The Soup Topic (2005–2006)

[Boris_A]

I spent my youth in a family where - like in many at that time - soups had been a daily dish. So 365 days/365 soups.

In these days of obesity, nutritional experts recommend soups again at the beginning of a meal, because soups are energetically low densitiy food and have a stomach filling effect which reduces intake capacitiy and appetite after some minutes.

Soups had an important role for centuries - when oversupply was not at all the problem - and I suspect partly because they gave the feeling of having enough eaten.

Let me add a recipe of an classic Swiss soup here: Bündner Gerstensuppe (barley soup)

[ScorchedPalate]

So, what's next week's soup?

..asks the woman who has spent the last 72 hours unable to eat anything other than clear broth (and who is ravenous) :(

[Rachel Perlow]

I also made split pea soup last week and am munching on the remains. I went to the deli counter of my grocery and got a slab of the smokiest ham that they had to offer. Echoing Rachel's lament, it wasn't smoky enough for my taste. I think I need to fire up the smoker and do some chickens. I will then make some smoked chicken stock for use in such situations.

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It's amazing what 1/4 tsp of smoked paprika adds to soup which is lacking a necessary smokiness. And I think you're the one who turned me on to this fact! So, thank you.

Today I'm working on chicken matzo ball soup and maybe minestrone, depending on how much poultry stock I end up with. Instead of using my concentrated stock from the freezer, I'm making some fresh from a turkey and chicken I've collected in the freezer. 1 turkey breasts bones, a couple necks, a chicken carcass and the trimmings from a bunch of boneless breasts (lots of cartilage). I include the skin from the whole chicken, as there was a lot of seasoning on it.

I need to get some more plastic containers for individual servings for Jason to bring soup to work.

[maggiethecat]

My word, what a beautiful bouquet of soups you've made this week, my Sisters and Brothers in Soup! And what great reicipes and tips -- if Penzey's weren't closed on Sundays, I'd be heading over for some smoked paprika.

Poor Scorched! I hope you're feeling better. I think that the soup I've got underway--fennel, onion, garlic and potatoes are sweating as I type --might be the very ticket for you, if you happen to have a couple of knobs of fennel in your fridge. In taste theory, it would be bright and clean-tasting, and a change from your broth. Bourdain's Tomato and Fennel soup from The Les Halles Cookbook.

(Speaking of broth, in order to satisfy the demands for this project I may have to get a part time job at a chicken processing plant, and stuff my overalls with scraps at the end of the shift! Next week I'm going to make my maigre-ish minestrone, with the parm rind and the chunk of salt pork, but no stock.)

Pause.

I should have stuck to my soup and not run away to post. Bourdain says it's important not to brown the vegetables, and it seems some of my onions have become tanned. I picked out what I could, and I'll live with the rest. Tant pis.

I might empty the piggy bank and run out to buy a bottle of pastis. In the flippin' winter wonderland I'm inhabiting it would be nice to add that extra liquid anise fillup, as Bourdain suggests. Then perhaps I'll pour some Pernod over ice, watch it turn milky, add a splash of water and daydream about sitting on a sunny terrace, in sundress and sandals, smelling the lavendar.

Cheaper than a trip to the Cote D'Azur.

[JennyUptown]

Soup IS happiness. I am really enjoying this topic.

Here in DC, I particularly like the version of minestrone that Palena is presently offering. Unlike a lot of red, oily, pasta-laden minestrones I have had elsewhere, Palena's features a beautiful, lighter broth, thin slices of potato, lots of "grass peas" (I'd never had them previously; to me they taste a lot like garbanzo beans), tiny bits of housemade bacon and a big chunk of housemade fennel sausage in the middle of the bowl. It's perfection and I cast manners aside to sop up every last bit of broth with a chunk of rustic bread.

Other favorites:

Split pea with ham or bacon

Any sort of bean soup, particularly if it has some sort of smoked meat in it

Corn chowder

Creamy chicken with wild rice

The best tomato soup I've ever eaten was at Harvest in Atlanta. Served smooth with a thin slice of parmesan as garnish. Awesome.

[ScorchedPalate]

Thanks for the good wishes, Maggie... I'm up to poached eggs and cultured yoghurt as of this morning.

