Chicken Noodle Soup - ThermoWorks Wand Review and Giveaway

Chicken Noodle Soup is the favorite of one of my friends, so when she became ill last month that's what I made for her. It's my go-to soup to deliver to sick friends or to enjoy myself when perfectly well. You'll find the recipe below. 

But speaking of illness, let me tell you about my new thermometer. I love it so much I'm telling you about it and giving one away, which makes sense in the middle of all this this that's been going on for more than a year now.

At my very first inkling of the pandemic I began checking my first aid kit and making sure I had everything we would need to care for ourselves at home. The one item I was not happy with was my thermometer.

Over the years I've tried a number of digital oral thermometers. Without exception, they've made me wish I still had an old-fashioned mercury thermometer. My first complaint is the probe covers. They never work well. "Just insert the thermometer and peel back the strip." No! I always rip up a couple of them trying that then give up on peeling back the paper strip and just use it that way. Not pleasant.

If you have a child, you know how difficult it can be to place the thermometer correctly under the tongue and then get the little squirmer to keep his or her mouth closed for 30 seconds. I feel sorry for those having two sick kids at once and dealing with that and the pesky probe covers. No thanks.

ThermoWorks Wand
non-contact digital forehead thermometer
Giveaway

So 13 months into the pandemic I decided it was time to upgrade to a non-contact digital forehead thermometer. I had been looking at various ones for several months, then I realized that ThermoWorks made one (actually, two—this one, Wand, and a Bluetooth version, Wand Blue, which you techie people can read about for yourselves). Knowing what quality products they make, I had to have their ThermoWorks Wand.

Love it! Turn it on, hold it about an inch from center of forehead, press and hold the Start button until you hear a beep, about 1 second, read the temperature, then turn it off or let it turn itself off in 60 seconds. I had fun playing with it, then took out the batteries for storage until such time as one of us gets sick. 

But back to the soup. I made it with ingredients on hand, which meant boneless skinless chicken breasts. You can also use bone-in skin-on chicken breasts or thighs. And, of course, you can increase the amount of ginger, crushed red pepper, and turmeric—all thought to have health benefits—to suit your own taste.

Tell me your favorite thing to eat when you're sick. Or well. And, if you (or a gift recipient) are in the US, enter the giveaway below. Stay safe and well.

If you like it, please Pin it and share it! 

Chicken Noodle Soup

(Makes about 3 1/2 quarts)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) boneless skinless chicken breast
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup (4.5 ounces/128 grams) peeled and diced carrots
1 cup (4.5 ounces/128 grams) diced celery
Some of the celery leaves, chopped
1 cup (4.5 ounces/128 grams) diced red bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
5 cups (40 fluid ounces/1.18 liters) water
4 cups (32 fluid ounces/946 milliliter) lower-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 cups (8 ounces/227 grams) mini farfalle

1 In large pot (I use a 5.5-quart Dutch/French oven), heat 1 tablespoon of the oil and cook the chicken until done, salting and peppering* lightly. Remove to a plate to cool.

* I measure out the salt and pepper into two tiny prep bowls and use them throughout the recipe.

2 Add remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and cook the onion, carrots, celery, and red bell pepper, adding a bit of the salt and pepper, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the chopped celery leaves, thyme, marjoram, ginger, crushed red pepper, and turmeric.

3 Stir in chicken broth, water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken and remaining salt and pepper (or to taste), and continue simmering for about 10 minutes. Stir in mini farfalle, and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

ThermoWorks Wand Giveaway

This giveaway is open to readers in the US* who are 18 years of age or older. To enter, leave a comment below (one entry per person). Tell me why you want a Wand. Please include your email address in the body of your comment. If your name is drawn and I have no way to contact you, you will be disqualified. Must enter by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday April 28.

* If you are outside the US but would like to have this sent to someone you know in the US (you would have to send them a gift card separately on your own), go ahead and enter!

