soup Archives - Page 3 of 5 -

September 10, 2015

Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta Soup

Summer may be slipping away, but luckily sweet tomatoes are still around in great abundance at the farmer’s market. I was a little teary when I went to pick up our CSA share at the market this week without the kids. Every week this past summer they looked forward to market days– they loved seeing what various fruits were available and often I would let them pick out a pastry from one of the bakery stands. Now that they’re back at school, it seemed strangely quiet without them and I missed their help with hauling back our CSA share to the car. Last week’s share included over fifteen pounds of gorgeous tomatoes. We made plenty of salsas and salads, but even then we still ended up with so many tomatoes leftover needing to be used. The remaining went into a double batch of this creamy tomato basil soup which was enough for our dinner plus more to freeze. There’s just enough cream in this soup to add a bit of richness without it becoming overly heavy. Adding pasta makes it a bit more substantial and qualifies it as a main dish while the mozzarella and parmesan turn melty and irresistible on top of the hot soup. It’s the perfect way to use up all of those end-of-summer tomatoes.

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