Soups are similar to stews; generally, soups have more liquid than stews. Enjoy a nice hot bowl of homemade soup or stew and serve alongside homemade biscuits, cornbread or garlic bread. Also adding some croutons are a nice addition to top your soup with. I hope you enjoy trying these.
Julia's Turkey or Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Noodles
6 to 8 cups good quality chicken stock
Juice of 1 lemon and zest
4 carrots, sliced
3 celery ribs, sliced
2 Tbl. Italian parsley
1 Tbl. fresh thyme
1 tsp. ground sage
2 to 3 cups cooked, turkey or chicken cut into chunks
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, chopped
1 leek, sliced - do not use green part
scallions, sliced for garnish
Lemon wedges for garnish
Noodles
Soup: In a large stock pot add chicken stock, juice of lemon and zest, bring to boil, turn down to simmer. In a saute pan, add small amount of olive oil and a little butter, saute onion and leeks until tender. Add to stock pot, with carrots, celery, sage, thyme, parsley, cooked turkey or chicken and simmer for about 1 hour. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Add egg noodles and simmer for another 1/2 hour. Ladle into bowls, garnish with scallions and give a good squeeze of lemon juice over top.
Noodles:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
salt to taste
2 eggs, beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
water
In a large bowl, stir together flour, 1 tsp. salt, pepper, eggs and 3 Tbl. water to make dough - it will be sticky. Place dough on plastic wrap and wrap loosely. Place in refrigerator for about 1 hour. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Halve dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 1/4 inch wide noodles. I like my noodles long. Do this with second half of dough. Place noodles in boiling salted water and cook approximately 10 minutes or until tender. Drain and add to chicken soup.
Thai Soup - One of my favorites
Oil
1 Tbl. red curry paste (preferably Thai curry)
3 cups good quality chicken stock
3 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp. dried crushed chilies (more if you like it hotter)
3 Kaffir lime leaves
2 Tbl. Thai fish sauce
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbl. fresh lime juice
1 large lemongrass stalk, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces (crushed)
Fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thin in about 8 pieces
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into thin strips (boneless and skinless) remove any fat
1/2 lb. button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thin
In Dutch oven, add small amount of oil, add garlic and cook about 1 minute, add curry paste and cook stirring about 1 minute. Add the chicken stock and coconut milk, lemon grass, kaffir leaves, ginger, chilies, lime juice, fish sauce and bring to a boil. Add the chicken, reduce heat and cook about 15 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cilantro and cook about 5 minutes. Ladle soup into bowls or tureen. Garnish with chopped cilantro or cilantro sprigs.
Julia's Potato Corn Chowder (southwestern style)
6 russet potatoes, peeled, cut large dice
2 cans sweet corn, drained (use fresh in summer, can also use frozen)
1 small can diced chilies (do not drain)
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup prepared salsa
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp. cumin
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Tabasco to taste
6 cups good quality chicken stock
1 cup heavy whipping cream
fresh cilantro, chopped
In a Dutch oven, add small amount of oil and add onions, saute until translucent, then add garlic, and cumin and saute 2 minutes. Add potatoes & chicken stock and cook until potatoes are almost done. Add corn, Tabasco, salsa, chilies and cream and turn down to simmer and cook about 1/2 hour stirring occasionally until thickened. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Ladle in bowls and sprinkle with fresh cilantro.
Julia's White Chicken Chili - One of the local newspapers in WA published my recipe for this chili
1 lb. dried great northern beans
4 to 6 chicken breasts (depending on size), cut into bite size pieces
6 to 8 cups good quality chicken stock
2 onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 small cans diced canned green chilies
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano
Tabasco to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Jack cheese, shredded
Cover beans with cold water and soak overnight. Drain and rinse beans and return to large pot, adding onions and stock (start with 6 cups). Bring to a boil and reduce heat, cover and simmer gently for about 2 hours or until beans are very tender, adding more stock if needed. Stir in chilies, jalapeno and seasonings, including Tabasco. Cover and cook and additional 20 minutes.