Winner will be chosen by random drawing and be announced here in the comments before noon Eastern time on Thursday April 29. If I don't hear back from the winner of the random drawing by noon Eastern time Saturday May 1, a new winner will be selected from the original entrants (those who commented before the giveaway deadline).

Disclosure: ThermoWorks provided a Wand for review purposes and one for the giveaway. The views expressed here are entirely my own. I always tell my readers what I really think!

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support.

Jean

Golumpki Soup - Cabbage Roll Soup

The idea for Golumpki Soup popped into my head one day when I was craving Golumpkis - Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. That's something a friend and I always make together, and I didn't want to do it without her. Plus, it's soup weather. So I thought I'd make a soup of it.

Just as I was getting ready to call her to say I'm bringing her a new soup, she called to say she'd had a rough night and wasn't feeling well today. The prospect of a soup delivery really cheered her up. I just got back home when she called to say how much she loved the soup.

It's a hearty soup, good in its own right, but not golumpkis. So I do hope you'll try both and let me know what you think. Making golumpkis is a project, but making golumpki soup is a doddle. Warning: The next paragraph may shock you or gross you out. 

I just learned that some people don't wash cabbage! Whaaaattt? Seriously, please wash your cabbage. Not just the outside. There can be not just a little garden soil but worms or other insects inside the cabbage. I have seen them for myself!

Here's what I do: Remove the outer leaves, cut into wedges, cut away the core, slice the wedges, put the sliced cabbage in the salad spinner, fill with water, swish it around, drain it, and repeat. If I'm roasting the wedges, I carefully wash each wedge and reassemble.

Your thoughts?

PS Also, you might try my regular meatless Cabbage Soup.

If you like it, please Pin it and share it!

Golumpki Soup

(Makes about 4 quarts)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup (3 ounces/85 grams) chopped yellow onion
1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) very lean ground beef
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
2 packed tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 quart lower sodium chicken or beef broth
1 28-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
1 cup (8 fluid ounces/237 ml) water
1 pound green cabbage (about 1/2 medium head) cored and sliced into 1/8-inch shreds
1/2 pound (8 ounces/227 grams) carrots, peeled and sliced or chopped
1/2 cup (3.5 ounces/99 grams) uncooked long-grain white rice

Note: This makes quite a thick soup, but you can add an additional 2 cups of broth or water for a soupier soup.

1 In 5.5- to 6-quart Dutch oven, heat oil and cook onion for 5 minutes. And ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until very well browned. As it's cooking, stir in paprika, 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and the marjoram. Once it is well browned (I hate gray ground beef!), stir in the brown sugar and vinegar.

Note: If your ground beef is not very lean, drain off the fat before adding seasonings.

2 Stir in the broth, tomatoes, water, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Then add the cabbage and carrots. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about 30 minutes.

3 Stir in the rice. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. If you like a thinner soup, add more broth. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

Split Pea Soup with Ham - Instant Pot or Not

Split Pea Soup served with either homemade bread or biscuits, or a well-made grilled cheese sandwich, makes a satisfying meal any time of year, though it's often thought of as a cold-weather food.

I used to make a big production of sauteeing the celery, carrots and onion first; but I discovered several years ago that the soup is just fine when you skip that step, and I haven't looked back. Part of my Streamlined Cooking. 

Perhaps because of the very long cooking of the stovetop and slow cooker versions, and the pressure cooking of the Instant Pot, all the flavor is drawn from the vegetables without precooking them.

It's one of my all-time favorite soups, but Mr Delightful is not a soup fan, so I get to eat the whole pot. Planning to have it for breakfast today as soon as I get this posted! Are you a soup fan?

If you like it, please Pin it and share it!

Split Pea Soup

(Makes 6 servings)

2 1/4 cups (16 ounces/454 grams) green split peas, washed and drained

6 cups (48 ounces/1.42 litres) water
1 cup chopped celery (2 large stalks)
1 cup chopped or coarsely grated carrots (2 large carrots)
1 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1/3-to 1/2-pound (5.33 to 8 ounces/151 to 227 grams) piece of a fully cooked ham
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon thyme leaves
3/4 teaspoon marjoram leaves
1 bay leaf

Garnish: sherry, sour cream, creme fraiche or plain yogurt and something green

For slow cooker: Cook on Low for 8 hours.

