The fragrance of bubbling, warm soup can hypnotize the
strongest among us to extend a bowl and pull up a chair to the table. These
days of hurried meals and convenience foods have caught up to us. It’s time to
slow down, to appreciate once again the flavors that can come from our own
kitchen in surprisingly little time.
You’ll find ideas and recipes here that allow you to make a
quick batch of hearty soup—or prepare a few ingredients in the morning before
work, plug in your slow cooker, and come home to a delicious, healthful meal.
With very little planning, you can enjoy additive- and preservative-free meals that
are full of flavor and tempt even the tiniest tummies.
Find time. Sit back. Savor your food. Linger with your
family, and enjoy what you have before you. It’s time for a bowl of your
favorite soup.
I grew up in a home where my mom always baked bread, roasted
chickens, and made her own stock. Those were the times when it was expected
that meals would be homemade. I can remember begging her at the grocery store
to buy TV dinners. They were a novelty. How cool it seemed then to have all
your food in one handy tray! These days the norm for most families is to
purchase convenience foods. They pick up prepackaged potatoes, refrigerator
biscuits, and frozen entrées. Why not take a moment to break this cycle?
I’ve learned through my frugal Yankee
roots to freeze any leftover goodies that I can use to flavor my soups. My
friend Robin is the best I know at organizing her leftovers. By labeling gallon-size
ziplock plastic freezer bags, she keeps her onion ends, extra green beans,
turkey bones, and squash peelings in the freezer, ready to use. Every day she
casually tosses extra bits and pieces into the appropriate bag. When the veggie-peel
bag gets full, it’s time to make soup. If she needs to make stock, she simply
takes out whichever bags she wants to use. The leftovers go into a pot of water,
and her soup is started before she even has to go to her pantry. This is a
great way to economize when making soups, because freezing leftovers lets us
use up the extra bits that would otherwise get thrown away or composted. Adding
mashed potato or winter squash, for example, will thicken the broth and enhance
its flavor.
One of my favorite ways to start a soup is by using leftover
chicken bones. Whenever we finish a roast chicken or turkey—whether it came
from the market’s rotisserie or was roasted in our oven—we freeze the bones
with any meat still left on them. At soup making time, I just place them in a
pot, cover them with water, and simmer for a couple of hours to extract all the
flavorful goodness. I throw in herb stems that I’ve saved, vegetable peelings
from the freezer, whole cloves of garlic, and voilà! My soup is well on its way
to being full of flavor.
The best soups incorporate layers of flavor. It’s important
to have a balance of ingredients so one doesn’t dominate your dish. You want to
taste the delicate herbs alongside the hearty meat or creamy cheeses. Sample as
you go. It is the best way to keep the flavors balanced.
Soups are often meat based, but vegetables are a wonderful
alternative. We have several prepared commercial options to achieve the flavors
of chicken, beef, seafood, or vegetables. Powdered bouillon comes in packets, in
jars, and pressed into cubes. These are viable options for flavoring soups. Broth
also comes in cans or coated paper containers. Bouillon pastes often come in
jars, and most should be refrigerated.
Read the labels before you purchase bouillon or broth.
Decide for yourself and your family what combination of ingredients will best
suit you. Some brands are very high in sodium, although many offer low-salt and
fat-free versions, as well. Others contain MSG or starch. Whichever brand you
choose, make sure to adjust your recipe to accommodate the amount of salt in
the prepackaged bouillon or broth.
Starting from Scratch
Don’t let it scare you: Starting from scratch is an easy way
to create your own masterpieces in the kitchen. Soup is best when you bring
together the flavors your family loves.
My favorite way to begin a soup is by making stock. Once it
has simmered and settled, you’re left with a delicious base from which to build
the flavors of your soup.
