RHYS BOWEN: I know that some of you are dealing with horrible winter storm conditions this weekend. I'm sending warming vibes your way! Also some suggestions to make life more pleasant.
I don't know about you but the moment we get the first wintery blast my mind turns to soups. We usually have a roasted chicken every week and I use the carcass to make a really good chicken stock. Then I work my way through a variety of home made , comforting soups that we eat every day for lunch.
Some favorites are: carrot and ginger
Curried parsnip
butternut squash and cinnamon apple
leek and potato.
Last week my friend (and friend of the Reds Susan Shea) presented me with this lovely book. It's full of the most yummy soups ever, including the Ribbolita she made for me. So rich and hearty and warming. I'm sharing a similar Tuscan soup that I make when we have guests in winter. It's a Tuscan chicken soup, especially easy if you have leftover chicken.
First make a base of aromatics. Carrot, celery, onion, garlic. Saute in oil then add good chicken stock. To this add a can of caneloni or white beans, plus a can of crushed tomatoes.
If you are using fresh chicken breast cut it small and saute it first. If left-over chicken breast don't add it until the aromatics are cooked through. When the chicken is warmed stir in half and half or coconut milk if you're dealing with lactose intolerance.
Finally float spinach leaves on the top until it is just wilted. You can serve with a dollop of sour cream, grated parmesan on top. Really yummy.
So what is your favorite hearty soup?
This soup sounds delicious, Rhys . . . thanks for sharing the recipe.
ReplyDeleteWe love soup any time; corn chowder is one of our favorites . . . .
Do you have your own recipe for corn chowder, Joan? Is it vegetarian?
DeleteBeer. Beer is my favorite soup.
ReplyDeleteBeer cheese soup is delicious!
DeleteYour soup looks delicious! I love a good chicken soup.
ReplyDeleteMy husband makes an excellent turkey (or chicken) wild rice soup which is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteRhys, your soup will be added to my repertoire! There is nothing like a hot comforting soup for lunch on a cold winter day! I can make a relatively quick soup with (homemade) chicken stock, red lentils, rice, tomatoes, salt, lots of fresh cracked pepper, and herbs. I think your Tuscan soup, with fresh bread will be one of our dinners this week! Here’s to good soups!
ReplyDeleteI had red lentil soup in a Lebanese restaurant recently and have been meaning to try it at home!
DeleteStay safe and warm everyone! Be smart about shoveling. Don't drive unless you absolutely must.
ReplyDeleteI make soup frequently, even in summer. Most of the time I make my own vegetable broth, then I know exactly what is in it. One of our favorite soups is Hungarian Mushroom Soup from the Moosewood Cookbook. My other favorite is Sweet Potato, Apple, Red Lentil Soup. It is delicious hot or cold. Totally vegan. Adjust spices to fit you preferences. I'll post it here later this morning.
Irwin quietly turned 80 yesterday. No party. No fanfare. We are blessed.
Happy birthday to Irwin, and from my point on the measuring stick, 80 is not old. Just getting started...and quietly is the best!
DeleteHappy birthday to Irwin!
DeleteHappy birthday to Irwin! And I’ve had that mushroom soup!
DeleteI made a delicious creamy tomato-pink lentil soup recently for the new parents. Otherwise I like a hearty chicken soup (with of course homemade stock) or a seafood soup full of fish and shrimp and veggies and rice.
ReplyDeleteSeafood soup is my favorite. John makes a divine bouillabaisse!
DeleteEdith, I love seafood soups too. Our local seafood market makes the best cioppino (spicy fish soup). I don't think I can compete with their yummy-ness. :)
DeleteRhys, would you be able to share the bouilabaisse recipe?
Fish chowder, especially if I have fresh oysters and their liquor. NO TOMATOES – abomination in this soup – sorry Maine people. Must be served as made – cream or canned milk added to beginnings (did you know that canned milk is less likely to curdle if your mind goes elsewhere and you overheat the soup?) and then poured hot over fish already in the bowl thereby cooking it. No serving the second day – needs to be made hot and fresh.
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, any soup made from base of onions, garlic, celery, carrots, a dollop of hot pepper sauce (level added can do anything from just bringing out the flavour of the other ingredients, to blowing your hair off) and a piece or two of chicken. After that add what you want or have in the fridge – noodle, ramen, macaroni, cabbage, even beans of any sort – your imagination and the cupboard is the limit. Another guest or two – add more water and another package of ramen. What a hostess!!!
By the way, this recipe, like many of mine is not reproducible – what you taste today, you will never taste again. Sorry.
