Perpetual Soup Thread

[merigayle]

Pinning that one for later!

I have been eating lentil soup and butternut squash soup this week. I love soup. I eat it all year long.

[BonitaApplebum]

I love soup, too.

Eliza and I sometimes play a game where we list all the kinds of soups we like, and see how long we can go back and forth thinking of new kinds of soup.

I always win, by dint of being 46 instead of 9, but she has a pretty long list to go on...

[diablita]

  

[Ice Cream]

We have been eating soups for two weeks now, almost every night. 

[DocBuzzkill]

Would this be the place to post my minestrone recipe?  I think I have shared it previously, but with the big forum refresh of

• months/years back, it might have disappeared.  Please let me know if you have any interest in it.  My recipe, adapted from an ancient issue of Food and Wine, is a very hearty soup, almost  akin to a stew.

[wherestheportojohn]

Would this be the place to post my minestrone recipe?  I think I have shared it previously, but with the big forum refresh of

• months/years back, it might have disappeared.  Please let me know if you have any interest in it.  My recipe, adapted from an ancient issue of Food and Wine, is a very hearty soup, almost  akin to a stew.
  

Yes!
Please!
Yum!
Yes!

Thanks

[DocBuzzkill]

Yes!
Please!
Yum!
Yes!

Thanks

You'll regret encouraging me.       This is a great way to use late summer/early autumn veggies, and it's full-on comfort food for the depths of winter.

Minestrone

(adapted by CRB from Food and Wine, vol. 1 (5) Sept. 1978, p. 58)

serves 12 or more

This minestrone soup recipe is very hearty.  I've often made this as a gift for families with new babies.  It's easily converted to a vegetarian (even vegan) version, i.e., use homemade veg stock, a mix of beans, etc.

Ingredients:

Soup

• 8-10 cups chicken stock, either homemade or canned. For the best results, make your own chicken stock. Truly. There's nothing better. But, boxed or canned stuff will do. If resorting to prepared stock or broth, I use 3 x 32 oz boxes of broth or stock, and reduce it somewhat while simmering with the beef bones (see below) and this gave an adequate result.
• 3-4 beef soup bones (also beef shanks or 2-3 really meaty short ribs will work nicely)
• 4-5 T virgin olive oil
• 3 medium sized onions, peeled, halved and coarsely chopped
• 2 to 4 cloves of garlic (to taste), minced
• 3 large ribs of celery, chopped
• 4 carrots, trimmed, peeled, and sliced (fairly thick slices, ~ 1/4 inch or so)
• 1 large green pepper, seeded, de-ribbed, and coarsely chopped
• 1-2 tsp salt
• 10-12 grinds of black pepper (or 1/4 tsp)
• large pinch of rosemary, dried or 1 large sprig fresh, chopped leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 zucchini, washed and skin on, trimmed, halved lengthwise and sliced medium-thick
• 1 cup (or so) fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup coarsely chopped parsley (no stems!)
• 3-4 cups canned white beans, e.g., Progresso cannellini, also called white kidney beans, drained and rinsed.
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage links
• 1 and 1/4 cups (~10 oz) of ditilini or other very small pasta (vermicelli broken into 1 inch lengths works, too but I prefer ditilini)
• 8 fresh plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped. Alternatively a 16 oz can of well drained Progresso or San Marzano canned tomatoes is a decent substitute.
• 3 cups or so fresh spinach leaves, washed, de-stemmed, and coarsely shredded or use baby spinach

Gremolatta garnish (optional but really tasty)

• Reserved (see directions above) 1/2 cup of parsley
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

See step 9 below for directions

Parmesan toast for accompaniment

• loaf of Italian bread
• high quality virgin or extra virgin olive oil
• Parmesan cheese

See step 12 below for directions

Directions:

• In medium sized uncovered saucepan or stockpot, brown beef bones or ribs over medium heat in 1T olive oil.
• Add chicken stock and simmer with beef for 15 minutes to intensify flavor. Do this while preparing vegetables. Stock may sit covered while the vegetables are sautéed.
• In second large stockpot, add 4 T olive oil and heat at medium flame or setting until olive oil is hot and shimmering (not smoking!) then add onions and garlic. Saute until translucent while stirring (~3-5 minutes).
  
