November 14, 2006
Soupe de Haricots Verts aux Amandes
[Green Bean and Almond Soup]
None of my friends need to be reminded how I feel about Rose Bakery, their salad plates, their assortment of British goods (including Neal's Yard cheeses), and their superb sweets that one simply must try and reproduce at home. "Where should we go for lunch in your neighborhood?" they ask. "I like Rose Bakery," I reply. "And what about breakfast/tea/brunch, what do you recommend?" they ask. "Well, I like Rose Bakery," I repeat.
Admittedly, Rose Bakery gives off a very distinctive vibe, one that I rarely encounter anywhere else in this city: completely devoid of any eagerness to please, but neither standoffish nor haughty, the staff displays a reserve that one may be tempted to describe as British, supported by a profound confidence in the quality of what they make and sell.
I'm sure some people would dislike that, but I find myself drawn to this kind of place, where no one and nothing tries to sway your judgment (or worse, press someone else's on you), and all that is asked of you is to taste and decide for yourself. No glitzy interior design, no elaborate packaging, no flash in the proverbial pan -- just fine, fresh, seasonal food prepared tastefully and presented simply.
And the book that owner Rose Carrarini has just issued, called Breakfast, Lunch, Tea
It is a delightful feeling to have the secrets of some of my favorites finally revealed and I have tagged the pages with many a sticky little flag. The green bean and almond soup is the first recipe I've tried, and I'm happy to say it lived up to my expectations: the flavors are bright and clean, the texture a perfect mix of nubby and smooth, and this soup is a splendid way to honor the last of this year's green beans.
Rose Bakery Map it!
46 rue des Martyrs, 75009 Paris
01 42 82 12 80
Soupe Haricots Verts et Amandes
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, peeled and chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
500 grams (a little over a pound) green beans
Fine sea salt, freshly ground pepper
1 liter (4 cups) homemade vegetable stock or water
100 grams (1 cup) powdered almonds (see note below)
Serves 4 to 6.
[Adapted from Rose Carrarini's Breakfast, Lunch, Tea
Heat the oil in a medium heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onions, garlic, and carrots, and cook over medium heat, stirring every now and then, until softened and very lightly golden. In the meantime, trim the green beans and rinse them well. Add to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook for five minutes, stirring from time to time.
Pour in the stock or water, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft. In the meantime, pour the powdered almonds in a dry skillet. Set over medium-high heat and toast for about two minutes, stirring constantly and watching closely, until golden and fragrant. Set aside in a bowl to prevent overtoasting.
When the vegetables are soft, add the powdered almonds to the pot and stir well. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Using an immersion blender or working in batches in a blender, purée the soup until completely smooth. Taste, adjust the seasoning, reheat over gentle heat if necessary, and serve.
Note: Powdered almonds, a.k.a. almond meal or ground almonds, can be found at organic and natural foods stores. If you can't find them, simply grind 100 grams (3/4 cup) whole blanched almonds in a food processor: work in short pulses and give the almonds a few seconds to cool between each pass so they won't turn into almond butter -- delicious as it may be, it is not what we're looking for here.
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More Recipes Like This One:
~ Almond Croissants
~ Braised Lamb Shoulder with Flageolet Beans
~ Aunt Amélie's Smooth Chocolate Cake
~ Galette des Rois, the 2007 Edition
~ Violet Cornmeal Macarons
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Comments (29)
Permalink | Posted by clotilde in Cookbooks - Recipe Inside! - Soups
I saw it in a bookshop on my way to work two weeks ago and as I had a little time in front of me, a little voice wispered in my head "Go in and buy it!" and another one answered back "This would be a nice Christmas present". It's on my wishlist... and your post was a nice teaser to keep me patient!
Posted by Estelle on November 14, 2006 5:00 PMThis soup looks wonderful! I'm going to make it toute de suite!
Posted by Anali on November 14, 2006 5:09 PMJe suis une fan de ce genre de soupe... et avec des noisettes, ça doit être bon aussi?
Posted by mamina on November 14, 2006 5:25 PMI have to make this it sounds really good.
Posted by krista on November 14, 2006 7:20 PMGreat news, I was really waiting for this book. Thanks for letting us know.
Posted by pascale on November 14, 2006 8:40 PMHi Clotilde,
that is such a beautiful picture!
I wish i could live in Paris to get an insight of that lovely place.
- fanny
Posted by fanny on November 14, 2006 11:33 PMI tried this soup, the colour turned out more orange despite using only two carrots. It tastes nice!
Posted by ceviz on November 15, 2006 6:27 AMEn pleine période soupe, celle-là me plait bien!
