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Beautiful Soups to Warm the SoulSweet and Sour Cabbage Soup A comfort on a cold winter’s evening. Serve with black bread. Some cooks add caraway seeds, and that’s tasty, too. 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large yellow onion, chopped 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes About 4 cups chicken broth, or more 1 medium head cabbage, thinly shredded (a food processor makes this easy) ½ teaspoon salt Pepper to taste (I use black pepper, white pepper, and a dash of cayenne) 3 tablespoons cider vinegar, or more 3 tablespoons brown sugar, or more In a large heavy pot, heat the butter and oil until they are hot but not smoking, and sauté the onion and celery until they are softened and fragrant. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 3 cups broth, cabbage, salt and pepper. Add more broth to make a soup of the thickness you prefer. Add vinegar and sugar. Simmer for about 1 hour. The cabbage should be very tender and sweet. Taste to correct seasoning. You may want more vinegar or sugar or pepper, but add these cautiously, 1 teaspoon at a time, tasting as you go. I like this soup to be peppery. Makes about 3 quarts. ****************************************************** Inauguration Day Chicken Soup, Tuscan Style with Cannellini and Zucchini ¼ cup olive oil 1 large yellow onion, chopped 4 stalks celery with leafy tops, chopped 1 sweet red pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces (optional) 2 cloves garlic, minced 8 meaty skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 2 ½ pounds), preferably organic, rinsed in salted water 1 cup sliced carrot 1 quart chicken broth (Swanson in the big box) 1 quart water 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules or 3 cubes Pinches of dried rosemary and sage leaves, or fresh if in season Salt and pepper to taste 2 (14-ounce) cans cannellini (white beans) 3 small zucchini, well scrubbed ¼ cup chopped fresh flat parsley Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese to pass Heat the oil in a large heavy pot, and sauté the onions, celery, and sweet red pepper, if using, until soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Add the chicken and carrots, and continue to sauté for 3 minutes. Add the broth, water, bouillon, and seasonings, and bring the soup to a boil.Lower heat, and simmer until chicken in quite tender, 45 to 50 minutes. Meanwhile, drain and rinse the cannellini well. Cut the zucchini into ½ inch half rounds. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and cut it into chunks.Return the chicken to the pot. The soup can be made a day ahead and refrigerated to this point. Add the cannellini and zucchini. Simmer 5 minutes or until the zucchini is just tender, not mushy. Taste to correct seasoning, adding more salt or pepper if needed. Stir in parsley. Serve with grated cheese. Makes about a gallon, enough for 8 to 10 people, and you may even have some left over. Freezes well. P.S. If you cut this recipe in half, just use big box of broth, no water and bouillon. But you can use up to 6 thighs if smaller size. Considering there are no noodles, this is a surprisingly thick soup that was a crowd-pleaser. **************************************************** Fennel Soup For anchovy lovers only. 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 clove garlic minced 2 anchovies 2 tablespoons of oil from the anchovies. 1 large bulb fennel, cored and chopped into 1-inch pieces 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes 1 quart chicken broth Salt and pepper to taste 1 cup small elbow macaroni, cooked separately, al dente Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese. Heat the oil in a large pot, and sauté the garlic and anchovies with 2 tablespoons of their oil until they begin to soften. Add the fennel and continue to sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the tomatoes, broth, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add the elbows and continue to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with grated cheese. Makes 4 servings ****************************************************** Macaroni, Bean, and Bacon Soup Of course you can omit the bacon, in which case you really have a pot of Pasta e Fagioli (informally, Pasta Fazule.) I use Whole Foods’ Applegate Farms Bacon which is cured without nitrates. ¼ cup olive oil 1 yellow onion, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes 1 quart chicken broth (Swanson in the big box) 2 cups water 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules or 1 cube 2 (14-ounce) cans pinto or Roman beans, drained and well rinsed Pinches of dried oregano, basil, sage and/or rosemary Salt and pepper to taste – plenty of pepper is recommended 1 cup elbow macaroni, cooked separately, al dente 6 slices crisp cooked bacon cut into pieces Heat the oil in a large heavy pot, and saute the onion and celery until they are soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. Add the broth, water, bouillon, beans, herbs, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the cooked elbows; simmer 5 more minutes. Stir in the bacon and serve. Makes about 2 quarts. Note: Like many thick soups, this one gets even thicker when leftover. It’s a good idea to add a cup or so of chicken broth when reheating. © Dolores Stewart Riccio |
