Jazz up the holidays with basil Christmas tree croutons.

Nothing escapes the red and greening of the holidays in my house … including soup!

And roasted red pepper soup with Christmas tree-shaped pesto croutons is about as festive as you can get in the soup world. While soup may not be on your typical holiday menu, this velvety red potage from the Food Network is perfect for a cozy meal after a hard day of shopping at the mall or even better after an afternoon of shoveling the snow.

Best of all, it can be as easy or difficult as you want to make it. The recipe itself calls for roasting the red peppers, but I actually made it with jarred peppers to speed up the process. (No time for roasting when there are presents to be wrapped!)

Instead of roasting the peppers, simply add three fire roasted peppers from the jar, which is about two 12-ounce jars, give or take. I’m partial to the Trader Joe’s brand, but use what you like.

The killer app here, of course, is the Christmas tree croutons, which, surprisingly, is the easiest part of the entire endeavor. All you need is a tree-shaped cookie cutter, slices of bread and some pesto — either homemade or store bought. You toast the “trees” in the oven and when you are ready to serve the soup, spread the pesto on them and float them in the soup.

While the croutons are certainly decorative, they also add a nice note of complexity to the soup, which has a very strong peppery flavor. This particular pesto is made with broccoli, a great way to sneak vegetables into your children. But if you prefer to use your standard pesto with basil, pine nuts, parmesan and garlic, it would work just fine.

If you really want to take the easy way out, pull out the boxed (or canned) version of red pepper or even tomato soup and add the Christmas tree croutons with pre-made pesto — and voila! — everyone is instantly cheered and impressed!

Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Broccoli Pesto Croutons

¼ cup blanched almonds

Kosher salt

1½ cups small broccoli florets

1 cup packed fresh basil

2 cloves garlic, smashed

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Soup

2 jars (12 ounces each) roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 rib celery, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

1 large leek (white and light green parts only), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise

Kosher salt

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 quart low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 small russet potato, peeled and diced

8 slices white bread

Make the pesto: Toast the almonds in a skillet over medium heat, tossing, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a food processor.

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook until bright green, about 2 minutes. Drain and transfer to the ice water to cool, then drain and pat dry. Add the broccoli to the food processor with the almonds; add the basil, garlic and ½ teaspoon salt and pulse to make a chunky paste. With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil. Add the parmesan and pulse to combine. Transfer the pesto to a bowl and press plastic wrap directly onto the surface; set aside until ready to use.

Make the soup: Heat the olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the celery, carrot, leek and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 7 minutes. Stir in the thyme and roasted red peppers. Push the vegetables to one side of the pot; add the tomato paste to the other side and cook, stirring, 2 minutes, then stir into the vegetables. Increase the heat to high; add the broth and 2 cups water and bring to a simmer. Add the potato and simmer until soft, about 30 minutes. Purée with an immersion blender or in a regular blender in batches; keep warm.

Toast the bread until golden and with a cookie cutter or knife, cut into tree shapes. Ladle the soup into bowls. Spread the pesto on the toast and float in the soup. Serve immediately.

Serves six.

Cook’s note: To roast your own peppers, put them on a baking sheet and broil, turning, until charred, 7-10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside 5 minutes. Peel the peppers with your fingers under running water; discard the stems and seeds.

Adapted from Food Network Magazine

Last week, I was invited to speak at the Vernon Hills Library on soup-making. I offered to bring samples, figuring there might be 20 people there. To my surprise (and delight), 90 people had signed up and there was a waiting list. (People love soup, what can I say?)

In any case, I decided to go with a pot of split pea and a pot of tomato — both would be easy to make and relatively inexpensive, considering the quantity. Off I went to the grocery store to buy canned fire roasted tomatoes, the killer ingredient for homemade tomato soup.

I bought 16 cans and came home and started opening them up. I diced the carrots and onions and got the pot a-boiling. When it came time for a taste, I almost screamed out loud. What the heck? This soup was so spicy it would tear the roof off of your mouth. I certainly could not serve something this hot to a room full of complete strangers.

What was the problem, you ask? I had accidentally bought 16 cans of fire roasted salsa. Who ever heard of salsa in a can in the tomato section of the grocery store? I buy my salsa in the salsa department in a jar! When did this development occur?

In any case, what to do with the hot soup? I threw a couple of cans of beans in and another can of tomatoes to try and settle it down. It was still too hot to serve so I figured I would give it to my 26-year-old son, who will eat anything, as long as its vegan — and the hotter the better for him.

So I remade the tomato soup and brought it to the talk. I also brought some of the Mistake Soup, just as a lesson about improvising and experimenting in the kitchen.

Lo and behold, they loved the Mistake Soup and even asked for the recipe. So here you go. Basically, it’s my tomato soup made with salsa and some beans thrown in. Add ground beef or another protein, if you like.

