Tomato Bisques-“Cream of “ Tomato Soups.

British Dictionary definitions for bisque (from French, pronounced: bɪsk/noun).

1.     A thick rich soup made from shellfish.

2.     A thick cream soup, especially of puréed shellfish OR vegetables.

Bisque is sometimes used to refer to cream-based soups that do not contain seafood, in which the pre-cooked ingredients are pureed or processed in a food processor or by forcing through a fine "China Cap" strainer. Common varieties include squash, tomato, mushroom, and red pepper. “Cream of Tomato Soup” Is Really Tomato Bisque.

If you are  making any recipe ahead of serving time and wish it to keep-without going sour-use a QUALITY Veloute Sauce instead of ANY milk product.

Tomato Bisque #1

Ingredients:

4 Tbsps. unsalted butter

1 Tbsp. minced or fine dice, bacon (about 1/2 ounce)

1 Spanish onion, small dice

1 carrot, small dice

1 stalk celery, small dice

4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

5 Tbsps. all-purpose flour

5 C. chicken broth, homemade or if, absolutely necessary, Low-Sodium (salt) canned

1 (28-ounce) can- whole, peeled tomatoes (with liquid-crush tomatoes, with potato masher)

3 parsley sprigs

3 fresh thyme sprigs

1 bay leaf

1 C. heavy cream

1 3/4 tsps. kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

·         Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.

·         Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until crisp and most of the fat has rendered, about 1 minute.

·         Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

·         Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes.

·         Stir in the flour(to make a roux) and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes-omit this step, if you are making the soup ahead of time and using a Veloute sauce.

·         Pour in the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow cooling.

·         When the soup base is cool, remove and discard the herb bundle. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth.

·         Using a sieve, over a large bowl, strain the tomato puree.

·         Return the puree to the pot and reheat over medium heat.

·         Using a piano wire whip, whip the heavy cream and salt into the soup and season with pepper to taste. Divide among warm soup bowls, garnish with the crispy bacon, and serve immediately.

·          

Tomato Bisque Recipe #2

Ingredients:

3/4 cup carrots, finely diced

1/2 cup celery, finely diced

1/2 cup onions, finely diced

1 tsp. garlic, crushed and minced

6 ozs. tomato paste

1 (15 1/2 ozs.) can tomato puree

4 cups water

2 tsps. salt

3 Tbsps. Sugar

1/4 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Pinch Italian seasoning

Procedure:

·         Heat olive oil in a large stock pot and sauté the carrots, celery and onions until they are soft.

·         Add the minced garlic and cook for another two minutes.

·         Add the tomato paste, tomato puree and water, mix well and bring to a boil.

·         Reduce the heat and add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for 45 minutes.

·         Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Fresh “Cream of” (tomato bisque) Tomato Soup #1

Ingredients:                                               Servings: 4

2 C. quality, chicken broth/stock (preferably, homemade)

4 Cs. ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (approx. 5 large tomatoes)

1/3 C. sweet onion-large dice

1/2 cup celery-large dice or straight sliced (usually use about 3 large ribs)

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/2-1 C. light cream

1 Tbsp. fresh basil (optional) or 1 Tbsp. fresh dill-cut (optional)

Salt, to taste

Pepper-fresh ground, to taste

Directions:

·         Place all ingredients except the cream and basil or dill (if using) in a large saucepan.

·         Simmer, for approximately 30 minutes, or until vegetables are soft NOT over cooked and mushy.

·         Using a blender, or fine China Cap strainer, puree the vegetable mixture.

·         If using, add light cream (start with 1/2 cup and add more to taste(amount will depend on flavour of the tomatoes).

·         Heat the soup, gently, over low heat.

·         Before serving, stir in fresh herbs (if using), and season to taste with salt and pepper.

·          Serve soup hot or chilled, whichever you may prefer.

Fresh “Cream of” Tomato Soup #2

3 Tbsps. GOOD olive oil

1 1/2 cups red onions (2 onions), small dice

2 carrots, well washed but not peeled, small dice

1 Tbsp. crushed (makes removing of the skin much easier) then minced, garlic (3 cloves)

4 Lbs. ripe tomatoes, large dice (5 large)

1 1/2 tsps. sugar

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

1/4 cup packed cut fresh basil leaves, plus julienned basil leaves, for garnish

3 Cs. quality, chicken stock, preferably homemade

1 Tbsp. kosher salt

2 tsps. freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup heavy cream

Croutons, for garnish

Procedure:

·         Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat.

