Posts Tagged ‘Soup’

• Cosmic Gazpacho

  Date: 09.03.2010 | Category: Real Food | Response: 0

  Some might call it a gastronomic convergence. All week long we can expect an exceptional alignment of vegetables at produce stands across northern New England. Uber-ripe tomatoes, heavenly melons, red-as-Mars peppers, onions so sweet they don’t bring tears to your eyes . . . they’re all piled high and waiting for the right person to unlock their true potential. Starry-eyed cooks will seize this rare opportunity to make an out-of-this-world gazpacho.

  On a more down-to-earth level, a big batch of cold, refreshing gazpacho is the perfect food to have on hand with the long weekend coming up. You can pack it into a thermos for a picnic lunch by the lake or float a few Maine pink shrimp on top for an elegant dinner starter.

  The almost sweet, thirst-quenching watermelon gazpacho often served at Mirabelles in Burlington, Vermont,  inspires our recipe below. Red tomatoes and red watermelon give it a fabulous nearly infrared hue. For a lovely lutescent variation, substitute yellow heirloom tomatoes, yellow ‘Baby Doll’ watermelon or a Charentais cantaloupe, and a yellow bell pepper.

  WATERMELON GAZPACHO
  from the FarmPlate Kitchen

  About 6 pounds ripe red tomatoes
  1 small watermelon, such as ‘Moon & Stars’ or ‘Sugar Baby’
  2 cucumbers
  2 small onions, minced
  1 red bell pepper, trimmed, seeded and cut into small dice
  ½ cup minced fresh parsley
  ¼ cup rice vinegar or other mild vinegar
  ¼ cup good olive oil
  Juice of 1 lemon
  2 tablespoons Absolut Citron, optional
  Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  1 or 2 dashes Spanish smoked paprika

  1. Peel and seed the tomatoes. When tomatoes are truly ripe, they’re easy to peel with a sharp paring knife. Or, cut an X on the bottom of the tomatoes, drop into boiling water for no more than 30 seconds. Rinse with cold water, then peel and seed. Put half of the tomatoes into the bowl of a large food processor; slice the other half into tiny dice and place in a large mixing bowl.

  2. Slice the watermelon in half. Scoop half of the flesh into a food processor. Cut enough of the remaining watermelon into small dice to give you two cups worth. Add the diced watermelon to the bowl with the tomatoes. (You can blend any remaining watermelon with juice or rum for a refreshing cocktail.)

  3. Peel, slice and seed the cucumbers. Chop one cucumber and add to the food processor. Cut the other into tiny dice and add to the bowl with the diced tomatoes and watermelon.

  4. Process the vegetables in the food processor until smooth. Pour into the mixing bowl. Stir in the onions, bell peppers, parsley, vinegar, oil, lemon juice and vodka, if desired, salt, pepper and paprika. Chill for at least two hours. Taste and adjust the seasonings before serving.

  Serves 10 to 12 (makes about 2½ quarts)

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• Sugarsnap Expands to Tech Park

  Date: 07.23.2010 | Category: Market Beat | Response: 0

  When you pull into the parking lot at 30 Community Drive, the hub of South Burlington’s Technology Park, you might have to squint to spot the cheery little sign for the new Sugarsnap restaurant. It’s off to the left, sandwiched between TelJet’s and Test America’s no-nonsense logos. It feels far away from Sugarsnap’s friendly home at the edge of the Intervale. But once you step inside, warm aromas from simmering soups and just-baked cookies tell you you’re headed to the right place.

  After six years of serving impeccably fresh, ready-to-eat, mostly local foods from its Riverside Avenue location, Sugarsnap has just expanded into a new commissary kitchen and second retail store in South Burlington. The move brings all the food preparation, storage and catering operations for the growing business into one place—and frees up freezer space in founder, owner and co-president Abbey Duke’s garage. It’s all part of Sugarsnap’s mission to put delicious, sustainable food within reach of everyone.

  All of Sugarsnap’s sandwiches, salads, soups, baked goods and daily special entrées (like today’s terrific Beet & Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Wild Mushroom Sauce) showcase ingredients from its own three-acre farm in the Intervale as well as from more than 20 regional Food Partners. Co-0wner and co-president Rob Smart estimates that more than half of the ingredients used at Sugarsnap are locally grown. “We aim to move that to 60 or even 70 percent over the next couple of years.”

  “Our plan is to make really great, healthy food accessible to all—and to make the regional economy stronger in the process,” says Smart. “We’re building a new regional food business model here.”

  Stop by either of the two stores to have coffee and pastries at breakfast, to savor soup, sandwiches and salads at lunch or to grab ready-made entrées to take home for dinner. The Tech Park location includes restaurant seating as well. Sugarsnap Catering offers farm-fresh foods for events of many sizes, from business meetings to private parties.

