Soup-er suppers add flavor to the table
A few years ago, I bought several large ceramic bowls
– bigger than your typical having-some-cereal bowls but smaller
than the movie-night-popcorn bowl. They are pretty bowls, with a
fruit and floral print that complements the Tuscan-style dinnerware
I chose to go with the Tuscan-style kitchen I hope to have
someday.
I didn’t buy the bowls just for their good looks, however. I
bought them for soup.
Soup-er suppers add flavor to the table
A few years ago, I bought several large ceramic bowls – bigger than your typical having-some-cereal bowls but smaller than the movie-night-popcorn bowl. They are pretty bowls, with a fruit and floral print that complements the Tuscan-style dinnerware I chose to go with the Tuscan-style kitchen I hope to have someday.
I didn’t buy the bowls just for their good looks, however. I bought them for soup.
We are a soup-loving family, especially this time of year. We enjoy all kinds of soup, served with a loaf of crusty bread purchased from a local store and warmed in the microwave, or homemade corn bread baked in a cast-iron skillet.
When I was younger, my mom made a couple of different soups – the ones I remember most fondly are a turkey and rice soup with a stock made from the bones of our Thanksgiving turkey, and a thick navy bean soup that simmered all day, making the kitchen warm and toasty.
After I had children of my own, I decided to try my hand at making soups. I discovered pretty quickly that I don’t like making my own stock. I hate separating meat from chicken bones, and clarifying the broth, and I dislike the additional step making your own stock adds to the process. I have since found a few recipes which try to streamline the stock-making process (one recipe cuts the simmering time to about an hour) but honestly, canned stock works fine for me, and makes it possible to prepare delicious, healthy and homemade soups during the week – something a busy mom really appreciates.
One thing I’ve learned as I branch out with different soup recipes is what I call the taste-as-you-go method of flavoring. I start by lightly salting and seasoning meat and poultry the day before. This allows the meat to become both tasty and moist, and helps cut down on cooking time. I also do this to any additional ingredients, such as onions or carrots, which helps bring out their natural flavor. This gradual way of seasoning allows me to determine just how strong a soup I want, and I believe it also helps reduce actual salt intake because I decide how much, or how little salt to use, rather than relying on the recipe’s suggestions.
Other tricks I’ve picked up along the way include browning meat before tossing it into the soup pot, adding stock or broth a bit at a time to keep the meat brown and making sure my soup is always simmering – never boiling – at any point during its cooking time.
Many of my family’s favorite soups can be put together and cooked in under an hour, including time for chopping meats and vegetables (many stores sell chopped vegetables, but it’s much cheaper to buy fresh and chop them yourself, and chopping is a great stress reliever).
Two of the recipes I am sharing this week can be made quickly for great weeknight meals. The third is a recipe for a navy bean soup which I found in one of my favorite magazines, “Taste of Home.” It’s a bit different from my mom’s (it uses chicken broth for its stock and my mom uses water, and this recipe calls for vegetables, while my mom uses none) but it is packed with flavor. Originally, the recipe called for six cooked bacon strips, but I changed it to include chopped ham steaks because my kids really like ham.
Whatever soup you choose, be sure to include your family’s favorite toppings (croutons, cheese and olives are a few good choices) and be ready to enjoy a pleasant time around the table. After all, there is nothing quite like sitting down to a steamy bowl of hearty soup on a chilly November evening, especially when surrounded by family.
Turkey and vegetable soup
(Adapted from a recipe from the Quick Cook)
Prep time: 10 min. Cooking time: 20 min.
1 tbsp. olive oil
6 large celery ribs, finely chopped
4 large carrots, finely chopped
2 large onion, diced
4 c. chopped cooked turkey, sprinkled lightly with salt and sugar
2 15-oz. can cream-style corn
7 c. reduced-sodium chicken broth
¼ c. chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 c. bow-tie pasta
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle celery, carrots and onion lightly with salt and sugar; add to saucepan and cook until crisp-tender (about 5 min.), stirring to keep from sticking.
Add all of the remaining ingredients. Bring soup to just under a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 15-20 min., stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender. Makes eight servings.
Italian cupboard stew
(Adapted from a recipe from the Quick Cook)
Prep time: 5 min. Cook time: 27 min.
3 boneless pork chops, cut into 1-inch cubes and lightly sprinkled with salt and sugar
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 14.5-oz. cans reduced sodium chicken broth
2 15 oz. cans of cannelloni or great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
2 15 oz. cans of chopped tomatoes, Italian seasoned style, undrained
2 tbsp. dried minced onion
8 oz. fresh spinach leaves, torn into small pieces
Heat oil in large stock pot. Brown meat over medium-high heat for about five min. Stir in all remaining ingredients, except spinach leaves, and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 min. Stir in spinach, simmer for two additional minutes. Serve with crusty bread such as Como or Pugliese. Makes eight servings.
Navy bean and ham soup
(Adapted from a recipe from The Sugar Bowl Restaurant)
Prep time: 10 min. Soaking time: 1 hour Cooking time: 90 min.
1 lb. dried navy beans
2 qts. reduced sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
¼ tsp. pepper
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1-1b. bag baby carrots, washed
1 stalk of celery, chopped
3 Farmer John ham steaks, chopped
Place beans in large stock pot or Dutch oven; add water to cover by two inches. Bring to a boil; boil for two min. Remove from heat. Cover and let soak for one hour. Drain beans, discarding liquid, and rinse with cold water.
In a large stock pot or soup kettle, combine beans, broth, parsley, bay leaves and pepper. Bring just to a boil; immediately reduce heat and cover. Let simmer for one hour. Add onion, carrots, celery and ham. Cover and simmer for 20-25 min. or until vegetables and beans are tender. Remove bay leaves before serving. Serve with homemade corn bread. Makes 10 servings.
