Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice
4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 quart chicken stock or water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.
In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold.

Makes 6 to 8 Servings

The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook 1999

Note: Great way to use up stock from the garden!  I also made a version using Italian flat leaf parsley.

         

Turkey Soup with Egg Noodles and Vegetables

2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
2 leeks, cleaned and chopped (leeks make the difference, try not to use onions)
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 to 4 cups leftover cooked turkey, shredded or cubed
2 to 3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
6 ounces uncooked egg noodles
1 cup frozen green peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Heat oil in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks, carrots, garlic, and celery and saute 4 minutes, until soft. Add turkey, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and black pepper and stir to mix well. Add chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer 10 minutes. (see options below)


Return mixture to a boil and add egg noodles. Cook 10 minutes, until egg noodles are just tender. Stir in peas and cook until peas are just heated through, about 1 minute.

Remove from heat, discard bay leaves and stir in parsley.

Makes 4 Servings

foodnetwork.com

Note: Best if made with homemade stock. I used turkey stock in the first batch I made.

Options: I considered canning the soup at this stage (but we ate it all), and adding in the egg noodles and peas in the reheating phase.  This way your noodles and peas won't be soggy. I plan to try this next time for a do ahead idea. You could also skip the noodles and peas if you desire a low-carb version. I also keep handy some home made broth to use during reheating, especially if you plan to add in extra noodles.

Celery Cream Soup

6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 lbs celery ribs and leaves (I used fresh from the garden) chopped

2 large onions, chopped

3 large carrots, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons flour
3 cans of  chicken broth (reduced sodium)
2 bay leaves (more if you like)
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 - 4 dashes Sriracha sauce (more to your preference)
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)
celery leaves (for garnish)

In a large soup pot, melt butter, add celery, carrots, onions, and garlic.

Simmer covered over medium low heat until soft.

Add flour and cook 1-2 minutes over low heat.

Add chicken broth and bay leaves, bring to a boil reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Remove bay leaves, puree (in small batches) in a blender or processor.

Add cream, lemon juice, hot sauce, salt and pepper.

Reheat and simmer 5 minutes.

Garnish with celery leaves.

Food.com (modified from original recipe)

Serves 6

Michael Romano's Secret-Ingredient Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup finely chopped peeled carrot
3/4 cup well-washed thinly sliced leeks
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
8 ounces Italian fennel sausage (sweet or hot), casings removed
2 tablespoons medium-grind cornmeal (polenta)
5 cups Chicken or Vegetable Stock
4 cups packed stemmed and coarsely chopped kale or chard leaves, or a combination
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, leeks, garlic, salt, black pepper, and Aleppo pepper and cook, stirring, until the onion becomes translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

Drain off the excess fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Stir in the cornmeal. Add the stock, stirring, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the greens and cook for 15 minutes more, or until tender.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with grated Parmigiano.

Cooks Notes:  If you prefer, cook the sausage separately, drain, and then add to your vegetables.  This reduces the fat even more.


Makes 4-6 Servings

Epicurious April 2013

by Michael Romano and Karen Stabiner

The secret ingredient in this satisfying soup is a small amount of cornmeal (polenta), just enough to thicken the broth slightly. It balances the substantial sausage and greens for a soothing cold-weather dish.

Aleppo pepper comes from the town of Aleppo in northern Syria; the flaky crushed sun-dried pepper has a slightly smoky flavor. It's become easier to find in gourmet markets, but if necessary, you can substitute red pepper flakes.
 

Rich Italian Sausage and Potato Soup

1 pound Italian sausage
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 slice pancetta bacon, diced
1 1/4 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 cube chicken bouillon
4 cups water
2 potatoes, cubed
2 cups kale, rinsed and julienned
1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

Place sausage links on a sheet pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until done. Cut each link in half lengthwise, and then into 1/2 inch slices. Set aside for later.

In a 4 quart saucepan over medium heat, saute the onions and the pancetta for 10 minutes, or until onions are almost clear. Add the garlic and saute for one more minute. 

Add the chicken base OR bouillon, water and potatoes and bring to a simmer for 15 minutes. Add the kale, cream and reserved sausage, simmer for 5 more minutes and serve. 

 Allrecipes.com

 

Toscana Soup

12 links spicy pork sausage, sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 cup diced onion
1 1/4 teaspoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chicken soup base
4 cups water
2 potatoes, halved and sliced
2 cups sliced kale
1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).

Place sausage links on a baking sheet and bake 25 minutes, or until cooked through. Slice into 1/2 inch slices.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions until translucent; add garlic and cook 1 minute.  

Stir in broth, water and potatoes; simmer 15 minutes.

Reduce heat to low and add sausage, kale and cream; simmer until heated through and serve. 

Allrecipes.com

Made with fresh garden grown Kale in Aug 2012. 

Bean Soup With Kale

1 tablespoon olive oil or canola oil
8 large garlic cloves, crushed or minced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cups chopped raw kale
4 cups low-fat, low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
2 (15 ounce) cans white beans, such as cannellini or navy, undrained
4 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons dried Italian herb seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup chopped parsley

Directions

In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add garlic and onion; saute until soft. Add kale and saute, stirring, until wilted. Add 3 cups of broth, 2 cups of beans, and all of the tomato, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. In a blender or food processor, mix the remaining beans and broth until smooth. Stir into soup to thicken. Simmer 15 minutes. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with chopped parsley. 

