Farro Sausage and Spinach Soup

 

I had no barley for soup and what to do crossed my mind.  I did have a lot of other grains I could use to bulk up a soup.  I opted to use farro to make this soup....what could go wrong with an ancient grain with a light nutty flavor?  Nothing, it was really tasty and comforting on a cold winters night.

Farro like barley does take a bit of simmering to get the grain to a nice barely al dente or a softer texture.  I put the farro on and then do the veggie cutting for base while it simmers a bit before the base is added.

To lighten soup fat wise I used a pork and chicken kielbasa instead of the slightly fattier all pork variety.  You still get the porky flavor and just enough fat to be able to sauté the vegies. 

Farro, Sausage and Spinach Soup

Ingredients:

• 64 oz chicken broth
• 1 1/2 lb smoked kielbasa style sausage
• 10 oz bag baby spinach
• 1 c farro
• 2 carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 large sweet onion
• 1 bay leaf
• 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste

Rinse farro in a colander or sieve.  Add to large stock pot and 32 ounces of the chicken broth.  (I use unsalted broth from Swanson).  Bring to boil and reduce to simmer.

Slice carrots into 1/4" coins.  Slice celery to 1/4" slices. Dice the onion in 1/4" dice.  Slice sausage into scant 1/2" coins.   In a nonstick sauté pan add the sausage and sauté until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.  Add onion, carrot and celery.  Sautee until onions become translucent about 4-5 minutes.  Pour in remaining 32 ounces of broth to deglaze pan and bring to boil.  Once at a boil pour into stock pot with the simmering grain.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.

Tie with kitchen string the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.  Add to the stock pot.  Simmer 30 minutes until farro is tender.

Remove the herb bundle.  Stir in spinach in small batches until incorporated into the soup.  Simmer 5 minutes until the spinach as been completely wilted.

Serve up in soup bowls and garnish with seasoned croutons and a sprinkling of grated parmesan.

Sausage and Greens Soup

 

Its not often we get cool rainy days here in S.E Texas, but when we do I'm loaded with an arsenal of rib sticking soups.   This is a new(ish) one loaded up with baby greens that you need a fork to practically get through it.  Man is is hearty.

Thank goodness for supermarkets wising up and prepackaging greens along with the usual suspects of a "salad bar".  In this case I used Kroger's baby green mix...spinach and kale in their tender young form.  Just add to a soup and you'e done.  In terms of the kale, thats a labor savor using baby version as you don't neet to destem and chop them before adding.  Makes for stupid easy cookery.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs mild smoked sausage such as kielbasa
• 1 large sweet onion
• 48 oz chicken broth
• 1 lb  mixed baby greens (kale and spinach)
• 2 T finely chopped basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 T olive oil
• 2 T flour

Method

Thinly slice saudage (approx 1/4'').  Heat large stock pot over medium heat, add olive oil then sausage.

Stir occassionally.  Coarse chop the onion and add to browning sausage.   Cook 5-8 minutes until sausage is browned and the onions ar translucent.  Add flour and cook 1 minute.

Stir in stock.  Simmer 10 minutes until lightly thickened.  Slowly add greens by handfuls in batchs slowly stirring in and allowing to wilt before adding next batch. Test for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed to taste.  Add basil.

Simmer 10 minutes to fully wilt kale.  Serve hot with additional basil and maybe a sprinkle of parmesan.

Potato Leek soup

This righteous and tasty soup is easy to make, but the cutting and dicing is laborious.  I don't mind the dicing as it puts me in a relaxing zen space as I cut through all the spuds.  I use a 1/2 inch dice as those that don't get whizzed I like to fit on a spoon.

Hat tip to my friend Ruth who found the OCD cutting board.  This board is for those who haven't figured out  how to do the various dice and make them fit a prescribed size that is often referred to by name rather than some metric.  I don't have one, but looked the board and learned that the proper name for the 1/2" dice is a "batonnet".  Who knew that one?  I'll probably continue to refer to it as a "1/2 inch dice" to make it easier on whomever stumbles upon this little blog.

Potato Leek Soup

• 6 cups (approx 1 1/2 lbs) Rose potatoes, 1/2" dice
• 2 leeks thinly sliced
• 1/4 c butter
• 1 T dill weed
• 2 T parsley
• 2 14 oz cans chicken broth
• salt 
• pepper
• asiago cheese
• sliced spring onion

In large sauce pot add butter, potato and leek.  Over medium heat sweat until the leeks are translucent, about 5-10 minutes.  Add chicken broth and herbs.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.  Place 2/3 of soup mixture in blender and whiz until smooth.  Return to sauce pan, stir in well and bring to simmer again.  Serve hot with a garnish of asiago cheese and spring onion.

