Soups

Index Soups Recipes:

Black Bean Soup with Hazelnut Cilantro Pesto

1 pound (3 cups) dried black beans
Water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium potato, peeled and diced in 1/2 inch pieces (1 cup)
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 cups chicken stock
1 medium canned chipotle pepper (smoked jalapeno)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Pick over beans, discarding any foreign material or blemished beans. Place in two to three quart saucepan and cover with cold water to at least two inches above beans. Place lid on saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for at least one hour. Drain and rinse with fresh water.

Heat olive oil in three to four quart saucepan. Saute onion and garlic until softened, about three minutes. Add cooked beans, potato, tomatoes, chicken stock and chipotle. Season with cumin, salt and freshly ground pepper. Simmer uncovered until beans are softened, about one to two hours, adding more stock if mixture becomes too thick. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, add cilantro and adjust the seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if desired.

Pesto

3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped, toasted hazelnuts
1/3 cup olive oil

Place garlic in a food processor bowl fitted with a metal blade and pulse several times until finely minced. Add remaining ingredients and pulse several times until just well mixed. Transfer to small bowl.

To serve, ladle soup into serving dishes and stir about two teaspoons on the pesto into each bowl. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, fresh tomatoes and another teaspoon of pesto. Garnish

Sour Cream
Dried Tomatoes
Chopped cilantro

Fresh Apple Soup with Hazelnut Apple Balls

2 pounds tart apples (Gravenstein, Granny Smith, McIntosh)
1 cup port wine
3 cups Riesling wine
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons tapioca
1 3-inch stick cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
2 tablespoons pear brandy
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup finely ground, toasted hazelnuts
1 tablespoon honey
Mint leaves for garnish

Peel one or two apples and make 18 small apple balls with mellon-baller. Heat port wine to simmering. Place apple balls and wine in a glass or plastic container deep enough for the wine to cover the balls. Refrigerate overnight.

Peel core and slice remaining apples and place in a three to four quart saucepan along with the apple left over from making the balls. Add the Riesling wine, sugar, tapioca, cinnamon and cloves. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes or until apples are soft.

Remove cinnamon and cloves and force apples and liquid through a fine sieve; discard solids. Cool to room temperature and whisk in brandy and cream. Place one cup of the soup in a small bowl and mix with ¼ cup of the port wine that has been used for soaking the apple balls.

Remove the apple balls from the wine, drain and with the tip of a potato peeler, scoop out an indentation about ¼ inch wide and ½ inch deep in the center of each ball. Mix hazelnuts and honey together. Fill the cavity with nut mixture. To serve, ladle the soup into flat soup dishes. Add a swirl of the port wine mixture, several apple balls and a sprig of mint to each dish.

Cream of Broccoli & Hazelnut Soup Au Gratin

1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large bunch broccoli
3 medium potatoes, peeled & diced
6 cups chicken stock
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
1 cup roasted & finely chopped Oregon hazelnuts
2 tablespoons cream sherry
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1-1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
1-1/4 cups coarsely chopped Oregon hazelnuts

Yield: 10 (1-cup) servings.

Melt butter in a 4 to 6-quart soup kettle. Sauté onion until softened, about 3 minutes. Cut broccoli into florets and thinly slice tender upper portion of stems. Add to kettle along with potatoes and chicken stock. Cover and simmer until potatoes and broccoli are tender, about 20 minutes. Puree mixture in several batches in food processor. Return puree to kettle and stir in cream, finely chopped hazelnuts, sherry, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Gently heat.

To serve, ladle 8-ounce servings into broiler-safe dishes. Sprinkle each with 1/2 ounce grated Gruyere cheese and 1/2 ounce coarsely chopped hazelnuts. Place under the broiler until cheese is melted and hazelnuts are browned, about 1 minute.

3-Pepper Oregon Hazelnut Soup

1 quart chicken stock
1 cup lentils
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek
1/4 teaspoon cumin
2 cups water
1-1/2 cups Oregon hazelnuts, toasted & chopped
1 teaspoon mixed pepper corns (pink, green & black, cracked)
2 tablespoons roux (equal parts of soft butter and flour worked into smooth paste)

Yield: 6 servings.

Combine stock, lentils, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, coriander, fenugreek and cumin in a heavy 3-quart soup pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour. Remove from heat and put through a sieve or puree and return to pot. Add water, hazelnuts, peppers, and simmer 15 minutes. Thicken by beating in roux and cooking an additional 15 minutes. Salt to taste. Garnish with sour cream, chopped onion or chives and Oregon hazelnuts.

Hazelnut Squash Soup

1-1/2 cups mashed, cooked squash or 1 package (12 oz.) frozen cooked squash
1 cup finely chopped Oregon hazelnuts (4 oz.)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 quart chicken broth or stock
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons sherry

Yield: 6 servings.

Combine squash, hazelnuts, onion and broth in saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer 3 0 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in salt to taste, pepper, butter and sherry. Garnish with roasted and sliced hazelnuts, if desired.