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November 2015 Challenge : Soup

11K views 98 replies 23 participants last post by  teamfat 
#1 · (Edited)
So many options. Ingredients, method/technique, or interpretations. One we haven’t seen is. . . Soup. 

Borscht, Gazpacho, Vichyssoise, Ramen, Fliederbeersuppe, Chicken Noodle, Tom Kha Gai, Minestrone, Parihuela,

West African Peanut Curry, Hulatang, Split Pea, Ash-e Anar, Lapskaus, Clam Chowder, Tortilla soup, Avgolemono

Callaloo, Bouillabaisse, Fufu and Egusi, Gumbo, Harira, Bisque, Miso, Pho, Sambar, Scotch Broth, Sopa Negra. 

Consummé to hearty chunky liquid Comfort food!!! Cold soups, warm soups, savory soups, sweet soups. 

soup soup soup soup soup soup soup soup soup soup soup soup soup soup soup soup soup soup soup soup soup

You get the idea. . . Have at it chefs!!

Let the games begin!!
 
#7 ·
What if you have a creative soup but a poopy cam? Are lousy pics with bad lighting permitted?
Because there are so many spectacular photos on these threads I think a lot of people are wondering the same thing. Of course you can enter pics no matter what kind of camera you have. The point is to enter the contest and get cooking. Of course human nature tends to lean towards the power of a good aesthetic and that can't be helped. Speaking for myself since I started entering these challenges my photography skills and my plating skills have grown radically. I got a beautiful camera last year and have been putting it to good use and eventually I even want to take a photography class. And that's just because I really enjoy taking pictures of food. It's grown into a hobby well beyond cheftalk and I even started an instagram account that I devote solely to my food pics. Plating has become more fun too and I'm getting better known in my circle of friends for plating beautiful food.

With the power of technology us humble home cooks have become fooooodies.
 
#8 ·
What if you have a creative soup but a poopy cam? Are lousy pics with bad lighting permitted?
No problem. Lousy pics are welcome. It's about the food. I repeat. It's all about the food. Don't worry about lighting or a "poopy cam."

I must say I love that technical photography term, although it might have some negative food connotations 0_O !!!!!
 
#9 ·
Nice! It is certainly soup weather here in Salt Lake City. Last week made a small pot of shrimp and sausage soup. This batch was made will all home grown tomatoes. I guess I'll have to whip up another pot. Here's a picture from some time ago:


And it is a shame my squash plant died, I was looking forward to several pots of creamy squash soup.

This full time job stuff this year has really limited my time in the kitchen, and my lack of challenge entries is a direct result. I hope to get a few in this month. Maybe a pho with a rich, 72 hour beef bone broth.

mjb.
 
#10 ·
Because there are so many spectacular photos on these threads I think a lot of people are wondering the same thing. Of course you can enter pics no matter what kind of camera you have. The point is to enter the contest and get cooking. Of course human nature tends to lean towards the power of a good aesthetic and that can't be helped. Speaking for myself since I started entering these challenges my photography skills and my plating skills have grown radically. I got a beautiful camera last year and have been putting it to good use and eventually I even want to take a photography class. And that's just because I really enjoy taking pictures of food. It's grown into a hobby well beyond cheftalk and I even started an instagram account that I devote solely to my food pics. Plating has become more fun too and I'm getting better known in my circle of friends for plating beautiful food.

With the power of technology us humble home cooks have become fooooodies.
You have yet to disappoint with your pics and gorgeous plating techniques. I only have a forth generation iPod with no flash and dungeon lighting to work with. I tried snapping a few on patio one time, but the neighbors kept staring at me like I was crazy pants.
 
#11 ·
No problem. Lousy pics are welcome. It's about the food. I repeat. It's all about the food. Don't worry about lighting or a "poopy cam."

I must say I love that technical photography term, although it might have some negative food connotations 0_O !!!!!
Thanks jake! Any term to replace "poopy cam" would've been just as gross and not PG. I guess you could call me a bit of "potty mouth"
 
#12 ·
Nice! It is certainly soup weather here in Salt Lake City. Last week made a small pot of shrimp and sausage soup. This batch was made will all home grown tomatoes. I guess I'll have to whip up another pot. Here's a picture from some time ago:



And it is a shame my squash plant died, I was looking forward to several pots of creamy squash soup.

This full time job stuff this year has really limited my time in the kitchen, and my lack of challenge entries is a direct result. I hope to get a few in this month. Maybe a pho with a rich, 72 hour beef bone broth.

mjb.
That looks so delicious and you had better snap a few of that pho! Well played, mjb.
 
#13 ·
Nice pick Jake, and right in time with the season.  This will be fun.  And thanks to Mike for last month's challenge.  It stretched me a little, always a good thing.
 
#15 ·
First let me say, congratulations Jake!

I love soup and it's just about that time of the year, at least here in our neck of the woods.


