In a medium soup pot, add in the olive oil and pancetta and saute over medium-high heat until lightly browned and crispy. Next, add in the onion, leek, carrot and garlic and saute until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Finally, add the broth, peas, bay leaves, rosemary, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.

After 1 hour of cooking remove the lid, raise heat to medium-low and continue to simmer uncovered for an additional 20 minutes.

Remove bay leaves before serving. Serve garnished with a small sprig of fresh rosemary.

Leftover soup will thicken over time. To thin, add additional chicken stock to achieve your preferred consistency.

In a large soup pot over medium low heat add the butter and olive oil.  Once the butter has melted, add the onions, garlic, bay leaves and thyme.  Saute uncovered stirring every few minutes until the onions have softened and browned – about 25 minutes.

Raise heat to medium and add wine.  Continue to simmer until the wine has almost evaporated, about 5 minutes.  Add the flour and continue to cook for a couple minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.

Add the beef broth and stir.  Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low.  Allow the soup to cook uncovered for an additional 20-30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.

Puree the soup using an immersion blender (one of my favorite kitchen gadgets) or transfer  to a blender and puree until smooth.  Add 3-4 tsp salt (this amount can vary depending on the beef broth you purchase – start with 2 tsp, taste then add more to taste) and 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper.  Stir to combine.

Set your oven to broil.  Cut the baguette on a diagonal in 1/4 inch thick slices.  Place the baguette slices on a sheet tray, brush with olive oil on one side and sprinkle with salt.  Place in the oven and broil for a couple minutes until the top of the toasts turns light brown.  Remove from the oven and flip the toasts over.  Sprinkle the toasts generously with grated Gruyere cheese.  Put the toasts back in the oven and broil for a couple minutes until the toast’s cheese is melted and starting to turn golden brown.

Serve soup in bowls with the toasts on the side.  Garnish with fresh parsley.

In a large soup pot, fry the bacon over medium high heat for about 4 minutes until the bacon begins to crisp up. Add the ground chorizo and saute 3-5 minutes longer until the chorizo is browned. Next add in the chopped onion and carrots. Saute another 5 minutes until the onions begin to soften. Toss in the garlic and saute another 30 seconds or so until the garlic is fragrant. 

Add the lentils, cannellini beans, can of tomatoes, and chicken stock to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 45 minutes until the lentils have softened.

Stir in the salt and pepper. The amount of salt will vary depending on the type of chicken stock you use. Add the salt gradually to taste.  Before serving, turn off the heat, add the spinach and stir until the spinach has just wilted. Serve the soup in large bowls with crusty bread and top each bowl with crumbled goat cheese.

Place the ingredients for the gazpacho in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth (Depending on the size of your food processor or blender it could take 2-3 batches). Stir the batches together in a large soup pot. Cover the gazpacho and place it in the refrigerator and allow it to set for a couple hours to overnight. The longer you let it set the more integrated the flavors will become.

For the basil oil, add the basil, olive oil and salt to a mini food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Serve the gazpacho chilled, topped with a drizzle of basil oil and a spoonful of freshly diced Heirloom tomatoes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the prepared cauliflower, potato and onion on a large sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss. Place sheet pan in the oven and roast for 30-40 minutes (turning once) until the cauliflower is nicely browned. Transfer vegetables to a large soup pot. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Using an immersion blender (one of my favorite kitchen gadgets), puree soup. If you don’t have an immersion blender you can always puree the soup in batches in a traditional blender or food processor. Once pureed, add cream, 1 1/2 to 2 tsp salt (depending on the chicken stock you use) and 3/4 tsp pepper and stir to combine.  If the soup is too thick add additional chicken stock to thin. Serve garnished with fresh made croutons. To make the croutons cut up bread of your choice (for this soup I prefer pumpernickel or multi-grain) in large chunks, toss with a little olive oil, salt and pepper then cook in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and crispy on all sides.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place halved roma tomatoes into a roasting pan. Add roughly chopped yellow onions, whole garlic cloves, and thyme bundle. Drizzle olive oil, and salt and pepper (to taste) on top. Roast in oven for 1.5 hours – stirring every 30 minutes to evenly roast tomatoes and prevent charring.  Remove from oven and take out the thyme bundle. Scoop mixture into a large soup pot and add chicken broth. Let simmer 30 minutes. Puree the mixture with an immersion blender or blend in batches in a traditional blender. Add butter, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper (to taste) and mix well. If making grilled cheese also, cover the soup and set aside. If not, you can serve the soup immediately!

Baked Grilled Cheese
Sourdough bread
Salted butter
Cheese of your choice! (I used sharp white and sharp yellow cheddar)

Place a large sheet tray in a preheated 450 degree oven for 5 minutes. Butter the bread and place your cheese! Remove the hot tray from the oven and place the sandwiches onto the tray. Bake the sandwiches for 10-15 minutes until the bread is golden and the cheese is bubbling. Remove, serve, and dunk into that delicious tomato soup!

Dice carrots, onion, and potato into 1 inch cubes. Place on sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Toss. Roast at 425 degrees for approximately 30-45 minutes until lightly browned.

In a soup pot, add roasted carrots, onions, and potatoes. Add chicken stock, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and curry powder.

NOTE: some curry powders are spicier than others.  If you are not sure how spicy your curry powder is, start by adding 1/2 tbs of the curry powder now, then taste and add the remaining curry powder at the end when you are adjusting your final seasonings.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Puree soup using an immersion blender. If you don’t have an immersion blender (which is one of my favorite kitchen gadgets and can be purchased at any kitchen supply store for less than $30) you can puree the soup in batches in a blender.

Stir in 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper. Taste for salt and or the spiciness of the curry and adjust if necessary. Garnish with a drizzle of heavy cream, toasted sliced almonds and cilantro.

Melt butter over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add onion and garlic and saute till tender. Add mushrooms and continue to saute until the mushrooms are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated.

Add flour, continue to stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the Pinot Noir and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Next add the chicken stock and herbs. Bring the soup to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, puree soup. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a traditional blender to puree the soup in batches. Finally, add cream, salt (the amount of salt will vary depending on the chicken stock you use) and pepper and stir to combine.

Melt butter in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add celery, shallots, potato and garlic. Cook stirring often until the vegetables have softened, about 15 minutes.

Add chicken broth, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Remove soup from heat then puree with an immersion blender 3-4 minutes until it is silky smooth. Stir in 1 tsp – 1 1/2 tsp salt (depending on saltiness of chicken broth).

Cover and chill soup in the refrigerator until cold – about 2-3 hours (or overnight).

Serve soup cold, garnished with celery leaves and thinly sliced radish. You can also top this soup with cold crab meat or shrimp.

TIP: This soup can also be served warm – just stir in a splash of heavy cream. Enjoy this soup year round!