Esoup

Swiss Cheese Soup❤️❤️

-This hearty soup, a year-round favorite in the Alps of southern Switzerland, gets its name from the mountain huts where it is frequently prepared. This variation, which typically includes regional cheeses, is strengthened with L'Etivaz and heavy cream. L'Etivaz can be obtained in speciality cheese shops. If L'Etivaz is unavailable, use Gruyère in its place.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 onion, minced
2 large carrots, finely diced
1 large leek, trimmed, rinsed well, and finely chopped
2 cups vegetable stock
2 1⁄4 cups milk
2 small white potatoes, such as Charlotte variety, peeled and grated (7 oz.)
1⁄3 tightly packed cup thawed frozen spinach, squeezed of excess water and finely chopped (2 3/4 oz.)
2 cups grated L'Etivaz cheese
1⁄3 cup heavy cream
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

-In a medium Dutch oven over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes. Add the carrot and leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 minutes. Add the stock; bring to a boil. Add the milk and potatoes, and bring to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and let simmer 20–25 minutes. Add the spinach and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the cheese and let melt, about 30 seconds. Stir in the cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sweetcorn soup❤️❤️

-Served with a spicy salsa of red pepper, lime, and coriander, this vegan corn soup has flavors of lemongrass and coconut.

Ingredients:

6 corn on the cobs
2 tbsp olive oil
2 long shallots, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 lemongrass stalk, bashed
2 lime leaves
400g coconut milk
300ml vegetable or chicken stock

Directions:

-Hold each of the 6 corn cobs upright on a chopping board and carefully cut off the kernels with a sharp knife. Heat the oil over a medium-low heat in a pan and fry the shallots and celery for 8-10 mins or until soft but not golden. Add the sweetcorn kernels, lemongrass and lime leaves, and cook for a further 5 mins. Add the coconut milk and stock, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20-25 mins or until the kernels are tender, then season well. Fish out the lime leaves and lemongrass, and blitz with a stick blender until smooth and creamy. Check for seasoning. Put back on the heat and keep warm.

-For the salsa, brush the remaining corn cobs with the olive oil and put under a hot grill. Cook for 10 mins, turning frequently, until charred and starting to blacken. Remove the corn kernels as in step 1. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients with a pinch of salt.
SALSA
2 corn on the cobs
2 tsp olive oil
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 lime, juiced
coriander, finely chopped, plus a few leaves to serve
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Vegetable Wonton Miso Soup❤️❤️

-Here, I audaciously combine Chinese and Japanese (or other) flavors by throwing wontons into a miso soup (of sorts). Okay, so it would be comparable to comparing Switzerland and Sweden (God knows all Swedes and Swiss have been there). I'm to blame, and I'm enviously planning a good foodie holiday to Asia where I can learn everything there is to know about mixing spices and preparing soup.

Ingredients:

For the wontons:

1 packet gyoza or wonton skins
1 cup baby spinach leaves, washed
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 piece (2 centimeters) ginger, peeled and grated
2 spring onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce or other chili sauce

For the finished soup:

1 large piece (3 to 4 centimeters) ginger, peeled
4 cups vegetable and/or miso broth (I used a combination of both)
3 to 5 (depending on size) dried shiitake
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Sriracha hot sauce, chili powder, soy sauce, sesame, vinegar and other condiments – to taste other additions, like ramen noodles, extra shiitake, carrots (julienned), spinach leaves or snap peas
2 bok choy
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
2 spring onions, finely sliced

Directions:

-Start by defrosting the wonton or gyoza skins, if frozen.

-Prepare the filling: Wash and pick over the spinach leaves and put in a bowl. Cover with boiling water and let wilt for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, squeeze out to remove any excess water, and pat dry. Chop very finely and put in a bowl. Add the finely chopped shiitake, garlic, ginger, and spring onions. Season with soy sauce and Sriracha to taste. The filling shouldn’t be too moist, but the soy sauce adds a lovely flavor.

-Keep the wonton skins covered with a moist kitchen towel so they don’t dry out. Take one skin at a time and place a teaspoon of filling in the middle. Brush the rim of the skin with a wet finger, then fold the dumpling to a half moon shape, removing any excess air from the inside out as you go. Take the dumpling in your hands and fold in little “pleats” now (besides looking neat, they also add extra stability). You might want to make around 6 to 10 dumplings per person, depending on what other additions—like ramen noodles or vegetables—you plan on adding to your soup.

-Spread the finished dumplings on a clean kitchen towel and refrigerate until ready to use. You can also freeze them at this point, for later usage.

-Start by julienning the ginger. Add it to a large pot together with the vegetable broth and/or miso broth (I used about half and half of each) and the dried shiitake (you'll remove these after cooking). Bring to a boil. This is the basis for the soup that you can now refine, to taste, with soy sauce (for saltiness), Sriracha, or chili powder (for spiciness) etc. Keep the bok choy, julienned carrots and sliced spring onions at the ready as soup additions.

-To finish the soup, quickly blanch (in simmering—not boiling—water) the wontons in batches (cook only the ones you will need for your first serving of soup). They’re ready when they float on the top, which takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully remove them with a slotted spoon or spider spoon and keep ready on a wooden board (careful, they are quite sticky when blanched) or divide between the bowls. Shortly before serving, add the bok choy and carrots to the broth and heat through, just a few seconds. Ladle the broth into the bowls, adding the vegetables and place the dumplings on top (some might drown, others float on the top, neatly). Sprinkle with spring onions and serve hot.

-I always serve the condiments on the side for my guests to customize and refine their soup according to their taste. The things that are essentials for a good Asian (Chinese-Japanese fusion, let's say) broth according to me are: soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, Sriracha, chili powders (I have them in various heats and colors, even a black one that is very fancy and evil looking), sesame seeds and sesame oil, miso powders, and maybe even pickled ginger. You can even put bowls of scallions, sprouts, blanched edamame, shiso sprouts, or herbs (cilantro is nice) on the table for the guests to pick their favorites. For a different—and particularly hearty—version, add some noodles to the dumpling soup. I like rice noodles, udon, or soba, but my favorite is the rumpled and nest-like ramen (the egg yolk-yellow type). You can pick them up at a well-stocked delicatessen or Asian market. They’re usually ready in a couple of minutes.