In a saute pan, add a small amount of oil and saute chicken, toss in garlic and cook about another minute. Add this to beans and cook another 30 minutes. At any point if chili becomes too thick continue adding extra chicken stock. Remove from heat and swirl in sour cream, add chopped cilantro. When ready to serve ladle chili into bowls, add cheese and top with a small amount of cilantro for garnish. Serve with cornbread, quesadilla's or warmed flour tortillas. I like my tortillas spread with a little fresh orange butter.
As I have said before Jerry and I don't eat beef and haven't for many years. People always asked me when I cooked professionally how do you know how to cook beef? It's all about the love in cooking. I make excellent beef dishes and no one has ever complained. So to all you beef lovers, here is my recipe for beef stew.
Beef Stew
3 lbs. boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large onions, sliced thick julienne
2 leeks, washed well, sliced (do not use green part)
4 carrots, peeled and sliced chunky
4 parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
1 lb. of potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 bag of pearl onions, thawed and drained
2 cups red wine (good quality drinking wine)
3 cups good quality beef stock
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes (do not drain) slice in 1/2
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Italian parsley, chopped
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Bay leaf
6 Tbl. olive oil
2 tsp. thyme
Sprig of fresh rosemary
In a bowl add beef and pour over 2 cups red wine and marinate overnight, covered. Next day pour off wine (keep liquid) and dredge beef in flour, seasoned with salt and pepper, shaking off excess flour. In a large Dutch oven, add olive oil and get sizzling, add beef and brown well on all sides (do not crowd beef, do in stages). Remove when done to paper towels. When all the beef is browned, add onions to pan, you might need to add more oil and cook until softened, add leeks and cook for a couple of minutes. Add garlic and saute about 1 minute. Add tomato paste and saute 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the beef stock, wine from marinade, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf and tomatoes including juice. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce heat and cover, simmer stirring occasionally until meat is tender about 1 1/2 hours. Add the carrots, potatoes and parsnips, cover and simmer about 20 to 30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Add the pearl onions and cook about 6 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove bay and rosemary. Place in large serving bowl and garnish with chopped parsley. Note: You want your stew thick, but at any time you can add more beef stock.
Mexican Chicken Tortilla Soup - Everyone has a recipe for this in Texas, it must be the state soup, it's served everywhere.
6 cups good quality chicken stock
6 whole chicken breasts with skin - washed
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbl. olive oil
2 cups canned diced tomatoes, (do not drain)
2 Tbl. tomato sauce
2 (4 oz) cans chopped green chilies
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbl. fresh oregano, chopped
12 (5 1/2-inch) corn tortillas
Jack cheese, shredded
3 Avocados, diced (mix with little lime juice to prevent browning)
Fresh limes cut into wedges (garnish)
Scallions, chopped (garnish)
Place chicken stock in large saucepan and chicken breasts. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered about 15 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink. Remove chicken from stock, let stand until cook enough to handle. Skin, bone and finely shred chicken; set aside. Discard bones and skin. Strain broth through a large sieve or colander lined with cheesecloth. Skim fat from broth and set aside.
In the same pan, add oil and cook onion and garlic until onion is tender, but not brown. Stir in strained broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili peppers, cilantro and oregano. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes. Stir in shredded chicken; heat through. Meanwhile, cut tortillas in half and then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch wide strips. In a heavy skillet heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil. Fry strips in hot oil, about half at a time for about 1 minute or until crisp and light brown. Remove with slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Divide fried tortilla strips among soup bowls. Ladle soup over tortilla strips; add diced avocados and sprinkle with shredded cheese and chopped scallions. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze over top. This soup is easily doubled.
