A Life, Lived

Sunday Slow Soupers - Cream of Artichoke Soup

I can't believe that today is the last day for the Sunday Slow Soupers. We started off on November 23rd with an amazing Chestnut and Porcini soup and finish today with Ida's Cream of Artichoke. Over the past 22 weeks we have journeyed through a variety of cuisines and many of us have tried soups that we would never have made otherwise. Unusually, all of the soups were delicious - given the nature of taste you'd think that there would have been at least one that went down the drain! :-)

It has been a great and rewarding journey for the home cook!

We both liked today's soup. Because we're watching our fat in-take I didn't use cream at all - instead I replaced it with 1 % milk. I also cut the butter back by 2 tablespoons (used 1 tb). We thought that the finished soup was fine without the added fat.

Some of the other 'soupers' have commented that the soup had a 'tinny' taste from the canned artichokes - using frozen artichoke hearts would solve this. I did find that the 'canned artichoke' taste came through . .  if I could find frozen artichoke hearts here in Canada I might try them!

Cream of Artichoke Soup

For 4 to 6 servings:

3 tb butter
4 tb minced shallots
1 and a half tp flour
3 and a half cups chicken stock
3 1 lb cans of artichokes (drained)
1 cup half and half
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a skillet over med heat,allowing it to brown just lightly. Add shallots and saute briefly till softened . Stir in flour and cook 2 to 3 min.

Heat stock or chicken broth in a 2 qt. saucepan.Add flour mixture, stirring constantly.Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 3 to 5 min.

Puree artichokes in food processor or blender. Add thickened chicken stock and half n half. Blend thoroughly about 30 seconds.

Season with salt and pepper. Serve Hot or Cold.

Sunday Slow Soupers #21: Gulaschsuppe

Wow - here we are at week 21 of our explortion of soups. This week Kaydee transported us to Barvaria with this amazing goulash soup.

This recipe is from The New German Cookbook by Jean Anderson and Hedy Wurz.

I followed the recipe with two exceptions . . . one planned, the other not. I added some green pepper (planned).

Then I had a wee problem with the paprika. I had a container that mom brought home for us from her trip to Hungary. It had two packages in it, not being able to read Hungarian I couldn't tell which was the hot paprika and which was the sweet . . . they both tasted fairly similar. I discovered that they most definitely were not! . . . apparently I added two tablespoons of the HOT stuff!

 Gulaschsuppe

2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into bite-sized cubes (a little more doesn't hurt)
3 tablespooons butter
2 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet rose paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups cold water
2 cups rich beef broth (homemade or canned)
2 medium-size potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized cubes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Variations: You could add small strips of green pepper and/or a can of tomatoes. To make it spicier, add some red pepper flakes.

This recipe makes 6-8 servings. It is really better made the day before and reheated. (Skim the fat off the top before re-heating.)

Brown the beef in two tablespoons of the butter in a large heavy kettle over high heat. Transfer the beef to a bowl using a slotted spoon.

Add the rest of the butter to the kettle, then the onions (and green pepper if added), and saute for about five minutes. Add the garlic near the end.

Return the beef to the kettle, add the paprika and thyme, and cook together over moderate heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.

Add the water and broth, bring to a boil, adjust the heat to simmer, cover and cook 45 minutes.

Add the potatoes. Re-cover and simmer 45 minutes longer, until beef and potatoes are tender. Stir in the tomato paste, salt and pepper, heat through, and adjust the seasonings if neeeded.

Sunday Slow Soupers # 20 - Hot and Sour Soup

Here we are at week 20 of our soup exploration. Some might be getting soup overload by now but not us. Each of the recipes so far has been so very unique and different that it is impossible to get bored with it. This soup recipe, posted by Annie,  was a perfect example of this.

Whenever I eat out at Chinese restaurants one of the things that I like to order is the hot and sour soup. I have been wanting to try making it at home for some time. One of the reasons I like this soup is because of the contrast of flavours that is so characteristic of Asian cooking.

Annie was great at providing the various modifications that she makes to the recipe. We followed the recipe as printed and added a few things based upon her suggestions: sliced shitake mushrooms, a small handful of bean sprouts, a handful of baby spinach leaves, and some strips of carrot.

Because I knew that actual cooking time for this soup was short I made sure that everything was sliced, diced, and ready in prep bowls before I turned on the stove. Once I started the actual cooking it took less than 15 minutes to  come together - you have to love that!

