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Soup

J

Jay59

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Tis the season for comfort food.
Judith made some excellent baked potato soup. More tonight with peel and eat shrimp. That's my idea of fast food.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

1 package (12 oz) bacon
1 onion, chopped
6 cups chicken stock
2 lb potatoes, baked, skinned, cubed
1/2 cup flour
1 quart buttermilk
1/2 tsp powdered dry mustard
2 1/2 cups cubed melting cheese (such as Velveta)
8 oz plain yogurt
S&P
1 cup cooked ham, diced
3/4 cup sliced green onions

In a skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove, crumble and set aside, reserving drippings.
In the same pan, sauté onion in 2 Tbsp drippings until almost tender, 5-6 minutes.
In a six quart pot bring stock to boil.
Add onions and potatoes and cook until potatoes are very tender.
Measure remaining bacon drippings and add oil to a total of 1/2 cup.
In the same skillet, add flour make a light roux.
Gradually stir in the milk.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with whisk, until mixture is thickened and bubbly.
Reduce heat to low. Slowly add mustard and cheese, stirring constantly until all is melted.
Add cheese sauce to soup. Stir in ham, half of the bacon, the yogurt, and 1/2 cup of the green onions.
Cook until thoroughly heated. Adjust seasonings.
Top servings with remaining bacon and green onions.​
It's an old restaurant trick to use excess baked potatoes to make potato salad. This is another same vein.

If you do not want to bake your potatoes, peel and cube, then boil in the stock until fairly tender. Try using half russet and half redskin or gold potatoes. Add onions and proceed as before.

The actual recipe calls for milk and sour cream. I substituted yogurt and buttermilk since there is plenty of fat.
 
Thinking of restaurants stirred a memory.

Restaurant Tortilla Soup​
​
Stock​
20 quarts water​
2 whole chickens​
2 can tomato paste​
2 head garlic, peeled and halved​
2 large onion, peeled and quartered​
2 bunch cilantro​
salt and pepper​
​
Simmer until chicken floats, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.​
Pour off liquid​
Removed and shred chicken meat, set aside​
​
Soup​
Stock​
1 oz oil​
2 head garlic, minced​
3 cup chopped onion​
5-8 serrano peppers, seeded and minced​
4 chipotle chiles in adobo, minced​
30 corn tortillas, cut up into pieces (thickness the soup)​
1 can tomato paste​
1/2 cup lime juice, or to taste​
dash sugar​
shredded chicken​
​
In the emptied stock pot, sauté garlic onions and peppers.​
Return stock and add remaining ingredients.​
Cook until tortillas dissolve​
Use an immersion blender until smooth.​
Add a portion of the shredded chicken​
Cool and refrigerate overnight​
​
The restaurant does not add the meat back in, so it is served as a smooth soup, garnished with lime, cilantro, and sour cream. I would pureé the stock veggies and add them to the stock as well as adding back part of the shredded chicken.

The recipe makes five gallons (you could use a 10 pound bag of leg quarters or 10-12 pound turkey), but is easily cut in half. You can make and freeze 10 quarts of stock and use them two at a time.

The rule of thumb is that one pound of bone-in chicken makes 1 cup of cooked meat. You probably do not want to use all of it in the soup. The rest would make excellent salad.
 
My favorite Bean Soup

Ingredients
  • 1 pound dry great Northern beans
  • 8 cups water
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 ham hock
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • ½ stalk celery, chopped
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cups chopped ham
  • ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
Directions
  • Step 1
    Rinse the beans, sorting out any broken or discolored ones. In a large pot over high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt and the beans and remove from heat. Let beans sit in the hot water for at least 60 minutes.
  • Step 2
    After the 60 minutes of soaking, return the pot to high heat and place the ham bone, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, mustard and bay leaves in the pot. Stir well, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 60 more minutes.
  • Step 3
    Remove ham bone and discard. Stir in the chopped ham and simmer for 30 more minutes. Season with ground white pepper to taste.

Basic Ham and Bean Soup

This hearty ham and bean soup is packed with vegetables and gets an extra boost of flavor thanks to the addition of a ham hock, garlic, and mustard.
www.allrecipes.com

But I make soup from all kinds of things...turkey, chicken, hamburger, split peas, etc. I love soup.
 
For my ham and beans soup you need water, ham and beans. Maybe some pepper.