  Sugarsnap Zucchini “Linguini” With Basil Pesto
  from Sugarsnap, Burlington, Vermont

  2 large zucchini
  One 8 ounce container of pesto (homemade or purchased)
  ½ cup pine nuts or nuts of your choice
  3+ tablespoons Parmigiano Reggiano or other hard Italian cheese
  Juice and zest of 1 lemon
  Salt and pepper

  Wash and dry the zucchini and using a julienne peeler, make the “linguini“ using the white flesh and skin of the squash, stopping when you get to the seeds. In a bowl large enough to toss the mix, add pesto (to taste), nuts, half of the cheese and the lemon zest. Use lemon juice to thin the pesto as you would use hot pasta water in a hot pesto/pasta dish.

  Add salt and pepper and more or less of anything as you wish. Top each serving with some of the remaining cheese. Serve with a green salad and crusty bread.

  Serves 4

  Sugarsnap on Riverside • 505 Riverside Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 • 802.652.5922
  Sugarsnap at Technology Park • 30 Community Drive, Suite 9, South Burlington, VT 05403 • 802.861.2718 • contact@sugarsnapvt.com

  See more great images of Sugarsnap on our flickr page!

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• School Lunch – A Learning Experience

  Date: 06.04.2010 | Category: The Beat | Response: 0

  When pizza is on the menu at the Burr and Burton Academy, the lunch cooks don’t just reach for a couple of #10 cans of prepared pizza sauce. No way. The red sauce at B and B is house-made with slow-cooked onions and plenty of fresh herbs and garlic. Even though this is a high-volume high school cafeteria, chef/manager Charlie Robbins and his student assistants would never think of cutting corners.

  For 17 years, Chef Robbins has been making sure that students and staff at this Manchester, Vermont, school can enjoy real food at lunchtime. “We keep processed foods to a minimum here,” says Robbins. “The soups are made from scratch: carrot/ginger bisque and Southwest chicken tortilla are two favorites. The breads and pastas are whole grain. The salad bar is a big thing too, and it includes some lettuce from our own garden.”

  Along with overseeing the food service operation, Robbins teaches the school’s culinary arts course. The students in his class assist in the daily operation of the cafeteria kitchen and at special events. They learn how to create delicious, nutritionally sound menus that meet or exceed USDA standards. They also learn lessons in food safety, kitchen management and even gardening. “There’s an on-site vegetable garden that our service learning coordinator Lani Lovisa oversees,” says Robbins. “The kids are building a shed and vegetable production beds on campus. They had their own sugaring operation this year, too.”

  There’s a strong emphasis on environmentally sound practices in the Burr and Burton kitchen. Two composting systems for food waste are in place. There’s no tin foil used, only biodegradable plastics for wrapping and storage. Food is served on ceramic, not paper, plates.

  Robbins reflected on his 30 years in the food business. ”When I started out working in restaurants, food was simply a form of entertainment that, frankly, made people eat too much and drink too much. Working with kids is so much more satisfying. I’m doing a lot of good here; they’re doing a lot of good. I love it!”

  Burr and Burton Academy is an independent high school that serves 700 students from Peru, Manchester, Dorset, Sunderland and other nearby towns that have no public high school. The school also welcomes more than 50 residential students from overseas.

  Spring Bisque
  from Chef Charlie Robbins, Burr and Burton Academy

  8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
  1 pound asparagus spears, trimmed and chopped
  1 carrot, chopped
  1 small onion, chopped
  1 shallot, chopped
  2½ quarts chicken stock, heated
  ½ cup flour
  ½ cup sherry (optional)
  Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  1 cup heavy cream

  Melt the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Cook the asparagus, carrots, onions and shallots in butter until softened. Sprinkle the flour on top, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Pour in the hot chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Puree the bisque using a pureeing rod or food processor. If desired, strain the soup back into the pot. Gently reheat the soup. Add the sherry, if using, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring almost to a simmer the whisk in the cream.

  Serves 8 to 10

  
  Burr & Burton Academy • 57 Seminary Ave, Manchester, VT 05254 • 802.362.1775

  See more great images of Burr and Burton Academy on our flickr page!

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• Vermont Cheddar-Ale Soup for a Crowd

  Date: 02.03.2010 | Category: Recipes | Response: 0

  from the FarmPlate Kitchen
  Once you have all the ingredients prepped and ready to add to the pot, this soup is very easy to make.

