The Soup Topic (2007–2012)

[johnjohn]

I made a vegetable soup last week that had you add spinach at the very end. I thought the spinach had a kind of slimy mouth feel (my wife disagreed and said I was being too critical). I used baby spinach that I rinsed and roughly cut into big pieces and only cooked it for a minute or two in the soup before I served it. I have never added spinach to soup before - is that how it is supposed to be? Did I use the wrong kind of spinach? Should I have sliced it finely? Should i have cooked it longer?

I have two other recipes that I want to make - one using escarole and the other kale, but have put off making them because I didn't really like how the spinach tasted in this last soup.

Thanks

[Lilija]

I made a vegetable soup last week that had you add spinach at the very end.  I thought the spinach had a kind of slimy mouth feel (my wife disagreed and said I was being too critical).  I used baby spinach that I rinsed and roughly cut into big pieces and only cooked it for a minute or two in the soup before I served it.  I have never added spinach to soup before - is that how it is supposed to be?  Did I use the wrong kind of spinach?  Should I have sliced it finely?  Should i have cooked it longer?

I have two other recipes that I want to make - one using escarole and the other kale, but have put off making them because I didn't really like how the spinach tasted in this last soup.

Thanks

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I think that sounds right for spinach. I always felt it was kinda slimy, too. Chiffonading it helps. Dicing it up helps.

Me? I prefer chard. It's not quite as weirdly textured, and offers a more astringent, interesting flavor, so I sub that in. Most people don't mind the spinach texture, but I think I know exactly what you mean.

I'm not sure about escarole, since I'm not too familiar with cooking it, but kale is a whole other animal, it's tougher, and requires longer cooking. It's got a nice hefty toothy texture, definitely not slimy. I love kale.

Seriously, though, my solution to spinach is this: Wash and cut up some Swiss chard, I usually roll a pile of the huge leaves together, and cut them into 1-2 inch squares, and sub that in for any spinach. Cook it a bit longer, and you might be happier with the results.

[BeeZee]

One of my favorite things to do for "soup time" is to figure out a way to use the leftovers from a dinner to create a new soup. On one night I made thai red curry with shrimp. It was very spicy, and we had a fair amount of the sauce leftover (red curry/coconut milk, some celery and carrot slices, scallions, shrimp-y infusion). Since it was fundamentally too tasty to put down the drain, I used it to create thai curry soup. I sauteed chopped up red onion until soft, added diced butternut squash. In went chicken broth and the leftover curry sauce. Brought to a simmer, added yukon gold potatoes (half grated, half diced) - since the idea was to cut down the heat with the potatoes. Simmered about 20 minutes, added basil leaves. It's still pretty spicy, but really tasty.

[snowangel]

It's been soup time in the Fahning household. Two nights ago, the Tortilla Soup recipe from Cook's Illustrated (Mar.-Apr. 2005 issue). Outstanding.

Last night, Hot and Sour Soup from the Barbara Tropp's "Modern Art of Chinese Cooking" (a true classic book that everyone should own). I did, as my note on the well-stained page indicated, added more stock than she calls for. And, yes, the leftovers are truly wonderful -- but do heed her advice to spark the re-heated soup with addition vinegar.

[Corinna]

Earlier this week I made a minestrone of sorts: great northern beans, some collard greens I had in the freezer and a can of tomatoes. We ate some of it, but most of it went back in the freezer to build up my reserve.

Today, I made a veggie-heavy miso soup (dried shitakes, kombu, onion, celery, carrots, bok choy, scallions) that I love to have in the fridge to reheat for breakfast or a snack.

My crockpot is currently full of the onions and juice leftover from Fifi's paprika chicken (yum) to which I added some juices I saved from cooking a ham the other night, a chunk of said ham and a bag of split green peas. I'll blitz it tomorrow morning, and continue to add to my freezer.

Thank you all for the continued inspiration. This thread (and all of them on eG) is wonderful!

[C. sapidus]

Corn chowder with leeks and potatoes, from Vegetables Everyday. Thinly-sliced leeks sauteed in butter and simmered with corn kernels, diced potatoes, milk, and corn broth (made by simmering the stripped corncobs in water). Buzzed with a stick blender (leaving some texture) and finished with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley. Turned out very nicely, and I look forward to making this soup with fresh corn next summer.

