Welcome everyone :)
Over the last 4 years I've fielded way too many soup recipe requests for me to continue to ignore the demand so as we head into prime soup season I decided it's time to share. Each week I'll share a few recipes from my stash of soups ...give a few hints about dishes to serve em with and just hope someone will pipe up with some recipes of their own. Each week will have a theme.
Disclaimer: I run a cafe in South Central PA and I reserve the right to use any recipe shared at my cafe and I will give the recipe sharer credit:) By the same token, I ask if you use my recipe that you give credit to the cafe- Treats Creamery & Cafe
Now on with the show...
I thought tonight we should start with the basics...the stock.
For future themes, vote in the poll...each week's winner will be the theme for the following week :)
ANY soup you make will use one of the following as a base. Note: all of these are stocks (and really most of the recipes I will be sharing) that I co-opted from various sources but messed with enough to call my own.
If you really don't have time or resources to make your own stock you can always use bouillon or buy pre made soup stocks at the store, but there's nothing like home made.
The basic stock categories are Chicken, Beef, Veggie and Fish. I will share one recipe for each with a few notes of additions/substitutions.
Another thought about stocks...I make HUGE batches at a time and then I "package" them in containers of 3-4 cups each and just defrost what I need for that days' soup making. And when I say HUGE I mean I quadruple these recipes or even larger :)
Chicken Stock:
prep time: 10-20 minutes
Cooking time: 3 to 4 hours
Makes: 8 cups
Ingredients:
4 lb. meaty chicken bones, chopped or cut or pulled apart (keep the bones)
2 leeks, chopped (inner white parts- i usually use the bottom 1/4 of the leek and peel away the outer layer)
1 large vidalia onions
2 carrots, peeled and quartered
2 ribs of celery, diced big
4 garlic cloves (i love garlic, you can use less)
fresh parsley to taste
2 bay leaves
garlic pepper, sea salt and other herbs to taste (i often add thyme, basil, and oregano- for spicer soups i add chili powder and cumin as a base for my "tex mex" style soups)
Directions:
- In large soup pot, put bones and enough water to cover...bring to a boil then simmer for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse.
- Return bones to pot, add all ingredients. Add 12 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and let simmer 3-4 hours. As stock simmers, skim surface frequently. Stock is done when you have about 8 cups of stock.
3.Strain stock through a fine sieve, pressing hard on the solids to get as much juicy goodness out of them as possible. Let stock cool, then use or package for freezing.
Beef Stock:
Prep: 10-20 minutes
Cook time: 4 to 5 hours
Makes: 8 cups
Ingredients:
4-5 lbs. meaty beef bones, sawed into 2-3 inch pieces
1 large onion, diced
2 leeks, chopped (see chk. stock for leek hint)
2 carrots, quartered
1 whole head of garlic
2 celery ribs, diced big
2 cups chopped, deseeded tomatoes (I prefer hearty beefsteak tomatoes for this)
Parsley, bay leaves, sea salt, garlic pepper and herbs to taste
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place bones in a roasting pan and roast for 25 minutes. Add onions, leeks, carrots and garlic and roast another 25-30 minutes until veggies are tender and lightly browning
- Transfer bones and veggies to large soup pot. Add 1 cup cold water and bring to boil. Add rest of veggies and spices and 10 cups cold water. Return to boil, turn heat to low and let simmer 3-4 hours or until your stock has reduced to about 8 cups.
- Strain stock through sieve, pressing hard on solids. Le cool, use or packge for freezing
Vegetable Stock
Prep: 10-20 minutes
Cook Time: 2-3 hours
Makes: 8 cups
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
3 leeks, sliced (see leeks hint above)
2 carrots, peeled and quartered
2 celery ribs, diced big
1 large red potato, cubed (not peeled)
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced (i usually use portabella)
8 garlic cloves
Thyme, Rosemary, basil, oregano, sea salt and pepper
- In soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add veggies and cook until veggies are tender. Add 12 cups hot water and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce to low and let simmer 2-3 hours, until stock reduces to about 8 cups.
- Strain stock through sieve, pressing solids hard. Let cool, use or package for freezing.
Fish Stock
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: 4 cups (smaller amounts are needed as fish stock is quite potent)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups bottled clam juice
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 leek, sliced
Parsley, thyme, bay leaves, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, old bay to taste
- In stock pot combine everything and add 21/2 cups cold water. Bring to a boil and reduce to low. Let simmer 20 minutes or so.
- Strain stock through sieve, pressing hard on solids. Let cool, use or package for freezing.
Tune in next week for more soups!