Avocado Soup

Alma De Cuba
1623 Walnut Street
215.988.1799

INGREDIENTS:

This soup is delicious hot or cold. While this recipe makes four servings- each just under one cup- you may want to double it, either to accommodate more people or for larger portions.

• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 very ripe, large Haas avocado*
• 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/4 cup dry sherry
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  

DIRECTIONS:

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 puree. 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.

*Haas avocados are the ones with the bumpy skin. As they ripen, they go from dark green to purplish-black. To get the best flavor, these are the preferred avocados.

Yogurt-Cucumber Soup

Greg Garbacz, chef de cuisine
Audrey Claire
276 S. 20th Street
215.731.1222

Serves 4 to 6.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cucumbers, peeled and seeded, julienned
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup julienned red onion
• 1/4 cup mint chiffonade
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 quart fresh whole milk yogurt
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a food processor, combine cucumber, garlic, onion and sunflower seeds. Puree until finely chopped. Add yogurt gradually and evenly into cucumber mixture. Thin with water as needed, finish with mint. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, if desired.

Summer Cucumber Soup

Bistro St. Tropez
2400 Market Street, 4th Floor
215.569.9269

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups yogurt
• 1 1/2 cup English cucumber grated
• 1 cup water
• 1 fresh squeeze lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon of fresh garlic
• 1 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg.
• 1 bunch of dill (reserved some for presentation)
• 1 bunch of chive (reserved some for presentation)

DIRECTIONS:

Blend all ingredients and serve in a chilled soup bowl.
 
Decoration: Slice radishes (2 each), Slice cucumber, Chives and fresh dill chopped.

Facultative: 2oz salmon caviar which you will display on the thinly sliced radishes.

Country Stew

Bootsie's
38 S. 19th Street
215.988.0089

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium onion diced
• 4 large carrots diced
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 pound diced potatoes
• 1 diced green pepper
• 1 medium can of diced tomatoes
• 8 oz of fresh or 1 can of cut green beans
• 1 gallon chicken broth or beef broth
• 1 tablespoons thyme
• 1 tablespoons marjoram
• 1 teaspoon dill
• 4 cloves diced garlic
• salt and pepper to your taste
• 1 pound of chicken skin (optional)
• 8 ounce of your favorite sausage

DIRECTIONS:

In stock pot, place 3 tablespoons of oil. Heat, then blanch meats in pot. Remove meats. In the liquid left in your pot, place all the ingredients, except the broth. Simmer at medium, stirring the vegetables every few minutes to blend all of the flavors together. When the vegetables become tender, add the broth. While this is cooking (about 30minutes) dice the meats, then add them back in.

Enjoy! Remember cooking is fun so feel free to alter to your taste.

Roasted Tomato Bisque
Goat Cheese and Basil Pesto Quenelle

Chef Chris Scarduzio
Brasserie Perrier
1619 Walnut Street
215.568.3000

ROASTED TOMATO BISQUE INGREDIENTS:

• 30 ripe plum tomatoes halved
• 1/2 bunch basil
• 4 bay leaves
• 8 oz tomato paste
• 1 Spanish onions chopped
• 4 celery hearts
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 gallons chicken stock
• 1/2 pound butter
• salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Season the tomatoes and roast them cut side up on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 350° for twenty minutes. In a heavy bottomed soup pot, caramelize the onions, celery and garlic. Add all remaining ingredients, except the butter, and bring to a boil for twenty five minutes, seasoning with salt and pepper. Blend in the butter, and pass through fine mesh strainer.

GOAT CHEESE AND BASIL PESTO QUENELLE INGREDIENTS:

• 8 ounce goat cheese room temperature
• 1/2 bunch basil blanched
• 1 cup packed spinach blanched
• 2 cups olive oil
• salt and pepper

Using a blender puree all ingredients except the goat cheese, and pass through a strainer line lined with a coffee filter. Place the cheese in a bowl and mix with the pesto to desired color and taste.

