Well, sometimes you go through life just doing what you know. Next thing you know you win an award. Thanks to everyone with the 2010 Mustard Festival, the team at Winery Chefs and my wife Virginia. Oh, and to everyone I met at the awards event, you are the best. Here’s the recipe:

Dutch Mustard Soup with Speck Ham and Gouda Cheese Crouton

Serves 6

Soup;

3 tablespoons butter

1 cup leeks, white part only, finely sliced and rinsed

1 cup yellow onions small diced

½ cup celery, small diced

1 cup russet potato, small diced

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons white pepper

3 tablespoons flour

4 cups chicken stock or rich vegetable stock for vegetarian option

½ cup cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup crème fraiche

½ cup Gouda cheese, shredded

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard, preferably Grey Poupon Harvest

salt and white pepper

Crouton:

2 slices of sour dough bread

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, preferably Edmond Fallot

2 slices Speck Ham

¼ cup shredded gouda

1 tablespoon soft butter

1 tablespoon chives, sliced

Soup:

In a large pot over medium heat add the butter and allow it to melt. Once the butter melts, add the leeks and onions. Cook for 10 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Add the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Stir well. Cook for 5 minutes. Lightly sprinkle the flour over the top of the vegetables while continually stirring. Cook for 3 minutes. Slowly stir in the chicken stock. Use a whisk if necessary to prevent lumping. Allow the soup to simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are falling apart. Remove the soup from the heat. Allow the soup to cool slightly. Carefully puree the soup in a blender. Return the soup to a clean large pot and place over medium high heat. When the soup returns to a simmer whisk in the cream cheese and cream fraiche. Once the cream cheese is incorporated into the soup stir in the gouda and cook until it melts. Whisk in the whole grain mustard and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce to low heat until you are ready to serve.

Croutons:

Preheat the over to 375°F. To make the croutons lay out the two pieces of bread. Spread the Dijon mustard on one side of the bread. On the other slice of the bread place the two slices ham and top with the gouda cheese. Place the other slice of bread on top of the cheese forming a sandwich. Butter both sides of the sandwich with the soft butter. In a non-stick pan over medium high heat toast the sandwich on both sides. Use a spatula to press down the sandwich. Remove the sandwich to a cutting board to cool. Slice the crust of the sandwich. Cut the sandwich into small cubes like a crouton. Place the croutons on a sheet pan and bake for 7 to 10 minutes until golden brown.

To serve ladle the hot soup into a bowl. Top with crouton and sliced chives.

Hide Sites