·         Add the onions, carrots, and then sauté for about 10 minutes, until tender but not overcooked and mushy.

·         Add the garlic and cook (very carefully, do not burn) for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt, and pepper and stir well.

·         Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.

·         Force the soup through a fine China Cap into a bowl.

·         Discard only; any dry, stringy, pulp that still maybe left.

·         Add the cream (if using) to the soup and. Reheat the soup over low heat just until hot and serve with julienned basil leaves and/or croutons.  © Al (Alex-Alexander) D, Girvan. All rights reserved.

Clam Bisque

Clam Bisque

24 clams in the shell

2 cups water

2 cups thin béchamel sauce

1 Tbsp. diced celery or    1 tsp. minced parsley

1 1/2 cups thin Veloute sauce

       Salt and pepper

1/2 cup cream

1. Scrub the clams thoroughly, and then pack into pot with a tight-fitting lid, using 1/2 cup water to steam.

2. When all have popped open, remove, and cool in their own liquor.

3. Shuck clams from shell put through food chopper and add strained liquor.

4. Add water, diced celery and parsley and cook 10 minutes.

5. Press through a sieve and add to the sauce.

6. Finish (See methods of preventing skin forming) and serve.

©Al (Alex-Alexander)D. Girvan. All rights reserved.

Traditional Ukrainian Style Borscht, Served With Pyrizhky

This is one traditional, recipe; for the classic, hearty, Main Dish, Ukrainian Style, vegetable soup: containing beets, and beef; cooked in beef stock; and served with beef pasty. See my other Borscht recipes.

 Ingredients: For the Soup:

2 1/2-3lbs shin of beef

 1 large marrowbone

 1 Tbsp. salt

2 quarts water

1 (16ozs.) can of tomatoes (undrained)

1 medium onion, peeled and quartered

1 celery stick, large dice

3 sprigs of parsley

 10 whole black peppercorns

 2 bay leaves

1 cup cabbage, coarsely shredded

½ cup, thickly-sliced carrots

1 onion, large dice

 2 Tbsps. fresh dill, diced

 1/3 cup cider vinegar

 2 Tbsps. sugar

1 (16 ozs.) can julienne beets (undrained)

Sour cream, fresh dill, minced, to garnish

1 batch Pyrizhky

 Preparation Method:

The day before you’re going to serve, combine the beef, marrowbone, 1 Tbsp. salt, and water, in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil; then reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour.

After this time add the tomatoes, quartered onion, celery, parsley, black peppercorns and bay leaves. Return to a simmer; then cover and cook for 2 hours.

 Remove the pan from the heat, lift the beef from the stock then discard the marrowbone.

Strain the stock through a colander. Retain the liquid but discard the solids.

Return the stock, and beef, to the pan then add the cabbage, carrot, diced onion, and minced fresh dill, vinegar, sugar and 1 ½ tsp. salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are completely tender.

Take off the heat and set aside to cool then refrigerate overnight. The following day, skim off any fat then remove the beef. Strip the meat from the bones and cut into 1 inch cubes (if desired you can use ½ pound of the meat for the Pyrizhky). Return the meat to the pot along with the beetroot. Bring to a simmer and cook until the Pyrizhky are done. Now prepare a batch of Pyrizhky according to the recipe. When ready, ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with sour cream and chopped dill and serve with the PyrizhkyPyrizhky (Ukrainian Meat Patties) Recipe from Ukraine

This is a traditional Ukrainian recipe for a classic meat patties or pasties made from sour cream pastry and filled with a mix of onions, beef, sour cream and herbs. Pyrizhky (also known as Pyrohy or Piroshki) are classic Ukrainian meat patties, often served as an accompaniment to soups and stews that, in some sense are the Ukrainian version of Cornish pasties.

