Turkey Corn Chowder

Leftovers... who doesn't have them from Thanksgiving? Our favorite for leftovers from T-Day is this soup but think leftovers before you go and look for or purchase the exact ingredients. I've made this with leftover gravy thinned out instead of stock; leftover corn; leftover potatoes both mashed and whole - whatever I had on hand. I also make it from fresh ingredients from time to time. It's hard to mess this one up - it's great no matter what!

Turkey Corn Chowder
Printable Recipe

4 slices bacon - diced
1/2 cup celery - small dice
1/2cup onion - small dice
8 cups stock - turkey or chicken
1 clove garlic
2 cups peeled and diced potato - cooked or uncooked
2 cups chopped cooked turkey
1 can creamed corn (or 2 cups)
1/2 can whole kernel corn (frozen or fresh as well)
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/2t. dill
to taste
roux~ 1/4c. flour 1/4c. oil

1. Saute bacon, celery, onion & garlic until translucent.
2. Add stock and potatoes - bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer until potatoes are tender.
3. Add corn, turkey, and seasonings. Simmer 20 min.
4. Add roux in a thin stream-whisking constantly.
5. Cook until thickened, remove bay leaf and serve.

First posted at Cooking with Anne - November 29, 2005

Split Pea and Sausage Soup

I love split pea soup. It's basic, easy to make, thrifty and just plain good. I usually add ham to mine or at least a ham hock while it's cooking. This time I used up some bulk sausage I had and it was really a delicious move. I don't think pea soup is right without marjoram added to it, so I am generous when adding it.

Split Pea and Sausage Soup
Serves 6-8
Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons neutral oil - such as vegetable or canola
1 pound bulk country sausage
4 green onions - sliced (aka spring onions or scallions)
1 pound green split peas - rinsed and picked over
1 cup diced carrot
4 cups water
4 cups stock - chicken or vegetable is best
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
salt to taste

1. In a heavy bottomed pot, heat oil and add sausage, breaking up as it cooks.
2. When sausage has cooked through add green onion and cook for several minutes or until fragrant.
3. Add remaining ingredients and cook until peas are soft, about 45 minutes.
4. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Guest Post: Quick and Easy Shoyu Ramen

This recipe comes from my friend Cheryl. We both belong to an email list and there was a discussion recently about healthy vs. unhealthy ramen. Most people don't know that there is a healthy version, but Cheryl, being the wealth of information that she is, let us all know about the "good" kind. Here's a recipe from her that looks fantastic. You can find her at Hapamama's Weblog. Thanks for this, Cheryl!


For most Japanese-Americans and starving college students, instant ramen is something of a pantry staple. In Japan, the ramen you would find in a ramen restaurant is a very different dish than the “Oodles of Noodles” that we're familiar with here in North America. Here's a quick and easy version of the kind of ramen you would find in a ramen shop in Japan.

Quick and Easy Shoyu Ramen
Printable Recipe
Ingredients

15-18 oz Chuka Soba cooked to package directions (see notes for substitutions)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
7 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup water
3 tbsp mirin (or 3 tbsp sake + 1 tbsp sugar see notes for substitution)
½ cup soy sauce (use a naturally brewed one, recommend Kikkoman or Yamasa)
½ cup chopped green onion
shredded nori (optional)

Directions

Put the water, chicken broth, soy sauce, garlic, mirin and ginger in a pot and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.

Put the cooked noodles into a bowl. Ladle the broth over the noodles to the desired amount. Top with chopped green onion and shredded nori if desired.

Notes:

If you can not find Chuka Soba, you could substitute the same amount of chow mein noodles (not the deep fried/crunchy ones) or thin spaghetti cooked slightly past the al dente stage.

Another substitute for mirin is sherry, or even just sugar

Italian Wedding Soup

Italian Wedding Soup

This soup is my favorite of all soups. I know I'm not alone in that, either. I'm not quite sure what it is about this soup that makes it so wonderful.

One of my friends is of Italian descent, and he told me about his family's traditional get-together to make Italian Wedding Soup. He said they would painstakingly make hundreds of tiny meatballs and that his grandmother would inspect them. If they weren't "as small as the tip of your pinky finger" grandma would make them start over.

I've come across so many recipes for this, but the necessary ingredients for each are tiny meatballs, greens, and very small pasta. I like acine di pepe.

Italian Wedding Soup
Serves 6-8

Printable Recipe

Meatballs:

1 pound meatloaf mix (ground pork/veal/beef)
1 large egg
1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 Tablepoons fresh chopped Italian parsley (flat leaf)
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic - minced
1 teaspoon salt

Soup:

10 cups chicken stock
1 clove garlic - minced
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced yellow onion
1 cup diced carrot
1 pound chopped fresh spinach or 9 oz. frozen chopped
1 cup small pasta such as acine di pepe

1. Mix together all ingredients for meatballs until very well combined.
2. Bring 10 cups of chicken stock to a slow boil.
3. Drop meatball mixture by the teaspoonful into the boiling stock - one at a time.
4. When all meatballs have been added to the stock, add remaining ingredients and simmer until carrots are tender and pasta is cooked - about 20 minutes.
5. Serve with extra Parmesan cheese sprinkled in each bowl.