Vegetable Beef and Noodle Soup

Soups are the indicated food option for a chilly winter night. I know, whining here but to us in So Cal the 50's are a chilly day its just how we are wired. Regardless of your definition of "Chilly" this soup hits the right spot when you want a light but fulfilling comfort food dinner. Add in a salad or bread and its complete.

Also, this soup is a great way to sneak in some of the less used vegetables, like rutabaga into the family diet. Sneak as in its got a mild but distinctive flavor that adds that little something extra to the soup but you don't have to tell them you did it. Do a nice small dice and no one is the wiser that it isn't a bit of some other veg that they actually do it. Its a Machiavellian approach to cooking, tell them only what they need to know and let the rest just happen. Works for me as I rarely get busted for sneaking something new in on them while getting to eat a veg I happen to like like the oft maligned rutabaga.

Vegetable Beef and Noodle Soup

• 1 lb sirloin or top round - sliced into small bite sized strips
• 1 large white onion - diced
• 2 carrots - sliced
• 2 stalks celery-sliced
• 1 rutabaga - fine diced
• 8 oz button mushroom, sliced
• 1 t oregano
• 1 t thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 28 oz cans beef broth
• 3 c wide egg noodles
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Prep all the meat and vegetables. Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a large stock pot. Heat over medium high heat and add beef. Stir fry until well browned. Add vegetables and cook until onion is translucent. Add dried herbs and broth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer 15-20 minutes until carrots and rutabaga are tender crisp. Add egg noodles and cook 8-10 minutes until soft. Serve hot with fresh cracked pepper or a dash of hot sauce.

Sausage and Lentil Soup

I can say that I have ever cooked with lentils up until now. I've known they were healthy and good for you, the hippies back in the day said so. The first time I ever had them was in stew form as a side dish to some braised short ribs in Paris and absolutely fell in love with them. Quite tasty, but be warned as they can be a little gassy to those of you with problems with the legume family. Then again, if you have kids it could be a plus as nothing elicits giggles better than gas.

This soup is based on one that appeared in this months Bon Appetit, loosely based as the quantity it made was twice what this one does, plus I didn't have everything needed so I improvised, a lot. Also note that I used all dried spices and herbs with this soup which is a bit of a departure for me, but hey even So Cali has its months where herb gardens go dormant. So inspired by one and improvised based on own taste scores again here at casa fraz.

Sausage and Lentil Soup

• 1 lb Italian sausage-cut to1/2 inch slices
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 onion
• 1 c chopped celery, tops included
• 1 1/2 cups lentils
• 1 t oregano
• 1 t basil
• 1/2 t marjoram
• 1/2 t thyme
• 1 T fennel, crushed lightly
• 2 T parsley
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 1 5 oz package fresh spinach
• salt and pepper to taste
• Olive Oil
• Parmesan cheese

In large stock pot add enough olive oil to just coat the bottom. Over medium high heat add sausage. Stir often until well browned and no pink spots remain. Add onion, pepper and celery, stirring often cook until onion is translucent - about 5-8 minutes.

Add spices, chicken broth and lentils. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer 30 minutes until lentils are tender. Stir in spinach and cook until just wilted. Serve hot with Parmesan grated over the top of the soup.

Spinach and Rice Soup

After all of the mousse cake and fudge of the last few weeks its time to remind myself that healthy eating is a must. Nothing like a good hearty soup to sustain you while being healthy at the same time.

I used a prepackaged blend of brown, white, basmati and wild rice from Fresh and Easy market, any raw rice blend you find would easily be substituted in. If you are desperate and understocked in the old pantry just plain white rice could be used, you'd just miss out on some of the flavor and texture the other rices bring to the soup.

Spinach is there for several reasons, primary is that it is a mild green and full of folic acid and other goodies that make this soup extra healthy without clouding the good rice flavors and textures.

Spinach and Rice Soup

• 1 yellow onion chopped
• 4 medium carrots sliced
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken
• salt
• pepper
• 1 cup torn fresh basil leaves
• 1 cup rice blend
• 12 oz package fresh spinach leaves
• 46 oz can low sodium chicken broth

Coat the bottom of a large stock pot with olive oil and add onion and carrot. lightly salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium-high heat until the onion is starting to turn translucent. Add rice and saute another 3 minutes or so, stirring often until the onion is clear and the rice is lightly toasted.

