Soup – Family Recipes

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Rocket Soup (Shorbat Jarjir) 

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 medium russet potato, chopped
4 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
7 ounces arugula
5 1/4 ounces fresh spinach
1/2 cup cilantro sprigs (optional)
Greek yogurt (optional)

Heat light olive oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in turmeric, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and allspice; cook, stirring often, 2 minutes. Add potato and stock, and bring to a simmer. Cook until potato is tender, about 10 minutes.

Add spinach, cilantro, and arugula to pan. Bring to a simmer over medium, and cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Using an immersion blender, process until smooth.

Spoon a tablespoonful of Greek yogurt onto the top of each serving of soup.

Elaine Walker, Soup

Hot & Sour Soup

40 dried lily buds (about 1/2 ounce)*
1 tablespoon dried wood ear mushrooms
1/3 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
5 cups chicken stock, low-sodium (do not substitute vegetable or mushroom broth)
1/2 cup drained canned bamboo shoots, rinsed and julienned
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 cups Napa cabbage, chopped
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons cold water
1 large egg, beaten
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
4 ounces firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/3-inch cubes
1-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Chinkiang vinegar*
1 teaspoon white pepper powder

*Note: these items are very hard to find. Do not use substitutes. Best to order ahead of time online.

Step 1
Place lily buds and mushrooms in a small bowl, and add very hot water to cover by 1 inch. Let soak until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly. Trim and discard tough ends from buds, and cut in half crosswise. Thinly slice mushrooms.

Step 2
Stir together lily buds, mushrooms, chicken stock, bamboo shoots, and ginger in a large saucepan over high. When the soup starts to simmer, add Napa cabbage and turn to medium-low heat. Cook until the Napa cabbage turns tender, 5 to 8 minutes.

Step 3
Whisk together cornstarch and 3 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Whisk cornstarch mixture into chicken stock mixture in a slow, steady stream; cook 1 minute. Pour beaten egg into chicken stock mixture in a slow, steady stream, stirring gently.

Step 4
Stir in tofu, soy sauce, and sesame oil, and cook another 2 minutes.

Step 5
In small bowl, add the vinegar and pepper. Whisk to blend thoroughly. Stir into soup mixture and serve immediately.

Debbie Allen, Soup

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup

1 large head cauliflower (about 2 lbs.), cut into bite-size florets
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
salt

1 medium red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth

2 tablespoons butter
1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

1 to 2 cups of croutons
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
On a large, rimmed baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until lightly and evenly coated in oil.
Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer and sprinkle with salt.
Bake for 25-35 minutes, tossing/stirring halfway through. Remove when the cauliflower is tender.

In a soup pot, add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the chopped onion. Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until the onion is translucent.

Add the garlic, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds. Then add the broth and all of the cauliflower except 4 of the prettiest cauliflower florets (set these aside for garnish). Increase the heat to medium high until the mixture starts to boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the soup is done, remove from heat. Add the butter and, using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and the salt. Taste. If desired, stir in another half to full teaspoon of lemon juice.

Ladle soup into four serving dishes. Top with the reserved cauliflower florets, croutons and almonds.

Elaine Walker, Soup

Palestinian Freekeh Split Pea Soup

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup cracked green wheat (freekeh*)
• 2 tablespoons farro
• 1/4 cup split green peas
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1-1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 large tomato, chopped

Rinse and drain freekeh.
In a pot over medium heat, saute the freekeh and farro with olive oil for a couple of minutes.
Add peas, chicken broth, water, and cumin and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer, stirring occasionally and adding more water, if needed, to keep the soup from getting too thick. Cook until freekeh is very tender, about an hour.

Add a large chopped tomato. Cook another 5 minutes.

*Purchased Nature’s Earthly Choice cracked freekeh from http://www.puritan.com/ (Puritan’s Pride).

