While many cast French Onion Soup as fine dining restaurant fare, it really is easy enough to make this soup at home. Read on for my recipe, hints, and tips for making this Classic French Onion Soup in your own kitchen. Yes, you really can make fine restaurant-quality food at home and your kitchen will have the intoxicating aroma of a French bistro! Continue reading Classic French Onion Soup Recipe
Sometimes, nothing but a soothing old-fashioned soup will do and it doesn’t get more classic than this comforting Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup.
However, Chicken Noodle Soup can sometimes be, well, blah and rather tasteless unless it has some seasoning. I am a big believer in layering in flavors to create a tasteful dish and that is how I have designed this soup.
Whether you simply crave homemade comfort food or you’re feeling under the weather, this soothing and nourishing broth-based Chicken Noodle Soup will be just what’s needed.
I highly recommend some pre-prep work to make the soup-making process easier and more efficient. Start by removing the chicken pieces from the refrigerator at least 20-30 minutes before searing them as they will sear better if they are not super cold.
Chop the onions and slice or dice the carrots and celery. Mince the garlic. Measure out the poultry stock and seasonings. Weigh the noodles and, if using, squeeze the lemon juice.
Use chicken with skin on and bone in for this soup. Starting with raw chicken (as opposed to already cooked chicken) helps to create a good flavor base for the soup. Choosing chicken that has the bone in will add more flavor than will boneless chicken pieces. Leaving the skin on the chicken allows the fat to add flavor to the soup and is useful when searing the chicken as explained below. So long as the weight of chicken called for in the recipe remains the same, any cut of, or combination of, chicken pieces can be used – e.g., chicken breasts, thighs, legs. That said, breasts and thighs will yield more meat. For ease of cooking, I recommend using similarly-sized pieces that will all cook for about the same amount of time. I used equal-sized chicken breasts for the soup in the photos.
Searing the chicken pieces till the skin is golden-brown helps to keep the meat moist and provides an outer “buffer”, to insulate the chicken as it continues to cook in the stock thus helping to prevent the chicken from becoming dried out and rubbery. Of course, searing the chicken till it is golden-brown, helps to add color and flavor to the soup. If you have a grease splatter screen/guard that fits the top of your stockpot, I recommend using it to avoid fat splatters and potential skin burns as the chicken sears. It will spit and splatter so do be careful around it.
Use an instant read thermometer to test chicken for doneness (165°F internal temperature), inserting the thermometer into the thickest meat part of one of the chicken pieces that has temporarily been removed from the stock to have its temperature taken. The cooking time I have suggested in the recipe is to be used as a gauge only as cooktops vary in their heat generation and chicken pieces cook at different lengths of time based on their cut and size. Use a thermometer for accuracy. Do not overcook the chicken.
After searing the chicken pieces, be sure to deglaze the stockpot with a bit of the poultry stock called for in the recipe. Scrape up any brown bits left in the bottom of the pan from searing the chicken. These little tidbits will add great flavor and additional color to the soup.
I prefer to use my own homemade poultry stock as the base for soups. You can find my recipe here. I find it is flavorful and I can recognize and pronounce all the ingredients in it so I know what I am eating! I never throw out a chicken or turkey carcass as it makes fabulous stock. I always have a ready stash of poultry stock in my freezer to use as the base for making soups which are a mainstay in my diet.
While I recommend the use of homemade stock, commercial stock from your grocer’s store shelf can be used if you don’t have homemade stock on hand. Just be sure to buy a good quality, flavorful stock and preferably one that is not overly salty. Sometimes, some commercial brands are little more than lightly colored salted water, in my opinion, and they will not give your soup either flavor or color. Because this is a broth-based soup, use a high-quality stock as it is the key ingredient to this soup’s flavor.
A traditional French mirepoix would have an exact ratio of 2:1:1 of onion to carrots and celery and the veggies would be very uniformly and finely chopped. While I will often adhere to this holy grail ratio, sometimes, my tastebuds lead me in another direction, especially when I don’t want to over-do the onion flavor and yet want the bulk of more celery and carrot in the dish. I wanted a cup each of celery and carrot but not 2 cups of onion as per typical mirepoix ratio which would, in my opinion, overpower the soup’s desired flavor (I am using 1 1/3 cups chopped onion in this recipe). So, all this to say….in my view, sometimes it’s the cook’s prerogative to go with taste versus scientific ratio (some chefs may, no doubt, beg to differ!). Sautéing these aromatics before adding them to the soup, allows them to release their flavors that will give deep, well-rounded flavor to the soup.
Almost any noodles can be used in this soup. I typically use broken up pieces of thinner type pastas like spaghetti, linguine, or fettuccine, broken into about 3” pieces. However, wider egg noodles or other pasta shapes, for example, can certainly be used in this recipe. These are added near the end of the cooking and should only be cooked until they are barely al dente.
Any kind of favorite mixture of frozen vegetables can be used in this soup. I often make it with nothing more than peas and/or corn (as was done with the batch of soup shown in this post’s photographs where frozen corn was the sole frozen vegetable used). However, there are so many different frozen vegetable combinations on the market today that there is a mixture for everyone’s taste. Just make sure, whatever vegetables you choose to use, are not overcooked. They should just be al dente.
I recommend tasting the soup as it is being made and adding additional salt and freshly ground pepper conservatively. The amount needed will largely depend on the kind of poultry stock used. If it already has a hefty amount of salt in it, then the soup will need very little additional salt.
This soup is meant to be a broth-based soup. However, I do add a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with water to form a paste. Be sure to temper this paste with a bit of the soup’s hot liquid so that it will blend well when added to the soup. This amount of cornstarch is minimal compared to the amount of liquid in the soup so it won’t make it a thick “chowder consistency”. It will, however, strengthen and give a bit more body to the broth so it won’t be quite so thin and watery. This addition is optional so, if your preference is to have a very thin broth base, by all means, skip this step.
This step is totally optional but, at the time of serving, a light spritz or splash of freshly-squeezed lemon juice can add a bit of brightness to the soup’s flavor and the lemon’s acid balances out any salty flavor which is especially useful if using a salt-laden commercial stock. A word of caution, though, go easy on the amount of lemon juice used as adding too much will quickly turn this lovely flavorful soup into a not-so-pleasant sour soup.
This soup freezes well so is great to have on hand. Freeze it in freezer-safe containers of desired serving size. Be sure to label and date the soup.