For stovetop: Increase water to 2.5 quarts. In at least a 4-quart pan (I use a 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven), combine all ingredients (except garnishes, of course). If you are going to puree the soup (I do not), vegetables can be just roughly chopped and ham added after the pureeing. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, loosely covered, for about 3½ hours (or up to 5 hours, depending on the peas), stirring occasionally. Remove ham, chop it or shred it using two forks and add it back to soup. Remove bay leaf and adjust seasoning. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish.

For Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker:

1 Put in all the ingredients at once. Give it a stir. Put the lid in place and turn the steam valve to Sealing. Press the Pressure Cook key. Leave the indicator lights on High Pressure and Normal temperature, and change the cooking time to 17 minutes. Press lit Keep Warm key to cancel that feature.

Note: It can take 20 to 25 minutes to reach working pressure. This varies with the amount and temperature of the ingredients in the pot. 

2 When the beep sounds, unplug Instant Pot. Set a kitchen timer for 25 minutes and allow the pressure to release naturally, then do a quick release by turning the steam valve to Venting.

3 When the float valve drops down, carefully remove the lid. If the peas are not done, put the lid back on, turn the steam valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 1 to 3 additional minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Note: The soup can be kept in the refrigerator for several days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Once cooled or chilled, I like to put 2 1/2 cups of soup in my favorite 3-cup glass storage container and pop it in the freezer for two servings of soup on another day.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites. We are a ThermoWorks affiliate, earning a small commission at no cost to you on purchases made through our links. This helps cover some of the costs of running the blog. Thank you for your support. 

Jean

French Onion Soup - and How to Caramelize Onions

My favorite French Onion Soup came to mind recently when I read Caramelized Onions: The Controversy Continues at The Splendid Table. If you're a technique geek like me, you'll enjoy the article and/or podcast.

I can't always take the time to thoroughly caramelize the onions for a special version of my Vegetable Beef Soup, but it is a must for classic French onion soup. If you don't have the time, don't even make it.

Ever since my mother and I watched Julia Child make it on television when I was a child, I had intended to make it. Every time I had it in a French restaurant, I had intended to make it. Finally, five years ago I did. 

Naturally, I started with Julia's version in Mastering the Art of French Cooking - Volume One. And, just as naturally, I couldn't help making a few additions and subtractions as well as streamlining the directions.

The photo above shows a serving of soup in the Le Creuset enameled cast iron mini cocotte.

There's nothing difficult about it. It just takes a little patience and some good broth or stock. If you don't want to take at least 45 minutes to properly caramelize the onions, don't make this soup.

There was a time when I would have said, if you don't want to make homemade beef stock, don't make this soup. But there are some really good lower sodium organic beef stocks and broths on the market now. 

Good, flavorful, not-too-salty broth or stock, along with the properly caramelized onions, is key to this soup. There are plenty of recipes out there shortcutting the cooking of the onions. Don't you believe them!

If your eyes are as sensitive to onions as mine are, you need to get these fabulous onion goggles -- they have changed my life! And they're kind of cute, too. Unfortunately, no one was around to take a picture of me modeling them!

We have many weeks of Soup Weather ahead - tell me about your favorite soups. (And next time you're in the mood for a dip, use this same technique for homemade French Onion Dip.)

French Onion Soup - Soupe a l'Oignon Gratinee

Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

(Makes about 7 cups / about 6 servings)

1 1/2 pounds (24 ounces/680 grams) yellow onions, quartered and thinly (about 1/8 inch or so) sliced

2 tablespoons (1 ounce/28 grams) unsalted butter

1 tablespoon (0.5 fluid ounce/15 ml) extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (2 fluid ounces/59 ml) dry sherry

1 quart (about 1 litre) very good beef broth or stock
1 quart (about 1 litre) water

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

3 tablespoons (1.5 fluid ounces/44 ml) brandy, optional

6 rounds of hard-toasted French bread

1 1/4 cups (5 ounces/142 grams) grated gruyere or Swiss cheese

6 tablespoons grated Parmesan

1 In heavy-bottomed large pot (a 4-quart is fine, but I used my Le Creuset 5.5-Quart French Oven), cook the onions in butter and oil over low heat, covered, for 15 minutes. No need to watch them, just set the timer and walk away.