  2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  1 large sweet onion, minced
  2 red bell peppers, seeded and cut into tiny dice
  ½ cup flour
  1 teaspoon mustard powder
  1 or 2 dashes of cayenne pepper
  1 bottle of your favorite Vermont ale
  5 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  2 cups water
  ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  1½ cups grated Vermont Cheddar cheese
  ½ cup grated Monterey jack cheese
  1 tablespoon Vermont maple syrup
  Freshly ground white or black pepper
  Chopped fresh parsley for garnish
  Olivia’s Parmesan Pepper Croutons (optional)

  Melt the butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and peppers and cook until soft, about 7 minutes. Add the flour, mustard powder and cayenne and cook for another minute or two. Slowly whisk in the ale, broth and water and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the Parmesan then reduce the heat to very low. Add the Cheddar and jack cheeses slowly, whisking constantly. When all the cheese has been added, whisk the soup until all the cheese is incorporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in the maple syrup and a generous grinding of pepper. Turn off the heat and let the soup stand for 5 minutes. Ladle into mugs or small soup bowls and top with parsley and the croutons, if desired.

  Serves 8 to 10

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• Butternut Squash Minestrone

  Date: 01.13.2010 | Category: Recipes | Response: 0

  from the FarmPlate Kitchen
  1 tablespoon olive oil
  3 links Vermont Smoke and Cure Turkey-Sun Dried Tomato Sausage or other low-fat sausage, sliced
  1 large onion, chopped
  2 cloves garlic, minced
  2 carrots, peeled and diced
  1 celery rib, thinly sliced
  4 cups homemade chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
  2 cups diced butternut squash (about 10 ounces)
  One 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes (with juice)
  One 15-ounce can Great Northern beans, rinsed
  2 teaspoons dried oregano
  6 ounces baby spinach or arugula leaves
  Salt and a generous grinding of black pepper
  Shaved Vermont sharp Cheddar (optional)

  Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the sausage slices and cook until lightly browned. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

  Add the stock or broth, diced squash, tomatoes, beans and oregano. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.

  Stir in the spinach or arugula and cook until the leaves wilt, about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into bowls and garnish with Cheddar if desired.

  Serves 6

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• Soup Up Your Recovery!

  Date: 01.13.2010 | Category: Real Food | Response: 0

  It’s cold all across the country and half the people we know are under the weather. Grandmothers and other health experts tell us that the key to feeling better is to consume as much fluid as possible. A steaming hot, homemade minestrone certainly fits that prescription. Enjoy this easy, super healthy recipe tonight!

  Butternut Squash Minestrone
  from the FarmPlate Kitchen
  1 tablespoon olive oil
  3 links Vermont Smoke and Cure Turkey-Sun Dried Tomato Sausage or other low-fat sausage, sliced
  1 large onion, chopped
  2 cloves garlic, minced
  2 carrots, peeled and diced
  1 celery rib, thinly sliced
  4 cups homemade chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
  2 cups diced butternut squash (about 10 ounces)
  One 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes (with juice)
  One 15-ounce can Great Northern beans, rinsed
  2 teaspoons dried oregano
  6 ounces baby spinach or arugula leaves
  Salt and a generous grinding of black pepper
  Shaved Vermont sharp Cheddar (optional)

  Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the sausage slices and cook until lightly browned. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

  Add the stock or broth, diced squash, tomatoes, beans and oregano. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.

  Stir in the spinach or arugula and cook until the leaves wilt, about 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into bowls and garnish with Cheddar if desired.

  Serves 6

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• Spicy Turkey Soup

  Date: 11.25.2009 | Category: Recipes | Response: 0

  from the FarmPlate Kitchen

  Everyone has a favorite vitamin-packed soup and a favorite hot sauce—the vinegary heat of North Carolina’s Texas Pete makes this sauce a FarmPlate top pick.

  1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
  1 red or green bell pepper, diced
  1 small onion, chopped
  2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  1 teaspoon ground cumin
  8 ounces chopped fresh collard, turnip or mustard greens (about 4 cups)
  6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  About 2 ½ cups shredded leftover turkey
  6 ounces fresh or frozen okra, cut crosswise into 1-inch slices (about 1 cup)
  4-5 tablespoons Texas Pete or other bottled hot sauce, plus extra to serve
  Salt and ground black pepper to taste
  ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, parsley or scallion greens

  Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sweet potatoes, peppers, onions and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the cumin and cook for 1 minute more.

  Add the greens, 1 handful at a time, and cook, stirring, until each addition wilts. Stir in the broth, turkey, okra and hot sauce. Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce the heat and cook until the okra and greens are tender, about 15 minutes more. Taste and season with a little salt and a generous grinding of pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped fresh herbs. Add more hot sauce to taste.

  Serves 4 to 6

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