Creamy Baharat Vegetable Soup

Around my house, we love "spice" but we aren't always really adventurous with our spice choices. We know what we like and we use our favorites often. When I was given the opportunity to try a few new spices, courtesy of the generous folks over at The Spice House, I decided to really stretch my boundaries and go for a couple of completely unknown (to me) spice blends. I must say that everything I received from The Spice House was fantastic, and this spicy, creamy soup was so easy to put together. There is no meat involved, and you could even use a can of soup as your base if you want or need a quick meal! It is a little on the spicy side, but if you serve it with a dollop of yogurt (as suggested), the heat is nicely tamed and mellowed. We really enjoyed it...hope you do as well!

*For the vegetable soup just I used some that I had in the freezer. It contained chicken broth, tomato puree, carrots, celery, corn, peas, green beans, and potatoes. It was lightly seasoned and very basic. You can use whatever you have or prefer, as long as it's not already too seasoned. You can even use canned, or minestrone, as the pasta will add a bit of thickness once it is pureed. Just be sure not to have too much salt in the soup beforehand.


Spice House Creamy Baharat Vegetable Soup
by Chris

2 cups of vegetable soup (not broth!)*
3/4 teaspoon The Spice House Baharat Seasoning
1/4 teaspoon The Spice House Vulcan's Fire Salt
1/3 cup of heavy whipping cream
plain Greek yogurt and cilantro (both optional, to serve)

1. Warm the vegetable soup slowly over medium-low heat in a medium sauce pan on stove top.

2. When soup is warm (but not hot) puree in small batches using an immersion blender. You could also use a blender, but be sure that the soup is cool enough to comfortably handle. Return to sauce pan.

3. Warm pureed soup on medium heat until it begins to simmer. Turn heat to low.

4. Add 3/4 teaspoon of Baharat Seasoning, one 1/4 of a teaspoon at a time. Stir and taste as you add the spice. You may prefer less, depending on your heat tolerance and personal liking. Blend well.

5. Add 1/4 teaspoon Vulcan's Fire Salt and incorporate well. Taste and adjust as desired.

6. Blend in heavy whipping cream. Mix well and let warm through, but do not allow mixture to come to a boil or simmer.

When soup is heated through, it will be fairly spicy. It is best served with a large dollop of yogurt and some chopped cilantro (if you like). The yogurt will cut the heat quite a bit, and the cilantro adds a nice top note. Enjoy!