Soups fill the stomach and warm the body

Now that our taste of spring is over and cold weather has returned, soups are once again taking over dinner tables.

It’s a perfect cold-weather meal — nutritious and filling. And hot soup can not only fill your stomach but warm your body.

Although it is simple to open a can of soup, making your own isn’t difficult and is healthier. Add browned meat, vegetables, pasta and herbs to broth and simmer until heated through to make a quick and easy soup.

To thicken soup, puree the vegetables a bit — especially if you use potatoes or root vegetables — or make a mixture of cornstarch and a little water and whisk it in.

If you’re in a hurry, use canned broth. You can give canned broth extra flavor by simmering chicken or meat bones in the broth for 15 minutes. Then strain the liquid and use it for your soup.

But if you have time, make your own broth or stock. You can freeze any amount you don’t use immediately and have it on hand for future soups.

To make homemade beef or poultry broth, simmer about five pounds of beef or poultry with vegetables in 8 cups of water in a tall pot. Bring to a slow simmer over low heat, skimming the foam that collects on the top frequently, and add a selection of spices and herbs until the broth is flavorful.

Simmer the broth for several hours, then strain it through a sieve or colander into a metal or glass bowl. Set the bowl into a sink or larger bowl with ice water. Stir the broth occasionally to hurry cooling. Cover and refrigerate broth, then remove the fat that solidifies at the top.

Be aware that herbs will have a more intense flavor if added at the end of the long cooking process.

If your finished soup is a little salty, place a raw potato in the pot and simmer with the soup for about 15 minutes. Remove the potato before serving.

Savory soups and stews always taste better if made a day or two in advance and reheated just before serving.

To make croutons to complement your soup, cut a loaf of bread into 3/4-inch cubes and drizzle them with 1/4 cup olive oil. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper over the top, then toss until well combined. Spread the cubes in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake in a 375-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until golden brown. Let them cool completely before using.

Following are a few soup recipes from www.soupaddict.com.

 

 

Marry Me Sausage Orzo Soup

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil

1 pound Italian sausage

1/4 cup white wine, optional

1/2 cup diced onions

2 ribs celery, diced

2 whole roasted red peppers, chopped

1/3 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons Italian herb blend

2 tablespoons flour

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup half and half

1/2 cup dried orzo

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup spinach, sliced thinly

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley, chopped

Heat oil in a four to five-quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat, until oil begins to shimmer. Add sausage, using a sturdy spatula to break up the meat into small chunks, and cook 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer sausage to a bowl and set aside.

Deglaze pot with wine or a splash of the chicken broth. Scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

Add onions, celery, roasted red peppers and sun dried tomatoes and saute five minutes, until softened. Add garlic and Italian seasoning and sprinkle flour over the vegetables. Mix until thick.

Add 1/4 cup chicken broth and two tablespoons half and half and stir until the thick vegetable mixture begins to smooth out. Add remaining chicken broth in 1/2 cup increments, stirring to incorporate completely.

Raise heat to medium high, add orzo and return cooked sausage to the pot. Adjust heat to maintain a bubble simmer and cook 10 to 12 minutes, stirring frequently, until orzo has plumped.

When orzo has cooked through, turn off heat and stir in remaining half and half, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, spinach and parsley and stir well. Let soup rest 10 minutes to finish thickening. Taste, adding salt if necessary. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the soup or let your diners add what they want to their bowls.

 

 

Thai Coconut Mushroom Soup

1 tablespoon avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil

4 ounces mushrooms

1 medium shallot, sliced thinly and chopped a little bit

2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste

1 tablespoon minced ginger or paste

1 tablespoon minced lemongrass or paste

2 cloves garlic, minced

14 to 15 ounces unsweetened coconut milk

2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 tablespoon fish sauce or low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 lime

Chopped cilantro for garnish

Thinly sliced chile peppers for garnish

Heat oil in a two to three-quart soup pot over medium until it shimmers. Add mushrooms and saute five minutes, until they just begin to render their liquid and are softened a little. Stir in shallots and cook a few minutes more. Spoon in Thai red curry paste, ginger and garlic and mix until blended and fragrant.

Pour in coconut milk and chicken broth. Increase heat to high and bring soup to bubbly simmer. Stir in fish sauce and brown sugar. Adjust the heat to retain a gentle bubbling and cook 10 minutes.

Squeeze the juice from one half of the lime. Taste and add more lime juice if needed.

Serve with your favorite garnishes, such as cilantro, slice chile peppers, chili crisp, a drizzle of hot honey or crispy fried onions.

 

 

Potsticker Soup

1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil

1 large leek, white and light green parts cleaned and chopped

1/3 cup shaved or chopped carrots

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 shiitake mushroom caps, cleaned and thinly sliced

3 baby bok choy, tender leaves and firm stems chopped separately

1/4 cup light soy sauce

5 cups chicken or vegetable broth

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons chicken or mushroom Better Than Bouillon, optional

1-1/2 pounds frozen potstickers, wontons or dumplings (minis recommended)

1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

Sesame seeds for topping

Heat vegetable or olive oil in a four-quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat until oil shimmers. Add leeks, carrots, garlic, mushrooms and the firm baby bok choy stems (reserving the leaves for later)  and saute five minutes, until leeks are soft.

Add soy sauce, broth and sesame oil. Increase heat and bring to a light boil, stirring frequently. If using, stir in Better Than Bouillon until completely dissolved.

Carefully add frozen potstickers to the pot and cook according to the boil instructions on the packaging.

Reduce heat to low and stir in reserved baby bok choy leaves and most of the green onions. Reserve about a tablespoon of the onion for garnish.