[Printable recipe follows at end of post]
Ingredients:
2-3 tbsp cooking oil
2 – 2½ lbs chicken pieces (e.g., breasts/thighs, bone-in and skin on)
7 cups poultry stock
1 large bay leaf
1½ tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp dried Basil
½ tsp dried summer savory
½ tsp dried turmeric
¼ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp dried dill
1/8 tsp ground dried fennel
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 1/3 cups chopped onion
1 cup carrots, diced or sliced thin
1 cup celery, diced or sliced thin
Sprinkle of salt
3-5 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with water to form a paste
4 oz uncooked noodles of choice (e.g., egg noodles, broken spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, or other pasta shapes)
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables of choice
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 – 3 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)
Method:
Pre-Prep:
Remove chicken pieces from refrigerator at least 20-30 minutes before searing.
Prepare and measure the onion, carrots, and celery and mince the garlic.
Measure poultry stock and weigh the noodles. Measure out seasonings and cornstarch.
Prepare lemon juice, if using.
Heat cooking oil in large, heavy-bottomed, stockpot over medium heat. Season both sides of chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Working in batches, brown the chicken pieces, skin side down, for about 3-4 minutes, just until skin is a golden-brown color. Flip the chicken pieces over and repeat on the bone side. Remove and transfer chicken to a heat-proof cutting board.
Over medium heat, deglaze, with a couple of tablespoons of the poultry stock, the large stockpot in which the chicken pieces were seared. Scrape up any brown bits remaining from the chicken. Add the remaining poultry stock, bay leaf, seasonings, and chicken pieces. Bring mixture just to the boiling point then reduce heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered for approximately 15-20 minutes (see Note below re cooking time).
When the chicken has been cooking for about 10 minutes, prepare the aromatic vegetables as follows. Add olive oil to a sauté pan over medium-high heat. When heated, add the butter and, once melted, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 6 minutes. Add a sprinkle of salt as the vegetables sauté. Add the minced garlic cloves and stir continuously for about 30-45 seconds until garlic is fragrant, being careful not to scorch the garlic. Remove from heat.
When the chicken has been cooking about 15 minutes, remove one of the chicken pieces from the stock and insert an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of a chicken piece to test for doneness (see NOTE below regarding cooking time). When chicken tests done (165°F internal temperature), remove the chicken pieces from the stockpot and transfer to a heat-proof cutting board. Allow chicken to cool slightly then, when it is just cooled enough to handle, use forks or fingers to remove and discard skin and bones and shred, or chop, chicken into bite-sized portions.
While chicken is cooling and being shredded or chopped, reduce heat under stockpot containing the poultry stock to medium-low, skim off any visible fat that may have surfaced, and add the sautéed vegetables. Cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes then add the noodles and frozen vegetables. Cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat slightly. Whisk cornstarch with a small amount of water to make a paste. Temper with a bit of the hot soup liquid and stir cornstarch mixture into the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer soup for a few minutes longer, just until noodles and vegetables are al dente. Stir chicken back into stock pot to heat (3-4 minutes). Do not boil. Remove and discard bay leaf.
If desired, add a spritz or a splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice just at time of serving to brighten up and balance out the soup’s flavor. Don’t over-do it on the addition of lemon juice as it is easy to turn this into a sour soup.
Serve soup with crackers, biscuits, or bread of choice.
Soup freezes well.
Yield: Apx. 10 cups
NOTE: The cooking time for the chicken that I have suggested in the recipe is to be used as a gauge only as cooktops vary in their heat generation and chicken pieces cook at different lengths of time according to their size and cut. The cooking times suggested in this recipe are based on chicken breast cuts. Other cuts and sizes of chicken pieces may require different cooking times. Use an instant read thermometer for accuracy to ensure that the chicken is properly and safely cooked.
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Reduce heat slightly. Whisk cornstarch with a small amount of water to make a paste. Temper with a bit of the hot soup liquid and stir cornstarch mixture into the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer soup for a few minutes longer, just until noodles and vegetables are al dente. Stir chicken back into stock pot to heat (3-4 minutes). Do not boil. Remove and discard bay leaf.
Yield: Apx. 10 cups
NOTE: The cooking time for the chicken that I have suggested in the recipe is to be used as a gauge only as cooktops vary in their heat generation and chicken pieces cook at different lengths of time according to their size and cut. The cooking times suggested in this recipe are based on chicken breast cuts. Other cuts and sizes of chicken pieces may require different cooking times. Use an instant read thermometer for accuracy to ensure that the chicken is properly and safely cooked.
The humble carrot, often the last of the vegetables to be harvested from the garden in autumn, makes a fabulous base for a smooth Cream of Carrot Soup. With its superb flavor, color, and luxuriously smooth texture, this soup is a winning combination and can be made year-round. Continue reading Cream of Carrot Soup
Today’s featured recipe from my kitchen is Roasted Parsnip and Pear Soup. The combination of the somewhat nutty flavor of the parsnips pairs well with the sweetness of the Bosc Pears. They balance each other well in this savory soup.
My grandparents always left a clump of parsnips in the garden over the winter, claiming they tasted sweeter when harvested the following spring after the cold winter weather turned some of their starch into sugar. In any event, no parsnips in their garden were to be harvested until at least after the first few frosts in the late fall. Today, parsnips are available in supermarkets and at farmers’ markets year-round.
The ivory-colored root vegetable is a member of the carrot family but parsnips have a distinctly different flavor from carrots. Some claim parsnips have an almost spicy earthy flavor, bordering on a hint of spices like nutmeg and cinnamon. Parsnips can be prepared in numerous ways and they are a staple in my household. I use some parsnip in many of the soups I make, including Turkey Vegetable, as it imparts wonderful flavor. In my opinion, roasting parsnips will add depth to their flavor profile which is why I am roasting them for this particular soup in which they are the primary ingredient.
In terms of health benefits, parsnips are high in fiber and are considered to be a good source of Vitamins C, E, and K as well as folate and manganese.
This soup freezes very well, provided no fat-reduced milk is used in it – just don’t do that to any cream-based soup, regardless if it is to be frozen or not. Cream-based soups are meant to have a velvety, creamy texture that just simply cannot effectively be achieved when low-fat or skim milk is used.
Roasted Parsnip and Pear Soup, while it can certainly be served on its own with a favorite bread, makes a wonderful addition to the soup course of a meal. The soup also makes a fine accompaniment as a side to a sandwich for a great lunch or light supper.