[merstar]

Did this one the other day - delicious:

CURRIED CAULIFLOWER SOUP WITH CORIANDER CHUTNEY

http://livinginthekitchenwithpuppies.blogs...-coriander.html

[suzilightning]

a vegetable soup of sorts for friday's noonish meal:

homemade chicken vegetable stock

onion, garlic, carrots, butternut squash, a few sprigs of thyme. cook until the carrot and squash are just soft. add some tiny pasta.

served with a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich.

[judiu]

a vegetable soup of sorts for friday's noonish meal:

homemade chicken vegetable stock

onion, garlic, carrots, butternut squash, a few sprigs of thyme.  cook until the carrot and squash are just soft.  add some tiny pasta.

served with a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich.

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Please excuse me if I'm wrong, BUT 1) You're in the cold North East. 2) It's January. So, please tell me WHERE you're getting tomatoes decent enough for a grill cheese and tomato? I'm in Florida, for heavens sake, and even here I can't find a decent tomato!

[merstar]

a vegetable soup of sorts for friday's noonish meal:

homemade chicken vegetable stock

onion, garlic, carrots, butternut squash, a few sprigs of thyme.  cook until the carrot and squash are just soft.  add some tiny pasta.

served with a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich.

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Please excuse me if I'm wrong, BUT 1) You're in the cold North East. 2) It's January. So, please tell me WHERE you're getting tomatoes decent enough for a grill cheese and tomato? I'm in Florida, for heavens sake, and even here I can't find a decent tomato!

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Can you get ahold of some campari tomatoes?

[suzilightning]

Please excuse me if I'm wrong, BUT 1) You're in the cold North East. 2) It's January. So, please tell me WHERE you're getting tomatoes decent enough for a grill cheese and tomato? I'm in Florida, for heavens sake, and even here I can't find a decent tomato!

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i had some tomatoes on the vine that i babyed to an acceptable taste and texture

[KatieLoeb]

Tonight's effort - a giant pot of cream of broccoli and cheddar soup. I had two big bowls for dinner and a few little frozen pizza roll hors d'oeuvres. What can I say? I was feeling lazy after I'd sliced and diced and pureed...

[nakji]

I made two more soups last week, one directly out of Marcella's Italian Kitchen:

Savoy cabbage soup in D'Aosta style. I completely undid all the good work I'd done by spending 150 yen on a cabbage and using it in at least six different recipes by topping the soup off with a crouton dripping taleggio I'd secured from the Sogo department store at 1,100 yen for around 100 g. It was worth it - the first time I'd tasted taleggio, and really, if the rest of the soup is so cheap, why not top it decently? The bread for the crouton came from the LeNotre bakery I found also buried in the Sogo - I unearthed a couple of French-style baguettes amongst the curry-pans and hot dog rolls.

The other soup I made was less directly Marcella - it was Marcella influenced, in that I looked at the recipe for Tomato Gorgonzola pasta sauce kicking around on the Recipes that Rock 2008 topic, and cut out all superfluous seasonings like garlic, basil and balsamic. I then simmered the onions in a ridiculous amount of olive oil, added tomatoes, cream, and gorgonzola. My husband, a blue cheese hater, decided it was only mildly "footy" and deigned eat a spoonful. I had the rest. When I make it again, I might add back one of those ingredients to see if it makes a dramatic difference. But it was pretty near perfection to me. It tasted like the most perfect marriage of tomato soup and a cheese sandwich, together in a bowl.

[chezcherie]

six soups for a soup class last night: roasted parsnip and potato (with bacon garnish), curried cream of chicken with wild rice, creme of poblano, pumpkin and black bean, minestrone, and chocolate hazelnut. six burners of soup at once!

[snowangel]

six soups for a soup class last night: roasted parsnip and potato (with bacon garnish), curried cream of chicken with wild rice, creme of poblano, pumpkin and black bean, minestrone, and chocolate hazelnut. six burners of soup at once!

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More on the cream of poblano, please!

[chezcherie]

snowangel, you've been pm'ed.

basically, it's onion, garlic and carrot, sauteed with chopped poblano. veg (or chix) stock and a cubed russet and simmer 'til tender. add a little crema or creme fraiche and season. throw some shredded cheese on top, if you like, or pepitas, or cilantro...

it was one of the favs in class last night.

