Roasted Poblano and Cheese Soup

Holy Ap-cray! It has been a whole month since I've posted last in this space. I wish I could say I have some fantastic story as to what I've been doing in the meantime. Like, swimming from Cuba to Florida ala Diana Nyad or was involved in negotiating the reopening the government during the shutdown. But, alas, all I've got is that I've still been catching my stride during this first quarter of the school year, and costume construction for the impending Halloween. Oh, and planning and researching "Soup's On!" a TGK Cooking Club Class offering (still working on the official name for these things so bear with me if it always seems slightly different from the last time you hear something about it). Which brings us to the real substance of this post - soup. 

According to the Encyclopedia of Food and Culture(Katz, and Woys Weaver ),* at its simplest, soup is nothing more than broth infused with flavor. Soup shows up in most cultures of the world. When food is scarce, soup is an important way to stretch what ingredients are available. It is also a traditional way to give a new life to leftovers and to not waste one single morsel. While it can be the whole meal in its entirety or part of a meal when served together with other soups, soup's usual place is as the opening act to the rest of the meal. In fact, the 18th century gourmand, Guinod de la Reniere likened soup to the portico of a building; in the same way an overture sets the tone of an opera, so does the soup for the rest of the banquet.

Soup wasn't always so revered as a culinary treat, and instead has its start as an adjunct to medicine. In the middle ages," "iusculum consummatum" was given as medicine. Fast forward to the 18th century where this general class of clear soups was called "restaurant" and was considered the health food of Paris at the time.  Soon, the place where you could go and procure your health elixirs and enjoy them was called a restaurant.  So, maybe the idea that chicken soup (aka Jewish penicillin)  is more than just comforting and actually restorative might not be too far-fetched.

For our class on soups, we made 3 different soups. First up was a broth based soup, classic french onion followed by a vegetable puree soup, roasted butternut squash with caramelized pear and crispy prosciutto. We wrapped up the session with a cream/milk based soup, Roasted Poblano and Cheddar soup, which is what I'm sharing today. This soup reminds me of a cheesy enchilada in soup form. It is melty and warm and very filling to serve as a meal or would be a fabulous starter to a Mexican-influenced menu. It isn't difficult to make and comes together in a little over 30 minutes or so. It is begging to be your dinner on a brisk, Fall day, so give it a shot.

 *(yes, there is such a thing. yes, I own it. yes, I realize this makes me a super-nerd. 
Katz, Solomon, and William Woys Weaver. Encyclopedia of Food and Culture. New York: 2002.) 

Roasted Poblano & Cheese Soup (adapted from Lambert's)

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (or run thru the press)
• 2 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded(if you want) and chopped
• 1/4 C cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/2 C flour, all-purpose
• 2 C chicken stock
• 1 C whole milk
• 2 C heavy cream
• 2 poblano peppers, roasted  peeled, seeded and chopped (you can sub canned green chiles in a pinch.)
• 3 C cheddar cheese grated (preferably white cheddar)
• 1/4 C yellow cheddar or colby (for garnish)
• 3 green onions, white and green parts, finely chopped (for garnish)

1. In a fairly large, heavy soup pot, heat the oil and butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onions & saute until soft and translucent (about 3 minutes). Add garlic, tomatoes & cilantro and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add flour, stirring continuously, cook for another 2 minutes or so. (The flour acts as a thickener/pseudo-roux for the soup).
2. Whisk in the chicken stock, milk and cream. Bring soup to a brisk simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Turn heat to low and continue to cook at low simmer(stirring frequently) until it is thick and creamy.(This will take about 15 minutes).
3. Fold poblanos into the soup and cook for another 5 minutes. Add white cheddar and stir until the cheese is incorporated and the soup is smooth (about 2 minutes).
4. Once the cheese is in the soup, keep the heat at low simmer. Anything more than that will cause the cheese to "break"resulting in the cheese solids separating and an oily soup.
5. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a sprinkle of yellow cheddar/colby and green onions for garnish. enjoy!

Note: feel free to play around with the type of cheese that you use - monterrey jack might be a good choice...even pepper jack. Also, you can experiment with the ratios and types of milk products used. Your soup may turn out differently, but you might have a thinner (less caloric) soup for anyone out there watching that. Again, I'm a firm believer in moderation. So, have a bowl or two of soup over the course of a couple of days isn't the same as drinking the whole pot with a straw. Not that I've done that or anything. One last note, following class, we added a few crumbled tortilla chips for garnish then the cheese and onions. Divine! (You could also add some shredded cooked chicken if you've got people who must. have. meat.)

Happy Cooking!

sld

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