[Printable recipe follows at end of post]
Ingredients:
1 lb parsnips, peeled and coarsely chopped into 2” chunks
½ garlic bulb
1½ tbsp olive oil to toss with parsnips and garlic
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp coriander
Salt and Pepper
2 Bosc Pears, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
1-2 tsp olive oil to toss with the pears
1½ tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter
1 leek (white and light green parts only), sliced about 1/8” thick
1 cup potato, peeled and diced
2/3 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup shallots, finely chopped
4 cups chicken or turkey stock
1 bay leaf
1 star anise
½ tsp dried Rosemary, crushed
¼ – ½ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp cardamom
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp lemon juice
2/3 cup whipping cream
½ cup whole milk
2/3 cup medium Cheddar cheese, shredded
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Method:
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line rimed baking sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray. Peel and chop parsnips into 2” chunks and place in medium-sized bowl. Add the half garlic bulb. Toss with olive oil, nutmeg, coriander, salt, and pepper. Spread parsnips and garlic, single layer on baking sheet. Roast, uncovered, 18-20 minutes. Meanwhile, peel, core, and coarsely chop the Bosc pears. Drizzle with just enough olive oil to coat pears. Turn parsnips over and add pears to the roasting pan. Roast 15 minutes longer or until parsnips are tender.
In Dutch oven, heat 1½ tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add the butter. When butter is melted, add the leek, potato, celery, and shallots. Cook, stirring constantly, for 4-5 minutes. Add the chicken or turkey stock, bay leaf, star anise, Rosemary, turmeric, and cardamon. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to simmer and cook slowly, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf and star anise. Stir in the maple syrup and lemon juice. Cool for about 30 minutes.
Working in batches, purée mixture in blender until smooth. Transfer mixture back to soup pot. Stir in whipping cream and milk. When heated, stir in cheeses until melted. Season further with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish if and as desired. Serve hot with bread or rolls of choice.
Yield: Apx 5-6 servings
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Yield: Apx 5-6 servings
Chili
Classic Chili
Chicken and Pumpkin Chili
Cream-based Soups
Classic Cream of Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Classic Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Cream of Roasted Asparagus Soup
Cream of Roasted Cauliflower Soup
Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup
Cream of Winter Root Vegetable Soup
Homemade Cream of Celery Soup
PEI Potato Leek Soup
Broth-based Soups
Minestrone
Classic Homemade Turkey Vegetable Soup
Cock-a-Leekie Soup
Ham Lentil Soup
Hamburger Soup
Old-fashioned Boiled Ham Dinner
Stews
Irish Stew
Rich and Hearty Goulash
Stocks
Homemade Turkey Stock
Homemade Beef Stock
Chowders
PEI Mussel Chowder
PEI Lobster Chowder
Turkey Chowder
Nothing beats homemade soup! True comfort food – a bowl of hot soup, especially on a cool fall or cold winter day, warms the tummy and the soul. This Cream of Broccoli and Cheese Soup fits that bill nicely.
I make lots of soups and, for my purposes, they have to be freezer-friendly. I have a large collection of single-serving plastic containers that I use to freeze my soups. Each is labelled and dated. Most days, I take a soup to work – I have the different varieties of soup I make all stacked on shelves in my large upright freezer. Each stack contains a selection of the different soups so I am not eating the same kind of soup two days in a row. My alarm clock rings at 4:50am and I am on the highway early and at work by 7:00am so I need healthy, nourishing lunches I can pull together quickly on my way out the door. Frozen soups are my lifesaver! I can pull together my lunch bag contents in under a minute – usually a frozen soup, a frozen pre-wrapped muffin, yogurt, and a couple of pieces of fruit. By noon, the soup has thawed and heats quickly, in my Corningware soup mug, in the microwave for a tasty, filling, and nutritious lunch.
This Cream of Broccoli and Cheese Soup is a favorite. With its velvety texture and soft green color, this soup is also packed full of flavourful and aromatic ingredients – leek, onion, garlic, celery, carrots, parsnip, potato, chicken broth, milk, cheese, and a carefully curated blend of spices for subtle seasoning.
This soup, like all good homemade soups, takes some time to make. The leeks, onions, celery, garlic, carrots, parsnips, and sliced broccoli stems get sautéed in butter and olive oil until the ingredients are fragrant and the onions transparent. Chicken broth is added along with the potatoes, broccoli florets, and seasonings. The veggies are cooked in the broth until they are soft. This method ensures that no nutrients are lost and nothing is poured down the drain. The recipe calls for 3 oz of leek. If leeks, which always seem to be sold in bundles of three, are not something you presently have other uses for (but my Potato Leek Soup, for example, would make good use of them….just sayin’) then, rather than buying a bundle of them for this recipe alone, substitute an additional half cup of chopped onion. The leeks do add a lovely layer of flavour to the Cream of Broccoli and Cheese Soup but, because of their expense, a substitution amount of onion is provided here. This half cup of onion would be in addition to the half cup called for in the recipe.
Broccoli is the primary ingredient in this soup and both florets and stems are used except for the big base stalk. The florets cook quickly but their stems can take longer and they can be difficult to get puréed. The more cooked the veggies are, the easier it will be to purée them and get a lovely smooth-textured soup. I have found that, if I use my small handheld mandolin to slice the broccoli stems all the way up to the florets, they cook better and faster. I slice them very thin – 1/16” thick.
The cooked vegetables need to be cooled before being puréed. I don’t like pouring hot mixtures into my blender jug. The mixture does not have to be completely cooled, but certainly cool enough to work with. I often set the stock pot in a sink of ice-cold water to flash cool the cooked vegetables so that the soup can be completed faster. Work in batches to purée the vegetables. Fill the jug of a blender with about a cup of the soup mixture to start then, when it is puréed, add another 1 – 1½ cups, never filling the jug more than half full. Purée the mixture until perfectly smooth. Transfer the puréed mixture to a clean stock pot. Continue with this process until all vegetables have been puréed.
This is a cream soup so, obviously, its texture is meant to be creamy. For this reason, I do not recommend fat-reduced milk be used in this recipe for Cream of Broccoli and Cheese Soup. Not only will it not have a velvety texture but, for freezing purposes, soups made with fat-reduced milk do not, in my opinion, have an appealing consistency nor appearance. I recommend using whole milk or even a combination of whole milk and cream. Cream soups are one food item in which I recommend “the really good stuff” be used. There are several steps and some time involved in making cream soup so the time and effort is worth using high quality ingredients. I like this soup fairly thick; however, if someone likes their Cream of Broccoli and Cheese Soup thinner consistency, additional milk may be added to achieve the desired consistency. The additional milk should be added by small amounts at a time as this soup is not meant to be watery and thin.
