A Recipe: Octopus Soup

Yesterdays book report on 'A Penguin Story' made me hungry. Inspired by the color red, and the book's ocean theme, I decided to make myself some Octopus soup.


Amberbop's Octopus Soup

Ingredients:

I only included measurements to keep it a recipe. I eyeball this stuff. I add things and subtract things and then add things again. I pretty much do all kinds of random stuff to this soup every time I make it. You should too. Just don't add octopus.

• 3 or 4 bell peppers - the more color the better the soup
• 2 zucchini, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 cup of milk*
• 1/2 cup of cream*
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans vegetable or chicken broth
• 8 oz. of meat - I use Pepperidge Farms Turkey Kibalsa**
• salt and pepper to taste
  
  *If you have an aversion to milk you can sub in 2 cans of cannellini beans beans in place of all dairy, have an aversion to beans, so this is how I play it.
  
  ** If my veggie friends want some I can say, ooooooh, i wish -- but it's not vegetarian.... Also, it adds heartiness. Its involvement in this soup is totally up to you.
  
  
  
  
  
  By now you have probably realized this recipe isn't an ocean-y kind of soup. Years ago I made it for a pair of boys I used to babysit, one of them was Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes. The only way I could get him to eat it was to tell him it was octopus. He watched the pepper's gooey insides and sniffed around before deciding it really was octopus. Every time I baby-sat he begged for octopus soup. This blend of wintery-goodness has kept its moniker.

Directions

I have a gas stove. If you don't you can still use this recipe. However, I'd recommend you just get a gas stove. It's one of my top 10 favorite things about my home. When I visit elsewhere i feel bad for my friends who are without the perks fire cooking.

For a gas stove:

• I take off little metal raiser on a burner and then turn up the fire to high. Keep those flames hopping!
• Using long BBQ tongs and a hot mitt (LBH, I usually skip both and find something make-shift but this is my blog and I like you and I'd like you to be safe) put the peppers into the fire and let them get good and black as night, the blacker the better.
  

For an electric stove:

• Preheat oven to broil.
• Place the bell peppers on a baking sheet and broil on the top rack of the oven, using tongs to turn them as each side blackens.
• Make sure you're wearing pants for this part because when the smoke detector accidentally goes off and you have to jump up on a chair in front of your windows to turn it off, you're going to want to be wearing pants...
  

Now pick up here. The Choose Your Own Adventure is Over:

• Place the blackened peppers in a communal paper bag. Tightly roll the bag up and allow them to cool in there for 20 to 30 minutes.
  
• Once they've steamed long enough and are ready for their facials, peel the skin off the peppers. (If this is getting frustrating sometimes I peel them under running water).
  
• Cut out the stem and get rid of all the seeds. Marvel at how Octopi they look. Chop the peppers up if you're using a blender, if you're using a food processor you can leave them be. Put them aside.
  

• In a large pot over medium heat, saute the onion and garlic, zuke in the oil for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Now host a meet and great for the bell peppers and everything already in the pot. Once they're combined, saute for 2 to 3 more minutes.

• Next, add the chicken broth and the beans or milk, stirring well. Using a food processor (top ten favorite thing about my home) or a blender, puree the soup in small batches and return to the pot over low heat for 5 minutes. Salt to taste, throw in any other herbs you think belong in there. Stir it up and then start singing that song about stirring it up. Eat some soup with your friends.

  

  --This is really great reheated and topped with a dollop of cream cheese right before serving. Enjoy. xoxo