Soups

Summer Vegetable With Hatch Chiles

(recipe serves 8)

1/4 C olive oil
2 yellow onions, chopped small
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
2 red bell peppers, diced small

Juice from 3 limes

1 – 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
3 mild roasted Hatch chiles, chopped
3 hot roasted Hatch chiles, chopped

4 ears of roasted corn, kernels removed
2 large zucchini, quartered lengthwise and diced

1 T cumin
6-7 C chicken or vegetable stock
1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

Salt to taste

1 C uncooked quinoa

This time of year, HEB buys tons of Hatch Chiles from New Mexico. They roast them in large barrel roasters outside their stores. When you get out of your car, the wonderful smokey charred aroma of roasting chiles overcomes you. Wheels spin and recipes come forth. I love this soup. The earthy quinoa, smokey chiles, spice, fresh corn and zucchini, and the brightness of the lime!!!

For roasted corn:
Rub ears of corn with olive oil. Salt and pepper each ear. Place corn on a foil lined baking sheet and place into a preheated 450 degree oven. Bake for 15 minutes. Using tongs, rotate ears of corn and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cooling. Using a sharp knife, cut the kernels from the cob.

For soup:
Place olive oil in a preheated soup pot. Add onions, garlic and red peppers. Sprinkle mix with salt and cracked pepper. Sauté vegetables over medium high heat until they soften and begin to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add lime juice to the pot and scrape up any bits which have stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Add tomatoes and chiles. Mix well. Add corn, zucchini, cumin, stock and cilantro. Bring mix to a boil and lower heat until vegetables become tender. Salt to taste.

Ladle soup over cooked quinoa and garnish with scallions and tostadas.

As I have mentioned before, plan ahead so that your soup can rest for a day before service. Magic happens when flavors can chill and develop! Slow down folks. Fast food lacks soul…

For quinoa:
Place 1 C uncooked quinoa into a large sauce pan. Add 2 C of filtered water, 3 bay leaves and 1 t salt. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover and lower heat. Cook for about 15 minutes until water evaporates. Spread cooked quinoa on a cookie sheet for cooling. This can be prepared ahead, cooled and reheated in a microwave.

Borracho Beans

1 pound pinto beans (soaked overnight)

1/4 C vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
8 cloves of garlic, minced

2 – 10 ounce cans Rotel tomatoes
1 T chili powder
1 t red pepper flakes
1 T chipotle puree
3/4 C cooked bacon pieces
1 T salt
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Water
1 bottle Mexican beer

Puree a small can of chipotle in adobo sauce.

Pico de gallo makes a perfect topping for borracho beans.

Drain beans in a colander. In a preheated soup pot, add oil, onions, bell peppers and garlic. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Sauté over medium heat until onions become translucent and peppers soften. A little sticking is ok. Add Rotel tomatoes, chili powder, red pepper flakes, chipotle puree, bacon, salt and cilantro. Bring mixture to a boil adding a little water if necessary. Add beans and beer. Add additional water to cover beans by an inch or so. Bring beans to a boil. Lower heat and cover. Slow boil beans until tender. Additional water may need to be added. Adjust seasoning with salt if necessary.

Yellow Split Pea with Garbanzo Beans

(serves 8-10, freezes well too)

1 pound yellow split peas, soaked in water overnight

1/4 C olive oil
2 small yellow onions, diced small
2 red bell peppers, diced small
8 cloves of garlic, minced

1 T curry
1 T ground coriander
1 1/2 t cumin
1 T turmeric
1 t red pepper flakes

8 C vegetable or chicken stock
Juice of one lemon
1 t baking soda

1 – 5 ounce container of baby spinach
1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
2 – 15 ounce cans of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

2 t salt

In a large preheated soup pot, add olive oil. Once oil shimmers, add onions, bell peppers and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. While that is sautéing, drain your split peas in a colander and rinse. Once onions are translucent, add split peas to the pot along with about 2 cups of stock. Add curry, coriander, cumin, turmeric and red pepper flakes. Stir well to combine. Add remaining stock, lemon juice and baking soda. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and add spinach, cilantro, garbanzo beans and salt. Cover and cook over medium low heat until yellow split peas begin to soften and break apart.

