Soup challenge

I heart soup. All soup. I know it's not really soup season, but I love a cup of soup with my lunch, no matter what the weather. Yesterday I spent my day off making 4 different kinds of soup to freeze, one was new but the rest are old faves, and I was thinking maybe it's time for some fresh ideas.

Please post your recipe for your all-time favorite homemade soup. Let's soup it up!

Here's a little song about soup, courtesy of the Mighty Boosh.

Soup! Soup! A tasty soup! soup!

A spicy carrot and corianderrr.. (chilli chowder)

Crouton! Crouton! Crunchy friends in a liquid broth...

I am gazpachio OH! I am a summer soup MMm!

Miso, miso! Fighting in the dojo...

Miso, miso! Oriental prince in the land of soup!

 

Learn it and spread the word.

This is more instructions rather than a set recipe, and pretty simple using the same procedure and ingredients for all three.  One is with no meat, one with chicken and one with beef.  You can also use it with turkey.

Basic Vegetable Stock

You may use the ends of vegetables that you would normally discard.  For 2 every two quarts of water, add 2 cups of chopped carrots, celery and onions with a bay leaf, some parsley stems, a few cloves of garlic and a few pepper corns.  I often use green leek tops instead of, or with, the onions.  Start with cold water and bring to a simmer.  Reduce the heat to a slow simmer, cover and cook for 2 hours.  Cool, strain and discard the solids.

Meat Stocks

For every 2 quarts of water, use 3/4 pound of raw meat with bones, such as chicken wings or beef short ribs or shin.  Place the meat into cold water and bring it slowly up to a boil.  Skim off the foam that rises to the top.  When no more foam rises, add the same ingredients as the Vegetable Stock.  Simmer for 2 to 3 hours, cool strain and discard the solids.  You may pick out the meat if you like (it's a messy job) and save them to add to soup. Refrigerate until the fat rises to the top and hardens, then lift it off and discard.

The bones are important because they develop the flavor.  You can use the bones, skin and scraps from a roast chicken or turkey in the same way. 

Other things to add to stock - fresh herbs, parsnips, turnips, well washed potato peelings (they give a little thickness and a nice brown color), other meat instead of chicken or beef.  Do not add any of the cabbage family (brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage etc.) to the stock. 

It's really not hard at all and these freeze very well.

Yesterday I harvested the leeks from my garden. I sauteed some in bacon fat from the morning to use as the base for my potato soup. It's not a lite soup at all, but I only make it a couple of times a year.

The rest of the leeks I sauteed in olive oil and butter adding a large sweet onion, large yellow onion, 2 bunches of green onions and a large red onion and some garlic. I carmelized the onions. I allowed these to cool and then put in fridge. I'll make onion soup later this week.

My favorite way to make chicken soup is to get a whole fryer and put it in a large pot of water and let it simmer for many hours. Strain out the chicken and let cool. Return the stock to the pot and add onions, carrots and celery and garlic and salt & pepper. Pick the chicken off the bones and throw back in the pot, discarding the skin and bones. When the veggies are cooked add noodles and adjust seasonings.

That's exactly how my Grandpa used to make it, if you change garlic to parsley. He used his own farm chickens and homemade noodles that his sister would freeze for him. That was the BEST soup ever, I miss the jars he would send home with us at the end of weeknds at the farm, like party favours.

I like to roast my chicken before putting it to simmer....adds more flavour, since I can't afford free-range chicken. I do make my own whole-wheat noodles though, makes all the difference! Or, use barley or quinoa instead. I am roasting a chicken tonight destined for the pot!

OH my............These truly have got me wanting soup. So nice of all of you to share. Me I just dump what I can in and hope for the best,  LOL Angel did all the cooking :-)

 

Neil

 

Curried Pumpkin Peanut Butter Soup Recipe
Submitted by georgiasantamaria 

Makes 4 servings

Rich velvety winter soup, delicious with gingerbread. 

Ingredients 2 cups cooked pumpkin 1 cup cooked sweet potato 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 3 cups canned chicken broth 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tbsp curry powder 1/4 tsp coriander 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 2 tbsp butter Directions

1. Roast pumpkin and scrape from shell
   
   
2. boil and mash sweet potato
   
   
3. Add to chicken broth
   
   
4. Add peanut butter
   
   
5. Add pepper, salt, curry powder, and coriander
   
   
6. Cook together until flavors are blended
   
   
7. Puree mixture in blender and reheat
   
   
8. Serve with a garnish of butter and a sprinkle of nutmeg
   
   
9. or garnish with sour cream or yogurt
   
   

Categories

Vegetables, Soup

Nutrition Facts Serving Size 393.8g   Amount Per Serving Calories  360 Calories from Fat  212 % Daily Value* Total Fat  23.6g 36% Saturated Fat  7.6g 38% Cholesterol  15mg 5% Sodium  1077mg 45% Total Carbohydrates  28.0g 9% Dietary Fiber  7.5g 30% Sugars  10.8g Protein  14.3g   Vitamin A 577% • Vitamin C 25% Calcium 8% • Iron 18% * Based on a 2000 calorie diet 

Nutritional details are an estimate and should only be used as a guide for approximation. Legend 

 Fat
 Protein
 Carbs
 Alcohol
 Other
Calorie Breakdown (?)

