Creamy puree soup perfect for cool nights

B.J. Luke of Honolulu called to request the recipe for Cliquo's broccoli soup. "It's outstanding," she said, "and it's not a cream soup."

Cliquo chef Yves Menoret chuckled when we asked him for the recipe. "It's so simple," he said.

He wasn't kidding: Cliquo's cream of broccoli soup is simply broccoli and onions, cooked and pureed. There's no cream in this creamy soup. It's a perfect soup for cool nights and a healthy eating plan.

Cliquo's Cream of Broccoli Soup

• 2 medium onions
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 pounds broccoli flowerettes
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
• Freshly ground white pepper to taste

Slice the onions. In a saucepan, heat olive oil and cook onions until they are soft. Add broccoli pieces. Stir a few minutes and add water to cover the broccoli. Add a little salt to taste; simmer for 20 minutes. Add butter and freshly ground white pepper.

Remove from heat and let cool a little. Puree soup mixture in a blender or food processor or strain through a food mill. Reheat and serve hot.

Ann O'Neill called to request a recipe for cornbread — "the kind with the corn kernels in it." She likes cornbread baked in a corn stick pan — a pan with indentations shaped like ears of corn. This recipe can be baked in such a pan or in muffin cups, a 10-inch cast iron skillet or a 9-inch square cake pan.

Double Cornbread

• 11/4 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup corn oil or other vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1 15-ounce can whole kernel corn, drained
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Lightly coat corn stick pan, muffin cups, cast-iron skillet or cake pan with nonstick vegetable spray or a little butter. Place in oven for 5 minutes to heat.

Measure dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix together with a whisk. In another bowl, whisk together milk, oil and egg. Add liquid to dry ingredients. Add corn. Stir to combine all ingredients. Spoon into prepared pan. Bake until cornbread is firm, golden and pulls away from sides. For cornstick and muffin pan, this should take about 15-20 minutes; for skillet or cake pan, about 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve warm. (Recipe from the Steel Packaging Council.)