Winter Warmers

[Zacky]

This morning in West London is COLD! Foggy and freezing. My usual trawl of the Internet turned up very little inspiration for top 10 winter warmers. So, I thought I'd turn to the eGullet folks and see what turned up.

Here's my own:

1. Steak and Kidney pudding (steamed for 5 hours)
   
2. French onion soup
   
3. Lamb stew/casserole
   
4. Shepherd's Pie
   
5. Leek and potato soup
   
6. Fish Pie
   
7. Split Pea and Ham soup
   
8. Lamb curry (Achaari Ghosht)
   
9. Boeuf Bourguignon
   
10. Bangers and mash with roasted red onion gravy
    

So hit me with your lists!

[nakji]

Mmm, we have topics on a lot of these dishes, too.

1. Shepherd's/cottage pie

2. Baked ham with gratin potatoes

3. Nikkujyaga

4. Chinese-style hotpot ( as opposed to Lancashire)

5. lasagne

6. any kind of risotto

7. tonkotsu ramen

8. pudding with custard

9. beans on toast

10. tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich

Special shout-out to a breakfast on a snowy morning: fresh brewed coffee and a warm cinnamon buns.

Anything with steam rising off, really.

[Chris Amirault]

We've had a bunch of eG Cook-Offs that hit the spot in winter, including these ten:

1. gumbo
   
2. chili
   
3. Asian noodle soups
   
4. chowder
   
5. daube
   
6. mafé
   
7. posole
   
8. pot-au-feu
   
9. feijoada
   
10. chicken and dumplings

[robirdstx]

Here are my top three:

Beef Stew

Ham and Bean Soup

New England Clam Chowder

[andiesenji]

Mine are:

Pepperpot soup

Bean soup with cornbread

Potato soup with dumplings

Chicken & dumplings

Mushroom risotto

Spicy chestnut soup

Scalloped potatoes with ham or smoked pork chops.

Pumpkin soup

Chili

[annachan]

Butternut squash soup

Meatballs and vegetable soup

Curry

Panini w/ tomato soup

Tuna casserole

Mac n cheese

Mushroom lasagna

French dip (made in slow cooker) w/ sweet potato fries

Spicy stir fry dishes

Hot pot

[nakji]

Chili! How did I forget chili?

[Zacky]

tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich

and

Panini w/ tomato soup

Mmmmm - do you make your own tomato soup? Any recipes?

[annachan]

I actually don't make tomato soups at home. I found a box product that I like and I've been using that. It's Trader Joe's tomato soup w/ roasted red pepper.

Another winter warmer: oxtail!

[nakji]

Mmmmm - do you make your own tomato soup? Any recipes?

I do! But it's nothing special - just a tin of good tomatoes, simmered for ten minutes in a pool of light olive oil, to which I've added a little fresh smashed ginger at the beginning. When the oil turns orange, I add an equal portion of stock; simmer it for another five, then whizz it in the blender (even easier if you have an immersion stick blender). Salt and pepper to taste. It makes two servings.

Marcella Hazan's Pasta e Ceci soup is quite decadent to have alongside a sandwich, if you leave out the "pasta" part when you're making it - I often do and rarely miss it.

[Corinna]

I have French Onion soup and Lamb stew both planned for the next couple days! I guess I am feeling chilly. Roasting some chicken parts for stock as I type.

[andiesenji]

I actually don't make tomato soups at home. I found a box product that I like and I've been using that. It's Trader Joe's tomato soup w/ roasted red pepper.

Another winter warmer: oxtail!

That's my favorite too, although I like all the TJ's soups.

I also like to combine the tomato/pepper or the red pepper soups with TJ's Black Beluga Lentils (microwavable) and crumble some feta or other crumbly cheese on top.

[Zacky]

Sounds good! I'm going to make some tomato soup soon - like the idea of ginger in there for some kick.

Another winter warmer: oxtail!

I recently made the Escoffier recipe of Oxtail soup: recipe

Minus the "gelatinous bones" (my local butcher already thinks I'm strange!) and the result was the most amazing clear broth with the sweet carrots and oxtail meat sitting down there at the bottom of the bowl. It wasn't quite the Oxtail I remember from childhood - more of a British affair, with some of the meat blended into the stock (negating the need for all the clarification) to make a thicker soup. Still, glad I tried it.

Tonight I'm trying London Particular

An attempt to match weather with food in more than one way!

Edited November 17, 2010 by Zacky (log)

[annachan]

Sounds good! I'm going to make some tomato soup soon - like the idea of ginger in there for some kick.

Another winter warmer: oxtail!

I recently made the Escoffier recipe of Oxtail soup: recipe

Minus the "gelatinous bones" (my local butcher already thinks I'm strange!) and the result was the most amazing clear broth with the sweet carrots and oxtail meat sitting down there at the bottom of the bowl. It wasn't quite the Oxtail I remember from childhood - more of a British affair, with some of the meat blended into the stock (negating the need for all the clarification) to make a thicker soup. Still, glad I tried it.

