain the stock and add 1 quart rich chicken bouillon/stock. Season to taste, with salt and coarsely ground or crushed black pepper and paprika. To serve, add 1Tbsp. dry Sherry to each cup 8 oz. of hot soup.

Clear Tomato Soup

2013-05-16T21:32:00.003-07:00

Simmer together for 1 hour, 5 cups beef good bouillon/stock, 1/2 cup Sherry, 2 beaten egg whites, 4 large beef steak tomatoes-diced,3/4 pound beef shank, 1 celeriac, 2 leaks(white part only), and 1 carrot-all diced, salt and pepper to taste.and 1 tsp. sugar. Strain the soup through cheese cloth. Just before serving, add 1/2 cup Madeira.
©Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan. All rights reserved.

Preventing Skin on Cream Soups

2013-03-08T18:50:00.000-08:00

A cream or milk soup has a tendency to form a skin on the top as it cools. This can be prevented if it is finished by whipping ("FINISHING" is a very important concept, in all soups and sauces; actually, in most all cooking-use a very flexible piano wire whip) a small amount of butter just into the surface. If it is beaten just before it is served, the froth also protects it against skin formation.

A spoonful of whipped cream or beaten egg-white served on top of each portion of cream soup also aids in preventing the skin formation and adds to the delicacy and attractiveness of the dish.

Cream Soups

2013-02-10T11:58:00.000-08:00

Cream Soups

Cream soups are made by combining a very thin Veloute, or Béchamel, sauce (do not use béchamel if soup is to be stored before use, cream will sour the soup), with a suitable quantity of cooked, mashed, strained vegetable, fish or meat pulp. While the vegetables, fish, and/or meat are really just a garnish; flavour is always improved by the use of some highly flavoured vegetables.

Cream Soup Recipes and Base

I could, at this time, include recipes for various cream soups, and for a cream soup base; but, it is very impractical to do so.

Commercial, soup bases are, simply, processed starch, or a homogenized white roux using chicken fat, with the addition of some additional spices and herbs.

All cream soups are prepared as described above.

Parisian Onion Soup

2013-02-10T11:45:00.000-08:00

3 onions, small dice

Salt and pepper

3 Tbsps. margarine

Toasted French bread slices

1 Tbsp. flour

3/4 cup grated

Gruyere cheese

2 cups each light, cream and milk

In a large saucepan, cook onions in the margarine 5 minutes. Blend in flour to make a roux and bring to boil. Simmer 10 minutes. Season the soup to taste. Put the toast in a tureen. Pour the soup over toast, and sprinkle with cheese. Sprinkle some coarse pepper over top. Makes: 4 servings.

Pepper Pot Soup

2013-02-10T11:37:00.000-08:00

Veal bones

11/2 qts. water

1 lb. boneless stewing veal, cut up

2 potatoes, diced

1/2 lb. tripe, cubed

2 carrots, diced

1/2 bay leaf

1/4 cup celery, diced

1/8 tsp. whole black peppers

1/2 medium green pepper, diced

Salt

2 Tbsps. butter

3 onions, diced

Pepper

Minced parsley

Put bone, veal tripe, bay leaf, 2 tsps. salt, whole peppers and 1/3 of onion in large kettle. Add water. Bring to boil; cover, and simmer 2 hours; remove bone. Cook remaining onion, potato, carrot, celery and green pepper in butter 10 minutes. Add to meat mixture and simmer 30 minutes. Season. Serve with parsley. Makes: 2 qts.

Cockaleekie Soup

2013-02-10T07:57:00.000-08:00

Cockaleekie Soup-Is a slow cooking, soup, staring of course, chicken, and leeks.

Salt

2 dried hot red peppers or dash of cayenne

1 fowl, cut up

2 1/2 qts. water

3 onions, diced

1 doz. leeks, white part only, 1 in. pieces

1 clove garlic, crushed

Few sprigs parsley

1 bay leaf

6 potatoes, peeled and diced

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

Pepper

1. Put Tbsp. salt and remaining ingredients, except last 3, in large kettle. Bring to a boil and simmer covered, 4 hours, or until fowl is tender.

