Fall is here and I'm craving soup. Can we start a soup thread? What's your favorite?

REC: Hamburger Hamlet Onion Soup Fondue ala Jane

Hamburger Hamlet Onion Soup Fondue
from The Hamburger Hamlet restaurant in West Los Angeles, CA (with my tweaks. cheezz)

Makes 12 large servings

3/4 cup sweet real butter (I use only 1/2 cup, or 1 stick)
4 to 6 large onions, thinly sliced
2 quarts beef broth (I use 2 quarts water with 6 tsp. Better Than Bouillon beef base)
1 tsp chicken stock base (again... I use Better Than Bouillon)
White pepper, to taste (I use a few shakes of black pepper)
Here are my additions to the original recipe:
1/2 clove garlic, minced
2 tbl. soy sauce
1 tsp. Beau Monde (this spice is crucial to the taste)
Round French or sourdough bread, sliced 1-inch thick
Jack cheese slices, 1 ounce each (I always buy it pre-shredded, or do it myself)
Garlic bread loaf (I have always used french or sourdough)

In a large kettle, melt butter, add onions and sauté until transparent but not browned. Add beef broth and chicken base. Cover and simmer 2-3 hours. Remove from heat and allow to stand overnight.

The next day, remove and discard fat. Reheat and check seasonings.

Meanwhile, lightly toast bread slices and top with 5-6 slices of jack cheese. Place soup in ovenproof individual serving dishes and top with bread slices. Place soup under broiler just until cheese bubbles and is soft but not browned. Serve with garlic toast on the side.

 
Whistle Stop Minestrone

Whistle Stop Minestrone
from the Whistle Stop Restaurant

Serves 8-10 generously

1/4 C chopped salt pork fried or 2 tbl. bacon fat (you can also use a little vegetable oil instead)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
8 cups water
8 tsp. Better Than Bouillon chicken base - or other chicken stock paste
1 1-pound can stewed tomatoes, chopped
1 15-oz can pinto beans, undrained
1 tsp dried or 1⁄4 C fresh chopped parsley
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 cup EACH: sliced zucchini, carrots, green beans, chopped celery
3/4 cup elbow or seashell macaroni
Grated parmesan cheese, optional


In a large soup pot cook chopped salt pork until fat is rendered, or heat bacon fat or oil until melted. Add garlic and onion and sauté until tender. Add water, bouillon, parsley, celery, basil, oregano, carrots, zucchini, green beans pinto beans and tomatoes with liquid.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour. Add macaroni and cook 30 minutes or until tender if serving at once. If making ahead, don’t cook macaroni until ready to serve. Can be frozen.

Serve with grated parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

 
REC: pinach Chicken Noodle Soup

pinach Chicken Noodle Soup

Makes 6 cups. Ready in 30 minutes

2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
3 cans (about 13-14 oz. each) chicken broth (or 5 cups water + 4 tsp. Better Than Bouillon chicken base)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/8 tsp. fresh ground pepper
Pinch nutmeg
1/3 cup tiny star pasta, or 3/4 cup thin spaghetti broken in pieces
2 cups packed spinach leaves that have been julienned (cut in thin strips)
6 tbl. fresh grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in large saucepan over med-low heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (do not brown). Stir in broth, chicken, pepper and nutmeg. Bring just to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside. Increase heat to high. Add pasta and boil gently, stirring occasionally, until tender (5-10 min.). Meanwhile, dice chicken. Return chicken to soup; add spinach. Heat through and spoon into bowls. Sprinkle with grated parmesan.

 
REC: Baked Potato Soup

Baked Potato Soup

1 medium head garlic, 1/4" cut off top
6 lg. baking potatoes (3 pounds) rinsed and pierced once with a fork
4-1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Optional toppings:
crumbled bacon (real or otherwise); shredded cheddar (real or otherwise); lowfat sour cream;
minced scallions or green onions

SEE NOTE AT END
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap whole garlic bulb tightly in foil. Put garlic and potatoes in oven. Bake 45 min. then remove garlic and cool while continuing to bake potatoes until tender (about 15 min. more). Unwrap garlic and squeeze pulp from bulbs into a 4-qt. pot. Peel half of the hot potatoes, add to garlic in pan and mash until nearly smooth. Gradually stir in broth and pepper. Simmer over medium heat until hot.
Meanwhile, cut remaining potatoes (with skin) into small dice. Stir into soup and cook until heated through. Offer optional toppings to pass around.

NOTE:
Since I like to do things quicker sometimes, I have made these changes with absolutely no change in flavor:
Place garlic in covered bowl and nuke in microwave for 4 min. Set aside to cool and nuke potatoes in microwave until tender. Then proceed with recipe.

