| This
broccoli cheddar soup comes from "Soup's
On," by Valerie Phillips. |
 |
MINNEAPOLIS
— After picking meat off the bones from two roasted
chickens, my daughter was about to toss the carcasses into
the garbage when I reminded her, "That’s the best
part."
Indeed
it is. Whether it’s the ready-roasted supermarket hen that
you picked up on the way home from work, the leftover ham
bone from the holiday dinner or the beef bones left on the
serving platter, the remains of the meal are not scraps to
discard, but treasured ingredients to form the basis of
stock, the foundation of soup.
It’s
so automatic for me that before I clean up the kitchen
post-dinner, I have filled the soup pot with water and added
leftover bones and bits of meat, a few coarsely chopped
vegetables (onion, carrot, celery, the latter with leafy
tops if I’ve planned ahead) and aromatics (bay leaf,
peppercorns). It’s what I call my free meal — waste not,
want not — simmered with the bits and pieces of produce
found in my refrigerator crisper. No need for the vegetables
to be at their best as their last remaining flavors will be
extracted in the broth. The bones from the roasted meat
result in a dark stock with plenty of flavor.
It’s
perfectly fine to use uncooked meat with bones (chicken
breasts or thighs, turkey neck bones, for example) to make
the stock. But the richness of roasted meat bumps up the
flavor in a way that suits me. (A lighter-colored, more
delicate chicken stock will be the result of preparing it
with raw meat.) No leftover bones? You can always brown or
roast the bones before you start making the stock.
TO
MAKE YOUR OWN STOCK
Start
with cold water and cover the bones and vegetables with
water, so there’s at least 2 inches of liquid above the
ingredients. A tall soup pot is best (less water
evaporates), but you can certainly use a smaller pot if that’s
what you have. Keep in mind that it doesn’t take any
longer to make a lot of stock than it does to make a little.
You’ll
want to bring the mixture to a boil, then drop it to a low
simmer and keep it going, with the pot semi-covered, for as
long as the meat and vegetables have something to offer.
That’s definitely for at least an hour, maybe two or more,
adding additional water as the liquid reduces. The fragrance
of the broth will waft through your kitchen like an aromatic
humidifier.
LAST
STEPS FOR STOCK MAKING
Once
the stock is done, strain it (discarding the bones, meat and
vegetables, all of which are tasteless by now) and cool the
liquid in the refrigerator, where the fat will rise to the
top and harden, making it easy to discard. Then you’re
ready to make soup.
A
QUICK VERSION
Not
enough time? You can make a quick version by doctoring
store-bought chicken stock with your own vegetables for
added depth of flavor (see recipe, below).
And
now the real cooking begins, with either a favorite soup
recipe or something new. Here are some options to warm you
up on a cold day.
WHAT’S
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BROTH AND STOCK?
Stock
is the foundation of many types of dishes, including soup.
Broth is what it’s called when you’re serving it on its
own or with other ingredients, such as noodles or
vegetables. The biggest difference between the two is that
broth is more highly seasoned than stock (stick with
low-sodium broths when you’re buying commercially made).
———
QUICK
CHICKEN STOCK
Makes
about 14 cups.
Note:
From "300 Sensational Soups," by Carla Snyder and
Meredith Deeds.
16
cups store-bought chicken stock
2
pounds chicken parts (necks, backs, breast bones, wings,
etc.)
2
onions, sliced
2
garlic cloves, crushed
1
carrot, sliced
1 rib
celery, sliced
6
whole black peppercorns
3
parsley stems
1 bay
leaf
½
teaspoon dried thyme
Directions:
In
large stockpot, combine stock, chicken parts, onions,
garlic, carrot, celery, peppercorns, parsley stems, bay leaf
and thyme. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook at a
very low simmer for 45 minutes. Strain and degrease stock.
Nutrition
information per 1 cup:
Calories:
50; Fat: 2 grams; Sodium: 150 milligrams
Carbohydrates:
4 grams; Saturated fat: 0 grams; Calcium: 10 milligrams
Protein:
6 grams; Cholesterol: 3 milligrams Dietary fiber: 0 grams
Diabetic
exchanges per serving: 1 lean meat
———
WILD
MUSHROOM AND ORZO SOUP WITH ITALIAN MEATBALLS
Serves
6 to 8.
Note:
If you decide to substitute store-bought meatballs for
homemade, you may want to resize them (packaged ones tend to
be large). Cut the large meatballs in half and reroll them
into a ball that is better suited for a soup bowl. From
"300 Sensational Soups," by Carla Snyder and
Meredith Deeds. ((
)
2
tablespoons unsalted butter
2
tablespoons olive oil
1
large onion, minced
1½
pounds wild mushrooms, sliced
1 rib
celery, chopped
1
teaspoon salt
1
teaspoon dried basil
1
teaspoon dried oregano
6 cups
beef or chicken stock
Uncooked
Italian Meatballs (see recipe; see Note)
1 cup
uncooked orzo
¼ cup
minced fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
2
teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup
freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for
garnish
Freshly
ground black pepper
Directions:
In
large pot, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat. Add
onion and saute until starting to soften, about 2 minutes.
Add mushrooms, celery, salt, basil and oregano; saute until
vegetables begin to soften and mushrooms have released their
liquid, about 5 minutes.
Add
stock and bring to boil. Carefully add meatballs and bring
back to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until meatballs are
cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes.
