This column is back by popular demand. Well, in truth, only one reader, shivering through the freezing weather, remembered that I once wrote about winter soups, and asked me to do another one. My pleasure.
I cook every night, and over the years, I’ve gathered a collection of recipes, tweaked to a healthier way of eating. Mind you, we aren’t fanatics, but I’m happy to avoid any soup made with cream or excessive amounts of butter. Also, there’s no meat in these preparations.
These days, weeks and months through the pandemic, I have been making big, and I mean big, pots of soup, and then, before my husband can see how much is there, I siphon off a quart or more and hide it in the freezer. This neutralizes his portion-control issues and addresses my what-if fears, like if we both get sick at the same time, how will we eat?
But let’s not go down that dark path. Let me share a few faves:
Manhattan clam chowder
Best ever shrimp soup
• 1 pound shrimp
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion
• 2 16-oz. cans chopped tomato with jalapeno
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 can mild green chilies
• 2 bottles clam juice
• ½ cup white wine
• Salt, pepper, bay leaf, oregano lime juice, all to taste
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add all ingredients except shrimp and simmer 20 minutes. Add shrimp and cook 5 minutes. Serve with rice.
Classic Covid-relief chicken soup
• 1 whole organic chicken
• 12 to 14 cups chicken stock or broth
• 3 carrots, diced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 1 peeled turnip, diced
• 2 peeled parsnips, sliced
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Wash chicken, season with salt and pepper and immerse in large pot of chicken stock. Add all ingredients; simmer one hour. Remove chicken from pot and shred cooked chicken back into the soup. Serve with rice or matzo balls or thin egg noodles, or all three.
Trigger alert and disclaimer: After my first soup column, more than 10 years ago, one disgruntled reader wrote to say that my soup gave her gas pains. I say the old gasbag probably overindulged. These soups are nutritious, delicious and good for the soul. If you are prone to flatulence, proceed with caution (and one portion).
Copyright 2021 Randi Kreiss. Randi can be reached at randik3@aol.com.