2. Remove skin and bones from chicken and cut meat in good-sized chunks. Skim fat from broth and add chicken, leeks and potatoes.

3. Cover and cook 30 minutes longer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes, about: 3 quarts.

Petite Marmite- The Soup Casserole, not the Cheap Filler, or Low- cost, Soup-base.

2013-02-07T18:34:00.000-08:00

A "marmite" would not make a suitable base for a soup or stew.

A "marmite" is NOT the sticky brown spread made from yeast extract; and it is not a by-product of the brewing industry.

A "marmite" IS a deep clay casserole-or soup pot.
Remember, the average North American family throws away,well over half of; their food dollar.

Yes,"Marmite", is now a "borrowed" trade name: for that sticky brown stuff (fairly popular in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and South Africa-however, a picture of a marmite appears on the front label of this product) which CAN be used as a , filler, and base, (some believe time and money saving)for braised dishes, soups, and/or stews (see: ingredients to make 1 qt. soup stock and following beef stock post).
Slightly simpler and quicker to prepare than Grande Marmite, there's nothing, at all, petite about this beef, chicken, and vegetable soup.

3 medium onions, sliced

Few sprigs parsley

1 Tbsp. butter

1/2 tsp. thyme

2 lbs. beef chuck, in one piece

2 whole cloves

2 lbs. beef soup bones

1 cup diced celery

1 fowl

4 carrots diced

3 qts. water

3 sliced leeks, white part only

Salt

1/4 small green cabbage, slivered

2 bay leaves

1 box frozen peas

8 whole black peppers

Pepper

Grated cheese

· Brown, onions, in butter, in large kettle; then add beef, bones, fowl, water, 1 Tbsp. salt, bay leaves, whole peppers, parsley, thyme, and cloves. Bring to boil, and simmer, covered 4 hours, or until meats are tender.

· Remove meats, cool, and slice thin.

· Cook remaining vegetables for garnish until barely tender in a little boiling salted water.

· Drain. Strain soup mixture and reheat.

· Season to taste with salt and pepper. Put some vegetables and meat slices in individual marmites or soup bowls.

· Cover with broth. Serve with grated cheese. Makes: 6 to 8 servings.

Grande Marmite-the Large Soup Casserole-NOT the Cheap,Sticky Brown Filler.

2013-02-07T18:24:00.000-08:00

The average North American family throws away,well over half of; their food dollar.

Any true "marmite" would not make a suitable base for a soup or stew;

for, a "marmite" is NOT the sticky brown spread made from yeast extract;
it is not a by-product of the brewing industry;

A "marmite" IS a deep clay casserole-or soup pot.

Yes,"Marmite", is now a "borrowed" trade name: for that sticky brown stuff (fairly popular in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and South Africa-however, a picture of a marmite appears on the front label of this product) which CAN be used as a filler, and base, (some believe time and money saving)for braised dishes, soups, and/or stews (see: ingredients to make 1 qt. soup stock and following beef stock post).

· In a large soup kettle in 2 qts. water put six (2 ins. long) pieces of marrow bone. Do not add any seasonings or vegetables.

· Bring the water to a boil, lower the heat, and remove scum as it accumulates on the surface.

· When the surface is clear, cover the pot, and simmer the water for 3 hours.

· Strain the broth, remove the marrow from the bones, reserve it, and discard the bones. Measure the broth, pour it into the soup kettle, and add enough cold water to make 4 qts of liquid.

· Add 2 lbs. lean beef, using plate, flank, or round and keeping the beef in one piece. Add 1 four lb. fowl, and 1 tsp. salt.

· Slowly bring the liquid to a boil and simmer it gently, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes.

· Remove the scum as it accumulates on the surface.

· Stud 1 medium-sized yellow onion with 2 cloves and tie 2 leeks together.

