Winter Vegetable Soup

Squash Soup

My favourite winter soup. Freezes well and easy to play around with the flavour.

This is the basic list of ingredients, but I like to ad sweet potatoes, pears, carrots (basically any fall veg plus pears) I also like to add a dollop of yogurt, a drop or two of olive oil, cayenne (if i’m feeling some spicy) and a little chopped fresh basil

1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp oil and/or butter
4 cups chopped squash/pumpkin (seeded and peeled) – I also usually roast this in the oven with rosemary, butter and pepper and occasionally some brown sugar as well.
8 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper

pinch of each of the following depending on taste:

• Curry
• Basil
• Thyme
• Ginger

1 cup milk

Once all the vegetables have softened, remove the pot from heat and blend in cream and milk with a hand blender. Serve with yogourt, and fresh basil. Also add a little cayenne if you like some more spice.

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French Onion Soup

Spring seems to be trying its best to poke its little head out from behind the grey skies of winter, but so far with little luck. So, I am using these last cold days as an excuse to make my favourite French onion soup recipe.

French Onion Soup
Gourmet | December 2006

Yield: Makes 6 (light main course) servings

Active Time: 45 min
Total Time: 1 1/2 hr

2 lb medium onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced lengthwise
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth (32 fl oz)
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
6 (1/2-inch-thick) diagonal slices of baguette
1 (1/2-lb) piece Gruyère, Comte, or Emmental
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Special equipment: 6 (8- to 10-oz) flameproof soup crocks or ramekins; a cheese plane

Cook onions, thyme, bay leaves, and salt in butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft and deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in wine and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Stir in broth, water, and pepper and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

While soup simmers, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Arrange bread in 1 layer on a large baking sheet and toast, turning over once, until completely dry, about 15 minutes.

Remove croûtes from oven and preheat broiler. Put crocks in a shallow baking pan.

Discard bay leaves and thyme from soup and divide soup among crocks, then float a croûte in each. Slice enough Gruyère (about 6 ounces total) with cheese plane to cover tops of crocks, allowing ends of cheese to hang over rims of crocks, then sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat until cheese is melted and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes.