Seafood Bisque

This soup, bisque, and gumbo are the main reasons I do not throw away my uncooked shrimp or lobster shells. The flavor of seafood is heightened when you use fresh seafood stock instead of water.

To make seafood stock

In a sauté pan add onions chopped and sweat (no color just make them soft. Add thyme and a bay leaf. Add shrimp shell or lobster shells or both. Add 4 cups of water to cover shell and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Freeze stock in ice cube tray and use when you want that flavor of fresh seafood in your dish.

Ingredients

½ cup crab meat ounces crab meat

½ cup bay scallops (the smaller ones)

½ cup shrimp

½ cup lobster claw meat is fine

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

2 tablespoons chopped celery

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups shrimp stock

¼ cup clam juice

1 tbsp tomato paste

¼ cup sherry (optional)

2 tbsp cayenne pepper

Salt & Pepper

Equipment

Large Soup Pot

Preparation

Heat butter over medium-low heat

Add green onion and celery

Sauté until tender

Add flour and Stir

Add milk and stir

Allow mixture to thicken

Add pepper, tomato paste, and heavy cream

Add Seafood

Simmer for 5 min

For Service

Ladle into bowl

Add shot of sherry right before service (optional)

Chicken Noodle Soup

Fall is here the weather is changing and people are getting cold in their bones. We all know that nothing beats the cold like a great bowl of chicken noodle soup. This recipe is easy to follow and with very few steps you will be warm inside and out before you know it.

Enjoy

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

2 lbs. Chicken Cutlet (cubed)

4 cups chicken Broth

2 cups water

1 cup peas

1 cup carrots

1 cup whole kernel corn

1 cup celery

1 cup of your favorite noodles (uncooked)

¼ cup your favorite poultry seasoning

1 tbsp cayenne pepper

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil

Equipment

1 large stock pot

1 large sauté pan

Large bowl

Preheating

None

Preparation

The night before:

Season chicken and put in freezer bag then refrigerate

The day of:

Add water, broth and salt pepper and cayenne pepper to large pot and simmer

In sauté pan heat olive oil

Sauté chicken and remove from pan

Add chicken and vegetables to broth

Simmer for 10 minutes

Add noodles and cook for 8 minutes

Remove from heat

For service

Ladle soup into bowl

Enjoy

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Mushrooms are great and they are so versatile. The perfect accompaniment to any dish. This soup has mushroomed as its star. You can add several different types of mushrooms and really enhance the flavor profile.

Cooking note: If you want more texture in your soup; reserve some of the mushrooms and lightly sauté them in a pan and add to the soup right before service.

Ingredients

½ lb white button mushrooms, cleaned, quartered or sliced

½ lb baby portabellas cleaned and sliced

½ lb shitake mushroom sliced

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Unsalted butter

2 Tbsp minced shallots (sweet onion)

1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups vegetable stock

2 tbsp cornstarch dissolved water

Chopped parsley for garnish

Equipment

Food Processor or blender

Large sauce pot

Large soup pot

Preheating: none

Preparation

Heat Soup Pot

Add Olive Oil and butter

Add shallots and sweat (sauté until soft with no color)

Add mushrooms, thyme and bay leaf

Cook mushrooms until 95% of the moisture has been reduced

In sauce pot bring stock and cream up to a boil then reduce to simmer

Add stock cream mixture to mushrooms in large soup pot

Stir add cornstarch and water mixture (slurry) to pot and stir

Bring soup to a boil then reduce to a simmer

Cook for 10-15 min then add lemon juice

Adjust seasoning to taste

Remove soup from heat and process in blender or food processor until desired consistency is reached

Important note: Hot liquid expands in blender please be careful when processing soup.

Add remainder of heavy cream and butter while processing

Adjust seasoning

For Service

Ladle into bowl

Garnish with reserved sautéed mushroom mixture and parsley

Enjoy 

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

What’s a better combination on a cold day then broccoli and cheese?  

There aren’t many and this simple soup will have you warm in no time.

Ingredients

2 lbs broccoli      

½ cup grated parmesan

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese    

2 cups shredded jack cheese 

½ cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic smashed

2 cups vegetable stock

2 cups heavy cream

2 cup water

¼ cup flour

3 tbsp butter       

Salt & Pepper

Equipment

Large Soup Pot

Large Sauté Pan 

Preheating None

Preparation

Heat Sautee pan

Add butter and foam

Add flour and stir until light brown

Add onions and garlic

Add broccoli

Cook for 10 min

Add vegetable stock

Remove some broccoli for garnish

Add cream and heat

Blend until desired consistency is reached

Pot back on stove add cheese and stir until melted

For Service

Ladle Soup into bowl

Garnish with sautéed broccoli and shredded cheese

Enjoy