The Soup Topic (2005–2006)

[fifi]

I had the last of my chickeny chicken soup today. I ate it with a biscuit. Ok . . . two biscuits. It was like dunking into the best chicken gravy ever made.

I have confirmed that a 4 cup batch is the absolute maximum I will make when cooking for myself. Now that my freezer has beef and chicken stock, I am thinking of what is next. I have a bit of onion confit to use up. I may head for something Beef Stroganoffish.

[Jensen]

I have confirmed that a 4 cup batch is the absolute maximum I will make when cooking for myself. Now that my freezer has beef and chicken stock, I am thinking of what is next. I have a bit of onion confit to use up. I may head for something Beef Stroganoffish.

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Or, if you could find a particularly superb Gruyere, maybe French onion soup?

[fifi]

Hmmm . . . I am particularlly taken with Emeril's version of that in his Louisiana Real and Rustic. That has possibilities. I wonder if I could make the croutons ahead so the reheat would be more or less painless? I can get the gruyere.

[snowangel]

Hmmm . . . I am particularlly taken with Emeril's version of that in his Louisiana Real and Rustic. That has possibilities. I wonder if I could make the croutons ahead so the reheat would be more or less painless? I can get the gruyere.

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I make croutons ahead all of the time, and just store them in a bread bag.

The only problem is that in this house, they are viewed as a munchie; never mind that mom had a purpose for them which is why she hid them (note to self: find better places to hide stuff).

Come to think of it, I have a nice hunk of guyere, and have a boatload of onions. And, some unbelievably concentrated, jelly-like beef stock. Hmmm.

[Richard Kilgore]

Thursday evening made a kale soup with proscuitto. Here's a rough idea of what I did.

Sauted cubed proscuitto, added kale ribs (2 inch pieces), chopped onion and minced garlic; sweated with salt, oregano, sherry vinegar and pimenton de la vera for about 20 minutes.

Added chicken stock and cubed potatato and simmered 30 minutes more.

Blended roughly with immersion blender.

Added chiffonade of kale leaves; simmered another 30 minutes.

Add black pepper and adjust seasoning to taste.

This particular combination had more subtle complexity than other similar soups I have done. Interestingly, the complexity was diminished the second day, which may be due to a little too much black pepper that masked other flavors.

[Rachel Perlow]

I think I have to wait until I clear out a weeks worth of Jason's lunches before I can make more soup. Or at least soup for the freezer. That's the basket in my chest freezer I have alloted for soup. They are in pint sized containers, stacked 3 high. So that's 18 portions right there. Not that there aren't a few other containers stashed here and there as well. Current soups in storage, from the top: Gumbo, Pasta e Fagiole, Minestrone, Split Pea, Escarole and Bean, and Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls.

My next soup will probably be a chicken and vegetable noodle soup, that's been requested, and I have the stock ready to go and all the other ingredients as well.

For those who are curious, yes, I eat the soups too. I had some of the gumbo for lunch on Thursday, mmm mmm. But Jason really likes soup, he orders it quite frequently in restaurants as an appetizer. For me, a bowl of soup could be the whole meal, so I just take a taste of his soups, usually. As long as he has a microwave available to him at work, it just makes sense to give him soup in his lunch bag. It is economical, filling and healthy all at the same time. As a bonus, the defrosting container keeps his sandwich and drink cold.

PS - I think it's time to defrost the freezer. When's the next sub-zero day?

[fifi]

Heh heh . . . I love the glimpse into your freezer. Aren't those deli containers the best? What I find interesting are your labels. I have been using freezer tape and an extra fine Sharpie. Looks like you have one of those label machines. You are making me feel techno-challenged.

I am not doing soup this week. I am consumed with gumbo and etouffee. (OK . . . Those are kinda soupish.) Onion soup maybe next week.

[Rachel Perlow]

Yes, I have a Brother label maker. However, I've decided to only use that for containers that I want back. Jason hates having to remember to bring the containers home. Now that I have a case of 16 oz* heavy duty deli containers in the garage, I'm sticking to the sharpie, since the lids are destined to be tossed.

Always label your lid before placing it on the container. Whether the soup is hot or cold, having a differing temperature or condensation on the lid will effect the pen's performance.

But ALWAYS label your soups. Although it doesn't look it, because they are in two different types of containers, the Escarole & Bean and Minestrone look very similar. In a month or so, you wouldn't be able to tell which is which if they weren't labeled.

*The containers are 16 oz, but I fill them with 10-12 oz of soup. You need stirring room when microwaving them.

[Priscilla]

Making soup today, for future consumption -- NeroW's One of Each again! Have not yet plumbed all the depths of its intrigue.

[purplewiz]

Tonight's dinner was sausage kale soup - but made with Whole Foods' habanero pork sausage. The habanero pork runs from passingly spicy to ouch in heat depending on who made it that day. Tonight's was definitely towards the ouch end of the spectrum, to the point where I kept coughing as I was browning it off.

It made the soup, though. I didn't even add any seasonings other than salt and pepper - just let the browned sausage and onions and tomatoes carry the flavor, and it was fantastic.