 
REC: Pasta Place Curry Soup

Pasta Place Curry Soup
from the Pasta Place Restaurant in Studio City, CA

Makes 4-5 servings

2-1/2 cps. half & half OR 2 12-oz. cans of Lite evaporated skim milk
2 cps. water or chicken stock
2 cloves garlic
1/2 medium onion
1/2 green pepper, cored & cut up
1/2 sweet yellow pepper, cored & cut up
1/2 sweet red pepper, cored & cut up
1 zucchini, cut up
1/2 cp. broccoli florets
1/2 cp. cauliflower florets
1 cp. mushrooms
1/2 baking potato, peeled & halved
1 Tbl. curry powder (more if you like it HOT!)
1 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste

Combine cream & water in stock pot. Add garlic, onion, peppers, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms & potato. Stir in curry powder, salt & pepper. Bring to boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer 30-40 min.
Remove from heat & cool few minutes. Puree in blender until smooth. Serve immediately, or pour back into pan and reheat when needed.
NOTE: I always make a double batch and freeze half - it freezes beautifully for months.

 
REC: Steak Soup

Steak Soup
Ladies’ Home Journal Magazine, Oct 1996 (with alterations by cheezz)

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef, browned
2 cups diced onions
1 cup each carrots, zucchini and celery, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 potatoes, diced
3 cans chicken broth (about 14 oz each, or 5-1/4 cps. water + 4 tsp.
Better Than Bouillon chicken base)
1 tsp. beef bouillon
1 cup red wine, optional
1 (16 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup flour or cornstarch

Brown ground beef in Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook 1 to 12 minutes until vegetables are softened. Then add potatoes, wine, broth, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper sauce and pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 to 45 minutes to blend flavors.

(*see note below) Meanwhile, melt butter in small saucepan then stir in 1/2 cup flour. Cook over medium–high heat, stirring until deep brown. Whisk into soup; cover and simmer 15 minutes more.

NOTE: I don’t do this last step with the butter and flour. I use Wondra Instant Flour and just sprinkle it in while I’m stirring... no measurement on this, just add about 3 Tbl., stir awhile and see if you need more.

 
REC: Grammy's Pea Soup

Grammy’s Pea Soup

Measurements in this are very *approximate* - don’t feel you have to measure everything exactly.

1 large ham bone or 2 ham hocks
4 cups celery, sliced
1 large onion, chopped
4 cups carrots, sliced (this is a 1-lb. package)
1 bay leaf
Lawry Seasoning salt and pepper to taste
2 rounded tsp. Better Than Bouillon chicken base
2 medium baking potatoes, cubed
1 lb. bag peas, rinsed and stones removed

Put ham bone or hocks in pot with enough water to cover them. Simmer for a couple of hours then cool. Remove bone or hocks and put the cooking water into fridge overnight. The next day you will have a layer of fat on top - skim and throw this away. To the liquid that is left, add water to it to make 10 cups liquid, in a large pot. To the pot, add everything but the ham and potatoes. Simmer for several hours, stirring occasionally - near the end it will get very thick as the peas finish cooking, so be careful not to scorch it. Add water as necessary. While it’s cooking, remove ham pieces from bone and set aside. Just before soup is done, add potatoes and ham bits then cook 30 minutes more.
NOTE: This freezes well.

 
REC: Texas Chicken and Dumplings

Texas Chicken and Dumplings
Woman’s Day Magazine, Feb 1999

2 lb skinned, boned chicken thighs
1/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 leek (white part only), thinly sliced, rinsed and dried
1/4 cup minced shallots or onion
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
2 slender carrots, cut diagonally in 1/4-inch-wide slices
2 celery stalks, cut in 1/4-inch dice
1/2 cup apple cider or juice
1 bay leaf
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 tsp dried
1 tsp minced fresh sage, or 1/4 tsp dried
1/2 cup frozen tiny peas

Parsley Dumplings:
1-1/3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp 1% lowfat milk

1. Cut each thigh lengthwise in 4 pieces. Mix flour, 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper on a plate. Add chicken; turn to coat. Shake off excess.
2. In a large heavy skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken in batches, and cook 1 minute per side or until lightly browned. Remove to a plate.
3. Add leek and shallots to skillet. Cook over medium heat 2 minutes or until soft. Return chicken; add broth, carrots, celery, cider, bay leaf, thyme, sage, and remaining salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until carrots and celery are crisp-tender. Stir in peas.
4. Meanwhile make dumplings: In a medium bowl, stir flour, baking powder, and salt to mix. Stir in parsley, then milk just until blended.
5. Drop 12 large spoonfuls into the simmering broth. Cook 10 minutes, cover and cook 10 minutes more or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

 
Hoisin is my secret weapon for deeping the flavor with tomato-based things.

