Serving hot soup as shooters? Yup! I created these soups in order for uyou to be able to quickly, and simply, prepare them with minimal effort, but with extraordinary kick. Serve these in small shot glasses in order to correctly live up to the name, or ladle them in large bowls to savor even longer.
Mexican Caliente
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup minced onion
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 pound parsnips, peeled and sliced
1 apple, peeled cored and diced
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup Smirnoff Cinnamon Churros Vodka*
Place oil in a large saucpan over medium heat. When hot, add onion and cook 4-6 minutes, or until softened. Stir in curry powder and parsnips. Continue cooking an additional 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add apple and broth, bringing to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until parsnips are very tender. In batches if needed, transfer to a food processor or blender and pulse on high until as smooth as possible. Place back into pan and keep warm. . Remove from heat and evenly divide among cordial, appertif or shot glasses. Drizzle vodka into each glass and serve.
Makes about 3 1/2 cups total volume
*Or use any cinnamon flavored vodka or liqueur.
'Jacked' Oyster-Gouda Bisque
This is my favorite soup shooter. The smoked Gouda and oysters are satisfying to my primal instinct while the cider brings out the best Yankee in me. This entire preparation works perfectly together.
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup minced onion
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded smoked Gouda cheese
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup hard apple cider *
1(7-ounce)can smoked oysters, drained
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add flour and stir until thickened and combined well. Add chicken broth and milk. Whisk well and continue cooking over medium heat until thickened and hot, about 4-5 minutes. Add cheese and continue stirring until cheese has completely melted. Remove from heat and blend in the oysters. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among cordial, appertif or shot glasses and drizzle desired amoung of hard apple cider on top of each. Serve immediately.
Makes about 3 1/2 cups by volume.
*Or use Applejack liquor
Citrusy Spiked Butternut Soup
There is just something about the flavor of orange with squash that just seems natural. Enjoy this low fat soup that has so much working for it, I would be here babbling too long trying to explain it. It is the perfect soup to begin a Holiday meal.
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur *
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup minced onion
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 small butternut squash, about 1 pound, peeled, seeded and diced
3 cups vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 cup plain yogurt
Sprinkle nutmeg
Add cranberries and liqueur to a bowl, cover with film wrap and microwave until liquid is hot, but not boiling. Remove to let sit for at least 1 hour before continuing with recipe.
Add oil to a large saucepan over medium high heat. When hot, add onion and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add carrot and continue to cook and stir an additional 5 minutes. Add squash, broth, bay leaf and salt and black pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about 20 minutes, or until vegetables are quite soft.
In batches if needed, transfer to a food processor or blender, removing bay leaf. Pulse on high until as smooth as possible. Carefully strain soup back into pan and bring to scalding. Remove from heat and stir in plain yogurt. Evenly divide among cordial, appertif or shot glasses and place some soaked cranberries in the middle of each, sprinkling with nutmeg before serving.
* This was a tough decision but use whatever orange liqueur you enjoy the most. Here are a couple of ideas though. Cointreau, Grand Marnier(although Cognac dominates the flavor of this alcohol and will darken the color of the soup) Orange or Blue Curaçao and Triple sec are the top choices for this recipe.
Damn Pumpkin Shooters
1 cup pumpkin ale
1/4 cup dried figs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup skim milk
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoon maple syrup
Salt and black pepper to taste
Warm the pumpkin ale in a large saucepan over low heat. Add figs and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove figs from liquid; set aside. Add remainder of ingredients to ale and whisk well. Increase heat to medium and bring to scalding, stirring frequently.
When ready to serve, Add ale mixture and soaked raisins to a food processor or blender and puree until as smooth as possible. Transfer to soup, stir well and divide among cordial, appertif or shot glasses. Garnish with some chopped figs on top if desired.
Yuletide Chestnut Cheer
Named for Fra Angelico, who was a hermit known for his unique, liquor-based recipes, the hazelnut flavor of Frangelico goes perfectly with the chestnuts in this soup shooter. Second on Santa's list would be Amaretto. Be it almond or hazelnut, this soup is quintessentially Yuletide.
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic in oil
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1 rib celery, sliced
1(24-ounce)can or jar chestnuts, drained
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup apple juice
1/2 cup creme fraiche
Frangelico or Amaretto
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic, carrots, celery and chestnuts. Cook, stirring often, for about 15 minutes, or until vegetables are starting to brown. Add broth and apple juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until vegetables and chestnuts are completely tender. In batches, puree in a blender or food processor until as smooth as possible. Strain into another saucepan and stir in creme fraiche. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour into shot glassses and drizzle Frangelico or Amaretto into each glass. Serve immediately.
