Group Unveils Restaurants Selling Controversial Shark-Fin Soup

An important topic to bring up again in the blog.

"WASHINGTON, March 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ The Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) is leading an effort with support from fellow animal protection and conservation organizations to contact restaurants in the Washington Metropolitan Area that currently serve the highly controversial shark-fin soup, asking that they consider the precarious status of many of the targeted species and stop selling the dish immediately.

It is well known that this soup is enjoyed as a delicacy in Asia -- one bowl can go for as much as $100 -- but the extent of its sale in the United States is not publicized. "I was shocked to find out that so many local restaurants sell shark-fin soup," said AWI Research Assistant Serda Ozbenian. "I'm sure most Americans would be horrified to find out that their neighborhood Chinese restaurant supports such a brutal industry."

Full Article here
Group Unveils Restaurants Selling Controversial Shark-Fin Soup

Other sources and articles:

Shark Friends
CBS News: Shark Fin Soup a Dangerous Delicacy
National Geographic: Shark-Soup Boom Spurs Conservationist DNA Study

This Week at Soup-aholic

Hello my soup friends!

As the weather warms up I will be posting some cold soup varieties. But for now I hope you enjoy the selection today which includes...

Chicken Soup with Wild Mushrooms and Herbed Matzo Balls
Basic Potato and Cheddar Cheese Soup
County Clare's Guinness Beef Barley Soup
Godfrey McLean's Cayman Pumpkin Soup
Fish Stew with Tomatoes, Scallions, and Herbs


Now I know you're probably wondering where are all the photos for all these great recipes you post? Well as you know...colored ink can be expensive and if you print out as many recipes as I do it gets used up fairly quickly. So I hope you don't mind using your imagination!

See you next week.

Have a recipe to share? Use the "contact me" link from the left side of the blog.

Chicken Soup with Wild Mushrooms and Herbed Matzo Balls

Soup
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 3-pound chicken, cut into pieces
2 large onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
12 cups water
3 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 fresh parsley sprigs
2 bay leaves

Matzo Balls
1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
2 cups hot water
1/3 cup chicken fat (reserved from stock or purchased)
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried, crumbled
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup unsalted matzo meal
3 1/2 quarts water (14 cups)
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon or 1/4 teaspoon dried, crumbled
Minced fresh chives

For Soup:
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken and onions and cook until brown, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Add 12 cups water, celery, parsley and bay leaves. Bring to boil, skimming surface. Reduce heat and simmer gently until reduced to 8 cups, about 5 hours. Strain into bowl. Cover and refrigerate until fat solidifies on top. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead.)
Remove fat form soup and reserve fat for matzo balls.

For Matzo Balls:
Place shiitake mushrooms in small bowl. Pour 2 cups hot water over. Let soak until softened, about 30 minutes.

Melt 1/3 cup chicken fat and cool. Combine melted chicken fat, 1/4 cup shiitake soaking liquid (reserve remainder), eggs, 2 tablespoons chives, 1 1/2 tablespoons tarragon, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl and beat to blend. Mix in matzo meal. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover mushrooms in soaking liquid and refrigerate.)

Measure 3 1/2 quarts water into large pot. Salt generously and bring to boil. With dampened hands, form cold matzo meal mixture into 1-inch balls and add to boiling water. Cover and boil until matzo balls are cooked through and tender, about 40 minutes. (To test for doneness, remove 1 matzo ball and cut open.) Transfer matzo balls to plate, using slotted spoon. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover tightly and refrigerate.)

Drain mushrooms, reserving liquid. Thinly slice mushrooms, discarding stems. Combine remaining mushroom soaking liquid, mushrooms, chicken soup and 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon in heavy large saucepan and bring to simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add matzo balls and simmer until heated through. ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with chives and serve.

Bon Appétit, April 1991

Basic Potato and Cheddar Cheese Soup

This recipe offers the nutritional data for all three versions(with whole milk, half-and-half, and heavy cream)

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
3 medium all-purpose potatoes (about 11/2 pounds), peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups chicken broth or water, plus more as needed
1 1/2 cups milk or half-and-half or heavy cream or a combination, plus more as needed
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (we like the sharp)
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh parsley or chives, for garnish

In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but not brown. Stir in the potatoes and the chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender. Remove from the heat and let cool 10 to 15 minutes.

