- Butternut Squash Soup

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP


2½ lb butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2 inch chunks (about 7 c)
2 T unsalted butter
1 leek (white and light green parts only) quartered lengthwise, sliced thin and washed
thoroughly (about 1½ c)
salt and pepper
4 c chicken (or vegetable broth)
1-2 c water
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Pinch cayenne pepper
Sour cream (optional)

Place squash in bowl, cover and microwave until paring knife glides easily through flesh (14 – 18 minutes), stirring halfway through. Carefully transfer squash to colander set in bowl (squash will be very hot) and drain for 5 minutes. Reserve liquid.

Melt butter in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add squash, leek and 1 tsp salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until squash pieces begin to break down and brown fond forms in bottom of pot (10 – 13 minutes)

Add 2 c broth and scrape bottom of pot to loosen and dissolve fond. Add remaining 2 c broth, reserved squash liquid, 1 c water, thyme sprigs, bay leaf and cayenne. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until leeks are fully tender (6-7 minutes).

Remove and discard bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Use an immersion blender to process soup (or place batches in blender). Thin soup with 1 c water if it is too thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a dollop of sour cream,

Notes.

1. I like this soup because so many that I have tried (and like) have cream or have strong spices that can sometimes hide the squash flavour. This is a more simple (but still delicious) soup.

- Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
& CURRY CONDIMENTS


3 to 4 pounds butternut squash, peeled and seeded
2 yellow onions
2 McIntosh apples, peeled and cored
3 T olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 4 c chicken stock
½ tsp good curry powder

Condiments (see note)
Green onions (sliced on the diagonal)
Flakes sweet coconut, lightly toasted (350° for 5-10 minutes)
Chopped, roasted (salted) cashews
Diced banana

Preheat oven to 425°.

Cut the butternut squash, onions and apples into 1 inch cubes. Place them on a sheet pan and toss them with the olive oil, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Make sure that the squash is in a single layer (if you have too much use 2 pans). Roast for 35 to 45 minutes, tossing occasionally, until very tender.

Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock to a simmer. When the vegetables are done, put them through a sieve or use an immersion blender (or a blender). Add some of the stock and coarsely purée. When all of the vegetables are processed, place them in a large pot and add enough chicken stock to make a thick soup. Add the curry powder, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper. Taste for seasonings to be sure there’s enough salt and pepper to bring out the curry flavor. Reheat and serve hot with condiments either on the side or on top of each serving.

Note:

1. This is the quickest and easiest soup ever and it is yummy.
2. I heated the chicken stock in the pot, added the roasted veggies and used
an immersion blender.
3. I did not use any condiments and I loved this soup.
4. One bowl is really filling.

- Baked Potato Soup

BAKED POTATO SOUP

Serves 6
1 head garlic (roasted)
1 large clove of garlic (minced)
Olive oil
3 T unsalted butter
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts halved lengthwise, washed, and chopped small
6 c chicken or vegetable broth (I used 5 cups and then added the extra cup after pureeing)
2 bay leaves
¾ tsp salt
2½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
⅓ c sour cream
Ground black pepper
Toppings (optional):
Minced fresh chives or scallions
Bacon bits
Sour cream
Grated cheddar

Rinse the head of garlic to remove any outside grit or dirt. Cut the top third off the head and peel any loose papery skins off the bottom two-thirds. Place the head in a piece of tinfoil and drizzle olive oil over the exposed part. Wrap the foil around the whole head and bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until the head is soft. Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins and mash.

In a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add leeks and cook them until soft (but not brown), about 5 minutes. Add the minced clove of garlic and cook another minute. Add the broth, bay leaves and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Add the potatoes and continue to simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the mashed garlic.

Discard bay leaves. Add sour cream to soup and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper to taste. Using immersion blender, process soup until chunky-creamy, leaving lots of potato texture intact. (Alternatively, transfer a portion of the potatoes and broth to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.) Serve with whatever makes you happy on top, or nothing at all.

Notes:
1. The name of the recipe is implies that you bake the potatoes first but rather, you make the soup and top it as you would a baked potato.