I found a tip on-line for ending up with thin filaments of cooked egg rather than great big clumps of it. The secret is in pouring it into the simmering soup THROUGH a slotted spoon. You end up with small strips of cooked egg just like at your favourite Chinese restaurant.

Enjoy!

Hot and Sour Soup

Two 13-3/4 ounce cans low-salt chicken broth
Three slices of fresh ginger root

2 tablespoons tamari or dark soy sauce
1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil (more or less)
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 cup bamboo shoots
1/2 cup of firm tofu, diced into small squares

one egg lightly beaten

Garnish

1 or 2 scallions, including greens, diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Instructions:

Bring the chicken stock and the fresh ginger root to a slow boil for two or three minutes.

Remove the ginger slices and discard. Turn the heat down slightly.

Add the rest of the liquid ingredients, the sugar, and the white pepper. Simmer for about five minutes and then taste to make sure it’s hot and/or sour enough. Adjust as needed.

Add the bamboo shoots and the tofu. Stir gently.

Bring the soup to a slow boil again and quickly add in the lightly beaten egg while stirring. Remove the pot from the heat immediately and continue to stir to break up the egg pieces. Garnish and Serve.

Annie's Suggested Variations . . .

I always leave the egg out.

Sometimes I use Pacific brand Mushroom broth or Vegetable broth instead.

I use low sodium Tamari (brand: San-J)

Sometimes I use Sriracha hot sauce instead of the hot chili oil.

Other things I might add:

Garlic
Fresh baby spinach leaves or other green leafy thing
Sliced mushrooms
Water chestnuts
A can of stir-fry vegetables with baby corn
Mung bean sprouts
Snow pea pods

Sunday Slow Soupers #19 - Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup

This week the Sunday Slow Soupers, a group from the slow travel community who have been exploring the world of soup since last November, were transported to SE Asian by Marta. She discovered this recipe in the NY Times when she was studying and becoming familiar with the food in Malaysia in preparation for her recent trip there (she is featuring some fabulous photos on her blog right now).

If you don't have a well-stocked 'Asian pantry' you'll be able to find most of the ingredients are available at Asian grocers. The SE Asian curry spice mix might be a a bit more challenging to find. We ended up using a yellow curry paste which worked very well (although because it is more concentrated it adds more 'zing' than the curry powder might). The Kaffir lime leaves are option and could be a little hard to come by. They are worth finding since they do add an amazing citrus note to the curry. Many Asian shops either have them fresh or in the freezer department. You can also order dried Kaffir lime leaves which would work well in the soup recipe.

You will note quickly that this soup is more Thai than Malaysian because of the ingredients, although in fairness the ingredients and recipes are pretty common throughout the region. The foods of SE Asian are famous for the layers of flavours and textures - sweet, salty, spicy . . . crunchy and soft. In fact, often you'll experience all in the same bite!

To quote the article from the NY Times:

The first hit from any curry noodle soup is visual: steam rising from a gilded broth, dotted with burnt-orange oil, flecked with red from dried chilies and brown from warm spices like cinnamon, cumin, black pepper and coriander seed. The next is olfactory, as the perfumes of ginger, lemon grass, fresh curry leaves, lime leaves and turmeric kick in. And the rest involve inordinately elevated levels of flavor (recipes often call for huge handfuls of curry powder and paste), a riot of textural contrasts and the primal satisfaction of the slurp.

You might be tempted to skip the toppings for this soup - DON'T! They add considerably to the depth of flavours and textures - especially the fried shallots (I just fried them in a bit of peanut oil in the bottom of a small pan. It wasn't deep frying but it worked.)

Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup (Curry Mee)
Time: 45 minutes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small onion, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon minced lemon grass or pale green cilantro roots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dark red chili paste, such as sambal, more for serving
3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken thigh or breast meat, thinly sliced and cut into bite-size pieces
3 tablespoons curry powder, preferably Malaysian, Thai or Vietnamese
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 can (14 ounces) unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar, more to taste (we did not use regular sugar, instead we used Palm sugar which is common in SE Asian cooking)
About 12 kaffir lime leaves or curry leaves, fresh or frozen (optional)
8 ounces dried thin rice noodles (bun or vermicelli), or other Asian noodles such as udon or lai fun
Salt to taste
1 cup bean sprouts
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 scallions, cut into thin rings
2 shallots, thinly sliced and deep fried in vegetable oil until brown (optional)
Quartered limes for serving.

Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add onion, ginger and lemon grass and cook, stirring, until softened, about 10 minutes. Do not brown; reduce heat if necessary. Add garlic and chili paste and stir until fragrant. Raise heat, add chicken and stir-fry one minute. Add curry powder and paprika and stir to coat. Then add coconut milk, half-and-half, chicken stock, turmeric, fish sauce, sugar and lime or curry leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook rice noodles in boiling water according to package directions (about 4 minutes). Rinse and drain.

Taste broth and adjust seasonings with salt and sugar. Divide noodles into large soup bowls. Bring broth to a boil, then ladle over noodles. Top with bean sprouts, cilantro, scallions and fried shallots, if using. Pass limes and sambal at the table.

Yield: 4 main-course servings.

Note: To make this rich soup more substantial, boiled potatoes are sometimes added to the simmering broth and cooked until very soft.

Sunday Slow Soupers # 18 - Carrot Orange Ginger Soup

Here we are, week 18 of making soup. What an odyssey. I can't believe that I have been making soups since November; who knew that there were so many soup recipes out there? Who would have guessed that we still get excited about the prospect of our Sunday lunch - soup and a panini.

This week's soup was chosen by Debrah. This is what she posted in the soup makers thread:

"It's been favourite for at least 20 years. I used to make this when I was doing location catering for film and tv production in Eastern Canada and it was a guaranteed winner for the segment of the cast and crew who liked healthy and tasty! It tastes so rich and creamy but has no added fat - no butter, cream, cheese, etc.! (what's a little olive oil between friends!) This would be suitable for two for a meal or four for an appetizer."

I have been looking forward to making this soup since Debrah first posted about it. I still remember the day, way back in the 1970s, when mom had to make this soup for her Gourmet Club. I was allowed one taste - enough to develop a life-long craving. This soup is a staple of many cooks - Wolfgang Puck, Julia Child, Martha Stewart, the Silver Palate ladies. . . .  I like this soup so much that I pay $ 14 for a container of frozen soup made by my favourite Italian food shop in Stratford.

Well, I won't be doing that any longer because it is easy to make and I have a great recipe. Debrah's recipe is easy to follow and comes together quickly. You won't need to add a thing to this soup as it is as perfect as can be!

Enjoy.

Carrot Orange Ginger Soup

1 large onion , diced
3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
3" piece of ginger root, finely diced(you can use more or less depending on preference)
8 large carrots, diced
1 large tetra pack of chicken or vegetable broth (if you use cans, you'll need between 1 and 2 cans, depending on how thick you want your soup)
1 1/2 cups orange juice

Saute onions, garlic and ginger in olive oil on low heat to soften and start to caramelize for only 10 minutes. Put in carrots and saute for 5 minutes to bring out the sugars. Add enough broth to cover the carrots and simmer till carrots are tender.

Remove from heat, place a small amount of broth and all of the carrots into blender and puree until smooth. Pour back into pot, add orange juice and rest of broth (or water) until you get the thickness consistency you desire.

Carrot Orange Ginger Soup

1 large onion , diced
3 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
3" piece of ginger root, finely diced(you can use more or less depending on preference)
8 large carrots, diced
1 large tetra pack of chicken or vegetable broth (if you use cans, you'll need between 1 and 2 cans, depending on how thick you want your soup)
1 1/2 cups orange juice

Saute onions, garlic and ginger in olive oil on low heat to soften and start to caramelize for only 10 minutes. Put in carrots and saute for 5 minutes to bring out the sugars. Add enough broth to cover the carrots and simmer till carrots are tender.

Remove from heat, place a small amount of broth and all of the carrots into blender and puree until smooth. Pour back into pot, add orange juice and rest of broth (or water) until you get the thickness consistency you desire.

Sunday Slow Soupers # 17 - One of Each Soup

It was Jan's turn to select the soup recipe this week. I'll admit to being skeptical when she posted her recipe for One of Each Soup - it contained a banana! Imagine, a banana in a soup! What will they think of next?

Of course, being the superficial food snob that I am I was immediately calmed by the fact that she said the recipe came form Gourmet magazine. She could have posted a recipe for Alpo on toast and if she had said it was from Gourmet I would have gladly tried it. Dear lord - one day I shall pay dearly for the therapy to deal with my many 'issues'.

Anyway, I digress.

