Category — Soups

It’s official, folks, I’m on a soup bender.  More gross weather on Tuesday in Boston . . . cold, snowy, gray . . . what better soup weather?  Plus, I didn’t know if D. was going to make it home in time for dinner, so I wanted something that would hold ’til he got home to eat.  I got inspired by a post on the Epicurious blog and 30 minutes later, I was sipping a bowl of hot, spicy goodness.  After he got home and ate, D. said that “this one is even better than the bean and barley one the other night . . . .”  This one is a helluva lot faster, for sure.  Enjoy!

Chorizo & Chickpea Soup With Spinach

Heat the olive oil in a stockpot or large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the onions and saute until they’re translucent.  Add the garlic and saute just until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add the chorizo and stir.  Add the chickpeas, diced and strained tomatoes, chicken stock, cumin and oregano, stirring to combine.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.  Remove lid, add vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.  Add spinach, stirring to wilt.  Serve with grated cheddar on top. Great with a crusty loaf of bread to help sop up the spicy broth.

Serves 4.

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This rich, thick and hearty soup came about thanks to two fellow Boston bloggers, Kelly and Sues.  After reading my tortelloni soup post, they both encouraged me to check out the New England Soup Factory Cookbook, so, I immediately ordered it up via the Minuteman Library Network.  This is my usual M.O. when I’m curious about a cookbook – I vet it via the library and decide if I want to add it to “The Collection” or not.  “The Collection” is getting so large that it’s going to have to move outside the kitchen very soon . . . so there’s no room for stragglers.

This, is a GREAT cookbook – thanks Kelly & Sues!  There are so many good-looking recipes here – seasonal soups (think cool, light soups for summer, root veggie soups for winter), simple childhood favorites like Alphabet soup, creamy chowders, tomato-based soups, and sandwiches and salads to go alongside.  On the first pass-through, I flagged 7 soups that particularly stood out for me, and this one was one of them.  I wasn’t disappointed!

As is my way, I tweaked and doctored.  This recipe turns out a vat of inexpensive, hearty, savory soup that’ll stick to your ribs.  D., at first skeptical, pronounced it “delicious,” which is good, ’cause unless I freeze this, we’ll be eating it all week . . . .

Fava Bean & Barley Soup

To prepare the fava beans:  rinse and pick over the beans and discard any discolored beans or pebbles.  Put the beans in a bowl and cover with water.  Let stand overnight, then drain and rinse.  Alternatively, in a large saucepan, combine the beans with enough water to cover.  Cover the pan, and bring to a boil.  Turn off the heat and let the beans sit for two hours.  Drain them before adding to the soup.

Heat the oil in a stockpot or large Dutch oven (this just fit in my 7 1/4-quart Dutch oven) over medium high heat.  Add the onion, garlic, carrots and celery.  Saute until the onion is translucent and the celery is softened, about 10 minutes.  Add the beans and the barley and saute for another 2 minutes.  Add the stock and the bay leaves.  Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours or until the favas are thoroughly cooked, adding more stock if the soup is too thick (I probably added another 2 c. part-way through the cooking time).  Add the parsley, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper.  Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Serves 12.  Note – if you’re tasting the soup prior to adding the Worcestershire, etc., it’ll be quite bland . . . those last few ingredients make it all come together in a delicious flash of light, so don’t be discouraged!

What the heck are fava beans?  I love ‘em, and have eaten them for years – again probably because of my Mid-East roots.  If they’re new to you, here are some facts:  Fava beans were enjoyed by the ancient Egyptians and continue to be a prime source of protein in Middle Eastern cuisine. Favas are considered by many to be one of the tastiest beans – they have a firm texture and creamy, meaty taste that holds up well to strong flavors.  Fava beans hold their shape well, so they’re great in soups.  They do have a very tough, inedible skin, so it’s important to get dried favas with the skins already removed.

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One of my goals for this winter was to make more soup, and another constant aim of mine is to cut down on food waste.  The two are compatible – soup’s a great vehicle for combining odds and ends from your fridge and freezer, and that’s just what I did last night.

The key to being able to do this kind of thing on the fly is to have a pantry that’s stocked with some staples.  Those of you who’ve been over here know that I have a lot of food stored in my “pantry” at the base of our basement stairs.  Low-sodium chicken broth, diced tomatoes and canned beans (remember, Eden Organics have no BPA in the liners) are always in residence.  I also always have peeled garlic cloves in my fridge (Trader Joe’s has some good ones that are vacuum packed so they last longer than those you get loose at Whole Foods).  From these ingredients with some additions, you can create myriad quick meals.

I wanted to make something hearty and comforting for D., who’s fighting both a cold and a wicked work schedule.  I’d planned on a funky tofu stir-fry, but for D., tofu stir-fry doesn’t equal hearty or comforting.  He loves the tofu, but not on a cold winter night when he’s feeling hit by a bus.  I got inspired by a post by The Kitchen Witch, and I was off and running . . . .

All the items were things I had on hand – this lends itself to tinkering and modifications, so go crazy!

Bit o’ Everything Tortelloni Soup

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or stock pot.  Add the leeks and saute until tender, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the carrots, kale, garlic and beans and toss to combine.  After the kale has begun to wilt, add the tomatoes and the broth and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer for approximately 10 minutes, until the carrots and the kale are just tender.  Add the tortelloni and cook for another 5 minutes or until tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve, topped with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 4, and takes about 40 minutes from start to finish (I was “paged” several times by L. during the course of prepping this, so this is a generous estimate!).

