Rich and delicious homemade soup can be a busy cook’s best friend especially when Mother Nature is acting like your enemy.
Here in the Midwest fall came in like a lamb (it was nearly 80 degrees on Election Day), but now it feels more like late December (yesterday’s high was 30 degrees). The conditions are terrible if you have to be outdoors for long periods of time, but they are ideal if you have the luxury of staying indoors all day making homemade soups.
The following soup recipes are easy to prepare and satisfying enough to serve as a one-pot meal. Pair them with warm crusty bread and a fresh green salad and you have the makings of a fantastic fall meal.
CLASSIC ITALIAN SOUP
Ingredients:
8 to 10 uncooked Italian sausage links
4 to 5 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1 package (1 pound) baby carrots
1 zucchini, sliced
2 cans (14 to 16 ounces each) stewed or diced tomatoes
1 can (14 to 16 ounces) navy beans
10 cups beef or chicken stock
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 pound small pasta, uncooked (such as orzo)
1/2 large bag baby spinach (about 10 cups or 1-1/4 pounds), chopped
Directions:
Remove skin from sausage and saute sausage in large soup pot, breaking into bite-size pieces.
When sausage is almost cooked through, add garlic, onions, carrots and zucchini. Stir occasionally and cook until onions are tender.
Add canned tomatoes, beans and stock; bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Add more stock or water if soup is too thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Once soup is boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente; remove from heat.
Before serving, stir in spinach.
Serves 12.
KOREAN SOUP WITH KIM CHEE
Ingredients:
2-1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon kosher salt
6 to 8 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bottle (12 ounces) won bok kim chee (found in the Asian section of larger grocery stores or in Asian food stores)
Salt, pepper and/or soy sauce, to taste
1 bunch watercress, chopped into 2-inch pieces
Directions:
Place chicken into large soup pot; add water to cover.
Stir in salt and garlic; cover and bring to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer until meat is tender.
Remove meat from broth and cut into bite-sized pieces.
Strain broth and return broth and meat to pot. Add additional broth or water if necessary. Bring to boil.
Add kim chee with kim chee liquid (if desired, chop kim chee into bite-size pieces before adding); stir. Season to taste with salt, pepper and/or soy sauce. Add watercress and remove from heat; serve immediately.
Serves 10.
Note: Mandoo (Korean dumplings filled with meat and vegetables) can be added to soup with kim chee.
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