This was really, really good soup. First - about that banana - you could hardly taste it in there. Those of you who don't like bananas or are squeamish about the thought of a banana in your soup bowl instead of your cereal bowl - rest assured, you'd never know it. This is a light tasting soup with a delicious hint of curry.

I followed the recipe as printed except for the cream - I used 1 % milk - it might not have been as rich as the fine folks at Gourmet magazine created but it wouldn't clog my arteries either.

Perhaps the best thing about this soup was the ease with which it comes together, I started at noon and before 1 we were eating lunch. I sure appreciated that!

Enjoy.

One of Each Soup

Jan writes: Originally, this curried soup was served cold. Given the winter chill in the air, however, we tried it hot and discovered it to be even better.

Ingredients
1 large boiling potato (1/2 lb), peeled and coarsely chopped (I use Yukon Gold)
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 celery heart (inner pale stalks with leaves), coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 large apple (preferably Granny Smith), peeled and coarsely chopped
1 firm-ripe banana, coarsely chopped
1 pint chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream (I use whole milk)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 rounded teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives (I have used chives or cilantro or a mixture)

Preparation:
Simmer vegetables and fruits in broth in a 3-quart heavy saucepan, covered, until very tender, about 12 minutes. Stir in cream, butter, curry powder, and salt and heat just until hot (do not boil).

Purée soup in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Thin soup with water if desired and serve sprinkled with chives.

Cooks' note:
· Soup can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.

Sunday Slow Soupers # 16 - Winter Minestrone Soup

For week 16 of soup our soup exploration there was some confusion over which recipe we were doing. Given that we have been serving up soup for the past 16 weeks I think getting this far without a hiccup was amazing. In the end, Shannon saved the day (as she always seems to do) with a recipe for Minestrone from the January Gourmet magazine. I had never tried making Minestrone before so I was happy to give it a go.

The article provides some excellent advice:

Patience is the key to this soul-satisfying soup chock-full of winter greens. Its depth of flavor comes from cooking the soffritto—a mixture of pancetta, onion, celery, carrots, and the ribs from the chard—for a good 45 minutes and from browning the tomato paste. The result is so savory that there’s no need for broth; water, canned tomatoes, and a parmesan rind work beautifully. And because this soup must cook slowly, don’t worry about prepping all your vegetables before you begin—you can simply chop as you go.

Like all good recipes that follow traditional Italian techniques the ingredients are simple . . there aren't a lot of herbs added to provide flavour. The flavouring comes from the slow cooking of the various ingredients. Take the time to really cook the veggies and to caramelize the tomato paste - i will make the world of difference in the taste!

Winter Minestrone Soup

1/3 lb sliced pancetta, chopped
3 medium red onions, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch Swiss chard
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in juice
1 qt hot water *note - the instructions call for adding 3 qt hot water. I went with the three and it was fine
5 cups coarsely chopped cored Savoy cabbage (6 oz)
5 cups coarsely chopped escarole (1/2 lb)
1 piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (about 3 by 1 1/2 inches)
1 (19-oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
cooked ditalini pasta tossed with oil (optional) (I used tiny bow ties)
grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Cook pancetta, onions, celery, and carrots in oil in a wide 7- to 9-qt heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, while preparing chard.

Cut out stems from chard and chop stems, reserving leaves. Stir chard stems into pancetta mixture with garlic, 1 tsp salt, and 3/4 tsp pepper and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender and begin to stick to bottom of pot, about 45 minutes total. (Set aside chard leaves.)

Push vegetables to one side of pot. Add tomato paste to cleared area and cook, stirring constantly, until it starts to caramelize, about 2 minutes. Stir paste into vegetables and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. (Paste may stick to pot, but don’t let it burn.)

Stir in tomatoes with their juice, breaking them up with a spoon, then add hot water (3 qt), scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot.

Bring to a simmer. Stir in cabbage, escarole, and parmesan rind. Simmer, covered, until greens are tender, about 40 minutes.

Coarsely chop chard leaves and stir into soup along with beans. Simmer, partially covered, 10 minutes. Discard rind. Season soup with salt and pepper. If using ditalini, stir in just before serving.

Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and serve.

Sunday Slow Soupers # 15 - Lentil Soup

Week 15 of soup or soup exploration . . . AKA the week Kim forced me to eat a lentil for the first time in my life. In the interest of proper bibliographical credit it must be pointed out that this recipe is from Kim's mother actually. Like all good recipes from mom or grandma it is simple to throw together and uses ingredients that aren't exotic (therefore no need for a $ 95 shopping trip to Wholefoods).

