new york city

Vichyssoise Soup from New York City

The Vichyssoise soup is a versatile dish, as it can be served both hot and cold. Originally, it is made of pureed leeks, onions, potatoes, cream and chicken stock. Nevertheless, vegetarians can also enjoy this lovely soup if they replace the chicken stock to vegetable stock.

The soup’s origins are debated by food historians. Some believe it is a French dish; others regard it as an “American invention”. Most often, Louis Diat, a French chef of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in New York City is credited with the soup’s recipe or at least with its re-invention based on childhood memories of a similar soup he enjoyed when growing up in France.

When the soup first appeared on the menu of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in 1917, it was called “Crème Vichyssoise Glacée”. Later, from the 1930s onwards, it was simply referred to as “Vichy”. Today, its is most often called “Vichyssoise”. It sounds very elegant, doesn’t it?

I came across the recipe of the Vichyssoise soup when I attended an intermediary cookery course at the Ashburton Cookery School in the United Kingdom. The soup we prepared at the course under the guidance of professional chefs was of restaurant quality, both by taste and look. It’s an easy but very impressive dish, in my opinion.

The original recipe of the Ashburton Cookery School contains chicken stock. I changed it to vegetable stock when I became vegetarian. In my opinion, it is equally delicious. I would recommend trying this fabulous recipe either way, according to your taste.

Vichyssoise Soup from Found on onionchoco.blogspot.com picture
http://onionchoco.blogspot.ae/
Ingredients:

  • 25 gram butter
  • 100 gram onion (finely chopped)
  • 200 gram leek (finely sliced)
  • 150 gram potato (peeled and finely chopped)
  • 500 millilitre vegetable stock (preferably home made or organic packaged)
  • 50 millilitre double cream
  • Salt according to taste
  • Pepper according to taste
  • Handful of chives (finely chopped)

Preparation method:

  • Melt the butter and seat the leeks and onions until softened.
  • Add the stock and potatoes and bring to a simmer. Stir constantly and add a little stock occasionally to keep topped up to the 500-millilitre level while it simmers.
  • When the potatoes are thoroughly cooked, allow the soup to cool slightly and then liquidise the soup until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve.
  • Add the double cream and adjust the consistency with a little more stock if necessary.
  • Season with salt and pepper and garnish with the chopped chives.

Once you prepared the soup, serve it either hot or cold. Don’t forget to decorate with finely chopped chives to get the restaurant-look!

Bon appetite!

Vegetarian Waldorf Salad from New York City

I love delicious food that also has history. The Waldorf Salad is a prime example of such a dish. It is associated with the famous Waldorf Hotel (the precursor of the luxurious Waldorf-Astoria Hotel) in New York City, where it was first created sometime between 1893 and 1897.

The Waldorf Salad is known to be first made by Oscar Tschirky, who was the head waiter of the Waldorf Hotel at that time. Mr Tschirky was known about his culinary creativity. He never worked as a chef, but he developed many of the hotel’s signature dishes. His cook book entitled “The Cook Book” contains the original recipe, which was fine tuned later, when it appeared in “The Rector Cook Book” in 1928.

The traditional Waldorf Salad contains fresh apples, celery and walnuts and it is served on a bed of lettuce. It is often served with mayonnaise. Sometimes chicken, turkey, grapes and dried fruit appear in the salad’s contemporary versions. Healthier interpretations tend to use a yoghurt-based sauce instead of the mayo.

The vegetarian version that I like to prepare is based on the traditional recipe, but it contains chickpeas for a bit of protein boost. I tend to use a yoghurt-based sauce and I normally serve it with baby spinach leaves instead of lettuce.

Waldorf Salad from www.vegetariantimes.com
www.vegetariantimes.com
Ingredients:

  • 120 ml plain full-fat yogurt, preferably Greek-style
  • 1 teaspoon of mustard, preferably Dijon type
  • 1 teaspoon of honey or agave nectar
  • Salt according to taste (approximately 1/2 teaspoon)
  • Freshly ground black pepper according to taste (approximately 1/4 teaspoon)
  • 400 gram can of chickpeas (drained)
  • 2 ribs of celery (finely chopped)
  • 1 apple (chopped into small pieces)
  • 1 medium-sized bunch of red grapes (cut the grapes into halves)
  • 1 medium-sized red onion (diced into small pieces)
  • 1 bunch of parsley (finely chopped)
  • 100 grams of walnuts (roughly chopped)
  • 1 bunch of fresh baby spinach leaves

Preparation method: 

  • Chop up the celery, apple, red onion, grapes, parsley and walnuts and combine them with the chickpeas in a large salad bowl.
  • Add the spinach leaves and combine with the salad mixture.
  • Prepare the dressing by combining the yoghurt, mustard, honey, salt and pepper and mix the ingredients well.
  • Stir in the dressing gently but thoroughly.
  • Refrigerate the salad for half an hour before serving.

Waldorf Salad from www.relish.com
www.relish.com
The salad is perfect as a light meal. Alternatively, it can be offered as a side dish with more substantial oven-baked meals, pastas or risottos.

Bon appetite!