Tomato watermelon Gazpacho, rock shrimp

Sylvain Harribey, Executive chef Sofitel Philadelphia
Chez Colette
120 S. 17th Street
215.569.8300

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 English cucumber (about 13 inches long)
• 1/4 watermelon
• 1 small red bell pepper
• 1 celery rib
• 1 small garlic clove
• 2 cups V8 or tomato juice
• 2 whole Jersey tomatoes, ripe
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, or to taste

GARNISH INGREDIENTS:

• chopped fresh chives
• diced watermelon
• rock shrimp

DIRECTIONS:

Cut cucumber in half lengthwise and cut each half lengthwise into 3 spears. Cut spears crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick pieces and transfer to a large bowl.. Cut bell pepper and celery into 1/4-inch dice as well as tomatoes to and watermelon. Mince garlic and toss with cucumber mixture. Stir in remaining ingredients and season soup with salt and pepper.

Poach the rock shrimp in a court bouillon well seasoned, they will taste like lobster

Pumpkin Soup

Chef Tony D'Angelo
D'Angelo's Ristorante Italiano
256 S. 20th Street
215.546.3935

Serves 6.

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp, fat reserved
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 6 cups peeled, cut-up pumpkin (1-inch pieces)
  Reserve pumpkin shell to use as serving tureen
• 6 cups of canned beef or chicken broth
• 1/2 cup Marsala wine
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• optional garnish toasted pumpkin seeds

Heat the bacon fat and butter in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the pumpkin and saute for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour in the stock and simmer covered until the pumpkin is very tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add the Marsala, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste. Process the soup in batches in a blender until smooth. Return to stock pot.

Add the bacon. Simmer 10 minutes. Serve immediately, garnish with pumpkin seeds.

TOASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS INGREDIENTS:

• seeds of 1 pumpkin
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse the seeds to remove strings and pulp and pat dry with paper towels. Spread the seeds on a baking sheet and let stand for several hours to dry.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toss the seeds with the oil and salt to taste. Toast the seeds in the oven, stirring every 5 minutes or so, until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Serve the pumpkin seeds as a snack or use as a garnish.

Roasted Apple Cream Soup with Smoked Chicken

Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse
111 S. 17th Street
215.563.4810

Serves 8.

BROTH INGREDIENTS:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 each apples, peeled & diced
• 1 cup onions, small dice
• 1 cup celery, small dice
• 2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
• 2 cups white wine, dry
• 2 cups apple cider
• 2 cups heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a large sauce pot, add olive oil and heat on high.

When the pot begins to smoke, add onion and celery and stir.

When the onions become translucent, add apples, rosemary and white wine, bring to a boil.

Reduce the white wine by half. Add apple cider and reduce by half. Add Heavy Cream and bring to a boil. Season and puree in a blender. Hold for service.

GARNISH INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 cup smoked chicken, small dice
• 1/2 cup carrot, small dice
• 1/2 cup parsnip, small dice
• 1/2 cup rutabaga, small dice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons. parsley, chopped fine

DIRECTIONS:

In a large mixing bowl, add vegetables, oil and season. Lay vegetables evenly on a baking pan and roast in oven at 375° for 15 minutes or until vegetables begin to caramelize. Remove from heat, cool. In a mixing bowl, add vegetables, chicken & parsley. Hold garnish for service.

Nana's Tomato White Bean Soup

Devil's Alley
1907 Chestnut Street
215.751.0707

Chef Yeamans' has been making this delicious comfort food classic since he was a child. He continues the family tradition at Devil's Alley, where Nana's Tomato White Bean Soup warms bellies throughout the cool months.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 each carrots, diced
• 1/3 bunch celery, diced
• 2 each onions, diced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons dried oregano
• 3 tablespoons dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons chili flakes
• 2 tablespoons black pepper
• 1 each bay leaf
• 1 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 can #10 can peeled plum tomatoes, hand crushed, with juice
• 1 1/3 quart water
• 1 can #10 can white beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 quart Cream

DIRECTIONS:

Dice carrots, celery and onions. Sautee in oil and butter until onions are translucent. Add spices and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Add white wine and slowly cook until the mixture has been reduced by approximately half. Add crushed tomatoes (with juice), water and white beans (drained and rinsed). Add quarts of cream 1/2 quart at a time as soup cooks. Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Enjoy topped with a bit of Parmesan cheese or alongside a grilled cheese sandwich.

