soup – Page 3 – Myfrenchkitchen

A beetroot velouté, or creamy beetroot soup, is apart from delicious, also beautiful. Served as a starter in the way of a cappuccino, is a beautiful way to kick off an autumn or winter dinner. It is actually a good idea to always eta small starter of soup with any home dinner..it is healthy and helps fill one and so prevents over eating.

Pincée de sel:

Younger beetroots give a deeper colour, are sweeter and softer. If possible, use small beets.
Raw beets cab be replaced by ready cooked vacuum packed beets.
add different spices for a more wintery touch…cardamom seeds, star anis, cinnamon, croriander – add together in a small muslin bag so it can be removed afterwards.
To make froth with a machine: whisk a small amount(about 150 ml) milk in a high microwave proof) container. whisk vigorously until it starts foaming. Place in the microwave immediately. Heat the milk while keeping your eye on the milk all the time. The froth will start to rise high. Remove from the microwave and scoop the froth from the milk.
Use vegetable stock to make it a vegetarian soup.
A scoop of créme fraìche, or a scoop of whipped cream can be used, which will make the soup creamier and heavier.
Ideal for a starter.

…and November in reds.

The artist in my appreciates November as the most beautiful month in the year. It is the most challenging and gratifing time of the year for painting, photographing, hunting for mushrooms in the woods, watching the leaves turn form green to yellow to red to purple to brown and finally float to the ground. No other season gives us this fast forward motion action of change in nature and it passes before your eyes from one minute to another.

…The stinky mushroom, Anthurus d’archer in bright autumn/winter red…

..la vigne vierge with its leaves turning red in autumn and a artistic spiderweb blinking in the morning light..

..foliage of vigne vierge, the attractive seedheads of Cleramtis vitalba, and stinging nettle in their natural environment..

..the stunning reds of hydrangea leaves in November..

..Ivy hugging a fallen vigne vierge red leaf..

à al prochaine fois

Ronelle

Winter has suddenly hit us with a bang and out came the soups of which onion soup is a favorite. The secret of a good onion soup rests on a good stock (preferably homemade) and of course the slow, deep caramelizing of the onions. If you want a quick soup for dinner, this is not it. But no doubt, for a cold day, an onion soup, topped with a melted cheese crouton, is pure heaven.

Pincée de fleur de sel:

The longer you can caramelize your onions, the more flavorful they will be. It is a myth that onions can be caramelized within 10 minutes.
I cut my onions in quarters and then slice the quarters finely, because I don’t like long strips dripping soup from my spoon.
To serve country style, serve the soup in a tureen with the croutons on top and serve each portion from the tureen.
It can also be served individually by placing a slice of bread on the soup, top with cheese and grill for a few minutes to melt the cheese.
Don’t be skimpy with the thyme as it adds to the flavor.
To really serve a soup and not soaked bread, don’t serve too much bread in the soup, for it soaks up a lot of the liquid and you will be left with only onions and soaked bread.
Serve the soup hot in warmed bowls.

..a variety of onions..