Lakes Region Foodie — Beautiful soup

Beautiful Soup

As the temperature drops and the evenings become colder, we turn to the original comfort food, soup to nourish and fortify us. Whether it is a thick and filling preparation replete with vegetables, meat, poultry or seafood, a steaming bowl of soup is always welcome. Most soups can be prepared ahead; indeed, it often improves. By being made ahead the flavors blend and intensify, or mellow, depending on the ingredients. A good soup starts with a good stock made from bones and/or vegetables simmered together. Prepared stocks can also be purchased. Homemade stock may be frozen of you have the ingredients and time, it’s easy to make and freeze in pint or quart containers, then thaw and use as necessary. Stock made from boiled meat, poultry, or vegetables plus seasoning is used as a foundation not only for soups and stews but also for sauces and gravies. On supermarket shelves, it will go under the name of consume, bouillon, or broth. It comes bottled, canned, cubed or granulated; some are good, some are not. It can be to salty or too flat. Those in the granulated state are made for the most part of vegetable protein and can enhance the soup or stew when used in small quantities. Chowder is a great favorite in the winter months.

Mushroom soup

This soup is quick to prepare and one of my favorites. Instead of stock, clam juice is used. (You don’t taste the clams)

½ lbs. white button mushrooms, cleaned and chopped

3 Tbs butter, melted

Salt and Pepper

3 Tbs all-purpose flour

3 cups bottled clam juice (I use 8oz bottles of clam juice)

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup heavy cream whipped

In a sauce pan over medium heat, sauté the mushrooms in the butter, stirring, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Lower heat and stir in the flour. It will make a gummy roll. Cook another two minutes. Then, beating constantly, add the clam juice stirring until well blended, one to two minutes. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Stir in the cream and remove from heat. Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with whipped cream. (Wonderful reheated with a little milk) To make ahead; complete the cooking but don’t add the cream until just before serving. Serve with oyster crackers or a hearty bread.

Serves 4

Corn Chowder

This is a delicious soup and very simple to make. The subtle flavor comes from pork – do not substitute bacon.

1/8 lbs. salt pork, diced (small amount from a ham roast can be substituted)

1 small onion, minced

¼ green pepper, seeded and minced

3 large potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 3 cups)

2 cups boiling water

2 cups cooked corn kernels, or one 12 oz can corn kernels and liquid

2 tsp salt

1-quart milk

¼ tsp paprika

1 Tbs butter

In a sauce pan over medium heat sauté the salt pork or ham fat until brown and crisp. Remove the crisped bits and reserve. Add the onion and green pepper and sauté until the onion is opaque, about 5-7 minutes. Add the potatoes and water, cover and simmer, until potatoes are tender, about 15-20 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and heat to just below boiling. To serve, ladle into soup bowls and garnish with crisped meat bits and a tablespoon of butter. This is delicious reheated and can be stretched with more milk. Can be made hours or a day ahead. If you chose to make it ahead, complete the cooking of the potatoes and add the remaining ingredients and heat just before serving.

Serves 6