Brownie Points

This is a nice indulgent soup, perfect for my cold Monday night. Based on a recipe found in The Best American Recipes 1999, it strikes me as a kicked up tortilla soup. It has spice, but isn’t hot. If you feel like you really deserve it, serve this in a toasted bread bowl.

Cream of Jalapeño Soup

Saute over medium low heat:

• 1 Tbs butter
• 1/3 onion, finely chopped
• three jalapeños, seeded, and minced
• two cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1/2 tsp salt

for about 5 minutes until the ingredients are nicely softened.

Add to the saute:

• 2 cups of stock**
• 1/3 cup of crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp of chipotle puree [one can of chipotle in adobo sauce whirled in the blender]
• 1/2 avocado, diced
• 2 cups of half and half or cream

and stir constantly while bringing the mixture to just under a simmer over low heat.

** According to McGee’s On Food and Cooking a creamy soup will separate if one tries to make it less fatty with stock and half and half, like I did. And what do you know, he’s right. It will taste good, but won’t look like a full fat soup. Using entirely heavy cream for your liquid will decrease you chances of separation significantly due to the close proximity of fat globules suspended in the cream.

Cook the soup down while stirring occasionally, allowing it to reduce by 1/3. How to tell if it’s reduced? Check out this tool!

Season to finish and add 1/3 cup of chopped cilantro.

Enjoy!

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