Daily Values (?)

Nutritional Analysis Nutrition Grade 
96% confidence
  Good points

Low in cholesterol

High in niacin

Very high in vitamin A

  Bad points

High in saturated fat

High in sodium

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Read more: http://caloriecount.about.com/curried-pumpkin -peanut-butter-soup-recipe-r276608#ixzz0UlZNR TK9

I didnt see anyone mention weight watchers cabbage soup.  This stuff is amazing.  Easy to make, really filling and really low calorie.  I like to add celery to mine also.

• 3 cups nonfat beef broth or nonfat vegetable broth or nonfat chicken broth (beef is the best)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 cups chopped cabbage
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup green beans
• 1/2 cup chopped zucchini
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• salt & pepper

1. Spray pot with non stick cooking spray saute onions carrots and garlic for 5 minutes.
2. Add broth, Tomato paste, cabbage, green beans, basil, oregano and Salt & Pepper to taste.
3. Simmer for a about 5-10 minutes until all vegetables are tender then add the zuccini and simmer for another 5 or so minutes.
4. I have tried different variations. Leaving out green beans. Adding chopped green onions in addition to the yellow onion.
5. All very good. You can customise it a bit.
6. Enjoy!
   

I love soup as well. One of my new favorites is Curried Butternut Squash and Apple Soup with Lentils, an adaptation of a recipe by a friend looking to please her vegetarian daughter. It's very yummy, filling and it makes me feel great to have such a nutrient rich lunch or dinner.

http://caloriecount.about.com/curried-buttern ut-squash-apple-soup-recipe-r277130

Here's another family favorite - Mexican Chicken Soup, otherwise known as Caldo Tlapeno. Very good on a cold day. You could leave the avocado out if you are watching your calories.

http://caloriecount.about.com/mexican-chicken -soup-recipe-r277146

And another favorite - Broccoli Potato Soup

http://caloriecount.about.com/broccoli-potato -soup-recipe-r277140

Thanks for putting this challenge out there. I'm excited about trying some of the other soups people are posting!

I love soup as well. One of my new favorites is Curried Butternut Squash and Apple Soup with Lentils, an adaptation of a recipe by a friend looking to please her vegetarian daughter. It's very yummy, filling and it makes me feel great to have such a nutrient rich lunch or dinner.

http://caloriecount.about.com/curried-buttern ut-squash-apple-soup-recipe-r277130

Here's another family favorite - Mexican Chicken Soup, otherwise known as Caldo Tlapeno. Very good on a cold day. You could leave the avocado out if you are watching your calories.

http://caloriecount.about.com/mexican-chicken -soup-recipe-r277146

And another favorite - Broccoli Potato Soup

http://caloriecount.about.com/broccoli-potato -soup-recipe-r277140

Thanks for putting this challenge out there. I'm excited about trying some of the other soups people are posting!

SASAUGE SOUP about a lb of sweet italian or italian(not in casings,cook it like gro und beef) 1 chopped onion a few cloves garlic 1 chopped bell pepper(I like to use the tri-color peppers) 1 can of 28 0z stewed tomatoes(sliced or 2 cans of diced) 4 cups chicken broth 1 bag fresh or frozen(drained) spinach basil & italian seasoning & a dash of cayenne if you want

1 can each of black, white, and kidney beans drained
1 can of corn
1 small can of Rotel
1lb of ground beef
one chopped onion
a few cloves of garlic
one packet of taco seasoning (sometimes I just use chili powder and cumin)
one packet of dry ranch mix

I love my roasted tomato and garlic soup. Take 10 tomatoe and quarter them. Place in roasting pan and drissle with olive oil and top with chopped garlic. Place in a 350 oven for 40 min. The puree them and place in stock pot with 8 cups chicken stock. Bring to boil and turn down to simmer and add 2 cups heavy whipping cream. Let thicken and enjoy.

When we were in a community that had young kids and spent a lot of time in each others' homes I got a reputation for soup making. That was 20 years ago. This week I had a friend down with Swine flu and felt the compulsion to make her a chicken soup. I added a few red chili flakes and lime juice

I always made the stock with a roasted, or better yet, roasted on a spit (I cannot find the correct English spelling for this but in Mexico it is called "rostisado").

The flavor is in the skin when roasted this way, and so the bones and skin produce a richer broth. After a couple hours of boiling the bones and skin I strain out the bones and skin and add the meat back. I usually fortify the broth  with buillion cubes or powder.

My most important ingredients otherwise is  garlic, onion and celery. Carrots, maybe potatoes or string beans... or hominy.

This week for the first time, I decided to use my Oaxacan cooking experience and put the leg and thigh bones back into the soup when I put it in the jars.

The Oaxacan ladies leave bones in their soups AND their tamales because "that is where the flavor is". Of course when making iguana tamales they just hack up the iguanas and leave the skin and claws on too. Ugh. I try to avoid iguana tamales, as well as the chicken feet in their chicken soup.