2 Stir in the salt and sugar (helps with browning). Cook, uncovered, over moderate heat (onions should be sizzling), stirring occasionally,* for about 45 minutes, or until onions are well caramelized, evenly golden brown. It might even take an hour or more, depending on the onions, your pan, your stove.

* I checked the onions every 5 minutes but did not stir them until they were sticking to the pan a bit. You need to let the onions stick a little to brown, then stir and scrape the pan. Just do not let it burn, or it's all over! You can add up to a tablespoon of additional olive oil, if needed.

3 During the last 15 minutes of cooking the onions, bring the stock and water to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan.

4 When the onions are thoroughly caramelized, turn the heat down to low. Sprinkle flour over the caramelized onions. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the sherry, and cook for 1 minute.

5 Off heat, stir the boiling liquid (gradually at first) into the onions. Stir in the thyme, marjoram and black pepper (and the brandy, if you're using it). Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning (at this point, I added another 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper). May be made ahead to this point, cooled and then refrigerated until ready to use. While soup is simmering, cut slices of French bread to fit your broiler-proof* soup bowls and toast them on a baking sheet in the oven until they are hard as well as toasted.

6 About 10 minutes before serving, preheat broiler. Bring the soup to a boil, then ladle into broiler-proof soup bowls. Place toast rounds on top, and spread cheeses over each. Place on a large, foil-lined baking sheet and put under the broiler for about 2 minutes to melt cheese and brown the tops.

* If your bowls are not broiler-proof, just broil the cheese-topped toasts and float them on top of the soup. I used slices of my Sourdough Sandwich Bread because you want to use a sturdy bread. After toasting the bread, I cut out 3.5-inch rounds with a cookie cutter, placed them on a foil-covered baking sheet, topped each with a tablespoon of grated Parmesan and about 3 tablespoons of coarsely shredded Swiss. Pop them under the broiler until cheese is bubbling and browning (in this case that was about 4 1/2 minutes), then float them on the bowls of soup.

Note: If you're a Julia Child fan, you might enjoy reading my Vegetable Quiche post about one of my conversations with her.

Disclosure: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon .com and affiliated sites.

Lima Beans with Ham and Collard Greens - Butter Beans with Ham and Greens

Lima Beans with Ham and Collard Greens. Butter Beans with Ham and Greens. Maybe just Beans and Greens? It's a Southern thing, and my Southern half tends to come out in my cooking whenever I think of my paternal grandmother.

When I say lima beans, or butter beans, I always mean dried baby lima beans. I like them so much better than the big lima beans or the ones that are fresh or frozen rather than dried. My Southern grandmother always cooked dried beans. She would have thought canned or frozen beans a frivolous waste of money.

I had never cooked lima beans in the slow cooker, so this was a first. When I cook Pinto Beans in the slow cooker I never presoak, but for some reason decided to do the quick presoak on the lima beans, so that’s what you’ll see in the directions.

Ham is a classic addition to lima beans; and collard greens and Cornbread are the classic accompaniments. I decided to try cooking the collard greens right in with the beans instead of as a separate side dish because it would be so much easier and faster and wouldn’t dirty another pan!

I know Mr Delightful thinks I try to use every pan, dish and utensil in the house every time I cook; but I really do try to keep it down!

If you’re new to collard greens, this is how I like to cut them: Wash them, cut out the stems, stack the leaf halves, roll them up lengthwise like a big cigar and slice the roll into 1/4-inch-wide ribbons.

What kind of soup warms you up when Soup Weather rolls in?