No fennel in the fridge chez Scorched, alas. But I am sure I'll be up for this week's minestrone in a few days.

~Anita

Edited January 23, 2005 by ScorchedPalate (log)

[alacarte]

I added ... a rind of Parmesan.... I can't believe how much the Parm added. I've always heard about doing that, but never had.

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:smacks forehead: THAT'S what I should have added to my pasta fagiole! I have a baggie of rinds in my fridge too!

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I have a dumb question on the Parm rind. Do you wash it before putting it into the soup? I've seen the rounds of cheese sitting out, and sometimes the environs seem less sanitary than others.

[Rachel Perlow]

I might or might not, depending on the rind. I don't leave my cheese sitting out, but the rinds I just used today in a minestrone have been sitting in a baggie in my fridge for quite a while, a year maybe? There was a little white stuff on the edges, which may have been salt, may have been a little mold, those, I scrubbed. They made the soup taste better, that's for sure, I tasted before putting them in and after a 30 minute simmer, there was definitely an improvement.

[Patrick S]

There are so many great recipes and ideas on this thread, I'm going to have a hard time deciding what to try for my next soup. Very impressive! I dont make soup very often, but last night I made a french onion soup at my wife's request, using 'Henri's French Onion Soup' recipe which was recently added to the CooksIllustrated website. Takes a lot of time and attention to get the onions deeply, darkly caramelized (about 2 hours), but I'm amazed at the veritable rainbow of flavors that develops using so few ingredients. One thing I learned making this soup is that I need a new dutch oven. The caramelized bits kept sticking to the bottom of the pot and were almost impossible to scrape off.

Edited January 24, 2005 by Patrick S (log)

[sadistick]

If anyone could post a recipe for Hot and SOur soup, I would be much obliged!

[Dana]

My parm rind had been in the fridge for a long time, as well. I rinsed it off, although I don't know why, and dropped it in the soup. I generally don't worry too much about germs anyway.

This week's for me will be slkinsky's cauliflower soup. I got a HUGE head at Kroger's for 99 cents.

[bloviatrix]

There are so many great recipes and ideas on this thread, I'm going to have a hard time deciding what to try for my next soup. Very impressive! I dont make soup very often, but last night I made a french onion soup at my wife's request, using 'Henri's French Onion Soup' recipe which was recently added to the CooksIllustrated website. Takes a lot of time and attention to get the onions deeply, darkly caramelized (about 2 hours), but I'm amazed at the veritable rainbow of flavors that develops using so few ingredients. One thing I learned making this soup is that I need a new dutch oven. The caramelized bits kept sticking to the bottom of the pot and were almost impossible to scrape off. 

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Did that recipe run in the mag? If so, do you know what issue? I'd like to check it out.

[Patrick S]

There are so many great recipes and ideas on this thread, I'm going to have a hard time deciding what to try for my next soup. Very impressive! I dont make soup very often, but last night I made a french onion soup at my wife's request, using 'Henri's French Onion Soup' recipe which was recently added to the CooksIllustrated website. Takes a lot of time and attention to get the onions deeply, darkly caramelized (about 2 hours), but I'm amazed at the veritable rainbow of flavors that develops using so few ingredients. One thing I learned making this soup is that I need a new dutch oven. The caramelized bits kept sticking to the bottom of the pot and were almost impossible to scrape off. 

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Did that recipe run in the mag? If so, do you know what issue? I'd like to check it out.

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I dont think it has run in the magazine yet, though it might in the future. If you have an online subscription, the recipe is at:

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipe.asp?recipeids=2004

[Anna N]

Tonight we had Emeril's Cheese and Beer Soup (recipe is on the foodtv website). Had all the ingredients on hand and too much (paying) work to do to cook anything complicated. Threw together some multi-grain bread - mixed in the bread machine, baked in the oven - and this soup and it was a very tasty and satisfying meal.

[Rachel Perlow]

Today I made Minestrone and Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls.

Here are 8 portions of each, cooling on the "outdoor fridge."

They are ready for the freezer, primarily for Jason's lunches.

[Dana]

Rachel, this is the BEST picture!!!!!

[maggiethecat]

Rachel: Lucky Jason! I love the containers and the wintry touch of the snow shovel, identical to the one that's propped against my porch.

And thank you all. I have more than 49 weeks worth of soups, just dipping into your ideas.