Recently, I purchased a huge hunk of Banana Squash, which I think is WAY better than Butternut. It has a much sweeter, rounder flavor than the standby Butternut Squash. I wait for it every Fall with great anticipation.

I roasted it in the oven with loads of melted unsalted butter, basting it every 10 minutes or so, until it was barely fork tender. I prefer my squash more on the al dente side than soft; I like some chew to my squash.

I sliced away the skin once it was out of the oven, chunked it and served it with MORE melted unsalted butter, a sprinkle of Cinnamon, roasted Turkey Breast and roasted Broccolini, a one pan meal.

MMM!


Well, DH wasn't wild about it at all.

So this left me with about a servings worth of cooked Banana Squash, and I wasn't about to pitch it out;

what to do?

Soup!

I pulled out some of my homemade chicken broth from the freezer and tossed it into a small sauce pan along with the squash.


I added maybe a teaspoon of freshly grated Ginger for a different note.

Oh and of course the ever present S&P.


I slowly simmered the pot until the squash was squishable.


My Immersion Blender did the trick nicely in pureeing the soup-to-be.


I've never thought to try this before, but this Challenge had inspired me.

My husband took one look at my bowl and exclaimed, "What the heck is that?" To which I replied, Lunch for moi.

I grated some Nutmeg and Cinnamon on top of the bowl at service and it was delicious!
 
#17 ·
This has been stated before in previous challenges but it is important that the dish you enter in the challenge be made during the month.  The purpose of the challenges is to challenge everyone to cook, not pull old pics or share recipes.  
 
#18 ·
This has been stated before in previous challenges but it is important that the dish you enter in the challenge be made during the month. The purpose of the challenges is to challenge everyone to cook, not pull old pics or share recipes.
Agreed Miss KK!!

I made dinner with the squash last thursday evening for dinner and the soup was for lunch today, November 3rd.

Repurposed leftovers if you will.
 
#19 ·
Roasted Pumpkin Soup with Brown Butter and Thyme


Pumpkin seasoned and roasted with olive oil and thyme, leeks, yellow onion, good stock, a little maple syrup, bay. Finished with brown butter thyme sauce.

credit to Jamie Oliver

and photo credit to my wife, who is really getting into photographing my food.
 
#21 ·
Thanks folks!!

@teamfat Nice. Did you make the roll as well?

@kaheohegirlinaz. Looks great. How can DH not be wild about tons of butter and veggies?

@Hank Lookin' good!! Great compliment with the browned butter thyme sauce. I'll have to try that.

@Koukouvagia Thanks for stating what I should have.

I also want to re-iterate what Mike posted. Pictures, although worth a thousand words, don't necessarily tell the whole story.

Hope it's a fun month : )
 
#22 ·
Right @jake t buds ? Anything with BUTTER is A-OKAY by me /img/vbsmilies/smilies/licklips.gif

The weather turned last night and snow is in the forecast, this calls for more soup!

But what to make?

I went freezer diving and found an opened bag of shelled Fava Beans, HMMM.

Now I know I saw some Pancetta in there too.

And look what else I found, just a little bit of chopped Baby Spinach.

Minestrone Soup


I gathered some dried herbs as well, Thyme, Basil, Oregano and Parsley (don't judge me, that's all I had /img/vbsmilies/smilies/tongue.gif).

A can of diced Tomatoes and some Ditalini, cooked separately as to not get mushy and drink up too much of the homemade chicken broth.

The other vegetables were Carrots, Sweet Red Bell Pepper, Onion and Garlic.

Everybody in the pool!


SHHH! Don't tell my husband there's Fava Beans in there, he claims to not like them, yeah right!

I think that they worked very nicely instead of Cannelini Beans or Red Kidney Beans.


To serve this tummy warming bowl of ONO-liciousness, I grated some Grana Padano on top with a drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, just to gild the bowl. I thought too late about videoing that first bite, with the melted cheese stringing along your spoon from the bowl to your lips... too late, sorry @ordo , next time. And the Olive Oil at the end gives it that nice mouth-feel.


To make this a complete meal, I made my husband's favorite salad of fresh Tomatoes, Onion, Radishes and English Cucumbers, all dressed with my homemade Balsamic Salad Dressing. Some Diamond Bakery Soda Crackers from Hawaii are always a must at our table with any soup.
 
#25 ·
Surprised nobody has posted a bowl of chili! Pound of round steak chopped, 1 onion, bacon fat. Saute until the onion is clear and the meat is nicely browned. Add tomato sauce, beef stock, 4 tablespoons mild chili powder, teaspoon+ of my own hot chili powder blend and simmer until the meat is tender. I also simmered some pintos and added them when the meat had 1/2 hour to go along with some of the liquid they cooked in. Topped with shredded cheddar and eat! Simple and filling the way a soup should be!

 
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