- Hamburger Soup

HAMBURGER SOUP


1½ lbs. lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 28 oz. can of tomatoes
2 c water
3 cans consommé or beef broth
1 can tomato soup
4 carrots, chopped fine
parsley to taste
½ tsp thyme
pepper to taste
8 T pot barley

Brown the meat and onions. Drain well. Combine all ingredi¬ents in large pot. Simmer covered for at least 2 hours.

Notes:

1. This is a reproduction from my cookbook because I still think it is one of the best and easiest soups.

- Beef Barley Soup

BEEF BARLEY SOUP

2 c leftover (lean) roast beef, chopped
9 c cold water
1 c tomato juice
1 c barley
½ c finely chopped onion
½ c carrots cut into one inch strips
3 T beef Bovril
1 tsp salt
½ c celery, chopped

Combine all ingredients and cook for 3 hours until barley is tender.

- Spicy Bean Soup

SPICY BEAN SOUP


1 lb Hot Italian sausage
3 c cubed ham
3 medium potatoes, peeled & cubed
2 medium onion, diced
3 celery stalks with leaves, chopped
5 carrots, peeled & diced
1 green pepper, seeded & chopped
1 c chopped fresh parsley (or 2 T dried)
3 – 14 oz cans kidney beans
14 oz can tomato sauce
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 – 2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp hot pepper sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed

Boil sausage to remove excess fat and cut into bite-sized pieces. Brown sausage and ham in a large, heavy pot. Add all of the other ingredients and add just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer. Cover and continue to cook for 2-3 hours.

Serve with Cheddar Beer Bread.

Notes:

1. Freezes really well.

- French Onion Soup

FRENCH ONION SOUP
(see note)

Soup

3 T unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
6 large yellow onions (about 4 pounds) halved and cut pole to pole into ¼ inch slices
Table salt
2 c water, plus extra for deglazing
½ c dry sherry
4 c chicken broth
2 c beef broth
6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine
1 bay leaf
Ground black pepper

Cheese Croutons:

1 small baguette, cut on bias into ½ inch slices
8 oz Gruyère cheese, shredded (about 2 ½ c)

Soup:

Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 400º. Generously spray inside of heavy-bottomed large (at least 7 qt) Dutch oven with non-stick cooking spray. Place butter in pot and add onions and 1 tsp salt. Cook, covered, 1 hour (onions will be moist and slightly reduced in volume). Remove pot from oven and stir onions, scraping bottom and sides of pot. Return pot to oven with lid slightly ajar and continue to cook until onions are very soft and golden brown, 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours longer, stirring onions and scraping bottom and sides of pot after 1 hour.

Carefully remove pot from oven and place over medium-high heat. Using oven mitts to handle pot, cook onions, stirring frequently and scraping bottom and sides of pot, until liquid evaporates and onions brown, 15 to 20 minutes, reducing eat to medium if onions are browning too quickly. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until pot bottom is coated with dark crust, 6 to 8 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary. (Scrape any fond that collects on spoon back into onions). Stir in ¼ c water, scraping pot bottom to loosen crust, and cook until water evaporates and pot bottom has formed another dark crust, 6 to 8 minutes. Repeat process of deglazing 2 or 3 more times, until onions are very dark brown. Stir in sherry and cook, stirring frequently, until sherry evaporates, about 5 minutes.

Stir in broths, 2 c water, thyme, bay leaf, and ½ tsp salt, scraping up any final bits of browned crust on bottom and sides of pot. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Remove and discard herbs, then season with salt and pepper.

Croutons

While soup simmers, arrange baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet and bake in 400º oven until bread is dry, crisp and golden at edges, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

To Serve:

Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Set individual broiler-safe crocks on baking sheet and fill each with about 1 ¾ c soup. Top each bowl with 1 or 2 baguette slices (do not overlap slices) and sprinkle evenly with Gruyère cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly around edges, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Notes:

1) I thought I had a pretty good recipe for this soup and then I found this recipe that looked so labor intensive that I was put off. Then one day I had a craving and I decided to give it a whirl. Never, and I do mean never, will I ever make any other recipe. This beats all!