Many people ask about the difference in flavor between fresh
and frozen vegetables. Whenever you have the opportunity to purchase locally
grown ingredients from a farmer’s market or your corner market, take it! Fresh
veggies are always the best, although frozen vegetables take a close second in
flavor. Most often they are frozen at their peak of freshness, so they are
ready to become a part of your soup as soon as they’re out of the bag. Frozen
vegetables can be added right into your bubbling pot just before you’re ready
to serve. They will cook in the last few minutes and be bright and colorful as
you dish up your soup.
Herbs and spices are another story. When did you last
purchase dried herbs? Do you remember when you bought that can of ground black
pepper that is at the back of your spice shelf? If you aren’t sure you bought
those herbs and spices within the last six months, out they go. Use fresh herbs
whenever possible. Their flavor is brighter and more full-bodied. If you need
to use dried herbs, purchase them in small quantities. Buying herbs and spices
on the same day you pick up your vegetables will give your recipes an extra
zing.
Aromatics
The Veggie Trinity, often referred to as aromatics, is the first thing to go into
any soup pot. Each culture has its own name for the combination. In France it
is mirepoix. Latino chefs refer to it
as sofrito. In Italy it is soffrito. This triad is the base for
most soups and sauces and includes celery, carrot or green pepper, and onion.
When these ingredients are sautéed and simmered, they combine to emit a
luscious flavor and aroma that set our mouths watering.
Creating stock is much more of an
art than a science. Knowing the starter ingredients makes the seemingly
monumental task of making stock an easy
exercise. The following recipes will give you an outline of what to use, but
they are only suggestions. The amounts of each aromatic you use aren’t precise.
Classically, a mirepoix is a mixture of 50 percent onion, 25 percent carrot,
and 25 percent celery that enhances the flavor, aroma, and balance of stocks.
This combination of vegetables
adds layers of flavor and depth to a stock. I frequently add garlic, mushrooms,
and leeks. There should be approximately one pound of mirepoix or sofrito to
one gallon of meat stock. If you’re making vegetable stock, you should use four
pounds of mirepoix or sofrito to one gallon of water, or one part vegetables to
two parts of water.
Tasting your stock is key. Sample
it at different stages, adding herbs and other seasonings and more aromatics,
if necessary. Another shortcut I often use is to make up a large batch of
mirepoix or sofrito. I divide the portion I need for the recipe I’m creating. I
divide the balance of the mirepoix or sofrito into 1⁄2-cup portions in ziplock
plastic bags, which I label, date, and freeze for up to six months. Whenever I
want to make soup, all I need to do is thaw a bag and I’m off and running.
Another option is to pour the cooled mixture into clean ice cube trays and
freeze. When the mixture is frozen, remove the cubes from the trays and save them
in the freezer in a ziplock plastic freezer bag. I can then use the cubes as
needed as a flavoring or base for my soups, sauces, and stews.
Whenever you see onion, carrots or
green bell pepper, and celery listed in the recipes that follow, feel free to
use an equal quantity of your choice of mirepoix, white mirepoix, sofrito, or soffrito,
depending on what flavors you desire.
Traditional
Mirepoix
Here is a basic recipe for
mirepoix.
Yield: 1quart
1 T
butter
1 T
olive oil
1⁄2 lb onions, chopped
1⁄4 lb carrots, peeled and chopped
1⁄4 lb celery, chopped
Melt the butter with the olive oil
in a large stockpot. Add the vegetables and sauté over medium heat until the onion
is translucent. Remove from the heat and refrigerate or freeze until you’re
ready to make your soup.
White
Mirepoix
A white stock is made by simmering
bones, vegetables, and aromatics in water. The mirepoix for this stock remains
almost colorless throughout the cooking process.
Yield: 1 quart
1 T
butter
1 T
olive oil
1⁄4 lb onions, chopped
1⁄4 lb leeks, chopped
1⁄4 lb celery, chopped
1⁄4 lb parsnips, peeled and
chopped
1⁄4 lb mushrooms or mushroom
trimmings
Melt the butter with the olive oil
in a large stockpot. Add the vegetables and sauté until the onion is
translucent. Add to your meats and stock as your recipe instructs, or
refrigerate or freeze to use later.