· Put the onion and the leeks in a moderate oven (350 F) and roast them until they are golden brown. This is important and must not be omitted, as it is the browning of the onion and the leeks that gives the marmite its rich, golden colour and characteristic flavour.

· When the surface of the soup is free of scum, add the browned onion and leeks and add 6 medium-sized carrots, quartered lengthwise, 3 white turnips, quartered, 4 leafy stalks of celery and 1 small head of white cabbage weighing about 1 lb., cut into inch-wide strips.

· Add 8 whole peppercorns and a bouquet garni. Simmer the soup over very low heat for 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 hours.

· Set the cover of the soup kettle slightly askew to allow some steam to escape during the simmering.

· When beef and fowl are tender, add the reserved marrow, adjust the seasoning, and serve in one of two ways. If the marmite was prepared in an earthenware soup pot, as it is customarily done in France, the soup is served from this pot.

· The beef and the fowl are removed to a hot platter and slices are carved to be added to each serving.

· The other method of serving the marmite is to dice the beef and the white meat of the chicken, return the dice to the soup, and then serve.

· In either case, slices of fresh bread, browned in the oven, not just toasted, are served floating on the marmite.

· If chicken and beef, or just beef alone, are prepared in the marmite manner, the broth, of course, may be served as a strained soup or be used as a base for onion soup, and the beef may be served as the main course of the meal accompanied by vegetables and any one of a number of sauces.©Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan. All rights reserved.

Parisian, French Potato Soup

2013-02-07T15:16:00.000-08:00

is a very popular soup, of potatoes, and leeks.

4 medium potatoes

1 1/2 cups light cream, scalded

3 to 4 leeks, white parts only

White pepper

Butter or margarine

2 egg yolks

Salt

Croutons

Peel and dice potatoes; put in large saucepan. Dice leeks fine and brown lightly in 2 Tbsps. butter. Add potatoes. Add boiling water to cover and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cover, bring to boil and cook until potatoes are tender. Put entire mixture through Food mill, or purée in blender. Add milk and heat. Season; to taste. Beat in egg yolks. Serve with a spoonful of butter and a few croutons in each bowl Serves 4

Beef-Vegetable Soup No. 1

2013-01-26T07:06:00.000-08:00

Beef-Vegetable Soup (1)
4lbs. beef shank with bone

1/2 cup butter or margarine

Salt

11/2 cups finely diced celery

2 qts. water

1 cup each, diced carrots, and potatoes

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup sliced green beans

1/3 cup pearl barley

1 cup medium diced, green cabbage

1/2 cup minced celery tops

2 cups fresh peas or 1 pkg. (10 ozs.) frozen peas

2 cups diced onion

1 cup medium diced fresh spinach

3 1/2 cups (one 1 lb. +1, 12 ozs. can)

Salt and pepper

Tomatoes

Have beef shank cut into several pieces. Put in kettle with 1 Tbsp. salt and next 5 ingredients. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 3 hours, or until meat is tender. Skim soup. Remove bones and meat and set meat aside. Add tomatoes to soup. Melt butter in skillet. Add vegetables, except peas and spinach. Sauté, for 7 minutes, stirring, frequently. Add to soup, Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add peas, spinach, and the meat, cut into bite-size pieces. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes longer. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes: 5 qts.©Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan. All rights reserved.

Ukrainian Borscht,This Famous Russian Soup Comes in Many Flavours and Styles

2013-01-24T05:18:00.000-08:00

Much More Than Just a Famous Russian Soup, REAL Ukrainian Style Borsch is Truly a Complete Meal-in-a-Bowl.

· In a soup kettle put 1 1/2 lbs. lean beef, 1 lb. lean fresh pork, 1/2 lb. smoked pork, and 10 cups cold water.

· Bring the water slowly to a boil, skim carefully, and add 1 bay leaf, 8 peppercorns, 1 garlic clove, a few sprigs of parsley, 1 carrot, 1 stalk of celery, and 2 leeks. Simmer the soup, covered for 1 1/2 hours.

· Cook 8 beets, unpeeled, in salted water for about 40 minutes, or until they are tender, peel and cut each beet into 8 segments.

