Wild Rice And Mushroom Soup

 

Wild rice And Mushroom Soup

A creamy and herbaceous soup for a chilly autumn day when the rains have returned. We roasted the mushrooms separately to add some crunch and earthy meatiness.

Ingredients:    
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup carrots, peeled and diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup sweet onions or shallots, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups wild rice, rinsed
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 ½ quarts vegetable broth
2 cups kale, ribs removed and torn into small pieces
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper
2 pounds mixed mushrooms ( wild oyster, chanterelle, lobster and enoki mushrooms, use what you like.)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add in the carrots, celery and onions, and sweat for 5–7 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add in the wild rice, and sauté with the vegetables for another minute. Add in the fresh herbs, red pepper flakes and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes, until the wild rice is fully cooked. Prep your mushrooms while the rice is cooking.

Add in the torn kale, Parmesan and heavy cream, cook for an additional 2 or 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

For the mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Tear mushrooms into small pieces, and toss with the olive oil, salt and pepper, and fresh parsley. Roast for 15–20 minutes, or until the mushrooms are deeply browned and crispy. Serve on top of the soup with more fresh parsley.

Notes: This recipe uses butter, cream and Parmesan cheese for an additional layer of luxury, but you can easily substitute olive oil, coconut milk and nutritional yeast for an equally delicious, fully vegan riff. Either way, your kitchen will smell heavenly.

Soup Beans

Soup Beans

There is nothing better on a cool night than a bowl of soup beans with plenty of tangy chow-chow and a hunk of cornbread.
Ingredients
1 lb. dried pinto beans, rinsed and sorted
6 thick-cut, applewood-smoked bacon slices, chopped
1 medium (9 oz.) yellow onion, chopped (1 3/4 cups)
1 large (10 oz.) red bell pepper, chopped (1 1/4 cups)
2 medium-size celery stalks, chopped (about 2/3 cup)
2 Tbsp. minced garlic (from 3 garlic cloves)
8 cups chicken stock
1 (2-lb.) ham bone
1 dried bay leaf
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup chow-chow
Thinly sliced scallions
Cornbread

Directions
Soak beans:  Place beans in a large bowl; add water to cover beans by 2 inches. Soak beans 8 hours or up to 12 hours. Drain beans, and set aside.

Cook bacon:  Heat a Dutch oven over medium. Add bacon; cook, stirring occasionally, until rendered and crispy, 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside. Do not wipe Dutch oven clean.

Cook vegetables:  Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to drippings in Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add beans, stock, ham, and seasonings:  Add soaked pinto beans, stock, ham bone, bay leaf, and crushed red pepper. Bring to boil over medium-high; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are very tender but still retain their shape, about 2 hours. Uncover and cook until liquid thickens slightly, about 30 minutes.

Garnish and serve:   Remove from heat, and stir in thyme. Divide soup evenly among bowls, and top each serving evenly with chow-chow, scallions, and reserved bacon. Serve with cornbread.

 

Creamy White Bean Soup

 

Creamy White Bean Soup

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
1 medium yellow onion, chopped 
3 medium celery stalks, chopped 
1 tablespoon minced garlic 
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning 
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper 
2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added great northern beans, rinsed 
1 (2-ounce) Parmesan cheese rind (optional) 
4 cups unsalted vegetable broth 
½ teaspoon salt 
½ teaspoon ground pepper 
1 fresh or dried bay leaf 
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest 
2 teaspoons lemon juice 
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Directions:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring often, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Stir in beans, Parmesan rind (if using), broth, salt, pepper and bay leaf; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove and discard Parmesan rind (if using) and bay leaf.

Pour 2 cups of the soup into a blender. Secure the lid on the blender and remove the center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over the opening. Process until smooth, about 1 minute. (Use caution when blending hot liquids. Alternatively, pour 2 cups of the soup into a medium bowl; process until smooth using an immersion blender.)

Pour the pureed soup back into the remaining soup in the pot; stir to combine. Stir in lemon zest and lemon juice. Divide the soup among 4 bowls; sprinkle with Parmesan and garnish with parsley, if desired.

Tortellini Soup With Italian Sausage

Tortellini Soup With Italian Sausage

1 lb. Italian Sausage
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 pinches dried red pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (14.5 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes

2 cups beef broth

4 cups vegetable broth
10 ounces refrigerated tortellini
3 cups arugula (or spinach)
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Brown Italian sausage with onion and garlic, add dried herbs, tomato paste,  vegetable broth, tortellini and arugula.  Simmer until tortellini is done.  Serve.

Tortellini Soup With Italian Sausage

Tortellini Soup With Italian Sausage

 Ingredients:

1 lb Italian Sausage
1 medium onion finely chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon dried thyme
2 pinches crushed red pepper
2 cups beef broth
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (14.5 ounce) can fire roasted tomatoes
4 cups vegetable broth
10 ounces refrigerated tortellini
3 cups arugula  (or spinach)
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Brown the Italian Sausage in a Dutch Oven or stockpot over medium heat.  When it is almost fully browned add the onion and cook until the sausage is done browning and the onion has softened.  Turn the heat to low and add the garlic, basil, oregano, parsley, thyme and crushed red pepper; cook for 1 minute stirring constantly.

In a small bowl whisk the tomato paste with about 1/2 cup beef broth. Add the vegetable broth, remaining beef broth, fire roasted tomatoes and thinned out tomato paste.  Increase the heat to medium low and simmer for 3-4 minutes.

Add the cheese tortellini and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the tortellinis are cooked to your desired tenderness.  Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the arugula.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle each bowl with 1-2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

You can substitute spinach for arugula without any changes to the recipe.

Most grocery stores carry refrigerated pasta although you may have to ask where it is in the store.  You can always substitute frozen cheese tortellini.

Try to purchase a good Italian sausage from a local Italian meat market.  If it is only available in links simply cut the casings off.

This soup is really so quick and easy that is doable on a weeknight.

Dried herbs work best in soup where their flavors have time to permeate the whole pot.  I like to add them right before the liquids and stir for about 1 minute.

Buy the freshest dried herbs you can get.  If they don’t have much smell to them anymore than they have lost their potency and they will not lend much to the recipe.  It is time to replace them.

The crushed red pepper adds a very minuscule amount of heat but if the idea of adding it leaves you apprehensive than omit it.