Lima Beans with Ham and Collard Greens

1 pound (16 ounces/454 grams) dried baby lima beans

1/2 pound (8 ounces/227 grams) ham, diced

3 carrots (about 7 ounces/198 grams), chopped

3 stalks celery (about 7 ounces/198 grams), chopped

1 small onion (about 4 ounces/113 grams), chopped

1 teaspoon ground dried chiles

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

3/4 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 1/2 quarts (about 1.5 liters) water

1 bunch (about 7 ounces/198 grams) collard greens, destemmed, rolled and sliced 1/4-inch wide strips

1 Put beans in 3-quart saucepan with 2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil, boil for 2 minutes, cover and let stand for 1 hour. This is the quick soak method to replace the 12-hour “overnight” soak.

2 Drain the beans and put them in the slow cooker along ham, onion, celery, carrot, seasonings and water. Give it a stir. Make a top layer of sliced collard greens that will not be stirred in until later.

3 Cook on Low for 10 to 12 hours. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Bean with Bacon Soup

When I first met Mr Delightful, back before the earth had cooled, he liked canned condensed bean with bacon soup. If I recall, it tasted okay; but I just have this "thing" about canned soups and convenience foods and stuff that isn't organic. So, naturally, I had to come up with a better bean with bacon soup.

Needless to say, even though I don't put the word "organic" in front of every ingredient in my recipes, nearly every ingredient is. But if that's not your thing, you can make it with conventional ingredients. If using conventional bacon, which has far more fat than the organic uncured bacon I use, be sure to drain off the fat. 

I know it sounds crazy to put ketchup in soup, but all I can say is it's really good. At least with the brand I use. Besides adding a touch of tomato and sweetness to the soup, it adds a little organic vinegar and spices as well. Mr Delightful, the lifelong "mmm mmm good" man, pronounced it "even better, much better."

What is your favorite soup? Do you eat it regularly, just when you're sick, only during Soup Weather, or when?

Bean with Bacon Soup

(Makes 12 servings)

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

8 ounces organic hickory smoked uncured bacon, cut into 1/4-inch-wide slices
1 medium (8 ounces) yellow onion, chopped
3 quarts water
2 pounds navy or other small white beans
2 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped carrots
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 teaspoon marjoram leaves
2 cups lower sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup ketchup

1 In 6-quart Dutch oven, heat olive oil and saute bacon until cooked. (You can skip the oil if you're using conventional bacon; remove all but a tablespoon or two of the fat before adding onions.) Stir in chopped onion and cook until bacon and onions are caramelizing a bit, about 20 minutes. Stir in water and beans. Bring to a boil; you can use that time to chop celery and carrots. Stir in celery and carrots, salt, pepper, thyme and marjoram. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours.

Note: Organic uncured bacon is so lean, there is no need to drain off the fat as there would be if using conventional bacon.

2 After 2 hours, stir in chicken broth and ketchup. Continue simmering for 1 hour or until done, adding more liquid (water or broth) if needed. With immersion blender, puree the soup a bit to thicken it, leaving most of the beans whole.

Note: Dried beans can vary a great deal in how much cooking they require. I find three hours usually works for this, but if your beans are not fully cooked at three hours just keep cooking until they are. If your beans cook faster, then at the 3-hour mark the soup may have thickened to your liking without any pureeing needed.

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash Soup is the quintessential soup of autumn, and despite a spell of hot weather, I've been feeling positively autumnal. When I see this soup on a seasonal menu, I'm always tempted. But then I hesitate because too often it's made in one of two ways that I don't like.

One extreme is a version overloaded with garlic and strong herbs, trying too hard to not be the other extreme I don't like. And that is one that borders on dessert, very sweet and pumpkin-pie spicy. I add just a tiny amount of nutmeg, allspice and real maple syrup to enhance the natural sweetness of the squash and the tartness of the green apple.

A bit of potato amps up the creamy texture even without any actual cream. And using an immersion blender to puree the soup is the only way to go. Ladling part of it into a countertop blender and then pouring it into yet another bowl or pot, and then repeating two or three times ... well, all I have to say is I can't believe I waited so long to get an immersion blender. 

