Best Saffron Vichyssoise Recipes

Zucchini and Saffron Vichyssoise with Scallops image

Yield Makes about 8 1/2 cups

Number Of Ingredients 17

2 pounds small (5-inch-long) zucchini
1 medium onion, chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound boiling potatoes
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon finely crumbled saffron threads
5 cups chicken broth
1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon packed fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup chilled heavy cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 large sea scallops (4 ounces total), tough muscle removed from side of each if necessary
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Special Equipment
an adjustable-blade slicer fitted with julienne blade

Steps:

Thinly julienne zucchini lengthwise with slicer, working around core, into 1/4-inch-thick ribbons. Cut zucchini cores into 1/2-inch pieces.
Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Cook onion in butter in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes, garlic, and saffron and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add broth, bay leaf, and thyme and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add chopped zucchini cores and simmer, uncovered, until zucchini is very tender, about 8 minutes.
Purée soup in batches in a blender until very smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids) and pour through a fine sieve into a bowl. Stir in cream, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, then cool to room temperature, uncovered. Chill soup, covered, until cold, at least 4 hours and up to 2 days.
While soup is chilling, cook julienned zucchini in boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 30 seconds, then drain and transfer to a bowl of ice and cold water. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper and chill, covered.
Before serving soup, cut each scallop horizontally into 3 rounds and pat dry. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking, then sear scallops until golden brown, 20 to 30 seconds on each side, and season with salt.
Serve soup with zucchini mounded in center, topped with scallop rounds.

Saffron Vichyssoise image

Yield Makes about 11 cups, serving 8 to 10

Number Of Ingredients 13

4 cups finely chopped white and pale green part of leek, washed well and drained
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 ribs of celery, sliced thin (about 1 cup)
3 carrots, sliced thin (about 1 cup)
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
1 bay leaf
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
2 large russet (baking) potatoes (about 1 pound)
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
2/3 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
3/4 cup half-and-half

Steps:

In a heavy kettle cook the leek, the onion, the celery, the carrots, the thyme, the bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste in the butter over moderate heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened. Add the potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces, the saffron, the wine, the broth, and the water and simmer the mixture, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are very tender. Discard the bay leaf and in a blender purée the soup in batches, transferring the soup as it is puréed to a large bowl. Stir in the half-and-half and salt and pepper to taste, let the soup cool, and chill it for at least 8 hours or overnight.