For a creamy soup, process the entire mixture in a food processor fitted with the metal blade or a good blender or use an immersion blender. For a soup with some texture, puree just half the mixture. Return puree to the original saucepan. Stir in the milk (or the combination of your choice) and cook over medium heat, stirring, just until the mixture begins to simmer. (If the soup seems too thick, add more milk or chicken broth if you prefer.)

Reduce the heat to medium low and stir in the cheese. Continue stirring just until the cheese melts; do not boil. Adjust salt and pepper. Serve hot garnished with chopped parsley or chives. Makes 8 servings.

Per serving (with whole milk): 307 calories, 57 percent calories from fat, 19 grams total fat, 10 grams saturated fat, 55 milligrams cholesterol, 18 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams total fiber, 3 grams total sugars, 17 grams net carbs, 14 grams protein, 300 milligrams sodium.

Per serving (with half-and-half): 338 calories, 62 percent calories from fat, 23 grams total fat, 13 grams saturated fat, 67 milligrams cholesterol, 18 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams total fiber, 1 gram total sugars, 17 grams net carbs, 13 grams protein, 300 milligrams sodium.

Per serving (with heavy cream): 433 calories, 72 percent calories from fat, 34 grams total fat, 20 grams saturated fat, 111 milligrams cholesterol, 18 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams total fiber, 1 gram total sugars, 16 grams net carbs, 13 grams protein, 298 milligrams sodium.

County Clare's Guinness Beef Barley Soup

"The soup itself is one served at County Clare, an authentic Irish pub in a bed and breakfast on Milwaukee's east side at 1234 N. Astor St. And it's one of any number of pub favorites that can carry you to County Mayo, Galway Bay or the Cliffs of Moher."


1-1/2 pounds diced beef chunks, cut ¼-inch size
4 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
6 cups beef stock
½ cup barley
3 carrots, cut into ½-inch cubes
3 ribs celery, cut into ½-inch cubes
3 onions, cut into ½--inch cubes
2 strips bacon, chopped
8 ounces (or more to taste Guinness stout)
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3 bay leaves
1 clove garlic. minced or ½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch


1. In large, heavy pot, brown beef cubes in 2 tablespoons of oil. Add beef stock and bring to a slow boil.
2. Add barley and simmer, uncover, about 1 hour or until soft. (If using instant barley, 15 minutes will be adequate cooking time.
3. In large skillet, add remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add carrots, celery, onions and bacon. Cook slowly over medium heat until vegetables are crisp tender and onions translucent. Add to stock.
4. Add Guiness, thyme, bay leaves, garlic and brown sugar. Simmer until vegetables and beef become tender, about 45 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. To thicken, if desired, mix cornstarch with a little cool broth then whisk into soup. Bring to a simmer. Remove bay leaves and serve in bowls. Makes 6-8 servings.

Godfrey McLean's Cayman Pumpkin Soup

"This is a wonderful soup, a meal in a bowl. You can vary this recipe to suit your taste, of course, especially when adding yam and other provisions. Be sure to cover the salted meats in cold water and soak for 6-8 hours, or overnight to help freshen and remove excess salt. You can use chicken instead of other meats, or even vegetables only, if your diet requires. The secret is using enough fresh pumpkin to give this soup its rich flavor and texture."

1/2 pound pigtail or salt beef (soaked overnight)
1 pound lean stew beef, cubed
2-1/2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock
2 to 2-1/2 pounds pumpkin, peeled and cut into chunks
3 large scallions, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 sweet green pepper, chopped (*optional)
1 medium onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme (about 3-4 sprigs)
1 whole Scotch bonnet pepper
2-3 cups chunked peeled yam, sweet potato, coco or breadkind of choice
1/2 -1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt to taste

For the dumplings (spinners)
1 cup flour (not self rising)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cold water

Make the dumpling dough: In a small bowl, mix the flour and salt with a fork, then gradually add enough water to make a stiff dough that is still a little sticky. Flour your hands and shape the dough into a ball and set aside. Wash hands and set aside a little additional flour for later.

For the soup: in a large pot, drain the soaked meats and rinse again to remove salt. Combine all meats with the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until meat is tender, about 1-1/2 hours. Skim off any excess fat from the surface and add the pumpkin, stirring well. Add another cup or two of stock if you need to. Return to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and cook until pumpkin softens and dissolves into stock when you stir, about 45 minutes to an hour.

Make the spinners while soup cooks. Pinch off about a spoonful of dough for each dumpling and roll between hands until it looks like a small sausage—not too thick! Set aside.

