Souper Soup Recipes

This winter has been kind of a weird one, weather-wise, but in our house, it's still soup season. Here are a few of our favorites:

Tuscan Soup (like Zuppa Toscana at the Olive Garden)

6 cups chicken broth
1 white onion, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves,minced
1 lb. spicy Italian sausage
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper (optional)
3 large Russet potatoes, cubed (you can leave skin on)
1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and chopped (you can also use kale here — great in winter)
1/2 c. evaporated milk (or heavy cream, or 1/2 & 1/2)
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Remove skin from sausage and crumble into pan. Add chopped onion, garlic and and red pepper, and cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.  Drain any grease off.  Add browned meat to Dutch oven; add stock and potatoes. Bring to a boil until potato is tender, about 20 minutes,  Reduce heat, add spinach, and simmer until spinach cooks, about 2 minutes.  

Remove soup from heat, stir in evaporated milk/cream, and season to taste. You can serve with fresh, shaved Parmesan cheese. 


Broccoli Cheese Soup (a Stacey Joers recipe)

2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth (can also use homemade stock)
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ onion, finely diced
½ tsp. crushed red pepper, or to taste
1 sweet red pepper, finely diced
5 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk (I use skim, but you can use 2% for a bit thicker soup)
3-4 slices American cheese (melts better, less greasy than cheddar — I use Kraft Deli Deluxe 2% American)
Salt & Pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil.  Drop in broccoli florets, and blanch until bright green and tender crisp.  Scoop out broccoli into colander, allow draining; reserve liquid.  Meanwhile, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes, then add crushed red pepper and continue to sauté until onion is soft and translucent.  Add sweet red pepper and sauté 2 minutes more.  Add flour; cook about two minutes to remove the raw flour taste. 

Pour in the hot chicken stock and whisk to get rid of any lumps.  Add in ½ of the cooked broccoli, and reserved liquid.  Allow to simmer 10 minutes.  Add milk (be sure to temper the milk before adding to prevent curdling).  Bring back to a simmer (do not boil) and add the cheese.  Stir until melted.  Season to taste with salt & pepper, and then add the rest of the broccoli.

Chicken Chili (from Ina Garten)
Serves 6 - 8

1 c. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic — minced
1 red pepper and 1 yellow pepper diced
2 T. chile powder
1 t. cumin
¼ t. cayenne pepper
¼ t. dried red pepper flakes
2 — 28 oz. can whole peeled tomatoes — undrained
Chopped cilantro to taste ¼ - ½ c.
4 c. cooked chicken shredded (not rotisserie)
1 can black beans — rinsed and drained
1 c. frozen corn

Cook onions over med. heat in 1/8 c. olive oil until translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add peppers, chile powder, cumin, red, pepper flakes, cayenne and salt to taste. Cook for 1 min. Crush tomatoes in food processor and add to pot with cilantro. Add corn, beans and chicken. Bring to a boil – then reduce and simmer. Freezes well.


Loaded Baked Potato Soup

4 large russet potatoes, baked — about 4 c. flesh, lightly mashed (Yukon golds are fine, too)
4 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. onion, diced
1/4 c. flour
2 c. chicken broth
2 c. whole milk (using skim will result in a really thin soup)
2 tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley
salt & pepper to taste

optional garnish: crumbled bacon, sour cream, chives or sliced scallions, sharp cheddar, etc.

To save some time, bake the potatoes in advance — scrub, dry, and pierce with a fork.  Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Place directly on the rack in the over and bake about 1 hour, or until completely soft inside.  Scoop out flesh and lightly mash.  Heat skillet and add butter, then saute onions about 5 minutes, or until softened.  Whisk in flour, and cook about 2-3 minutes to remove raw flour taste.  Whisk in broth and milk.  Continue cooking, and stir until thick, about 4-5 minutes.  Add potato and simmer about 5 minutes (don't let it boil).  Stir in parsley and season to taste.  Serve hot with garnishes.

You can set the skins aside, and then slice them into thin strips.  Brush with olive oil and season with salt & pepper and bake at 400 degrees about 15 minutes, or until crisp.  They make kind o a fun garnish for the soup.  You could also do some potato skins and freeze them to have a tasty ap on hand.

You can find more soups and other recipes on my blog, www.acookingbaker.blogspot.com.