Watercress and Spinach Soup

Watercress is one of those classic soups that you either love or hate. I'm a lover, but I decided to go slightly different with this one. Rather than the usual onion, I used green onion and added some spinach for extra color and a slightly different flavor.

Watercress and Spinach Soup
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup sliced green onion (or scallion) - white and green parts
2 Tablespoons butter or olive oil
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups diced potato (peeled)
4 ounces watercress - leaves and tender stems only
1 cup frozen chopped spinach (if using fresh, about 1 pound chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk - any fat content from skim to whole is fine

1. Melt butter in a soup pot. Add green onion and stir briefly.
2. Add stock and potato. Simmer until potato is tender - about 20 minutes.
3. Add watercress, spinach and salt. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in milk.
5. Puree in a blender in small batches. Return to pot and heat through.

Pumpkin Bisque with Nutmeg and Ginger Croutons

This soup is a classic pumpkin soup with a little extra for the top - nutmeg and ginger croutons. This has been adapted from a recipe I learned in culinary school. It doesn't get any smoother than this.

Pumpkin Bisque with Nutmeg and Ginger Croutons
Serves 6 - 8
Printable Recipe

Bisque:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup onion - diced
1/2 cup celery - diced
1/2 cup flour
8 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
2 cloves garlic - minced
Salt and white pepper to taste
2 cups half and half

1. Cook onion and celery in butter until translucent.
2. Add flour and whisk in to make a roux - do not brown.
3. Add stock - whisking as you pour - and remaining ingredients.
4. Simmer until onions and celery are tender - approximately 30 minutes.
5. Run soup through a food mill or puree in a blender/processor until
smooth and put through a strainer.
6. Return to pot and simmer until heated through.
7. Remove from heat and immediately add half and half. Stir well.
8. Serve topped with croutons.

Nutmeg and Ginger Croutons:

4 c bread cubes
1/2 cup butter - melted
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1. Toss bread cubes with butter and sprinkle with nutmeg and ginger.
2. Bake on a cookie sheet at 450 degrees F - tossing frequently until browned and crisp. Store in an airtight container and use within one week.
First published at Cooking with Anne November 8, 2005.

What is it About Soup?

When I set out to start this blog, it was a little bit of an experiment. Although I have been niche blogging for three years, I wanted to see what the outcome of a micro-niche blog would be. Micro-niche is sort of a funny term for a blog about soup. While it is one topic, there are so many types of soup that it's near mind-boggling. Which, of course, is where the title of this blog came from.

The response to this blog has been overwhelming. It took three years to see the kind of traffic and comments on Cooking with Anne that I've witnessed here in just 3 days' time. I think it's terrific and hope that it continues, but not for me - for my readers. It's so fulfilling to offer something that others like.

I don't think it has anything to do with the author, either; I think it has to do with the love of soup.

Why do people love soup so much? I have a few reasons for my own love, and I bet they're similar to many, but I would enjoy knowing what everyone else feels about this single food.

My love of soup is part thrift, part laziness and part flavor-related. Many of the soups I've made over the years were made simply for the fact that it was the easiest way to stretch whatever ingredients I had on-hand to feed our large family. Sometimes soup was the fastest way to dinner. And sometimes soup was the only thing that would fill the bill; There is no other flavor like French Onion Soup or Veal Blanquette - no matter how you deconstruct it.

I hope to make this a very long-lasting endeavor. I honestly do aspire to share a thousand soups, because I know there are that many out there; but more than anything, I hope to fill my readers' appetites with delicious and wonderful soups.

Moroccan Spiced Beef Stew with Sweet Potato Dumplings

This recipe is a creation based on one I have posted at Cooking with Anne. I took a traditional beef stew and twisted it slightly with Moroccan spices and the addition of sweet potato dumplings.

Moroccan Spiced Beef StewServes 6-8

Printable Recipe

2 Tablespoons oil

2 pounds beef stew cubes

2 large sweet potatoes - peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

2 large white potatoes - peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

2 large carrots - peeled and cut into 1 inch lengths

1 medium onion - cut into chunks

8 cups beef stock

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

1 -2 teaspoons cayenne pepper - this depends on your tastes

2 teaspoons salt

1. Heat oil in a large heavy soup pot and brown beef cubes well.

2. Add stock and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for another 30 minutes, or until vegetable are tender.

4. Thicken with flour and water now or wait until dumplings are done cooking.

Sweet Potato Dumplings

Makes 15 - 20 small dumplings

1/2 cup mashed sweet potato

1/2 cup milk

1 large egg

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1. Combine sweet potato, milk and egg and stir until smooth.
2. Mix together flour, salt and baking powder and add to wet ingredients.