Tonight was the Les Halles Fennel and Tomato soup. I reheated it and pureed it and took a sip. My God, I had made the first tomato soup I've ever liked, except for gazpacho! Ir was terrific tomtato soup, but the fennel was so subtle as to be just another aromatic. I don't blame the recipe too much: Bourdain calls for "two bulbs fennel" without specifying size or weight, and mine were on the Gwyneth size of the spectrum, as opposed to the J Lo.

Dear Reader, I blew the mortgage money on a bottle of Pernod, and dropped maybe a teaspoon of the Greenish Fairy into the soup, along with my own pistachio garnish. That hit of pastis turned it from good tomato soup into something we raved about, between spoonfuls.

St. Anthony of Manhattan is 2 for 2 in the soup department. Both the Mushroom and the Tomato/Fennel most highly recommended, and easy enough for Home Ec 101.

[fifi]

Tonight, I did a variation of the mushroom soup recipe that I posted here. It isn't cold here but I wanted mushroom soup and HEB had mushrooms on sale last weekend. I also made a killer batch of beef stock over the weekend so that prompted the variation. This is one of those recipes that the kids ask for when they are in town and if I vary it, they have hissy fits. But, they aren't here, soooo . . .

After the shallots and garlic are sauted and softened, I added about 1/4 cup of red wine and cooked it down. (I was wishing I had a good brandy.) I substituted 2 cups of double strength beef stock for the 2 cups milk and chicken base. I stuck with the favorite smoked Gouda and it seems a good fit. Everything else in the recipe is the same, with another variation: I normally slice the mushrooms because I like the toothsome slices of mushroom to chew on. Well, I was feeling a bit lazy this evening and didn't relish the idea of all of that mincing, slicing and grating. I got out the favorite toy, the Kitchen Aid food processor. I used the large grater disc to take care of the shallots and garlic. Then I switched to the julienne blade that I just bought and just ran those mushrooms through there. Then I switched back to the grater blade for the cheese since it was already going to need to be washed. Now I know why I love this toy. The texture is lovely. There are gibbles of mushroom and little "sticks" as well. It is very pleasant and took less time to sweat the mushrooms. Anyway, the final result is a bit lighter than the original and very beefy. I still wouldn't call it a light soup but it is sure good.

[ludja]

What an embarassment of riches this thread is... I missed it for a week or two and came back to find so many great ideas...

I was thinking of white bean soup and then I saw your entry helenjp (below).

I looked in Lang's book and it looks great.

Did you actually make it with the "little dumplings"?

Sounds like an interesting add in and am wondering if it is worth the extra work.

White bean soups....mmmm....

I don't normally find much use for soup recipes, but Georges Lang's "The Cuisine of Hungary" is an exception. My copy falls open at the recipe for Serbian Bean Soup...just a hint of tomato and garlic, with plenty of paprika, and finished with yogurt and vinegar.

 

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[purplewiz]

If anyone could post a recipe for Hot and SOur soup, I would be much obliged!

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I'm kind of apprehensive about posting this, because I'm sure someone has something more authentic. This is my variation on a recipe I printed from the alt.gourmand newsgroup in 1988. Amounts are approximate - my notes about that at the bottom.

1 cup firm or extra firm tofu, in 1/2" dice

1/4 cup bamboo shoots (about half a can), julienned or shredded

1/4 cup dried black fungus

1/4 cup dried shiitake mushrooms

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

1 garlic clove, pressed or minced

1/2 lb lean pork, finely julienned (or 1/2 lb ground pork)

2 tbsp oil

1 egg, well beaten

6 cups chicken stock

1 tsp sugar

3 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch, use divided

3 tbsp + 1 tsp soy sauce, use divided

3 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp chili oil

1/2 tsp black pepper

3 tbsp chopped green onion, for garnish

Put black fungus and dried shiitakes in two different bowls; cover with hot water and let sit to soften, about 30 minutes.

Mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tsp soy sauce, and mix with the finely julienned or ground pork. Let marinate for 15 minutes. Once marinated, stir fry (in the soup pot) in the 2 tbsp oil until cooked through. Add ginger and garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

Add the chicken stock and sugar to the soup pot and bring to a boil. While it's heating, drain the shiitakes and slice thinly, discarding tough stems. Drain and slice the black fungus, discarding any tough centers. (I usually decant the soaking liquid into the soup pot, discarding any sediment.)