Serve immediately, topping bowls of soup with more green onions and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

 

Pastina for One

Olive or avocado oil

1 tablespoon minced shallot

1 clove garlic, finely grated

1-1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or chicken bone broth

1/2 cup pastina pasta or other small pasta, such as acini de pepe or pearled couscous

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Pour a glug of oil into a one or two-quart pot over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add shallots and garlic and stir for a minute or two, until fragrant. Add broth and raise the heat to bring the soup to an active simmer.

Add pasta and maintain the simmer (not a roiling boil). Stir frequently while cooking pasta according to package directions.  Stir in butter, mixing it well with the pasta, followed by the cheese. Stir until the pastina is smooth and the butter and cheese are fully incorporated.

Mix in lemon juice and serve with extra grated cheese and a sprinkling of black pepper. For extra lusciousness, drizzle a bit of extra virgin olive oil over the top.

 

 

Sheet Pan Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup

1 to 1-1/4 pounds red bell peppers, seeded and sliced into quarters

16 ounces small tomatoes, sliced in half

1/2 red onion, cut into thin wedges

2 carrots, roughly chopped

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

2 cups vegetable broth

For paprika roux, optional:

2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil or butter

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup cashew milk or almond or soy milk

1 cup vegetable broth

To make roux, heat oil or butter in a soup pot over medium heat until melted. Stir in flour and paprika to create a fragrant paste. Add cashew milk a little at a time, stirring to combine. Whisk in broth until the roux is loose and smooth.

Place vegetables in a single layer on a rimmed, parchment-lined baking sheet and roast in a 450-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the pepper skins are charred.

Let vegetables rest on the sheet until cool enough to handle. Peel skin off the peppers.

Scrape vegetables into a blender, making sure to include all the juices. Add vegetable broth, basil and a big pinch of kosher salt. Puree until smooth.

Add soup from the blender to the pot, whisking thoroughly to combine with the roux and heat through. Taste and add salt if needed.

 

 

Hearty Vegetable Wild Rice Soup

For rice:

3/4 cup wild rice blend

3/4 cup vegetable or chicken broth

3/4 cup water

For soup:

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cups chopped vegetables, such as sweet onion, shallot, celery, carrot, fennel, parsnip, Yukon gold potatoes, red bell pepper or button mushrooms

1 tablespoon tomato paste

15-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons Italian herb blend or Herbes de Provence

3 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1 cup chopped kale

1 apple, grated

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Fresh parsley, minced, for garnish

Bring rice, broth and water to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 to 40 minutes, until all water is absorbed. Turn off heat, and let steam 10 minutes

Heat oil in a four to five-quart Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat, until shimmering. Add the vegetables and stir well. Cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

When the vegetables have softened, move them to one side and add a splash of broth in the cleared area. Add tomato paste, paprika and a big pinch of salt to the broth and stir well. Mix tomato paste into the vegetables and sprinkle the herbs over them.

Add broth and bay leaf and let the soup come up to a gentle boil, increasing the heat temporarily if needed. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and let simmer at least 15 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and add kale, grated apple, lemon juice, black pepper and one teaspoon salt. Stir well and let kale wilt for several minutes. Taste and adjust the flavor balance with additional lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Stir in rice and serve immediately.

 

 

Cold-Fighting Couscous Chicken Soup

1 cup chopped onions

3/4 cup sliced leeks, white and light green parts only

1/2 cup sliced carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon minced lemongrass or paste

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

4 cups chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon chicken seasoning, optional

8 ounces cooked, shredded chicken

1 cup pearl couscous

1/2 of a lemon

Salt

Pepper

Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Heat one tablespoon of the stock in a four to five-quart Dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat. When it begins to sizzle, add onions, leeks, carrots and celery and saute six minutes, until vegetables are soft. Stir in ginger, lemongrass and garlic and heat until aromatic. Sprinkle turmeric over the vegetables and stir.

Add stock, chicken and couscous and bring to a light boil. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook 15 minutes. Squeeze the juice of the lemon into the soup, taste and season with salt and pepper. Top with parsley before serving.

 

 

Chicken Potato Soup With Bacon

4 slices thick-cut smoked bacon, cut into pieces

1 small onion, diced

2 ribs celery, diced

1 medium carrot, diced small or grated

1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Italian herb blend

1 teaspoon dried chives

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon such as Better Than Bouillon, optional

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded

1 cup half and half

2 green onions, sliced on the diagonal

1 cup chopped spinach leaves

1 pinch red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Suggested garnishes:

Crumbled bacon

Sliced green onions

Snipped fresh chives

Shredded cheese

A dollop of sour cream

Heat wide bottom Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp, flipping often and moving around the pan so it doesn’t burn to the bottom of the pot. Transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate to drain and rest.

There should be 1 to 2 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pot. Drain any excess fat, then add onions, celery, carrots and potatoes. Sauté eight to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened (the potatoes might not be cooked through at this point but that’s okay).

Add flour, mustard and dried herbs, stir and cook a minute or two. If very stiff and pasty, add a splash of the chicken broth to loosen.

Raise heat to medium high and stir in the broth, one cup at a time. Add Worcestershire sauce and bouillon, if desired. Bring soup to an active simmer for 10 minutes.

Crumble bacon into small bits and set some aside.

Reduce heat to low and stir half-and-half into soup, followed by the cooked chicken, crumbled bacon, spinach, green onions, red pepper flakes and a pinch of black pepper.

Let the soup rest five or 10 minutes. The spinach will wilt, and the soup will continue to thicken. Taste, and adjust with salt and black pepper as needed.