The soup really shines after an overnighter in your fridge. Reheat and serve with a dollop of yogurt, chopped scallions and toasted almond slices. Some grilled naan makes a great accompaniment. Additional stock or water can be added if consistency is too thick.

Smokin’ Chicken Chipotle Soup

(serves 8-10)

1/4 C olive oil
2 small yellow onions, diced
8-10 garlic cloves, minced

1 – 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes
2 – 10 ounce cans of Rotel
1 – 14.75 can of creamed corn
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped

1 T chili powder
2 t cumin
1/2 t red pepper flakes
2 T chipotle pepper puree

6 C chicken stock

1 – 30 ounce can of hominy (rinsed and drained)
3 large yellow squash, quartered lengthwise and chopped
3 C shredded chicken

In a preheated soup pot, add olive oil, onions and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté until onion is translucent and garlic is fragrant. Add diced tomatoes, Rotel, creamed corn and cilantro. Mix well. Add chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes and chipotle puree. Mix well. Add stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat and take an immersion blender and puree the soup until a nice thick consistency is achieved. It should look like thick marinara. If it is too thick, add additional stock or water. Add hominy, squash and chicken. Simmer until squash is tender, but not mushy. Adjust seasoning with salt, if needed.

Serve soup with chunks of fresh avocado, sour cream, cilantro and lime.

This would also make an excellent base for a vegetarian chili. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken and add additional veggies at the end. Butternut squash, sweet pepper chunks, zucchini, cauliflower, parsnips, turnips….

This soup whips up pretty quickly. Minimal dicing required. A good can opener is essential!

There is a sweetness, from the creamed corn, as well as smokey heat. The creamy cool chunks of avocado and sour cream offer nice counter to the spice. A spritz of limon verde and a slice of skillet cornbread makes this the perfect meal for a cool evening at home. Don’t forget the Negro Modelo.

Curried Zucchini and Red Pepper Soup

serves 8-10

1/4 C olive oil

6-8 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
2 small yellow onions, diced
2 red bell peppers, seeds and membranes removed, diced

1/4 C tomato paste

6 C chicken or vegetable stock
2 t ground coriander
2 t cumin
1 T turmeric
2 t curry
1 t red pepper flakes

6 medium-sized zucchini, cut into chunks

juice from one small lemon
1 small bunch parsley, finely chopped
1 small bunch cilantro, finely chopped

In a preheated soup pot, add olive oil. It should shimmer and ripple from the heat. Add garlic slices and sauté to flavor the oil. Add onions and red peppers. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Allow vegetables to sauté for a minute or so before stirring. We are looking for a little bit of “pan sticking” from the vegetables. The salting will pull out moisture in the vegetables. Allow vegetable liquid to mostly cook out before adding tomato paste. Mix paste in well. Watch your heat. You don’t want to burn the paste, but you do want some “pan sticking” and depth of color. You can smell the sweetness and caramelization from cooking the paste. See photo. Add 2 C of stock, coriander, cumin, turmeric, curry and red pepper flakes to the pot. Mix well. Add zucchini. Add remaining 4 C of stock, lemon juice, parsley and cilantro. Mix well. Bring to a boil and lower heat. Cover and simmer until zucchini is tender. At this point, remove the soup from the burner and allow 30 minutes of cooling. Place soup in the refrigerator and allow to cool overnight. The next day, puree the soup in batches until smooth. For service, heat pureed soup over medium to low heat. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with yogurt sauce, toasted almonds and chopped cilantro. A winner.

Yogurt sauce:

1 C Greek yogurt, thoroughly strained
3 T heavy cream
zest of half a lemon
pinch of salt

Whisk ingredients well and top your soup.

