Yesterday was my day to make vegetable soup. My gd helped me chop up in small pieces tons of veggies. That morning as I was reading through my blog reader I saw that Tongue and Cheek had a post on how to make vegetable soup. She is not french but has lived in France for many years. I liked her ideas and it reminded me that I have a cookbook on french soup that I never use so I took a look at it, very interesting but kind of ambitious.
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That reminded me of the time I was taught to make soup by a french friend of my youngest dd. They were in college together and Marie was spending a few days with us. She showed me how she makes leek soup. I was struck by how simple is was but how good. I haven't made it for years but as I remember it she put in the whole leek (I think about 3 large) green part and white cleaned and sliced, she used only 1 or 2 small potatoes, 1 onion and water to cover by a couple of inches. She got herbs out of my cupboard and told me it didn't matter what kind you used, just use what you like. She used about 3 kinds and also fresh parsley. After it cook about an hour we pureed it and serve it with sour cream added and lots of fresh parsley chopped up. I loved the parsley because it gave it a very herby flavor and I have loved fresh parsley ever since. I remember her telling me she also like to make turnip soup and I've noticed looking in the books that turnip soup or turnips in soup is quite popular in french soup making. They use a lot of chervil kind of a licorice tasting herb and they seem to use cream fraische a lot, instead of our sour cream.
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I found a recipe in the French Market cookbook that I would like to try. It is a Creamed Cauliflower Soup which I have made before, but the difference with this one is it has dijon mustard in it and it is garnished with Brie cheese. I love Brie and that sounded wonderful to me. I love adding cheese to a soup and I noticed Tongue and Cheek mentioned Roquefort doesn't that sound yummy.
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The soup most people think of as a french soup is French Onion and I've been thinking of giving that a try. I just looked at vegetable soups because that's what I'm interesting in right now. I'll let you know on my kitchen blog how I'm doing with these recipes.
Linda
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6 comments:
what a lovely french cooking philosophy,
"if you use delicious ingredients, it
doesn't matter too much which ones
you us."
simple is good in my book.
i am enjoying getting to know you through
your MANY blogs.
blessings,
lea
I love soup, it's one of my "go to" meals when I need comfort food. What a wonderful story about being taught to make soup - I love the fact that she just put in this and that, whatever your taste is - very simple, but I'm sure it was delicious.
Thanks for stopping by my blog today - so sorry to hear about your tendinitis, I hope you feel better soon. My favorite cotton yarn is, Lily, Sugar n Cream. It's soft and not too thick, very easy to handle. One skein will make two dishcloths with some left over.
Have a wonderful week Linda.
Blessings,
Barb
Maybe it's because my Foods teacher way back in high school made us learn how to make roux, explaining that is was the base of all french soups and sauces, but I always think white sauce when I think French Food.
And, for the record, I make a mean roux...
I love making soup and have been putting some recipes on my blog lately. Soups are best when kept simple. Funny that you remarked about creme fraiche and sour cream. In Europe, we use creme fraiche when it is to be cooked and sour cream only when it is added after. Have you ever had cheese soup? It is delicious and a very Dutch soup.
Hope you have a great weekend!
Hugs from Holland ~
Heidi
That's interesting about the creme fraiche. Thankyou Heidi. Linda
Your posts are always so interesting Linda! I love soups and finding new and delicious soup recipes is always a joy! Our former next~door~neighbor was born French and she passed on some of her little secrets to us as well. The one thing that was the most surprising to me was the fact that they "sweated" (a.k.a. a quick sautee') the chopped vegetables before adding them to water/broth. This included carrots, potatoes, celery and the like as well as the onions (and garlic always last, of course, to prevent burning ;). I didn't believe it would make much difference in flavor but it absolutely does! Thus, I have made it my habit as well. My dad always used (still uses) peeled and diced turnips and rutabages (sp?) in soups and stews growing up. They just add a tang that is missing (to me) otherwise. When these are harder to find I've discovered a Japanese radish (Daikon) works almost as well. As for cheese in soups...oh my goodness. In my humble opinion, a good soup needs a crumble of cheese to give it body and zest. Not all of my family agrees, so I no longer put it directly in the soup pot (as I love to do because the soft cheeses dissolve so beautifully). But I've been known to generously crumble everything from feta to Roquefort atop a variety of soups!!
Thanks so much for your wonderful blog. I learn so much when I visit here.
Good cooking to you!
Love,
Tracey
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