soup

Borscht, A Great Summer Soup!

When the day is hot and I want a refreshing start to my meal that is quick to make I think of borscht. I just do it very fast; use canned whole beets and add some bullion paste, lemon juice, salt and red wine vinegar. Blender does a quick puree and the liquid in the cans makes it the right thickness. It just needs a good chill in the fridge and you are ready to enjoy a cup of summer chill! It doesn’t get easier than this soup!

Beets, lemon juice and chicken broth concentrate in my blender.
Not super appealing but this is it after the puree process. I use a spatula to scrape all I can get out of the blender canister.

This soup is filling, refreshing and even my sometimes-picky guy has taken to it and happily spoons it up as a first course! It keeps in my fridge for about a week although it generally gets eaten by the third day.

Notes: you can use fresh cooked and peeled beets. Fresh lemon juice is best. In a pinch you could use white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. I pour mine into a quart yogurt container and snap on the lid and in the fridge it goes for a minimum of 6 hours; better to do 8-10 hours. I like to chill the cups/bowl I serve it in. And, of course you need sour cream to top it with!

Angie’s Borscht

Ingredients

2 14-ounce cans whole beets

1/2 Tsp chicken broth bullion paste or half a cube of chicken broth

1/2 a lemon

1/2-1 Tsp sea salt

1-2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Directions:

Pour the beets in the blender, juice and all. Add the remaining ingredients. Blend 20-30 seconds. Pour into a lidded container and chill 6-12 hours. Serve in chilled cups with lots of sour cream to spoon on top. Enjoy!

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!

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!

Snowy Day Pasta Fagioli Soup

The soup I love to serve on a cold snowy winter day is pasta fagioli meaning pasta and bean soup, Neapolitan style.  It is full of veggies and a ton of fresh flavor.  Not to mention beans and pasta.  Yes, I make it now with gluten free pasta, use the same recipe as always.  I often use elbow pasta by Barilla; great flavor and holds its shape well.  Try not to overcook it though as gf pasta goes from done to mush easily if you are not paying attention!  This rib sticking soup will be a big meal if you add a salad and a slice of gf bread.  I will serve it tonight with a slice of homemade bread; the bread recipe is from a new cookbook of mine.  Warm, flavorful, satisfying and sure fills the tummy.  I made it with dried navy beans I cooked in my Instant Pot unsoaked; set it for 18 minutes but you can soak them overnight and then cook until pretty soft.  Any kind of white beans or even kidney beans work. You can even use a couple of cans of beans; I once made it with a can of cannelloni beans and a can of fava beans; very Italian…

My version has lots of veggies; if you don’t want them all; leave some out! I often use small cubes of turnip as they hold their shape well and add a subtle tasty flavor to the soup.  No one ever guesses they are in there; looks like cubes of potato.   Or add more veggies, what is in your fridge?  I have used green beans, summer squash cubes or peas.  Today’s version has yellow zucchini squash cubes, kale and fresh green beans. No turnips or celery. Just plain forgot the celery.  Oh well, next time…

Secret weapon: I always add a cheese rind or two saved from a chunk of Parmesan cheese. It really ups the flavor of the soup.  And if you get a bit of it in your soup bowl the oozy cheesy goodness will be your prize!

NOTES from 2024: I only used a bit of pancetta. Summer squash, no turnips.

Notes from 3/7/18. I did a quick heat and soak of the navy beans in a sauce pot and then I cooked them for 11 minutes in my Instant Pot. Great way to get it going quickly. I used broken up fettuccine pasta for that version. I used cut up pancetta I got at Aldi’s instead of prosciutto.

My version of Pasta Fagioli Soup

2 cups of dried cranberry, navy or kidney beans, soaked overnight in lots of filtered water.  Be sure to pick over them for foreign objects.

1 bay leaf

1 quarter inch thick slice of prosciutto (leave out for vegetarian version)

¼ cup EVOL (extra virgin olive oil)

1 cup chopped yellow onion

1 cup chopped carrot

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped turnip or summer squash

3 minced garlic cloves

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 can plum tomatoes chopped (or 1 lb fresh ones chopped in the summer when they have decent tomatoes available)

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

1 to 1 ½ tsp sea salt

1 cup elbow macaroni, gf

Directions: Drain the soaked beans, rinse well, return to cleaned pot and cover with fresh filtered water, add bay leaf and cook 1-2 hours until soft. Add water if it gets low.  Turn off and let rest while you make soup.  Skip step if you use canned beans; do drain them and rinse. Just add them where you would add the beans you soaked and cooked yourself.

