Soup Archives - Page 4 of 6 -

January 20, 2015

White Bean Chicken Sausage Soup

With cold winters come so many things that I love- quiet snowfalls, warm cozy sweaters, steaming hot cocoa by the fire, and skiing season. Skiing season was practically nonexistent for us while our kids were so small, but we’ve finally reached the stage when family ski outings are possible. And now it’s better than ever. I find great joy in watching a child persevere with fierce determination in learning stops and turns and then in seeing a triumphant smile after riding the chairlift for the first time. With many of our Saturdays being away at the ski slopes, I’ve been relying on hearty soups such as this white bean chicken sausage soup to warm us after a day in the cold outdoors. It always feels good to come home to a home-cooked meal without actually cooking and this soup is perfect for making ahead of time and reheating. Pureed cannellini beans impart a rich creaminess without all of the butter, flour, and cream which are usually added to chowder-type soups. A touch of heavy cream is added at the very end to round out the creaminess, but this is certainly optional. This soup is scented with rosemary and thyme and contains a healthy dose of vegetables, although next time I might add some chopped greens at the end to make it even more nourishing. Add a loaf of whole grain bread to this savory soup for a simple, yet complete and satisfying meal.

White Bean Chicken Sausage Soup

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 Ib dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
8 cups water
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, 1 smashed, 2 minced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 medium carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound chicken Italian sausage, casings removed
¼ cup heavy cream

Instructions

In heavy pot, combine beans, 8 cups of water, 1 tablespoon oil, smashed garlic clove, rosemary, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered until beans are tender, about 1½ hours.
Drain beans and reserve cooking liquid. Discard bay leaf.
In the same pot, heat remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, salt, and pepper. Saute until onion starts to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Add minced garlic and 1 teaspoon thyme and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken broth, 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid, and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered until beans are very soft, about 40 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a heavy skillet or sauté pan, cook chicken sausage over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking up into small pieces. Set aside.
Remove 1½ cups beans with a slotted spoon. Puree remaining soup with an immersion blender or by working in batches with a regular blender. Return reserved beans to the soup and add the chicken sausage, remaining thyme, and cream. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Heat over medium until warmed through. Garnish with additional thyme leaves, if desired.

Notes

adapted from Bon Appetit

December 11, 2014

Black Bean Soup

Depending on the day, I find myself either wanting to invest all of my energy into being as festively creative as possible or wanting to escape the holiday busyness to instead seek quietness and simplicity. I struggle with finding balance. I’ve been baking up lots of Christmas goodness in the kitchen this past week, but I need a little break so today I’m going to tell you about this Black Bean soup. It has nothing to do with holidays or Christmas, but it is still a very wonderful recipe. My kids told me to write a post about this soup because they adore it so much. It starts off with a simple yet flavorful black bean soup, and then it can be dressed up and customized with a variety of toppings. The beans are first cooked and seasoned with a small portion of ham and then they are partially blended together to form a creamy, hearty, and satisfying soup. Perfect for gatherings since the soup can be made ahead of time and then everyone can add toppings to their own liking. Add a green salad, some salsa and chips, and dinner is complete!

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

For the beans:

1 pound dried black beans
4 ounces nitrate-free ham steak
2 bay leaves
5 cups water
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

For the soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, choppped (about 3 cups)
1 large carrot, chopped (about ½ cup)
3 celery ribs, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1½ tablespoons cumin
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lime juice

For garnishing:

lime wedges
diced jalapeño
chopped cilantro
minced red onion
avocado
sour cream
grated Monterey Jack Cheese

Instructions

For the beans:

In a large pot, add the beans, ham, bay leaves, water, and baking soda. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, stir in salt, and simmer for 1½ hours. Do not drain. Discard bay leaves. Remove ham and dice into ¼-inch cubes. Set aside.

For the soup:

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions, carrots, celery, and salt until lightly browned, about 12-15 minutes. Lower the heat and add the garlic, red pepper, and cumin and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Stir in the beans, cooking liquid, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes.
Transfer 1½ cups beans and 2 cups liquid into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Stir mixture back into the soup. Alternatively, an immersion blender can be used to achieve desired consistency.
Mix cornstarch and water and gradually stir into the soup. Bring back to a boil to thicken. Turn off heat. Stir in lime juice and reserved ham. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Serve with garnishes.

Notes

adapted from Cook's Illustrated

November 17, 2014

Tomato Saffron Mixed Grains Soup

With the cold weather officially here to stay, we’ve transitioned into full-time soup and stew eating mode over here. This comes as a relief to me since soups and stews have such flexible cooking times and can be so easily prepared in advance. Now that it’s November, I feel that I should have our after-school routine running smoothly each day, but instead I find myself continuing to struggle with helping the kids with their instrument practice and homework, taking them to various activities, and cooking dinner all within the 4:00-6:00 time frame. I always feel so good on the days when dinner is done before they even arrive home because it’s one less thing I need to worry about.

I made a double batch of this Tomato Saffron Mixed Grains Soup last week so I could have some to freeze and have a healthy meal easily available when I need to balance out all of the upcoming holiday treats. I find grain soups so hearty, cozy, and nourishing. The pleasant hint of saffron in this soup reminds me of the warm flavors of a Spanish paella, but this soup is a lot less time consuming to make. This recipe is extremely versatile and the spelt, millet, and quinoa can be easily substituted for other whole grains such as farro, wheatberries, or rice. To keep it gluten-free, use any combination of rice, millet, and quinoa. Or for simplicity, choose one single grain to work with. Pre-soaking whole grains such as spelt or wheat berries is recommended to aid with digestion and improve texture. Soaking for a few hours is optimal, but soaking for even an hour makes a difference. The soup thickens considerably after it sits for a while, but it can thinned it out with a bit of additional water if desired.

Tomato Saffron Mixed Grains Soup

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
⅛-1/4 teaspoon saffron
4 cups chicken broth
½ cup spelt, soaked for at least 1 hour and drained
¼ cup millet
3 tablespoons quinoa
1 can (14.5 ounces) crushed tomatoes
1 can (15 ouches) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Add bay leaves, paprika, cumin, saffron, spelt, broth, and 1 cup of water. Bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until spelt is tender, about 30 minutes.
Add millet, quinoa, tomatoes, chickpeas, salt, and pepper and continue to simmer until millet and quinoa are cooked and flavors have blended, about 15-20 additional minutes. Discard bay leaves. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Sprinkle with a garnish of parsley to serve.

Notes

adapted from Martha Stewart