J
 
I like a good Solyanka Soup!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solyanka
 
Escarole & White Bean Soup (Can sub Kale for escarole)

2T Olive oil
5 cloves garlic chopped
T Salt
T Pepper
T Dried Oregano
1 can White Beans (14.5 oz)
1 bunch Escarole chopped
32 oz Veg stock

Order of operation in the recipe Med heat sauté garlic salt pepper dried oregano until it smells, add beans, wait 2-3 min add escarole, allow it to wilt to 1/3 original size add broth, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 20-30 min.

Add Parmesan cheese when served.

Substitute mini meatballs for the beans and add a cup of acini de pepe or ditalini and you've got Italian Wedding Soup.

Fry up some Italian sausage, sliced thin, add it have a Sausage & Bean stew...

Very easy very versatile....very delicious...
 
My baked potato soup was popular today. Cool. Here is my primer for clean out the fridge soup.
  1. Choose a base: 2 cups tomato sauce, 6 cups water, 3 cups stock
  2. Add a meat: 1# browned beef, 1 cup diced cooked poultry, 8 pieces of cooked bacon, 1 cup cooked game, etc.
  3. Add 2-4 cups fresh or cooked vegetables: onions sautéed in olive oil, carrots, celery, corn, parsley, diced tomatoes, green beans, peas, parsnips.
  4. Add a starch: 2 cups cooked rice or pasta, 1 cup dried peas or lentils plus 2 cups water, 1 cup barley or millet plus 1 cup water, 2 cups cooked beans, 2 cans beans with gravy, 2-3 cups potatoes, or 2 cups frozen fries (the cheap kind with no oil).
  5. Add 1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp dried herbs: basil, oregano, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme. If fresh, use triple amounts. Be careful with salt and pepper.
  6. If a cream soup is desired, 2 cups half 'n half or heavier cream or 1 cup powdered coffee creamer. Shredded cheese may also be added but not to a boiling mix or it will curdle.
  7. Mix all ingredients in large pot or slow cooker and heat over low heat for 1/2-2 hours to blend flavors.
  8. Add beer, popcorn, croutons, shredded cheese just before serving if desired.
When it says tomato sauce, leftover pasta sauce works well. Use all your leftover veggies except broccoli, cauliflower or greens. Those are strong enough they need to be used carefully. Cook fresh vegetables in water or stock, microwave til tender, or sauté til slightly browned. Corn counts as a vegetable and not a starch.
 
Trying a new hot and sour soup recipe tomorrow and will post it if successful. Eager to see if dried lily flowers really are the secret.
 
This seems to be a popular topic, so I thought I should post my go to method for quick soup--rotisserie chicken. Typically, Judith brings a chicken home from work. We will each have a leg and thigh, plus maybe the wings. White meat becomes chicken salad or soup. Even if we have chicken salad, the bones and skin get boiled for stock, along with onion, carrot and celery scraps. Just pour through a colander and discard the solids. With the meat still on, same thing, but fish the carcass out after about 15 minutes. Remove and set the meat aside, then return the bones to boil as before.

Rather than post a specific soup, here are 15 easy recipes.

14 Homemade Soups with Rotisserie Chicken

What’s more comforting than soup? Soup with rotisserie chicken! These warm, comforting soup recipes use a store-bought shortcut to get dinner on the table fast.
www.tasteofhome.com
 
I like Mullygetawny soup!
 
Brunswick stew,

 
I am told it's National Gumbo Day, so here.

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo​
​
1 pound chicken, cubed ​
12 ounces andouille, sliced thin​
½ cup oil​
½ cup flour​
1 bell pepper, chopped​
1 onion, chopped​
1 celery stalk, chopped​
3 cloves garlic, minced​
1 cup okra (frozen is fine)​
2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning or to taste​
6 cups chicken stock​
3 bay leaves​
4 Tbsp chopped parsley ​
1 Tbsp filé powder ​
​
Brown the chicken in a little oil​
Add sausage. Heat through and set aside​
In another pot make a roux, medium to dark​
Add bell pepper, onion, and celery​
Cook until softened​
Add garlic and cook until fragrant​
Add meat and heat through​
Add okra, Cajun seasoning, and chicken stock reserving a ladle to deglace the meat pan. ​
Add stock with glace and bay leaves.​
Simmer for an hour​
Add parsley and filé​
Cook for five minutes​

Salt and pepper are not called for but a teaspoon of black pepper with the Cajun seasoning would be nice. Be careful with the salt. Cajun mixes are often salt-based.
This version is dead mild though the Cajun seasoning may have a kick. Traditionally heat was adjusted with cayenne powder but fresh hot peppers also work well.
 
I looked this up by request. It's an easier French Onion Soup.