Habanero-Calabaza Soup

El Vez
121 S. 13th Street
215.928.9800

Yield: 1 GALLON

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 pound calabaza (West Indian pumpkin)
• 4 8 ounce cans coconut milk
• 4 Spanish onions
• 5 garlic
• 10 guajillo chiles
• 2 quarts clam juice
• 2 habanero chiles
• 1 pound butter
• 2 cups honey
• salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bottom sauce pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onions and garlic clove. Sweat until translucent.

In a blender, puree guajillo chiles with 1/2 cup of water. Add the chile paste to the sauce pot and simmer on low for 10 minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt.

Add coconut milk, clam juice, habanero chiles and calabaza (large dice) to the mixture. Bring the soup to a rolling boil. Reduce to a simmer after 5 minutes. Let soup simmer for 1 hour.

Remove soup from heat and puree smooth in a standard blender. As it's cooling add salt to taste and whisk in honey. The soup will last for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Do not freeze.

Billy Weaver's Cream of Mushroom Soup

Friday Saturday Sunday Restaurant
261 S. 21st Street
215.546.4232

Serves 6.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1pound Kennett Square "cream" mushrooms
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 2 tablespoons. Flour
• 1 quart chicken stock
• 1 quart heavy cream
• cognac to taste
• salt and white pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Don't worry if the mushrooms are not "brand new fresh" - all the better. Mushrooms that have browned slightly add color and taste to the soup. Chop the mushrooms into a fine dice. Place in a large sauce pot with the butter and saute until most of the liquid in the mushrooms has cooked off. Sprinkle the flour over the mushroom mixture. Stir while cooking for a few minutes, then add the chicken stock and mix well. Allow the mixture to reduce over a medium flame to half its original volume (about 1/2 hour). Refrigerate until just before dinner. Before serving, heat mixture while adding the heavy cream. Add cognac and salt & white pepper to taste.

Asparagus Soup

Le Bec-Fin
1523 Walnut Street,
215.567.1000

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 onions
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 garlic head peeled
• 1 sachet
• 3 bunches asparagus
• 2 cup white wine
• 3 quarts vegetable stock

DIRECTIONS:

Sweat the garnish. When soft, add the stem of 1 asparagus bunch. Deglaze with white wine and reduce to dry. Add the vegetable stock, bring to boil and add the rest of the asparagus stems. Save the asparagus tips for the garnish. When the asparagus are cooked, add 1/2 quart of spinach leaves, bring back to boil and blend. Check seasoning. If necessary, a la minute, add a green puree made of spinach to keep a natural color to the soup.

Garnish the soup with a lobster salad and asparagus tips tempura.

Lolita Chile Pumpkin Soup

Lolita
106 S. 13th Street
215.546.7100

Serves 8.

CHILE PUREE INGREDIENTS:

• 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and seeded
• 1 teaspoon Spanish sherry vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, fresh ground

DIRECTIONS:

In a small pot, cover the ancho chiles with boiling water and simmer until soft. Place in a food processor or blender with the remaining ingredients and process until smooth. Strain and reserve.

PUMPKIN SOUP INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 5 tablespoons ginger, peeled and minced
• 3 pounds peeled, seeded and cubed pumpkin or butternut squash
• 2 cups Spanish onion, peeled and diced
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons cumin seed, ground
• 2 tablespoons chile powder
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded
• 8 cups chicken or vegetable stock, low sodium if canned
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 cup heavy cream, optional
• 4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper, fresh ground

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the pumpkin, ginger, onions and garlic. Cook until softened, about 15 minutes, stirring often. Add the thyme, cumin, chile powder, bay leaves and roasted bell peppers. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer for 1 hour. Remove the bay leaves. Puree the soup in batches in a blender. Return the soup to the pot. Stir in the honey and cream and season with salt and pepper. In each soup bowl divide the room temperature corn salsa. Ladle the hot soup around the salsa. Drizzle the chile puree on the soup.

Chef Al's Wonton Soup

Chef Al Paris
Mantra
122 South 18th Street
215.988.1211

Serves 6.

WONTON INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 pounds ground pork
  (can use poultry or fish here)
• 2 eggs
• 1 chopped onion
• 6 chopped water chestnuts
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons corn starch

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all ingredients together. Stuff equally into 44 wonton skins.