When soup is boiling, add the tofu, shiitakes, black fungus, and bamboo shoots. In a separate bowl, mix together the 3 tbsp cornstarch, 3 tbsp soy sauce, white vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil, and black pepper until well mixed.

Reduce heat to a simmer and add the egg while stirring gently to create egg filaments. Continuing to stir, add the mixture in the bowl and cook another minute.

Serve in bowls and garnish with green onions.

Notes:

I usually start with these amounts, but then adjust after tasting. I know the balance of hot and sour and salty I'm going for, and the amounts required to achieve that vary from batch to batch.

I usually double the amount of pork and tofu to make a heartier soup when serving this as a main course.

I've also found using half chicken stock and half beef stock makes a heartier soup.

Marcia.

[ScorchedPalate]

sadistick: asian-food guru Bruce Cost's recipe for Hot and Sour Soup is in this month's Gourmet. Here's the Epicurious link.

I've made the version in his Asian Ingredients and liked it a lot. It has a long ingredients list, but itsn't difficult to make. In a pinch, you can leave out some of the hard-to-find ingredients; the flavor remains balanced and still feels 'right'.

~Anita

[andiesenji]

Cooking on my stove at present is a "use up some stuff in the fridge" soup.

It includes some extra small bacon pieces I cooked day before yesterday for a salad, some cooked fresh bratwurst from Sunday, some fresh black-eyed peas I had been planning to use for something else but this is their "use-by" date and of course, some chopped onion, shallots and green chile pepper with 1 1/2 quarts of chicken stock which I thawed and then couldn't remember what I had intended to do with it.

(?"Old-timer's disease?)

In any event it is progressing - I took photos and when finished will take another and if they look interesting will post same.

It is cold and rainy today, our lovely warm weather a distant memory. At least the weekend was nice.

This is a perfect day for soup. Maybe cornbread too.

[chow guy]

There are so many great recipes and ideas on this thread, I'm going to have a hard time deciding what to try for my next soup. Very impressive! I dont make soup very often, but last night I made a french onion soup at my wife's request, using 'Henri's French Onion Soup' recipe which was recently added to the CooksIllustrated website. Takes a lot of time and attention to get the onions deeply, darkly caramelized (about 2 hours), but I'm amazed at the veritable rainbow of flavors that develops using so few ingredients. One thing I learned making this soup is that I need a new dutch oven. The caramelized bits kept sticking to the bottom of the pot and were almost impossible to scrape off. 

 

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I use a crockpot to caramelize onions for onion soup (two pounds of onions per one stick of butter). I cook them on low for at least 12 hours and stir them every now and then. It really works well and no worries about sticking or burning.

[fifi]

Cooking on my stove at present is a "use up some stuff in the fridge" soup.

It includes some extra small bacon pieces I cooked day before yesterday for a salad, some cooked fresh bratwurst from Sunday, some fresh black-eyed peas I had been planning to use for something else but this is their "use-by" date and of course, some chopped onion, shallots and green chile pepper with 1 1/2 quarts of chicken stock which I thawed and then couldn't remember what I had intended to do with it.

. . . . .

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Funny that you should mention this. My sister and I were just discussing what she used to make years ago when she and her husband had two hungry young men staying with them. She used to collect all sorts of scraps and leftovers in the freezer in a big plastic container that was lovingly dubbed "the garbage can" as in: "Don't throw that out, put it in the garbage can." This could be anything from that leftover cup of lima beans, peas, corn or whatever. Meat scraps always went in there. She always had homemade stock on hand. When the container got full, it was time for "garbage can soup." It was always so good that the garbage can was closely monitored in expectation.

I use a crockpot to caramelize onions for onion soup (two pounds of onions per one stick of butter). I cook them on low for at least 12 hours and stir them every now and then. It really works well and no worries about sticking or burning.

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Heh . . . Have you seen the the onion confit thread?

[andiesenji]

No cornbread. Anka found some hominy in the small fridge so that went into the pot and I "refreshed" a loaf of asiago cheese bread baked Sunday evening.

The soup is delicious, just enough spice to drive the cold away and very hearty.