Souper Ricardo Food

SLOW COOKER TORTELLINI SOUP WITH SAUSAGE AND KALE

Steps:

• Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook stirring occasionally until browned. Add the onion and celery and cook for 3-4 minutes then stir in the minced garlic, season with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the sherry or white wine and scrape up any fond or bits on the bottom of the pan, cooking until it evaporates.
• Transfer the sausage and vegetables to the insert of the slow cooker. Add the carrots, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Grind in the basil, oregano and parsley and stir. Cover with the lid and set the cooker to low and cook for 3 hours.
• Add the tortellini and the kale to the slow cooker and cook for 30 minutes.
• Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

MINESTRONE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the celery and carrot and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green beans, dried oregano and basil, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook 3 more minutes.
• Add the diced and crushed tomatoes and the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the kidney beans and pasta and cook until the pasta and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Ladle into bowls and top with the parmesan and chopped basil.

CURRIED CARROT SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat medium pot over medium high heat. Add olive oil, butter, onions and carrots and saute 5 minutes. Add 4 cups chicken stock, curry and cayenne, and about 1 teaspoon salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover and cook until carrots are very tender, about 15 minutes. Place pot on a trivet next to food processor. Process soup in 2 or 3 small batches until soup is smooth and carrots are fully pureed. Transfer processed soup into a large bowl as you work to make room for more soup in the food processor. Return completed soup to the soup pot and place back over low heat. If the soup is too thick, add remaining stock, up to 2 cups, to achieve desired consistency. Adjust seasonings. Place sour cream in a plastic condiment squeeze bottle or into a medium food storage bag. Cut a very small hole in the corner of the bag with scissors. Ladle soup into bowls and squirt a swirl of sour cream around the bowl from the center out to the rim. Drag a toothpick from the center of the bowls out to the edges, forming a spider web design on soup. Pile a few pieces of cut chives at the center of each bowl to resemble green spiders in their webs! Cool!

GINGER CARROT SOUP

Steps:

• In a 6-quart pan, over medium high heat, add butter and onions and cook, stirring often, until onions are limp. Add broth, carrots, and ginger. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until carrots are tender when pierced.
• Remove from heat and transfer to a blender. Don't fill the blender more than half way, do it in batches if you have to. Cover the blender and then hold a kitchen towel over the top of the blender*. Be careful when blending hot liquids as the mixture can spurt out of the blender. Pulse the blender to start it and then puree until smooth. Return to the pan and add cream, stir over high heat until hot. For a smoother flavor bring soup to a boil, add salt and pepper, to taste.
• Ladle into bowls and garnish with dollop sour cream and parsley sprigs.

POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Peel, cube, boil, drain and "mush" potatoes to the consistency you like (I like them lumpy, but my kids like smaller pieces).
• In separate pan, melt butter, add flour and cook while stirring for about a minute or so.
• Add half the milk and stir until lumps are out of flour mixture.
• Add remaining milk and on med-high heat, heat to a boil.
• Stir almost constantly or it will scorch.
• After boiling, turn heat off and add remaining ingredients.

CREAMY CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, brown the chicken in oil. Add salt and pepper. Set aside on a plate.
• In the same saucepan, brown veggies in the butter until tender. Sprinkle flour and celery seeds on them. Cook 1 minute while stirring. Add chicken stock while whisking and bring to boil always stirring. Put the chicken back in the saucepan and add the cream. Let simmer slowly about 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning.

LENTIL SOUP FROM RICARDO

Steps:

• In a casserole, brown onions, garlic and curi powder or cumin in oil.
• Add carrots and sauté 1 minute.
• Add remaining ingredients.
• Bring to boil, cover and let simmer slowly 10 minutes.
• Adjust seasoning.