To Life!

FOOD

Mmmmm, Good!

Homemade soups warm the spirit during winter.

Annabel Cohen
Special to the Jewish News

E

ach year I write about soup. Good
thing, because lately it's all I
want. Hot, thick soup. Anything
that will make me feel warmer in these
freezing temperatures.
Canned soup just doesn't do it. Maybe
it's the mushy noodles. Or way too much
sodium. Or perhaps the money-saving
soup companies don't share my viewpoint
regarding what "hearty" means. And soup
is just so easy to make.
Since soup is mostly water (even your
grandmother's chicken soup), flavor must
be added to the water or your soup will
taste like, well, water.
The most basic soups start with onions.
Even if you add little more than onions
and salt to water, you will have the mak-
ings of a flavorful broth. Other ingredients,
such as garlic, celery, carrots, herbs and
spices make the broth more flavorful.
It's the layering of these different, yet
complementary ingredients that add
depths and complexity to soup.
If, after following directions religiously
you still have a blah soup, don't fret. The
quickest fix to soup is more seasoning.
Remember, measurements are a sug-
gestion. Start with what's prescribed
— whether it's salt, garlic, carrots or dill
— and adjust to your taste. Add a little at
a time and sip (drink a little water after
every few tastes to clean your palette).
If the soup is too thin or watery, thicken
it by removing some of the solids from the
soup and some of the broth. Puree it in a
blender or food processor and add it back
to the pot and heat again.
The recipes below will get you started
on your journey to soup perfection. Just
remember to taste and adjust seasonsings
near the end.

Potato And Roasted Corn Soup
3 cups frozen corn kernels,
thawed and drained
3 Tbsp. olive oil
4 Tbsp. Oh stick) butter
3 cups chopped red or Bermuda
onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup flour
8 cups vegetable broth or water
4 large russet or Idaho potatoes,
peeled, cut into 1/2-inch dice

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February 22 2007

4 cups whole milk
salt and pepper to taste
fresh chopped dill, garnish
Preheat oven to 400F. Spread corn on
a baking sheet with sides and drizzle oil
over. Use your hands to toss the corn to
coat with the oil. Roast the corn, turning
once or twice with a spatula during cook-
ing, until browned, about 30 minutes or
more. Remove from oven and cool.
While the corn is roasting, melt but-
ter in a soup pot over medium-high heat.
Add onions and garlic and cook until the
vegetables are softened. Sprinkle flour
over and stir for 2 minutes. Add remaining
ingredients and corn, cover pot and bring
to a boil.
Reduce heat and cook until potatoes
and onions are tender, about 30 minutes,
adding more water or broth if the soup
becomes too thick (do not boil vigorously
or the soup might stick to the bottom of
the pot).
Stir well, add salt and pepper to taste
and serve with fresh chopped dill sprin-
kled over the top. Makes 8 servings.

Lentil Soup
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. ground cumin
3 cups lentils any color, rinsed,
drained
2 quarts chicken broth
1 can (28 oz.) diced
Italian-seasoned tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-
high heat. Add celery, onion, carrot, garlic,
bay leaves and cumin and sauté until
vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Add
remaining ingredients, cover pot and
bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until
the lentils are tender, about 1 hour.
Allow to cool a bit before ladling 4 cups
of the soup into a pitcher or bowl of a
food processor and puree or process until
smooth. Add the pureed soup back to the
pot and stir well. Adjust salt and pepper to
taste. Serve hot. Makes 8 servings.

Italian Vegetable Soup
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped onions

11/2 cups chopped carrots
1 1/2 cup thin sliced celery
8 cups water
1 cup white wine
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
in juice
1 can (15 oz.) white kidney beans
(cannellini), drained
1 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped
spinach, thawed
2 Tbsp. dried parsley
1/2 cup prepared pesto
2 cups diced zucchini
2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/2 pound small pasta shape,
such as shells, orzo, rotelli or
small penne, cooked al dente
and drained
salt and pepper to taste
fresh Parmesan cheese, garnish
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-
high heat. Add onions, carrots and celery
and saute until vegetables are soft, about 8
minutes. Add water, wine, tomatoes, beans,
spinach, parsley and pesto and bring to a
boil. Reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes.
Add the zucchini, peas, pasta and salt
and pepper to taste, cover and bring to a
boil and cook five minutes more. Serve
garnished with fresh shaved or grated
Parmesan cheese. Makes 8 hearty serv-
ings.

Cream Of Chicken Soup
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup flour
10 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
4 cups cooked cubed chicken
I cup non-dairy creamer
salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-
high heat. Add the onions and sauté for 8
minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring,
for 2 minutes more. Add broth and stir
until smooth. Stir in the parsley. Add the
chicken, cover and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the
creamer and cook for 5 minutes more.
Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.
Makes 8 servings.

Beef And Root Vegetable Soup
4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 pounds boneless beef chuck,
cut into 1-inch cubes

2 cups chopped onions
2 medium leeks (white and pale
green parts only), chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped garlic
6 cups beef broth or water
2 cups dry red wine
1 can (141/2 oz.) crushed
tomatoes with purée
2 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
I tsp. dried thyme
I bay leaf
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
11/2 cups sliced carrots
1 1/2 cups 1/2-inch diced
parsnips
1 large russet or Idaho potato,
peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut
into 1/2-inch cubes
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in heavy, large, oven-
proof pot over medium-high heat.
Working in batches, cook beef until
browned on all sides. Transfer meat to
bowl.
Without cleaning pot, add the onions,
leeks and garlic and saute until softened,
about 8 minutes, scraping up any beef bits
from the bottom of the pot. Add broth,
wine, tomatoes, parsley, thyme, bay leaf,
salt and pepper. Cover, bring to a boil and
reduce heat. Cook for 1 hour, until the beef
is tender.
Add the carrots, parsnips and potatoes,
cover and cook for 30 minutes more, until
vegetables are tender. Serve hot. Makes 8
hearty servings.