Posted by Mayacook on November 15, 2006 8:41 AMSounds wonderful! :P
Posted by Liliy on November 15, 2006 11:57 AMThis soup looks yummy, but I'm holding out for recipes that might go well with Le Beaujolais Nouveau tomorrow. Any ideas??
Meilleurs vÂœux!
Posted by blueVicar on November 15, 2006 2:16 PMMiam! I have now found the perfect excuse to eat the delicious salted & roasted almonds I bought at my Lebanese store the other day. Thanks Clotilde!
Posted by est on November 15, 2006 3:22 PMI have the same little bowl from Butler's too!
Posted by Staecie on November 15, 2006 5:07 PMI expected this soup to have at least a little cream. I like that it gets all its richness from the almond meal. Sounds like a great little bakery too.
Posted by Julie on November 15, 2006 5:42 PMSounds delicious, Clotilde. I'm curious, though, that you eliminated the celery from the original recipe. I'm a big fan of fewer ingredients so that individual flavors can shine through, but onions, carrots and celery are almost a holy trinity. They create that heavenly, aromatic mirepoix that is the foundation of so many soups.
Beautiful photo, as always, by the way.
Posted by Terry B on November 15, 2006 8:14 PMTerry B - The reason is very simple: I'm not a big fan of aniseed-like flavors so I don't like celery stalks much, I never have any on hand and I never use them in soups.
Posted by clotilde on November 15, 2006 8:25 PMBeautiful presentation!
Posted by Jeff on November 16, 2006 4:05 AMjust wanted to leave a quick comment. i've been reading for a while but never left any notes.
i love this journal. i just, love it.
thanks for writing!
Posted by Sarah on November 16, 2006 4:51 AMSounds like Rose Bakery is another place to put on my long list of places to visit in Paris. (Obviously I need to spend more than two weeks there.)
Posted by Mimi J. on November 16, 2006 4:49 PMThis sounds amazing. My toddler's favorite vegetable is fresh green beans, especially with garlic and almonds. As soon as she can wield a spoon better (and I won't be scraping dried soup off the walls) and quits turning her bowls onto the floor, I will try this!
Thanks for a long list of fantastic recipes.
Posted by ExPat Chef on November 17, 2006 6:21 PMI truly enjoy your articles, and when the soup popped up this week, well - it will be our 'primi' for Thanksgiving Lunch. Thanks for your clear directions & regular reviews of 'hot books'! The format for your site is so crisp & accessible, a great inspiration for this beginning blogger. Merci from...
Posted by marolyn on November 21, 2006 2:03 PMwww.vagabondgourmand.com
Cette soupe est épatante et fort délicieuse ! Les amandes lui donnent un belle texture. Belle soupe repas ! Merci !!
Posted by Isabelle on November 23, 2006 12:34 AMMarolyn - Wow, the soup is honored to be included in your Thanksgiving celebration! Hope it turned out well.
Isabelle - Ravie que cette soupe vous ait plu, c'est vrai que sa texture est particulièrement agréable...
Posted by clotilde on November 28, 2006 11:12 PMThis soup was delicious! I made it yesterday and served it in my handmade blue and gold cafe au lait bowls. Next time I'm going to add some green peas to punch up the green color a bit.
Posted by melissa on December 9, 2006 7:44 PMClotilde, your blog is so fabulous.
best- mb
I agree, Rose Bakery really IS a one-of-a-kind place-to-be in Paris! I just love their assiette de crudités on those beautiful ceramic plates, and the cakes you simply cannot resist (well, why should you?)!
Posted by Karin on December 13, 2006 5:29 PMI made this soup a few days ago. It is wonderful!!
Posted by Anali on December 21, 2006 1:19 AMin response to your very generous comments, if any of my photographs were seemingly unstaged then it's likely they were. and vice versa : )
Posted by Toby Glanville on December 28, 2006 8:11 PMThis soup is fabulous. And the changes you made Clotilde are right. The toasting of the almond powder and sans celery is right on. My wife is an excellent cook, but I read C&Z and sometimes have a surprise ready when she gets home. This was a hit, not just for her, but everyone else who tried it, including our culinary school attending daughter ....
Posted by rmac on January 3, 2007 3:49 AMRose Bakery's reputation travels far and wide, landing on Australian shores today.
Best wishes for the upcoming birth of your book - I think we readers are as excited as you!
Posted by Anna on May 1, 2007 2:58 PMI made this soup by your recipe before and loved it, but today, having spring vegetables in my fridge, I made a variation using asparagus and green cauliflower instead of the green beans. Add little bits of good crispy bacon and you have a beautiful, tasty spring soup! (if you're really into the seasonal thing you could even try replacing some of the onion with ramps!)
Posted by Alexandra on May 24, 2007 10:42 PMPrivacy. The email addresses you enter will not be used for any other purpose than the sending of this message.