Of course, you can use chicken stock rather than vegetable stock and even put in some bacon, but I like the pure vegetable flavors of this version. What could be better than a steaming bowl of soup and homemade bread with lots of butter on a crisp autumn day! What are your favorite soups? 

Butternut Squash Soup

(Makes 2.25 quarts/2.13 liters)

1 medium (2.5 pounds) butternut squash
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium (8 ounces) Granny Smith apple, roughly chopped
1 small (4 ounces) yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 medium (2 ounces) carrot, roughly chopped
1 medium (8 ounces) russet potato, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 quart lower sodium vegetable broth
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Pinch (1/16 teaspoon) cayenne
1 tablespoon real maple syrup
Garnish: apple, nutmeg, creme fraiche

1 Preheat oven to 400F/200C/Gas6. Line a baking sheet with foil. Cut off stem of squash, and cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds. Place cut side up on prepared baking sheet, and brush tops with melted butter. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Roast for 1 hour. Let stand at room temperature until cool enough to handle.

2 In a 4-quart pot, heat olive oil and add chopped* apple, onion and carrot. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon each salt and pepper; cook for about 8 minutes. Scoop cooled squash into the pot. Add potato, broth, water and seasonings, including another 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, loosely covered, for 40 minutes.

* Roughly chopped is fine because you'll be pureeing the soup.

3 Using an immersion blender, puree the soup in the pot. Stir in the maple syrup. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Note: I'm not saying life without an immersion blender was meaningless or that I'm consumed with bitterness and regret for not getting one sooner. But seriously, folks, if you don't have an immersion blender, get one now. You'll wonder how you got along without it!

4 Ladle soup into bowls, garnish and serve.

Disclosure: Some posts contain links to my affiliate account at Amazon.com. If you purchase something from Amazon through one of my links, I receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use toward the expenses of running this blog. Thanks for supporting Delightful Repast when you shop at Amazon!

Potato Soup - From Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Potato Soup is something I usually make with raw potatoes, as in my classic Potato-Leek Soup. But I had some leftover Mashed Potatoes the other day and thought I'd turn them into a soup. It's very thick and rich. You add as much liquid as you need at the end to get the consistency you prefer -- easier than getting it too thin and then having to thicken it. 

I recently got a high-performance blender (more about that another day) and have been having fun making hot soups in it. There's no heating element; it's powerful enough to make friction heat. At the same time the ingredients, even raw vegetables, are being transformed into a perfectly smooth and creamy blend, they are being heated.

Of course, you can just cook this on the stove and puree it right in the pan with an immersion blender. But you'll need to chop and cook the celery if you do. This is my new favorite way to use leftover mashed potatoes. Or baked or boiled potatoes, for that matter. Maybe not leftover french fries, though. But, then, who ever has leftover french fries!

What is your favorite soup? Have you ever heated soup in a high-performance blender? I'm looking forward to making more slow cooker soups this autumn and winter.

Potato Soup - From Leftover Mashed Potatoes

(Makes five 1-cup servings)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 stalk celery*
2 cups leftover mashed potatoes
1 cup milk + more
1 cup lower sodium vegetable, chicken or beef broth + more
1/2 lightly packed cup shredded cheddar
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
Garnish options: dill, chives, scallions, sour cream, shredded cheese, crumbled bacon

* If using a high-performance blender, just break it in half and throw it in. Otherwise, chop it and cook it in butter with the onions. I suppose you could skip cooking the onion as well, but I can't eat raw onion so I cook it quite well.

1 In small skillet, melt butter. Cook chopped onion (and, perhaps, chopped celery) until softened, about 5 minutes.

2 Place in high-performance blender jar all the ingredients except the garnishes. Hit the preprogrammed Soup button. Taste and adjust seasoning. Hit the button again. Check the temperature and consistency. If it's thicker than you like, add more liquid. You'll need to hit the Soup button again to heat the added liquid.