Sofrito
Sofrito is a traditional base for many
Latino and Spanish dishes. This building-block mixture of annatto oil, onion,
garlic, peppers, and cilantro adds a wonderful flavor and depth to almost any
meal. Annatto oil is available at many grocery stores.
Yield: 1 quart
2 T
annatto or olive oil
3 c finely chopped onion
1 c finely chopped green bell
peppers
1 c finely chopped red bell
peppers
1 jalapeño, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 T tomato paste
1⁄2 c chopped cilantro
1⁄4 t salt
1⁄4 t black pepper
1 lime, juice and zest
Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottom
skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté 1 minute. Add the bell
peppers, jalapeño, garlic, and tomato paste. Cook 10 minutes, stirring
frequently. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
Use in your favorite soup or sauce,
or freeze for later use.
Soffrito
In Italian, soffrito means under- or lightly fried. Dozens of Italian dishes
use soffrito as a base or flavoring, especially for soups, stews, and sauces.
Yield: 2 quarts
1⁄4 c
olive oil
6 large onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 c chopped parsley
3 T chopped basil
1 c fresh or
dried-and-reconstituted porcini mushrooms
2 c peeled and crushed tomatoes or
1 2-lb can, with liquid
1⁄4 t nutmeg
1 t salt
freshly ground black pepper, to
taste
If you are using dried mushrooms,
soak them in 2 cups of warm water for approximately 30 minutes. Reserve the
soaking liquid.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan
over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat,
stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook until the onion is soft. Add the parsley
and basil, and cook until the parsley loses its intense green color. Add the mushrooms
to the pan; if you are using dried mushrooms, strain the mushroom soaking water
and add 1⁄4 cup of the liquid to the pan. Add the nutmeg, salt, and pepper and simmer
over low heat until the liquid reduces by 25% about thirty minutes. Use
immediately or freeze.
Stocks
The liquid in many soups comes from water that has been
seasoned with the essence of meats, seafood, or vegetables. Here are some suggestions
for making your own stock. I use the words stock
and broth interchangeably in the
recipes that follow, although broth is usually from a can and stock refers to
the homemade variety. Add the vegetables that you prefer to create a soup your
family will love. If you’d like to use mirepoix, substitute it for the same
quantity of vegetables in the recipe. Stock can be refrigerated for up to four
days or stored in the freezer for up to six months.
Chicken
or Turkey Stock
Yield: 3 quarts
4 lb chicken or turkey bones, cut
into pieces
chicken or turkey giblets and
neck, chopped
13 c cold water
1 medium onion
2 leeks, halved lengthwise and
rinsed
2 carrots
2 stalks celery, halved
2 t salt
6 sprigs parsley
6 sprigs fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic
3 bay leaves
In a kettle, combine the chicken
or turkey bones, giblets, neck, and 12 cups of cold water. Bring the water to a
boil. Skim the frothy foam from the top and discard.
Add another cup of cold water and
bring to a boil again. Skim the foam from the top again and discard.
Add the onion, leeks, carrots,
celery, salt, parsley, thyme, garlic, and bay leaves. Lower the heat and simmer
the stock for 2 hours, continuing to skim and discard the foam as it forms.
Remove the chicken or turkey from
the kettle. Let cool for 10 minutes or until it’s cool enough to handle. Remove
the meat and skin from the bones, and reserve the meat for later use.
Break apart the bones and return
them with the skin to the kettle. Simmer the stock for 2 more hours, adding
boiling water if necessary to keep the bones covered.
Strain the stock through a fine
sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on the solids, and let it cool. Discard the
solids and chill the stock. When the stock has cooled, remove the congealed fat
on top with a slotted spoon.
Chicken
Stock—Double-Day Doozie
This slow-cooked chicken stock has
outstanding flavor. It’s worth the extra day to prepare.
