Soup recipes

Roasted vegetable stock:

2cups diced onion

2carrots, scrubbed and diced (about 1 cup)

3stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)

6whole peeled cloves garlic

2cups peeled, diced celery root

3tablespoons olive oil

1/2teaspoon salt

1/4teaspoon pepper

2leeks, white part only

10peppercorns

1bay leaf

3-4sprigs thyme

3-4sprigs parsley

1/2cup dried porcini mushrooms

2Yukon Gold potatoes

Soup:

2cups sliced cremini mushrooms

4teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Kosher salt

White pepper

1medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)

1/2cup diced celery

1/2cup diced carrot

2cloves garlic, minced

1/2cup dried small white beans

8cups roasted vegetable stock

3cups coarsely chopped savoy cabbage

Yukon Gold potatoes, reserved from stock recipe

1/4pound each green beans and yellow beans, stems removed, cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces

Sliced, toasted French bread

To make stock: Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss together the onion, carrots, celery, garlic and celery root with the olive oil, salt and pepper in a large baking pan. Roast 35 to 45 minutes or until vegetables are lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Place the roasted vegetables in a tall 8-quart stockpot. Cut the leeks into quarter-inch slices and add them to the pot. Add the peppercorns, bay leaf, thyme, parsley and dried mushrooms. Peel the potatoes and add the peels to the pot. Cut the peeled potatoes into half-inch dice, cover them with cold water, and set aside to use in the soup. Add 10 cups cold water to the stockpot.

Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer 45 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat. Strain the stock through a cheesecloth-lined strainer, lightly pressing the vegetables with the back of a spoon to extract juices. Discard the vegetables. You will have about 8 cups of stock.

To make soup: Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the sliced mushrooms in a bowl with 4 teaspoons olive oil, one-eighth teaspoon salt and a pinch of white pepper. Place in a baking pan and roast for about 13 minutes, until tender and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let stand.

Saute the onion, celery and carrot in 2 tablespoons olive oil in a tall 8-quart stockpot until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 1 minute.

Add the white beans, vegetable stock, cabbage and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Add the drained potatoes and the mushrooms during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Add the green and yellow beans during the last 15 minutes of cooking and simmer until the beans are crisp-tender. Season to taste with salt. Serve the soup with toasted French bread brushed with good olive oil.

Makes 6 servings. Per servings: 271 calories; 8 grams protein; 30 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams fiber; 15 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 451 milligrams sodium.

Mushroom stock:

1pound fresh cremini mushrooms

1 1/2ounces dried shiitake mushrooms

1/4cup sliced leek (white part only)

2cloves garlic, cut in half

2sprigs thyme

4peppercorns

Soup:

3tablespoons olive oil, divided

1cup diced onion

1/2cup finely diced carrot

1/2cup finely diced celery

1teaspoon minced garlic

2/3cup pearl barley

11cups mushroom stock

1/4pound shiitake mushrooms, stems trimmed, sliced

1tablespoon sea salt

2bunches Swiss chard, stemmed and coarsely chopped (about 8 cups)

2turnips (about 3/4 pound), peeled and cut into half-inch dice (about 3 cups)

To make the stock: Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Trim the stem ends and quarter the mushrooms.

Put the mushrooms in a tall 8-quart stockpot. Add the dried shiitakes, leek, garlic, thyme and peppercorns. Add 3 quarts (12 cups) cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 35 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and let stand to cool 5 minutes. Strain through a mesh strainer, gently pressing the vegetables with a spoon to extract juices. Discard the vegetables. You should have 11 cups of broth; add water until the broth measures 11 cups, if needed.

To make the soup: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a tall 8-quart stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and saute until the vegetables are tender but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.

Stir in the barley and stock. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer and cover. Cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium nonstick skillet until hot. Add the mushrooms and saute until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the salt, Swiss chard, turnips and sauteed mushrooms to the stockpot. Bring the soup to a simmer, cover and cook 30 minutes.

Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 139 calories; 3 grams protein; 21 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 5 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 534 mg. sodium.

Light vegetable stock:

1tablespoon olive oil

2cups finely diced leeks, white part only (about 2 to 3)

1cup finely diced carrots (about 3 medium)

1cup finely diced celery (about 2 stalks)

3whole cloves garlic, peeled

6peppercorns

1bay leaf

2sprigs parsley

2sprigs fennel

1sprig thyme

Soup:

2fennel bulbs (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2large onions (about 1 1/2 pounds)

3tablespoons olive oil

1teaspoon sugar

1/2cup light dry white wine

9cups light vegetable stock

2teaspoons salt, plus more to taste

2tablespoons Armagnac, optional

81/4-inch thick slices baguette

1large clove garlic, halved

To make the stock: Heat the oil in a tall 8-quart stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, carrots and celery and cook until tender, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf, parsley, fennel and thyme. Add 10 cups cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat, cover and cook at a hard simmer 35 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat. Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer, gently pressing the vegetables to extract liquid. Discard the vegetables.

You should have 9 cups of stock.

To make the soup: Trim the feathery fronds and stems from the fennel bulbs. Chop 1 tablespoon of the fronds and reserve. Cut the bulbs in half lengthwise and remove the cores. Thinly slice on a mandoline.

Peel the onions, then very thinly slice on a mandoline.

Heat the oil in a heavy 51/2-quart sauce pot and saute the fennel, onions and sugar over high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the vegetables are very tender and lightly browned, 30 to 40 minutes.

Add the wine and simmer 1 to 2 minutes or until the wine is almost evaporated. Add the vegetable stock and salt. Cover and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors.

Add the Armagnac, if using, and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Stir in the reserved chopped fennel fronds. Season to taste with salt.

Put the baguette slices on a baking sheet. Broil until golden brown and crisp, about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Rub each slice with the cut garlic clove, then turn and brown the other side, about 20 seconds. Serve the soup with the garlic toasts on the side.

Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 216 calories; 4 grams protein; 27 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams fiber; 10 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 937 mg. sodium.