Six Lilies Soup Recipes

SEVEN-ONION SOUP

Steps:

• In a 4-quart soup pot over medium heat, combine the olive oil, red, white, yellow, and pearl onions, and the shallots and saute until golden brown and soft.
• Add the leeks and chives and cook until the onions turn a deep golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring, 2 minutes more, or until the mixture begins to bubble.
• Add 2 cups of stock every 15 minutes for the next 45 minutes, allowing the liquid to reduce by one-fourth after each addition.
• Add the mushrooms and thyme leaves with the last 2 cups of stock. The soup will be a very deep brown. Ladle into deep soup bowls and garnish with thyme sprigs.

CHINESE HOT-AND-SOUR SOUP

Steps:

• Toss pork with dark soy sauce in a bowl until pork is well coated.
• Soak black and tree ear mushrooms in 3 cups boiling-hot water in another bowl (water should cover mushrooms), turning over black mushrooms occasionally, until softened, about 30 minutes. (Tree ears will expand significantly.) Cut out and discard stems from black mushrooms, then squeeze excess liquid from caps into bowl and thinly slice caps. Remove tree ears from bowl, reserving liquid, and trim off any hard nubs. If large, cut tree ears into bite-size pieces. Stir together 1/4 cup mushroom-soaking liquid (discard remainder) with cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside.
• Meanwhile, soak lily buds in about 1 cup warm water until softened, about 20 minutes, then drain. Trim off tough tips of lily buds. Cut lily buds in half crosswise, then tear each half lengthwise into 2 or 3 shreds.
• Cover bamboo shoots with cold water by 2 inches in a small saucepan, then bring just to a boil (to remove bitterness) and drain in a sieve.
• Stir together vinegars, light soy sauce, sugar, and salt in another small bowl.
• Heat a wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Pour peanut oil down side of wok, then swirl oil, tilting wok to coat sides. Add pork and stir-fry until meat just changes color, about 1 minute, then add black mushrooms, tree ears, lily buds, and bamboo shoots and stir-fry 1 minute.
• Add broth and bring to a boil, then add tofu. Return to a boil and add vinegar mixture. Stir cornstarch mixture, then add to broth and return to a boil, stirring. (Liquid will thicken.) Reduce heat to moderate and simmer 1 minute.
• Beat eggs with a fork and add a few drops of sesame oil. Add eggs to soup in a thin stream, stirring slowly in one direction with a spoon. Stir in white pepper, then drizzle in remaining sesame oil and divide among 6 to 8 bowls. Sprinkle with scallions and cilantro before serving.

CHINESE SPICY HOT AND SOUR SOUP

Steps:

• Soak the dried mushrooms and tiger lily buds in warm water for 20 minutes. After trimming off any tough stems, slice the mushrooms. With the fingers, shred the tiger lily stems.
• Place the mushrooms, tiger lily buds, stock, bamboo shoots, and shredded pork into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Stir in soy sauce, sugar, salt, white pepper, and vinegar. Combine cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Add a little of the hot soup to the cornstarch, and then return all to the pan. Heat to boiling, stirring. Add the bean curd, and cook 1 to 2 minutes.
• Just before serving, turn off the heat. Stir the egg in gradually. Mix in sesame oil. Sprinkle each serving with scallions.

FIVE LILY SOUP

Steps:

• Saute onion and leeks in olive oil until soft.
• Add shallots, garlic and green onions and cook slowly for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, cooked down and browned.
• Add stock, soy sauce and molasses.
• Scrape up browned bits, bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer partly covered for 30 minutes (less if you like firmer vegetables).
• If not a vegan meal, this soup can be served with garlic bread croutons with melted cheese.

SIX ONION SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a pot.
• Add the onions, leeks, shallots and garlic and cook, covered, over low heat until vegetables are tender and lightly colored, about 25 minutes.
• Add the stock, thyme and bay leaf, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat,and cook, partially covered, for 20 minutes.
• Pour the soup through a strainer set over a bowl, transfer the solids and 1 cup of the liquid to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade(or a blender), and puree.
• Return the puree and remaining 3 cups of liquid to the pot and set over medium heat.
• Whisk in the heavy cream and bring to a simmer.
• Add the scallions and simmer for another 5 minutes, or until they are tender.
• Ladle into heated bowls and garnish with croutons of toasted French bread and snipped fresh chives.
• Enjoy!

SIX LILIES SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot, sweat the onion, leek, shallots, garlic and green onions in the butter keeping the heat on low, placing a piece of parchment paper directly on top of the ingredients, and covering pot tightly for 20 minutes or so. This step allows the ingredients to release their moisture and flavor without their liquids evaporating. Add the stock and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the half and half and sherry and puree in a food procesor or blender. Garnish with chopped chives.