Summer is definitely over, how sad it is since I have never been a fan of the colder seasons. The only upside to the chillier climate is none other than soup, soup and more soup!
Julia Child's French Onion Soup
I still remember my first time having French onion soup: I was a child in Hong Kong and we ate at this really really dark restaurant in Causeway Bay. It was nothing like I have ever had before because it was a broth yet it was also thick and mushy. That was when I began my love affair with French onion soup. I never thought I would ever make such a fancy soup on my own.
The last few years I have been stopping by M&M frozen foods market to stock up on one item: you guessed it, French onion soup. It may sound odd but their version is actually quite spectacular, and it only takes 8 minutes in a microwave.
My attempt took just a bit more than 8 minutes to make but it was well worth it. To be exact it took about 40 minutes to soften the onions at medium-low heat. I learnt that patience is the key - that applies to everything in life doesn't it?
Add the home made croutons and Gruyère and voilà!
Nigella's Soup made with Garlic and Love
My friends were coming over for dinner and I wanted to make a soup. I looked in the cabinet and there was garlic, and I have lots of love, so why not?
I know it seems that I say that all the time but sometimes the simplest food is the most delicious. Who knew lots of garlic would make a lovely soup? It can be made ahead of time and it is a perfect leftover the next day!
New England Clam Chowder
If soups are lovers, then I am very promiscuous. I love chowders too. Clam, shrimp, lobster - I love them all!
It was a miserable day when it had been raining for over 48 hours straight. A heart warming soup was definitely called for. Afterwards I realized the key to a great chowder is bacon bits and a little bit of flour to thicken the clam juice. I did find the potatoes took twice as long to tenderize as the recipe's suggestions, about 20 minutes of simmering. A pinch of paprika just before serving was the key to this almost perfect soup. My one mistake was that I scraped the saucepan too much and there were some slightly burnt pieces of onions and bacon that I had to pick out at the end.
A great thankyou to my mother's friend who gave me this inspiring cookbook from the Royal Caribbean Cruise.
Onion Soup 8/10
Garlic Soup 8/10
Clam Chowder 9/10
all of these soups were delicious! i can't wait for clam chowder again - JK
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