You can add more pumpkin now if you want a thicker soup or chunky pieces of pumpkin in it. Then add all remaining soup ingredients, except salt, (the meat may have added enough) and stir, being careful not to break the hot pepper (or the dog will eat your supper!) Bring to a boil, then drop in the dumplings and stir. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until vegetables are turning soft and dumplings are cooked through. Adjust seasonings and salt to taste. (If the soup has gotten too thick, add a little more broth until desired consistency.) Now enjoy!

(If you have any leftovers, store in refrigerator. The soup will thicken, and you may need to add a little more stock when reheating. If you've already picked out all dumplings (they seem to go first) you can make more by boiling in broth or canned coconut milk and add to the reheated soup—-don't' try to make fresh dumplings in the soup itself, as everything will turn to mush.)

From caymannetnews.com

Fish Stew with Tomatoes, Scallions, and Herbs

Don't let the number of ingredients fool you; this is a simple-to-prepare main course. Being a fish stew, it does not require prolonged simmering.

Serve both these stews with a quality, crusty, white bread to soak up the juices and a simple salad, if desired.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 whole scallions, trimmed, cut into three-inch lengths
1 large red or green bell pepper, cored, chopped
1 stalk celery, including green top, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, peeled, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 24-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes including juice, coarsely chopped
2 cups (two 8-ounce bottles) clam juice
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
12 large sea scallops
12 large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
12 live littleneck or mahogany clams, shells scrubbed
3/4 pounds firm white fish such as tilapia or swordfish, cut into 1-inch pieces
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped Italian parsley


In a large pot, heat olive oil. When hot, add scallions, pepper, celery, garlic, and bay leaf. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, clam juice, tarragon, oregano, and basil. Bring to a boil, cover and turn heat down to simmer. Cook 10 minutes. Remove cover and continue to simmer about 10 minutes more until sauce begins to thicken slightly. Add scallops, shrimp, clams, and fish. Cover, turn up heat to medium, and cook five to seven minutes or until clams have opened. Season with pepper.

Divide fish equally into four bowls, add the broth, and top with chopped parsley.

Serves 4.

Fava Bean Soup with Country Ham and Pecorino Cheese

1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped leeks, rinsed and drained
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 quart about low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
4 cups shelled fava beans
1/3 pound country ham, sliced into thin strips
1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup chopped, fresh basil

Preparation Cook: 60 minutes

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over low-medium heat. Add the leeks and onion, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

Add the bay leaf, rosemary and broth and bring to a boil quickly over high heat.

Lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are completely tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove and discard the outer shell of each fava bean and add the beans to the soup pot. Simmer until the beans are bright green and tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and puree the soup in a blender. Strain and adjust the salt and pepper.

Serve the soup in warm bowls and garnish with country ham, cheese and basil.

Number of Servings: 6
Per Serving Amount
Calories 463
Fat 7g
Saturated Fat 3g
Protein 38g
Fiber 26g
Carbohydrate 65g
Sodium 924mg

Corned Beef and Cabbage Soup

Serves 8.

You'll need 8 (one-cup) ramekins or soufflé dishes.

5 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-in. pieces
1 1/4 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 lb. green cabbage, quartered and cored, then cut into strips 1/2 in. wide by 2 in.

1 1/2 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-in. cubes
5 c. chicken stock
2 tbsp. Country Dijon mustard
1/2 lb. sliced good quality corned beef cut into strips 1/2 in. wide by 2 in.

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (17.3-oz.) pkg. frozen puff pastry, defrosted overnight in the refrigerator

1 egg
Water

Directions

In a large, heavy pot (with a lid) set over medium heat, sauté the bacon until crisp. Add the onion and sauté with the bacon until onion is just slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the cabbage and potatoes and toss to coat with the bacon drippings. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 3 minutes.

Add the stock and the mustard to the pot and stir to blend. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cover. Simmer until vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes. Then stir in the corned beef, and season with salt to taste (about 1 teaspoon or more depending on saltiness of the stock and the corned beef) and with 1 teaspoon pepper.

While soup is simmering, prepare pastry tops. On a floured work surface, roll one of the pastry sheets into an 11-inch square. Cut out 4 pastry rounds, each about 5 1/2 inches in diameter (or 1/2 inch wider all around than the tops of the ramekins). Repeat with remaining pastry sheet. Cut a 1/2-inch circle in the center of each pastry round (a plain 1/2-inch pastry tip works well). The hole will let the steam escape while the pastry bakes. Cover and refrigerate rounds until needed.