Vegetable Minestrone

(serves 8-10)

1/4 C olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced small
1 leek, rinsed and sliced

4 stalks celery, diced small
4 large carrots, peeled and diced small
1 red bell pepper, diced small
6 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 C tomato paste
1/2 C white wine

1 – 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 zucchini, diced small
1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
8 ounces frozen green peas
1 small head of Napa cabbage, thick spines cut out and discarded, leaves thinly sliced
1 – 15 ounce can of garbanzos drained and rinsed

8-9 C vegetable stock
5 bay leaves
2 T Italian seasoning
1 t red pepper flakes
Juice from one lemon

In a large preheated soup pot, add olive oil. Once oil shimmers, add onion, leek, celery, carrots, red pepper and garlic. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper. Mix well and sauté vegetables until they soften. Add tomato paste to veggies and mix in well. Continue to sauté until vegetables begin to stick and tomato paste darkens in color. (see photo) Add white wine and deglaze. Reduce down until wine has almost evaporated. Add tomatoes, zucchini, cauliflower, peas, cabbage and garbanzo beans. Mix well. Add vegetable stock, bay leaves, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until vegetable are tender. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Guess what, always better the next day! Top with highmade pesto and parmesan toast.

Slice a baguette on the diagonal. Generously brush each side with olive oil and top with shredded parmesan cheese. Place into a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for 25 minutes or until golden in color.

Hoppin’ John Soup

(serves 8-10)

1 pound dried black-eyed peas, (soaked overnight in water) rinsed and drained
1/2 C olive oil
1 pound ham steak, trimmed and diced into pieces

6 stalks celery, diced
6-7 carrots, peeled and diced
2 small yellow onions, diced
8 large cloves of garlic, finely minced

1/4 C apple cider vinegar

1 T plus 1 t dried thyme
5-6 bay leaves
6 whole cloves
1 t red pepper flakes

10 C chicken stock

2 C cooked white rice

Fresh parsley, finely chopped for garnish

In a large preheated soup pot, add 1/4 C of the olive oil. Once it is shimmering, add ham pieces and cook until nicely browned. Remove ham to a paper-towel lined plate. Pour off any excess oil.

Add remaining 1/4 C of olive oil to the soup pot. Add celery, carrots, onion and garlic. Add a spritz of salt and cracked black pepper. Sauté until vegetables take on some color. Lower heat if things are browning too fast. You want a deep dark color on the bottom of the pan. Once the vegetables release their moisture, continue cooking until the liquid evaporates.

Add cider vinegar to the vegetables and cook until it has almost completely evaporated. Add thyme, bay leaves, cloves, red pepper flakes and peas. Add stock, ham pieces and mix well. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender.

Just prior to service, portion a 1/4 C of cooked rice into each bowl and ladle hot soup over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley. There should be no need for additional salt as the ham is salty enough for the whole pot.

I always keep the rice and soup separate.

And, this will taste better after an overnight rest.

Wild Rice and Chicken Chowder

(serves 8-10, recipe can be cut in half)

1 ounce package of dried porcini mushrooms

2 T butter
2 T olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced
5-6 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
4-5 stalks celery, diced
6-8 cloves garlic, minced

8 large cremini mushrooms, stems discarded, caps quartered

1/2 C dry red wine
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
8 ounces green peas

4 bay leaves
4 whole cloves
2 T dried thyme
1 t red pepper flakes

8 C chicken stock

Meat removed from one whole rotisserie chicken, torn into large pieces

2 C heavy cream

2 C wild rice, uncooked

Place porcini mushrooms in a container with two cups of hot water and allow them to steep for about 20 minutes.

In a preheated soup pot, add olive oil and butter. Once melted and bubbly, add onions, carrots, celery, garlic and a pinch of salt/pepper. Sauté until vegetables soften.

Remove the hydrated porcini mushrooms and chop them into smaller pieces. Strain the reserved liquid through a paper-towel lined strainer into the soup pot. There is often gritty sediment in the mushroom liquid. Add cremini mushrooms, red wine, sweet potatoes and peas. Mix well.