SOUP INGREDIENTS:

• 1 gallon chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons soy
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 cups Chinese cabbage
• 2 cups King Oyster mushrooms

DIRECTIONS:

Simmer for 10 minutes. Add Wontons. Simmer for 3 minutes. Place Snap peas & sliced scallions into soup bowls. Add sliced whole roasted meat (whatever is in wontons) into bowl. Top with hot soup & wontons.

Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup
(It's not fondue, but the next best thing!)
The Melting Pot
1219 Filbert Street
215.922.7002

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 red pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 14 ounce can chicken broth
  (vegetable broth)
• 16 ounces shredded extra sharp Wisconsin cheddar cheese
• 1 8 ounce package frozen broccoli florets, thawed
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped garlic
• 4 ounces Yuengling lager (It's a Philly thing!)

DIRECTIONS:

Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic in butter in a large saucepan.

Toss shredded cheese with cornstarch.

Pour half of broth into saucepan.  Add half of the cheese mixture. Stir until melted. Repeat until broth and cheese is all added.

Add broccoli, Worcestershire and beer to saucepan. Stir until smooth

Serve immediately.

Butternut Squash Soup

Meritage Restaurant & Wine Bar
500 S. 20th Street
215.985.1922

Yields 1 gallon.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 pounds of butternut squash peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 large carrot peeled and diced
• 3 stalks of celery diced
• 1 large Spanish onion diced

DIRECTIONS:

Sweat all ingredients with 4 oz of butter. Deglaze with 3 quarts of vegetable stock. Add 1 quart of heavy cream, 1 oz of Chinese 5 spice powder,
salt & pepper to taste. Simmer one hour, puree and strain.

Carmelized Onion Soup

Mission Grill
1835 Arch Street
215.636.9550

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable Oil
• 4 onions, sliced
• 1/2 pound beef short rib (Cubed)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup red wine, about 1/2 bottle
• 3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 quarts beef broth
• 1 baguette, sliced
• 1/2 pound grated Oaxaca Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in large pot over high heat. Add cubed beef short rib and brown all sides very well. Discard oil in the pot. Melt the stick of butter in the same pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized (about 25 minutes). Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry (about 5 minutes). Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn and cook for 10 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Season to taste, with salt and pepper.

When you're ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Oaxaca and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.

Alternative method: Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

Lobster Bisque

Ruth's Chris Steak House
260 S. Broad Street
215.790.1515

Yields 1/2 gallon.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup celery (diced)
• 1/2 onion (diced)
• 1/4 pound large carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 pound lobster base
• 1/16 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 cup cooking sherry
• 5 1/2 ounce butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 gallon water

DIRECTIONS:

Fill the pot with a 1/2 gallon of water. Add the first 7 ingredients to the water and bring to a boil. Cook for 45 min.

Melt butter in a sauce pot . Mix flour & paprika together. Then add the flour mixture to the butter. Mix thoroughly until mixture is smooth (No lumps).

Strain vegetables from the water. Save the water for further use.

Add flour to the water mixture while boiling, stir thoroughly until it gets thick.

Add heavy cream.

Cool, label, date, and refrigerate.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Washington Square
210 W. Washington Square
215.592.7787

INGREDIENTS:

• 10 butternut squash
• 4 Spanish onions - julienned
• 3 large carrots - large dice
• 1 head celery - large dice
• 2 fennel bulbs - julienned
• 12 garlic cloves
• 2 gallons chicken stock
• honey - to taste
• 1/ 2 bunch rosemary

SACHET INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 10 star anise
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 1 tablespoon fennel seed
• 10 cloves
• 12 sprigs thyme
• 4 bay leaves
• 1/4 bunch parsley stems

DIRECTIONS:

Halve squash lengthwise, season wtih salt and pepper and oil, roast flesh side down at 350 degrees until soft.

In a large pot lightly caramelize onions, carrots, celery, fennel and garlic.Deglaze vegetables with chicken stock. Scoop flesh from roasted squash and add to soup base. Add sachet.Cook for 1/2 hour until all ingredients are soft.

Remove sachet, puree in blender, add sachet back. Season with honey. Add rosemary and cook to creamy consistency (add stock if necessary).Remove rosemary and sachet, add salt if necessary.

Pass through a fine strainer.