Helens Eggplant Soup Recipes

ROASTED EGGPLANT AND GARLIC SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine the garlic, herbs and drizzle of olive oil together. Season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Split the eggplant in half, lengthwise and smear the garlic mixture over the top of each eggplant half. Place the eggplant on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Roast the eggplant for 30 minutes or until the eggplant is tender. Remove from the oven and cool. Using a spoon, remove the flesh of the eggplant and discard the skin. Heat the oil in a 2 quart saucepan. When the oil is hot, add the onions. Saute for 2 minutes. Add the roasted eggplant and garlic and continue to saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Using a hand-held blender, puree the soup until smooth. Stir in the cream and continue to simmer for 3 minutes. Season the soup with the salt and the cayenne.

TOMATO AND EGGPLANT SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a medium (10 to 11-inch) pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the eggplant and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Add a little more olive oil if the eggplant is sticking.
• Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pot, add the onions and fennel, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for one minute, stirring often. Add the chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, fennel seeds, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons black pepper. Pour the can of whole tomatoes, including the liquid, into a food processor and pulse until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Add the tomatoes and the liquid to the pot. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot in large bowls sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

PARMESAN AND EGGPLANT SOUP WITH PARMESAN CRISPS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, toss the eggplant with 2 teaspoons salt, and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature. Then, rinse the eggplant with water and drain.
• In a large saute pan, over medium heat, sweat the onion in the butter for 3 to 4 minutes or until translucent. Add the eggplant, and continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Set aside 1 cup cooked eggplant to use as a garnish.
• In a large saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a simmer. Add the chopped parmesan, and simmer slowly for 45 minutes. Strain the stock, and discard the cheese.
• Puree the cooked eggplant with the chicken stock, then pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl, discarding the solids. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Make the parmesan crisps: In a large, nonstick saute pan, sprinkle half the grated parmesan into an even 1/8-inch layer. Cook slowly over medium-low heat until the cheese melts and turns golden brown.
• Loosen the edges of the parmesan from the pan with a rubber spatula. Carefully slide the melted cheese from the pan onto a cutting board. Immediately cut the cheese into 6 irregular triangles. While the cheese triangles are still hot, lay them over a wine bottle or rolling pin to create a curved crisp. Let the crisps cool completely. Repeat the process to create a total of 12 parmesan crisps.
• Ladle the hot soup into 4 bowls. Spoon some of the reserved eggplant into each bowl. Sprinkle with the shaved parmesan and chives. Place 3 parmesan crisps in the center of each bowl, and serve immediately.

SMOKY EGGPLANT SOUP

Steps:

• Poke 2 or 3 holes in eggplants with a paring knife, then place on a baking sheet under hot broiler, about 2 inches from flame. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, allowing skins to blacken and char. Turn and cook on other side until eggplants have softened completely, about 4 minutes more. Set aside to cool, then remove and discard skins and roughly chop eggplant flesh.
• Meanwhile, put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed stainless or enameled soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook until softened and beginning to color, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, cayenne and reserved eggplant and cook 1 minute more, then add broth and bring to a brisk simmer. Reduce heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Check seasoning of broth and adjust salt.
• Purée soup in batches in blender. Strain through fine-meshed sieve and discard solid debris and seeds. Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice to puréed soup and taste again, adding more as necessary. Soup should be well seasoned and rather lemony.
• Mix lemon zest with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil for garnish. Ladle soup into small bowls, topping each bowl with 1 teaspoon lemon oil, 1/2 teaspoon za'atar and some chopped parsley. May be served hot or cold.

MEDITERRANEAN THAI EGGPLANT WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut the ends off the eggplant then cut the eggplant lengthwise.
• Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and lay the eggplant pieces cut-side-down on the sheet; bake the eggplant in the oven for 45 minutes.
• While eggplant is baking, grate half of the onion (you want the grated texture and intense flavor of the onion juice without the chopped texture) and chop the other half.
• When the eggplant is done, take one half and simply scoop out the soft inner parts; the other half you want to cut into chunky cubes (you can leave the peel on or not- it's up to you- but I removed it); turn off the oven.
• In a food processor, put half of the white beans, half of the chopped basil, the chopped onion (not the grated half), the garlic, half of the chopped scallions, and the half of the eggplant that you scooped out; whir the mixture until it is smooth.
• Put the processed mixture in a crockpot and add the remaining ingredients (including the other half of the divided items), and heat on low for 2 hours; alternately you could simmer it on the stove for 30 minutes.
• This is a very rich-tasting soup, so smallish servings can be a good idea.

RICH AND CREAMY ROASTED EGGPLANT SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Place tomatoes, eggplant, onion and garlic on a baking sheet and brush with oil.
• Roast in preheated oven until very tender and brown in spots, 45 minutes.
• Scoop out eggplant pulp and discard skin. Place eggplant pulp, tomatoes, onion and garlic in a large heavy saucepan with thyme and chicken broth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat and simmer until onion is very tender, 45 minutes.
• Puree in batches in a food processor or blender, or using an immersion blender. Return to low heat and stir in cream. Bring to a simmer, thinning with more broth, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with goat cheese.

ROASTED EGGPLANT SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Place tomatoes, eggplant, onion and garlic on large baking sheet. Brush vegetables with oil. Roast until vegetables are tender and brown in spots, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven. Scoop eggplant from skin into heavy large saucepan; discard skin. Add remaining roasted vegetables and thyme to same saucepan. Add 4 cups chicken stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Cook until onion is very tender, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly.
• Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to saucepan. Stir in cream. Bring to simmer, thinning with more stock, if desired. Season soup with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with goat cheese; serve.

EGGPLANT SUPPER SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the onion, beef, and garlic until beef is evenly brown. Drain grease, and mix in eggplant, carrots, celery, and tomatoes. Pour in beef broth. Mix in sugar, and season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through.
• Mix macaroni into the soup, and continue cooking 12 minutes, or until macaroni is al dente. Mix in parsley. Top with Parmesan chreese to serve.