Crock Pot Onion Soup​
​
10 onions, thinly sliced​
1 stick butter​
1 Tbsp Italian herb seasoning​
2 cloves garlic, crushed​
1 bay leaf​
2 Tbsp brown sugar​
3/4 cup white wine​
1 quart stock​
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce​
S&P​
Slices of French bread​
1/2 cup gruyère cheese, grated​
​
Melt the butter in the crock pot and add onions, garlic, herbs, and brown sugar.​
Set the cooker on high for 10 minutes then reduce to low.​
Stir in wine and cook for 8 - 10 hours​
If the crock of your pot is oven proof, skip the next step​
Transfer hot onion mix to an oven safe dish​
Add Worcestershire sauce and stock​
Mix well and season with salt and pepper​
Place slices of bread on the surface of the soup​
Cover bread with grated cheese​
Place in a very hot oven for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese has browned​
​
This dish begs for a mandoline slicer but a food processor slicing disk might work. Whatever method, try for full-circle cuts.

Slow cookers are great for caramelizing onions. A little oil, a lot of onions, and several hours on low.
 
In the season, here's a pumpkin soup though it works using butternut squash

Roasted Pumpkin and Apple Soup​
​
3 cups chopped, seeded and peeled pumpkin (about 1 pie pumpkin)​
1 onion, chopped​
1 - 2 baking apples, cored and quartered (Macintosh, Jonathan, or Granny Smith)​
oil​
1 Tbsp fresh ginger​
1 clove garlic, minced​
6 cups stock, divided​
1 Tbsp cornstarch​
1 Tbsp curry powder​
dash cayenne pepper, or to taste​
1/2 cup half and half​
2 ounces cream cheese​
​
Toss squash, onion, and apple in oil.​
Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.​
Bake at 400° for 30 minutes.​
Remove roasted vegetables to a blender or food processor.​
Add ginger, garlic, and about 1 1/2 cups of the stock.​
Purée, adding more stock if necessary.​
Use a little of the remaining stock to deglaze the baking sheet​
Combine a little stock with cornstarch in a bowl and whisk until smooth.​
Toast curry powder in a dry skillet until it begins to give off a nutty fragrance.​
Add cornstarch mixture, curry powder, remaining stock, and cayenne pepper to the soup pot.​
Season to taste.​
Cook until slightly thickened, stirring frequently.​
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.​
Add half and half and cream cheese; heat stirring, until the cheese melts.​
Correct seasonings.​

This is a deceptively easy soup. One of the contestants did something like this on Top Chef, and finished in the top group. It is also very attractive, being a rich nutty brown, which shows off a green garnish very well.

If you want to cut fat, you can add yogurt instead of the cream cheese and half and half. If you want to go the other direction, use sour cream.

Another take, written for squash but pumpkin works well.

Butternut Soup​

3 shallots peeled and quartered
1½ lbs butternut squash, peeled, cubed into ½" chunks (about 5 cups)
2 cans coconut milk (unsweetened)
1½ cups unsalted chicken stock
½ can stout ale
1 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped, divided
Salt and Pepper
½ cup green onions, minced

Caramelize shallots (heat, in a little oil, over low medium heat, til all the liquid is gone, and the sugars begin to brown).
Add squash, coconut milk, stock, stout and ½ of cilantro.
Bring to boil and add salt (about 1 tsp).
Turn to simmer and cook until squash is tender.
Season to taste, then chill overnight.
Just before reheating, add remaining cilantro.​

Shallots would be best, but I can see using regular onions for caramelizing.

J
 
Last edited:
For some reason I have not posted this winter classic.

Beer-Cheese Soup​
​
3-4 carrots, diced​
1 medium yellow onion, diced​
2-3 stalks celery, diced​
2 Tbsps minced garlic (about 6 cloves)​
1/4 cup butter​
1/4 cup flour​
1 bottle pilsner
3 cups chicken broth​
2 cups whole milk or half-and-half​
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard​
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce​
1 tsp dry mustard​
S&P and cayenne (optional)​
12 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3 cups)​
​
In a tablespoon or so of oil, sauté onion, celery, and carrot until softened ​
Add garlic and cook an additional minute​
Add butter and stir until melted ​
Sprinkle on flour and stir to incorporate​
Add beer and stock and bring to a boil​
Reduce heat and cook stirring until the mixture thickens​
Add milk and heat until steaming​
Add cheese and stir until melted​
Add mustard, Worcestershire, and dry mustard​
Stir to blend and adjust seasonings ​

Bacon fat is traditional but any oil will work. If you render bacon, set it aside to use as a garnish. Popcorn is another traditional garnish. Most recipes call for sharp cheddar but medium melts better and a bit of extra dry mustard adds sharpness.

