My favorite soups- here are seven of them
SAUSAGE-LENTIL SOUP
Hearty winter fare.
1 onion, chopped
2 T butter
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 lb dry lentils, rinsed and picked over
1 lb polish sausage, cut in small chunks
1 tsp salt
6 cups fresh spinach (or one package frozen, thawed and drained)
1 T lemon juice
1 tsp pepper
Sauté onion in butter until brown. Add water, lentils, sausage and salt, and bring to a boil. Skim fat, cover and simmer for 40 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in spinach, cover and cook until wilted. Add lemon juice and pepper; correct seasoning.
ST. PAUL ATHLETIC CLUB’S BEER-CHEESE SOUP (makes 2 quarts)
Hearty and rich -- great with a salad and bread.
1 cup each chopped celery and chopped onion
1 cup oil
1-1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
3 cups water
2 T dry mustard
1 T Worcestershire sauce
4 T dry chicken stock base
1/2 T onion salt
1 lb cheddar cheese, shredded
18 oz beer
pepper and tabasco to taste, popcorn for garnish
Saute´ celery and onions in oil until transparent. Add flour and cook about 10 minutes. Add milk, water, mustard, Worcestershire, pepper, tabasco, chicken stock, and onion salt. Cook 45 minutes on low heat. Mix in cheese, add beer, and heat, stirring, until cheese is melted.
Sprinkle popcorn on top.
ROASTED TOMATO SOUP (serves 6)
3 lbs tomatoes, cored
1/3 C olive oil
6 chopped garlic cloves
2 T chopped fresh thyme
2 C chopped onion
1 C packed basil leaves, minced
2 C chicken broth
1/2 C cream
salt and pepper
Drizzle 1/4 C olive oil over tomatoes in roasting pan. Sprinkle with garlic and thyme.
Roast at 350° for one hour, turning occasionally. While the tomatoes are roasting, scald the cream: heat it in a saucepan, medium-low, until a film forms on top (do not boil!) Remove from heat.
In a pan, cook onions in remaining oil until softened. Add tomatoes and minced basil, and cook 5 minutes. Add broth, bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Force through sieve and return to pan.
JULIA’S FRENCH ONION SOUP from Julia Child & More Company
Plain Brown Beef Stock for about 2 quarts
2 or more quarts sawed beef bones, including knuckles and some meaty scaps attached; plus veal and poultry bones, raw and/or cooked (my note: I use beef, chicken and pork)
2 large carrots, scrubbed and roughly sliced
3 large onions, peeled and roughly chopped
sufficient water to cover all ingredients
1 large leek, washed (optional)
3 celery ribs with leaves, washed
1 tb coarse or kosher salt (or table salt)
1 large herb bouquet tied in washed cheesecloth (8 parsley sprigs, 1 large imported bay leaf, 1 tsp dried thyme, 4 whole cloves or allspice berries, 3 large cloves garlic, unpeeled)
Spread the bones and meat scraps (except for poultry) and the carrots and onions in a roomy enough roasting pan; set in the upper middle level of a 450 degree oven and roast for 40 or more minutes, turning and basting ingredients several times with accumulated fat until nicely browned (my note: I usually use some chicken thighs on the bone and I do put them in the roasting pan right away with the other meats/bones). Transfer to a large soup kettle, leaving fat in pan. Discard fat and de-glaze pan- pour in a cup or so of water and set over heat, scraping coagulated roasting juices into the liquid. Pour into the kettle, and add enough cold water to cover ingredients by 2 inches (my note: sometimes I will use some canned broth along with the water here but if you do this, use low-sodium beef or chicken broth). Bring to the simmer, skim off gray scum that will rise to the surface for several minutes, then add rest of ingredients. Cover partially and simmer slowly 4-5 hours at least, adding more water if needed to cover ingredients. Strain into a large bowl, chill, peel coagulated fat off surface, and your stock is finished. If your stock lacks savor, boil it down in a large kettle after degreasing to concentrate it.
For the onion soup:
3 tb butter
1 tb olive oil
6 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (about 1-1/2 lb)
½ tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tb flour
2 quarts homemade stock
2 cups dry white wine or dry white French vermouth
salt & pepper
Melt the butter with the oil in a 4-qt pan. Stir in the sliced onions. Cover and cook slowly for 20 minutes, stirring up occasionally, until onions are tender and translucent. Raise heat to moderately high, stir in the sugar and salt, and cook 20-30 minutes more, stirring frequently until onions have turned a fine, deep caramel brown. Lower heat to moderate, blend in the flour, and cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and blend in 2 ladlefuls hot stock. Stir in the rest and the wine. Season lightly to taste, bring to the boil then simmer slowly, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Correct seasonings.
French Onion Soup Gratinee for a 3 quart tureen, serving 4-6
A loaf or 2 of firm, full-textured French bread
2 tb or more butter
3 oz firm Swiss cut into thin slices
Freshly ground pepper
2 qts simmering onion soup
4-5 tb Cognac
1-1/4 cups lightly packed, coarsely grated mixed Swiss cheeses
2 egg yolks beaten with 4-5 tb Port or Madeira
Toasted French bread rounds:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut bread into slices less than ½” thick, place in one layer on a baking sheet and dry out in upper third level of oven until fairly evenly brown.
Filling and baking the tureen:- About 45 minutes
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Smear a tb of butter in bottom of tureen and arrange over it a closely packed layer of toasted bread. Spread over bread layer the sliced cheese, grind on pepper, ladle in the boiling soup, and pour in the Cognac. Float a closely packed layer of toast on the top of the soup and spread over it the grated cheese with a few grinds of pepper. Sprinkle over that a tb or two of melted butter. Set tureen in middle level of oven and bake for about 30 minutes. Just before serving, lift the crust with a serving fork, pour into the soup the egg yolk and wine mixture and stir gently under the crust.
MAMA Z’S FAMOUS MINESTRONE
Simmer for 1 hour:
3 quarts water
2 bay leaves
1 head garlic, peeled
pinch of sage
2 T each thyme, oregano, basil
1 T pepper
Uncover and toss the garlic and bay leaves away. Chop a combination of any of the following vegetables to measure 4 C: potatoes, carrots, onions, broccoli, cabbage, corn, peas, cauliflower, celery, tomatoes, celery, mushrooms, spinach
Sauté the vegetables in 2 T vegetable oil in a seperate pan for 10 minutes or until just browning. Add to broth. Add:
1-15 oz can kidney beans, drained
1-15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 C broken, dry spaghetti or other pasta
Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or more. Correct seasonings then serve in bowls with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
YOUVARLAKIA AVGOLEMONO from Evelyn in Athens
(Meatballs in Egg-Lemon Soup) !
1 lb Ground beef
1/4 lb Ground pork (opt but good)
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 Water or 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.
CORN AND POTATO CHOWDER
Makes 7-8 cups
4 slices bacon cut into 1/2” pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced thin
1 cup celery, sliced thin
1 bay leaf
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 cup half/half or cream
2 cups corn
1 cup shredded cheddar or American cheese
salt, pepper and cayenne to taste
sour cream (just for serving)
Cook bacon until crisp and transfer to paper towels. In the bacon drippings, cook the onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, salt & pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add potato and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 15 minutes or until potato is tender. Add the corn, milk and cream. Simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Take about 2 cups of veggies and soup and puree it in a blender or food processor. Return it to the soup pot. Add the cheese and cayenne.
Serve in bowls with a dollop of sour cream on top and sprinkle with bacon.