There are lots of recipes for lentil soup out there. many call for soaking those lentils overnight and other 'exhausting' steps. Not this one. Dump everything in pot and cook. That is it. Really, does it get any easier than this?

I discovered that lentil soup has been around for years. Lentil soup is mentioned in the Bible (not that I have ever read it): In Genesis 25:34, Esau is prepared to give up his birthright for a pot of fragrant red lentil soup (a "mess of pottage") being cooked by his brother, Jacob. The ancient Greek playwright, Aristophanes, mentions lentil soup in his plays and describes it as the "sweetest of delicacies."

Lentil soup was once a food for the poor. Today, it is recognized as highly nutritious and provides a good source of protein, fiber, iron and potassium.

There you go - good, healthy, easy to make soup.

Oh yes, Kim, thanks for breaking my 44 years without ever eating a lentil 'run'. It was a good run but like all good things, had to come to an end.

Enjoy

 

Lentil Soup

Recipe By :Kim's Mom

1 Cup Lentils
4 1/2 Cups Chicken broth/stock (I use the fat free stuff)
2 1/2 sprigs parsley -- snipped
1 bay leaf
12 ounces tomato -- crushed (I use canned)
2 stalks celery -- chopped
2 sticks carrot -- sliced
1 onion -- chopped
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 teaspoon thyme (dried)

1. cook until vegetables are tender, 1 1/2 - 2 hours

Seriously, that's how my mother gave it to me. But basically, she just throws it all into a pot, brings to a boil and then lets it simmer. I often double it and freeze it.

Note - because I have an aversion to following recipes as printed . . . I sauteed the celery, carrots, onion, and garlic in olive oil until softened. I dumped in the lentils to coat them and then followed the recipe as printed. :-)

Sunday Slow Soupers # 14 - French Onion Soup

I can't believe that we are on our 14th soup this week? Where does the time fly? This week's recipe was posted by Sharon who we have had the pleasure of meeting many times at various GTGs. She is a wonderful cook so I was confident that this soup would be a hit.

This soup recipe is one that she calls 'her old stand by'. One of those recipes that you love so much that you return to it time and again. She shared the secret with us: 'the key to this soup is to cook the onions until they are nicely caramelized'. I caramelized the heck out of them . . . and now understand the way French Onion Soup is supposed to be! The onions almost melted into the soup . . . the flavours were soft and delicate.

We really, really enjoyed this soup. In fact, we enjoyed it so much that there were no leftovers. Shame this.

I wondered, as I was making the recipe, if there was anything 'French' about French Onion soup or was it an American creation? I was happy to find this on-line (so we know that it MUST be true, don't we?):

French onion soup is an onion and beef broth based soup traditionally served with croutons and cheese as toppings. Although ancient in origin, this dish underwent a resurgence of popularity in the 1960s due to the growth of French cooking in the United States.

Onion soups have been popular at least as far back as Roman times. They were, throughout history, seen as food for the poor people, as onions were plentiful and easy to grow. The modern version of this soup originates in France in the 18 th century,made from dry bread or croutons, beef broth, and caramelized onions. It is often broiled in a ramekin traditionally with gruyère melted on top. The crouton on top is reminiscent of ancient sops.

Legend has it that the soup was created by King Louis XV of France. Late one night, he discovered he only had onions, butter and champagne at his hunting lodge (dear lord - a crisis of royal proportions!), so he mixed them together to create the first French onion soup. Alternate stories attribute the creation to King Louis XIV.

Julia Child's last meal was French Onion Soup. She died peacefully in her sleep of kidney failure soon after. Lucky Julia - if you have to go that wouldn't be all that bad . . .

Don't be put off by those memories of pots of almost raw onions served in basement-dark-and-dingy steak houses throughout the US by waiters in tuxedos . . . this is great soup. You and your lucky friends/family will be very happy when you serve this up!

Enjoy!

