SIMPLE HEARTY SOUPS

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.