Zucchini And Pear Soup Nyt 101207 Food

PEAR AND ZUCCHINI SOUP

Steps:

• In a medium stock pot over medium heat, add butter and olive oil. When the butter melts, add the onions, celery and carrots and cook until browned, about 10 minutes. Add the zucchini, pear and sage. Cook another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the water, potatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Place a lid on the pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the vegetables are fork-tender, about 30 minutes.
• Remove the soup from the heat. With an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Stir in the heavy cream. More water can be added as desired if the soup is too thick. Bring to a simmer and season with salt and pepper. Serve with bread or croutons.

ZUCCHINI SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped zucchini and onions. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Increase the heat to high and add the water. Bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, lay the sliced zucchini in a single layer in the skillet. Cook until golden, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt. Continue until all the sliced zucchini is cooked.
• Working in batches, transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste, pour into bowls, drizzle with Lemon Oil and top with the fried zucchini.
• Combine the oil and lemon in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve set over a liquid measuring cup. Set the lemon oil aside until ready to use. The oil can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

PURéED ZUCCHINI SOUP WITH CURRY

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until it is tender, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt, the garlic and the zucchini and stir for about a minute, until the garlic smells fragrant. Add the curry powder, stir together, and add the stock or water, the rice and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.
• Purée the soup with an immersion blender or a food mill or in batches in a blender, taking care to remove the lid or take out the center insert and to cover with a towel to avoid hot splashes. Return to the pot, heat through, add pepper and cayenne to taste and stir in the lemon juice. Serve, garnishing each bowl with paper-thin slices of zucchini, chopped chives and croutons if desired.

ZUCCHINI-PEAR SOUP

Steps:

• Put butter, oil or combination in a large skillet over medium heat; when butter melts or oil is hot, cook carrot, onion, potato and thyme with a healthy sprinkling of salt and pepper. Stir occasionally, adjusting heat so vegetables do not brown. When onion is softened, about 5 minutes, add zucchini and continue to cook until everything is tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add pear and cook until it has softened, about 5 minutes more. Add liquid and bring to a boil; taste and adjust seasoning. Cool mixture, then puree. Serve cold or reheat and serve hot, garnished with mint, if desired.

ZUCCHINI-PEAR SOUP

Steps:

• Put butter, oil or combination in a large skillet over medium heat; when butter melts or oil is hot, cook carrot, onion, potato and thyme with a healthy sprinkling of salt and pepper. Stir occasionally, adjusting heat so vegetables do not brown. When onion is softened, about 5 minutes, add zucchini and continue to cook until everything is tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add pear and cook until it has softened, about 5 minutes more. Add liquid and bring to a boil; taste and adjust seasoning. Cool mixture, then purée. Serve cold or reheat and serve hot, garnished with mint, if desired.

SEARED ZUCCHINI WITH CRISPY PARMESAN AND BLACK PEPPER

Steps:

• Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high for 2 minutes. (This will help you get a good sear.) Heat the oil, and when it shimmers, salt the zucchini and add it cut-side down in one layer (you will need to do this in two batches), and cook, undisturbed, until it begins to turn golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and cook 2 to 3 minutes more on the other side. Remove from the pan and set aside on a serving plate; repeat with remaining zucchini.
• While the second batch cooks, add the pepper to a small saucepan and toast over medium heat until it becomes fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the butter (it will quickly foam), and stir until the butter melts and the foam subsides. Remove from heat. Quickly add the grated cheese and stir vigorously to prevent the cheese from sticking to the bottom of the pan. It will melt in spots, it will crisp in spots and it will form frico-like clumps.These are all good things!
• Spoon the butter over the seared zucchini, making sure to catch all the black pepper and fried cheese bits, and shower with the herbs. Season with flaky salt, if you please.

PAN-SEARED ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• Trim the zucchini lengthwise on two opposite sides to create flat edges. Discard or compost the scraps and cut the zucchini in half lengthwise into two planks that are about ½-inch thick. (If you're using larger zucchini, you may get three planks from each one). Pat them dry with a paper towel, pressing gently but firmly on both sides to absorb any moisture.
• Heat a large (12-inch) cast iron or stainless steel skillet over medium high. Add the oil and heat until it's almost smoking. Add the zucchini, spacing them evenly in the pan and pressing lightly with a spatula so that the planks make contact with the pan. Sprinkle the tops with salt and pepper and cook for about 3 minutes, until the zucchini is nicely charred on the bottom. Lower the heat to medium, flip the zucchini, and season with salt and pepper again. Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, until the bottom is charred.
• Turn the heat to low and add the butter, garlic and rosemary. Carefully tilt the pan, letting the garlic and rosemary cook in the butter for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the butter has begun to brown. Spoon the butter over the zucchini, and cook for another minute, flipping them a few times to coat both sides with the butter.
• Transfer the zucchini to a serving platter, along with the garlic and rosemary, and spoon any butter that's left in the pan on top. Top with coarse sea salt, lemon zest and red-pepper flakes, and serve hot.

CHILLED ZUCCHINI-YOGURT SOUP WITH FRESH MINT

Steps:

• Place the water in the bottom of a saucepan fitted with a steamer and bring to a boil. Place the zucchini in the steamer, set over the boiling water, cover and steam 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Do not drain the steaming water.
• Place half the zucchini in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, add 3/4 teaspoons salt, and puree until smooth. Add half the steaming water and pulse until smooth. Scrape into a bowl, and repeat with the remaining zucchini and steaming water, and another 3/4 teaspoon salt. Scrape into the bowl with the first batch. Whisk in the yogurt, the chopped mint, pepper, lemon juice, and optional garlic. Taste and adjust salt. Chill, either in the refrigerator or in an ice bath.
• Strain the cold soup through a medium strainer into a bowl. Use a rubber spatula to press the soup against the strainer and to scrape the soup off the outside of the strainer, to extract maximum flavor and to get as much soup through as you can.
• Toss the thinly sliced zucchini garnish with a generous pinch of salt and place in a strainer set over a bowl, or in the sink. Let sit for 15 minutes. The zucchini will soften. Rinse and pat dry. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with several slices of zucchini and a sprinkle of slivered mint leaves.

ZUCCHINI AND CHEDDAR CHEESE SOUP

Steps:

• Place 2 cups of the broth, the onion, celery, zucchini, salt and pepper in a 3- or 4-quart saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes.
• Puree in small batches in a blender or food processor and set aside in the saucepan.
• In a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add the cream and the remaining 1/2 cup of broth. Return to heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the cheese and stir to melt. Add to the pureed vegetables. Correct seasonings. Heat gently before serving.

ZUCCHINI AND PEAR SOUP (NYT 10/12/07)

Steps:

• 1. Put butter, oil or combination in a large skillet over medium heat; when butter melts or oil is hot, cook carrot, onion, potato and thyme with a healthy sprinkling of salt and pepper. Stir occasionally, adjusting heat so vegetables do not brown. When onion is softened, about 5 minutes, add zucchini and continue to cook until everything is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. 2. Add pear and cook until it has softened, about 5 minutes more. Add liquid and bring to a boil; taste and adjust seasoning. Cool mixture, then purée. Serve cold or reheat and serve hot, garnished with mint, if desired.