Of course, my son made us a tortilla soup the other day using chicken breasts that he browned with the saute-ing onions and garlic, then added buillion. It had an amazing stock. The trick to that soup was that he took a 1/2 cup of the broth or so cut up some corn tortillas and blended them to add back to the soup. Oh, and he added cumin and cilantro.

I mother cook loves to learn from her son cook.

I am just learning to make cream soups, how I love the Internet! We had a cream of jalepeño soup at a restaurant the other day. I went home, checked out the Internet for ideas, and made my own. Which was too spicy for me, but my husband loved. Next time only one roasted jalepeño!

Next soup experiment will be cream of garlic....or one of those squash soups I found on this forum...yummmm.

A couple other tricks I have learned. Add tomato soup to beef stocks/buillion. Worchestershire adds fantastic flavor to fish soups.

Cut up round steak, onions, canned tomatoes and either frozen string beans or hominy with beef buillion makes an incredible quick soup.

 

 

 

 

OMG, iguana tamales and chicken feet?  Your son's tortilla soup sounds great tho. 

Betts

 

 

I also love making soup. Here are a few of my favorites (they are all vegan):

CREAM OF SPINACH

2 cups vegetarian broth
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
1 ½ tablespoons adobo seasoning
3 tablespoons margarine
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
3 cups rice milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried mined onion
salt and pepper to taste

1. Place potato cubes, adobo and broth in large saucepan, cook covered for 5 minutes (the potato should not be finished cooking yet).
2. Add the spinach to the potato and broth and cook until the potato is soft enough to mash.
3. Blend the potato and spinach with a hand blender until it is smooth.
4. In a medium saucepan, melt margarine. Stir in flour, cook for 1-2 minutes. Add rice milk, garlic powder, onion, salt and pepper. Stir with a whisk over medium heat until the mixture thickens.
5. Add milk mixture to spinach, whisk together over medium heat.

 

CARROT AND PARSNIP SOUP

3/4 lb carrots, peeled and halved, or just used baby carrots
1/2 lb parsnips, peeled and quartered
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 and 1/2 Tbs. packed brown sugar
4 cups vegetarian broth
salt (to taste)
cayenne pepper (to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Put carrots, parsnips, onion and ginger into a shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle with oil and sugar.
3. Pour 1 and 1/2 cups broth into pan and cover with foil. Bake until vegetables are tender (about 60 minutes).
4. Add the remaining broth, salt and cayenne to the vegetables. Puree the vegetables and broth until it is the desired consistency. add more broth if desired.

 

GREEN VELVET SOUP

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 potatoes, diced
3/4 cup dried split peas
2 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon adobo
6 cups vegetable broth
2 zucchini, diced
1 head broccoli, chopped
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups chopped fresh spinach

1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine onion, garlic, celery, potatoes, split peas, bay leaves, adobo and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour.

2. Remove the bay leaves and stir in the zucchini, broccoli, basil and black pepper. Simmer 20 minutes, until broccoli is tender.

3. Stir in spinach and remove from heat. Puree in a blender or food processor using an immersion blender. Salt to taste

 

YUMMY YAM SOUP

1 tsp. vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large yam peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups vegetarian broth
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup chunky salsa
1 can (15.5 oz.) garbanzo beans, drained
1 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup cooked rice
3 Tbs. creamy peanut butter

1. Heat the oil in stock pot over medium heat. saute onion and yam until the onion is tender.
2. Stir in the broth, cumin and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes. Add garbanzo beans and zucchini. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the cooked rice and peanut butter until the peanut butter is completely dissolved.

Too..many...yummy-sounding....soup recipes....brain...overload!!!!

I will have to set up a soup schedule to make all these delicious soups. Except the iguana one, I can do without that ;).

For those pressed for time (who isn't) or live where sometimes it is so hot you don't turn on the oven unless absolutely necessary like me, our wholesale club has the BEST rostisserie chickens that would be wonderful in this recipe if you want to roast the chicken first. :)

Maybe it's just me, but I prefer canned soups.  It used to be that after every Thanksgiving, my mother would make soup with the leftover turkey (we don't even do Thanksgiving anymore, as my father works, my siblings have moved away, and my mother and I don't need the extra calories).  It wasn't that good.  I'd prefer some Progresso (or even Campell's).

I don't know why it is, canned soup, Campbell's or Progresso, just doesn't hit the spot for me. what I mean is,  I buy them because they are easy, and  I know how many calories I am getting...but when they are sitting there on the shelf, I just let them lie. They just aren't exciting, boring to be exact. Except for Campbell's Tomato, made with a little skim milk.........comfort food! Add a grilled cheese sandwich...oh yes, very good.

But if you have any chef bone in your body, it might be fun for you to take on one of the special not everyday soups, like cream of Jalepeño, or pumpkin curry...oh, with lite coconut milk...that warms the cockles and makes my eyes roll back in my head all at the same time. Canned soup just doesn't do that.

By the way, my daughter feels that the smell of turkey bones boiling making broth is one of the most disgusting things in the world. so we never make turkey soup after Thanksgiving.