lunaticsinge.com - Basque Cuisine Soups

Beef & Chicken Broth - (Serves 6)

Ingredients:

7 oz. beef trimmings or shank

1 lb. beef bones (whatever is available)

1 bone-in, skin-on chicken thigh

2 leeks, halved & rinsed well

2 carrots

1 onion, quartered

3 parsley sprigs

1 teaspoon kosher salt

7 oz. dried chickpeas, soaked in water to cover overnight (optional)

1. In a stockpot, combine the beef trimmings, beef bones, chicken, and 12 cups water. Set over high heat and bring just to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer, skimming any foam off the top as it rises.

2. Add the leeks, carrots, onion, parsley, salt and chickpeas (if using) and return the liquid to a simmer, skimming off any foam that forms.

3. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 2 hours.

4. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve and return it to the pot, discarding the solids. Serve warm.

Leek & Potato Soup - (Serves 6)

Ingredients:

1/4 extra-virgin olive oil

6 leeks, white & light green parts only, chopped & rinsed

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed

3 potatoes, peeled & cut into 1-inch pieces

2 carrots, cut 1 -inch pieces (optional)

1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, garlic, and salt then cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender and translucent, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the potatoes, carrots (if using), another pinch of salt, and water to just cover the vegetables. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.

3. Smash a few potatoes with the back of a fork to help thicken the broth and cook until the potatoes are completely tender, about 5 minutes more. Taste the soup and add more salt if necessary. Serve warm.

Fish Soup - (Serves 6 to 8)

Ingredients:

10 clams

1/4 loaf baguette bread

5 1/2 cups fish broth

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

10 shrimp, peeled, heads removed & reserved

1/4 cup brandy

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, diced

1 leek, diced & rinsed well

1 sweet Italian green pepper (Cubanelle), diced

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Leaves from 3 parsley sprigs

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/2 dried red chile (guindilla)

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 lb. monkfish, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 lb. firm white-fleshed fish, cut into 2-inch pieces

6 Norway lobsters, heads removed (use more shrimp if you don't have Norway lobsters)

1. Place the clams in a bowl of water and soak until ready to use, to release any dirt or sand.

2. If using regular baguette, preheat the oven to 450 degrees . Toast the baguette for 20 to 25 minutes, until it's so brown, it's verging on burnt. Remove from the oven and let cool before slicing or breaking into pieces. Break or slice into 1 to 2 inch cubes or 1-inch slices.

3. Warm the broth in a stockpot over medium heat.

4. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp heads and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

5. Pour in the brandy and carefully, with a long match or a long lighter held near the liquid, set the mixture on fire. Allow it to burn until it goes out, about 15 seconds.

6. Add the pan's contents to the pot with the broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving the shrimp heads.

7. In a clean large pot, heat the 2 remaining tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, leek, pepper, and salt. Add the parsley and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the mixture begins to turn a light golden color, about 20 minutes.

8. Add the bread and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the tomato sauce and chile then stir until everything is well mixed. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the wine and cook for 1 minute to burn off the alcohol.

9. Squeeze any liquid from the reserved shrimp heads into the pot, discarding the heads when no more liquid comes out. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes more.

10. Add strained broth and increase the heat to high. Add the monkfish and the white fish to the broth and bring to a boil. Remove the monkfish after 5 minutes and set aside. After 20 minutes total of cooking time, remove the remaining whole pieces of fish and set aside with the monkfish. Any bits of skin and unsightly pieces can stay in the stockpot. Puree the mixture directly in the pot with an immersion blender or pass it through a food mill into a bowl. Push the puree through a fine-mesh sieve, return it to the pot, and place it over medium-high heat. Taste the puree and add salt if necessary.

11. Drain the clams, scrubbing them to remove any visible dirt, and discard any clams with broken shells. Add the clams, cooked fish, Norway lobsters, and shrimp to the soup and simmer until the clams open, about 3 minutes. Discard any that do not open. Stir and serve immediately.