For this Cream of Broccoli and Cheese Soup, I thicken the milk separately and add it to the puréed vegetables at the end of the cooking process. To do this, use a small saucepan to melt some butter. Add the flour for thickening along with the milk, cooking this mixture until it is thickened before adding it to the puréed vegetable mixture. Once the soup mixture is heated (never boiling), add the grated cheese and heat the soup just until the cheese is melted. A medium-to-old cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded can be used for this soup. However, the soup will be more flavorful if a blend of melting cheeses, such as cheddar, mozzarella, and provolone is used. Today, there are a number of pre-shredded cheeses packaged in blends and my favorite for this soup is a mix of cheeses.
Garnish the soup with sour cream, shredded cheese, and fresh herbs, if desired.
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Ingredients:
1 medium-large head of broccoli (apx. 1½ lb)
3 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
3 oz leek (white and light green parts only), sliced thin (about 1/8“ thick) [Note: ½ cup chopped onion may be substituted if leeks are not available]
½ cup onion, chopped
¼ cup celery, chopped
6 – 7 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup carrots, sliced thin
1/3 cup parsnip, sliced thin, about 1/16“ thick
1 lb potatoes, peeled and diced into ¼“cubes
¾ tsp dry mustard
½ tsp dried summer savory
¼ tsp paprika
¼ tsp dried dill
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Pinch cayenne
4 cups chicken stock
2-3 bay leaves
3 tbsp butter
½ cup minus 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup cheddar cheese (or a blend of melting cheeses of choice, coarsely shredded
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
2-3 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
Freshly ground pepper and fine sea salt, to taste
Method:
Remove broccoli stems from large thick base stalk. Discard stalk and break the broccoli head apart, leaving the long floret stems intact. Wash and drain broccoli well. Using a handheld mandolin, slice the broccoli stems thin, about 1/16” thick, all the way up to the florets. Break apart florets into smaller pieces so they will cook faster.
Melt butter in large stockpot over medium heat. Add olive oil. Reduce heat slightly and add the leek, onion, celery, minced garlic cloves, carrots, parsnip, and sliced broccoli stems. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, stirring briskly, until vegetables are fragrant and onion is transparent.
Add the potato, spices, chicken stock, and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a boil. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 15-20 minutes or until all vegetables are quite soft. Cool. Remove and discard bay leaves. Purée vegetables in blender until mixture is very smooth. Work in batches, starting with one cup of the mixture, puréeing it until smooth, then adding another 1 to 1½ cups, never filling the blender jug more than half full at a time. Transfer puréed mixture to clean stockpot.
In small saucepan, over medium heat, melt 3 tbsp butter. Sprinkle with the flour and stir vigorously for several seconds. Slowly whisk the milk into the butter-flour mixture, ensuring there are no lumps. Stir mixture until it thickens then pour it into the pureed vegetables. Heat soup over medium heat but do not boil. Add the cheeses and stir until cheeses are melted. If soup is thicker than desired, add additional milk, small amounts at a time, to thin it to desired consistency. Lastly, add the parsley. Soup freezes well. Garnish as desired.
Yield: Apx. 10-12 servings (apx 1 cup per serving).
Notes:
To make this soup lactose-free, use lactose-free butter, milk, and cheese. To make the soup gluten-free, use same amount of gluten-free 1-to-1 flour to thicken the soup and ensure all other ingredients called for in the recipe are gluten free.
To make this soup lactose-free, use lactose-free butter, milk, and cheese. To make the soup gluten-free, use same amount of gluten-free 1-to-1 flour to thicken the soup and ensure all other ingredients called for in the recipe are gluten free.
Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup
Cream of Celery Soup
Ham Lentil Soup
Roasted Cream of Cauliflower Soup
Rich and Hearty Goulash Soup
PEI Potato Leek Soup
Cream of Winter Root Vegetable Soup
Cock-A-Leekie Soup
Roasted Cream of Asparagus Soup
Hamburger Soup
The Bistro’s Beefy Minestrone
Classic Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
PEI Lobster Chowder
PEI Mussel Chowder
Turkey Chowder
Homemade Turkey Stock
Homemade Beef Stock
My Island Bistro Kitchen’s Chili
Chicken and Pumpkin Chili
When days are cooler, or downright cold, there is nothing better to warm the tummy than a bowl of comfort soup. One of the soups I place in that category is homemade Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. Full of flavour with a lovely velvety texture, Roasted Butternut Squash Soup has a rich natural golden-yellow color that can’t be beat! This is a showstopper soup on both the taste and appetizing color fronts, the latter of which is drawn from the orange, fleshy pulp of the squash.
This soup offers a delicate balance of sweet and savory notes and, while it can certainly be made year-round, this soup is most often served in the fall because its ingredients speak to autumn flavours like the squash, apple, and root vegetables that are fresh and local in most places in autumn.
Butternut squash is inexpensive, readily available year-round and, because of its bulk and substance, goes a long way as an ingredient in various dishes, including soup. That’s in addition to it being both healthy and delicious with its slightly sweet nutty flavour.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup freezes well, so long as it is made with whole milk (not fat-reduced) or, alternatively, with a blend of whole milk and cream. In fact, this soup has now joined the ranks of being one of my staples that I freeze in single-serving portions ready for weekday lunch bags. It’s lovely on its own or paired with a favorite sandwich. A real treat in the middle of a work day!
Roasting vegetables brings out deep, rich flavours that, in my opinion, are sometimes lost in other cooking methods like boiling, for example, where some of the flavour and nutrients get washed down the sink when the cooked vegetables are drained. With roasting, all nutrients and flavours are retained. Butternut squash is very easy to roast. Simply slice the squash in half, vertically, and clean out the seeds and fibrous membrane.
Lightly brush the cut sides and cleaned out hollow of the squash halves with a light coating of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place squash halves, cut side down, on greased tinfoil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for about 35 minutes then flip the squash halves over, brush again very lightly with olive oil and roast for another 15-20 minutes, or until the flesh is soft when pierced with a fork. Make sure the squash does not start to burn or char. If you see this happening, loosely place a piece of tin foil over the squash. Remove the squash from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes then, with a large spoon, scoop the pulp away from the skin and transfer to a bowl. This can be done the day before the soup is made. Make sure to cover the squash and refrigerate it until needed. Don’t let the squash cool completely before removing it from its skin as, otherwise, it will be difficult to remove it away from the skin (experience speaking here). I like to roast the squash, cut-side down, because it keeps the moisture in and caramelizes the flesh of the squash. I do, however, flip the squash halves over part way through the roasting process because I find it gives the squash a nice roasted flavour.
