CROUTONS:
5 Stale Bread (sandwich slice)
50 gms Clarified Butter
METHOD
1. Gently sweat the sliced onions, carrots and bacon, without colouring, in the butter.
2. Mix in the flour, return to a low heat and cook to a sandy texture.
3. Remove from heat, mix in tomato paste.
4. Return to heat. Gradually add the hot stock and ripe tomatoes which have beec cored and quartered, stir until boild. Add the bouquet garni and simmer over a gentle heat for 40 minutes.
5. Remove the bouquet garni and liquidise using a bar-mix or food blender.
6. Pass through a sieve.
7. Return to a clean pan, re-boil, correct the seasoning and consistency.
8. Garnis with bread croutons and serve.
BREAD CROUTONS
1. Remove the crust from the bread slices and cut the stack of slices into 8-9 logs or batons.
2. Then cut the batons into cubes. Place in a bowl and lightly toss with the melted butter.
3. Scatter evenly on a suitable oven tray (not stainless steel) and bake until golden brown at 180 degrees celcius.
1. Melt the butter in a deep pan, add the onions and cook to a light golden-brown colour.
2. Add flour and cook gently while mixing to a fawn colour.
3. Mix in the Estouffade slowly, bring to the boil, skim off fat, season and simmer gently until cooked (approx. 20mins). Adjust the seasoning.
4. Divide the soup equally between the required number of marmites or soup bowls.
5. Cover the surface of the soup with the croutes neatly over lapping.
6. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and gratinate (to cook with a covering of buttered crumbs or grated cheese until a crust or crisp surface forms) in a hot oven. Do no cover with lids.
“CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP”
INGREDIENTS:
2 Rashers Bacon
1 Small Onion
1 Small Carrot
1 tbsp Butter
750 g Ripe Tomatoes
2 1/2 Cups Chicken Stock
1 tsp Sugar
1 Bouquet Garni
1 tbsp Cornflour
1/2 Cup Milk
1 tbsp Tomato Paste
1/2 Cup Cream
METHOD:
1. Chop bacon into small pieces.
2. Peel and finely chop onion and carrot.
3. Melt butter in a pan and fry onion, bacon and carrot until onion is transparent.
4. Add washed, chopped tomatoes and fry gently for 2 minutes.
5. Pour in stock. Add sugar and bouquet garni. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered for 30 minutes.
7. Remove bouquet garni.
8. Pass soup through a fine sieve or electric blender and return to a rinsed pan.
9. Blend cornflour with tomato pase and a little of the milk.
10. Stir into soup, together with remainder of milk, and bring to the boil, sitrring all the time.
11. Simmer gently for 3 to 5 mintues.
12. Cool slightly.
13. Stir in cream and serve immediately.
“MINESTRONE SOUP”
INGREDIENTS:
50 g Onion
50 g Carrot
50 g Leek
50 g Celery
25 ml Oil
1 lt White Stock
1 Bouquet Garni
1 Clove Garlic
25 g Spagetti
25 g Potatoes
25 g Peas
25 g Green Beans
100 g Tomatoes
50 g Zucchini
15 g Tomato Paste
5 g Parsley
Salt & Pepper (to taste)
METHOD:
1. Cut the peeled and washed vegetables into PAYSANNE “country style”.
2. Saute the carrots, onion, celery and leek without colour in the oil in a 5 litre pan with lid on. When the vegetables are soft add the tomato paste and cook gently.
3. Add the stock and bouquet garni. Bring to the boil and simmer for approx. 20 minutes.
4. Add the spaghetti, broken into 2 cm lengths and the potatoes cut in Paysanne. Simmer for a further 10 minutes.
5. Add the peas, green beans, tomato and zucchini, cook for 5 minutes.
6. Remove the bouquet garni and check the seasoning.
7. Serve grated Parmesan and thin toasted flutes separately.
“CONSOMME ORDINAIRE- consomme”
INGREDIENTS:
2 Egg Whites
1/2 lt Fonds Blanc, cold
500 g Shin of Beef, minced
5 g Salt
2 Mediumd Onions
100 g Chopped Carrot
100 g Chopped Leek
100 g Chopped Small Celery
10 Peppercorns
1/2 Bayleaf
Sprig of Thyme
2 1/2 lt Fonds Blanc
METHOD:
1. Place the egg whites in a pan with the cold stock and whisk briskly.
2. Add the beef and salt, mix thoroughly thoether and leave for a few minutes.
3. Cut onion in half and place on the stove to colour dark brown.
4. Add the onions and remainde of ingredients to the beef and egg whites and mix in well.
5. Leave for 15 minutes.
6. Add fonds blanc and mix well together. Bring to the boil quickly, keeping the bottom of the pan clean by carefully using a straightedges spatula from time to time and taking care that the consomme is disturbed as little as possible.
7. Remove the spatula immediately the consomme comes to the boil.
8. Simmer very gently for approx. 2 hours and strain through a double muslin.
9. Remove and fat and season, if necessary using salt only. Remove before using.
“LEEK AND POTATO SOUP”
INGREDIENTS:
2 Rashers Streaky Bacon
60 g Butter
6 Large Old Potatoes
4 Leeks
4 cups Chicken or Vege Stock
Salt and Pepper
1 1/2 cups Milk
1/2 cup Chopped Parsley
Grated Tasty Cheese to serve
MEHOD:
1. Chop bacon into small pieces and fry in the butter until crisp. Add potatoes and leeks and cook for a few minutes, stirring.
2. Add stock, salt and pepper to taste, and bring to simmering point. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
3. Add milk and heat gently but do not boil. Stir in parsley. Serve grated cheese separately so dinners can add their own.
NOTE:
If you prefer a smooth soup, puree the mixture in a blender before adding milk. In summer, the soup is delicious served cold with a swirl of cream on top.
“FRESH VEGETABLE CONSOMME”
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp Whole Black Peppercorns
4 Cloves of Garlic
2 Bay Leaves
2 Sticks Celery
2 Medium Carrots
15 g Butter
1 Medium Leek, sliced
1 1/2 lt (6 cups) water
1 Large Vegetable Stock Cube, (crumbled)
200 g Broccoli, chopped
METHOD:
1. Tie peppercorns, garlic and bay leaves in muslin.
2. Cut celery and carrots into short strips.
3. Heat butter in a large saucepan, add leek, cook over low heat for about 5 minutes or until leek is soft.
4. Add water, stock cube ans muslin bag, bring to boil, reduce heat, add vegetables, simmer for about 10 minutes or untl vegetables are just tender.