• Add celery, carrots, and green pepper. Toss to coat vegetables in oil.
• Add salt, black pepper, rosemary and bay leaf and toss again quickly.
• Lower heat to a low flame or setting, cover the pot and cook for 5-8 minutes to “sweat” the juices out of the vegetables. At this point, they will lose their rawness but will still be quite firm.
• Uncover the pot, raise the heat to medium-high and give the vegetable mixture several quick tosses for a minute or two. Add the sliced zucchini and toss for another minute or two. Add the mushrooms and again, toss for a minute or two.
• Add 1/2 cup of the chopped parsley, reserving the other half cup for the garnish. Toss to mix. Pour in the hot enriched stock (remove bones first and reserve for step 7). Add beans. Lower the heat to medium-low or less and simmer the soup, uncovered for 10 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning, i.e., add salt (likely not necessary if using canned stock) or more pepper.
• Make the optional garnish by combining the 1/2 cup of reserved parsley, the chopped basil and the minced garlic. The soup can be prepared ahead to this point. For same day preparation, simply turn off heat and cover it, and take a break. If you’re doing this a day ahead, refrigerate the soup. Also, if preparing the soup a day ahead, the sausage preparation “de-meating” of the beef bones, tomato and spinach and garnish preparation may be done on the day or serving. Allow an hour or so to reheat soup and continue with the preparations.
• Boil sausage links in 2-3 quarts of water for 15-20 minutes. If soup was refrigerated, bring back to a low boil/simmer. Meanwhile, remove the meat from the reserved beef bones. Trim fat. Add to soup. When sausage is done, microwave the links on microwave safe dish covered with a paper towel (also cover top of sausages with paper towel or waxed paper to prevent splattering) at high power for one minute, then turn sausages over and microwave one minute or so more. Allow to cool, cut in half lengthwise, then slice medium-thick on the bias.
• Raise heat to medium and bring soup to somewhat more than a simmer, i.e., moderate boil.. Add ditilini or vermicelli to hot simmering soup and cook about 2-3 minutes. Then add tomatoes, spinach and sausage until heated through, another 5 minutes or so. Turn the heat off or down to a bare minimum simmer before serving.
• Just before serving soup, prepare accompanying toast by slicing Italian bread (ciabatta is the best choice) to 1 inch or so thickness. Brush one side with olive oil (preferably extra virgin olive oil), then sprinkle generously with grated Parmesan or Grana cheese (~1 T per slice).
• Toast in toaster oven (or under broiler but keep a sharp eye on the bread since they can burn rapidly) until cheese begins to bubble and turn brown around the edges (1 to 2 minutes). If this is too much trouble, good quality sliced and warmed Italian bread is a good accompaniment.
• To serve soup, add a generous pinch of the gremollata garnish to each bowl and ladle soup over this. Alternatively, place the garnish in a small bowl on the side with garnish to be added to taste by each individual. Serve with the Parmesan/olive oil toast.

Notes:

This is not a quick and easy recipe, but it is well worth the time and effort. The preparation of all the vegetables is time-consuming, so I typically have the vegetables cut and prepared before I brown the beef bones and simmer them in the stock. If this is a same day preparation for dinner that evening, I usually start around noon. It takes, including vegetable chopping time, about 2 – 2.5 hours to get to step 9. In the event of leftovers (and this does make a wonderful leftover) add a bit of water to the soup before reheating.

Any dry red Italian wine, e.g., Tuscan or Piedmont varietals, works well with the soup. Addition of antipasti to start and ricotta cheesecake or canolli for dessert makes this recipe worthy of a full-fledged informal dinner party.

[wherestheportojohn]

 

I absolutely will make this version!
And I agree with you about using ditalini pasta....they hold up so well in soups.


😊
I'll have to make it again next summer when our gardens produce a bounty of onions, peppers, parsley, tomatoes, zukes, and spinach.

[nadra24]

I'm making butternut squash soup right now. No recipe, just threw two bags of frozen squash and one bag of frozen carrots into the IP with about 1/4 cup frozen onion, a couple of garlic cloves, and a bit of applesauce. Oh, I had some celery in the fridge so I diced up a bit of that too. I will probably season it as I eat it, either with cinnamon or curry powder depending on what sounds good.