I also find that roasting the squash whole versus cutting it into chunks is preferable. First, it’s hard to cut uncooked squash but it is very easy to scoop out soft roasted pulp from the squash skin. And, second, the roasting needs to occur at a reasonably high temperature and small chunks will burn easily and won’t have the caramelized flavour that can be achieved through the roasting process, particularly in the early stage where the squash is roasted, cut side down. A lovely deep roasted flavour is the objective, not a burnt/charred taste. This, to say, I think I have more control over the flavour if the squash is roasted whole.
The base for Roasted Butternut Squash Soup starts out like many other cream soups with the aromatics being sautéed till fragrant and starting to soften. The chicken broth and seasonings are then added to the pot and the vegetables, along with the apple, continue to cook in the broth until tender. I don’t add the squash into the soup at this point because I think that cooking it too long in the broth causes it to lose some of its rich caramelized/roasted flavour and, since it is already cooked, it is not necessary to cook it further. The vegetable/broth mixture is removed from the heat and cooled for about 30 minutes – I don’t like to put hot mixtures into my blender jar. To speed up the cooling process of the broth, I often place the stockpot containing the vegetables and broth into a sink filled with ice cold water. The mixture does not have to be completely cooled, just not boiling hot. Once cooled enough to work with and ready for puréeing, remove the bay leaves, stir in the roasted squash, then purée the whole mixture until velvety smooth.
The puréed mixture goes back on to the stove with some maple syrup for a touch of sweetness and the whole milk (or a combination of whole milk and cream) along with a blend of Parmesan and cheddar cheeses. Continue to taste the soup throughout the cooking processes and add additional salt and pepper, to taste, if and as necessary. Heat only until the mixture is heated and the cheeses melted. Never boil a cream soup.
Serve this soup plain or garnish it with seasoned croutons, a dollop of sour cream with a sprinkle of fresh herbs or toasted butternut seeds, or a toasted baguette slice topped with cheese, herbs, and bacon.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup is a rich, velvety-smooth and comforting soup that is filled with the wonderful flavours of autumn. This luxurious, yet economical, cream soup is sure to be one you will make again and again, anytime of the year.
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash (apx. 3 lbs)
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
3 – 4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup onion, finely chopped
¼ cup celery, thinly sliced
¼ cup carrot, thinly sliced
¼ cup parsnip, thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken or turkey stock, homemade or store-bought
1 small apple (any variety), peeled and diced
3 bay leaves
¾ tsp dried summer savory
¼ tsp dried sage
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Pinch ginger
Pinch cayenne (optional)
Salt and freshly Ground Pepper, to taste
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1¼ cups whole milk (or combination of whole milk and cream)
2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese
Method:
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Wash butternut squash. With large chef’s knife, slice the squash in half, vertically. With large spoon, scoop out the seeds and fibrous matter from the interior of each squash half (save the seeds for roasting!)
Prepare large rimmed baking sheet by lining with tin foil sprayed lightly with cooking oil. Lightly brush the cut sides and scooped out hollow of the squash halves with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the squash halves, cut side down, on the baking sheet. Roast the squash in preheated oven for about 35 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven and, with a large flat lifter, carefully flip the squash pieces over, applying another light brushing of olive oil to the flesh side. Return the squash to the oven for about another 15-20 minutes, or until the flesh of the squash is very soft when pierced with a fork. Remove from oven and let squash cool for 10 minutes or so. Scoop out the flesh and place in medium-sized bowl. (Do not let squash cool completely as it will be difficult to remove from its skin.)
In large stockpot, heat the butter over medium heat till melted. Add the olive oil. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and parsnip. Stir briskly for 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, continuing to stir the mixture.
Add the chicken stock, apple, and spices. Bring to a boil over medium high heat then reduce heat to medium-low and cook until vegetables are soft, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for about 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaves. Stir in cooked squash.
Purée soup mixture in blender until very smooth. Work in batches, starting with one cup of the mixture, puréeing it until smooth, then adding another 1 to 1½ cups, never filling the blender jug more than a scant half full at a time. Transfer puréed mixture to clean stockpot. Add the maple syrup and milk. Stir well. Heat slowly over medium-low heat but do not boil. Add the Parmesan and cheddar cheese. Stir until cheeses are melted. Serve plain or garnish with croutons and some toasted squash seeds, a dollop of sour cream with a sprinkle of fresh herbs, or a toasted baguette slice topped with cheese, herbs, and bacon.
Yield: Apx. 8-10 servings (apx. 1 cup per serving)
Note:
To make this soup lactose-free, use lactose-free butter, milk, and cheese.
To make this soup lactose-free, use lactose-free butter, milk, and cheese.
Cream of Roasted Tomato Soup
Cream of Celery Soup
Ham Lentil Soup
Roasted Cream of Cauliflower Soup
Rich and Hearty Goulash Soup
PEI Potato Leek Soup
Cream of Winter Root Vegetable Soup
Cock-A-Leekie Soup
Roasted Cream of Asparagus Soup
Hamburger Soup
The Bistro’s Beefy Minestrone
Boiled Ham Dinner
Classic Cream of Broccoli and Cheese Soup
Classic Homemade Turkey Vegetable Soup
Irish Stew
Roasted Parsnip and Pear Soup
PEI Mussel Chowder
PEI Lobster Chowder
Turkey Chowder
Homemade Turkey Stock
Homemade Beef Stock
My Island Bistro Kitchen’s Chili
Chicken and Pumpkin Chili
Every year we try to grow two or three new vegetables in our garden. Here, on PEI, we have a very short growing season and so, whatever we grow, must be suitable to that climate. One day, in late June, I was at John’s Greenhouses in Summerside and they had trays of very healthy looking celery starter plants. On a lark, I bought a tray of six plants and transplanted them. Never, in my wildest imagination, could I have contemplated how well they would grow! With leaves on stalks intact, they grew to be 30″ tall. The celery had a nice crisp bite to it but, seriously, how much celery could we eat raw?
I began thinking about what I could do with the celery and how I could process it into something else. Thus was born my recipe for Cream of Celery Soup which has now elevated itself to one of my favorite cream-based soups.