Edited January 21, 2009 by chezcherie (log)

[potsticker]

I loooooove soup. Fortunately it's been freezing down here in the South so I can appreciate soup even more.

So far this year, I've made:

Lentil soup - green and red lentils, onions, carrots, celery, cumin, paprika, curry powder, and most importantly, bacon

Beef stew - cubed chuck, carrots, onions, potatoes, beef stock, balsamic, Worcestershire, more spices than I can remember

On deck: Chicken tortilla soup

I'm giving my wannabe Le Creuset a workout. I should really start taking more pictures of what I make.

[KatieLoeb]

snowangel, you've been pm'ed.

basically, it's onion, garlic and carrot, sauteed with chopped poblano. veg (or chix) stock and a cubed russet and simmer 'til tender. add a little crema or creme fraiche and season. throw some shredded cheese on top, if you like, or pepitas, or cilantro...

it was one of the favs in class last night.

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I second that request. Perhaps you could add your soup recipes(s) to RecipeGullet?? Pretty please??

[chezcherie]

tried and failed to add this to recipegullet. here's the soup recipe.

Poblano Crème Soup

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

3 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped

1 carrot, chopped

4 cups vegetable stock

1 russet potato, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup crema or crème fraiche

salt and pepper

shredded cheese for garnish, optional

In a large saucepan, heat the butter and olive oil, and saute the Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan. Saute the onion in the butter/oil mixture until fragrant and starting to soften, 3-4 minutes. Add the garilic, and saute 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the chopped poblanos, and carrot, and saute 3-4 minutes, until softened. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Add potato cubes and reduce heat to a simmer. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Simmer until potatoes

are tender, about 20 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup. (If using a food processor, strain the soup, reserving both the liquid and solids. Place the solids in the food processor, with just enough liquid to puree them. Return the solids to the pan, and add the remaining liquid.). Add the crema or crème fraiche and adjust seasoning to taste. Garnish with shredded cheese, if desired.

eta: snowangel was an angel and added this to recipegullet as i was too challenged to manage it! thanks!

Edited January 22, 2009 by chezcherie (log)

[JAZ]

The grocery store had smoked pork hocks on sale, and I had a big container of navy beans in the pantry, so I made, of course, navy bean soup. I'd never made it before, but it turned out pretty well. I'll definitely make it again. In the pressure cooker, it took about 90 minutes start to finish, and that's with beans that had been rinsed briefly but not soaked at all.

[Pille]

Creamy Fish Soup using trout and cream cheese and dill:

[Anna N]

Must be the season for salmon soups!

We had salmon for dinner last night and there was a little left that I didn't cook so today I made this Thai-style soup. I did not follow a recipe as such but basically used Thai red curry paste, coconut milk, fish sauce, lime, green beens and shredded romaine. I cooked some orzo and added it just before serviing.

[Katie Meadow]

Chezcherie, I was inspired by your cream of poblano soup recipe. I made a terrific soup tonight, being lucky enough to have all the ingredients on hand--and not much else!

I used your proportions with the following substitutions: New Mexico green chiles that had been roasted and frozen, red boiling potatoes instead of a russet, and for stock I used a rich turkey stock that I had frozen after the holidays. I used the blender and didn't strain the soup. For the finish I used half and half and milk. No cheese. If I had cilantro I might have garnished with that.

The chiles turned out to be hotter than I expected (they were Big Jim's which are relatively mild for NM green) so the soup was pretty hot; next time I will use a bit less. A great and very simply soup--thanx!

[Bella S.F.]

Molly Stevens' Creamy White Bean Soup with Sausage. I liked the soup plain, without adding back the cup of whole beans (set aside before blending the rest), and without the sausage. The purity of the soup with the cream... wonderful. I also used some bean liquid that I had in the freezer. I love it when something that might have been thrown away comes in handy and really adds to the finished product.

[LizD518]

I made Italian Wedding with homemade turkey meatballs that was great, but even better was adding diced tomatoe (I used Pomi) to the leftovers after the orzo sucked up most of the liquid. I think I'll always use tomatoes in my Italian Wedding soup from now on b/c it rocked!

I also made spicy black bean and veggie last week. One of my favorite soups for cold winter days.

I have a butternut squash that I want to use up next - but I want to do something different with it. Anyone ever combine butternut squash and carrot? What about fennel seeds? I know carrot and fennel go together, but I'm not sure about the squash with it.