Soups or stews are easy to make and are great ways to warm up from
winter’s chill. Each season the recipe can include different
fresh ingredients, and each time you can be creative and create
unique flavors by adding various herbs and spices. If you go to
your farmers market or fresh food store, you can see what local
ingredients are in season and pick out the ones you like
best.
Here are some soup and stew recipes to enjoy all winter long.
Winter Squash Soup (From The Edible Mexican Garden by
Rosalind Creasy)
This light soup is best served as the first course.
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp fresh sage, chopped
1 tsp fresh marjoram, chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
4 cups butternut squash or banana, peeled and diced
1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground
1/4 tsp cloves, ground
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 cups chicken stock
1 poblano pepper or mild chile, roasted, peeled and diced
1 tsp sugar
Garnish: coarse sea salt, 1 tbsp Mexican crema or sour cream
In a large saucepot, melt the butter and add the sage, marjoram and
oregano. Allow to cook over low heat until the butter starts to
brown but not burn, approximately 5 minutes. Once the butter is
golden brown, remove the pot from the heat, strain and discard the
herbs. Place the strained butter back in the pot and saut? the
squash, cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper for approximately 10
minutes, until the squash starts to soften. Pour in the stock and
simmer until the squash breaks down and the soup is creamy. Remove
it from the heat and stir in the pepper and sugar. Serve in heated
bowls.
To serve the soup in a pumpkin or squash, first cut the top out of
a pumpkin as you would a jack-o’-lantern. Clean out the pumpkin
with a sharp spoon. Make a few tablespoons of the herbal butter
using the preceding method. Brush the insides and the rim of the
cleaned-out pumpkin with the butter. To provide a bit of smoky
flavor, hold the pumpkin over a charcoal fire or grill for a few
minutes. Pour the squash soup into the pumpkin. Serves 4 to
6.
Dilly Bean Potato Soup (From Simply in Season, by
Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert)
If you are going to have a crowd, this soup will serve at least a
dozen.
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
6 carrots, shredded
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
12 cups chicken or vegetable broth
9 large potatoes, diced
Salt, to taste
8 to 9 cups cooked Great Northern beans
2 tbsp dried dill weed
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt or sour cream
3 tbsp flour
3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
Heat oil in a large soup pot, and saut? celery, carrots and garlic.
Add broth, potatoes and salt and simmer until potatoes are tender,
20 to 25 minutes. Mash some of the potatoes in the broth mixture
for a creamier taste. Add beans and dill weed to the soup. Combine
yogurt or sour cream, flour and pepper and stir into soup. Cook and
stir until thickened. Serves 12 or more.
Beef Stew with Caramelized Onions and Red Wine (From
Braises and Stews by Tori Ritchie)
3 pounds beef stew, preferably chuck, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp butter
3 yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 1/2 cups red wine, such as Pinot Noir
1/2 cup low-sodium beef or chicken broth
1 tbsp tomato paste
Cut the meat into 2-inch pieces, rinse and pat dry with paper
towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Coat the bottom of a 5- to
7-quart Dutch oven with a thin film of oil and set pot over
medium-high heat. After a few minutes, add enough meat to cover the
bottom in one layer. Cook, without stirring, until meat lifts
easily from pot with tongs and is well browned on the bottom, about
5 minutes. Turn and brown on the other side, about 5 minutes more.
Transfer meat to a plate and continue with remaining pieces, adding
more oil to pot in between batches as needed.
When the last batch of meat has been removed, add the butter,
onions and a good pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until onions
are softened, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low and sprinkle the
sugar over the onions. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally,
until onions are limp and golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in the
flour and thyme and increase heat to high. Stir 1 minute, then pour
in the wine and broth and let liquid come to a boil. Stir in the
tomato paste. Return meat and any accumulated juices to pot, let
liquid come to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer until
meat is tender when pierced and sauce is thickened, 1 1/2 to 2
hours. Remove from heat and let stand 5 to 10 minutes before
serving. Serves 6.
Turkey-barley Soup (From EatingWell.com)
Your leftover turkey doesn’t have to go to waste. Use some in this
soup for a whole new meal.
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion (about 2 cups), chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup pearled barley
6 cups
Essential Turkey Broth or reduced-sodium
chicken broth
2 carrots (about 1 cup), peeled and diced
2 medium parsnips (about 1 cup), peeled and diced
2 cups skinless cooked turkey, diced
1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
Heat oil in large, heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and
cook, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add garlic and
cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add barley and stir to coat. Add
broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Skim off any
froth. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Add carrots and parsnips. Cover and simmer until the barley and
vegetables are just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Add turkey and simmer
until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes more. Add dill, lemon juice
and pepper. Taste and add salt, if needed. Serve immediately.
Yields 8 servings.
For more tasty soup recipes check out these articles from
Mother Earth
News:
Warming Winter Soups
Thick and Thrifty Winter Soups
Four Hearty Vegetable Soups
Mother’s Winter Eatin’
Have a favorite winter soup recipe or special ingredient? Share
your ideas in the comments section below.