Add chicken, basil and broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover at low simmer 30 minutes until carrots are tender and rice is fully cooked. Stir in the raw spinach and cook another 2-3minutes until wilted and well integrated into soup. Serve hot with a salad and fresh baked bread.

Without Okra is it still Gumbo? I say yes.

Traditional recipes for gumbo all include "Okra" but if I use it I effectively alienate 3/5 of my household to the point they won't touch it. What's a cook to do but omit something that offends a majority where possible.

My gumbo style is more of the "Creole" Gumbo in that it has a lighter roux and includes tomatoes. By omitting the okra everyone eats it. Celery is another bit that shouldn't be omitted as it is part of the trinity of onion/pepper/celery, but since it falls in the category of "okra" with my picky eaters I substitute in celery seed for the pop of flavor needed and there is no loss to those of us who really like gumbo with all the goodies.

Traditionally it is served over rice and eaten with a bowl. Please do so as you won't want to miss a bit of the wonderful sauce or "gravy" that comes with it.

Creole Gumbo

• 1 lb smoked sausage - sliced
• 1 lb chicken (I use de-boned thighs) in large dice
• 2 lb raw shrimp
• 1 T bacon grease or oil
• 1 onion diced
• 1 green pepper diced
• 1 large carrot diced
• 2 t celery seed
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
• Salt
• Pepper
• 3 T butter
• 3 T flour
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 T File' powder
• 2 cups rice, cooked according to directions.

In large stock pot add bacon fat and sausage. Cook until browned. Remove with slotted spoon and cook the chicken in the remaining fat. Remove with slotted spoon.

Add the onion, green pepper, carrots, cayenne pepper and celery seed. Cook in remaining fat over medium-high heat. Stir often and scrape up browned bits from bottom of pan. Cook until onions are translucent and beginning to brown, about 10-15 minutes. Add butter and flour. Stir constantly until the flour is dissolved and takes on a light brown color, about 3-5 minutes.

Add diced tomatoes, chicken broth and tomato sauce, stir until the flour mixture (roux) is completely incorporated and lump free. Return sausage and chicken to the pan. Bring to boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer covered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

Increase heat and add shrimp and file' powder. Stir constantly until shrimp are cooked and the gumbo is thickened about 5 minutes. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Smoked Sausage and Barley Soup

This last week has not really been soup weather here in LA.  It doesn't change the fact that a bowl of soup makes a nice light meal.

What I like about soup is they are really pretty easy to make.  Even with limited kitchen skills any one can put a decent dinner on the table.  Of course ready made broth is the way to go if you want to cut corners and have the taste of an all day simmered soup.

To that end I've discovered on a bottom shelf at Fresh and Easy Market their "organic" low sodium Chicken Broth for $1.99 for 32 oz.  Such a deal - small dent on the old check book and big on flavor.  Can't go wrong with that combo.

I love Barley for lot of reasons.  Its just a little firmer on the bite than rice, a very mellow nutty taste and really versatile.  The one draw back you have to be aware of is that it is a tough grain to cook up as it is very dense so you do need to plan ahead a little when cooking with it.  

I keep a lot of staples on hand.  Everyone has their own for the pantry, fridge and freezer.  Smoked Sausage like a kielbasa is one I keep in the freezer as its a quick go to for dinner.  You can do it as a stand alone meat entree or in a soup, either way its good.

This soup idea got its start from the simple barley soup my Mom has made for years.  Its just a ham bone simmered down until the meat falls off the bone in a pot with some onion, water and barley.  Not exactly a fiber rich soup.  Its tasty enough but I really don't like picking meat off bones so that isn't really the meat option for soup as far as I am concerned.  Swapping out another smoked pork product would get the same flavors, adding in some more vegies help the fiber content which helps the old plumbing and of course herbage to up the savory flavor and I have a soup that's a winner around here in the winter.

Smoked Sausage and Barley Soup

• 1 lb smoked sausage (like a kielbasa)
  
• 1 large yellow onion - diced
  
• 1 large carrot - slice
  
• 1 T chopped garlic
  
• 2 32 oz cans Chicken Stock
  
• 1 c barley
  
• 1 T dried parsley
  
• 1 T dried tarragon
  
• 1 t thyme
  
• 1 t fennel seeds - crushed
  
• 1 t fresh cracked pepper
  
• 2 bay leaf
  
• 1 t liquid smoke
  
• 12 oz bag spinach
  
• olive oil
  
• salt
  
• green onion finely sliced
  
• fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  

Place barley and 1 32 oz can of chicken stock in large pan.  Bring to boil then cover and simmer stirring occasionally 20 minutes.  At end of cooking turn heat off and allow barley to steep in the stock 1 hour with lid on.

