Simple Soups
It may be spring and the bluebonnets are everywhere, but simple soups are always welcome comfort food. All the vegetable combos in our last blog post can be thrown in a pot with the broth of your choice, or you can opt to simmer them slowly together. But the taste will have more depth if you roast or saute the vegetables first, because it seals in the flavor of each one.
Quick Corn Soup
If you want to keep things on the low fat side, add sautéed sweet peppers and onions to low sodium creamed corn, and add a little broth, unsweetened coconut milk or whole milk, followed by sea salt, cumin, chile powder, and garlic powder. Heat through and you have a wonderful meal on its own, or as a chowder base for roasted potatoes, diced chicken, and chives. Or top with pico de gallo, avocado and sautéed shrimp.
Make your own from fresh shucked corn, blended with unsweetened nut milk or cream and serve chilled, with a ribbon of crema or yogurt swirled in.
Serve with the 2019 Texas Lenoir Blush.
Quick Southwestern Soup
Use the same Southwest spices from our Taco Tuesday post, which are salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and chili powder, for a flavorful tomato based soup by combining equal parts whole kernel corn, cooked and rinsed black beans and petite diced tomatoes to an equal amount of tomato juice or crushed tomato puree. Add cooked chicken, ground turkey, and top with shredded cheese, sliced avocado and fresh chopped cilantro. Serve with lime wedges and tostadas.
Serve with 2014 Bounty Land Crossings.
Quick Potato Soup
Heat up a quart of broth over med-high heat, and add instant mashed potato flakes, one cup at a time, until it reaches a consistency that pleases you. Add more broth to thin it, or thicken with yogurt or sour cream and reduce the heat so you don’t curdle the mix.
If you like it chunky, add roasted potatoes, charred corn and other cooked veggies that you fancy and heat through. Top with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped bacon, sour cream, sliced green onions and fresh ground black pepper. Add chopped fresh parsley.
Pair with a lighter bodied red.
Simple Chicken Soup
When you have leftover roasted chicken and cooked pasta, heat a quart of water and add two chicken bouillon cubes and simmer until dissolved. While that is coming together, sauteed two stalks of sliced celery, one whole carrot, sliced or cubed, and half an onion, cut into medium sized pieces. Simmer for ten minutes and add salt and pepper to taste. Add a ladle full of hot broth to each serving of cold noodles or rice, set out for service in glass or metal bowls. Let them sit for about five minutes, covered to bring up to temp. Pop into the microwave, covered, for larger portions. Add more hot soup and garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro.
If you have all day to make this soup and your kids don’t really like vegetables, boil a whole chicken with celery, onions, carrots, peppercorns, garlic cloves, and sea salt. Roast the vegetables first, as we described in the last blog post. Strain everything, returning the broth back to the pot and allow to simmer on low as you separate the meat and veggies.
Serve with 2020 Texas Blanc du Bois Dry.
Simple Chicken Soup – Velvet Version
If you boil a whole chicken, make sure there are no bones in your veggie pile. Add them in small batches to a blender and add a cup or so of broth to blend smooth. Add the blended veggies to a clean pot until all are blended smooth. Thin with broth and simmer on low. Add a cup of heavy cream and allow to thicken.
Shred and chop the chicken, and return to the soup. Serve with rice crackers or tostadas if you are watching your carbs. Add chopped fresh spinach and tomatoes for a wonderful Florentine version, topped with Parmesan cheese and croutons.
Serve with 2024 Texas Lenoir Blush.
Check out the recipe for Irish Soda Bread on the blog for St. Paddy’s Day, because it’s a fabulous accompaniment to these soups. If you’re going to be in the kitchen roasting veggies and making broth, you may as well whip up a few loaves of this super simple bread and throw the extras in your freezer.
CHEERS!
Kristie