French Onion Soup

2 lbs. yellow onions, peeled, halved lengthwise, then sliced thinly crosswise
2 Tbsps. oil
2 Tbsps. butter
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 dried bay leaf or 2 fresh bay leaves
¾ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. sugar
2 tsps. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¾ C. dry white wine (or red wine)
6 C reduced-sodium beef broth (48 fl oz.)
6 diagonal slices of baguette
½ lb. shredded Gruyère (or Comte or Emmental) cheese
2 Tbsps. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)

Heat butter and oil in a heavy 4- to 5-quart pot. Add onions, thyme, bay leaves, sugar and salt. Stirring frequently, cook onions over moderate heat until they are very soft and deep golden brown, about 45 minutes. Add flour and pepper, and stir for 2 minutes. Add wine and stir for 2 more minutes. Add broth and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

While soup simmers, preheat oven to 350°F.

Arrange bread in 1 layer on a baking sheet and toast, turning over once, until completely dry, about 15 minutes. Remove croutons from oven and preheat broiler. Put heat-proof soup bowls in a shallow baking pan.

Discard bay leaves and thyme from soup and divide soup among bowls, then put a crouton in each. Add enough shredded Gruyère to cover crouton, then sprinkle each with Parmigiano-Reggiano (if using).

Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes.

Make ahead: Soup can be made and refrigerated or frozen (of course, do not add croutons and cheese to soup if making ahead); cool soup completely, uncovered, then refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze. Reheat soup before proceeding with recipe.

Sunday Slow Soupers # 13 - Baked Potato Soup

Anne from Louisiana shared her recipe for baked potato soup with the Sunday Slow Soupers this week. She originally got the recipe at a Weight Watchers meeting years ago so it had to be good. I confess to being suspicious because there isn't a lot healthy about a loaded baked potato, however, I threw caution to the wind and got out the soup pot on Wednesday - we were both exhausted after a late night the evening before and were needing some comfort food - this sure fit the bill!

I used to think Baked Potato Soup was just potato soup that used baked potatoes. I'm a little lot slow sometimes. Baked Potato Soup is actually potato soup with the addition of things you'd typically put on a baked potato, like sour cream and chives (and cheddar cheese, if you're so inclined).

I had some trouble with this recipe. It calls for a package of country gravy mix which is impossible to get here in Canada. I was ready for a run to the border to buy some when Paul shook his head and said 'you're going to spend $ 40 in gas for a 99 cent package of chemical gravy mix?' For a change saner heads prevailed and I improvised. Instead of the country gravy mix I added a package of boursin low-fat garlic and herb cheese . .. when it melted it gave the soup a lovely creamy texture and delicious flavour.

Anne wrote that she often tosses in herbs depending upon her mood. I added some thyme and some crushed red pepper to give it some zip.

We both quite liked this soup - even if it wasn't true to the original recipe. it was the perfect comfort food! Just what we needed.

Thanks Anne!

Baked Potato Soup

Olive oil (to cover bottom of pot)
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4-5 cups chicken broth
1 30 oz. package shredded potatoes (don't get flavored, or cubed; just plain shredded potato)
1 package country gravy mix (I use non-fat)
Salt & pepper to taste

Saute onion, pepper, celery and garlic in olive oil over low-medium heat until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.

Add about 1/2 cup of broth and stir; make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom. Turn up heat until soup is bubbly. Add rest of broth, then add frozen potatoes. (Make sure they aren't all in one clump... I bash them on the counter to break them up before I open the package... picture what you would do to bust up a bag of ice before pouring it into the ice chest).

Make sure you have enough broth. You should be able to stir, and the soup should be somewhat thin at this point. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 20 minutes. Once the potatoes are soft, you are ready to thicken the soup.

Take 1 cup of hot water, and stir in the gravy mix. Make sure you have WHITE gravy (i.e., country gravy), not brown gravy!. Make sure you don't have any lumps, and stir into the soup. Soup should be bubbly, but not boiling before you add the gravy. Make sure you mix the gravy into the soup well. Turn down to a simmer, and cook for another 10 minutes or so. Soup should be very thick now.

Add salt and pepper to taste.The gravy mix has a lot of seasoning in it, so make sure you don't season till after that is in. I also add about 2 tsp. of dried basil. Sometimes I add more garlic powder...just up to the cook!

This is your basic soup. Makes about 10 cups. Without any other additions, it is 1 point per cup, for you WW members out there.

You can top it with shredded cheese, bacon bits and chives, or just have it plain.

Variations: Add a can of creamed corn for corn/potato chowder. Add chopped ham for ham/potato soup. Leave out the garlic if you don't like it. Add more if you do! This is a very flexible recipe...I can't wait to see what all of you do with it.