Cauliflower Bisque with Roasted Red Peppers

(I don't know where this recipe is from)

3 Tbsp. oil
1 yellow onion, diced
sea salt
1/8 tsp. saffron threads, soaked in 2 Tbsp. water
2 new potatoes, unpeeled, diced
1 head cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
3 cups water
cracked black pepper
2 roasted red bell peppers, diced
2-3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Place oil and onion in a soup pot over medium heat.  When the onions begin to sizzle, add a pinch of salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes.  Add saffron (and soaking water) and potatoes, add a pinch of salt and sauté for 2 minutes.  Add cauliflower and stir well.  Add milk and water; cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook until cauliflower is quite soft, about 20 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes more.

Transfer soup to a food processor and puree until smooth.  Return to the soup pot and keep soup on low.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls.  Mix roasted peppers and parsley together and use to garnish soup.

Spicy Curried Carrot Soup

(recipe from Shape magazine)

2 lbs. carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
5 cups vegetable broth
1 dried hot chili pepper, any type (optional)
4 tsp. minced fresh ginger
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients except cilantro.  Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes, or until carrots are tender.  Transfer mixture to a food processor or blender (in batches, if needed) and puree until smooth.  Return the puree to the saucepan and reheat.  Stir in chopped cilantro.

(Super easy and pretty tasty.  May need to add more broth/water to desired thickness.  I would also add cilantro before pureeing.)

Carrot Bisque

(I cobbled this together from two carrot soup recipes: Vegetarian Times magazine and 101cookbooks.com)

2 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 lbs. carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch chunks
1 14-oz. can full-fat coconut milk
1 tsp. salt, or to taste
4 cups water, or to cover
Juice of 1 lime
Cilantro, chopped, to taste
to serve: micro-greens (I used watercress)

In a large soup pan over medium-high heat, add the coconut oil and onion.  Stir until onion is well-coated, and allow to sauté until translucent, a few minutes.  Stir in ginger, and cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until fragrant.  Add curry powder, cayenne, and 1/4 cup water.  Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring to coat onion and ginger with the curry mixture.

Add the carrots, coconut milk, salt, and water to cover, as needed, and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, until the carrots are tender, about 10-15 minutes.  Puree soup using a blender until the soup is completely silky smooth.  Add more water if the consistency needs to be thinned out, to your liking.  Then taste for salt, adding more if needed.  Return puree to soup pan, and stir in lime juice and chopped cilantro.

Ladle into bowls to serve, and top with micro-greens.

(Vibrant and spicy!  Topping with the greens adds a nice crunch to the smooth soup.)

Roasted Hubbard Squash Soup with Hazelnuts & Chives

(recipe from Fine Cooking magazine)

3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 Tbsp. coriander seeds
1 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1 1/2 tsp. dried sage
1 small (5 1/2-6 lbs.) Hubbard squash, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter (I used coconut oil)
1 large leek (white and light-green parts only), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small dice
Kosher salt
5 cups vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned, and chopped
2 Tbsp. thinly sliced chives
Several small pinches Espelette pepper or cayenne

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400F.  Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

In a mortar and pestle, pound the oil, garlic, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and sage until they resemble a coarse paste.  Rub the spice mixture on the flesh of the squash halves.  Set them cut side down on the prepared pan and roast until tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour.

Let cool, cut side up.  When cool enough to handle, scrape the flesh away from the rind - you'll need about 5 cups.

Melt the butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the leek, carrots, and a big pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leek is softened, 8 to 10 minutes.  Add the squash, broth, bay leaf, and 1 tsp. salt and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes to develop the soup's flavor.

Remove the bay leaf and allow the soup to cool slightly.  Puree the soup in batches in a blender.  Return the soup to the pot and add the lemon juice.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Garnish with the chopped hazelnuts, chives, and Espelette or cayenne pepper.

(Nice flavor.  The recipe is a bit involved, and I followed all of the steps, but I wonder if  the grinding of the spices to rub on the roasting squash is necessary - perhaps just add the spices into the soup along with the broth?  Also, the hazelnuts add an interesting element, but I think could just as well be left out, as they are only garnish.)

Anna Thomas' Green Soup

(recipe from Food 52)

1 bunch chard or spinach
1 bunch kale
4 to 5 green onions, sliced, white and green parts
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro
1 tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
1 medium Yukon Gold potato
1 medium yellow onion
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
Marsala or dry sherry (optional)
1 to 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 1/2 to 3 cups vegetable broth
Freshly ground black pepper
Cayenne
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste

Wash the greeens thoroughly, trim off their stems, and slice the leaves.  Combine the chard or spinach, kale, green onion, and cilantro in a large soup pot with 3 cups water and a teaspoon of salt.  Peel the potato, or just scrub it well if you prefer, cut it into small pieces, and add it to the pot.  Bring the water to a boil, turn down the flame to low, cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for about half an hour.

Meanwhile, chop the onion, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet, and cook the onion with a small sprinkle of salt over medium flame until it is golden brown and soft.  This will take up to half an hour.  Don't hurry; give it a stir once in a while, and let the slow cooking develop the onion's sweetness.  If you like, you can deglaze the pan at the end with a bit of Marsala or sherry - not required, but a nice touch.

Add the caramelized onion to the soup.  Put the remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil in the pan and stir the chopped garlic in it for just a couple of minutes, until it sizzles and smells great.  Add the garlic to the pot and simmer the soup for 10 minutes more.

Add enough of the broth to make the soup a soup - it should pour easily from the ladle - and puree it in the blender, in batches if necessary, or use an immersion blender.  Don't overprocess, potatoes can turn gummy if you work them too much.

Return the soup to the pot, bring it back to a simmer, and taste.  Add a pinch more salt if needed, grind in a little black pepper, and add a pinch of cayenne and a tablespoon of lemon juice.  Stir well and taste again.  Now use your taste buds - correct the seasoning to your taste with a drop more lemon juice or another pinch of salt, and then serve.  Garnish with a thin drizzle of fruity olive oil.

(This soup is light and flavorful and packed with greens!  If you wanted it a bit heavier, I suppose you could add another potato.  The website also mentions that you could use any greens, any herbs; or bolster the soup with arborio rice, yams, sauteed mushrooms, or squash instead of the potato; shallots or leeks instead of the onion - use the recipe as a template.)