Add bay leaves, cloves, thyme and red pepper flakes. Mix in well and add 8 C of stock. Bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and continue to simmer until sweet potatoes are tender. Add chicken, heavy cream and cooked wild rice just before service. Adjust seasoning with salt and cracked black pepper.

If the soup is made a day or so ahead, leave out rice, chicken and cream.

For the rice:
Rinse two cups of wild rice. Place into a sauce pot with 5-6 cups of water and 1 t salt. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Reduce heat to a slow simmer and cover rice. Cook until tender. You may not use all the water. Just depends. Wild rice takes more time. This rice has some “tooth.” I like to keep it separate from the soup and just add it when warming.

Hungarian Beef Stew

(serves a crowd, also freezes well.)

1/2 C olive oil

1 1/4 pounds of stew meat, cut into large pieces

6-8 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
2 yellow onions, large pieces
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1” pieces

2 T tomato paste
2 T flour
1 C dry red wine

3-4 bay leaves
4 whole cloves
1 t caraway seeds
1 t fennel seeds
1 1/2 T Hungarian paprika
1 t red pepper flakes
2 T brown sugar
1 small head green cabbage, core removed and cut into chunks
1 – 15 ounce can of diced tomatoes

8 C beef stock

1 pound new potatoes, cut into chunky pieces
2 small links of Spanish chorizo, sliced

Salt to taste

In a preheated soup pot, add 1/4 C of the olive oil. Add stew meat in batches. Careful not to crowd the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Turn until well browned. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate. Pour off excess oil.

Add the remaining 1/4 C of olive oil to the pan. Add onions, carrots and garlic. Pinch of salt and pepper. Saute until vegetables begin to soften and take on some color. Add tomato paste. Mix in well and continue to saute until paste begins to darken in color. Add flour and mix in well making sure to thoroughly coat the flour with the veggie/oil mixture. Careful with your heat here. Once flour is mixed in, add red wine. Stir in well and continue to stir as alcohol evaporates. You will create a thick syrupy consistency.

Add 4 C of beef stock. Mix in well. Add bay leaves, cloves, caraway seeds, fennel seeds, paprika, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, cabbage and tomatoes. Mix together. Add remaining stock and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cover the soup. Simmer over low heat for about an hour. Add potatoes and chorizo and continue to simmer until potatoes are tender. Salt to taste.

Truly, this will be best the next day once flavors have had a chance to meld. Reheat and serve over egg noodles.

Black Bean Soup

(serves 8-10)

1 pound black beans, soaked in water overnight

¼ C vegetable oil

2 green bell peppers, diced small

1 large yellow onion, diced small

6-8 garlic cloves, minced

¾ C red wine

1 T dried oregano

2 t cumin

1 ½ t red pepper flakes

5 bay leaves

1 – 28 ounce can diced tomatoes and juice

6-7 C chicken stock (or vegetable)

1 T salt

Juice from one lemon

COMFORT

In a preheated soup pot, add vegetable oil. Add bell peppers, onion, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté over medium heat until mix begins to stick and vegetables soften. Add red wine to deglaze and reduce until it is almost completely evaporated. (See photo) Add some stock at this point (1 C) to prevent sticking. Add oregano, cumin, red pepper flakes, bay leaves and tomatoes. Stir well. Add remaining stock, salt, juice and beans. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Cook over a gentle boil until beans are tender. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Add more stock if you desire a thinner consistency. I prefer thick. In fact, I suggest taking an immersion blender and placing it right into the pot for a few zaps. This thickens the broth nicely. The soup freezes well. And guess what? Prepared ahead and reheated is always better with this recipe. Serve with fresh pico de gallo, queso fresco and cornbread.

3 Romas – gutted and diced-, 2 jalapenos – gutted and diced-, 1/2 a yellow onion – diced small and rinsed-, chopped cilantro, spritz of salt, and drizzle of EVOO…PERFECT PICO