stew

Sausage and White Bean Soup

This is a lovely winter soup in that it is hearty and can be made with what you have in the wintertime. Italian sausage is totally required as are onions, carrots, celery, great northern beans plus some delicious seasonings that make it perfection.

Notes: I used dried great northern beans; cooked them in my instant Pot until done. Once you have that it is about 30 minutes to make it. You can use canned beans but I do prefer the wonderful flavor when you cook them from a dried state. If you want to change the veggies; sure but don’t leave them out as they really add to the substance and flavor of the soup. The cream gets so dispersed that it really doesn’t taste all that rich, but it does pull the whole thing together perfectly.

Sausage and White Bean Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup (half a bag) of dried Great Northern beans

1 bay leaf

1 lb of Italian sausage; loose (if in links you will need to slit the casing and dump out the meat before cooking.

1 large onion diced

2 big carrots, cut in half rounds

3 celery stalks diced

2 tsp. minced garlic

4 cups chicken broth or all the bean cooking liquid plus 2 tsp. Better than Boullion chicken broth paste and enough water to make 4 cups; I had 3 cups of bean broth leftover from cooking the beans

1 Tbsp. tomato paste

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. basil

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (up to 1/2 tsp.)

1/4-1/2 tsp. black pepper (I used 1/4 tsp)

2 cups or handfuls of baby spinach

1/2 cup heavy cream

1-2 Tbsp. chopped parsley to sprinkle on top or 1 tsp. dried parsely

Directions: I put the beans in water to cover them, brought to a boil and boiled 2 minutes. Then let them stand 1 hour. Drain water and rinse beans well. Place in IP with filtered water to cover by nearly 2 inches. I set my IP for 15 minutes as I had this bag for at least 6 months. After it cools 15 more minutes open the top and let cool while you make the soup.

In a large saucepan spray the bottom with cooking spray as it heats. Add sausage meat. Cook 10-15 minutes, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add the chopped onions and carrots; stir well and add the celery. Stir and cook about 5 minutes. Add the garlic; stir and cook a minute. Then add the spices, the tomato paste and stir well. Add the stock/broth. Let heat a couple of minutes and add the beans. Stir well and let it come to a simmer. Cook 8 minutes. Taste and make sure the veggies are cooked. If not cook a few minutes more. Add the cream slowly (I like to pour a few spoonfuls of the hot soup in and stir it up to warm the cream before adding it.) Cook a minute at a simmer and add the spinach. Cook 3-4 more minutes; sprinkle with parsley and serve. Enjoy!

Chilly Day Bean Soup

Another cold winter day!  It’s time for a hearty one pot meal.  This one is my multi-bean soup with Italian sausage.  I’m doing a half recipe this time for those who don’t want a giant pot of bean soup! I started with half a 1 lb. 4 oz bag of 15 bean mix   If you have celiac most 16 or 15 bean mixtures for soups contain barley which we  cannot eat.  I found Hurts’s HamBeens 15 Bean Soup mix at Giant grocery store that was marked gf.  I did not use the seasoning packet that came with it.  Same brand I used last time.

My soup has Italian sausage, but you can leave that out if you want a vegetarian version. I personally love sausage in a bean stew. Gives you lots of meaty flavor and a healthy dose of protein. I am guessing you could use other things like smoky ham chunks or maybe a ham hock?

I enjoyed a hot bowl of this healthy pottage with a slice of toasted multigrain sourdough gf bread.  It made a full meal without anything else being necessary.   A fresh crunchy salad would go well if you want to round your dining experience out with some greens!

Multi Bean Soup with Sausage (approx. 4 servings)

Soak half of a 1 pound 4 oz (typical bag size) of dried mixed beans in filtered water to cover.  Soak it for an hour or try the overnight treatment, which is what I did.  Bring to a boil and let stand an hour or just let stand in the cold water overnight.  Be sure to drain them well and rinse with sink sprayer before returning the swollen legumes to the carefully rinsed out pot.  Cover with fresh filtered water and add a bay leaf.  Cook 2 hours, pour in more water as needed and stir so it doesn’t stick or burn, cook another hour until the beans are nearly tender.  It is hard to say when beans get done, depends on a number of factors, taste often to check for tenderness. And stir that pot! As they approach that almost done spot start the rest of the dish, get everything chopped up and ready to toss in when the beans have reached the two-hour mark.

