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I bought a cookbook with nothing but soups looking for some interesting recipes. I wanted to stray from the traditional and ordinary and the Middle Eastern. Although the Mid East has some interesting cold and hot soups, I knew there was much, much more to be had! So here goes with some recipes from this book!

*Make sure you use a food processor for this recipe. Pounding all the ingredients by hand can be time consuming and tiresome! The food processor will make this task fast and easy!

Chilled Almond Soup

serves 6

Ingredients:

4 oz fresh white bread
3 cu cold water
1 cu blanched almonds
2 cloves garlic, sliced
5 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

For the garnish:

toasted slivered almonds
seedless green and black (red) grapes, halved and peeled

Break the bread into a large bowl and pour 2/3 cup of the water on top. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.

Put the almonds and garlic in a food processor or blender and process until finely ground. Blend in the soaked bread.

Gradually add the oil until the mixture forms a smooth paste. Add the sherry vinegar and remaining cold water and process until smooth.

Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper, adding a little more water if the soup is too thick. Chill for at least 3 hours.

Server with the toasted almonds and grapes scattered on top.]]>

I bought a cookbook with nothing but soups looking for some interesting recipes. I wanted to stray from the traditional and ordinary and the Middle Eastern. Although the Mid East has some interesting cold and hot soups, I knew there was much, much more to be had! So here goes with some recipes from this book!

*Make sure you use a food processor for this recipe. Pounding all the ingredients by hand can be time consuming and tiresome! The food processor will make this task fast and easy!

Chilled Almond Soup

serves 6

Ingredients:

4 oz fresh white bread
3 cu cold water
1 cu blanched almonds
2 cloves garlic, sliced
5 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

For the garnish:

toasted slivered almonds
seedless green and black (red) grapes, halved and peeled

Break the bread into a large bowl and pour 2/3 cup of the water on top. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.

Put the almonds and garlic in a food processor or blender and process until finely ground. Blend in the soaked bread.

Gradually add the oil until the mixture forms a smooth paste. Add the sherry vinegar and remaining cold water and process until smooth.

Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper, adding a little more water if the soup is too thick. Chill for at least 3 hours.

Server with the toasted almonds and grapes scattered on top.]]> https://twitchinkitchen.com/thread-239.html Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:23:37 -0400 https://twitchinkitchen.com/thread-239.html I bought a cookbook with nothing but soups looking for some interesting recipes. I wanted to stray from the traditional and ordinary and the Middle Eastern. Although the Mid East has some interesting cold and hot soups, I knew there was much, much more to be had! So here goes with some recipes from this book!

** The success of this soup depends on having ripe, full flavored tomatoes such as an oval plum variety, so make this when the tomato season is at its peak!

Summer Tomato Soup

serves 4

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 1/4 pounds ripe tomatoes, quartered
2 cloves garlic, chopped
5 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
4 or 5 sprigs fresh marjoram or 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1 bay leaf
3 Tbsp creme fraiche, sour cream or plain yogurt plus a little extra for garnish
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the olive in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole.

Add the onion and carrot and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until just soft, sitrring occasionally.

Add the quartered tomatoes, chopped garlic, and herbs. Lower the heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.

Discard the bay leaf. Strain the soup. Stir in the cream or yogurt and season. Leave to cool to room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator. Serve cold.

variation: If you prefer, use oregano instead of marjoram and parsley instead of thyme.]]> I bought a cookbook with nothing but soups looking for some interesting recipes. I wanted to stray from the traditional and ordinary and the Middle Eastern. Although the Mid East has some interesting cold and hot soups, I knew there was much, much more to be had! So here goes with some recipes from this book!

** The success of this soup depends on having ripe, full flavored tomatoes such as an oval plum variety, so make this when the tomato season is at its peak!

Summer Tomato Soup

serves 4

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 1/4 pounds ripe tomatoes, quartered
2 cloves garlic, chopped
5 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
4 or 5 sprigs fresh marjoram or 1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1 bay leaf
3 Tbsp creme fraiche, sour cream or plain yogurt plus a little extra for garnish
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the olive in a large saucepan or flameproof casserole.

Add the onion and carrot and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes until just soft, sitrring occasionally.

Add the quartered tomatoes, chopped garlic, and herbs. Lower the heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.

Discard the bay leaf. Strain the soup. Stir in the cream or yogurt and season. Leave to cool to room temperature and then chill in the refrigerator. Serve cold.

variation: If you prefer, use oregano instead of marjoram and parsley instead of thyme.]]> https://twitchinkitchen.com/thread-238.html Wed, 02 Jul 2008 19:15:47 -0400 https://twitchinkitchen.com/thread-238.html

I bought a cookbook with nothing but soups looking for some interesting recipes. I wanted to stray from the traditional and ordinary and the Middle Eastern. Although the Mid East has some interesting cold and hot soups, I knew there was much, much more to be had! So here goes with some recipes from this book!

Gazpacho

Ingredients:

1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/2 cucumber, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 fresh red chili, seeded and roughly chopped
3 cups roughly chopped ripe plum tomatoes
3 3/4 cups passata (strained pureed tomatoes) or Tomato Juice (look in the Spanish food aisle for passata)
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp caster sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Crushed ice to garnish (optional)

Reserve a small piece of the red and green peppers. cucumber and the onion. Finely chop these and set aside for some garnish.

Process all the remaining ingredients except the ice in a blender or food processor until smooth. You may need to do this in batches.

Press the soup through a strainer into a clean glass bowl, pushing it through with a spoon to extract the maximum amount of flavor.

Adjust the seasoning and chill.
Server sprinkled with the reserved chopped veggies you set aside.
For a finishing touch, add a little crushed ice to the garnish.]]>

I bought a cookbook with nothing but soups looking for some interesting recipes. I wanted to stray from the traditional and ordinary and the Middle Eastern. Although the Mid East has some interesting cold and hot soups, I knew there was much, much more to be had! So here goes with some recipes from this book!

Gazpacho

Ingredients:

1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/2 cucumber, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 fresh red chili, seeded and roughly chopped
3 cups roughly chopped ripe plum tomatoes
3 3/4 cups passata (strained pureed tomatoes) or Tomato Juice (look in the Spanish food aisle for passata)
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp caster sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Crushed ice to garnish (optional)

Reserve a small piece of the red and green peppers. cucumber and the onion. Finely chop these and set aside for some garnish.

Process all the remaining ingredients except the ice in a blender or food processor until smooth. You may need to do this in batches.

Press the soup through a strainer into a clean glass bowl, pushing it through with a spoon to extract the maximum amount of flavor.

Adjust the seasoning and chill.
Server sprinkled with the reserved chopped veggies you set aside.
For a finishing touch, add a little crushed ice to the garnish.]]>