Increase heat to medium-high and bring soup to a boil. Stir
in orzo and boil until tender, about 8 minutes. Add parsley,
lemon juice, cheese, salt and pepper to taste.
Ladle
into heated bowls and pass additional cheese at the table.
Nutrition
information per each of 8 servings:
Calories:
400; Fat: 21 grams; Sodium: 1,170 mg
Carbohydrates:
25 g; Saturated fat 7 g; Calcium: 180 mg
Protein:
27 g; Cholesterol: 92 mg; Dietary fiber: 4 g
Diabetic
exchanges per serving: 1 vegetable, 1½ bread/starch, 3 lean
meat.
———
ITALIAN
MEATBALLS
Makes
about 32 meatballs (enough for 8 servings of soup).
Note:
From "300 Sensational Soups," by Carla Snyder and
Meredith Deeds.
2
tablespoons olive oil
1 cup
finely chopped onion
2
garlic cloves, minced
8
ounces lean ground beef
8
ounces lean ground veal
8
ounces regular or lean ground pork
1 egg
1 cup
fresh breadcrumbs
¼ cup
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup
minced fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
2 tsp.
salt
1
teaspoon dried basil
½
teaspoon dried oregano
¼
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a
skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute
until starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and
saute until onion is softened, about 2 minutes. Let cool for
5 minutes.
In
large bowl, using your hands, combine onion mixture, beef,
veal, pork, egg, breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, salt, basil,
oregano and pepper. To taste for seasoning, heat a small
skillet over medium heat and fry a spoon-sized patty until
no longer pink. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and
black pepper, if necessary. Roll into small meatballs about
1½ inches in diameter.
Nutrition
information per 4 meatballs:
Calories:
210; Fat: 13 grams; Sodium: 720 milligrams
Carbohydrates:
5 grams; Saturated fat: 4 grams; Calcium: 76 milligrams
Protein:
18 grams; Cholesterol: 82 milligrams; Dietary fiber: 1 gram
Diabetic
exchanges per serving: ½ other carb, 2½ lean meat, 1 fat.
———
WHITE
BEAN, CHICKEN AND PESTO SOUP
Serves
8.
Note:
Think of this as a "from the pantry" soup.
Substitute any kind of canned bean or leftover meat, such as
ham, pork or beef. The vinegar at the end of cooking
heightens the flavor. From "300 Sensational
Soups," by Carla Snyder and Meredith Deeds.
1
tablespoon olive oil
1
onion, chopped
3
garlic cloves, minced
1 rib
celery, chopped
1
carrot, chopped
1
teaspoon dried oregano
¼
teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 cups
chicken stock
1
teaspoon salt
¼
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cans
(each 14 to 19 oz.) cannellini or white kidney beans,
drained and rinsed (see Note, above)
3 cups
shredded cooked chicken (see Note, above)
¼ cup
pesto (store-bought or your own), divided
2
teaspoon white wine vinegar
Extra-virgin
olive oil
Directions:
In
large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute
until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, celery, carrot,
oregano and cayenne; saute for 2 minutes.
Stir
in stock, salt and black pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce
heat and simmer until vegetables are softened, about 20
minutes. Add beans, chicken, 2 tablespoons pesto, vinegar;
heat until steaming, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust
seasoning with salt and black pepper, if necessary.
Ladle
into heated bowls and garnish each with a small dollop of
remaining pesto and a drizzle of olive oil.
Nutrition
information per serving:
Calories:
280; Fat: 11 grams; Sodium: 690 milligrams
Carbohydrates:
21 grams; Saturated fat: 3 grams; Calcium: 77 milligrams
Protein:
25 grams; Cholesterol: 46 milligrams; Dietary fiber: 5 grams
Diabetic
exchanges per serving: 1 vegetable, 1 bread/starch, 3 lean
meat, ½ fat.
———
BROCCOLI
CHEDDAR SOUP
Serves
6.
Note:
If preferred, substitute 4 cups chopped fresh broccoli
instead of frozen. From "Soup’s On," by Valerie
Phillips.
3
tablespoons butter
3
tablespoons flour
2
(14.5-ounce) cans (3½ cups) chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups
milk or half-and-half
1
large chopped onion
2
(12-ounce) pkg. frozen chopped broccoli, or broccoli cuts,
thawed (see Note, above)
2 cups
shredded Cheddar cheese
Salt
and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch
ground nutmeg
½ cup
Parmesan cheese or sour cream, for garnish
Directions:
Melt
butter over medium heat in a 4- to 6-quart stockpot.
Sprinkle
with flour and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, to make
a roux.
Add
stock, milk, onion and broccoli and stir well. Turn up the
heat and allow mixture to come to a boil, stirring
occasionally.
Reduce
the heat to medium-low, and let mixture cook until the
broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and allow to cool a few minutes. Puree
until smooth in
2
batches in a stand blender, or with a hand-held blender.
Return
to pot and add the Cheddar, stirring until cheese is melted.
Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.
Ladle
into heated bowls and garnish with a heaping tablespoon of
Parmesan or sour cream, if desired.
Nutrition
information per serving:
Calories:
350; Fat: 22 grams; Sodium: 560 milligrams
Carbohydrates:
17 grams; Saturated fat: 14 grams; Calcium: 460 milligrams
Protein:
22 grams; Cholesterol: 65 milligrams; Dietary fiber: 4 grams
Diabetic
exchanges per serving: ½ milk, 2 vegetable, 2 high-fat
meat, 1 fat.
———