When soup is done, cool slightly and then fill each ramekin to within 1/2 inch of the top. (You will have about 2 cups soup remaining; refrigerate and enjoy as leftovers.) Whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon cold water in a small bowl, and brush one side of each pastry circle with the egg mixture. Carefully place a pastry round, glazed side down, over each ramekin. Firmly press the overlapping pastry against the outside of each ramekin. Be careful not to press down from the top to avoid cutting the dough on the edge of the ramekin. Press the tines of a fork around the pastry sides to make it adhere tightly to each ramekin.

Brush the tops and sides of the pastries with the egg glaze. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and refrigerate, loosely covered with plastic wrap, at least 1 hour (Soup can be prepared 4 hours ahead; keep covered and refrigerated.)

To bake, arrange a rack at center position and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap and bake until pastry is golden brown and slightly puffed, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove and serve.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories 426 Fat 24 g Sodium 553 mg
Carbohydrates 37 g Saturated fat 9 g Calcium 61 mg
Protein 15 g Cholesterol 93 mg Dietary fiber 4 g
Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 vegetable, 2 bread/starch, 1 medium-fat meat, 4 fat.

Lamb Stew with Leeks and Guinness

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: About 70 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

1 1/4 lbs. cubed lamb stew meat
* salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup flour
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large leek, pale green and white part only, halved lengthwise, washed well and sliced
2 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and sliced
2 celery stalks, halved lengthwise and sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 cup beef stock
1 440-mL can Guinness
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and then coat in the flour, shaking off the excess. Reserve the leftover flour. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large ovenproof pot set over medium-high. Brown the lamb on all sides. Add the leeks, carrots, celery and garlic and cook 3-4 minutes more. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of reserved flour (discard the rest) and mix well to combine. While stirring, slowly pour in the stock and Guinness. Add the herbs and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook in the oven for 60 minutes, or until lamb is tender. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Salmon Chowder With Yukon Gold Potatoes

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 leeks (white part only), rinsed well and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken OR vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups leftover cooked salmon broken into pieces OR 1 1/2 cups peeled and deveined small OR medium cooked shrimp, fresh or frozen (no need to thaw first)
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated fat-free milk OR low-fat milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add tarragon and cook 1 minute, until fragrant. Add potatoes and broth and bring to a simmer. Partially cover pan and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in salmon and milk and simmer 2 minutes to heat through. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve (in hollowed out round individual bread bowls, if desired).

Makes 4 servings

From "Robin Miller Quick Fix Meals, 200 Simple, Delicious Recipes to Make Mealtime Easy."

Curried Cauliflower With Basil Soup

This makes a nice and creamy soup even though it doesn't contain any cream.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 Spanish onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger root
2 celery stalks, peeled and sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
1 head cauliflower, cored and coarsely chopped
6 cups chicken stock
4 tablespoons chopped basil OR cilantro leaves OR a combination, plus additional for garnish
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

Place a stockpot over medium heat and, when it is hot, add oil. Add onion, garlic, ginger, celery and curry powder and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Increase heat to high, add cauliflower and stock, and bring to a boil. Cook until cauliflower is tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a blender in batches, add basil and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with additional basil leaves.

Makes about 8 to 10 cups

From "Souped Up! More than 100 Recipes for Soups, Stews and Chilis, and the Breads, Salads and Sweets to Make Them a Meal," by Sally Sampson.

Soup's Cooking!

On the menu this week we have Tom Yum Goong, Leprechaun Soup, Baked Bean Soup, Cafe at the Louisville Antique Mall's Chicken Pot Pie Soup, and
Hungarian Goulash Soup. Hope you enjoy !

Tom Yum Goong

You can substitute chicken or another seafood for the shrimp in this recipe, and if you don't care for coconut milk replace it with vegetable or chicken broth. This recipe has lots of spices in it! It also makes 2 servings, so feel free to double it. Cilantro leaves can be substituted for fresh coriander leaves.

3 cups chicken stock
1 stalk lemongrass (slice it just like a green onion)
3 Tbsp. kaffir lime zest (Key West limes)
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 or 2 small red chilies, finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pkg. wide soy or rice noodles (linguine style)
12 medium raw shrimp, shelled
2/3 to 1 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 can coconut milk
wedges of lime for serving (Key limes or regular limes)
1/3 cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Optional: additional Thai red chilies, chopped finely with seeds removed

Pour stock into a deep cooking pot, add lemongrass and turn heat to medium-high. Boil for 5 minutes or until fragrant. Add fish sauce, garlic, chilies, and lime zest to broth. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Add noodles and stir until broken apart (about 2 minutes). Add shrimp, mushrooms, and bell pepper. Cook for 5-8 minutes, or until noodles are done.

