Soups and veloutés are dishes that can be eaten as starters or as light main courses. I admit that I prefer veloutés because I find them velvety and their silky nature pleases me a lot.
Gaspacho with red pepper
This gaspacho comes from a recipe of the Great French Chef Alain Ducasse and it’s special because the red peppers first are cooked in the oven and then they are added with the other ingredients (tomatoes, cucumber, onion, garlic, basil) into the mix that stays in the refrigerator overnight! At the end, we add a little bit of Xérès vinegar for even more flavor! It’s really very good!
Lentils the Greek way (fakes)
Lentils the Greek way are cooked as a soup or as a dish and they are made with tomato puree, onion and garlic and they have some bay leaf for extra flavor! You serve it with some red wine vinegar or Xérès vinegar and it’s really good! They are different from the lentils as we eat them in France and this recipe has better taste! But the lentils themselves are better in France than those in Greece and they cook faster! Give them a try and let me know!
Cauliflower Soup (velouté) with Roquefort Cheese and Pears
A velouté without heavy cream? Is this possible? It is, thanks to the presence of the other ingredients that is well balanced and interesting! Cauliflower couples very well with a little bit of Roquefort or the other French cheese called fourme d’Ambert (it’s a bit milder) and of course pears! It’s tasteful and very delicate!
Red Lentils Soup (Velouté) with Cumin and Tomato
This is a fine lentils velouté and cumin goes very well with red lentils! The tomato sauce and carrots help the soup to be more gentle and the overall result is rather comforting and nice! All ingredients are well proportioned and it’s a nice alternative for a light lunch or dinner that keeps you warm and brings comfort!
Endive (chicory) Velouté with Curry
This is a simple velouté made with chicory (or endives), potatoes and some curry! It’s so delicious and easy to make that it will keep you company during winter ;-) But if you chill it, you can have if as a cold soup as well during summer ;-)