Heat EVOL in big sturdy soup pan, I like a thick bottom to keep the soup from burning easily. Add onion and cook 5-6 minutes, add garlic, stir and cook a minute, add prosciutto which you have diced up into small squares and the parsley. Cook for a couple minutes, add the tomatoes, carrots, celery, turnip, hot pepper and stir well.  Add a tsp. of salt.  Cook uncovered about 12-14 minutes.  Add any bean water in the pan. I often end up adding 1-4 cups of water during this point if there is no bean liquid. Mush up half the beans in a food processor or with a potato masher. Add to soup. Reheat and cook 5 minutes, add rest of beans, reheat and then add the pasta.  Cook just the length of time the box says, stirring it every 2-3 minutes. Taste and add more salt if needed and some fresh black pepper.  Turn off and let stand at least 10 minutes before serving. True Italians often let it stand for hours and they serve it room temp.  I sometimes drizzle some best quality EVOL on the top of each bowl before digging in. A big bowl of that will warm you up for sure! pasta faglioli soup

Originally posted by me in January 2015.

Summer Tomato Soup with Spaetzle

Summer always is tomato time around here.  But it’s now officially autumn and this day is distinctly chilly. I still have a few nice tomatoes, so I made my homemade tomato soup but added something special to it. Spaetzle; skinny egg dumplings which my mom made free form and tossed in her tomato soup often served for Saturday lunch. I got a lovely spaetzle maker for Christmas which I had not used too much yet and so I decided that I would try to replicate my mom’s luncheon soup. You don’t have to make spaetzles, but I highly recommend them. They really shine in the soup’s rich flavor; they are delicate and delicious.

I generally make Ina Garten’s tomato soup recipe but simplified a tad.  I made it today without the cream; I don’t think it goes as well with the spaetzles. So, if you don’t make spaetzles and don’t like it creamy leave out the cream or use half and half or whole milk for less calories.  If you are a vegetarian use veggie broth instead of chicken broth. I actually did half of each type of broth today as I had nearly a cup of veggie broth to use up.  You can strain or blend the soup. I never strain but sometimes I use my immersion blender to make it smoother. But I generally prefer it unstrained and chunky. Note: It has a good amount of garlic which you can reduce as wished.  I cut back on the salt, but you can cut it even further as you wish.

Your family will love this soup with a sandwich or salad. It is naturally gluten free.  GF croutons would bring a lovely crunch to it if you have any and aren’t doing the spaetzle dumplings. Enjoy!

See my trusty spaetzle maker in action! Notice how thick the dough is,

 

Just after I added the dumplings and before I put the lid on for their 5 minute beauty bath.

 

Fresh Tomato Soup with Spaetzles

Ingredients
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped red or yellow onions (2 onions)
2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped (5-6 large)
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh basil leaves

2-3 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream/half and half or whole milk (optional)

Spaetzle Ingredients

1 large egg

100 grams of Better Batter gf flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4-1/3 cup 2 percent milk ( I believe I used a full 1/3 cup)

Soup Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions and carrots and sauté for about 10 minutes, until very tender. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, basil, chicken stock, salt, and pepper and stir well. Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes, until the tomatoes are very tender.

Or: use your Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker to make it; saute as per recipe in the pot, add the rest of the ingredients and put the lid on and cook under pressure 20 minutes.  You might have to blend it a bit with an immersion blender. I sometimes leave off the cream but my next paragraph is how to add that….

Spaetzles:  Beat the egg with a whisk in a medium mixing bowl. Add in the milk and then the salt mixed with the flour, Stir briefly until you have a very thick batter. Use a spaetzle maker to drop the dough in strands into the hot soup; I added it about 6-8 minutes before the soup was supposed to be done. I cooked it 5 minutes once all the dumplings were in and turned off the heat; let it stand 10 minutes. 

Thick, chunky and fragrant with EVOL and fresh basil as well as the ripe tomatoes. Heavenly.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/cream-of-fresh-tomato-soup-recipe.

Original post of this was way back in the summer of 2014.  Minor changes and addition in this recipe of the spaetzle dumplings. Enjoy!