Spring Onion Soup with Fennel and Parmesan

Since none of us wanted to make lettuce soup, I'm submitting this recipe as a more appealing springtime alternative.  It is from The New England Kitchen by Jeremy Sewall and Erin Byers Murray, a beautiful book that I still haven't cooked anything out of.  This soup looks fussy but intriguing, and I'm willing to give it a try.

6 slices prosciutto (optional)
2 bunches spring onions (about 6 onions)
1 fennel bulb, top removed
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 small Yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cup vegetable stock
3 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese plus a rind
1 cup heavy cream
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 fresh bay leaf
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  If using the first ingredient, line a baking sheet and lay the prosciutto on it, then cover with a piece of parchment.  Place a second dish of some sort on top to keep the prosciutto from curling.  Bake for 4 to 6 minutes, until crips.  Let cool, then remove each piece with a spatula.

Cut the spring onions into rounds up to the dark green part.  Cut the fennel in half, remove the core, then cut fennel into 1-inch pieces.

Heat oil in a large saucepan.  Stir in fennel, onion, and potato, and cook until the vegetables become translucent.  Add the stock and Parmesan rind and simmer gently for 5 minutes.  Add cream, thyme, and bay leaf.  Continue to simmer for 15 more minutes.  Remove from heat.

Puree the soup until smooth, then pour through a fine-mesh sieve and return to saucepan.  Just before serving, bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and whisk in all but 2 tablespoons of the grated cheese.  Season with the lemon juice, salt, and pepper.  Allow the soup to sit for 2-3 minutes, then whisk again to ensure the cheese is fully melted and incorporated.

Serve with soup with prosciutto garnishes and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.

LETTUCE SOUP (because it's spring!)

From The Whole World Cookbook edited by Jacqueline Killeen, 1979
Serves six
3 c. shredded iceberg or romaine lettuce
1 qt. beef stock
1 c. chopped watercress
1/3 c. minced onion
2 T. minced green pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 T. minced fresh parsley
1 t. minced fresh tarragon
3 T. butter
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. white pepper
1/8 t. grated nutmeg
2 T.  white rice (optional)
1 c. half and half
2 beaten egg yolks
3/4 c. heavy cream
Croutons

Chop lettuce finely and put in pot with stock with watercress. Sauté onion, bell,pepper, garlic and herbs in butter until soft. Add with seasonings to stock mixture. Add rice if desired. Cover and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer 30 min. Add half and half and reheat without boiling. Beat egg yolks and heavy cream and whisk in 1/2 c. hot soup.  Add to rest of soup. Reheat without boiling and adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with croutons.  As a variation cooked green peas, chopped water chestnuts, minced green onions and/or finely shredded lettuce can can added just before serving.

Great Pea Soup

I finally made this wonderful soup last week. For once I followed the recipe exactly (except for twice as much lime juice) and it was worth it!  A light yet filling bowl that had tons of flavor and left me feeling satisfied and not overstuffed.   The apple and sweet potato were wonderful additions and I didn't miss the usual bacon/ham/split pea combo at all. The yogurt and cilantro at the end are essential for both taste and texture. By the way, Ellen, I have the same problem keeping fresh cilantro on hand. I can only grow it in very early spring or very late fall since it bolts really fast in our heat, but when it is the right temperature I have masses.  I chop it up in the food processor with just a little water and freeze it in ice cube trays. One cube is just right for a bowl of soup and the ice melts right away. When it's run out I just buy a couple big bunches and do the same, so I always have chopped cilantro. Just be careful to not chop it to a pesto type paste (although that's good too). I love this soup and will make it again and again.

Moosewood Split Pea Soup

I haven't yet made Sarah's soup, but I plan to do so soon!  I just got back from Singapore, where laksa is a delicious mainstay, so I'm really looking forward to creating a vegetarian version at home.

After traveling for a month and ten days, I was very eager to get back into my own kitchen.  I'm also eager to cook as many vegetable-laden dishes as possible after my trip!  I've made the following split pea soup several times and think it's a really delicious alternative to the more typical thick, heavy pea soups that are flavored primarily by ham or bacon (though if you'd prefer to make that type of soup, this version is excellent).

The recipe comes from the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites cookbook, one of the first cookbooks I owned in college.  While some of the recipes are definitely out-of-date (like "Another Shepherd's Pie," which makes liberal use of both kasha and soy sauce), others are really quite delicious and do stand the test of time.  This soup, I think, is one of them.

My version:  I used regular green split peas, as that's what I had on hand.  I also added the juice of an entire lime and found that quite a bit of salt was required.  Other than these small changes, though, I followed the recipe below and was very happy with the results.

Golden Split Pea Soup, from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites

3 cups chopped onions
1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger root
1 cup dried yellow split peas
7 cups water
2 cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes
1 cup peeled, cored, and cubed apples
3-inch cinnamon stick
2 tsp. chili powder
3/4 cup chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tbsp. soy sauce

for garnish: yogurt, cilantro

In a soup pot, sauté the onions in the oil until golden.  Add the cumin, turmeric, coriander, and ginger and cook for another minute.  Add the split peas, water, sweet potatoes, apples, cinnamon, and chili powder, cover, and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and summer for 40 minutes, or until the peas are tender.

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, lime juice, and soy sauce.  When the peas are tender, add the tomato mixture.  If desired, purée the soup.  Add salt and more lime juice to taste.  Serve topped with yogurt and cilantro.