For some reason, I am dying to add some pumpkin to this recipe. I will let you know how it goes if and when.
 
Looking around the house this morning at all the leftover sweets from the holidays and starting to think that if I put all the leftover cookies in a blender along with that Panetone that absolutely nobody touched and mixed it in with the leftover eggnog, pumpkin spice whatever the heck it was, the last of the schnapps from the peppermint patties and that pink prosecco someone brought over we could make one heck of a soup!
 
Here's one for a chilly day. It needs prepared tortellini.

Tortellini Soup​

1 Tbsp oil​
1 large bell pepper, chopped​
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped (optional)​
1 large yellow onion, chopped​
2 stalks celery, chopped​
3 cloves garlic, chopped​
1.5 pounds chicken thighs, cubed​
1 can white beans, drained​
1 can fire roasted tomatoes​
4 cups chicken broth​
1 Tbsp cayenne powder​
1 Tbsp paprika​
1 Tbsp dried oregano​
1 Tbsp dried basil​
1 tsp chili flakes​
S&P to taste​
10 ounces cheese tortellini​
1 cup chopped fresh spinach​
¼ cup crema or heavy heavy cream (optional)​
​
Soften the peppers, onion, and celery in oil, about 5 minutes​
Add the garlic and chicken and cook another 5 minutes, stirring​
Add the beans, tomatoes, chicken broth, and seasonings ​
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for at least 20 minutes​
While the soup simmers, cook the tortellini in boiling water until they float, about 3-4 minutes, and Drain.​
Add the tortellini and spinach to the soup pot and stir​
Remove from heat and swirl in the heavy cream or crema, if using​

I recommend using the jalapenos. They add more flavor than heat. Instead of paprika, consider ground chipotle. As with any chicken dish, rosemary, thyme, and sage can be used--carefully.
 
I seem to be stuck in soup mode during the inclement weather.

This is an online version of Lasagne Soup. Judith bought a Walmart version and mixed it with leftover chili. It was a big winner.

Lasagna Soup​

Oil​
1 lb Ground Beef​
1 large Onion, diced​
4 cloves garlic, minced​
1 can dice tomatoes with liquid​
1 can tomato sauce or tomato puree​
1/4 cup tomato paste​
4 cups broth​
1-2 cups water, as needed ​
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning​
S&P to taste​
8 ounces Bowtie Pasta ​
Cottage cheese​
​
Brown ground beef in some oil.​
Add onions and suaté until tender. ​
Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. ​
Sauté until the beef is cooked, stirring as needed and draining the excess fat.​
Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste, broth, and seasonings. Stir well.​
Increase heat to high and bring the soup to a boil.​
Add pasta. ​
Reduce heat and simmer until the pasta is cooked to your liking.​
Serve hot with a dollop of cottage cheese.​
 
Coconut Soup​
​
2 shallots, sliced​
3 cloves garlic, minced​
3-4 Thai bird's eye chilies, smashed (or to taste)​
2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, outer layers removed, and cut into 2-inch pieces​
3-inch piece fresh galangal, thinly sliced​
5 makrut lime leaves, torn​
2-3 cups chicken broth ​
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces​
6 ounces oyster, shiitake, or straw mushrooms, sliced​
2 13.5-ounce cans full-fat coconut milk​
2 Tbsp fish sauce or to taste​
2 tsp palm sugar or light brown sugar​
Salt to taste​
Juice of 2 limes (about 2 Tbsp)​
​
Sauté shallot in oil until tender.​
Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.​
Add the chilies, lemongrass, galangal, and lime leaves. ​
Cook for 2 minutes.​
Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. ​
Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the stock.​
Add the chicken and mushrooms. ​
Simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken and mushrooms are cooked through.​
Stir in coconut milk. ​
Simmer for 5 minutes but do not let boil.​
Season to taste with fish sauce for salt and sugar for sweetness.​
Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.​

Instead of shallots, use whites of 3-4 green onions. Save tops to float as a garnish. Instead of Thai chili try chiltepin, arbol, or cayenne. Kaffir leaves work or any citrus leaves.

You can make it with rotisserie chicken. Part out a cup or two of meat and set aside. Boil the skin and bones to make the broth. Sauté the mushrooms first, until most of the moisture is gone. Add the onions and proceed as before but reduce the simmer time by 10 minutes and add the meat and mushrooms with the coconut milk.
 
This sounds delicious, but I'm dubious about the lemongrass. Have you cooked with it before? If so, where did you find fresh lemongrass? And did you remove the lemongrass after infusing the stock?
 
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