3 Pour into bowls and garnish. I gave this bowl just a sprinkling of extra dill and coarsely ground black pepper and a bit of shredded cheese.

Chicken Chowder

My husband (Mr. Delightful) must really be getting into this whole food blogging thing. I told him we were having chicken soup for dinner. When he dug into it he said "This is great! You're going to blog it, right? What are you going to call it, chicken chowder?" 

This from a man who reads only my food blog, no food magazines or cookbooks, no food shows. What could I say but "Never heard of it. Sounds good to me." He does not like dark meat chicken, so I used chicken breast; but you could use thighs just as well.

I usually make a clear, brothy chicken soup; but for some reason I went thick, but not too thick. The word "chowder" didn't even occur to me because I hate clam chowder and don't ever make it, even for other people. All you need is some great bread to make a meal of this soup; choose one from the Delightful Repast Recipes index page.

What is your favorite soup? Do you eat soup all year round as I do, or is it something you reserve for the cold months? 

Couldn't resist serving it in my cute little Le Creuset cast iron mini cocottes!

Chicken Chowder

(Makes 6 Servings)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound (454 grams) boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons  (1 ounce/28 grams) unsalted butter
8 ounces (227 grams) cremini mushrooms, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 medium stalks celery, diced
1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1/3 dip-and-sweep cup (1.67 ounces/47 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
More butter or oil, if needed at this point
3 tablespoons dry sherry
1 cup (8 fluid ounces/237 milliliters) milk
1/3 cup (2.67 fluid ounces/79 milliliters) heavy cream
4 cups (32 fluid ounces/946 milliliters) lower-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
Garnish: 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 In large pot (I use a 5.5-quart Dutch/French oven), heat oil and stir-fry chicken pieces until lightly browned, salting and peppering* lightly, about 5 minutes. Remove to a bowl.

* I measure out the salt and pepper into two tiny prep bowls and use them throughout the recipe.

2 Add butter to pot and cook mushrooms, salting and peppering lightly, about 5 minutes. Add to chicken in bowl.

3 Add onion, carrot and celery and a bit of the salt and pepper to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add thyme and marjoram. Stir in flour, adding a bit more butter or oil if needed to incorporate the flour, cooking for 2 minutes.

4 Stir in sherry, milk and cream. Cook for a few minutes. Stir in chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil; lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chicken and mushrooms, and continue simmering for about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

5 Ladle soup into six bowls. Garnish each with about a teaspoon of chopped parsley.

Disclosure: ThermoWorks provided the timer and kitchen kit for review purposes and for the giveaway. The views expressed here are entirely my own. I always tell my readers what I really think!

Jean

If you liked this post, please Pin it and share it!

Potato-Leek Soup

Potato-Leek Soup, thick and creamy, is the classic winter soup of the British Isles. A lot of people in the US (like the grocery checker who asked me what they were) have never even had leeks. Probably one of the reasons is that any time you see them mentioned anywhere, such a fuss is made about how difficult they are to clean. Well, I'm here to tell you, that's just not true.

Nobody is more concerned about cleaning their produce properly than I am, and I've discovered the easiest way to do it is to slice them up first and then wash them. Just trim off the green part and the root end. Slice the leek in half the long way. Cut each half in half the long way and slice thinly. Then put them in a salad spinner and add water, swirl them around, lift out the strainer basket, pour the dirty water out of the outer bowl; repeat. If the leeks were particularly dirty, repeat again. 

If you like a perfectly smooth, really thick and creamy soup, you can puree it with an immersion blender and use half and half or cream in place of some of the milk. But I like the little chunks I get with the potato masher. And I like to add the garnish at the last minute and watch the cheese melt into the steaming soup. 

Potato-Leek Soup

(Makes six 12-ounce servings)

3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces/43 grams) unsalted butter
2 cups thinly sliced leeks, white part only
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 quart (32 fluid ounces/0.95 litre) lower sodium chicken broth
2 pounds (32 ounces/0.91 kg) potatoes, chopped in 1/2-inch dice (4 cups)
2 cups (16 fluid ounces/473 ml) milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dill
Garnish: coarsely shredded cheddar (about 1/2 ounce per serving) and sliced leeks

1 In 4-quart pan (I use my 5.5-quart Le Creuset French oven), saute the leek and celery in butter over low heat until soft and translucent, about 15 minutes. 