I agree. I don’t measure out portions for soups. Just throw in what is around!
DeleteSweet Potato, Carrot, Apple and Red Lentil Soup (Vegan Version)
ReplyDelete2 T vegetable oil
2 large, sweet potatoes (peeled and chopped)
3 large carrots (peeled and chopped)
1 apple (peeled and chopped)
1 onion (peeled and chopped)
1/2 cup red lentils
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger (I use at least two tablespoons and I grate it)
1/2 t. black pepper
1 t. salt (I don't use any salt)
1/2 t. ground cumin (I use 1 -2 t.)
1/2 t. chili powder (I use at least 1 t.)
1/2 t. paprika (I use an additional 1/2 t. of spicy paprika which makes this soup quite spicy)
4 cups broth (I use vegetable broth that I am cooking in a separate pot, made from the peels of the carrots, apple and onion plus any peels that are in my freezer for this purpose. 1/2 to 1 hour is plenty of time to make a broth that is substantial for the soup.)
Sauté onion in oil first until softened, then add sweet potatoes, carrots and apple and sauté gently until slightly softened.
Stir in all spices and cook for a couple of minutes, then add lentils and cook another couple of minutes of less. Don't let anything brown.
Add broth. (You can use more broth if you wish, and you can always add a bit more later.)
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 1/2 hour.
I puree the entire soup with an immersion blender. You can also use your blender. The author of the original recipe only blended half the soup and left the rest chunky. I have never done that, preferring the thick, velvety texture when it is all pureed.
Serve Hot or COLD.
Adjust the spices to your liking. Don't use one if you don't like it. Substitute another one instead or just make the soup bland, or sweet, or experiment. To me, this soup can be different every time you make it. (You could use chicken broth. You could use butter instead of, or with the oil. You could use olive oil. You could use curry powder. You could garnish it with sour cream or with yogurt.)
It started snowing here about 15 minutes ago.
Thank you for this! I’ll make it.
DeleteStay inside and stay warm. Keep us posted on the weather.
DeleteI'm making this to try out - sounds delicious!!
DeleteIt's not soup but my go to is chili. Better if someone else makes it!
ReplyDeleteI'm making chili tonight, Pat.
DeleteYour ribbolita is similar to my current favorite soup--the recipe I have calls for tomato paste instead of canned tomatoes and kale instead of spinach. I like it with toasted sourdough. My other favorite soup is Hallie's tomato soup. And I'll definitely be searching for that cookbook!
ReplyDeleteYes, the Ribollita in this book calls for toasted garlic bread on top! Yummy
DeleteMy favorite to make is Chicken Noodle Soup. Years ago I had the best 7 Onion/Leek soup recipe and over the years it got lost and I've never been able to replicate it.
ReplyDeleteLook forward to making your Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple and Red Lentil Soup Judy. Sounds perfect in any weather!
Sounds great! I'm making chicken and dumplings today to prepare for the storm that is supposed to hit us tonight into tomorrow. Not related to the one that's pummeling the country now. What a winter!
ReplyDeleteI used to love my mom’s dumplings! But she made them with suet which we can’t buy
DeleteThis reminds me of the "soup nazi" show on Seinfeld. "No soup for you!!!"
ReplyDeleteSo many delicious soup recipes and ideas here. I think I could have soup as my entree five nights a week, plus for lunch. A vegan friend made a sweet potato apple soup for the book group last month and it was delicious. She used a bit of coconut milk in the recipe too. I wish I could make a better oyster stew - somehow I never get that right. Winning recipe, anyone?
ReplyDeleteI make 2-3 different big pots of soup a week and freeze individual portions so hubs and I can have them whenever we want. Most any combination of chicken and a starch, with whatever else I have on hand!! Italian wedding soup, hamburger soup (chicken stock, hamburger and what ever veggies), beef and barley, Brazilian Zuppa (black beans and pork hocks), potato leek, Italian minestra (spicy Italian sausage, mixed greens: Swiss chard, dandelions and escarole, white cannelini beans and chicken broth), French onion (I make 8 quarts of beef bone broth and keep it frozen), fish/clam/lobster bouillabasse and/or chowders whenever I have enough leftovers frozen, plus I try at least one "new" soup every few months. I love broccoli cheddar, hubs hates it, same with any kind of squash/pumpkin. Lentil is only something he wants once, so I rarely make it. I will be reading all of the responses and trying some new things!
ReplyDeleteOh, and Mexican chicken torilla soup, one of our favorites. And chicken pho!
Delete