· Peel and grate a raw beet and cook it in 1/4 cup cold water.

· Remove the meat from the soup and strain the soup stock into a saucepan. Add the cooked beets, 1 cup shredded cabbage, 2 onions, and 3 potatoes all peeled and quartered, 6 tomatoes, peeled quartered and seeded, 1 1/2 Tbsps. tomato puree, 1 Tbsp. vinegar, 1 tsp. sugar and the meat.

· Bring the soup to a boil and simmer it for 40 minutes. Add 1/2 cup cooked navy beans and 4 frankfurters, thickly sliced and continue to simmer for 20 minutes longer.

· Use “manipulated butter” (1 Tbsp. flour mixed to a paste with 1 Tbsp. butter) to thicken soup, add the liquid strained from the grated raw beet and correct the seasoning with salt.

· Cut the meat into thick slices and put it in a heated soup tureen.

· Pour the soup over the meat and serve very hot as the main dish.

· Sour cream can be added, if desired but is hardly necessary with this truly marvellous Ukrainian style soup.

Ukrainian Style Borscht #2

Servings: 10

1 1/2 lbs. red beets (green tops removed)

1 lb. lean beef chuck (cut into bite-size pieces)

1/2 lb. thick slab bacon (large dice)
1 cup yellow cooking onion (medium dice)

1 carrot (peeled, then cut julienne)

[By simply following the above suggestions for cut size, you will add much eye appeal to the finished product; thereby having many more people raving about what a marvellous cook you are.]

2 tsps. dried oregano

1 tsp. celery seed

2 tsps. dill seeds

1 Tbsp. crushed and minced garlic

2 bay leaves

3 Tbsps. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. ground black pepper

3 Tbsps. tomato paste

2 quarts beef, or quality vegetable stock.

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 large potato (peeled and; diced)

6 cups green cabbage (shredded, use mandolin)

3 Tbsps. fresh flat-leaf parsley (diced)

Sugar

1 cup real sour cream

1/2 cup fresh dill (diced)

Russian black bread

Directions:

· Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

· Place the diced bacon in a Dutch oven type casserole or stockpot and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat, until the fat begins to render, about 3 minutes.

· Add the beef and continue to cook, stirring, until the beef is brown on all sides, about 6 minute.

· Remove both meats from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

· Add the onions and carrot to the fat in the Dutch oven or stockpot and stir to coat.

· Cook until soft, about 4 minutes.

· Add the garlic, oregano, dill seeds and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the red wine vinegar and stir to deglaze the pot.

· Return both meats to the pot and add the water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.

· Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the beef is tender, about 2 hours.

· Meanwhile, place the beets on a baking sheet and brush with the oil. Roast until tender and can be pierced easily with a fork or knife, about 1 hour.

· Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.

· When the beets are cool enough to handle, trim the stem and root ends and remove the skins.

· Coarsely grate or dice (medium) and set aside.

· When the meat is tender and falling apart, add the beets, potatoes, cabbage, parsley, tomato paste and celery salt or seeds and simmer over low heat for another 30 minutes.

· Season with additional red wine vinegar, salt, freshly ground black pepper and sugar to taste.

· Ladle borsch into bowls and garnish with sour cream and a pinch of fresh dill.

· Serve with Russian black bread.

Polish Borscht No.1

2013-01-24T05:11:00.001-08:00

Boiled potatoes are served. This soup is almost as much a cabbage soup as it is a beet soup.