You can’t go wrong. It’s Mistake Soup!

Adding chocolate to your shrimp tortilla soup is like a mole enchilada -- only you eat it with a spoon!

I love shrimp. I love tortilla chips. And I love, love, love chocolate, but, a shrimp and chocolate tortilla soup?

Absolutely! Think of it as a shrimp enchilada with mole sauce, only in soup form. Actually, this Paula Deen recipe is just a variation of tortilla soup, with the addition of cocoa powder, which gives it a dimension of richness and complexity in the way that a mole sauce would.

Of course, for the true Mexican cuisine aficionado, this is no mole. But, then, not many of us have the time and the patience to make a real mole, which involves a lot of toasting, roasting and grinding of chiles, spices, seeds and the like. When Rick Bayless, the mole master, was asked to make an Oaxacan black mole for a White House state dinner, it took him days and included more than 20 ingredients.

In any case, many mole sauces include chocolate. Hence, the cocoa powder in this delicious shrimp and tortilla soup adds richness without the sweetness.

Another twist in this recipe involves crushing the tortilla chips and using them to act as a thickener, which gives the soup a little more structure, as well as that nice corn flavor.

While it calls for shrimp, I see no reason why you couldn’t make this with chicken. Instead of the shrimp, simply add one to two cups of cooked chicken, either shredded or diced. For a vegetarian version, two cups of black beans would work, as well. (Hmmm, I am to give that one a try.)

Best of all, this is a good soup for tinkering. I tend to like things a bit on the spicy side so I double the heat when I’m making it just for me. You could add garlic, as well, or a squeeze of lime juice. This is a fairly forgiving recipe so adapt it as you like. Only the chocolate is mandatory!

Shrimp and Chocolate Tortilla Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

2 (32-ounce) boxes chicken or vegetable broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn

2 cups crushed tortilla chips

1 pound medium fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

Sour cream, for garnish

In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, and pepper; cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until tender. Add cocoa, cumin, coriander, red pepper,  broth, diced tomatoes, and corn. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Puree the soup using an immersion blender or hand-held mixer. Add the tortilla chips and add shrimp. Place the pan on low heat, cover, and simmer the soup about 5 to 10 minutes or until the shrimp are just cooked.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream.

Serves eight

– Recipe courtesy of Paula Deen, Television Food Network

For a light, creamy asparagus soup that is lower in calories, try this version from Food Network chef Anne Burrell. Potatoes add the rich texture and a sprinkling of feta cheese adds a nice bit of sharpness.

My good friend and yoga instructor, Catriona, says leave the end bits of the asparagus on the stalks while cooking to enhance the flavor. Just make sure to strain the soup or you will wind up with a mouth full of “matchsticks.”

Snap peas make a delightful summer soup, especially when you add Marmite.

My soup and yoga mentor, Catriona, gave the split pea soup a try and here’s what she had to say:

I was so enthused by the green pea soup, I made a batch of it this afternoon!  The caraway seeds make such a difference.  I also put in 3 bay leaves and, because I know they would be the first words Bob’s would ask,  I chopped up a couple of slices of ham.  Exceedingly yummy.

 She’s my best recipe critic so you know this one is a keeper. Thanks, Catriona! Here’s her recipe for something called  Mangetout Soup, which uses sugar snap peas. (Actually mange tout  is French for eat all, but it’s also an expression for sugar snap peas). Can’t wait to try it.

Mangetout Soup courtesy of Crank’s Restaurant, London, via Catriona

1 medium sized onion
8 ounces sugar peas
1 small potato
1 ounce butter
2 1/2 cups veg stock
1 1/4 cups milk
seasoning to taste
1+ teaspoon Marmite

Top and tail the sugar peas.  Roughly chop all the veggies.  Saute the onions in the butter.  Add the peas, potato and stock.  Bring to boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.  Off the heat, stir in the milk.  Blend, adjust seasoning and return to heat. Serves six.
This soup can also be served chilled.  Chill before adding the milk.

Pea soup doesn't need a hambone to have full flavor and richness.

Soupalooza published its second column in the Daily Herald  … this time we focused on split pea soup, admittedly a love-it-or-hate-it proposition. As a matter of fact, Daily Herald Editor John Lampinen wrote on his facebook page:

There are two phenomena I never will understand: 1) People who can smoke one cigarette every couple of months. And 2) people who will eat split pea soup without a gun pointed at their heads…. But if somehow you’re part of the latter phenomenon, our soup columnist has a creative suggestion for you.

 

Obviously, Soupalooza thinks pea soup is just fine, but we appreciated John’s mention of the column and we would hope that he might give peas a chance!