Chop into dice:

2 carrots

1 medium to large onion

Mince: 1 big garlic clove

Add the veggies to the pot, stir and cook 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add water if needed.  I like the soup thick, but it can’t be solid so add water.

As that cooks, start the sausage.  Sauté 3 Italian sausage links: brown in a frying pan with a touch of olive oil until top and bottom are browned and sausage is mostly done. Let cool a bit and slice into rounds or chunks, set aside.

Add the following to the soup:

½ a 14 ounce can of diced tomatoes

1/8 or less tsp. red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp. dried oregano

Sprinkle dried basil

1/8 tsp smoked paprika

½ bunch of kale leaves cut into big shreds; I cut off the bigger stems as they can be tough.

1 tsp sea salt

Some fresh ground black pepper

Cook ten minutes, add more water if it gets too thick. Stir occasionally.  Taste and add more spice if you think the soup needs more. Add the sliced sausage and cook five – ten minutes more.  A total cooking time could be from 2.5-3 hours, depending on your beans.  If they have been sitting in the pantry for many months they take longer to cook to a tender texture.

Taste and add more salt/pepper as you see necessary.  Let stand 5-10 minutes before ladling out.  Now that is comfort food that is good for you too!

Revised from a recipe originally posted February 2015

Finnish Salmon Soup

This soup is a combination of at least 3 recipes maybe 4. I think it is delicious, delicate and definitely a different direction than what I normally do with salmon fillet. You can mess with the ingredients but stick with salmon, dill and potatoes in a light creamy soup. Change up your soup game and try this one for sure!

Notes: I deskinned the salmon and fried up the skin for the cat, if you like crispy salmon skin you could Jullianne it and add on top of your soup at serving time. Most of the recipes wanted soup stock but vegetable or even chicken stock were listed as alternative choices. I went with vegetable stock. Try for a creamy potato- I used homegrown organic reds. Most recipes say whipping cream but a few said half and half or light cream if you want less richness. Your choice but I went with heavy cream. Carrots seem to be in most every recipe and most ask for leek. I got leeks and used one; lovely undertone flavor. The other 2 leeks are going in a turkey and pasta dish that is a favorite of mine. I love planning to use all of an unusual ingredient like leeks. Nothing is wasted and great food is created. I added a serving of shrimp (in shell for more flavor) but honestly I think I just want to stick with salmon. Several other recipes had cod too. Another good option. Definately fresh dill is a must…it is totaly in the flavor profile for this geographic area. Leftover dill could go in potato salad, on top of a sauteed fish fillet or on a white sauce for a pop of fresh flavor. I used less dill than the recipes suggested; totally a personal choice but dry dill would be a sad sad choice.

Finnish Salmon Soup

1 leek; remove dark green leaves and cut up white portion and pale green into quarter inch rounds.

2 Tbsp. butter plus one more for topping finished soup

2 medium carrots peeled and thinly sliced on a bit of a diagnonal for lots of surface area

4-5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced to 3/4 inch size more or less. About 2 cups worth

4 cups of veggie/fish/chicken broth

2/3 cup heavy cream or half/half

1 -1 1/4 lb. of salmon fillet, deskinned and cut into 1 inch cubes

40-60 grams of fresh dill chopped somewhat fine- about a cups worth, can add more if you like

DIRECTIONS

Melt the butter in a medium (2-3 qt) saucepan. Add leeks, sauté slowly for 6 minutes, do not let it brown. Add the carrots, stir and cook a minute. Add the potatoes and broth, stir well and cook for 15 minutes on medium low – until the potatoes are close to fork done. Add the heavy cream, stir up and let heat a minute. Then add salmon cubes and cook 4 minutes on low heat. Add the dill and turn off; let stand a minute and add that tbsp. of butter. Once it melts serve it up in a wide bowl. This would go well with a slice of toasted sourdough bread. Enjoy!