I have made and tested this recipe several times (well, you know, we did have a lot of celery in the garden!), adjusting the ingredient amounts and perfecting the method. This process results in me publishing a recipe for a tasty soup I am delighted with. It also enables me to share my lessons learned and tips for successfully making this soup.
Ingredients
Use the freshest celery you can find for this recipe. Chop it finely because celery takes a long time to soften during cooking – the smaller the pieces, the faster it will cook. I use both onions and leeks in this recipe as they each contribute their own unique flavor to the soup. They may come from the same family but their unique flavour qualities add levels of complexity and depth to the celery soup. Always use freshly minced garlic in this recipe – it will have more flavour than a bottled version. Either chicken or vegetable stock may be used as a base in this soup. I typically use chicken stock.
To get that silky smooth texture for which great cream soups are known, use a combination of whole milk and cream (18% MF). Fat-reduced and skim milks do not do well in this soup. This soup can be made entirely with whole milk but using cream for a portion of the dairy content in the soup will yield a richer and smoother soup. Also, this soup will freeze well if whole milk and cream are used. In fact, I make this soup as part of my batch-cooking menu and freeze it in individual portions. It’s great for work lunches.
I add shredded cheddar cheese to this soup. Celery and cheese have long been great partners so why not pair them in a soup. I also add a couple of tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese to the soup as well.
I love my herb garden and make good use of it. It’s important to choose herbs for this soup that will pair well with the other ingredients. I have chosen dill, parsley, and either rosemary or thyme. Only add these to the late stage reheating of the soup, after it has been puréed, and the milk and cream added. Softer stemmed herbs such as dill and parsley tend to wilt and become discolored if they are overcooked. While the more woody rosemary or thyme can withstand a bit more heat, I tend to add them all at the same time, near the end of the cooking process. The amount of seasoning is always a personal preference. My strategy in herb usage is that they should enhance, not overpower, the dish. I recommend using the amounts I have indicated in the recipe the first time you make the soup – the herb quantities indicated are considered modest amounts. Then, the next time you make the soup, adjust the quantities of the herbs according to your personal preference.
Method
Celery takes a long time to soften during cooking. Melt the butter in the saucepan and give the celery the benefit of a head start of about 5 minutes cooking before adding the onions, leeks, potato, and garlic. Cook the vegetables until they are softened – about 15 minutes. Then, add the thickener (regular or gluten-free flour) followed by the liquid stock (chicken or vegetable) and continue to cook the mixture for 30-35 minutes. The goal is to ensure the vegetables are thoroughly cooked and softened and that time has been allotted for the flavors to blend.
The mixture needs to be puréed until smooth, either in a blender or food processor or, alternatively, via an immersion blender. I typically use the blender for this and I let the soup cool for about 30-40 minutes or so before putting the hot mixture into the jar of the blender. I have learned the importance of blending part of the mixture first and then adding the remainder of the mixture while continuing to purée it as, otherwise, it is very difficult to get a smooth soup. Because celery has a “stringy” component to it and because, sometimes, no matter how much blending, there can always be little bits of the vegetables that have not puréed completely smooth, I recommend straining the puréed mixture through a medium mesh wire sieve into a clean stockpot to get rid of any unpuréed residue. This will result in a smoother textured soup.
Once the puréed mixture is transferred to a clean stock pot and the milk/cream blended in and heated, the cheeses and fresh herbs can be added.
Never boil a cream soup; instead, gently heat it just until the cheeses have melted.
Serving
This soup should be served hot. It can be garnished with croutons, slivered almonds, croutons, fresh herbs, or a sprig of celery leaves. Serve it in small quantities as a starter to a meal or in larger bowls as a tasty lunch or light supper. The soup is great served with homemade biscuits, rolls, or bread.
Making this cream-based soup is a great way to make use of fresh celery.
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Ingredients:
¼ cup + 1 tbsp butter
8 oz celery, chopped fine (apx 2 cups)
2½ oz leek (white and green parts only), sliced thin (apx. 1 cup)
2 oz onion, finely chopped (apx. ½ cup)
4 oz potato, peeled and diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup flour (to make it gluten-free, use 1/3 cup of 1-to-1 gluten-free flour)
2 cups warm chicken stock
2/3 cup whole milk
2/3 cup 18% cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese
¾ tsp fresh dill, minced
1 tsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
¼ tsp thyme or rosemary, finely chopped
Celery leaf, croutons, or slivered almonds for garnish (optional)
Sprinkle of nutmeg for garnish (optional)
Method:
Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to just below medium and add the leek, onion, potato, and garlic. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes, stirring often.
Sprinkle flour onto vegetables and stir for approximately 1 minute. Add chicken stock. Cover. Bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf. Cover and reduce heat to simmer and cook for 30-35 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Cool for 30-40 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Transfer mixture to blender or food processor, starting with a good half of the mixture, puréeing, and then adding in the remainder and continuing to purée until smooth. Strain puréed mixture through medium mesh wire sieve, into clean stock pot, to remove any bits of ingredients that have not completely puréed.
Add milk, cream, salt, and pepper to the mixture. Heat over medium heat. Do not boil. Add the grated cheddar and parmesan cheeses along with the fresh herbs. Stir until cheese melts. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with a sprig of celery leaf, croutons, or slivered almonds and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
Yield: 5 cups, approximately 4-5 servings (1 to 1¼ cup/serving)
Delicious homemade Cream of Celery Soup with layers of flavor. Perfect as a starter to a meal or for a light lunch or supper.
Ingredients
Instructions
Today, I am sharing my newly-developed recipe for Ham Lentil Soup that is made from a leftover ham bone, broth, and ham.
If you are a regular follower of my food blog, by now you have likely figured out that I am a fan of leftovers and of foods that generate leftovers that can be used in other dishes. One of my favorite comfort food meals is a boiled ham dinner. I blogged about this back in 2013. I buy a large smoked pork picnic ham, place it in a big stockpot with lots of water and boil it for a good while then add the vegetables to make a meal-in-one-pot soup. Easy-peasy and, oh, ever-so-tasty. However, these hams are almost always quite large and there is a lot of meat. After a couple of days of leftover ham with scalloped potatoes, sandwiches, and perhaps my Hawaiian Fiesta Casserole, I find it’s time to do something else with the ham and the flavorful broth in which it was boiled.
