French Lentil Soup

My sister provided me with this recipe from the French Kitchen in Colorado Springs. She has bought the soup there and I have always liked it a lot. It took me awhile to get around to converting the measurements to cups, ounces and teaspoons.  When I finally did make it, after locating French lentils through Amazon, it was pretty amazing. 

French Lentil Soup 

Ingredients

2 cups of green lentils  (I found them on Amazon, Bob's Red Mill)

1 cup of carrots, peeled and chopped

2 cups of onions, chopped

4 oz. pine nuts

5 cups of chicken bullion

1 3/4 cup of heavy cream or half and half

1 1/2 oz. butter

2 tsp. fennel seeds

thyme sprig, bay leave Italian parsley - wrap in muslin cloth (cheesecloth) & tie with twine

Directions

Melt the butter and cook the onions and carrots over medium heat for 6-8 minutes. Add the lentils and stir. Add the fennel and hers--bouquet garni. Bring to a boil and simmer for 40 minutes. 

Toast the pine nuts in a skillet.

Remove 4 ladles of soup and set aside. Add cream, puree the soup and add the soup back that you set aside. Serve with pine nuts.

Potato Leek Soup

While skiing at Deer Valley one day this winter, we stopped for lunch at the Empire Lodge. I had potato leek soup that was hearty, filling and memorable.  I wanted to find a recipe that matched up to the flavors of the soup I had at the Empire Lodge. Some recipes were just the leeks and potatoes with a lot of cream, some had herbs and others had wine. After looking at several, I decided on the ingredients that I wanted in my recipe. Served with a crusty bread and a nice salad and you have comfort food on a winter's eve.

Ingredients

3 leeks cleaned, white/light green parts sliced thin
1 lb. Yukon potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, mined
2 TBSP. unsalted butter
1 tsp. salt
4 cups chicken broth (prefer low sodium)
1 cup whipping cream (I use 1/2 & 1/2)
1 cup dry vermouth

Sauteé leeks, onion, garlic in butter for about 8 minutes or until translucent. Add potatoes, broth, vermouth and salt bring to a boil; simmer for 15 minutes. Add cream and simmer for 10 minutes.  Puree to preferred consistency with an inversion blender or regular blender.

Curried Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup

This aromatic, creamy soup with a Thai twist is made with carrots and sweet potatoes, which are rich in alpha and beta carotene, antioxidants that turn into vitamin A in the body. Carrots and sweet potatoes are also good sources of vitamin C, dietary fiber, and other heart-healthy nutrients. Studies have shown that diets high in carotenoids are associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. Some laboratory studies have found that vitamin A may enhance the immune system, slow tumor growth, shrink tumors and make some cancer treatments work better.

 
 Servings: 6
       
Ingredients

    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1 medium onion, chopped
    1 tablespoon ginger, minced
    1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and shredded
    1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded
    2 teaspoons curry powder
    4 kaffir lime leaves
    1 stalk lemongrass, tender parts only, cut into 2" pieces
    6 cups vegetable stock, unsalted
    1 1/2 teaspoons salt (if using salted stock, reduce added salt)
    1/4 cup light coconut milk

Directions

    Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.

    Add onions and ginger, and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.

    Add carrots and sweet potatoes.

    Cook until they begin to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add curry powder, mix well, and cook 1 minute to develop flavor.

    Add kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, vegetable stock and salt.

    Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cook, covered, for 20-25 minutes, until vegetables are soft.

    Stir in coconut milk and cook 2 more minutes. Remove kaffir lime leaves.

    Puree soup in batches in a blender (I fill the container just below the halfway mark), being careful to remove the stopper in the cover to prevent hot soup from splashing.

    You can also puree the soup in a food processor. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. This soup will keep for several days in the refrigerator.