If it sucks, no big deal because I've had the veggies in the freezer for a long time.

[DocBuzzkill]

I absolutely will make this version!
And I agree with you about using ditalini pasta....they hold up so well in soups.


😊
I'll have to make it again next summer when our gardens produce a bounty of onions, peppers, parsley, tomatoes, zukes, and spinach.

Yes!  The soup's pretty good even with grocery-store produce, but with fresh-from-the-garden veggies, it would be heavenly! 

[DocBuzzkill]

I made this chicken soup, following a recent recipe from the NYT:  A Superior Chicken Soup.

OMG.  This soup is to die for.  I made it for my lunches for what I suspected would be a stressful work week (and this has proven to be so), and it has sustained and comforted me.

ETA:  The key to this truly superior soup is science-based.  A whole chicken (not a roasted carcass), cut up and skin left on, is the foundation along with the veggies you'd expect (onion, celery, carrots, parsley sprigs or a parsnip root, salt, black pepper corns) and simmered over very low heat (just a few bubbles breaking the surface).  Collagen is the component that creates a silky mouth-feel in good chicken stock, and most of the collagen derives from the skin, much more so than the bones and bits of connective tissue in the back and neck (although these contribute).  Gentle simmering renders that collagen out of the skin effectively.

After straining, the stock and cooked chicken are chilled overnight.  The fat is then removed from the stock, but NOT discarded.  You use it to finish the soup, i.e., sauté sliced leeks and carrots in the schmaltz before adding the stock, shredded chicken meat, and starchy stuff (if using).

[Dagstag v 2.0]

CRB, I'm glad to see your glowing review... I saw that recipe and really want to try it! I'll see how it compares to my mom's

[DocBuzzkill]

CRB, I'm glad to see your glowing review... I saw that recipe and really want to try it! I'll see how it compares to my mom's

I'm keenly interested to hear if this stacks up to your mother's chicken soup, because that has to be a benchmark! 

Although I've used my pressure cooker to make stock in the past, I'm a fan of the slooooow flavor/collagen/tasty chicken fat extraction method.

[Run Amok]

CRB, I think they are right that that will produce a superior stock. And that is really the generally accepted approach to making really good stock and I think it's a little silly that they are presenting this as their new & improved stock making approach. Although, I'd personally add that I think it's better if you roast everything until it's REALLY dark, then deglaze with acid (tomato paste + water or white wine), then simmer for several hours.

But, I reject the notion of stacking it against a carcass stock. You don't use a carcass because you're trying to make the best stock evah. You're using the carcass so you're not being wasteful and stretch a dollar as far as it will go. Just my 2 cents on the subject.

So I can tell you with 100% certainty that this produces a better product than your typical carcass stock.

[DocBuzzkill]

CRB, I think they are right that that will produce a superior stock. And that is really the generally accepted approach to making really good stock and I think it's a little silly that they are presenting this as their new & improved stock making approach.

I know, right?  When I read the recipe, I thought that the approach was a time-honored one. 

Although, I'd personally add that I think it's better if you roast everything until it's REALLY dark, then deglaze with acid (tomato paste + water or white wine), then simmer for several hours.

I really like the idea of roasting the veggies first to take advantage of the rich flavors the Maillard reaction imparts. I'm gonna try that. 

But, I reject the notion of stacking it against a carcass stock. You don't use a carcass because you're trying to make the best stock evah. You're using the carcass so you're not being wasteful and stretch a dollar as far as it will go. Just my 2 cents on the subject.

True, it's not a fair comparison as carcass stock serves a different purpose, but I gotta confess I am not a big fan of soup based on a turkey (or duck) carcass.  I crave that collagen, enough that I am tempted to try adding chicken feet to the stock!

[Run Amok]

So, yes, a few things-- chicken feet make GREAT stock. If you're doing a carcass, adding the neck/back/heart helps a little. Even better is to keep a package of chicken wings (or whatever cheap part) in the freezer and toss a couple of those in with the carcass. They are mostly connective tissue & skin anyway but give some of that meaty flavor and gelatinous action. But, I'll say that my mom always did the carcass thing and never added any extras and her stock was always a nice solid gel in the fridge. Heck, when I do a pork shoulder roast in the instant pot, I get several cups of "stock" from that that gels up quite nicely!