Tonight I'm trying London Particular

An attempt to match weather with food in more than one way!

What are gelatinous bones?

[Angela Knipple]

I'm sure my Southern is going to show on my list, but here they are:

Mac & cheese

Grits with cheese or onion gravy

Baked spaghetti

Chicken & dumplings

Sweet potato soup

Greens & cornbread

Chicken & dressing

Potpie - chicken, turkey, beef or venison

Pozole

Cream of mushroom soup

[janeer]

While it's great to cozy up with chili, mac and cheese, or beef bourginon in the winter, when the forecast is for snow there is only one thing that I want to make: spaghetti and meatballs. It is the absolutely perfect snowed-in meal.

[Lilija]

Mm, Meat Pie (which I am making on Saturday, along with steak fries and a salad, for a beer tasting). Chicken and Dumplings. Anything gravyish ladled over egg noodles. Thick lentil and or squash soups. Dal. Beans and greens, southern, Italian, Indian, Southern Italian and Indian, whatever, the combination, with some kind of pork is one of our staple winter meals, with rice, cornbread, something.

Spicy soupy things.

[Zacky]

What are gelatinous bones?

I'm not 100% sure; it's an Escoffier recipe after all, so quite old. I'm sure every butcher 100 years ago would have some to dole out but not these days. After reading this my best bet would be the cartillage from cow's feet and ears etc, which really produce a lot of gelatin when cooked long and slow. I made pig's trotters a while ago and the resulting food basically set when I left it in the fridge! I think Escoffier's desired end product was quite a viscous but clear soup. I did add the arrow root though to get some of the same effect and that worked fine.

Edited November 18, 2010 by Zacky (log)

[codheadred]

Heres mine

Scouse

Sausage Mash and Onion Gravy

Lancashire Hotpot

Veg and Lentil Soup

Shepherds Pie

Meat and Potato Pie

Spag Bol

Pasticcio

Mixed Veg Curry and Pilau Rice

Steak pudding chips and peas (from a decent chippy if you can find one)

[Chris Amirault]

I had to google "scouse." (Wikipedia link here.) Do you have a recipe for it?

[codheadred]

Well that started a "discussion" here Chris,

My OH usually makes it (Shes a scouser, and an evertonian) and theres generally a lot said in this house about the merits of scouse vs lancashire hotpot as opinions are divided.

That aside I asked for a recipe and to be fair I got a list of ingredients and a cooking method which reflect the reality of many handed down recipes they are guidlines and you use what you have got.

Ingredients

Stewing beef - as much as you have/how many are you feeding?

Potatoes peeled large chunks

Onions chopped

Stock/OXO/Gravy Granules - whatever you have

Worcester Sauce /Tomato puree if you have some a good splash/dash

Root veg if you have them carrots and turnips generally peeled large chunks

She prefers to use a pressure cooker, add all ingredients to pot and cover with stock/water, pressure cook for 45mins to an hour.

This can be thickened when cooked if its needed- serve with crusty bread (my preference is a tiger loaf)

The only rules in our house are that the meat must be beef off the bone and there must be potatoes and onions.

[kayb]

My top 10, although the order can change from day to day:

1. Pot roast

2. Red beans and rice

3. White bean and sausage soup

4. Vegetable beef soup (made with the leftover pot roast)

5. Chili

6. Posole (for which I will ever be indebted to Chris Amirault for his mother-in-law's recipe!)

7. Slow-roasted pork with whatever spices and sides spark my interest that day

8. Tomato soup with a grilled cheese sandwich

9. Pasta e fagioli

10. Single malt scotch (preferably Glenmorangie), two ice cubes.

[merstar]

Chicken Fricassee

Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian Tortilla Soup (with black beans, etc.)

Chicken Noodle Soup

Baked Garnet Sweet Potatoes

Indian-Spiced Chickpea Soup

Matzoh Ball Soup

Curried Cauliflower Soup with Coriander Chutney

Cuban Shrimp Stew

Vegetarian Lasagna

Spiced Hot Chocolate

Edited November 22, 2010 by merstar (log)

[cbread]

All of the above look wonderful, to which I'd add a few:

Comfort foods in general

Corn Chowder

Stews

Beans and rice

Lentils - especially beluga lentils

Anything that keeps the oven going for hours

Breads

Pizzas

Edited November 22, 2010 by cbread (log)

[Zacky]

Lentils - especially beluga lentils

Yum yum - this is why I started this string! You've reminded me of the Spanish staple 'lentejas'; slowly cooked lentils with morcilla sausage (their version of a blood sausage but wildly superior to most, with lots of onions and spice) and any other lovely piggy products. I love the addition of toccino - pig fat. It's a wholesome and worthy dish. The recipe I have is by the excellent folk at Moro in Exmouth Market in London.

I'm revising my original list. OUT - Fish Pie and NEW IN at number 6 is lentejas.