• 1 1/4 cup milk mixed with crème fraiche for best flavor (or substitute half and half)
• 1/2 lb dark green Le Puy lentils
• 1/3 cup croutons made from pain de mie
• 1/3 cup diced onions
• 1/3 cup finely diced peeled carrots
• 1/3 cup truffle oil, or to taste
• 1/3 cut diced pancetta
• 2 Tbsp butter
• bouquet garni, sea salt, pepper

 
Put the lentils in a casserole. Add the carrots and onions. Add the pancetta, bouquet garni and enough water to cover. Add salt and pepper but recognize that the pancetta will also add a salty flavor to the final dish. The lentils should be cooked for about 20 minutes over low heat.

Remove the bouquet garni and pass the lentils and cooked vegetables through a food mill or food processor. Add some of the creme fraiche to make the puree more fluid. Correct the seasonings at this point. Return the mixture to low heat and add the rest of the crème fraiche. Heat very carefully.

Dice the pain de mie (which, of course, you have made yourself) and melt the butter in a fry pan. Saute the croutons until golden and drain on paper. Pour the soup into bowls, add the croutons and add the truffle oil to taste at the last moment. If you have been able to procure truffles, they may be added, finely chopped, along with croutons to the individual soup bowls.

• 1-2 lbs of bones per quart of water
• fresh herbs, if possible
• onions, carrots, celery

 
A good stock is the foundation of many savory dishes because it enhances the flavor of any recipe that calls for water. Although some soup recipes may suggest the use of tinned broth, there is absolutely no substitute for the real thing. With a little bit of prior planning, a good stock is well within the reach of any cook. Whenever you cook chicken, steak, rib roast, veal chops—even a roast chicken from one of the numerous chicken carry outs popping up all over the country—save the bones in the freezer. When you have 1-2 pounds of bones per quart of water, simmer in the stewpot with onions, carrots, and celery. Season with fresh herbs rather than dried if they are available. Now you have the basis for a wonderful soup, and your kitchen will smell divine!
Note: When you are making beef or veal stock, the bones should be roasted in the oven until golden brown before being simmered in water. The caramelizing of the proteins on the bones’ surface will intensify the stock’s flavor and color.

from Dara Bunjon of Vann’s Spices

• 1 green pepper, seeded and quartered
• 1 large cucumber, peeled and cut in half
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1/3 cup to ½ cup sherry vinegar
• 2 large tomatoes, quartered
• 2 tablespoons of Vanns Herbs for Fish
• 2 to 4 cloves of garlic
• 46 oz tomato juice
• 5 to 10 radishes (adds heat to your taste)
• kosher or sea salt to taste
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

 
Put the tomato juice in a very large bowl allowing room for the vegetables. (You will need to do two batches in your blender so split everything from the tomatoes to the extra virgin olive oil in half and blend.) As each batch is finished, stir into the tomato juice. Add salt to taste.
Rub the two tablespoons of Vanns Herbs for Fish between your palms, dispersing over the gazpacho mixture. (This process allows the flavors and aromatics to become more prominent.) Chill until ready to serve. This can be made a day in advance.

 

•  1 clove garlic
• 1 Cup of bread cubes (no crust) soaked in 2 cups of water
• 1 green bell pepper or Poblano pepper
• 1 jar tomato puree
• 1 small cucumber
• 1 small white onion
• 3 Tablespoons of Alessi white balsamic vinegar
• 6 Tablespoons of lemon olive oil
• Fresh basil or mint for decoration
• Salt and pepper to taste

 

1) Heat the golden tomato puree in a small stockpot and bring just to a boil.

 2) Chop all the vegetables into small cubes.

3) Process the vegetables, vinegar, and bread crumbs with water in a food processor or blender to create a sauce consistency. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more water.

 4) Add to stockpot and stir into tomato puree - turn off heat

5) Add salt and pepper and olive oil and stir to combine.

6) Chill until ingredients are well combined. Serve in small cups with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh herbs on top.
This is so delicious and refreshing on any hot Summer day, and a great treat to take with you to the beach!

 

• 1 pkg of Essence de Champignon Gold
• 4-6 cups water
• 1/4 cup Madeira, Sherry or Vermouth
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2-4 scallions sliced on the diagonal
• chopped chives for garnish
• assortment of fresh mushrooms of your choice sliced (you should have 2-3 cups of sliced mushrooms)
• 1/2 jar of La Cuisine Italian Premier Grade dried porcini

Soak porcini. Bring water, essence de Champignons to simmer, add wine of choice. Sauté lightly scallions and mushrooms in copper or alum sauté (you do not want them seared) in a bit of olive oil.

Strain porcini and pass liquid through cheesecloth. Add liquid to broth, add porcini to sauté pan with other mushrooms. Allow to cook just a bit and then add to broth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, perhaps more wine.

Pour into bowls and serve with snipped chives or parsley as a garnish.

(with the nut oil of your choice)

• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme or a pinch of dried
• 3 Tbsp. walnut, pecan, filbert, or pistachio oil
• 3/4 lb. shallots
• 5 c. More Than Gourmet vegetable stock
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and pepper to taste

 
Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim shallots by peeling and cutting off root ends. Toss the shallots with just enough oil to coat them. Season with salt and pepper, add the thyme, cover and bake about a half hour (shallots should be tender). Place the shallots in a 3-quart saucepan and add stock and garlic. Adjust again for salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 min. Stir in cream. Purée soup in a blender or in a food mill (the latter will give it a more interesting texture).
Soup can be served immediately or refrigerated and re-warmed for about 5 min. Ladle into soup bowls and drizzle with a small amount of the oil you used in the recipe. A garnish of the same nut, chopped, is a nice touch.

• 1 large onion, chopped and sautéed until limp
• 1 large can tomatoes
• 8 cups of water
• 1 1.5oz package Glace de Poulet Gold
• 2 tsp basil
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp Picholine Olive Oil
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 20oz package frozen mixed veggies
• 1 cup small macaroni, add and cook until tender
• 1 package Zursun’s Paris Bistro Bean Mix, cooked

In a soup or stock pot, add the water, tomatoes, glace de poulet, basil, oregano, garlic, salt, frozen vegetables and onion. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the cooked beans and pasta. Cook until pasta is just al dente.

• 1 c. Heckers all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
• Chicken pieces
• Chicken stock
• pinch of salt

 
Mix all ingredients (except chicken pieces) in a bowl to make a soft dough. Allow to rest for 15 minutes. Roll out as thick or thin as you want the noodles to be. Cut with a pizza cutter or, for fun, use your favorite cookie cutters. Drop into simmering stock with chicken pieces, cook for 7 minutes and, voila! You have a chicken noodle soup dinner.