First, let me be totally honest here; I really liked this soup!
My husband? Not so much; but, even after 20 years together next month, he is kind of a traditionalist when it comes to some flavor blends:
Pumpkin should only be spiced for pie, and not, say, cooked into a rather delightful (I thought) Red Curry Pumpkin Soup.
Hmmm… mebbe it’s soup?
In any event, if you are not quite so tied to tomato and basil (tho’ there is basil in here), and you have a nice, in-the-brine Feta cheese, I would recommend this soup.
INGREDIENTS
Stock:
•Chicken bones/carcass
•Chopped celery
•Chopped carrot
•Onion
•Garlic
•Onion
•Fresh parsley
•1 bay leaf
Soup:
•8 Roma tomatoes, quartered – I had grape tomatoes to use up, so…
•1/2 red onion, chopped
•2 cloves garlic
•1 jalapeño, sliced
•1/4 cup basil paste
•2 cups chicken stock
•1 (400ml) can whole coconut milk
•1/2 tsp liquid mesquite smoke
•1 tbsp Sherry Peppers Sauce*
•1 tbsp honey
•1/2 tsp dried oregano
•1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
•1/2 tsp black pepper
•1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper
Extras:
•Feta cheese
•1 tbsp Sherry or sherry vinegar
*No Sherry Peppers Sauce? No Problem! Simply add a bit of decent sherry (none of that “cooking” stuff) and a dash or three of your fave hot sauce, to taste.
For the stock, add all the ingredients to your Instant Pot, then add water to the max liquid line.
Set for 45 minutes at high pressure.
Let rest under pressure for 20 minutes, then release remaining pressure and strain stock.
Use immediately or stash in the fridge or freezer for later use.
Don’t want to make your own stock? Don’t! Go ahead and use your preferred chicken or veggie stock.
To make the soup, toss the ingredients (except for the Feta and Sherry) into the pot (wiped down, if you’ve just made the stock), then set the pot to high pressure for five minutes.
Let rest under pressure for ten minutes, then release remaining pressure.
Blend with an immersion blender until the soup is smooth, then set the pot to simmer and cook for five or ten minutes more, until slightly reduced and thick.
Give the soup a taste.
Pretty good, right?
But… I reckon a soup or stew is always better with one tablespoon of sherry or (mebbe even better) sherry vinegar stirred in and simmered for a few minutes.
Yeh – that’s what I am talking about!
To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and serve with freshly crumbled Feta cheese.
Yum!
And, many thanks to mealplanaddict.com for the original recipe.