I’ve decided that all that good ham broth should not go to waste so I have developed a recipe to use the leftover ham broth and ham to make a tasty soup… a second soup, of sorts, from the same piece of meat. Ham Lentil Soup is a good economical way to use leftovers. You will need to refer back to my 2013 post for directions on cooking the ham in order to get the ham broth, so go ahead and click here for those instructions. Make sure you use enough water to cook the ham so that you end up with 7 cups of ham broth and, remember, the water will reduce as the ham cooks so you will most likely need to top it up during the cooking process.
Now, this leftover Ham Lentil Soup could be made without the ham broth, instead using all chicken broth or vegetable broth. However, what would be missing would be the wonderful flavor of the natural ham broth. So, after I have removed the cooked ham from the stock pot, what I do is refrigerate the ham broth overnight. A layer of fat will form on the top of the broth. Skim all of that off and discard it. Strain the broth through a cheesecloth lined strainer to remove any remaining whole bits of fat. Place 7 cups of the ham broth along with the meaty ham bone striped of most of its meat, and the addition of several wonderful spices into a large stockpot. The bone has great flavor in it and the spices will enhance the ham broth and form a flavorful foundational base for the soup. It’s the broth that makes this soup so it needs lots of flavor. After this broth has cooked slowly in a large stock pot under cover for about 45 minutes, it will have reduced down to about 4 cups or so. Strain this so you have a clear broth.
Then, get those aromatics cooking in the oil. Add the strained ham broth and top it up with 4 cups of vegetable broth so you have 8 cups of liquid. The great part about this soup is that if you end up with more than 4 cups of strained ham broth, just add less vegetable broth or, conversely, if you have less than 4 cups of ham broth, top it up with more vegetable broth. Follow the recipe for when to add the different vegetables and lentils that require different cooking times. If there is a vegetable you don’t like, simply replace it with an equal amount of a vegetable you prefer.
This is a great way to totally maximize the use of a large ham. When you get tired of it, dice up the leftover ham and use it in this soup. Anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 cups of leftover ham will suffice for this recipe. It’s meant to be a brothy, not thick, soup. I have added some orange lentils to this soup for extra substance but also because lentils are a good source of dietary fiber, protein, and minerals. I have chosen orange lentils because they cook in a relatively short time, usually about 20-25 minutes. Don’t overcook the soup after adding the lentils or they will turn to mush. The lentils will still be flavorful but they will have lost their shape if cooked too long.
This Ham Lentil Soup is a good way to maximize and change up leftover ham and it also freezes well.
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Ingredients:
Step 1:
1 leftover meaty ham bone
7 cups liquid (ham stock, chicken or vegetable broth)
2 whole star anise
10 whole cloves
½ cinnamon stick (about 3”)
3 cardamon pods
5 whole peppercorns
1 large unpeeled garlic clove
2 whole allspice
2 bay leaves
Step 2:
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil
2/3 cup onion, chopped
2/3 cup celery, chopped (apx. 1 large stalk)
1/3 cup parsnip, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups strained broth from Step 1 above
2 vegetable stock cubes
4 cups hot water
¾ cup carrots, diced
½ cup turnip, diced
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried thyme
¾ tsp dried basil
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp marjoram
½ tsp summer savory
¼ tsp cloves
Pepper, to taste
4 oz (apx. ¾ cup) orange lentils, rinsed and drained
1 cup potato, diced
19 oz can white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup frozen corn
½ cup frozen peas
1½ – 2 cups cooked leftover ham, diced
Fresh parsley for garnish
Method:
Step 1: Place leftover ham bone in large stock pot. Add 7 cups liquid (either ham stock left over from boiling the picnic ham or, alternatively, use chicken or vegetable stock). Add star anise, whole cloves, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, peppercorns, garlic clove, allspice, and bay leaves. Cover and boil gently over medium-low heat for about 45 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through fine mesh strainer. Discard bone and spices. Set broth aside. This should yield approximately 4 cups broth.
Step 2: Heat oil over medium heat in the large stock pot. Add the onions, celery, and parsnip. Sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute, stirring briskly.
Return strained broth from Step 1 to stock pot. Dissolve 2 vegetable stock cubes in 4 cups hot water. Add to the strained broth. Bring to a boil. Add carrots, turnip, and spices. Cover and cook over medium low heat for 15 minutes. Add the lentils. Cook for 10 minutes then add the potato and drained kidney beans. Cook for about 10 minutes then add the corn, peas, and cooked ham. Cook for about 10-15 minutes longer, or until vegetables are fork tender.
Yield: Apx. 12 – 1-cup servings
This flavorful ham lentil soup makes good use of leftover ham bone, broth, and ham along with a mixture of vegetables, spices, and lentils.
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Please read entire blog post for additional information on making this soup.
For many years, I have been making this hearty soup known as Goulash. It’s a well-filled soup and is a very filling one! Good any time of the year, this soup is especially tummy-warming on cold days.
This soup is not difficult to prepare but there are vegetables to chop which does take a bit of time. I have weighed the main ingredients in this recipe because I find that recipes that call for ingredients in bulk form such as 1 onion or 2 carrots or 2 stalks of celery are not very helpful, particularly for less experienced cooks. For example, is the onion big or small? Does the recipe developer mean to use 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, 3/4 cup, or 1 cup of onion? Then, of course, there is always the issue of how finely chopped the onion is meant to be – it takes a lot more onion that is finely chopped to fill a cup measure than it does if the onion is coarsely chopped. So, to simplify things and to help ensure success when making this soup, I am using weight as the main measurement for many of the ingredients. I use my digital kitchen scales all the time and could not get along without them.
My recipe calls for extra lean ground beef; however, if you prefer to use cubed stew beef, that also works in this dish. I recommend, the first time making this soup, to make it exactly according to the amount of spices the recipe calls for then, next time, if you want it a bit more or less spicy, adjust the quantities accordingly. The recipe also calls for tomato truffle ketchup. If you can’t find this in your area, you can certainly substitute regular tomato ketchup; however, the truffle ketchup has earthy undertones that do contribute to the flavour of this rustic soup.
The beef broth/tomato base for this soup is incredibly tasty so it makes it a great soup to serve in a hollowed out bread bowl. Break apart the bowl as you eat the soup and use the bits of bread to soak up the tasty juice of the soup.
This is a main meal, full deal kind of soup!