Split Pea Soup with Caraway

 2 cups dried split peas

7 cups of vegetable stock

1 bay leaf

3 teaspoons caraway seeds

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

1 large onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, diced

2 carrots, sliced

2 to 3 small potatoes, scrubbed and diced

2 to 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

 In a large soup pot, combine the split peas, stock, bay leaf, caraway seeds and jalapeno. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to low and simmer, covered for 30 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, except the salt and pepper, and continue to simmer until the peas and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Serves six.

 From “Dairy Hollow House Soup and Bread” by Crescent Dragonwagon

Use canned roasted tomatoes for a soup that is mmm-mmm good.

This is a big day for soupalooza. The Daily Herald is running our column once a month on soup. We decided to start with a favorite …. cream of tomato soup. We showcase a great recipe from our guru Mark Bittman of the New York Times (you can never go wrong with Mark).

Soupalooza tinkered with Mark’s recipe a tad by using canned roasted tomatoes and it is awesome …. even better than the kind in the red and white can. Really!  Hard to imagine, but it is almost as easy and twice as yummy. Check out the column in the Daily Herald. We are so excited!

OK, so every time I make this soup, it turns out differently. But it is delicious each and every time.

Here’s my question for you, fellow soup savants:  Why is it when you  remake a tried and true soup recipe, the end results can turn out so differently?

I know. I know. We soup lovers like to make soup because, well, because it’s a little more free flowing than, say, baking puff pastry.  Add a little here. Adjust. Toss in some more water. A splash of lemon , a pinch more salt …

The art of making soup is just that. It’s an art, not a science. Still, it’s amazing how different one batch can be from the next — even when you actually follow the recipe.

Case in point:  The following Lentil Swiss Chard Soup that I found on food.com.

Any gardener knows that the only thing more pernicious than zucchini is  swiss chard . It just keeps on keepin’ on. And the only thing to be done with large batches of it is to  soupify it. (Hey, if Rachel Ray can make up words, so can I.)

In any event, I like this recipe a lot … it’s got a lot of spicing in it and is more like a very healthy chili.  It may vary from one batch to the next, but it’s always good.

Lentil and Swiss Chard Soup (courtesy of food.com)

1 cup dried lentils, sorted and rinsed
1 bunch swiss chard, rinsed and roughly torn, stems removed
1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 red potatoes, washed, cut in 1-inch cubes
1 white onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, scrubbed, sliced
3 garlic cloves, pressed
5 -6 cups chicken broth or 5 -6 cups vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon seasoning salt  (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Place all ingredients in a 5 to 6 quart crockpot, stir, and cook for 4 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low. Lentils and other vegetables should be cooked but not overly soft. Remove bay leaves, stir and serve with fresh baked cornbread and jalapeno pepper sauce on the side.

Green beans and Marmite? Really? Yes, really!

When my friend and yoga teacher Catriona first mentioned green bean soup with Marmite, I have to admit I balked.

First of all, there’s no real need to make soup out of green beans.  After all,  why mush up something that’s meant to be served with a bit of snap? (My favorite is to blanche green beans and then saute them in butter with shallots, chopped hazelnuts and rosemary. Amazing!)

As to the Marmite, I really didn’t know exactly what it was, but it didn’t sound good.

For the uninitiated, Marmite is a sticky brown yeast paste that’s basically the gunk left over after beer is made.  Let’s just say it’s strictly  a love it or hate it proposition, which actually is the company’s slogan.

It is a true testament to my faith in Catriona that I plunged ahead. (How can you not adore a yoga teacher with an English accent and a Ph.D in biology?)

Oh, and she also told me it was a great hangover cure.

In any case, her recipe  called for adding Marmite to taste. I wasn’t sure how it tasted so I gave it a whirl. I took a big old heaping teaspoon of the paste and popped it into my mouth.

Arghhhhh!

In true faux English fashion, I carried on.  And you know what, the soup was delicious. The green beans are sweet and the milk is creamy and the Marmite, well, the Marmite adds just the right spunk to the whole endeavor, as does the addition of  Tabasco and red pepper flakes.

I haven’t tried it on a real hangover, but it does have that perfect combination of comfort and kick that one needs to get out of the fog of over indulgence.

Catriona’s Green Bean Soup
(Adapted from “A Busy Person’s Guide to Preserving Food” by Janet Chadwick)

Top and tail the washed green beans, cut them up into 1-inch pieces. Cook until tender. You will need 3 cups of pureed beans (made from 3 cups of cooked beans and 1 cup of stock).

Saute 1/4 cup of onion; add 1 cup of light cream or milk and the pureed beans. Stir.

The original recipe called for 2 dashes of Tabasco, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon basil, salt and pepper. I thought it was too sweet and anemic so I added Marmite to taste and my fail-safe standby:  1/4 teaspoon of each of the following: red pepper flakes, allspice and dried thyme.