Turkey Posole Stew; Sort of Spicy and So Delish!

I am betting you have some roast turkey in the freezer, maybe a pint of gravy too?  Well, I have just the recipe for you, courtesy of Rachel Ray and foodnetwork.com.  It is nothing like most traditional turkey leftover recipes.  It is a slightly spicy Mexican stew; posole stew can easily be gluten free. Just use care choosing your chicken broth and your tortilla chips that accompany this savory soup. One of these years I will remember to buy an extra carton of gf turkey broth and use in instead of chicken broth; turkey broth disappears immediately after thanksgiving; a bit of a bummer….

I have been making it every fall after Thanksgiving and always look forward to a few bowls of it.  Spicy, crunchy, tangy; unlike any other soup I make.  Posole stew can be made with roasted pork and I have done so but I like it far better created with leftover roast turkey, especially the dark meat.  I have served this stew to many people, and it is always well received and enjoyed, even by my elderly mother.  I made a batch today and it was so delish! You can cut this recipe in half easily which I did this time; didn’t have enough turkey for a whole recipe and my fridge is pretty full anyway; my posole turned out great and I am thrilled to be enjoying it again. 

Notes:  I used most of a good-sized jalapeno pepper and one 15 ounce can of hominy in a half recipe. I used a cup of water for the beer and a carton of gf chicken broth. About 3-4 tablespoons of homemade turkey gravy this time: ate the rest on hot sandwiches. It was absolutely delish!

tomatillos

The more jalapeno pepper you add the hotter it will be. I have tried canned tomatillos, and they are not really a good substitute.  You can get them fresh (found near the fresh tomatoes) in many stores including Giant.  They are used in Hispanic and Mexican cooking and add a lot of flavor and tartness to the soup. I have heard that some folks use salsa Verde instead of tomatillos but it really isn’t hard to chop them up, so I recommend the real deal.

Hominy is a corn product; whole kernels soaked in lye to swell and soften.  The kernels have a mild corn flavor plus they soak up other flavors quickly and add a certain texture and body to the stew.

The wild turkey is native to North America and one turkey species is originally from Mexico.  So turkey is a natural component in this stew.  The Aztecs revered corn and liked to cook it with meat.  Tomatillos are native to Mexico, related to cape gooseberries.  They are used in salsa verde and other Mexican dishes. So this compilation of turkey, corn, tomatillos and lime is a natural combination that will be easy to make and fun to eat. Go on, be adventurous and enjoy a steaming hot bowl of delicious posole and use up that turkey in a totally different way!

Turkey Posole Stew

Ingredients

2 tbsp mild olive oil or canola oil

2 medium onions chopped

4 cloves garlic chopped fine

1-2 jalapeno peppers – seeded and chopped fine –use two if you like it spicy, I use one!

1 tbsp. ground cumin

1 cup GF beer (can use 1 cup water if you want but it gives more flavor)

Coarse salt and pepper

12-16 tomatillos; about 2 lbs, take off the paper cover, rinse and chop up.  Can coarsely chop in food processor

5-6 sprigs fresh thyme; chop it up off the stems.

2   15-ounce cans hominy

1.5 qt chicken stock (can be part gravy)

1 ½ to 2 lbs. chopped turkey meat; can be mixture of light and dark

1 lime juiced

Chopped cilantro leaves to garnish (optional)

Tortilla chips: the ones with lime go particularly well with this.

tomatillos

Cook first six ingredients about 5 min in a large stock pot.  Add beer or water, cook one minute.  Add chopped tomatillos and cook 5-6 minutes until softened.  Add hominy, thyme and stock and cook 15 minutes.  Add chopped turkey and lime juice, stir. Taste and add salt and pepper, stir well.  I never use cilantro; something I just don’t like, but feel free to add it as the original recipe uses a bunch of it.turkey posole soup

Then ladle the posole into bowls and serve lots of white tortilla chips to crunch over the top of the hot soup.  As the soup disappears from my bowl, I like to add more chips to keep the crunch going.