2 qts. beef bouillon

1 cup diced carrots

1 large onion, fine dice

1 tsp. minced parsley

4 large dried mushrooms

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. lemon juice

3 cups grated beets

Salt

2 cups shredded cabbage

Hot boiled potatoes

1. Simmer beef bouillon with onion for 2 hours.

2. Strain stock and remove fat.

3. Wash, chop and soak in hot water the dried mushrooms, add them to the hot soup and boil for 15 minutes.

4. Toss sugar with grated beets, shredded cabbage, diced carrots and parsley.

5. Let the mixture stand until the sugar is dissolved.

6. Add the mixture to the soup and continue to boil for 25 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

7. Add 1 cup sour cream and 1 tsp. lemon juice to the soup.

8. Reheat without boiling and add salt, if necessary.

Polish Borscht No. 2

2013-01-24T05:11:00.000-08:00

1 1/2 lbs. beef chuck, cut up (sliced, diced, or small cube),

1onion, minced

1 1/2 qts. Water

4 beets cooked and sliced, diced, or julienne

2 cups shredded cabbage

2 stalks celery, diced

1 onion minced

Salt and pepper

¼ cup cream

2 Tbsps. flour

1 egg

Hot boiled potatoes

Put meat in kettle and add water. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, 2 hours, or until meat is almost tender. Add beets cabbage, celery, and onion; cook about 30 minutes longer. Season to taste. Blend sour cream, flour, and egg. Stir into soup and bring again to boil. Serve in hot soup bowls and pass the potatoes. Makes: 4 servings.

Simple Borscht

2013-01-24T05:09:00.000-08:00

1bunch beets

1/2 lb. breast of beef

1 cup tomatoes, fresh or canned

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

4 cups water

1/4 cup sugar

1 small onion

1/4 tsp. salt

4 eggs

Pare the beets and cut them into long julienne strips. Strain the tomatoes, over the beets, not letting any seeds through. Add water. Put in the onion and meat, cut into small pieces, and simmer for 30 minutes. Add lemon-juice, sugar, and salt. Boil 1/2 hour more. Beat eggs with a pinch of salt. Add the hot borsch to this, a little at a time, stirring well to prevent the separating of the eggs. Serve at once, while very hot.

Borscht, Without Meat

2013-01-24T05:08:00.000-08:00

1 1/2 qts. Water

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

5 large beets, peeled and grated

Salt and pepper

1 onion, diced

Sugar

1 cup tomato purée

2 eggs

Sour cream

1. Combine in a soup kettle; water, beets onion and bring the water to a boil and simmer gently for 45 minutes.

2. Add tomato puree, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and a little sugar.

3. The amounts of lemon juice and sugar may be varied to make borscht sweet or sour to taste. Simmer the soup gently for 45 minutes.

4. The soup may be strained, if desired and the vegetables discarded but this is not recommended. Beat the 2 eggs well add a little of the hot soup and stir the mixture into the kettle.

5. Serve hot or well chilled, with a generous Tbsp. of sour cream in each serving.

The, Average, Modern, Family Throws Away MOST(well over 60%) of Their Food and Nutritional Dollar.

2013-01-13T10:33:00.000-08:00

An excellent stock can be made by using left-over meat scraps, and the bones, instead of the beef specified, (the juice, left in a roaster, or from a stew, is also a stock), and by substituting any available vegetables; or trimmings, such as the outer leaves of lettuce, or cabbage, celery tops, onion peel etch. for those given below.
Ingredients; To Make One Quart Of Standard Stock, Brown Stock, or Bouillon.

2 lbs. beef (1/4 to 1/2 bone)

1 1/4 quarts cold water

4 to 6 pepper corns

2 cloves

1 bay leaf

1 blade mace

1 tsp. sweet herbs

1 sprig parsley

1 Tbsp. of each, carrot, onion, celery, and yellow turnip

1 tsp. salt

The, average, modern, family throws away MOST(well over 60%) of their food and nutritional dollar. After the stock is made\; left over vegetables, cereals, hard cooked eggs, small pieces of meat, etch. may be diced, and served in the soup.

Beef Stock

2013-01-13T10:31:00.000-08:00

· Put into a soup kettle 3 lbs. lean brisket, flank, neck or other of the tougher cuts, 2 lbs. veal knuckle, 1 beef knuckle, 6 chicken feet, cleaned, and skinned, 4 leeks, 2 medium sized onions, a stalk, of celery ,with the leaves, and 3 sprigs of parsley.

· Add 5 quarts water, and bring it slowly to a boil.

