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Potage Crécy |
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TasunkaWitko
Admin Group Joined: 25 January 2010 Location: Chinook, MT Status: Offline Points: 9356 |
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Posted: 21 August 2011 at 16:22 |
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Potage Crécy From Twelve Months of Monastery Soups, by Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette):
Last October, I made potage Parmentier and enjoyed it very much; since then, I had been looking forward to trying another French vegetable-based soup. There are many choices, featuring onions, asparagus, mushrooms, beans, peas and many more, and it's difficult to choose from so many options - so I decided to make an occasion out of it and offer the choice to the beautiful Mrs. Tas. When we were shopping this past weekend, I asked her which one she would like to try, and this creamy carrot soup was her choice. From Time/Life's Foods of the World - The Cooking of Provincial France (1968):
I was quite impressed with this soup! I know some people are wary of puréed soups because of the perceived "nothing" texture or quality about them, but I really, really like the way they carry the flavours on such a creamy, silky-smooth platform. This was no exception, and i can enthusiastically recommend this one!
From Time/Life's Foods of the World - The Cooking of Provincial France (1968):
This was an easy soup to make and provided a great deal of flavour from such simple and humble ingredients.
Here are the goods:
You can find this stuff anywhere, so give it a try. As it turned out, one onion was just the right amount, and two pounds of carrots provided the necessary three cups of chopped carrots with a couple of carrots to spare, if one wants to attempt carrot curls.
First, I peeled and chopped the carrots:
I tried to keep the chopping fairly consistent for even cooking and also fairly small in size so that there would be no under-done pieces:
Next, i chopped the onion, also finely:
After measuring out the remaining ingredients, I began to sauté the onions in butter until i just barely saw the beginnings of carmelization:
Then I added the carrots:
Chicken broth:
Two tablespoons of rice:
And two teaspoons of tomato paste:
After stirring everything together, I brought the soup to the beginnings of a boil:
and then simmered slowly until all carrot pieces were tender and fully-cooked:
This took a little longer than the recommended time of 30 minutes, but I wanted to be sure that all pieces were fully-cooked.
Then came the fun part! I brought out the trusty wand blender and puréed the soup for a minute or two to a complely liquid state, thickened of course by the carrots, onions and rice:
I then added the cream:
Followed by the salt and white pepper:
I used about a teaspoon-and-a-half for both spices, and this turned out well, but I think that a little less of both would have worked a tad better to keep things in balance; I would suggest one teaspoon each of the salt and white pepper.
After blending again to a beautiful, silky consistency:
I stirred in a pat of butter, set it on the stove to bring it back up to a nice, enveloping warmth and served:
Rather than using carrot curls, I chose to employ a few freshly-chopped celery leaves as a garnish, in order to add colour and that oh, so magic ambience that is created whenever carrots, onions and celery are brought together:
Tasting this creamy, delightful soup was a real treat, and made a perfect late-night bowl of savory goodness before turning in for the evening. The carrots came through very well, with the other ingredients providing a beautiful base, light as a cloud yet satisfying as a full entrée. I found it to be nearly everything I had hoped it to be!
My only regrets are that I didn't have my own fresh-grown carrots from the garden to use in preparation, and that circumstances required that i use canned chicken broth rather than home-made stock. I just know that these rustic and more-authentic touches would have catapulted this soup from "very good" to "simply outstanding!" I can easily and heartily recommend this soup to anyone wanting to provide an elegant, flavour-filled touch to any evening meal. Give it a try!
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TasunkaWitko
Admin Group Joined: 25 January 2010 Location: Chinook, MT Status: Offline Points: 9356 |
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I thought this might be a good one to bring up, as I seem to be seeing carrots everywhere.
This is a really good soup - I am confident that anyone giving it a try will be impressed with it. Ron |
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pitrow
Master Chef Joined: 22 November 2010 Location: Newberg, Oregon Status: Offline Points: 1078 |
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Nice Ron, looks delicious and a good soup for this time of year. If I can ever find my stick blender I will try this!
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Mike
Life in PitRow - My often neglected, somewhat eccentric, occasionally outstanding blog |
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TasunkaWitko
Admin Group Joined: 25 January 2010 Location: Chinook, MT Status: Offline Points: 9356 |
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Hi, Mike -
I think you would like this one...it's good, it's basic in nature and it is "elevated" just enough to make a very nice statement on what carrots can be. With all of the wonderful, fresh produce available in the Pacific Northwest, I am guessing you could really make this soup sing beautifully. A stick blender isn't entirely necessary; any device such as a food mill or regular blender will get the job done. In a pinch, I am guessing even a potato masher will suffice. If you try it, let us know what you think! |
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pitrow
Master Chef Joined: 22 November 2010 Location: Newberg, Oregon Status: Offline Points: 1078 |
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yeah, I would probably throw it either in the vitamix blender or the food processor. Either one should get the job done without any fuss. Honestly I haven't been able to find my stick blender in, let's see, I moved into this house 7 years ago and it's been before that move I last saw it, and I don't really miss it. Would be nice for some things but I get by without it. I do have some carrots in the fridge that need to get used, and an onion, maybe I'll pick up the rest of the stuff and make it this weekend (if I get a chance)
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Mike
Life in PitRow - My often neglected, somewhat eccentric, occasionally outstanding blog |
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