Yield: 3 quarts
Day One:
5 lb fresh chicken bones (necks,
backs, wings)
5 qt cold water
21⁄2 inches gingerroot, cut into 1⁄2-inch
chunks
2 baby Vidalia onions or 2 bunches
of scallions, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 c chopped celery
2 c chopped carrots
4 cloves garlic
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
10 white peppercorns
10 red or pink peppercorns
Day Two:
3 qt chicken stock, from Day One
2 qt cold water
5 lb fresh chicken bones (necks,
backs, wings)
21⁄2 inches gingerroot, cut into
1⁄2-in chunks
2 baby Vidalia onions or 2 bunches
of scallions, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 c chopped celery
2 c chopped carrots
4 cloves garlic
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
10 white peppercorns
10 red or pink peppercorns
Day
One:
Rinse the chicken bones under cold
running water. Place bones in a heavy 10-quart stockpot. Add the cold water and
set the pot over high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10
minutes, or until there is a thick foam on the surface. Skim off and discard
the foam.
Add the remaining ingredients for
Day One and simmer on low for 4 hours, or until the liquid is reduced by half.
Strain the finished stock through several layers of cheesecloth and discard the
solids. Chill overnight.
Day
Two:
Skim off the congealed fat from
Day One’s stock with a slotted spoon. Repeat the process from Day One, starting
with Day One’s stock and using the ingredients for Day Two.
Brown
Chicken Stock
Winterport
Winery Dry Pear works well in this recipe (see appendix).
Yield: 2 quarts
5 lb chicken bones
10 c water, or enough to cover the
chicken by 2 inches
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch
chunks
2 carrots, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch
chunks
1 bay leaf
10 peppercorns
1 bunch parsley stems
1 c dry white wine
Preheat the oven to 450º F. Rinse
the bones in cold water. Place the rinsed bones in a roasting pan and roast,
stirring occasionally, until well browned all over.
Transfer the roasted bones to a stockpot.
Cover with water and simmer for 30 minutes. Skim the foam off the top of the
liquid carefully and discard.
While you are simmering the bones,
place the vegetables in the same roasting pan used for the bones and roast them
until they brown. Add the vegetables to the stockpot.
Place the hot roasting pan over
medium heat on the stove top and pour in the wine.
Stir and scrape up all the browned
bits stuck to the bottom and sides of the pan and pour everything into the
stockpot. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns, and parsley. Continue to simmer on
low, uncovered, for 4 hours.
Strain the stock through a fine
sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on the solids, and let the stock cool. Discard
the solids and chill the stock. When the stock has cooled, scrape off the congealed
fat with a slotted spoon.
Note: If you want to clarify the stock,
whisk 4 egg whites in a bowl and add them to the stock in your stockpot. Stir
the stock gently and constantly to prevent the whites from sticking to the
bottom and sides of the pot. Bring the stock to a boil. The egg whites will
rise to the top. Once they have risen, stop
stirring. The whites will solidify on the top of the liquid, forming a soft
crust. Any impurities and fats will cling to the egg whites. Carefully skim the
egg whites off the top and discard. The stock below will be transparent.
White
Veal Stock
This stock is an elegant beginning
for beef stew, soups, and gravies.
Yield: 4
qts
4 lb veal bones
4 qt cold water
2 c chopped carrots
1 c chopped white onion
1 c chopped celery
2 leeks, washed well and chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bay leaf
1 small bunch parsley
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Place the bones in a large
stockpot and cover with the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer.
Skim the fat and foam from the surface and discard them. Add the remaining
ingredients. Partially cover the pot and allow the mixture to simmer for 3
hours. Add water if necessary during the cooking process to keep the bones
covered. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and discard the solids. Cool and
refrigerate.
