Potage Jacqueline Recipes

POTAGE JACQUELINE

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the onions until translucent, stirring every once in a while.
• Add the celery and ginger. Cook until the onions brown.
• Add the sweet potatoes, water, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a rapid boil.
• Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer 15-20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender.
• Retrieve the bay leaf and toss it.
• Puree the soup mixture with the milk and cream in a food processor (I needed to do this in two batches).
• Reheat gently, adding more salt and pepper is desired.
• Don't boil the soup, or it will curdle!
• Done!

POTAGE SAINT-GERMAIN

Steps:

• Make the croutons:
• In a bowl drizzle the bread cubes with the butter, tossing them to coat them well, and in a shallow baking dish bake them in a preheated 350°F. oven, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the croutons are golden and crisp. Season the croutons with salt. The croutons may be made 1 day in advance and kept in an airtight container.
• Make the soup:
• In a large saucepan cook the leeks in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until they are softened, add the broth and 2 cups water, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the peas and the lettuce and simmer the mixture, covered partially, for 10 minutes, or until the peas are tender. Stir in the mint and in a blender or food processor purée the soup in batches. The soup may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. Return the soup to the pan, season it with salt and pepper, and reheat it over moderately low heat, stirring, until it is hot.
• In a small bowl beat the cream until it is thickened slightly but still pourable and season it with salt. Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle drops of the cream on each serving, and draw a skewer or knife through the drops, forming decorative patterns. Serve the soup with the croutons.

POTAGE PARMENTIER (POTATO & LEEK SOUP) - JULIA CHILD

Steps:

• Simmer vegetables, water and salt together, partially covered, 40-50 minutes until vegetables are tender.
• Mash the vegetables in the soup with a fork, or puree in blender. Correct seasoning.
• Off heat and just before serving, stir in cream or butter by spoonfuls. Pour into a tureen or soup cups and decorate with the herbs.
• Good hot, cold or room temperature.
• Variations:.
• The following may be simmered with the potatoes and leeks at the start:.
• Sliced or diced carrots or turnips.
• Peeled, seeded or chopped tomatoes or strained, canned tomatoes.
• Half-cooked dried beans, peas, or lentils, including their cooking liquid.
• The following may be simmered for 10-15 minutes with the soup after it has been pureed:.
• Fresh or frozen diced cauliflower, cucumbers, broccoli, Lima beans, peas, string beans, okra or zucchini.
• Shredded lettuce, spinach, sorrel, or cabbage.
• Diced, cooked leftovers of any of the preceding vegetables.
• Tomatoes, peeled, seeded, juiced and diced.