Monday 18 August 2008

SPICY WINTER VEGETABLE SOUP

Sorry for lack of updates! ive been busy with the revolver kitchen, which should debut on sept1. meanwhile, ive also been doing the vegetarian catering for a host of concerts including: nick cave & the bad seeds, iron maiden, kylie minogue, bruce springsteen, iron maiden, and KISS!!!
Its been hard work but Ive learned a lot about the professional world of cooking, and made quite a few dishes Im proud of.

Tonight, since the cold is starting to set in, I was craving this veggie soup I made back at Bruce Springsteen, but I was also thinking how gratifying it would be to make it with a cheesy top via French Onion soups. So voila! My version of a cheesy (spicy) winter soup.

Need for two people
1/2 stick butter
1-2 large onions chopped thinly
1 clove garlic
2 bay leaves
lots of fresh parsley
1 veggie boullion
i chili
celery root
kolrabi (swede)
carrot
potato
celery
(you can mix and choose your veggies but i put the all above to give nice color-- also make sure chopped in neat nice little squares)
garlic powder
parmasean
swiss cheese
2 pieces of older french bread
two bowls heat proof

1. make the stock-soup first. start in one large pot, the stock, bayleaves and a few onions.
in separate pan, fry on low heat in butter and some olive oil, the chopped onions, garlic and chili.
once the pot is boiling and the onions look golden (about 15-20 mins) pour the onion butter mixture into the boiling pot of stock.

2. bring to boil, the turn down and simmer for about 30 mins. add salt and pepper. 

3. after about 30 min, spoon out any heavy chunks of onion to make a bit more room. then dump in ALL your chopped veg with a handful of parsley. cook for about 15 mins more (dont overcook the veg), then taste if needs more seasoning, but basically done.

4. with the bread, lightly grill on one side, then turn over and drizzle oil olive. cover in parmesan and take out when you see parmesan has melted.

5. put the bread slices into flameproof bowls, pour in soup, top with  parmasean, chopped parsley and slices of swiss cheese so it almost melts down on the sides. mmm.