Lobster or Shrimp Stock
In the true Maine tradition, we
would save and refrigerate all the lobster shells and bodies after a lobster
feed. The next day, we’d place them all in a pot and make a delicious stock out
of them. The lobster bodies themselves are enough to capture the essence of
lobster flavor for a bisque or stew.
Yield: 2 quarts
5 lb Maine lobster shells and/or
bodies or Maine shrimp heads and shells
10 c water
1 c coarsely chopped carrots
1 c coarsely chopped celery
1 c peeled and coarsely chopped leeks
2 bay leaves
5 sprigs parsley
10 peppercorns
1 c dry white wine—Winterport Dry
Pear is excellent
Place all the ingredients in a
large, heavy stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently
for 30 minutes.
Remove the stock from the heat;
strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solids.
Return the liquid to the stove top
and simmer over moderate heat until it is reduced to about 2 quarts.
Fish
Stock
Yield: 4
qt
6 lb fish bones, heads, fins, or
fillets
2 T olive oil
1 c chopped onion
1 c sliced leek, white part only
1 c chopped celery
1 c chopped carrot
1 c chopped cremini mushrooms
2 c white wine (optional)
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs sage
3 sprigs thyme
3 sprigs parsley
1 t freshly ground white pepper
4 qt
cold water
Rinse the fish parts well under
cold running water for at least 5 minutes to remove any impurities. If you are
using the heads, remove the eyes. Drain the fish parts and let them sit in a
colander while you prepare the vegetables.
Place the olive oil in a large
saucepan. Add the vegetables, and cook on low heat for 6 minutes. Do not brown.
Add the fish parts and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the white wine, if desired,
and cook for 5 more minutes. Add the herbs, pepper, and the cold water. Be sure
that the ingredients are completely covered by the liquid; add more water, if
necessary. Increase the heat to medium and bring the stock almost to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Skim the surface every 10 minutes or
so to remove any foam and impurities.
Turn the heat off, and let the
stock stand another 30 minutes.
Skim once more. Strain the stock
through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solids. Cool, and refrigerate
overnight.
Use a slotted spoon to remove the
fat layer on top and discard. Use a paper towel to absorb any remaining fat.
Use fish stock in chowders,
paellas, or seafood bisques, as desired.
V10 Vegetables
Veggies are the champions of our culinary world. They make
every savory soup taste better. My Top Ten Vegetables for soups and stews are
as follows:
1. Onion
2. Carrot
3. Celery
4. Leeks
5. Potato or Sweet Potato
6. Squash
7. Beans
8. Mushrooms
9. Peas or Carrots
10. Parsnip or Turnip
Slow-Cooker
Vegetable Stock
When creating a flavorful veggie
stock, I’ve found it best to use at least one part vegetables to two parts
liquid. That means if you are using 12 cups of water, you need a good 6 cups of
vegetables to flavor the liquid. This recipe uses an even richer one-to-one
ratio for maximum flavor in a slow cooker.
Yield: 6 cups
2 c chopped onion
1 c chopped carrots
1 c chopped celery
1 c chopped parsnip
1 c chopped button mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, sliced in half
3 bay leaves
2 sprigs thyme
6 c cold water
Combine all ingredients in a slow
cooker. Cook over low heat for 6 to 8 hours. Strain and discard the solids.
Vegan “Chicken”
Stock
Here is another tasty adaptation
for vegetarians.
Yield: 1 quart
1 c chopped carrots
1 c chopped celery
1 c chopped shiitake mushrooms
4 c water
2 bay leaves
1⁄2 t celery seeds
1 t rubbed sage
1⁄2 t salt
3 sprigs parsley
3 T nutritional yeast
Combine all ingredients in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil
and simmer for 15 minutes.
Strain the stock through a fine mesh sieve. Pick out the
vegetables from the herbs and save them to soup or casseroles, as they have not
been cooked to death. Discard the herbs.
The yeast tends to settle out of
this stock, so if you want a thick stock, you may wish to add a teaspoon of
cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water.