3. Stir well until a sticky dough forms.

4. Bring stew to a simmer and drop dumpling dough by teaspoonful onto hot liquid. Lid the pot.

5. Simmer for 10 minutes with lid on until dumplings are puffy and cooked through.

6. Thicken stew now, if desired.

Chicken Stew

Stew is so satisfying that it's hard to believe how simple it is to make. This version doesn't take a long time to cook, either, so it's perfect for any night of the week.

Chicken Stew
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

2 pounds chicken breast chunks
flour to coat chicken
2 Tablespoons oil
8 cups chicken stock
6 large potatoes, cut into large cubes
1 medium onion, cut into chunks
1/2 pound baby carrots, peeled
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper


1. Coat chicken chunks in flour.
2. Heat a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Add oil and chicken.
3. Brown chicken lightly and add remaining ingredients.
4. Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf before serving.

* Adding this in here - you may want to thicken at the end with a simple water/flour slurry or Beurre Manier - to desired thickness, no real formula.

Red Clam Chowder

Not exactly Manhattan-style, this soup is full of vegetables and flavor.

Red Clam Chowder

Serves 4
Printable Recipe

1 - 6.5 ounce can clams in juice

4 cups fish or chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon dry thyme

1 bay leaf

1/3 cup each diced carrots, onion and potato

1/3 cup each cut green beans, lima beans and green peas

1/3 cup sliced okra

1 can diced tomatoes in juice

cornstarch to thicken

Combine all in a soup pot and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove bay leaf and thicken with cornstarch and water.

Cabbage and Kielbasa Soup

Four major ingredients make one delicious soup. Your house may smell a little like walking into a polish grandmother's kitchen, but it's worth it.


Cabbage and Kielbasa Soup
Serves 6-8
Printable Recipe

1 medium onion - thinly sliced
1 pound kielbasa - sliced thin
6 cups cabbage - thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
2 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
8 cups beef broth

Saute onions with kielbasa until lightly browned. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until cabbage is tender, 30 - 45 minutes. Remove bay leaf and cloves before serving.

Pierogi Chowder

We really love pierogies here; pierogi casserole, fried pierogies, steamed pierogies, pierogies smothered in numerous toppings. I came up with this soup as a result of that love and it's fantastic, if I do say so myself.

Pierogi Chowder

Serves 6-8

Printable Recipe

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion

8 cups water

3 cups diced potato

2 cups instant potato flakes

2 cups milk

1/2 pound American cheese - shredded or cubed

6 ounces wide egg noodles - cooked until tender

salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat and add oil. Toss in onion and cook until translucent.
2. Add water and diced potatoes. Simmer until potatoes are tender - about 20 minutes.

3. When potatoes are tender, mash until broken up well.

4. Add potato flakes and stir well.

5. Pour in milk and stir until smooth.

6. Stir in American cheese and mix until cheese is melted.

7. Blend in drained noodles and add salt and pepper to taste.

Meatball and Tortellini Soup

I've come across quite a few variations of this soup, but I really like this one. It's a bit like Italian Wedding soup and Tortellini Soup all in one. Make your own meatballs, if you'd like, the frozen ones just make this really quick.

Meatball and Tortellini Soup

Printable Recipe

Serves 6-8

10 cups chicken stock

2 cloves garlic - minced

1 pound frozen meatballs

8 ounces dry tortellini

1 cup diced carrot

1 pound frozen spinach

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Combine everything except Parmesan cheese in a large soup pot and simmer until tortellini is tender. Toss in Parmesan and stir well.

Mediterranean Chickpea Soup

This soup combines some of the best Mediterranean flavors without being heavy or difficult to make.

Mediterranean Chickpea Soup

Serves 6 - 8

Printable Recipe

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup sliced green onion

2 cloves garlic - minced

3 cans chickpeas - drained

1 can diced tomato

4 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon crushed rosemary
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat olive oil over a medium flame in a heavy soup pot.

2. Add green onion and garlic and stir briefly.

3. Add stock, chickpeas, tomato, bay leaf, and rosemary.

4. Simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan.

Minted Green Pea Bisque

Although this may seem like a fair weather soup, I find it to be perfect on any chilly day.

Minted Green Pea Bisque
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

5 cups fresh shelled or frozen green peas - divided
4 cups chicken stock or broth (or vegetable stock)
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1/2 teaspoon dried and crushed mint
1 cup milk or half and half
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour

1. Combine stock, green onion, mint and 4 cups of peas together in a soup pot.
2. Simmer for 20 minutes to blend flavors.
3. Strain solids and reserve liquid.
4. Puree solids in a blender until very smooth.
5. Melt butter in the soup pot and add flour. Whisk until smooth.
6. Stir in reserved liquid until smooth and thickened.
7. Add pea puree and simmer for several minutes.
8. Pour in milk or half and half and add last cup of peas. Stir well before serving.