Avocado Soup

Oh baby it's cold outside! It is a snow day in Toronto today therefore I thought it was the perfect opportunity to make (what else?) soup.  The recipe for the day is Avocado Soup.

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 Very ripe, large Haas avocado
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Heat the chicken broth until hot, not boiling. Set aside.

Peel the avocado and remove the seed. Cut into several pieces, place in the food processor or blender, and purée. Turn off the blender and pour in the whipping cream, followed by the hot chicken broth, cumin, salt, white pepper, sherry and lemon juice. Pulse a few times, just until mixture is blended. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired.

Serve immediately, or chill for at least two hours and serve.

This soup was nicely paired with a Black Rasberry Merlot.

Butternut Squash Soup

My first soup for the year.  Butternut Squash Soup.  This is a spicy soup, however the sweet potato adds a nice contrast to the taste.  I didn't have sprigs of thyme so I used powdered thyme instead.  Obviously I will have to visit more multi-cultural stores for unique seasonings.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter (25 ml)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 carrot, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• fresh scotch bonnet chile or chipotle chile
• 5 cups of water
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 pound Butternut squash ( about 4 cups chopped )
• 1 cup sweet potato
• 1 1/2 pack GRACE Cock Flavored Soup
• juice of ½ lime
• 1/2 cup coconut milk, optional ( 125 ml)

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat butter and olive oil on medium high. Add shallots, green onions, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté until soft and just golden.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except lime and cream. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered for about 45 minutes or until squash and yam is tender.
3. Season the soup with salt and pepper. Return to medium heat and bring to boil.
4. Add the Grace Cock Soup, lime and coconut milk and simmer for a few minutes, just to develop flavour.