Turn down the heat to low and add the coconut milk. Test the soup for spice and salt, adding more chilies and/or fish sauce as desired. Serve in big bowls with coriander sprinkled on top and quarters of fresh lime on the side. Delicious!

Leprechaun Soup

Recipe by DeLynn Shelburg, Essexville.
(Bay City Times)

Serves 12

2 large onions, chopped
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
10 cups water
6 cups chopped cabbage
4 cups diced peeled potatoes
3 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic
4 cups cubed fully cooked ham

In a large saucepan sauté onion in butter until tender. Add the water, cabbage, potatoes, bouillon, pepper and garlic. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in ham heat through. Makes 12 servings.

Baked Bean Soup

1/2 lb. smoked sausage or Kielbasa, sliced in thin rounds
2 slices bacon, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons butter
One 16-oz. can baked beans
1-1/2 cups half and half cream

In a kettle saute meat, bacon, garlic, and onion in butter until bacon is crisp. Add the baked beans and simmer five minutes over medium low heat. Stir in the half and half cream. Serve. Serves 4.

Cafe at the Louisville Antique Mall's Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Recipe by Chris Rubino who is the general manager of the Cafe at the Louisville Antique Mall, 900 Goss Ave in Louisville, KY.

½ cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup diced onion
1 cup celery, strings removed and diced
2 cups carrot, peeled and diced
3 cups boneless chicken breast, cut into ½-inch dice
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 quart chicken broth
1 tablespoon parsley, minced
2 tablespoons chicken base or bouillon crystals
½ cup cornstarch
½ cup (about) water
1 8-ounce package frozen peas
1 pint heavy cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 package frozen biscuits

Melt the butter in a large skillet or pan over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrots, and cook until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Add diced chicken, and cook, stirring, until meat is cooked through and beginning to brown slightly, another 10 minutes or so. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the chicken broth to the vegetable mixture, and return to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Stir in the parsley and base or bouillon crystals.

In a bowl, mix together the cornstarch and enough water to form a pourable gravylike paste. Add the cornstarch slurry to the simmering soup.

Add the frozen peas, and stir. Add heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, stirring until cheese is melted. Let soup simmer slowly while you bake the biscuits according to package directions.

To serve, crumble one baked biscuit into a soup bowl, and ladle soup over.

Makes 10 servings.

Nutrition data per serving: 622 calories, 25 grams protein, 42 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 40 grams fat, 1,272 milligrams sodium.

Hungarian Goulash Soup

1 pound boneless top sirloin, fat trimmed and reserved, meat cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon Hungarian hot paprika
3 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
Salt, to taste
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 cup drained canned petite diced tomatoes
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 celery root, peeled and chopped
1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
1 potato, peeled and chopped
6 cups water
1 hot pepper, cut into rings, for garnish

Take the fat you trimmed from the sirloin and chop it. Place it in a Dutch oven over medium to low heat. Cook slowly to render the fat. Discard the pieces of fat and leave about 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat in the pan, discarding the rest.

Add the onions and saute until tender. Add the paprika and meat and stir to coat. Saute until meat browns.

Add the salt, peppers and tomatoes. Cover and simmer 15 minutes until peppers and meat are tender. Add carrots, celery root, parsnips, potatoes and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer about 40 minutes until vegetables are tender. Serve with rings of hot pepper as garnish. Makes about 16 cups.

Per (1-cup) serving: 77 calories, 37 percent calories from fat, 3 grams total fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 6 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams total fiber, 2 grams total sugars, 4 grams net carbs, 6 grams protein, 27 milligrams sodium.

This Week at Soup-aholic

Hello Soup Lovers!

This week I have an interesting batch of recipes for you to try. We'll be serving...

Chicken Paprikash Soup
Thai Red Curry Coconut with Shrimp
White Bean Chili Stew
Front Porch Carrot and Crawfish Bisque
and
Native American Hazelnut Soup

If none of these tickles your tastebuds...Remember you can always check in the Recipe Index located on the left hand side of this page as well to see what I have posted in previous months.