Allrecipes.com

Serves 8

Notes: Made with garden grown Kale, Parsley and Herbs Sept 2012

Harvested Chicken Stew

2 cups chopped onion
2 cups cubed, cooked boneless chicken breast meat
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups diced tomatoes, with liquid
2 cups sliced carrots
5 cups chicken broth
1 cup sweet corn
1 cup peas
1 cup sliced zucchini

In a large soup pot combine the onion, chicken, celery, tomatoes with liquid, carrots, broth, corn, peas and zucchini. Stir together and simmer over medium low heat for 1/2 hour, or until vegetables are cooked and tender.

Serves 10

Allrecipes.com


This makes a great base soup full of veggies with no seasoning (Diabetic Recipe). I used organic chicken broth to really reduce the sodium content.  In addtion, depending on how much meat and liquid you prefer, this can be either soup or stew.


Some additional flavor ideas are listed below but you are only limited by your imagination:

• Stir in sour cream just before serving to thicken
• Sauté onions in olive oil before adding
• Use flavored diced canned tomatoes
• Try rotisserie chicken
• Add what ever seasoning you like (paprika, garlic etc)
• Change up the broth with a can or two of creamed soup (chicken, celery etc)
• Add rice, flavored or plan

Turkey Chowder with Wild Rice, Crimini, and Pancetta

2 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup wild rice (about 5 ounces), rinsed, drained
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 3-ounce packages sliced pancetta (Italian bacon), diced
12 ounces crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced (about 5 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup ( 1/2 stick) butter
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1/3 cup all purpose flour
10 cups Turkey Stock (Turkey Stock Recipe)
1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
2 to 4 cups chopped cooked turkey meat (reserved from carcass)
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Chopped fresh Italian parsley

Bring 2 1/2 cups water, rice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to boil in medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender but still firm to bite, 45 to 60 minutes (time will vary depending on variety of rice). Drain; set aside.

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook until browned, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer pancetta to paper towels to drain. Add mushrooms to pot and cook until beginning to brown, about 8 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl. Add butter to same pot. Add carrots and celery. Cover; cook until vegetables begin to soften, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add shallots; stir until soft, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over and stir 1 minute. Return mushrooms to pot. Mix in Turkey Stock and rosemary; bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer 15 minutes.

Add rice, pancetta, turkey meat, and corn to soup. Simmer to blend flavors, about 10 minutes. Stir in cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cool. Cover and keep chilled. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.

Divide soup among bowls, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Makes 8 main-course servings

Bon Appétit November 2007

For extra flavor, add leftover (plain) gravy or stuffing to the soup. If using stuffing, stir in one to two cups half an hour before the end of the cooking time. If using gravy, add it just before the soup's done.

New England Clam and Corn Chowder with Herbs

6 thick bacon slices, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces ***
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled, chopped
1 1/4 teaspoons dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 cups whole milk ***
1 8-ounce unpeeled white-skinned potato, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 6 1/2-ounce cans chopped clams in juice
1 8 3/4-ounce can corn kernels, drained
Chopped fresh parsley

***I used Canadian Bacon and then added a bit of butter to make up the needed 3 tablespoons of  bacon fat. You could also use cream and really kick this up with calories but the whole milk tasted great.***

Cook bacon in large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Pour out all but 3 tablespoons drippings from pan. Add next 4 ingredients to pan; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle flour over; stir 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add milk to pan, stirring constantly. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium and cook until slightly thickened, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, clams with juice, and drained corn. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Divide soup among bowls, sprinkle with bacon and parsley, and serve.

Bon Appétit January 2009
Serves 4

Mixed-Onion Soup in Sourdough Bread Bowls

4 8-ounce round sourdough loaves
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 cups chopped white onions
2 1/2 cups chopped leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 3 medium)
2 1/2 cups chopped red onions
6 large garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot, chopped
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 1/4 cups dry Sherry
7 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1/2 cup whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch off top of bread loaves. Scoop out bread, leaving 1/2-inch-thick shell. Generously brush inside of bread bowls and lids with melted butter. Place bread bowls and lids, buttered side up, directly on oven rack; bake until crisp, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add white onions, leeks, red onions, garlic and shallot to pot. Cook until vegetables are dark brown, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Add flour and stir 1 minute. Gradually mix in Sherry. Boil mixture until very thick, scraping up browned bits, about 5 minutes. Gradually mix in stock; add thyme and rosemary and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes. Add cream; simmer until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Place 1 bread bowl on each plate. Place bread lid alongside. Ladle soup into bread bowls and serve.

Bon Appétit March 1999

Serves 4

Vegetable-Sausage Soup

1 pound hot or sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups canned beef broth
1 15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
2 cups water
1 cup beer
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon ground or rubbed dried sage
Salt and pepper
Additional chopped fresh parsley

Cook sausage in medium Dutch oven over medium-high heat until brown, breaking up with fork, about 7 minutes. Add onion, carrots, mushrooms, 1/3 cup parsley and garlic and cook until onion is translucent, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Mix in next 6 ingredients. Simmer 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls. Sprinkle with additional chopped parsley.


Bon Appétit March 1990

Servese 4-6