2 Add broth and potatoes, bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. 

3 Using potato masher, coarsely mash potatoes. Put back over heat. Add milk and seasonings. Taste and adjust seasoning. Ladle into bowls and garnish each bowl just as it's served (so everyone can watch the cheese melt into the soup!).

Jean 

French Onion Soup - Soupe a l'Oignon Gratinee

When I took the time to thoroughly caramelize the onions for a special version of my Vegetable Beef Soup last week, I got to craving classic French onion soup. Ever since my mother and I watched Julia Child make it on television when I was a child, I've intended to make it. Every time I have it in a French restaurant, I've intended to make it. For some reason, I never have. But, at last, today was the day! 

Naturally, I started with Julia's version in Mastering the Art of French Cooking - Volume One. And, just as naturally, I couldn't help making a few additions and subtractions as well as streamlining the directions. There's nothing difficult about it. It just takes a little patience and some good broth or stock. If you don't want to take at least 45 minutes to properly caramelize the onions, don't make this soup. If you don't want to make homemade beef stock or buy some really good stock or broth, don't make this soup. 

I used Pacific Natural Foods organic beef broth, a superb product I always have in the pantry, and it was wonderful! Good, flavorful, not-too-salty broth or stock is key to this soup. And there are plenty of recipes out there shortcutting the cooking of the onions. Don't you believe them!

If your eyes are as sensitive to onions as mine, you need to get these fabulous onion goggles -- they have changed my life! And they're kind of cute, too. Unfortunately, no one was around to take a picture of me modeling them!

We have many weeks of Soup Weather ahead - tell me about your favorite soups.

French Onion Soup - Soupe a l'Oignon Gratinee

Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

(Makes 7 cups / 6 servings)

1 1/2 pounds yellow onions, quartered and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 quart very good beef broth or stock
1 quart water
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
3 tablespoons brandy, optional
6 rounds of hard-toasted French bread
1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese
6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan

1 In heavy-bottomed large pot (a 4-quart is fine, but I used my Le Creuset 5.5-Quart French Oven), cook the onions in butter and oil over low heat, covered, for 15 minutes. No need to watch them, just set the timer and walk away.

2 Stir in the salt and sugar (helps with browning). Cook, uncovered, over moderate heat (onions should be sizzling), stirring frequently,* for about 35 to 45 minutes, or until onions are well caramelized, evenly golden brown.

* Who even knows what "stirring frequently" means? I've never seen a definitive answer to that question, so I'm going to say it means every 2 or 3 minutes (though maybe every minute toward the end).

3 During the last 15 minutes of cooking the onions, bring the stock and water to a boil in a 3-quart saucepan.

4 Sprinkle flour over the caramelized onions. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in the sherry, and cook for 1 minute.

5 Off heat, stir (gradually at first) the boiling liquid into the onions. Stir in the thyme, marjoram and black pepper (and the brandy, if you're using it). Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning (at this point, I added another 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper). May be made ahead to this point, cooled and then refrigerated until ready to use. While soup is simmering, cut slices of French bread to fit your broiler-proof* soup bowls and toast them on a baking sheet in the oven until they are hard as well as toasted. 

6 About 10 minutes before serving, preheat broiler. Bring the soup to a boil, then ladle into broiler-proof soup bowls. Place toast rounds on top, and spread cheeses over each. Place on a large, foil-lined baking sheet and put under the broiler for about 2 minutes to melt cheese and brown the tops.

*If your bowls are not broiler-proof, after oven-toasting the bread just top the toasts on the baking sheet with cheese and pop them under the broiler until cheese is bubbling and browning, then float them on the bowls of soup.

Note: If you're a Julia Child fan, you might enjoy reading my Vegetable Quiche post about one of my conversations with her.