Chicken Stock&Fish Stock or Court Bouillon

2013-01-13T10:30:00.000-08:00

Chicken Stock

· Put into a large soup kettle a 4-lb. fowl, 1 veal knuckle, 6 chicken feet, cleaned and skinned, 2 Tbsps. salt, 4 peppercorns and 5qts.water.

· Bring the water slowly to a boil, removing the scum as it accumulates on the surface.

· Add 6 small leeks, 4 carrots, 2 stalks of celery, all cleaned and cut in pieces, and one onion stuck with 4 cloves and a bay leaf.

· Add 1 garlic clove and a pinch of thyme. Simmer gently.

· Cool the stock and chill it Remove layer of fat before using.

Fish Stock or Court Bouillon

2 lbs. fish, head and trimmings

1 1/4 quarts cold water

2 pepper corns

1 clove

1 sprig parsley

1 bay leaf

1 Tbsp. of each; carrot, celery, and onion

·Fish stock needs to be cooked for only half the time required for other stock.

Using Soup Stock

2013-01-13T10:29:00.000-08:00

1. When ready to use stock, loosen fat around the edges with a knife, remove, and discard. If the stock is jellied, wipe off the remaining small pieces of fat and the edge of container with a cloth wrung out of hot water. If the stock is very soft or liquid, pass small sheets of absorbent paper over the top of the stock.

When the Stock must be used before cooling, skim off all the fat possible.

1. Most of the remainder may be removed in one of two ways. The first way is to pass over the top small pieces of absorbent paper or blotting paper.

2. The second is to cool the stock as much as possible before-hand, then to wrap a piece of ice in a cloth and let it down into the stock. Move the ice around just below the surface so that the fat on the surface is suddenly chilled, and it will gather on the cloth around the ice. This must be done quickly to prevent unnecessary dilution of the stock.

For clear soups, take the stock from the top of container, being careful to avoid any sediment which may have escaped through the sieve and settled to the bottom of the container. This sediment is valuable as food and should be reserved for gravies or soups which are not necessarily clear. Clarify this stock if translucent, sparkling soup is required.

To clarify soups allow 1 egg white and shell to 1 quart of stock. Wash egg well. Separate yolk and white. Crush the shell into small pieces and mix with the slightly beaten egg white. Heat the stock just enough to liquefy it if it is jellied. Stir the egg white and shell thoroughly into the stock. Heat the stock slowly to boiling, stirring constantly, and then boil without stirring 2-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 cup of cold water and let settle. Strain through 2 thicknesses of cheesecloth. The coagulated egg gathers around itself the particles of solid substance in the soup which otherwise would be fine enough to pass through a strainer.
©Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan. All rights reserved.

Consommé, as Soup and as a Healthier Alternative to Commercial Soup Bases.

2013-01-13T10:27:00.000-08:00

1 lb. lean beef

1 lb. veal

1 1/4 quarts, cold water, or, 1 pint cold water, And, 1 pint chicken stock(as below,not commercial).

2 pepper corns

1 clove

1/2 tsp. sweet herbs

1 sprig parsley

1 Tbsp. of each, celery, carrot, and onion(mirepoix)

1 tsp. salt

Consommé, or the following white stock, may also, be reduced to a heavy jelly, then dried, and used as a better alternative, to commercial bouillon cubes.

White Stock

2 lbs. chicken or veal

1 1/4 qts. cold water

2 pepper corns

1 clove

1/2 tsp. sweet herbs

1 Tbsp. of each, onion, carrot, and celery(mirepoix)

The liquid in which a fowl or chicken is steamed or simmered is also a white stock or chicken broth.

Purees

2013-01-13T06:02:00.001-08:00

Purees are made in the same way as cream soups, but are somewhat thicker. They are often served under the name of "Cream Soup" Example: Cream of Tomato.

The name, “bisque” is usually given to a cream soup made from fish, and the fish is often diced or mashed through a course strainer. A familiar example of an exception in the use of the word is mock bisque soup, or, tomato bisque, as it is often called.