Dad, Dorothy Lamalie, Mom, Soup

Mom’s Irish Lamb Soup

1.5 pounds fresh lean lamb shoulder, boneless, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 12-ounce bottle of beer OR 3/4 cups of water
1 t. pepper
2 cans (14.5-ounces each) beef broth
1 package (0.93 ounces) brown gravy mix
3 cups cubed potatoes
2 cups thinly sliced carrots
2 cups shredded green cabbage

Heat the olive oil an a 3-quart saucepan. Add onion and salute until lightly brown. Add lamb, stirring until browned. Stir in beer and pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Mix in broth and gravy mix. Add potatoes and carrots. Cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Stir in cabbage and cook just until cabbage turns bright green. Serve.

Dad, Elaine Walker, Mom, Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 whole chicken (4 to 5 pounds)
8 cups (64 ounces) chicken broth, fat free and low sodium
2/3 teaspoon Bell’s poultry seasoning
2/3 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 to 6 ounces broad egg noodles (about half a package)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 c. cold water

Bake* whole chicken at 375 degrees for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.
When chicken is almost done, add the broth, seasoning, and vegetables to large kettle and bring to a low boil.

(*It’s better to bake the chicken and then add it to the broth already cooked ,rather then to cook it by boiling it. Boiled chicken does not have as much flavor.)

Put the whole, baked chicken into broth and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove chicken from broth and set aside. Add noodles to broth and cook 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, separate chicken meat from the bone and cut into bite size pieces. Take 2 cups of mostly dark pieces and add to the broth (the rest of the chicken can be used for another recipe).

Mix together the cornstarch and cold water. Stir into soup to slightly thicken. Serve piping hot.

Elaine Walker, Soup

Pumpkin Apple Soup

1 Granny Smith apple, chopped and cooked
1 carrot, chopped and cooked
1 – 15 ounce can pureed pumpkin
1 quart chicken broth
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon coriander

Blend together all ingredients and heat thoroughly on stovetop.

Dad, Elaine Walker, Mom, Soup

Dominic’s Split Pea and Ham Chowder

1 large ham bone with some ham meat still on it (leftover from a baked ham dinner. Alternatively, you can use a pound of deli ham, cut into cubes)
1 pound bag of green or yellow dried split peas
2 onions, diced
2 – 3 potatoes, diced
2 – 3 stalks of celery, diced
2 – 3 carrots, diced
8 – 10 cups of water
2 bay leaves
salt & pepper to taste

Place ham in kettle, add water to cover. Add in onions and bring to a boil.

Stir in peas and potatoes, bring back to a boil, them simmer about 5 minutes stirring frequently.

Add remaining ingredients and bring to a low simmer. Let simmer for about an hour, stirring frequently. The split peas and potatoes should be completely dissolved in the soup when ready.

If you used ham with a bone, any remaining meat should be coming off the bone very easily. Separate the ham from the bone and add back to the soup. Discard the bone.

It may be necessary to add additional water to the soup pot based on the amount of vegetables added to get the desired consistency.

This is a very forgiving recipe which allows you to adjust the ratio of vegetables and meat to water to achieve different consistencies and flavors. As a variation, you can use stir in a teaspoon of ground cumin.

Dad, Liked by, Mom, Slow Cooker, Soup

Kielbasa and Squash Soup

1-1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
12 baby carrots, sliced
1 cup frozen green beans
2 cans (14 oz. each) condensed beef broth
2 cups water
2 T. tapioca
1 T. red wine vinegar
1/4 t. pepper
1 t. dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 pound kielbasa, sliced (I usually use more, up to 14 oz.)
1 small onion, chopped

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Elaine Walker, Soup

Butternut Squash Soup with Blue Cheese

2-1/2 lbs. butternut squash
1 medium yellow onion
1 carrot
1 stalk celery
2 T. butter
5 c. chicken stock
1-1/2 c. light cream
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. blue cheese
salt, pepper

Peel and seed squash and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Chop onion, carrot and celery.

Melt butter in soup pot. Add chopped onion, carrot and celery. Cook until soft but not brown. Add the squash.

Stir in 4 c. of the chicken stock and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and cook for 30 to 40 minutes or until squash is tender.

When squash is nearly done, in a separate sauce pan, heat the heavy cream. Add the blue cheese and cook on low for a few minutes.

When squash is tender, puree soup in batches in a food processor with remaining chicken stock. Pour pureed soup back in soup pot. Add the light cream, then the blue cheese-cream mixture. Stir until hot and well blended.