- Borscht

BORSCHT


1 medium onion
2 quarts canned tomatoes
1 medium carrot, grated
2 small beets grated
6 medium potatoes
1 carrot, diced
1 c. (250 mL) diced celery
1 potato, diced
½ lb. (250 g) or more butter
2 c. (500 mL) whipping cream
1 green pepper, diced
1 small head cabbage
salt & pepper to taste
2 tsp. (10 mL) dill (or more to taste)

In stock pot, melt half of the butter, add onion and fry until shiny. Add cabbage and fry until limp. Add tomatoes, grated carrots, beets and ½ green pepper - boil for 2 minutes. Add diced potatoes, carrot and celery and boil until diced veg­etables are tender.

In separate pot bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Add 6 potatoes and boil until done. Drain off water into large pot with vegetable mixture.

Mash boiled potatoes adding salt & pepper, ½ green pepper, dill, whipping cream and half of the butter. Add to pot with vegetable mixture.

Add dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of dill when serving.

- Ham, Broccoli & Cheese Soup

HAM, BROCCOLI & CHEESE SOUP


¼ c. (50 mL) butter
1 medium onion, chopped fine
½ c. (125 mL) celery, chopped fine
1 large carrot, finely grated
6 tbsp. (75 mL) flour
¾ tsp. (4 mL) dry mustard
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 c. (250 mL) boiling water
4 c. (1000 mL) milk, divided
2 c. (500 mL) grated cheddar cheese
2 c. (500 mL) finely chopped cooked ham
2 tbsp. (25 mL) chopped parsley
3 c. (750) cooked broccoli, finely chopped

Melt butter in large saucepan and cook onion, celery and carrot until soft but not brown. Blend in flour and mustard. Dissolve bouillon cubes in boiling water. Gradually add to cooked vegetable mixture with 1 cup (250 ml) of the milk, and cook, stirring until thickened. Add remaining 3 c. (750 mL) of milk and bring to boil.

Add cheese, ham, parsley and broccoli and heat through, being careful not to let the mixture boil.

Notes:

1) This is a reprint from my cookbook – one of the most complimented soups I have ever made – and one of the easiest.

- Pea Soup with Ham

PEA SOUP WITH HAM (BUT NO BONE)

2 T butter
1 medium leek, white and light green part only, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 carrots, peeled and (small) chopped
1 large stalk celery including leaves, chopped
1½ tsp dried marjoram
1 bay leaf
8 c chicken stock (approximate)
2 c chopped cooked ham
1½ c dried yellow or green split peas
¼ tsp pepper
Salt to taste
¼ chopped fresh parsley

In a Dutch oven or stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Add leek, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, marjoram, bay leaf and pepper; cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes or until softened.

Stir in stock, ham and split peas. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 1½ hours or until split peas are tender.

Remove bay leaf; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in parsley. Soup thickens as it cooks; thin with additional stock or water to desired consistency.

Notes:

(i) I stopped using ham bones after I found this soup. It is wonderful but do not delete the marjoram. Marjoram is what gives pea soup its distinctive flavour.
(ii) I generally buy a cooked, boneless ham for this recipe and make a casserole (Ham & Cheese casserole from my old cookbook) or other soup (Ham and (Broccoli) Cheese Soup) also from the old cookbook) with the rest.

- Italian Wedding Soup

ITALIAN WEDDING SOUP

Meatballs:

¾ lb ground chicken
½ lb chicken sausage, casings removed
2/3 c fresh white bread crumbs
2 cloves minced garlic
3 T copped fresh parsley
¼ c freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
¼ c freshly grated Parmesan cheese (plus extra for serving)
3 T milk
1 extra large egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Soup:

2 T olive oil
1 c minced yellow onion
1 c carrots in ¼ inch dice
¾ c celery in ¼ inch dice
10 c chicken stock
1/2 c dry white wine
1 c small pastas such as tubetini or stars
¼ c minced fresh dill
12 ozs baby spinach, washed and trimmed

Preheat oven to 350º.

For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Romano, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1 – 1½ inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper (you should have about 40 meatballs and they won’t be perfectly round). Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.

In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium low heat in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes:

(i) I have made this soup twice now and it was a hit both times.
(ii) I use store bought chicken stock and its works just fine. If you have homemade all the better
(iii) These meatballs freeze really well.

