This is the best time of year for a full-bodied, creamy soup. So comforting. One that I turn to again and again is this White Bean Soup from Janet Fletcher, author of Fresh From the Farmers’ Market. (As an aside – this is a great book. Published waaaay back in 1997, it’s one of the first to arrange the recipes seasonally. Check here for a more detailed description, but it’s one of my all time favs.) Continue reading “Winter White Bean Soup”
As I mentioned in my last post, Brazilian Black Bean Soup is one of my favorite recipes from Mollie Katzen’s Moosewood Cookbook. It’s hearty and filling; served with a salad and a nice, crusty bit of bread, it makes a satisfying meal.
But the best thing about it is the unexpected secret ingredient – orange juice! The sweet, tangy orange juice lends the soup a slightly tropical note that is fabulous with the earthy beans. It wakes them right up. (In an older version of the recipe, you whirled a whole orange in the blender and added that to the soup. That method gives you a bit more orange flavors, as well as more body and pulp.)
As for final presentation, you can puree the whole batch of soup, or puree half and serve it chunky; either way, top it with a bit of sour cream, and cilantro or avocado.
(Note: When I was short on time, I tried this recipe with drained canned beans and it worked. But it really is worth the effort to use dried beans. The flavor is much deeper.)
Brazilian Black Bean Soup (adapted from the Moosewood Cookbook)
2 cups of black beans, soaked overnight
4 cups chicken stock
1 T olive oil
2 cups onion, diced
5 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp cumin
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 med carrot, diced
1 med red bell pepper, diced
1 1/2 cups orange juice
black pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste
Soak beans overnight. Rinse a few times. Place in a soup pot or dutch oven, cover with chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook until tender (about 1 hr 15 mins).
After the beans are cooked…Heat oil in a saute pan. Add onion, garlic, cumin, salt, carrot and saute until carrot just begins to get tender (5 mins). Add bell pepper and saute until everything is tender (10 mins). Add the sauted veggies to the beans. Stir in orange juice, cayenne, black pepper. Put some or all of the soup in a blender (or use immersion blender) or food processor and whirl. Simmer gently another 10 minutes or so. Ladle, garnish, serve!
When I was a student at the University of Oregon, I spent a summer waiting tables at Poppi’s Anatolia, a Eugene institution of sorts. Poppi was born in Greece and raised largely in North Africa and London. Her restaurant, which featured a combination Greek and Indian menu, reflected the diverse flavors of her upbringing. Poppi’s was incredibly popular and after a long, busy night of service the staff would sit down together and enjoy a full meal of mouthwatering leftovers. From the Egyptian Moussaka to Vindaloo Chicken, Bindi Bhaji and simple dals, working at Poppi’s rocked my taste buds.
I purchased a few Indian cookbooks and began to work my way through their contents during my off hours. Many people equate Indian food with heat. True, Indian dishes can feature a long list of spices, some of which may include chiles and cayenne. But what defines Indian cooking, in my opinion, is the layering of flavor. These flavor combinations can be spicy, but it’s not always the case. This attention to layering can take a rather humble main ingredient, such as a potato, common vegetable, bean or grain and transform it. (In a good way!)
These days, with a child underfoot, I sometimes find it a bit much to measure out 10 different spices for one recipe. Luckily, I’ve found that there are dishes that require some work at the outset, but then bubble away on their own. This Indian Red Lentil Soup is one of them. Once you’ve measured out the seeds and spices, chopped the onion and rinsed the lentils (which I suggest you do in advance), it comes together very quickly. And the payoff? A deeply flavorful and satisfying winter soup.
Indian Red Lentil Soup
2 ½ cups red lentils, picked over and rinsed thoroughly
4 T vegetable oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 T cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated finely (If you like ginger, add a bit more. A microplane zester works well for this task.)
¼ – ½ tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
6 cups water
2 cups diced fresh tomatoes, peeled and seeded (can use canned)
2 T fresh lime juice
chopped cilantro for garnish
Heat oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add mustard, cumin and coriander and cook, stirring until the seeds stop crackling. Add the onion and continue cooking for 10 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, sugar and salt. Stir for a minute longer. Add the red lentils and the water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Mash the soup with a spoon or mixer until the consistency is to your liking. Add the tomatoes and lime juice and bring back to a simmer over low heat for another 15 minutes. Season to taste and serve garnished with fresh cilantro.
Butternut squash soup is one of our household staples; not only does it taste fantastic, but our four-year-old devours it. Anything that will get more veggies into him is a star in my book.
This recipe is incredibly simple – not a stretch for a weeknight meal-and has a surprising depth of flavor. The addition of an apple gives it a bit of sweetness. Together with some nice bread and a salad, it’s a done deal. The advance planning is to roast the squash ahead of time. After that, you can continue with the rest of the steps or refrigerate the squash and whip up the soup later.
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
1 butternut squash
2 T butter
1 small onion, diced
1 small apple, peeled, cored and diced
2 cups or more of chicken stock
1 pinch of curry powder
1 cup or so of milk (you can also use cream, if you’d like, but it’s not necessary)
1 tsp salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Line a baking sheet with foil. Drizzle olive oil, and sprinkle salt and pepper onto the flesh of the squash. Rub in a bit. Place squash flesh side down on the baking sheet and cook until soft and the skin is wrinkly. (About 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the squash.) Let squash cool somewhat and then peel of the skin-it should come of easily.
Heat butter in a heavy stock / soup pot. Add onion and apple. Saute together until both are soft. Add pinch of curry powder (if you don’t like curry powder, you can omit or substitute is thyme) and continue cooking as aromas release. Add in squash; mash it about. Add 1 tsp of salt. Add in chicken stock until all the ingredients are well covered and everything looks “soupy.” Bring to boil and reduce to simmer for about 15 minutes or so. Adjust seasoning and puree soup, using either an immersion blender or food processor or blender. Return soup to pot and add in milk until the consistency is to your liking. Reheat gently. Do not let soup return to boil after you have added the milk or cream, or it will separate. Enjoy!
Sally and Her Teacakes 