Soups, Stews and Chilis

Black Bean Soup
Modified from:  Slow Cooker Revolution

3 whole onions -- minced
6 whole garlic cloves -- minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chili powder
3 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
1 pound dried black beans
3 stalks celery -- minced
2 whole carrots -- minced
2 whole bay leaves
1 whole ham bones
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Microwave onions, garlic, oil and chili powder in a bowl, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.

Stir water, broth, beans, celery, carrots and bay leaves into slow cooker. Nestle ham bone in. Cover and cook until beans are tender, 9 to 11 hours on low or 5 to 7 hours on high.

Transfer ham bone to cutting board, let cool slightly and shred meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding bone. Let soup settle for 5 minutes and then remove fat from the surface using a slotted spoon. Discard bay leaves.

Transfer 1 cup of beans to a bowl and mash with a potato masher. Stir shredded ham and mashed beans back into soup and let sit until heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Makes 11 1-cup servings.

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Chicken Pastina Soup
www.Progresso.com

1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 medium)
1/2 cup diced carrot (1 medium)
1/2 cup diced celery (1 medium stalk)
1 cup crushed tomatoes
2 cartons (32 oz each) Progresso® chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon gray salt or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 dried bay leaf
1 cup uncooked acini di pepe pasta or other small round pasta (8 oz)
2 cups chopped, lightly packed mustard greens, spinach, Swiss chard or other greens
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

In 5-quart stockpot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken, onion, carrot and celery; cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.

Stir in tomatoes, broth, salt, pepper and bay leaf; heat to boiling. Stir in pasta; reduce heat.

Cover; simmer 15 minutes. Stir in greens just until wilted. Remove bay leaf. Serve with a twist of additional freshly ground pepper and sprinkle of cheese.   Makes 10 servings (1 1/2 cups each).

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Easy Taco Chili
Slow Cooker Revolution

2 cups onions -- chopped
1 package taco seasoning mix
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons canola oil
6 whole garlic cloves -- minced
15 ounces canned black beans
16 ounces canned kidney beans
15 ounces tomato sauce
14 1/2 ounces diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 slice white bread
2 tablespoons 2% milk
1 pound ground beef, 93%
1 1/2 cups frozen corn

Microwave onions, taco seasoning, tomato paste, oil and garlic in bowl, stirring occasionally until onions are softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.

Stir beans, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes (with juice) and sugar into slow cooker.

Mash bread and milk into a paste with a fork. Mix in ground beef and 1/4 teasponn black pepper using hands. Stir beef mixture into sow cooker, breaking up any large pieces. Cover and cook until beef is tender, 6-8 hours on low.

Let chili settle for 5 minutes and then skim the fat off the top with a large spoon. Stir in corn and let it set until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

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French Onion Soup
Source Unknown

3 pounds yellow onions
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 pinch sugar
8 cups water, plus more as needed
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 whole baguette
8 ounces Gruyère or Swiss cheese, grated

Cut each onion into 1/8 inch slices (I make mine a little thicker so the onions don't all dissolve). Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Once it has stopped foaming add the onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and sugar. Toss to evenly coat. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Remove cover, and cook stirring frequently until the onions begin to brown lightly, about 90 minutes longer. Stir every 5 minutes and add a couple tablespoons of water whenever the bottom of the pan crusts over with dark colored fond. Continue to cook as directed until the onions are an even dark walnut color, an additional 45 minutes longer.

Add the flour and stir for two minutes. Add 8 cups water and thyme to the onions and bring to a boil. Lower heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Add white wine and simmer 10 minutes longer. Taste for seasoning adding salt as needed. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 325 degrees and adjust a rack to the upper middle position. Cut the baguette into 3/4 inch slices and arrange on a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake until the bread is dry, crisp and very lightly colored at the edges, about 10 minutes. Remove bread slices and set aside.

Heat broiler and place 6 heatproof bowls in a baking sheet. Fill each bowl with about 2 cups soup. Top each with two baguette slices and evenly distribute grated cheese over the bread. Broil until well browned and bubbly, about ten minutes. Cool for five minutes before serving.

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Italian Meatball Soup
Slow Cooker Revolution

2 slices white bread
1/2 cup milk
1 pound ground beef, 93%
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese -- grated
3 tablespoons minced parsley
1 whole egg yolk
6 cloves garlic -- minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 whole onion -- minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
8 cups chicken broth
5 ounces spinach leaf, whole -- chopped
6 ounces orzo

Mash bread and milk into paste in a large bowl using a fork. Mix in ground beef, Parmesan, parsley, egg yolk, 3 garlic cloves, oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper using hands. Pinch off and roll into tablespoon sized meatballs (about 30 - 35 total).

Microwave meatballs on plate until fat renders and meatballs are firm, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour off fat and transfer meatballs to slow cooker.

Microwave onions, remaining garlic cloves, oil and red pepper flakes in bowl, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker.

Add broth, cover and cook until meatballs are tender, about 4-6 hours on low.

Let soup settle for 5 minutes and then remove fat from surface using a large spoon, Stir in orzo, cover and cook on high until tender, 20 - 30 minutes. Add spinach to wilt. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with additional Parmesan.

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Pat Monahan's Turkey Chili
Modified from Every Day with Rachael Ray

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 pounds boneless, skinless turkey breast, cut into chunks
2 red bell peppers, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dried oregano
3 tablespoons chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
Three 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes
Two 15.5-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
1/4 cup dry red wine
4 bay leaves
Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving

In a large dutch oven, heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil over high heat. Working in batches, add the turkey and cook until browned; transfer to a bowl.

Lower the heat to medium-high and add the remaining half tablespoon olive oil to the pot. Add the bell peppers, onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the oregano, chili powder, cumin and 2 teaspoons salt and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, black beans, wine and bay leaves. Stir in the turkey and 1 cup water, lower the heat to medium and simmer until thickened, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. To serve, top with the cheddar cheese.

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Turkey Stock

Leftover turkey carcass with a bunch of the good stuff still attached
2 onions, quartered
3 stalks celery
3 carrots, peeled
3-4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Handful of parsley, chopped
Salt

Break the turkey carcass in half and toss in a tall stockpot. Fill pot with water until carcass is almost fully submerged. Add the vegetables and seasonings. Cover and bring to a boil, reducing the heat and let it simmer gently. I let it simmer for an hour and a half with the cover on and 30 minutes with the cover off so it would reduce a little.

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