Sunday Soup #90: Basler Mehlsuppe (Basel Flour Soup)

This week, I learned that I am headed to teach a class in Switzerland early next year... So, naturally, I started researching Swiss food! There were plenty of references to fondue and sausage, of course, but I was surprised to find that Switzerland has quite a soup culture, as well.

A classic Swiss soup, traditionally served around Fasnacht (better known to English speakers as Carnivál or Fat Tuesday, marking the start of the Lenten season), is called Basler Mehlsuppe (or, Basel Flour Soup). In the city of Basel, in particular, they host a Carnivál parade at 4 a.m. on a Monday before Lent (usually in February or March), and the Mehlsuppe is eaten in the morning after the parade. There are several versions of the origins of this particular tradition, but the website https://www.helvetickitchen.com/recipes/2016/2/15/baslermehlsuppe presents this version: "The most common origin story involves a chatty cook who burnt the flour for the soup during preparation. Instead of starting again, the mistake was added to the dish and met with great success."

Although it is currently November, I'll be headed to Switzerland around Lent next year, so I thought this would be an interesting recipe to try. :-)

This recipe came from: https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/13219/basler-mehlsuppa/

Variations from Recipe as Written: None.

General Thoughts: This soup was extremely easy to prepare and inexpensive to make, requiring only eight ingredients (most of which I - and probably you - regularly keep in the pantry). Slicing one onion, shredding a bit of cheese, and toasting the flour was really all it took! As written, the recipe seemed to make about four servings, so you may need to double or triple it if making for a crowd.

*Pics 1-4 - Pictures from when we made it

This soup was interesting in that, despite the simple ingredients, there were a lot of different tastes (and textures) going on. The toasted flour was the real star, adding a rich, comforting taste that was fairly unique. The gruyere was also important as it added some saltiness and creaminess to the soup. I could definitely taste the red wine but found myself wishing that flavor was even a bit stronger. Sadly, the overall taste profile was a little bland, but that could be helped by being a bit more aggressive with the salt, pepper, and wine.

The texture was also a little odd... The thick wheat bread the recipe called for at the bottom of each bowl was alternately mushy and firm/spongy, as well as having some whole grains that made it "feel" and taste a little nutty.

I think this one is a bit better suited to being a side dish than a main course, particularly since it did not contain any protein. And, in the end, other than the unique toasted flour, there seemed to be little difference between this recipe and a middle-of-the-road French onion soup.

Potential Improvements? There was quite a bit to improve on with this one, in my opinion... If I make it again, I will likely swap out the wheat bread for a slice of sourdough. In addition, some more salt and pepper, a bit of rosemary or thyme, and a couple of extra splashes of red wine would serve to give the dish some additional flavor.

Polling the Fam: I thought it was not bad, overall, but I'd probably not make it again except as a side dish or for a theme meal, and then only with my above-noted changes. Becky was turned off by the nutty taste and odd texture of the wheat bread. And, Fox said he really didn't care for it, also primarily due to the bread.

Verdict: Not a fan. (2 stars)

Sunday Soup #79: Caldo Gallego (Galician Chickpea & Sausage Soup)

This week, I was pleased to make a very interesting recipe from the cookbook, Twelve Months of Monastery Soups by Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette. This book was given to me as a special gift by my friend Marian and, as it belonged to her brother, I am both grateful and humbled to have received it.

This book is filled with 150+ international recipes, many of them vegetarian, organized by month, all designed to "help cultivate the art of soup making." I know it is February, but this Spanish soup from December looked too good for me to wait another 10 months to try. Galicia is a region on the northwest coast of Spain (just above Portugal) known for its mild climate and a cathedral said to be the burial place of the biblical apostle Saint James the Great.

I encourage you to purchase this book, but I'll print just this recipe here for the purposes of providing commentary. Enjoy!

This recipe came from: Twelve Months of Monastery Soups by Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette (https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-Months-Monastery-Victor-DAvila-Latourrette/dp/0767901800/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1551118338&sr=8-1&keywords=twelve+months+of+monastery+soups)

*Pic 1 - The cover of Twelve Months of Monastery Soups

Recipe:

Ingredients
2 cups dried chickpeas (or 2 15-ounce cans garbanzo beans)
2 large onions, sliced
6 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups water
4 cups chicken or meat stock
1 bay leaf
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1 turnip, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 heart of celery, thinly sliced
8 slices sweet Spanish chorizo, cut in half
12 fresh spinach leaves, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

1. Soak the chickpeas overnight and then rinse them and discard the water. If you wish to save time, use the canned chickpeas (garbanzos), which taste the same.

2. In a large soup pot, sauté the onions in the olive oil for 2-3 minutes or until they begin to turn soft. Add the garlic and stir well.

3. Add the water and stock. Bring the soup to a boil. Add the chickpeas, bay leaf, parsley, turnip, carrot, potatoes, celery, and chorizo. Cook the soup, with the pot covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes over medium heat (or until the chickpeas are tender).

4. Add the chopped spinach, salt, and pepper and simmer the soup gently for 15 to 20 minutes, adding more water, if needed. Stir it from time to time. Remove the bay leaf. Turn off the heat and serve the soup hot.

Variations from Recipe as Written: I used a whole loop of Spanish chorizo (7oz), procured from Amazon.com, rather than the little bit called for by the recipe. That was my only alteration.

General Thoughts: There was a fair bit of prep involved with this one. It was not overwhelming, and I took my time and meandered through it, but if you have an aversion to chopping and dicing, this one might not be the one for you. Prep and cook time combined, this recipe takes a little more than 2 hours to complete.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

I loved all of the different ingredients in this soup and the accompanying textures. The soup was wonderfully brothy, which suits my tastes just fine, and the vegetables (including the potatoes) were perfectly done, cooked through, and tasty. The chickpeas were a bit firmer and provided a hearty mouthfeel. Finally, the chorizo was slightly chewy (maybe, a little too chewy?), but that would likely vary with the brand/type of chorizo you chose to use. The harder (i.e., drier) the chorizo starts out, the chewier it will end up in the soup.

The taste was very solid! It reminded me a little bit of the Oktoberfest Stew that was such as favorite earlier in the project (https://soupersleuth.blogspot.com/2016/10/sunday-soup-18.html), but it lacked a little of the vinegar bite. Still, the tang of the Spanish chorizo was very interesting, and each bite had a delightful continental flavor. I did learn that I needed to be a little more liberal with the salt and pepper, as they are the only herbs or spices in the mix (other than a single bay leaf). But, overall, it was super tasty!

Potential Improvements? Next time, I think I'd like to add a couple tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to the whole pot, to vary the flavor profile a little. I'd also like even more chorizo than I used, as well as trying a slightly less dry (i.e., softer) variety of sausage. Finally, I'd use 8 cups of broth rather than 4 cups each of broth and water.

Polling the Fam: I enjoyed this recipe quite a bit and would definitely make it again, particularly with the changes above. Becky did not like it as much, however, saying that she didn't care for either the taste or the firmness of the chorizo. Hunter really liked it, gave it a "perfect rating," and said he wouldn't change a thing. And, Fox, as he usually does, said it was "okay."

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)