Soup Lover In Search Of Same: I need some ideas, please!

[Little Bit]

The 'favorite course' poll thread made me remember how much I love soup.

I can't seem to make the stuff, however. I can make a pot of something vaguely soup-like that's okay to eat once, piping hot, but I've never really mastered the art of making a soup that's good enough to freeze and reheat.

How do you 'make it work' when you're creating a pot of soup? Do you have to follow a recipe, or can you just get creative?
Please share your ideas or recipes with me, I'd love to improve my skills. :)

[SusanT]

Bean soups and chili freeze and reheat really well. Steer clear of anything with diced potatoes. They don't like being frozen.

[beckms]

I would say start by following a recipe (Moosewood has really good and reliable soup recipes), and after you've made soup enough times, you'll just be able to estimate and tweak as you go according to taste.

[Teresa]

I love soup. I make two batches a week and freeze it in individual portions for lunches at work. They call me the soup nazi.

My experience with making soup is that best results come from a recipe, and making small changes after trying it once as written. I will include here a very nice soup from Bon Appetit that was endorsed by someone on the BB. It is wonderful - better than that. I make it now without the kale (sometimes without the beans!). Give it a try.


WHITE BEAN, KALE AND ROASTED VEGETABLE SOUP

Many dark, leafy greens, like kale, contain calcium. The beans have it, too.


Nonstick vegetable oil spray
3 medium carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise
2 large tomatoes, quartered
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups (or more) canned vegetable broth
4 cups finely chopped kale
3 large fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 15-ounce can Great Northern beans, drained

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray rimmed baking sheet with oil spray. Arrange carrots, tomatoes, onion, squash and garlic on sheet. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Bake until vegetables are brown and tender, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.
Transfer carrots and squash to work surface. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces; set aside. Peel garlic cloves; place in processor. Add tomatoes and onion; puree until almost smooth. Pour 1/2 cup broth onto baking sheet; scrape up any browned bits. Transfer broth and vegetable puree to large pot. Add 5 1/2 cups broth, kale, thyme and bay leaf to pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered until kale is tender, about 30 minutes.
Add beans and reserved carrots and squash to soup. Simmer 8 minutes to blend flavors, adding more broth to thin soup if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to simmer before serving.)
Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: calories, 191; total fat, 4 g; saturated fat, 0.5 g; cholesterol, 0
Bon Appétit
January 2000

Cooking for Health

[Kahlico]

I haven't posted in ages so you all may not recognize me.

I'm an absolute soupaholic. I have to have some almost everyday. This week I made a real simple pea and potato soup I found on the epicurious website. Got great reviews from my husband. My current favorite is a Tomato Bread Soup. Great for using up stale bread Make it a day ahead of when planning to eat to let the flavors develope:

Tomato Bread Soup

9 cloves garlic
6-8 slices day old (or stale)
sourdough or french bread
2 (28 oz) cans peeled plum tomatoes,
crushed *
2 Tablespoons olive oil
8 cups chicken stock
3-4 medium carrots, shredded
1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
pinch red pepper flakes (I mean a pinch!)
or a pinch of cayenne pepper
dash or two of paprika
1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese shavings for garnish


Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and saute until tender, about 25 minutes. Add garlic and carrot, saute one more minute. Add chicken stock, tomatoes with their juices and 1/2 cup parmesan. Bring to a boil and add spices. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes, stirring occaisionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If using tomatoes and chicken broth with salt watch the salt shaking.

Refrigerate overnight up to 3 days.

When ready to serve, layer slices of bread (crusts on or off, you choose) between scoops of soup in a large saucepan. Start with bread on the bottom and end with soup as your last layer. Stir soup as you reheat it to break up the bread and to ensure the bread doesn't scorch. When bread is broken down (20-30 minutes) serve with fresh parmesan sprinkled on top.

Serves 6

*I use Muir Glenn organic fire roasted tomatoes and these kick tomato booty

[valchemist]

I remember you, Kahlico. That soup looks fabulous. Definitely going to give it a try!

One question -- the directions talk about onions but there are no onions in the ingredient list. what gives?

val

[dixie]

I just made our favorite easy potato soup last night for dinner so its fresh on my mind...

6-7 med potatoes peeled and cut up
med onion chopped
4-5 carrots sliced or diced
2 stalks celery diced (optional)
water or chicken broth to cover
milk - abt a cup
lite velveeta - one small block cut in squares
salt/pepper/garlic powder

cook potatoes/veggies in water or broth to cover til tender, mash with potato masher in pot, add cheese and stir til melts, add milk to right consistency...add seasonings...enjoy!

[Kahlico]

I left out the onions on the ingredients list (thanks val!)

2 large onions, finely chopped.


Hope that clears it up :o)

[JackieO]

I'm definitely a soup lover and have found most of my favorite recipes on epicurious.com. It's so easy to saute leeks or onions in a LITTLE bit of butter, then add stock, potatoes, bay leaves, and whatever veggie you have on hand, season with salt/pepper, blend after cooked and viola! A great side with a sandwich for lunch.

I also love to follow simple, basic recipes from my Betty Crocker or Better Homes & Gardens cookbooks for soups using a ham bone. Compare those recipes with the suggestions on the back of a bag of mixed beans, split peas or lentils and you'll come up with your own ideas. Soups are generally very "forgiving" recipes (unlike DESSERTS:mad: ), so your creativity is usually well rewarded!

I work in a very energy inefficient office where I'm always cold in winter because the windows leak and I'm cold in summer because the air conditioning is cranked to compensate for the leaky windows! I almost always have a cup of soup with my lunch when I eat at my desk just for comfort!:o

[Little Bit]

Eeekkk! I forgot all about having started this thread!

Thanks everyone SO much for all the ideas. :) I love a good soup, but hate feeling as though I've wasted food when I make a pot of something we just don't want to finish.
:)

[Kahlico]

Little Bit~

The tomato bread soup freezes well w/o the bread of course. A lot of soups freeze well, especially bean soups. Buy you some good, sturdy freezer bags (quart size or so) and freeze individual portions.

:D