1. Seafood Bisque
2. El Torito’s Black Bean
3. Baked Potato
4. Olive Garden Toscana
5. Black Eyed Pea’s Broccoli-Cheese
6. Legal Seafood Clam Chowder
7. Onion
1. SEAFOOD BISQUE Yield: 6 Servings
Combine 2 cups dry white wine, 1 bay leaf, 1 roughly chopped, onion, 1 clove garlic and 2 ribs celery in a large stock pot over medium heat. Boil. Add 1 lobster (1 1/2 to 2 pounds), cover the pot and steam for 10 minutes. Remove the lobster, set aside and cool.
Add 12 medium-size shrimps, in shell to the boiling broth, cover the pot and steam for 5 minutes. Remove the shrimps with tongs, set aside and cool.
Add 24 mussels, well scrubbed, cover the pot and steam until they open,
about 5 minutes. Remove the mussels with the tongs, extract the meat and discard the shells.
Add 2 cups of water to the liquid in the pot, bring to a boil and add 12 sea scallops. Cover the pot, and steam for 3 minutes. Remove the scallops with the tongs.
Extract the lobster meat, reserving the shells. Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells. Chop the meat into bite-size pieces, cover and set aside.
Return the lobster and shrimp shells to the broth and add 2 more cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the broth and return it to the pot. Discard shells.
Bring the broth to a simmer over low heat. Add the 4 cups heavy cream, 1 c milk and herbs: 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley, 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary and simmer until mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
Add the seafood and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup fresh spinach
spinach, well rinsed and chopped and 1/2 cup grated carrot and simmer another 2 minutes to just wilt the spinach.
Season with salt, pepper, and 1/2 tap. fresh lemon juice. Serve hot.
2. EL TORITO’S BLACK BEAN SOUP
12 oz. dried black beans
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Fresh cilantro (optional)
Rinse and sort though black beans, discarding any that are shriveled or discolored. Place beans in a large stockpot. Cover beans with water and refrigerate to soak overnight. Drain beans and return to stockpot.
Add stock and heat to boiling.
Meanwhle, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and saute until tender, approximately 5 minutes. Add to stockpot along with oregano, thyme, bay leaf and cayenne pepper. Cover stockpot and reduce heat to simmer for 3 to 4 hours.
Transfer soup to blender or food processor and puree to desired thickness. Just before serving add lime juice and garnish with a sprig of fresh cilantro, if desired.
Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.
3. BAKED POTATO SOUP
2 Cups potatoes, diced but unpeeled
1/4 lb butter
2 cups finely diced yellow onion
1/2 cup flour
1 quart warm water
1/4 cup chicken bouillon
1 cup potato flakes
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
Salt, pepper, garlic powder and dried basil to taste
Saute onions in melted butter for 10 minutes in large kettle. Add flour to onions and butter and cook for four to five minutes, stirring until flour is absorbed.
In a separate container, combine water, chicken bouillon, potato flakes, and seasonings. Stir until thoroughly mixed and no lumps remain. Add to onion mixture, one pint at a time.
Add milk and cream, stirring until smooth and lightly thickened. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
In a separate container, the potatoes should be covered with water, brought to a boil, and simmered for 20 minutes. Combine the potatoes with the soup to complete.
4. OLIVE GARDEN TOSCANA SOUP
3/4 cup onions, diced 1/8 inch
1 slice bacon, 1/4-inch diced
1 1/4 teaspoon garlic cloves, minced
1 ounce chicken bouillon
1 quart water
2 medium potatoes, cut in half length-wise, then cut in 1/4-inch slices
2 cups cavallo greens (kale can be substituted), cut in half, then sliced into 1/16-inch strips
1 1/2 cups sausage link – spicy, pre-cooked, cut in half length-wise, then cut at an angle into 1/2-inch slices
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
Place sausage link onto sheet pan and bake in 300 degree oven for
15 to 20 minutes or until done.
Place onions and bacon into 3 to 4 quart saucepan and cook over medium heat until the onions are almost clear. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add chicken bouillon, water and potatoes, bring to a simmer for 15 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients.
5. BLACK EYED PEA’S BROCCOLI-CHEESE SOUP
1 1/2 pounds broccoli — fresh
3/4 tsp. cornstarch
½ c half and half
2 c water
1 pound Velveeta
1/2 tsp. pepper
Steam or boil broccoli until tender.
Place half-and-half and 2 cups water in top of double boiler. Add cheese, salt and pepper. Heat until cheese is melted. Add broccoli. Mix cornstarch and water in small bowl. Stir into cheese mixture in double boiler and heat over simmering water until soup thickens.
6. LEGAL SEAFOOD CLAM CHOWDER Serves 8
4 quarts littleneck clams (about 1-2/3 cups cooked and chopped)
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 cup water
2 ounces salt pork, finely chopped
2 cups chopped onions
3 tablespoons flour
1-1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled, and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
4-1/2 cups clam broth
3 cups fish Stock
2 cups light cream
Oyster crackers (optional)
Clean the clams and place them in a large pot along with the garlic and water. Steam the clams just until opened, about 6 to 10 minutes, depending upon their size. Drain and shell the clams, reserving the broth. Mince the clam flesh, and set aside. Filter the clam broth either through coffee filters or cheesecloth and set aside.
In a large, heavy pot slowly render the salt pork. Remove the cracklings and set them aside. Slowly cook the onions in the fat for about 6 minutes, stirring frequently, or until cooked through but not browned. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the reserved clam broth and ish Stock, and whisk to remove any flour lumps. Bring the liquid to a boil, add the potatoes, lower the heat, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Stir in the reserved clams, salt-pork cracklings, and light cream.
Heat the chowder until it is the temperature you prefer.
Serve in large soup bowls with oyster crackers on the side.
7. ONION SOUP
Saute 1/2 lb firm white onions — sliced in 2 tbsp butter until transparent, but not browned. When tender, turn heat to lowest point and sprinkle with flour stirring vigorously. Pour into Dutch oven and stir in 1 qt. each chicken broth and beef broth. Heat thoroughly and divide among 8 oven-proof bowls.
Mix 3 tbsp corn oil, 1/4 cup each Swiss chees shredded and Parmesan cheese grated, make into a smooth paste and spread over 8 slices French bread.
Float a slice of bread atop each serving. Place all bowls on oven rack 4″ from broiler heat and broil until cheese melts. Serve at once. Leftover soup freezes
well up to 6 months.