Vegetable Soups

            Vegetable soups have vegetable as the main, sometimes only ingredient. Usually water or vegetable liquids like tomato sauce for the main liquid, however meat broth can also be part of the vegetable soups.  Vegetable soups usually cook quicker than meat soups.  Vegetable soups are a very important part of your diet.  They add fiber and vitamins to your diet and should not be overlooked in a well-balanced diet.

 

Chunky soups are very common. Many vegetable soups are left chunky and vegetables should be cut into bite sized pieces that are easy to eat.

 

Tomato based soups have a tomato broth.  These soups can be pureed or have chopped tomatoes in the soup.  The broth is predominantly tomato.  These soups include the minestrone below, chilies and many soups made with vegetables on hand.  The tomatoes may be whole, diced, crushed or in sauce.

 

Pureed soups are simple pureed at the end of the soup process.  These can be just about any soup from cream of chicken to the tomato soup below.  Some soups lend themselves well to pureeing. 

 

Fruit Soups are usually served as dessert.  Often they are chilled.  Simply puree the fruit.  The soup should be thicker than just juice.  This can be a a very creative summer dessert.

 

This Week’s Challenge – Invent your own soup

            Check what you have on hand in the refrigerator, freezer and pantry.  Think of a soup you can make from what you have on hand.  You may use fresh ingredients or leftovers.  Be creative.

 

Tip for this Week – Counteracting acid

            Some people add sugar to spaghetti sauce to cut the acid from the tomatoes.  A very small amount of baking soda accomplishes this better.  Baking soda is alkaline and alkaline is the opposite acid. Try adding a pinch of baking soda to your tomato sauces and soups.

 

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

 

Minestrone Soup

http://www.foodnetwork.com/search/search-results.html?searchTerm=Minestrone&form=global&_charset_=utf-8

 

2 T                   Olive oil

1 lg.                 Onion, diced

4                      Garlic cloves, minced

2                      Celery stalks, sliced

1 lg.                 Carrot, diced

1 ½ C              Green beans, Italian cut, frozen fresh or canned

1 T                   Basil, fresh and finely chopped

1 t                    Oregano, dried or fresh

                        Salt and pepper to taste

1 can              Diced tomatoes (28 oz.)

1 can              Crushed tomatoes (14 oz.)

6 C                  Chicken stock, vegetable stock or water

2 lg.                 Swiss chard stalks, chopped*

1 can              Kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained**

1 C                  Elbow macaroni

1/3 C               Parmesan freshly grated

                        More fresh basil for garnish

 

The ingredients

 

1.    In a large soup pot, heat the oil and sauté the onions until they begin to get translucent.

Use a large soup pot.

 

2.    Add the garlic, celery and carrots and continue to cook until tender about five minutes.

 

Smash the garlic and peel it.

Chop the garlic to a mince or use a garlic press.



The recipes says to dice, but I prefer to slice
the vegetables.



Saute until tender.

3.    Add the green beans, basil, oregano and salt and pepper and cook three more minutes.

I used frozen green beans so I rinse them before adding.

Green beans and seasonings added.

 

4.    Add the diced and crushed tomatoes and the stock.  Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer for ten minutes.

I used chicken broth, but vegetable or even beef will work.

 

5.    Stir in the beans macaroni, and Swish chard.  Cook until tender about ten minutes.

I usually use red kidney beans or cannelloni
which are white kidney beans

Rinse the been before adding to the soup.

Slice it in strips lengthwise/

This was a very large chard leaf, so I removed
the stem vein.  Usually this is not need.



Cut cross ways so you have pieces about
one inch wide and two inches long.

Cook until the macaroni is done

 

6.    Adjust the seasoning.

7.    To serve ladle into bowls and garnish with the Parmesan and basil.

Ready to garnish and serve.

 

 

*Swiss chard holds up well in soup, but spinach can be used.

**Kidney beans are commonly used, cannellini beans are white kidney beans.  Other beans can be used garbanzo beans.

Minestrone recipes vary a great deal.  They are regional differences and family preferences.  I recommend that you try several recipes to find one you prefer.  This recipe is based on Ellie Krieger’s recipe from the food network.

 

 

Old Fashioned Tomato Soup

 

Chunky Tomato Soup with toast

 

1 can              Tomatoes, Whole and stewed

½ med.           Onion chopped        

2 T                   Butter

½ - 1/3 C        Milk

                        Salt and pepper

                        Pinch of baking soda

 

1.    Empty the stewed tomatoes in a sauce pan. 




Simmering tomatoes with shallots added

I used a shallot theis time, but I usually a red onion.

 

2.    And the onion, salt and pepper.  Simmer until the onions or cooked and the tomatoes break up. 
 

3.    Add the butter and stir until it is melted. 

Simmering tomatoes broken up with a wooden spoon

Butter added  and stirred to melt the butter
and incorporate it into the soup.

 

4.    Reduce the heat and add enough milk to make the soup pink.  Do not let it boil.

Add a pinch of baking soda, yes literally a
pinch between to fingers.  If you need a real
measurement use about 1/8 teaspoon.

Milk added.  The soup is chunky.

 

5.    Add the pinch of baking soda to prevent the milk from curdling and serve immediately.

 

I prefer the soup chunky like Grandmother Barnes served it.



This sounds really weird but I use to love this with grilled cheese sandwiches at Grandmother Barnes’s house.  She was not known as a good cook, but there are a few of her recipes that were great. 

 

 

Vegetable of the Week

 

Swiss Chard

 

            Swiss chard is very similar to spinach and cooks well as steamed, boiled or sautéed.  I use to grow it in my garden.  It is great added to soups.  This is can be a vegetarian meal.  It can bee serve with a side of protein. It is a nice lunch, too.

 

Penne with Swiss Chard

This can be a main dish or a side dish.
I often serve it with a broiled chicken breast
or baked salmon

 

1 C      Penne pasta for four people

            Water

One    Bunch Swish chard, or other greens, chopped

            Olive oil

2+        Garlic cloves sliced

¼ C     Broth, vegetable or chicken

½ C     Walnuts, roasted and chopped

½ C     Parmesan Cheese, grated

 

The ingredients

1.    Put the water on to boil for the penne.

2.    When the penne goes in to cook, heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the chard and the garlic, stirring to coat the greens. 

Pasta doubles in size when cooked.
If this is a side dish, I plan 1/2 cup servings.
If it is a main dish, I plan one cup servings.
 

Wash and cut the Swiss Chard as above, but
leave the stems on. It will shrink when
cooked, but not as bad as spinach.

 

3.    Add the broth and simmer until the chard reduces in size. 



The broth will take the bitterness out of the chard.

I like to slice the garlic and let it cook with
the chard in the wine.

 

4.    When the pasta is done, drain and set aside. 

The penne will continue to cook, so drain it
slightly before it is done.

 

5.    Drain the broth from the greens and return to the stove.  This removes any bitterness from the chard.

6.    Add the pasta and toss. 

Add the penne.

Add  the walnuts.  I like to leave them in halves.

Add the cheese and toss.

Add a little wine to make a sauce.  Be sure
the alcohol cooks out and serve.

 

7.    Add the walnuts and cheese and toss. 

8.    Makes four servings.  This is a meal in itself, but a broiled chicken breast or salmon goes very well with it.

 

 

Happy Cooking!