Marcia.

[Rachel Perlow]

Tonight, I made a Creamy Chicken Noodle soup. Roux, diced carrot, celery and onion, peas, and parsley, chicken stock, diced chicken meat, egg noodles, s&p, finished with a little cream. Anyone else out there still making soup?

[Pam R]

I was thinking about something with chicken and lentils tomorrow... I'll see what I have in the fridge

[ScorchedPalate]

Anyone else out there still making soup?

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I was just wondering if there was a designated soupe du semaine for this week. Not that I would have been able to participate with all I've been doing. But I will be back on the bandwagon (soup-wagon?) next week, if there's an 'official' selection.

~Anita

Edited February 17, 2005 by ScorchedPalate (log)

[maggiethecat]

Tonight, I made a Creamy Chicken Noodle soup. Roux, diced carrot, celery and onion, peas, and parsley, chicken stock, diced chicken meat, egg noodles, s&p, finished with a little cream. Anyone else out there still making soup?

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Rachel: That sounds absolutely outstanding. I don't think I've ever made a creamy chicken soup, but there's no time like the present! Do you think that spaetzle would substitute well for the noodles?

I think , because I made two soups in a week back in January, that I'm still technically on track. This hasn't been an opportune week for soup-making chez moi, darn it all. I did clear some freezer space by serving some of the left over "Les Halles Cookbook" mushroom soup. It reheated beautifully in the jukebox, and with a fresh spash of sherry, it might have been even better than first-time out. I used a little to enrich a sauce for a VDay strip steak, and it was deep and shroomy: not you mother's half a can of Campbell's .

Next week, I'll be back on the simmer.

[fifi]

I took a furlough from soup. Last week I was knee deep in gumbo and etouffee. Then, it has been unseasonably warm here. It got up to 80 degrees F today but is supposed to cool down tonight. But I am not ready to give up on soup. I still have to work on making little pots of it and I have beef and chicken stock in the freezer.

[Jensen]

I made some broccoli soup for lunch the other day.

Just cooked some broccoli and some spaghetti broken into roughly 2 cm long pieces in chicken broth. When it was well-cooked, I used the immersion blender on it and then stirred in some Lee Kum Kee curry paste.

[maggiethecat]

I made some broccoli soup for lunch the other day.

Just cooked some broccoli and some spaghetti broken into roughly 2 cm long pieces in chicken broth. When it was well-cooked, I used the immersion blender on it and then stirred in some Lee Kum Kee curry paste.

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Serious simple Yum. (Never have I been to grateful to have an immersion blender as I am now in my soup project.)

[fifi]

An immersion blender is going to be a gift to myself really soon. (typical after-holiday exercise) Sur La Table is holding a Bamix for me. I can't wait. I have had similar ideas to jensen's broccoli soup. That meshes well with my quest for eating more of the vegetable kingdom.

[Rachel Perlow]

I think gumbo counts as a soup.

I think spaetzle would work in a fresh soup, but I don't know how it would freeze. Which, as you know, is how most of my soups end up for a while.

Jason requested a thicker soup, as opposed to the stock w/matzo balls I made a few weeks ago. This didn't really come out thick as I went light on the roux, which is why I added a touch of cream at the end.

[Pam R]

Serious simple Yum.  (Never have I been to grateful to have an immersion blender as I am now in my soup project.)

When I give cooking demonstrations I rave about immersion blenders so much my mother keeps telling me I should try to make a deal with a company to sell one with every one of my cookbooks! I have 3 - and can't remember what I did before (that's not true... I burned myself on hot soup as I pureed it in the blender of robot coup..)

[bloviatrix]

I'm planning on making the mushroom soup from the Les Halles book after reading Maggie's raves. Mmmm, mushrooms.

[Jensen]

I made some broccoli soup for lunch the other day.

Just cooked some broccoli and some spaghetti broken into roughly 2 cm long pieces in chicken broth. When it was well-cooked, I used the immersion blender on it and then stirred in some Lee Kum Kee curry paste.

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Serious simple Yum. (Never have I been to grateful to have an immersion blender as I am now in my soup project.)

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It is very yummy. If you don't have curry paste, you can use dry spices but they work better if you cook them in a little bit of oil before adding them in. The pasta starch works as a thickener; you can use a potato instead of pasta, if you like.

And, if you're not watching your weight like I am, some cheese stirred in at the last minute can add some richness to the soup.

[laniloa]

I made my first gumbo this week. I'm with Rachel and counting that as soup since I eat it with a spoon.

This weekend I'm thinking of some sort of parsnip soup -- must have tarragon -- but open to other suggested additions.

[hazardnc]

Tonight, Senegalese

Senegalese Chicken Soup

Spicy, soothing, rich with curry - delicious.

Edited February 17, 2005 by hazardnc (log)

[snowangel]

OK, hypnotists. I have lived happily for some 47 years without an immersion blender. I need one now. Thanks.

OK, back to soup. I've been eating it every day, brothy, loaded with hot peppers, and it does help clear out those nasal passages.