I've included quite a variety of traditional and ethnic soups to choose from.

Don't forget, you can also use the contact form and share your recipes. Perhaps you have some special ones for Spring or Easter.

Native American Hazelnut Soup

1 pound hazelnuts
6 to 8 ramps, green onions, or nodding g onions, white part only
1/2 cup watercress, including tender stems
2 tablespoons hazelnut, sunflower, or corn oil
About 4 cups vegetable stock or water
2 teaspoons sea or kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until toasted. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, place the nuts in a kitchen towel and rub vigorously to remove as much of the papery skins as possible.

Trim the roots from the ramps and remove any woody stems and flowers. Thinly slice the ramps, with their tops on, and set aside. Rinse and drain the watercress, removing woody stems or pale leaves. Chop the watercress coarsely.

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the ramps and watercress and wilt for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the stock and hazelnuts. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Decrease the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the nuts are softened and the flavors have developed. In small batches, transfer the soup to a food processor or blender and process until smooth (don't fill the processor more than 1/3 full.) Return the puree to the saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add more liquid to thin, if necessary, and stir in the salt. Ladle into warm bowls and serve immediately.

Serves: 4
From Foods of the Americas: Native Recipes and Traditions

Front Porch Carrot and Crawfish Bisque

Prep Time: 1 Hour
Serves: 6

1 pound fresh carrots, peeled and sliced
1 pound crawfish tails
2 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and sliced
7 cups chicken stock
1 cup diced onions
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Creole seasoning to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped parsley

In a cast iron Dutch oven, combine carrots, potatoes, chicken stock, onions, celery, bell pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Bring mixture to a low boil, reduce to simmer and cover. Cook soup until potatoes and carrots are tender, approximately 15-20 minutes. Season to taste using Creole seasonings, salt and pepper. Place the solid ingredients into the bowl of a blender or food processor. Slowly pour the soup in through a strainer. Do not overfill the bowl because hot liquid will expand and the steam will cause the top to pop up during blending. Place just enough of the hot liquid to cover the vegetables by 1 inch. Take caution. Puree soup until smooth and creamy. Return pureed soup to the Dutch oven and bring mixture to a low boil. Add heavy whipping cream, crawfish, nutmeg and parsley. Adjust seasonings if necessary. The soup may be served hot or cold, garnished with fresh chives and sour cream, optional.

Recipe by Chef John Folse

White Bean Chili Stew

1 lb. dried navy beans
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
3/4 cup onion, diced
1-1/2 green chilies, chopped
6 cups chicken stock or broth
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts, finely chopped
1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1-2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

Wash beans. Cover with water and soak for two hours. Drain. In a large kettle melt the butter. Saut/ the garlic, onion and chilies for 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock, beans, chicken and rest of the ingredients. Lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for approximately 1-1/2 hours. Serve with corn bread.

Thai Red Curry Coconut with Shrimp

Makes 3 quarts

1/2 gallon shrimp stock
1-2 TBS. red curry paste
1 can coconut milk
1 zucchini, julienne
1 carrot, julienne
1/4 lb. snow peas, julienne
1 red pepper, julienne
1/2 lb. cleaned shrimp
1/4 c. vegetable oil
juice and zest of a lime
1/2 stalk lemongrass
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 bunch of scallions, bias cut

Saute vegetables together until crisp and tender. Add the stock, curry paste and coconut milk. Bring to a boil and add the remaining ingredients.

Recipe by Chef Susan Roth, Culinary Instructor at Northampton Community College

Chicken Paprikash Soup

Makes 1+1/2 gallons

3 large onions small diced
1/2 lb. butter or 1 cup vegetable oil
1 TBSP. minced garlic
6 TBSP. Hungarian Paprika
1 1/2 to 2 cups flour
1 gallon chicken stock
2-3 cups diced cooked chicken
1 pint sour cream

Spaetzle -
8 eggs
2 cups flour
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
pinch nutmeg

Saute the onions and garlic in the butter until tender and translucent. Add the paprika and the flour. Cook on low for about 3 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock and whisk until smooth.

Add the chicken meat. Simmer on low for about 30 minutes. Mix all of the spaetzle ingredients together. Drop into boiling salted water through a spaetzle maker. Remove and add to the soup.

When all of the spaetzle are added, take a little hot soup and stir it into the sour cream to temper. Stir the sour cream into the rest of the soup and remove from heat.

Recipe by Chef Susan Roth, Culinary Instructor at Northampton Community College