(Printable version of recipe follows at end of posting)
Ingredients:
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
5 oz. celery, chopped (apx. 2 stalks or 1 cup)
7 oz carrots, peeled and diced (apx. 2 carrots or 1½ cups)
5 oz. onion (1 cup – 1 large onion)
7 oz rutabaga, peeled and diced (apx. 1½ cups)
2 oz parsnip, peeled and thinly sliced (apx. 2/3 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tbsp paprika
½ tsp caraway seed
Pinch cayenne
1 bay leaf
1¼ lb extra lean ground beef
1 cup tomato paste
1 cup canned diced tomatoes with juice
2 tbsp tomato truffle ketchup
6 cups beef stock, heated
1½ tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp brown sugar
5 oz chopped zucchini (apx. 1 cups)
1 lb potatoes, peeled and diced (apx. 3 cups)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Method:
In large soup pot, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the celery, carrots, onion, rutabaga, parsnip, garlic, spices and bay leaf. Cook over medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ground beef and scramble fry till no longer pink – about 8-10 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, tomatoes, ketchup, beef stock, vinegar, brown sugar, zucchini, and potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork tender, adding salt and pepper to taste. Remove and discard bay leaf.
To serve, ladle into bread bowls or soup bowls.
Yield: Apx. 12 – 1-cup servings
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A wholesome and filling beef and vegetable soup in a tomato-based sauce
Ingredients
Instructions
This Creamy Winter Root Vegetable Soup is perfect for those cold winter days when the body and mind crave comfort food.
I make a lot of soups and freeze many of them in single servings so that they are quick and easy to pull out for lunchtime or, for those who are in the workforce, to place in the lunch bag on weekday mornings. The soups arehealthy and nutritious, not to mention tasty. I like to have a variety of different soups on hand that includes those that are broth-based and hearty vegetable along with those that are cream-based or puréed.
The recipe I am sharing today is a new recipe creation that is a cream-based vegetable soup. It’s the perfect soup for winter because it uses what we often refer to as winter, or root, vegetables. These are ones that are traditionally harvested late in the fall and they store and keep well over several months – think of potatoes, rutabaga, carrots, and parsnip, for example.
This is an easy soup to make and it blends a number of wonderful flavours that include both celery and leek. It’s very lightly spiced and is a silky smooth soup that I would put in the comfort food category. The great thing about this soup is that none of the nutrients from any of the vegetables is lost. The vegetables are all cooked in the chicken broth and then the whole mixture is puréed so all of the goodness of the vegetables is maintained.
I find recipes that simply call for ingredients in quantities like a small parsnip or 2 medium-sized potatoes or 1 large carrot are not very helpful, particularly for less experienced cooks. I have, therefore, tested out this recipe and carefully measured the weights of vegetables to be used for best success. One of the most used (and most useful) tools in my kitchen is my digital scale and I use it all the time. I highly recommend that every cook invest in a good quality digital scale.
I miss my herb garden in winter. However, dried herbs work really well in this winter soup. Because, for presentation purposes, I don’t want any specks of herbs to appear in this soup, I make a small herb packet out of cheesecloth to contain the herbs while the soup cooks. The cheesecloth has a sufficiently open weave that the soup mixture is infused with the flavour of the herbs as it cooks. It’s very easy to remove and discard the herb packet before the soup is puréed.
Different vegetables take different cooking times so this soup starts with those that take the longest – rutabaga, carrots, parsnip, and celery. Give them about 15 minutes headstart before adding the leek and let it cook for 10 minutes then add the potatoes which take the least amount of time to cook.
I make good use of my immersion blender for cream and purée soup making. However, you can certainly use either a blender or a food processor to purée the vegetables. I generally allow the soup to cool for 30-40 minutes before using my immersion blender and, sometimes, if I am in a hurry, I put the soup pot in a sink full of cold water for a few minutes to speed up the cooling process. I know some people do use their immersion blenders in really hot soup. I recommend you check your instruction manual for your immersion blender to see what it says about using the blender in hot liquids.
I recommend that whole milk be used in this recipe (or, alternatively, you could use a milk-cream blend for a richer soup). I have tested freezing this soup and find it freezes well for me; however, it is very important that at least whole (not skim, or partly skimmed) milk be used if you intend to freeze any of the soup. Using a fat free or low fat milk will result in the soup breaking down when frozen and it just does not hold its structure when it is reheated. I know that some people frown on freezing puréed and cream soups but I have been freezing them with great success for many, many years.
When making the roux (the butter and flour) for the cream base, make sure you stir the roux while it is blending to prevent it from scorching. Add the milk slowly to the roux, whisking it constantly to prevent lumps from forming. It’s quite unappealing to have lumps in what is supposed to be a silky smooth cream soup.
Adding some shredded cheese to this soup makes a richer soup and certainly enhances the flavour. While a basic cheddar cheese could certainly be used, my preference is to use a shredded cheese blend such as mozzarella, provolone, and parmesan.
Ingredients:
3 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
½ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp. dried fennel
1/8 tsp dried marjoram
½ tsp dried parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
5 oz rutabaga, diced
5 oz carrots, sliced
2 oz parsnip, thinly sliced
2 oz celery, sliced
7½ oz leek, white and light green parts only, sliced into ¼“ slices
7 oz potato, diced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1½ cups whole milk
Salt and pepper to taste
¾ cup shredded cheese blend (e.g., mozzarella, provolone, and parmesan)
Method:
Bring chicken stock to a boil in medium-sized soup pot.
Cut small 4”-5” square of finely woven cheese cloth. Make the herb packet by placing the bay leaf, basil, fennel, marjoram, and parsley in the center of the cheese cloth. Gather up ends of cheesecloth, tie tightly with kitchen string, and add the herb packet to the chicken stock along with the garlic, rutabaga, carrots, parsnip, and celery. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and cook vegetables for 15 minutes.
Add leek and cook 10 minutes then add potatoes and cook vegetables 15 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
Remove from heat and discard the herb packet. Purée mixture until smooth using an immersion blender or food processor.
Melt the butter in separate medium-sized soup pot over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour to make a roux, stirring constantly to blend the two ingredients and to prevent scorching. Gradually whisk in the milk until mixture is smooth. Increase heat to medium and continue to whisk milk mixture until it is thickened to desired consistency then add the puréed vegetable mixture. Stir mixture until heated then add the cheese, stirring until cheese is melted and blended into soup. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with croutons, a sprinkle of parsley, and a drizzle of a good quality finishing olive oil, if desired. Enjoy!
Yield: Apx. 5-6 servings
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Ingredients
Instructions
Cool fall and cold winter days always put me in the mood for good old-fashioned homemade soup — dinner in a pot and it smells sooooo good simmering away on the stove. So, my soup pot today contains Hamburger Soup in the making. Continue reading Hamburger Soup