When I was personal cheffing this summer, the family had a HUGE bottle of hoisin. I started adding some to tomato sauce, braises...you name it! It added a touch of sweetness and a beautiful depth of flavor. When the gig was over, I gave them a stack of recipes but never adjusted for that tweak (a squeeze here, a squeeze there.) I'm sure they're wondering why their food never tastes like mine. smileys/smile.gif

 
Avgolemono from Evelyn in Athens is a GREAT recipe

YOUVARLAKIA AVGOLEMONO)
(Meatballs in Egg-Lemon Soup)

1 /2 lb Ground beef
1/2 lb Ground pork
1 Onion, minced
1 Garlic clove, minced fine (opt)
6 tb Raw long-grain white rice
Chopped fresh parsley
2 tb Chopped fresh dill or mint
1 ts Dried oregano or thyme
Salt & freshly ground pepper
3 Eggs
5 c good chicken stock
4 oz Unsalted butter
1 Onion, chopped
2-3 Carrots, sliced
1 lg Potato, cubed
1 Lemon (or more), juice only

In a large bowl, combine the meat, minced onion, garlic, raw rice, 3 tablespoons chopped parsley, the dill or mint, oregano, salt and pepper, and 1 egg, slightly beaten. Knead for a few minutes, then shape into walnut-sized meatballs and set aside.
In a soup pot, bring the water or stock to boil with the butter, chopped onion, carrot and potato and salt and pepper to taste. Lower the heat and add the meatballs. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. If you like your soup thick, add 2 tbs of cornstarch to a little bit of cold water, mix and add to the soup. Simmer until thick. Remove from the heat.
To prepare avgolemono, beat the remaining 2 eggs for 2 minutes. Gradually add the lemon juice. Then add 1 cup of the hot broth by droplets, beating steadily, until nearly all
has been added. Add the egg mix to the soup and heat,
being careful not to let it boil. Serve hot, garnished with parsley. Serve Feta with the soup if you like.

 
My other favorite soup- Wild Rice Soup with Bacon

WILD RICE SOUP WITH BACON
2-3 strips thick sliced bacon, diced:
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2/3 c raw wild rice
1 /2 c carrots, diced
1 /2 c celery, finely cut
1 / 2 c. sliced mushrooms
5 c chicken broth
1-1/2 c heavy cream
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp pepper
3 tbsp butter, softened
3 tbsp flour
salt, pepper to taste
1 /2 c parmesan cheese (if needed for flavor)
1 /3 c sherry

Fry bacon. Drain and reserve 2 tbsp fat. Saute rice, onion, carrots, garlic, mushrooms and celery in bacon fat for five minutes. Return bacon to the pot. Stir in the broth, add the thyme and pepper. Heat, stirring constantly, to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender, about 40 minutes. Stir in the cream. Mix the butter and flour together and whisk into the soup. Cook, stirring constantly, until the soup thickens and bubbles, about 1 minute. Season to taste, add sherry. Add the parmesan if the soup needs more body. Serves 4.

 
Swiss Chard Variation: Separate leaves from stems of a large bunch of chard.

Omit the flour, add the diced stems when the leeks are tender and cook until stems are tender as well. They will thicken the soup. Add the stock, bring to the simmer, then add the leaves.

With chard, it's really nice to substitute ham stock for part of the chicken stock.

 
I have never heard of adding Baking Soda to soup. Thoughts? Agree w/ Hal? I would hate to ruin a

big batch of soup 'cause I added BS....

Appreciate your thoughts!

 
Me neither. I might taste the soup first and see if it seems acidic..

Then I would add more cream, to taste. I don't even know where my baking soda is, lol.

In fairness, maybe this is a great low-fat option.

 
Adding baking soda is a trick of James Beard's mother. My mom was reading one if his old books and

Saw his Mom's recipe which he said was his favorite. I made it but liked Katy's better, but I liked the smoothness of flavor of Mrs. Beard's, it I tried added the baking soda and voilà!

Sometimes when using tomatoes the recipes say to add a but of sugar to balance the acids, but I personally don't care for the sweet tone. The baking soda doesn't make it taste weird or off in any way, it neutralizes the tomatoes acids (remember chem class?).

Please try it, I was skeptical too but took a chance and was really pleased. Because it is salty I just taste for salt later and add less. I tried this with a tomato sauce, I was using canned tomatoes and they were too acidic - the downside of being used to our gorgeous dry farmed Early Girl tomatoes this season! I added 1/4 tsp. of soda and it was perfect.

 
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