Soup's On

I make soup all year round, but I love, love, love soup on a cold day. My pantry is stocked with dried peas and lentils for spur-of-the-moment pots of goodness, but sometimes I break out more time-consuming recipes. On a rather blustery day, Mother Wolff Soup simmered on my stovetop for about four hours, requiring only the occasional stir. The soup came out more brothy than I expected -- especially in light of the ingredient list: lima beans and barley and rice and potatoes. Still, Kit went for a second bowlful, and leftovers improved from sitting in the fridge for a day or two, so the recipe is a keeper.

A much quicker soup is Vegetarian Split Pea. It's stick-to-your-ribs thick and it goes from pantry to table in less than an hour.

Mother Wolff Soup
(adapted from Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant)

4 quarts water
1/2 cup dried lima beans, soaked overnight
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 cup barley
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp dried dill
1 bay leaf
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup diced onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 Tbsp sweet paprika
1 cup diced potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 tsp salt
ground black pepper
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup chopped canned tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

In a large soup pot, combine water, drained limas, rice, barley, garlic, dill, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover and simmer for 1.5 hours.

About an hour into the simmering time, heat the oil in a large frying pan and saute the onion and carrots for a few minutes. Mix in the paprika, potatoes, carrots, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, then add in the peas and cook, covered, a few minutes more.

Remove the bay leaf from the soup pot and add in the sauteed vegetables, tomatoes, and parsley. Add more salt and pepper if desired. Simmer the soup, on low heat, for another 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
(adapted from various recipes)

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
7 cups water
1 lb dried split peas
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
Juice of one-half lemon (or more, to taste)
1/2 tsp to 1 tsp salt
Paprika to taste

In a 5-quart Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and saute the onion and carrot until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the water, peas, and thyme to the pot; bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the soup for about 40 minutes or until the peas are soft, stirring occasionally.

Measure out 4 cups of soup and puree them in a food processor. Return the pureed soup to the remaining soup in the pot. Add salt, lemon juice, and paprika to taste. (For a "meaty" taste, try this with smoked paprika. Or, for another flavor profile, leave out the paprika and sprinkle in curry powder.)

Seasonal Silliness

More proof that marshmallows function as clay.

Recipe idea from Martha Stewart Living, by way of the Jewish Journal Boston North.

Repurposing Contents

Yup, I followed my own advice and made Bubble and Squeak. This one featured leftovers from a couple of dinners: mashed potatoes, carmelized onions, and peas.

Coincidentally, The Boston Globe this week debuted a food column about creating new meals from parts of a previous one. I find columns like this just a tad silly: Don't all cooks do this naturally? (Thinking here ...) Okay, I suppose they don't, but it's standard operating procedure at Chez Swiss Chard.

I love Thanksgiving dinner because it provides a mother lode of secondary meals. The carcass becomes stock. Stock becomes soup or the base of a sauce. Sauce plus leftover turkey meat becomes turkey a la king or curry. Sauce plus leftover turkey meat plus leftover vegetables becomes tetrazzini (if you add pasta) or shephard's pie (if you top it with leftover mashed potatoes). The possibilities aren't endless (unless you have a really big turkey) but it's well worth the effort to roast that bird.

Here's a dairy-free take on turkey tetrazzini that I concocted several Thanksgivings ago. It makes good use of leftovers.

Turkey Kosherzzini
(Adapted from Jane Brody's Good Food Book)

1 tablespoon pareve margarine or olive oil
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups turkey or chicken stock
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/3 cup sliced scallions or onions
leftover cooked vegetables, such as broccoli, peas, or green beans (amount is flexible; let's say 1 to 2 cups)
2 cups cooked turkey, cut into small cubes
1/2 pound spaghetti, cooked and drained

In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, saute the mushrooms in the margarine or oil until tender. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in the stock. Add the Worcestershire sauce and simmer, stirring, until the sauce has thickened a bit. Add the bell pepper, scallions or onions, and leftover vegetables and mix well. Stir in the turkey and spaghetti.

Pour the mixture into a greased 2-quart shallow casserole or baking dish. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until heated through.