Cream of Green Onion Soup - Voila!
Because I am in avoidance mode about a freelance writing project I need to get off my desk, I will post a recipe for something I made last night. Yes, I've been back in the kitchen in a meditative cooking frenzy, this time dealing with some more of the glut of green onions from our garden, while entertaining my sister's request for a green bean casserole "made without Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup, cuz that's everywhere."
I didn't get to the casserole yet, but this little gem will go into it when I do. This is my own invention. I don't think I've ever heard of cream of onion soup before, much less cream of *green* onion soup. So, as the French say, 'there you have it" - behind the cut.
Cream of Green Onion Soup
Green onions (aka scallions) have a unique tang to them. They are different from any other kind of the onion family, and make a wonderful soup. The sometimes sharp flavor of the green onions is mellowed in the process of sauteeing; the result is a flavor-packed scrumptious soup or sauce you can eat as-is or use in other dishes.
This recipe is for a sauce or soup, depending how much liquid you put in it. The base for both begins thus:
1 cup diced scallions. Use whole onion, green and white parts. Put aside a couple T of diced green for sprinkling soup or casserole top with later.
1/4 c diced celery
Sautee these in 1/2 stick salted butter for 10 to 15 minutes, til the celery is soft and cooked through.
2 T dried or 6 T fresh chopped parsley - add at the end of the sautee time so it cooks for only a fewminutes. This opens up the flavor but doesn't destroy it with the heat.
Stir in 1/2 c flour
When all butter is absorbed and all mixed with the vegies, slowly stir in 2 c chicken broth. (Boullion is ok as a substitute.)
Simmer 15 mins til nice and thick. Stir frequently so it doesn't scorch on the bottom.
Stir in 2 T mirin or dry sherry
Stir in 1/4 c heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste
At this point it is a thick, creamy sauce base that can be used in other recipes. It can be used in the same way as condensed soup: for instance, as a binder for a flavorful green bean casserole, instead of using one of those tired old Campbell's cream of whatever soups. It also works great in casseroles. This particular batch wound up in a creamy potato-ham casserole. I might post that recipe later.
To turn it into soup, slowly stir in 2 to 3 cups more of milk or water, or a combo of both (more milk makes it a richer, creamier soup). Heat til warm through, but don't let it boil, and be sure to adjust the seasonings to suit the greater volume of liquid. You can add more or less liquid depending upon how thick you like your soup. I can't offer you measurements for that: it is a strictly "that looks about right" process for me. I prefer my soups on the thicker side, so I'd probably do no more than 2 cups additional liquid.
Variations:
Lots O Onions: you can add more onions, especially if you are turning this into soup and adding a fair amount of liquid later on. If you have a large quantity of scallions to deal with (like, your garden harvest is coming in, as ours is) you can increase the batch size of the sauce and freeze in containers for later use.
Onion-Cheese soup: After you've added liquid to soupify this, stir in 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese. Sharp cheddar is an especially good compliment to the distinctive onion flavor of this soup. And if you're putting cheese in with this, 1/2 cup of sour cream stirred in will complement the flavors nicely. Top with diced green onion ends and serve with foccacia bread.
Chowder: This base makes a great chowder as well. Add 1 or 2 diced potatos, already cooked. Salt potatoes (i.e., those peeled and boiled in salted water) are more flavorful but take some time; a baked potato or one microwaved until completely done through will do as well. Other ingredients that work with the onion base: corn, bacon (dice and fry til done in separate pan; a lot of bacon grease from cooking will throw the taste and texture of this soup off). If you want a fish chowder, add liquid till this is soupy and slow cook chunked up fish in it at a temp just below medium heat. Stir periodically so milk base doesn't scorch in the bottom of the pan. Alternatively, simmer chunked fish in the chicken broth while the vegetables are sauteeing; remove; add fish again at the end when all other ingredients are present and soup is complete.
I didn't get to the casserole yet, but this little gem will go into it when I do. This is my own invention. I don't think I've ever heard of cream of onion soup before, much less cream of *green* onion soup. So, as the French say, 'there you have it" - behind the cut.
Cream of Green Onion Soup
Green onions (aka scallions) have a unique tang to them. They are different from any other kind of the onion family, and make a wonderful soup. The sometimes sharp flavor of the green onions is mellowed in the process of sauteeing; the result is a flavor-packed scrumptious soup or sauce you can eat as-is or use in other dishes.
This recipe is for a sauce or soup, depending how much liquid you put in it. The base for both begins thus:
1 cup diced scallions. Use whole onion, green and white parts. Put aside a couple T of diced green for sprinkling soup or casserole top with later.
1/4 c diced celery
Sautee these in 1/2 stick salted butter for 10 to 15 minutes, til the celery is soft and cooked through.
2 T dried or 6 T fresh chopped parsley - add at the end of the sautee time so it cooks for only a fewminutes. This opens up the flavor but doesn't destroy it with the heat.
Stir in 1/2 c flour
When all butter is absorbed and all mixed with the vegies, slowly stir in 2 c chicken broth. (Boullion is ok as a substitute.)
Simmer 15 mins til nice and thick. Stir frequently so it doesn't scorch on the bottom.
Stir in 2 T mirin or dry sherry
Stir in 1/4 c heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste
At this point it is a thick, creamy sauce base that can be used in other recipes. It can be used in the same way as condensed soup: for instance, as a binder for a flavorful green bean casserole, instead of using one of those tired old Campbell's cream of whatever soups. It also works great in casseroles. This particular batch wound up in a creamy potato-ham casserole. I might post that recipe later.
To turn it into soup, slowly stir in 2 to 3 cups more of milk or water, or a combo of both (more milk makes it a richer, creamier soup). Heat til warm through, but don't let it boil, and be sure to adjust the seasonings to suit the greater volume of liquid. You can add more or less liquid depending upon how thick you like your soup. I can't offer you measurements for that: it is a strictly "that looks about right" process for me. I prefer my soups on the thicker side, so I'd probably do no more than 2 cups additional liquid.
Variations:
Lots O Onions: you can add more onions, especially if you are turning this into soup and adding a fair amount of liquid later on. If you have a large quantity of scallions to deal with (like, your garden harvest is coming in, as ours is) you can increase the batch size of the sauce and freeze in containers for later use.
Onion-Cheese soup: After you've added liquid to soupify this, stir in 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese. Sharp cheddar is an especially good compliment to the distinctive onion flavor of this soup. And if you're putting cheese in with this, 1/2 cup of sour cream stirred in will complement the flavors nicely. Top with diced green onion ends and serve with foccacia bread.
Chowder: This base makes a great chowder as well. Add 1 or 2 diced potatos, already cooked. Salt potatoes (i.e., those peeled and boiled in salted water) are more flavorful but take some time; a baked potato or one microwaved until completely done through will do as well. Other ingredients that work with the onion base: corn, bacon (dice and fry til done in separate pan; a lot of bacon grease from cooking will throw the taste and texture of this soup off). If you want a fish chowder, add liquid till this is soupy and slow cook chunked up fish in it at a temp just below medium heat. Stir periodically so milk base doesn't scorch in the bottom of the pan. Alternatively, simmer chunked fish in the chicken broth while the vegetables are sauteeing; remove; add fish again at the end when all other ingredients are present and soup is complete.