2. Add the water and stir. Now, slowly add in the flour. This will thicken up the stew. Stir until the flour has completely dissolved. Add all the seasonings (creole seasoning, cayenne pepper, paprika, red crushed pepper flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce, red hot sauce) and stir completely. If you have some preserved bacon fat, scoop about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat into the stew and stir; if not then don’t worry about it. Allow the etouffee to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes before serving and serve over white rice.

Add the chopped chicken, mushrooms and rice noodles. Bring to a simmer and cook the noodles according to package directions. Before serving pick up the noodles with tongs and snip them with kitchen shears for easier eating. Garnish with cilantro.

Thirty minutes before the soup is done, add the zucchini. Cover and cook 30 more minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to manufacturer’s directions. I don’t recommend putting the pasta in the soup because it falls apart if it is in the pot too long.

Spoon pasta into bowl and ladle soup over the pasta and if desired, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Brown beef along with bacon, onion, and garlic. Add remaining 2 cups beef broth, chili powder, cumin, oregano and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to very low and let simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Mash tortillas in the beef broth a bit, add mixture to soup and return to a boil. Reduce heat again and simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until tortillas are dissolved into soup.

Add cubed Velveeta, cheddar cheese, red salsa, and jalapeno juice, stir until melted. Turn off heat and add milk.

Put the lid on and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 7 hours. Serve garnished with jalapenos, sour cream, and shredded cheese as desired.

Blend until somewhat creamy using either a blender in batches or using an immersion blender. Add Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste and then serve with more grated Parmesan on top and possibly chopped green onions. Crumbled bacon is a good topping, too.

You can serve this with crusty bread or croutons and dollop of sour cream (optional).

Note: If making this ahead, it thickens as it sits. You can add a little water while your reheating to get to the right consistency.

Transfer the mixture (in batches) to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Transfer the soup back to the Dutch oven and turn the heat on low. Gently stir in the heavy cream and cook for another 20-25 minutes uncovered. Adjust seasoning to taste and keep warm until ready to serve.

For the croutons, preheat your oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with foil. In a large bowl, combine the butter, olive oil, bread cubes and a dash of salt and pepper. Toss together and then pour onto your prepared baking sheet. Transfer the sheet to the hot oven and cook until slightly brown and crispy, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool until you are ready to serve.

For the bacon, heat a non-stick, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the bacon and cook until all the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a paper-towel line plate to drain any excess fat. Crumble when cooled.

For the pesto, combine the arugula, spinach, basil, Parmesan cheese, pine nuts and a dash of salt and pepper in a blender. Begin to blend at a low speed, and slowly drizzle in your olive oil until you reach the consistency you desire. For the soup, it should be of a thicker consistency, so that it rests on top.

Serve the soup hot, and top with the croutons, bacon and pesto. Enjoy!

1. A large, heavy-bottomed pot or casserole with a lid.
2. A slotted spoon.
3. A food processor or blender.
4. A large bowl.

Making the soup:

1. Heat the olive oil in the pot over medium heat. Add the chorizo and sauté until it begins to turn golden. With a slotted spoon, remove the sausage to a plate and set it aside.
2. Add the onion to the oil that remains in the pot and slowly cook it, stirring occasionally, until the edges begin to turn golden. Add the garlic and continue cooking, stirring, until the garlic begins to color around the edges.
3. Add the potato and bouillon and bring the soup to a simmer. Cook the soup, partially covered, for about 20 minutes, or until the potato is tender.
4. Purée the soup in batches, transferring each puréed portion to a large bowl.
5. When all the soup has been processed, return it to the pot and bring the soup to a simmer. Add the chopped greens and the reserved chorizo and cook the soup gently, uncovered, for about 5-10 minutes or until the greens are just cooked. Taste and season with the salt and pepper.

2. Spray the inside of a large Dutch oven with non-stick spray. Set the Dutch oven over medium heat for 5 minutes then add 3 tablespoons of butter, onion slices and the leek. Toss the onions to coat with the melting butter, stir in ½ cup of water then cover and transfer to the oven. Bake for 1 hour until the onions are tender and translucent. Check after 30 minutes to make sure that the water has not completely evaporated. If necessary add enough water to keep the onion mixture moist. After 1 hour remove the Dutch oven from oven and stir in 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, the thyme, and the chopped garlic. Return pot to oven with lid slightly ajar for 1 hour.

3. Transfer the Dutch oven back to the stovetop, remove the lid and set over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until all of the water has evaporated and the onions are browned to your liking. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and cook stirring for another 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the Dutch oven from the heat to rest while you heat 2 cups of the beef stock just to the boiling point in a small saucepan. You can keep the oven on—you’ll need it in a bit.

4. With the Dutch oven still off the heat, whisk in the hot beef stock until completely incorporated. Return the Dutch oven to medium heat, add the remaining beef stock, cognac and sherry and bring to a simmer. Cover and keep over low heat for 30 minutes, then remove the cover and simmer for 30 minutes more.

5. During the last ½ hour of simmering, toast the baguette slices on a baking sheet in the 400ºF oven until golden brown on both sides. Rub the toasted baguette slices with the cut sides of the garlic cloves. Set aside to cool. Mix the cheeses and the chopped parsley together in a bowl. Place a silicone mat on the baking sheet and arrange the toasted baguette slices on the mat at least 1” apart. Divide the cheese mixture evenly on top of each slice and return the baking sheet to the oven until the cheeses have melted, run off the bread all around and browned.

6. While the bread and cheese are browning, turn off the heat under the soup and taste to adjust seasonings. Stir in the 3 remaining tablespoons of butter until smooth.

Notes:
Serve the croutons on the side with their skirts of melted cheese attached or float them on individual servings of the soup.

Adding all-purpose flour will tighten the soup. Aside from our beef stock, we’re not cooking with any other meat proteins to add body to this soup so we tighten it (as opposed to thickening).

When you are adjusting the seasoning you may want to add a little granulated sugar in addition if the caramelized onions haven’t produced enough natural sweetness. You may also wish to add more cognac and or sherry.

For a more traditional presentation, fill individual ovenproof soup crocks with soup and float 3 of the toasted baguettes slices on top. Mound the cheese mixture on the bread and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the cheese has browned.