Homemade Soups. Take Five: Cream of Mushroom

We're almost there. The fifth and final soup is upon us. I always make my Cream of Mushroom last. To be honest, it makes a mess out of the bottom of my 30 quart pot and I dread cleaning it at the end of the project. But while I vigorously scrub the darkened roux from the depths of the dish, the back of my shoulders and neck tighten and I know the end is in sight. After days of slicing, chopping, pureeing, cleaning, bottling, and savoring this seasons' soups, I scour and scour until my pot is just as clean as when I started. It is packed away in the basement until next season.

When I first started making these soups, I revelled in the joy of feedback. Ooohhs and aaahhhs warm my heart. And of course, the appreciative comments are still welcome. But sometime, I find the actual process of creating the soups more enjoyable than enjoying them with a salad or sandwich. Isn't that what it's suppose to be about? I mean, it's great that I can make dinner for the long Boston winter months in just one week if I wanted to, but the process of eating a bowl of soup just doesn't compare to the process of making it from scratch. Lord knows, in our home, our dinners are spent in front of the television and in 1o minutes flat, we're done and looking for something sweet. There is no calming, soothing method to that. It's more in building the flavors, changing the textures, and enhancing the final product.

As with many of my other soups in my repetoire, I started sauteing a mirepoix of carrots, onions, celery and also added shallots (about three pounds), two bay leaves and fresh thyme. With this soup, I used unsalted butter instead of oil for my fat of choice. Most cream based soups are based with a roux (an equal combination of fat and flour, used as a thickening agent).

Once the vegetables softened over low-medium heat, I tossed in the flour. I didn't measure, but traditionally it is equal parts by weight). With such a large amount of soup, I could fudge with the consistency later if I needed to. I cooked the roux mix until the flour scent dissappeared, about five minutes. After I tossed in two cases of botton mushrooms and some home-made chicken stock, the soup was brought to a boil and simmered for a few hours. To keep my costs down, I limited myself to buttom mushrooms, which taste delicious in this soup. But to simply raise the sohpistication of the soup, I suggest using portabellos, dired porcinis, creminis, or any combination that you prefer.

About two hours later, I buzzed up the soup with my hand blender, added some fresh parsley, salt, pepper, two quarts of heavy cream and let the soup simmer a little more until the flavors came together. While this soup did do the most damage to my pot, it's rather simple to make. It just takes patience and time.

To serve it, a delicate drizzle of truffle oil will send this over the top. Add that with a quick saute of some fresh mushrooms with garlic and you're set for the night. Taking a spoonful is like slithering into a steaming hot bubble bath. I promise.

Homemade Soups. Take Four: Butternut Squash

The first time I really tasted the simple treasure of butternut squash soup was at Gabrielle’s Restaurant at the Richmond Hill Inn, in Asheville, North Carolina. My mother and I were visiting to see if I wanted to intern in Asheville as part of the culinary degree program with Johnson & Wales University. We decided to treat ourselves to an elegant dinner at this mountaintop 1890’s Victorian mansion. The aroma of the soup grabbed me instantly and I was hooked. Apple wood smoked bacon and sage were gently woven into the sweet squash and the velvety texture enveloped me. I asked for any secret ingredients that could give its' addictive quality away, but I walked away empty handed.

When I choose to make my version, the experience is just as powerful as my tasting of it at Gabrielle’s. I start by roasted the split squash after they’ve been sprinkled with spices, dabbed with a generous pad of butter and wrapped in foil. Once in the oven, the sweet nutty aroma increases as the butter melts into the flesh of the squash. Meanwhile, I dice up a few slabs of bacon and sauté the cured meat in my stockpot. It will add a salty smoky component to the final product. Next come the onions and as they hit the pot, they release an exquisite crackle. In a simple exchange, a layer of sugary sweetness surrounds the bacon, while a smoky flavor lathers the onions.

The squash is perfectly tender as I pull them from the oven and tear them open like a birthday gift. Leaning over, I receive a brief facial as I breathe in the bouquet of nutmeg, butter, and cinnamon. I scoop out the orange colored flesh and add it to my stockpot of bacon and onions. I add my personal secret ingredients and once everything is combined, its time to puree. In the food processor, the pieces of my puzzle swirl and whip together. The orange darkens to a rustier tint, as steam billows out the top like a smokestack and specs of bacon appear and disappear as the tornado continues.

I add some chicken stock to my soup’s base until the consistency reaches that of Cream of Wheat. I taste the soup. It’s a bit sweet and a bit smoky, but missing a little punch. I reach for the dried sage and sprinkle some into the pot. The subtly mint flavored herb infuses the soup and intensifies while simmering. Bitter sage is the perfect contrast to the sweet squash. The grand finale is a generous addition of heavy cream and the soup transforms into a luxurious treat.

In addition to the beautiful foliage and changes in temperature, fall brings an arsenal of culinary comforts. It’s an opportunity to expand and develop skills as a cook, be a little creative and share discoveries with friends and family. This recipe is simple to make and comforting beyond belief.

Make a large batch and freeze some for later in the winter. Again, the amount listed are estimates.

