Cream of Water-cress Soup – Potage Crème De Cresson

To me, soup is the any-time-of-year food. Forget what you heard that it's only for winter. And this soup is a perfect example. Interestingly, (but likely not coincidentally,) the recipe seems to be a combination of techniques learned in the first 2 recipes in the book (Potato Leek Soup– Potage Parmentier & Cream of Mushroom Soup – Potage Veloute Aux Champignons.) Both excellent soups, so this 3rd recipe was just the ticket.

Never really heard of "Water-cress" before this. Julia bills this soup as "a lovely soup...perfect one for an important dinner." Since is was just for me and Husband, I figured that was important enough! Water-cress isn't sold at any of my normal grocery spots, so where do we go for the freshest and best produce? Why Whole Foods of course! They have yet to let me down, and today was no exception. Fresh and green,it reminded me a little bit of baby spinach.

Fresh Water-cress

This soup seemed a bit thicker and creamier than the earlier Mushroom soup. Even though it's the same technique, not sure if maybe I followed the directions a bit better this time (?) but there is this one part where you whisk in egg yolk and whipping cream into the hot soup "by driblets". I guess the intention is to do it slow enough to keep the eggs from setting too quickly?

The technique that came from the Potato-Leek soup was the use of the food-mill. Now we purchased a really nice food-mill at an All Clad factory sale a few years ago, and it has just been collecting dust in our kitchen since then. So I was so ecstatic to be able to use it twice already and maybe my my practice the last time made for perfect here. Either way, the results were deliciously amazing!

Cream of Water-cress Soup  – Potage Crème De Cresson

Next up - the ultimate in French soup - - Onion!!!

Cream of Mushroom Soup – Potage Veloute Aux Champignons PART II

Finishing touches put on the Cream of Mushroom soup:  Just a some whipping cream, a couple egg yolks and Voila! The soup wasn't quite as thick as I expected (hopefully not because I waited an entire day to finish) but the taste was Amazing! Served with some crusty bread and cheese and good to go.

Cream of Mushroom Soup  – Potage Veloute Aux Champignons PART 2

Something funny I've noticed when cooking through this cook book - especially when I'm "home alone" with only the dogs to keep me company... I seem to talk to myself (or maybe to the food) a little more than I ought to. For example, the recipe said to cook the onions in butter for 10 minutes, but not to let them brown. So when they started to brown, I found myself yelling at them - "Not Brown! Not Brown!!"

Cream of Mushroom Soup – Potage Veloute Aux Champignons PART I

Here we go with recipe #2 of countless "happy-happy-happy"... I started this recipe last night after work but plan to finish tonight.

For the first time, I am taking advantage of the * provided in the middle of some of Julia's recipes - Indicating that it is okay to "stop here" and continue on later. Presumably this is for the busy hostess who is preparing a multi-course meal in one long day. So start your soup, but finish it when the main course is nearly done, etc.

Since I was doing none of those things, and other "dinner" opportunities presented themselves, and I found the time on the clock nearing later-than-I-expected, the * looked pretty attractive. Tonight I just need to reheat "to the simmer", then 2-3 minutes more of ingredient magic.

So to be finished and taste-tested tonight, this recipe was only slightly more "advanced" than the first. My slicing-technique is improving handily with every recipe, for sure.

Cream of Mushroom Soup  – Potage Veloute Aux Champignons PART I

LOTS AND LOTS of Mushrooms

To be continued!

Potato Leek Soup– Potage Parmentier

So I share a birthday with Julia Child. I'll never give away my age (haha), but this year for my birthday after re-watching "Julie and Julia" for the umpteenth time, Husband thoughtfully bestowed upon me Mastering the Art of French Cooking - both volumes I and II.

So off to cook I go! And in the spirit of Julie Powell, it just didn't seem right to not keep some sort of journal of my adventures!

It's hard for me to go at something only halfheartedly. My master plan is to start from the beginning of Vol. I and proceed from there. I feel I would be neglectful of the master work, or even worse, I might miss out on a new favorite recipe if I were to just skip around willy-nilly. ((Ask me if I feel the same way when I get to the sections on "Sweetbreads" and "Aspics" - - yikes.))

Definitely must invest in a new camera, but here is a peek at Recipe #1:

Potato Leek Soup– Potage Parmentier

This soup was sinfully easy to make - even following the directions to the letter. Just two "real" ingredients!! And how refreshing to just have "soup" for dinner. Even Husband agreed it was a nice alternative to so many of the heavy meals we end up with after a busy day at work. And since it's just the 2 of us, there was lunch and another light meal for leftovers. Yummy!!

I think it's fair to skip over "variations" although some of them are really tempting. So next up will be Cream of Mushroom Soup, aka "Potage Veloute aux Champignons". (And bonus I get to practice my rusty French!)