APPETIZING SEAFOOD SOUP RECIPES

The best soups are made with a blending of many flavors. Don't be afraid of experimenting with them, since a large number of successful varieties can be produced.  A little good sherry added to almost any soup just before serving can work wonders. A dry white wine should be used for most soups that call for wine as a cooking ingredient. Red wine can act as a substitute if necessary.

Sauvignon Blanc Black Mussel Soup

Clean black mussels and put them in a large pot with chopped onions, garlic, parsley, and a bunch of fresh thyme. Pour in half a bottle of sauvignon blanc or any other good dry white wine. Cover and put on high heat to cook. Shells will start to open after 5 minutes of simmering. Discard those that don't open. Serve with crusty white bread to soak up the liquid.

Lobster Bisque with Dry Sherry & Croutons

Keep all the crayfish shell to make this soup. Crush the shells and put them in a large, deep pot. Then flambe in brandy. Add 4 cups of water and boil for about 20 minutes. In the meantime saute chopped onion in butter and olive oil in another pan with diced carrots. Cook until soft. Add a cup of tomato puree and cook for 5 minutes. Add a teaspoon of sugar, paprika, half a cup of dry sherry, a teaspoon of curry powder, salt, black pepper and a dash of tabasco. Strain the crayfish shell stock and add to the tomato mixture. Then add a tub of cream just before serving the soup hot with croutons. The soup may be liquidized for a smooth texture or left as is. Crayfish legs can be used to decorate the soup tureen and the individual soup bowls.

Abalone or Perlemoen soup

2 l (8 cups) fish fumet

1 l (4 cups) carved basil leaves

2 (⅓ cup) yellow carrots cut into strips

600 g steamed abalone cut into thin strips

250 ml (1cup) finely cut coriander leaves or 250 ml sliced parsley mixed with 3 ml (⅓ tea spoon) garam masala

salt and freshly ground white pepper

Place all the ingredients, except 60 ml (¼ cup) of the coriander in a pot. Heat to boiling point and let simmer for ten minutes until the carrots are tender. Dish up in a tureen and garnish with the rest of the coriander.

An assortment of world soups

Avgolemono : Greek chicken-and-lemon soup thickened with beaten egg.

Bisque : thick French shellfish soup.

Borscht : Russian beetroot soup.

Chowder : thick U.S. soup made with shellfish or fish.

Cock-a-leekie : Scottish soup of chicken and leek.

Consommé : clear stock-based soup.

Gazpacho : spicy Spanish vegetable soup, usually served chilled.

Gumbo : African, Caribbean, and U.S. thickened with okra.

Madrilène : French tomato-flavored consommé, usually served chilled.

Minestrone : Italian vegetable soup with bacon and rice or pasta.

Mulligatawny : curry-flavored soup of Anglo-Indian origin.

Potage : thick soup.

Pot-au-feu : thick French soup of vegetables and meat, sometimes with pasta or rice.

Vichyssoise : thick soup of leek and potato, usually served chilled.