Butternut Squash Soup. Yield: 4-6 Servings
5 ½ pounds, butternut squash (about 2 medium sized)
4 TB, butter
1 teaspoon, cinnamon
Sprinkle of nutmeg
Sprinkle of cloves
3 slices, diced bacon
1 ½ cups, diced onions
3 cups, chicken stock
1 TB, dried sage
½ cup, heavy cream
Salt and pepper, to taste

Method of Preparation:1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Split the squash lengthwise in half and scoop out the seeds and pulp.
3. Sprinkle each half with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Place 1 TB of butter in each cavity.
4. Wrap each half in aluminum foil, place on a baking sheet, and place in the oven. Remove when tender, about 1 ½ hours.
5. Meanwhile, in a 5-6 quart pot, sauté the bacon on med-hi heat until half way cooked. Add onions and sauté until onions are translucent. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Unwrap squash and scoop out flesh. Add it to the bacon and onion mixture. Stir to combine.
7. Puree mixture in food processor (in batches, if necessary). Add mixture back to pot and bring to simmer. Add chicken stock and stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with dried sage.
8. Let soup simmer 10-15 minutes to combine flavors.
9. Stir in heavy cream and serve.

Homemade Soups. Take Three: Chicken and Vegetable

Homemade chicken soup is up there with one of my favorite comfort foods. Let's not speak of canned soup. There is always something wrong when there are more chemicals than edible items listed in the ingredients.

This soup has the least amount of steps. It does involve making a chicken stock, but remember the turkey stock? It's easy. Just a few steps and then it does all the work for you.

Once you have the stock, set it aside and start the soup. I like to keep my chicken soup very basic: carrots, onions, celery, chicken, dill and parsley (and sometimes a little Tabasco, depending on my mood).

In a large stockpot, saute the mirepoix with some fresh thyme and bay leaves. You'll remove those later, so don't worry about picking off the little leaves.

Once the vegetables have softens, season with kosher salt and pepper and add your chicken stock. Of course, it's fine to add store bought stock to fill in the gaps and if you're really stressed for time, you can use that 100%. Theoretically, you're just strengthening the stock you already have. Let the soup come to a simmer and then add your chicken. I use boneless breast and dice the raw meat before adding it to the soup. Many people roast the chickens first and then pull the meat from that. But I like the idea of poaching the chicken. It remains tender and juicy and to be honest, its less effort.

There is no need for concern over salmonella. Chicken is safe when cooked to 165 degrees. (I pull it from the oven 5-10 degrees less than that because it will always continue to cook while resting.) So add the chicken to the soup, crank the heat and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the chicken until it's cooked through. All of the bacteria will be cooked out of the raw meat in the cooking process, just like it would be done in an oven. Try not to let the soup boil again. Nothing is worse than comforting chicken soup with chewy gummy chicken pieces.

Before serving (or bottling in my case), I add some fresh chopped dill and parsley. And of course, taste, taste, taste. You may not need a lot of salt if you're using store bought stock, but I'm sure you'll need it from homemade stock.

Chicken soup is a global soothing mechanism. Variations differ from country to country. For example in Greece, it'a is traditionally made with lemon and egg, in China it is flavored with ginger, spring onions, soy and sesame, and in Mexico, it is often prepared with cabbage and potatoes and garnished with avocados and cheese.

Obviously, from the variations, this soup is a great base. You can add tomato paste, matzo balls, dumplings, mushrooms, fennel, squash, or anything else to mix things up.

Homemade Soups. Take Two: Grilled Tomato and Basil Soup

That's right. Grilled. My oven is busted. It's a little aggravating because a lot of my work depends on it, but it's also forcing me to be creative in my cooking techniques. In essence, a grill is an oven so I'm just going to go along with that and make my tomato soup via grill.

I grabbed about ten pounds of plum tomatoes, cut them in half and tossed them with kosher salt, black pepper, sugar, thyme, and oil. Because the tomatoes are out of season, they are solid as a rock and need some sugar to soften and sweeten them. After tossing them on the grill until they released some of their juices and the grates looked sadly speckled with black tomato seeds, I pulled them off and piled them on my sheet pan.

While they cooled, I prepped the base of the soup. I buried myself in the soothing scents of sauteed onions laced with fresh thyme and bay leaves. The grilled tomatoes were added, along with some crushed tomatoes and fresh basil leaves. The soup simmered until the flavors came together. I grabbed my hand mixer and buzzed up the mixture. Splattering red dotted my stove top and my chest. While I am obsessive about working cleanly, making a small mess here and there is also what cooking is about. I added some chicken broth to reach the consistency I wanted and let the soup simmer a little more.

I tasted it, checking for seasoning and depth of flavor. I always add more kosher salt, but the sweetness was there, thanks to the sugar and the anise flavored basil balanced with the acidity of the roasted tomatoes.

You can serve this soup in a variety of ways: with a simple green salad, a grilled cheese sandwich, or perhaps with a parmesan crostini. A delicate drizzle of aged balsamic or good olive oil (my favorite is Olio Santo) right on top before serving is a must.

Homemade Soups. Take One

Each winter, I offer homemade soups to friends and family. While it does bring in a little money to the business, it's more about offering comforting food to those I care about. Once the winter hits Boston, its easier to reach into the freezer and grab a soup rather than think about what to cook or where to order from. This year, I'm offering:

• Roasted Tomato and Basil
• Shrimp and Corn Chowder
• Chicken and Vegetable
• Cream of Mushroom
• Butternut Squash

I have orders for 110 quarts total. A few tips when making soups, chowders, stews, etc. :

• Always use kosher salt.
• If possible, look for whole peppercorns and grind them yourself. It is more potent with a fresher flavor. For light colored soups, use white pepper. It is stronger than black, so use sparingly.
• Make your own stock. It brings the soup to another level. Just throw the ingredients in a pot with cold water and leave it for a few hours.
• Make a lot at once and freeze in smaller portions
• Use fresh herbs and add them at the end

I'll start with the most popular: the chowder. I describe how to make it here.