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Remember this Kale, Kielbasa & Tortellini Soup from the other day?  It is sooooo delicious leftover, people, that I am almost tempted to recommend that you make it day-before and then refrigerate it ’til ready to reheat and serve.  The flavors came together so well in the overnight, and now, on the second day, it’s outstanding.  So if you’re trying it and thinking “Meh?  It’s OK . . .” seal it away in the fridge and try again tomorrow. 

Oh, and I’ve been eating the leftovers without any tortellini . . . it’s plenty hearty and tasty, and let’s just say I’m gettin’ enough carbs and fat elsewhere, these days before Christmas!

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Yowza, did we get some snow on Saturday night and Sunday!  I love me a good weekend snowstorm, though – nowhere to go first thing in the morning . . . we just hang out inside and watch it fall.  And then later, I hang out inside and watch my intrepid husband wrangle our giant snow-blower around for a while.  L. played in the snow a bit, but we also took the opportunity to whip up a batch of her favorite Christmas cookies, along with a big pot of this soup.  

Kale, Kielbasa & Tortellini Soup 

Heat the oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add the kielbasa, onion, garlic, thyme and red pepper and sauté until the onion is translucent and the kielbasa is brown, about 12 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Stir in kale and cannellini. Reduce heat to low and simmer until kale is wilted, about 4 minutes. Add the tortellini to soup*.  Simmer until pasta is just tender but still firm to the bite, about 5 minutes.  Add the soy sauce, and salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle soup into bowls. Serve, passing cheese separately. Serves 6.

*A note:  If you think you’re going to eat all the soup at once, prep it this way.  But if you think that you’re going to want to have soup as leftovers, I’d cook the tortellini according to the package directions and then add it to individual serving bowls.  Otherwise, next day you’re going to have lifeless, bloated tortellini floating in your soup, and that’s just gross.

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In anticipation of picking up my last CSA distribution on Saturday, I was trying to clean out my stock of root and leafy veggies.  We got notice that because of the warm weather, there would actually be some green leafies in Saturday’s distribution – so I needed to clear the decks.  This sweet/spicy soup is colorful, nutritious and a nice departure from the ordinary.  Bright chunks of sweet potato swim with lovely purple kale in a milky bath of chicken broth and coconut milk.  And to top it off, I killed the last of my stock of sweet potatoes and a beautiful head of purple kale, making room for lots more goodies!

Caribbean Kale & Sweet Potato Soup

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over moderately low heat.  Add the onion and cook stirring occasionally until translucent about 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the kale sweet potatoes broth and salt and bring to a boil.  Sprinkle the cayenne pepper to taste.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.  Add the coconut milk and just heat through.  Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, prepare your rice.  Put a mound of rice in the center of each of 4 bowls and ladle the soup around the rice.

Serves 4.

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Still working my way through my CSA inventory . . . and the last of the greens are getting tired.  I decided the escarole wasn’t going to hold out much longer, so I made this on Friday night – D. and I both think it’s “a keeper.”  I consider this a one-dish meal because it’s got a decent amount of greens and decent protein and fiber from the beans . . . but if you want to serve this with a leafy green salad, it’d be great.  Whichever way you serve this, it cries out for a delicious, crusty loaf of bread to sop up the flavorful broth.

This way, using canned cannellini beans, is the quicker way to prepare this soup – 45 minutes to 1 hour total time.  If you prefer the taste of dried beans, this’ll take significantly longer, but the beans will have more flavor and will be more firm.  Up to you!

White Bean and Escarole Soup

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally until golden, about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic, rosemary and pepper flakes, cook until translucent, about 3 minutes longer.

Stir in the escarole and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes.  Add the broth, beans and tomato and bring to a gentle simmer.  Season with salt to taste.  Cover and cook until slightly thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve in bowls with a drizzle of olive oil and Parmesan, if desired.

Serves 6.  Even better leftover on day 2+!

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Monday, Monday – here we are again, new week, new recipes . . . still workin’ the CSA loot here.  Saturday night, D. and I had a lovely, but super-rich dinner.  We had killer food hangovers yesterday.  So I wanted to keep dinner very light, and this soup did the trick.  I had a nice-sized head of Napa from my share – super-crisp, lovely light-green and tasty.  This is another quickie soup – 40 minutes or fewer from counter to table. 

Napa Cabbage Soup

Place the oil in a large, deep saucepan or casserole and turn the heat to medium.  When the oil is hot, add the cabbage, onion, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until both the onion and cabbage are tender.  It’s OK if they brown a little bit in the process.  Stir in the ginger and cook for 1 minute.  Add the broth, sesame oil, soy sauce and fish sauce.  Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.  Finish by adding the lime juice, then taste and adjust the seasoning.  Serve hot.  Serves 4.

There are infinite ways to create a meal around this.  I drained and pressed, then cubed up some firm tofu (our favorite is Chang Shing tofu, made in Cambridge – they just started carrying this at the Fresh Pond Whole Foods which saves a trip to Super 88 or Russo’s) and put it in the bottom of the soup bowl before I ladled in the soup.  Another way to add heft to the meal would be to serve steamed dumplings alongside . . . .  Enjoy!   

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