Ingredients:

10.5 ozs. (about, 2/3 batch) Ukrainian sour cream pastry

 2 Tbsps. butter 1 oz. (large dice) onions

3 Tbsps. sour cream

½ cup, cooked beef, cubed

 1/2 tsp. dried dill

 1/2 tsp. salt

 Generous pinch of freshly-ground black pepper

1 egg yolk

 1 Tbsp. water

Preparation Method: Prepare the pastry, as directed for a Ukrainian sour cream pastry recipe.

Whilst the pastry is resting in the refrigerator melt the butter in a pan and use to sauté the onion for about 2 minutes.

Stir-in the sour cream diced beef, dill, salt and black pepper and stir to combine. Take off the heat and set aside to cool.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly-floured work surface to about 2/16 in. Cut into oblongs about 4x8 ins. Cut each of these oblongs in half diagonally then spread a rounded Tbsp. of the filling over one half of the divided oblong, not quite going to the edges. Take the other half of the oblong and use to cover the filling. 
Crimp the edges to seal and cut slits in the top as steam holes.
Transfer the Pyrizhky to a lightly-greased (or lined) baking tray. Whip the egg yolk and the water together and use to glaze the tops of the pasties.
Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 210°C and bake for about 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden.
Remove from the oven and serve hot either as a snack or as an accompaniment to soup dishes

Ukrainian Style Sour Cream Pastry

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp. salt

½ cup cold butter, cubed

½ cup cold lard, cubed

¼ cup (approx.) ice water

3 Tbsps. thick, sour cream

Preparation Method:

In a large bowl, whip together flour and salt; then using a pastry blender, cut in the butter and lard until it is mostly fine crumbs, with a few larger pieces.

In a liquid measure, whip sour cream together with water. Drizzle over the flour mixture, while tossing briskly with a fork. Add a little lemon juice or vinegar, if necessary, until ragged dough forms.

Divide in half; then press into 2 disc shapes. Wrap, refrigerate until chilled (approx. 30 minutes). This dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen in an airtight container for up to a month. Like puff pastry, this one also loves being kept cold even chilly.

© Al (Alex- Alexander) D Girvan 2012. All rights reserved

Clear Mushroom Soup

Simmer together for 45 minutes in 3 cups of water, 2 stalks celery, 1 carrot, 1 onion, and 3/4 lb. mushrooms (small dice). Strain the stock and add 1 quart rich chicken bouillon/stock. Season to taste, with salt and coarsely ground or crushed black pepper and paprika. To serve, add 1Tbsp. dry Sherry to each cup 8 oz. of hot soup.

Clear Tomato Soup

Simmer together for 1 hour, 5 cups beef good bouillon/stock, 1/2 cup Sherry, 2 beaten egg whites, 4 large beef steak tomatoes-diced,3/4 pound beef shank, 1 celeriac, 2 leaks(white part only), and 1 carrot-all diced, salt and pepper to taste.and 1 tsp. sugar. Strain the soup through cheese cloth. Just before serving, add 1/2 cup Madeira.
©Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan. All rights reserved.

Preventing Skin on Cream Soups

A cream or milk soup has a tendency to form a skin on the top as it cools. This can be prevented if it is finished by whipping ("FINISHING" is a very important concept, in all soups and sauces; actually, in most all cooking-use a very flexible piano wire whip) a small amount of butter just into the surface. If it is beaten just before it is served, the froth also protects it against skin formation.

A spoonful of whipped cream or beaten egg-white served on top of each portion of cream soup also aids in preventing the skin formation and adds to the delicacy and attractiveness of the dish.

©Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan. All rights reserved

Cream Soups

Cream Soups

Cream soups are made by combining a very thin Veloute, or Béchamel, sauce (do not use béchamel if soup is to be stored before use, cream will sour the soup), with a suitable quantity of cooked, mashed, strained vegetable, fish or meat pulp. While the vegetables, fish, and/or meat are really just a garnish; flavour is always improved by the use of some highly flavoured vegetables.

Cream Soup Recipes and Base

I could, at this time, include recipes for various cream soups, and for a cream soup base; but, it is very impractical to do so.

Commercial, soup bases are, simply, processed starch, or a homogenized white roux using chicken fat, with the addition of some additional spices and herbs.

All cream soups are prepared as described above. 

©Al (Alex-Alexander) D. Girvan. All rights reserved.