ISO Elegant soup recipes

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JustJoel

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I’m rounding out my Christmas dinner menu. I thought French onion soup would be nice, but I’m not up to making gluten-free French bread just to top off the soup! I am accustomed to making cream soups, but for this dinner, I’d like something a little lighter, and a little more gentile, but not too labor-intensive.

I’d also like a unicorn for Hanukkah (I don’t even know if they’re kosher!).

If you can help me with some ideas, or with finding a unicorn, please respond! What would you serve as the soup course for a beef Wellington and lobster tail main course?
 
I have a unicorn...or 70. I'm pretty sure they are Kosher.

As for an elegant soup, a clear soup like beef broth with thinly sliced fresh veg floating in it. Think carrots, green onions or chives, parsley.
 
I have a unicorn...or 70. I'm pretty sure they are Kosher.

As for an elegant soup, a clear soup like beef broth with thinly sliced fresh veg floating in it. Think carrots, green onions or chives, parsley.
Thanks! I thought of that, initially, but I don’t do well making clear broths. I need practice, and Xmas is only a few weeks away! Just as difficult, but it doesn’t need to be clear, I was thinking maybe some kind of bisque?
 
Potato Soup?

Mine is very light, simply

finely grate some onion, carrot, celery
Saute in butter.
Add whole milk and mashed up skinless boiled potatos to disired thickness, don't boil.
Black pepper on table.

I think potatos are Gluten Free? and soup would be vegitarian with out the butter?

Eric, Austin Tx.
 
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This soup is a nice way to add a little seafood without breaking the bank.

Lobster Bisque


1 ½ pound lobster
3 quarts of water
¼ cup dry sherry
1 cup heavy cream
¼ t nutmeg
¼ t white pepper

Plunge lobster into boiling water and cook for 25 minutes, remove lobster, save water. Strip lobster meat, chop and process with ½ cup of lobster cooking water in food processor or blender until smooth. Bring lobster water to a boil; add processed lobster, nutmeg, pepper, sherry. Reduce heat, taste, adjust seasonings for salt and pepper, add cream and leave on low heat for five minutes.

Notes:
You can make the base a day or two ahead, reheat and add the cream just prior to serving. Do not allow to boil after the cream has been added.

The mixture may be thickened before adding the cream with flour, potato starch or a slurry of cornstarch.

I like it with a small piece of ice cold butter floating in the cup when served.

IMO you are working way to hard on this dinner! I would give them scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, a toasted English muffin and a glass or two of champagne for brunch, relax it's Christmas! :ermm::ohmy::LOL:

Good luck!!!
 
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It's important to think about the progression of the meal as a whole. If you're going to serve rich, creamy potatoes with the main course, for example, I wouldn't start with a creamy soup.

You could do a play on the classic French onion soup by topping it with herbed cubed croutons made with store-bought gluten-free bread and Parmesan fricos (cheese crisps made of melted Parmigiano Reggiano cheese).

Or you could serve brown chicken stock made with roasted bones. Simmer thinly sliced carrots, leeks and celery in the finished stock.
 
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Most soups aren't elegant ... French Onion sure isn't (though its my absolute favorite)

Elegant soups?

CONSOMME

A VELVETY VICHYSSOISE

That's all I got ...
 
Ms. Mofet's Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

You can make this without cream if you don't want it to rich

img_1490326_0_d6258da0ceff533039b2d881bc4c9fa0.jpg


Or with cream

img_1490326_1_2d26dfdf9c8f135d7bfecf025391c152.jpg
 
Watercress soup - would be lighter and still special. You can make it from scratch or use a potato soup as a base, add the watercress and then puree. Either is a pretty simple solution and a nice change of pace.
 
Consomme is something I see on the menu at fancy restaurants or banquet type events. Nice and light but full of flavor.
 
My first thought was Creme of Asparagus, but then you said a clear, light soup... Consomme popped into my head, but you don't want to go down that road... then I thought a nice light Miso with Tofu, HMMM, no, not with Wellington & Lobster (glad you went with Lobster btw ;)).

So then I thought... do you really have to have a soup course?

Why not a salad course instead? Light and breezy... Spring Mix with Pomegranate seeds and a small medallion of GF breaded and fried Chèvre?
Show stopper salad instead of light-clear soup... supper easy-peasy too :chef:
 
I’ve had little success (read that NO success) at clarifying a stock to make consommé. Making a Xmas feast for mom-in-law is hardly the time to start practicing, though! Right?

I’ve changed my mind about cream soup. I make a very lovely butternut squash/onion/sweet potato/red bell pepper soup that would been easy to thin out a little with some chicken stock. Isn’t that what makes soups (and unfortunately, people) elegant?
 
Creamm of asparagus sounds right up my MIL’s alley! And I probably don’t need a recipe to make it. I’ll do some research (that seems to be what I do lately, researching, not cooking or writing!).
 
Creamm of asparagus sounds right up my MIL’s alley! And I probably don’t need a recipe to make it. I’ll do some research (that seems to be what I do lately, researching, not cooking or writing!).

I haven't made Creme of Asparagus soup in a while but have a KILLER recipe from the Times Magazine series of cookbooks from the '70s or 80's, I forget, but I can look for it for you... not that difficult and I'm thinking back, and you could probably make the majority of it ahead of time!
 
I haven't made Creme of Asparagus soup in a while but have a KILLER recipe from the Times Magazine series of cookbooks from the '70s or 80's, I forget, but I can look for it for you... not that difficult and I'm thinking back, and you could probably make the majority of it ahead of time!

KG Please post or PM me the soup recipe. TIA
 

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