want to go all out, place a few thin slices of raw shrimp or sea scallops (my favorite), a couple of raw bay scallops, or some very thin slices of raw or lightly cooked lobster in the bottom of each soup plate, and use the crème fraîche and caviar to top the soup. If you'd like, you can use just the seafood, seasoned with a little fleur de sel and piment d'Espelette or cayenne.
----
crème fraîche
While its name translates as "fresh cream," crème fraîche is almost the opposite of that: it's heavy cream that's been cultured or fermented, rendering it
not
fresh, but alluringly tangy. Crème fraîche's closest American relative is sour cream, but crème fraîche is thicker (the best crème fraîche pulls from the tub like taffy), denser, silkier, and slightly sweeter. It can also do two things that sour cream can't: it can handle heat without curdling, making it a terrific sauce thickener, and it can be whipped. In cooking, heavy cream is the best substitute for crème fraîche—you won't get crème fraîche's tang, but you won't have any separation anxiety either. In baking, the best substitute is heavy cream, although sour cream will work in some recipes. But when you want the texture and slight sourness, crème fraîche is the choice. While it's expensive and not always easy to find here, you can easily make a faux crème fraîche at home; you just have to plan ahead ( [>] ).
----
Christine's Simple Party Soups
Cream-Topped Asparagus, Red Pepper, and Broccoli
M Y FRIEND CHRISTINE VASSEUR IS the kind of Parisian who can grab one of her kid's mufflers, tie it around her neck, and have it look as if she got it at Dior. And what she does with fashion, she can do with food. As proof, I offer you recipes for three of her soups, each of which has vibrant color, full flavor, a fanciful crown of spiced whipped cream, and an ingredient list so short it can be printed on a Post-it.
These three soups are nothing more than the star vegetable (plus a zucchini for color when you're making the green soups) and some broth. And, yes, Christine makes the broth from bouillon cubes. Everything's cooked for about 15 minutes, whirred in a blender, and served hot or cold. Either way, the soups get topped with spiced whipped cream: cardamom for the asparagus, curry for the broccoli, and piment d'Espelette or crushed pink peppercorns for the red pepper.
The colors are stunning, and you can play them up easily if you serve them a la Christine, in glasses: lowballs or snifters if you're serving one soup, tall shot glasses if you're offering all three. Fill the glasses just halfway, then top with the cream. For even more drama, use a siphon (a whipper with a carbon dioxide charger), and you'll have a topping so airy it just about bubbles and pops on your spoon.
FOR THE ASPARAGUS SOUP
4
cups water
2
bouillon cubes, vegetable or chicken (or 4 cups broth to replace the water and cubes)
1
pound asparagus, trimmed and peeled
½
pound zucchini, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
FOR THE BROCCOLI SOUP
4
cups water
2
bouillon cubes, vegetable or chicken (or 4 cups broth to replace the water and cubes)
¾
pound broccoli florets (from 1 large bunch)
½
pound zucchini, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
FOR THE RED PEPPER SOUP
4
cups water
2
bouillon cubes, vegetable or chicken (or 4 cups broth to replace the water and cubes)
1
pound red bell peppers, cored and seeded
Salt and freshly ground pepper
FOR THE CREAM TOPPING
1
cup cold heavy cream (for each soup)
Salt
Ground cardamom, curry powder, piment d'Espelette (see Sources [>] ), or crushed pink peppercorns, depending on the soup(s) you're making (see above)
TO MAKE THE SOUPS: Each soup should be made separately, but the techniques, such as they are, are essentially the same. Bring the water and bouillon cubes (or the broth) to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cut the vegetables into smallish chunks, drop into the pot, and season with salt and pepper. (Bouillon cubes are usually
----
crème fraîche
While its name translates as "fresh cream," crème fraîche is almost the opposite of that: it's heavy cream that's been cultured or fermented, rendering it
not
fresh, but alluringly tangy. Crème fraîche's closest American relative is sour cream, but crème fraîche is thicker (the best crème fraîche pulls from the tub like taffy), denser, silkier, and slightly sweeter. It can also do two things that sour cream can't: it can handle heat without curdling, making it a terrific sauce thickener, and it can be whipped. In cooking, heavy cream is the best substitute for crème fraîche—you won't get crème fraîche's tang, but you won't have any separation anxiety either. In baking, the best substitute is heavy cream, although sour cream will work in some recipes. But when you want the texture and slight sourness, crème fraîche is the choice. While it's expensive and not always easy to find here, you can easily make a faux crème fraîche at home; you just have to plan ahead ( [>] ).
----
Christine's Simple Party Soups
Cream-Topped Asparagus, Red Pepper, and Broccoli
M Y FRIEND CHRISTINE VASSEUR IS the kind of Parisian who can grab one of her kid's mufflers, tie it around her neck, and have it look as if she got it at Dior. And what she does with fashion, she can do with food. As proof, I offer you recipes for three of her soups, each of which has vibrant color, full flavor, a fanciful crown of spiced whipped cream, and an ingredient list so short it can be printed on a Post-it.
These three soups are nothing more than the star vegetable (plus a zucchini for color when you're making the green soups) and some broth. And, yes, Christine makes the broth from bouillon cubes. Everything's cooked for about 15 minutes, whirred in a blender, and served hot or cold. Either way, the soups get topped with spiced whipped cream: cardamom for the asparagus, curry for the broccoli, and piment d'Espelette or crushed pink peppercorns for the red pepper.
The colors are stunning, and you can play them up easily if you serve them a la Christine, in glasses: lowballs or snifters if you're serving one soup, tall shot glasses if you're offering all three. Fill the glasses just halfway, then top with the cream. For even more drama, use a siphon (a whipper with a carbon dioxide charger), and you'll have a topping so airy it just about bubbles and pops on your spoon.
FOR THE ASPARAGUS SOUP
4
cups water
2
bouillon cubes, vegetable or chicken (or 4 cups broth to replace the water and cubes)
1
pound asparagus, trimmed and peeled
½
pound zucchini, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
FOR THE BROCCOLI SOUP
4
cups water
2
bouillon cubes, vegetable or chicken (or 4 cups broth to replace the water and cubes)
¾
pound broccoli florets (from 1 large bunch)
½
pound zucchini, trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
FOR THE RED PEPPER SOUP
4
cups water
2
bouillon cubes, vegetable or chicken (or 4 cups broth to replace the water and cubes)
1
pound red bell peppers, cored and seeded
Salt and freshly ground pepper
FOR THE CREAM TOPPING
1
cup cold heavy cream (for each soup)
Salt
Ground cardamom, curry powder, piment d'Espelette (see Sources [>] ), or crushed pink peppercorns, depending on the soup(s) you're making (see above)
TO MAKE THE SOUPS: Each soup should be made separately, but the techniques, such as they are, are essentially the same. Bring the water and bouillon cubes (or the broth) to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cut the vegetables into smallish chunks, drop into the pot, and season with salt and pepper. (Bouillon cubes are usually
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