I do think some fresh muscle meat is necessary for stock with a lot of good meat flavor.

The way we did it in cooking school was to use a giant roasting pan and roast the veggies AND the chicken pieces together. I think for a couple of hours, until everything was well roasted. Leave the veggies in nice big hunks.

We spent our first 4 months of school making stock and chopping veggies. Ahh... fun times!

[Run Amok]

Also-- I think it's ok to not be a fan of soup made with a carcass. It's definitely not the best most flavorful soup you'll ever make. And maybe not worth it and I wouldn't judge you for it. It's something my mom did to stretch pennies when that was the most important thing. There are lots of "peasant" type dishes that the traditional recipe to stretch every ingredient to it's utmost may not be the tastiest option.

But also, chicken feet are awesome treats for dogs and cats both, if given raw. For the cats, they are something novel but also nutritious and do not make a huge mess if they drag them out of the kitchen and they are full of all kinds of joint supporting stuff for the doggos. The checker will look at you weird when you buy them though!

[DocBuzzkill]

So, yes, a few things-- chicken feet make GREAT stock. If you're doing a carcass, adding the neck/back/heart helps a little. Even better is to keep a package of chicken wings (or whatever cheap part) in the freezer and toss a couple of those in with the carcass. They are mostly connective tissue & skin anyway but give some of that meaty flavor and gelatinous action. But, I'll say that my mom always did the carcass thing and never added any extras and her stock was always a nice solid gel in the fridge. Heck, when I do a pork shoulder roast in the instant pot, I get several cups of "stock" from that that gels up quite nicely!

I do think some fresh muscle meat is necessary for stock with a lot of good meat flavor.

YES!  During grilling season, I often spatchcock chickens so I collect the necks and backs in a freezer bag, then in the fall, make stock for my first batch of minestrone (see above).  I routinely fry and snarf down chicken hearts (and livers) so there's no cardiac contributions to the stock.  I love oxtail and ribs for beef stock.

The way we did it in cooking school was to use a giant roasting pan and roast the veggies AND the chicken pieces together. I think for a couple of hours, until everything was well roasted. Leave the veggies in nice big hunks.

That sounds great! *makes a note for crappy winter weather weekend activity*

[DocBuzzkill]

Also-- I think it's ok to not be a fan of soup made with a carcass. It's definitely not the best most flavorful soup you'll ever make. And maybe not worth it and I wouldn't judge you for it. It's something my mom did to stretch pennies when that was the most important thing. There are lots of "peasant" type dishes that the traditional recipe to stretch every ingredient to it's utmost may not be the tastiest option.

But also, chicken feet are awesome treats for dogs and cats both, if given raw. For the cats, they are something novel but also nutritious and do not make a huge mess if they drag them out of the kitchen and they are full of all kinds of joint supporting stuff for the doggos. The checker will look at you weird when you buy them though!

Yep, my mom made soup from chicken carcasses, too, but more often from old hens who had quit laying eggs (I grew up on a farm).  Those old biddies became excellent stock for chicken and homemade/hand-cut noodles.  We raised our own livestock and made the most of the meat ("everything but the squeal").  ETA:  I'm much more wasteful these days as an urban, sold-my-soul-to-Corporate-Amerika, 5 to 7 Per Center (depending on the algorithm).

I can buy chicken feet in Boston's Chinatown, several stops on the Orange Line from my 'hood.  Maybe pigs' feet, too!  Spawn the Elder has made noises about making tonkotsu stock for ramen.   

[nadra24]

Homemade, hand cut noodles are soooo good in chicken soup. Served with a thick slice of bread hot from the oven, that's hands down my top comfort food.

Back to the General topic at hand, I just made this soup: http://www.honestandtruly.com/instant-pot-tomato-soup-recipe/

I added two finely chopped carrots in with the onions so I skipped the sugar, and used a can of vegetable broth instead of the three cups of chicken broth. I left out the vinegar so that when I eat it I can choose to add either a splash of it or else a few Tb of half and half.