Julia's Sausage Soup
1 lb. ground sausage (I use Jimmy Dean sage sausage)
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large carrots, diced
3 red potatoes, diced
1/2 head white cabbage, sliced into chunks
Italian seasonings
6 cups chicken stock (more if needed)
1 can Italian style diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 can white beans, drained and rinsed
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
Fresh basil and fresh parsley, chopped
Heat Dutch oven, add a little olive oil, add onion and sausage and cook a few minutes, add garlic and cook until sausage is browned, stirring constantly. If you have too much oil, drain. Season with salt and pepper. Add carrots, potatoes and seasonings and cook about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients (except cheese, parsley and basil) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour. Adding more stock if needed. To serve place in individual bowls or large soup tureen and add shredded cheese on top and fresh herbs. Serve with crusty bread.
French Onion Soup
1/2 cup unsalted butter
olive oil
4 large onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 thyme sprig
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry red wine
6 cups beef stock (more if needed)
1 baguette, sliced
1/2 lb. Gruyere cheese, grated
Italian parsley, chopped - for garnish
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized about 40 minutes. Add garlic and saute for about 1 minute, add bay leaves and thyme. Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has almost evaporated. Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprig. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Slice the baguette, with pastry brush, brush either a little olive oil or butter on each piece and place on baking sheet in single layer. Place in oven until light golden brown. Remove from oven. When ready to serve, put soup into ovenproof bowls and top with a couple of toasted baguette slices and lots of grated Gruyere cheese. Place the bowls on baking sheet and place under broiler until cheese is bubbly, gooey and golden brown. Watch carefully as not to burn. Remove from broiler and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve.
Split Pea with Sausage - When Jerry and I took a trip to Germany a number of years ago, we were driving on the Autobahn and pulled over at a rest area with a restaurant. I ordered the most fantastic full-flavored split pea soup I have ever eaten in my life. The owner of the restaurant was an older man who was quite famous for this soup, winning a number of awards. Do you ever dream about food? I dream about this soup! Here is my version of it, but it certainly does not do his justice.
2 slices bacon, chopped
olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped (remove stringy fibers)
4 large carrots, peeled and finely chopped
5 cups good quality chicken stock, plus more if needed
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup water
3 cups bratwurst or knockwurst, sliced and cooked
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Italian parsley, chopped
fresh thyme sprig
2 bay leaves
1 lb. green split peas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Ham Hock
Place a little olive oil and bacon in Dutch oven and cook over medium-high heat until rendered. Remove bacon and leave about 2 Tbl. fat in pan - add onions, celery, carrots. Saute vegetables stirring occasionally until soft, about 10 minutes. Add wine and reduce. Stir in flour; cook and whisk for 3 minutes. Tie parsley, thyme and bay leaves together with kitchen twine; add to pot with peas, ham hock, water and stock. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer covered, until peas are very tender, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and discard herbs. Stir in cream and if more stock is needed due to reduction, add. You are looking for a thick consistency. At this point use your emersion blender or blender and puree soup. Transfer hocks to cutting board, pull off and chop the meat; discard fat, skin and bones. Stir sausage and ham hock meat into soup. Taste and season with salt and pepper and ladle soup into bowls.
Creamy Tomato Soup - I think tomato soup is one of my favorites served with grilled cheese
2 (28 oz.) cans whole tomatoes, drain and reserve liquid
3 cups good quality chicken stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, sliced in big chunks
2 whole garlic cloves
1 tsp. thyme, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
olive oil
1 shallot, halved
truffle oil (optional)
Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with foil. Drain the tomatoes, reserving liquid and slice tomatoes in half. Place on baking sheet cut side down, add onions, garlic and shallot. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. The onions, garlic and shallot should be soft and caramelized. Remove and let cool.
Place tomatoes, onions, garlic and shallot in blender or food processor with a little chicken stock and blend until smooth. Pour soup into stock pot and add, rest of chicken stock, reserved tomato liquid, thyme and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 45 minutes on simmer and whisk in heavy cream. Taste and adjust seasonings. Place in bowls or soup tureen, drizzle with a little olive oil or truffle oil.
Bon Appetit
"The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works".
Psalm 145:9
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