11/2/16 Cook’s Corner
Betty Kaiser
Simple soup from scratch
I love soup! If it’s cold outside and I don’t know what to
fix for supper I usually put together a pot of soup. My soup selection always
depends on what’s in the refrigerator and pantry. I’m not one to see a recipe
in a magazine and run down to the grocery store for exotic ingredients. Simple
soup doesn’t have to be expensive to be good.
Soup recipes are hard to share. Soup making is not rocket
science. A lot of eye balling of ingredients goes on putting together a pot of
soup. A lot of tasting and adding things like herbs, brown sugar, red pepper
flakes or salsa goes on in my kitchen when soup is cooking. I have made some
great soups that I can’t recreate because I don’t remember what I added at the
last minute!
The first decision for simple soup from scratch is to decide
if I’m going to make a meat or vegetarian pot of soup. I check to see what I’ve
got on hand. Ground beef for chili or meat balls; chicken. Fish or cheese for a
creamy soup. Sometimes it’s just a great, quick, vegetable soup with potatoes
or pasta added.
My choice of meat is usually determined by whatever I have
cooked the night before. I often cook a whole chicken or roast beef so that it
makes two dinners and one lunch. Meat goes a long way when there are only two
of us!
Once the soup’s meat or vegetarian choice has been
determined it makes my liquid base choice easy: chicken, beef or vegetable
broth, tomato sauce/puree or something creamy or pureed. From that point on,
it’s all about layering the ingredients
The next step is sautéing my veggie base. I had been cooking
a long time before I learned it’s called a Mirepoix. I do know that it means
three ingredients: onions, carrots and celery. Garlic lovers will often add
minced garlic or swap it for the carrots. I use two parts onion to one part of
each of the other ingredients in most soups.
If I’m making a tomato based soup I often swap out bell
peppers for the carrots. That’s called a Holy Trinity or Cajun/Creole version of
mirepoix. I often add sliced carrots later. Once I sauté my mirepoix, I add the
liquid (broth, water, etc.) and spices.
This is where things get tricky and you need really good
eyeballs and taste buds. My tendency is to add too much liquid. So remember, be
stingy at first (follow the recipe) because you can always add more. If your
soup is simmering all day, brown your raw meat and add it first thing but hold
off on adding the vegetables until an hour before serving. Unless you’re
dumping everything in the crockpot!
Soup Basics
1.
Heat a large soup pot over medium heat.
2.
Sauté the onion, garlic, celery and carrots in
oil or butter.
3.
Brown/cook the meat if needed (i.e. stew meat).
4.
Add liquid, spices and veggies (milk or cream
comes later).
5.
Taste and adjust.
6.
Simmer for a couple of hours.
7.
Taste and adjust again.
8.
Add any milk or cream just before serving.
Now I know what you’re thinking and you’re right…making soup
is a day long project. It’s usually an hour-plus to prep and put together. Then
it’s 5 minutes here and there of tasting and adding spices, etc.
Today’s recipes, however, will only take about an hour to
put together and they’re ready to eat.
If you’re in a hurry, try the Turkey Meatball Tuscan Soup
made with meatballs from the grocery store freezer. If you’re going to be gone
all day you can even put all the ingredients (except the spinach) in a Crockpot
on low. Add the spinach when you get home, taste for seasonings. Serve it with
a lettuce wedge and some corn bread and you’ve got dinner!
The Turkey and Wild Rice Chowder is a great luncheon or
dinner dish. Do your chopping and other prepping in the morning. Then, a couple
of hours before serving put everything together to let the flavors meld. People
will think you’ve worked all day long! Enjoy!
TURKEY MEATBALL
TUSCAN SOUP
20 each Homestyle Turkey Meatballs
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
6 cups chicken
broth
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1-15 ounce can white beans, drained
1-6 ounce package fresh spinach, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large pot heat oil. Add onions and garlic. Sauté 3-5
minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce to a simmer
and cook covered about 20 minutes. Serve with a generous topping of grated Parmesan
cheese. Serves 4 generously.
TURKEY and WILD RICE
CHOWDER
1 cup wild rice
1/2 pound mushroom, cleaned and sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 celery ribs, sliced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups diced, cooked turkey
1. Cook wild rice according to directions.
2. Sauté onion, celery, red pepper and garlic until onion is
opaque. Add mushroom, chicken broth and spices. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer.
3. In another pan: Melt 1/2 cup butter and stir in 1/2 cup
flour; cook until bubbly. Slowly add 2 cups milk, stirring well until it comes
to a boil.
4. Add flour mixture to broth and veggies, whisking until
smooth. Stir in the rice and turkey. Heat until thickened and hot. Serves 4-6.
Keep it simple and keep it seasonal!
Betty Kaiser’s Cook’s
Corner is dedicated to sharing a variety of recipes
that are delicious, family
oriented and easy to prepare.