- Roasted Chicken with Wild Rice Soup

ROASTED CHICKEN WITH WILD RICE SOUP


1 (6 oz.) box long grain & wild rice mix (such as Uncle Ben's)
1 T olive oil
1½ c chopped red onion
1 c chopped celery
1 c chopped carrot
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ lb mushrooms, halved
¼ c all purpose flour
½ tsp dried tarragon
¼ tsp dried thyme
2 c water
2 T dry sherry
900 ml chicken broth (or homemade if you have it)
1 (12 oz) can fat-free evaporated milk
3 c shredded roasted skinless chicken (I use 1 whole store roasted chicken)

Prepare wild rice mix according to package directions, set aside.
Heat oil in stockpot over medium heat. Add onion and next 4 ingredients and sauté for 6 minutes or until onion is tender. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Stir flour, tarragon and thyme into onion mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add water, sherry, chicken broth and evaporated milk. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until slightly thick. Stir in cooked rice and chicken; cook 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

- Meatball Chowder

MEATBALL CHOWDER
(because it is cold, there's a lot of snow and everyone is thinking about soups)

Meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef
¼ tsp each salt, pepper and garlic powder
¼ c crushed cracker crumbs
1 T milk
1 egg
1/8 c parsley

Combine these 6 ingredients in a large mixing bowl; mix until well blended. Form into small balls about 1½ inch in diameter.

2 - 3 T flour (see meatball options)
2 T vegetable oil
2 onions cut 1/8ths
3 c water
2 beef bullion cubes
3 c carrots, peeled and sliced
2 c diced celery
3 c tomato juice
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
1½ tsp sugar
2 bay leaves
2 T rice
½ tsp marjoram
1 10 oz can corn

Meatball Option 1:
Roll meatballs in 3 T of flour. In a large stockpot fry meatballs in 2 T vegetable oil until browned. Drain and set aside.

Meatball Option 2:
Bake meatballs on a rack on top of a sheet pan at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven, drain and set aside. In a large stockpot, heat 2 T vegetable oil, add 2 T of flour and cook over medium heat for about 1 minute.

For both options:
Place remaining ingredients, except for corn, in the stockpot. Carefully stir in meatballs. Heat on medium-high until mixture begins to boil. Reduce to low and simmer for 30 mins. Add corn, simmer 5 minutes more.

Notes:

This soup is even better when reheated or made early in the day and left to sit.

Thanks Sue!

- Pappa Al Pomodoro

PAPPA AL POMODORO

Soup:

½ c olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 c medium-diced carrots (3 carrots)
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, cored and medium-diced (1½ c)
4 cloves garlic minced
3 c ciabatta or calabrese bread, crusts removed and cut (or torn) into small pieces
2 (28 ozs) cans good Italian plum tomatoes
4 c chicken stock
½ c dry red wine
1 c chopped fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
½ c freshly grated Parmesan cheese (not the kind in the green container)

Topping:

3 c ciabatta or calabrese bread, crusts removed and cut (or torn) into small pieces
2 ozs thinly slicked pancetta, chopped
24 – 30 basil leaves
3 T olive oil, plus more for serving

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, fennel and garlic and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until tender. Add the bread and cook for 5 more minutes. Place the tomatoes in the bowl or a food processor and process just until coarsely chopped (or by hand works too). Add the tomatoes to the pot along with the chicken stock, red wine, basil, 1 T salt and 1½ tsp pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and allow to simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375º.

For the topping, place the bread, pancetta and basil on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss well. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 – 25 minutes, until all the ingredients are crisp. The basil leaves will turn dark and crisp which is perfectly fine. Reheat the soup, if necessary and beat with a wire whisk until the bread is broken up. Stir in the parmesan and taste for seasoning. Serve hot sprinkled with the topping and drizzles with additional olive oil.


Notes:

(i) I was a bit skeptical about the topping but it is great so don’t skip this step;
(ii) I used Save-On Calabrese bread and it took about 1½ loaves;
(iii) This is a really tasty peasant type soup and it got the thumbs up tonight!