Coat bottom of stock pot with olive oil and heat to shimmering over medium high heat.  Add diced onion,carrot and pepper cook about 5 minutes until onion is translucent. Slice sausage in 1/4 inch thick pieces. Add to pot along with parsley, tarragon, thyme and fennel. Cook until onions are beginning to caramelize and the sausage is browned about 10-15 minutes.  Stirring often.  When sausage is browned add the garlic and stir one minute to get the garlic cooked.

Add liquid smoke, remaining 32 oz chicken stock, barley and its remaining liquid.  Test for seasoning and add salt as needed.  Bring to boil and then reduce and simmer 10 minutes.  Add spinach, stir in and cook 5 minutes until the spinach has wilted but still bright green.

Garnish hot soup with sprinkle of Parmesan and sliced green onion.

Really important cook the spinach only until wilted but still bright green, the flavor is much better and the texture is not slimy at all.

"Fresh and Easy Neighborhood Market" find, 32 oz low sodium organic chicken broth at $1.99 can't be beat.

White Bean and Spinach Soup

Today is a soup day.  You know the kind of day - cold (well 50's in So Cal is cold) overcast, with threatening rain.  Just what one needs to fill the belly and feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  Added boner with this soup is that after sugar binging and binging in general the last 5 weeks since Thanksgiving its time to add some serious roughage and clean out the pipes.  This is just the soup to take care of it all.

I'm a total cheater when it comes to soup.  I do shortcuts like canned broth and stocks...far easier than the hours it takes to make from scratch.  The nice part is there is no bones to pick, meat to shred or whatever.  Pour and go with a taste like you did all the preceding steps and slaved away for a few hours.  Life is good with shortcuts, got that martha?

White Bean and Spinach Soup

• 1 lb Italian Sausage
  
• 1 large yellow onion - diced
  
• 2 carrots sliced - diced
  
• 1 T minced garlic
  
• 1 t ground pepper
  
• 1/2 c coarse chopped basil (2T dried)
  
• 2 32 oz low sodium chicken stock
  
• 2  15 oz cans white kidney beans - drained
  
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes 
  
• 1 12oz bag spinach
  
• olive oil
  
• salt
  
• Parmesan
  

Pour enough olive oil to just coat the bottom of a large stock pot.  Add sausage and brown on all sides until dark and crusty about 5 minutes per side.  Remove sausage, do not drain fat from pot. Slice sausage and reserve.

Add onion, carrot and fresh ground pepper to the hot pot.  Stir occasionally until onions are starting to caramelize, about 10 minutes.  Add garlic and cook 1 minute stirring constantly so as not to burn garlic.

Add sliced sausage, tomatoes with liquid, broth, beans  and basil.  Add salt to taste.  Cover and simmer 30 minutes.

Add the end of the simmer increase heat and add spinach.  Cook about 3-4 minutes until the spinach has wilted.  Serve piping hot with fresh grated Parmesan on top and good dipping bread on the side.

Note:try to get low sodium varieties of broth/stock.  Resist temptation to salt until all the ingredients have been combined as the broth/stocks can be very salty and adding your own prior could be really too salty to enjoy.

 

Pumpkin Chile Soup

Hard to believe 3 days ago it was 106 and very humid here.  This morning it is barely 70 and a light rain falling.  Not exactly cool fall weather according to the rule books for the rest of the country, but what the heck this is LA and I'll take it.

The start of cool fall days means soup and fresh baked bread.  Today I did both.  I cheated on the bread...Pumpernickel in the trusty old bread machine.  The soup is totally from scratch.  Yes, even the pumpkin is from scratch that I canned from last years Jack-o-lanterns and this is the end of the supply.  

Soups are a pretty easy throw together once you have a few recipes under your be.t.  Canned broth is my favorite cheat and it saves some cooking time in the process.  Today I decided I wanted something a little different so I opted for a sweet/savory version of Pumpkin Soup which in itself as a variation of Butternut Squash soup I came up with a while back.  The  green chile part was taken as I didn't have any bell peppers floating around.  It works now the soup has more of a southwesty type flavor.

Pumpkin Chile Soup

• 2 medium yellow onions
  
• 2 T chopped garlic
  
• 1 t thyme
  
• 1 t fresh sage
  
• 1/4 t cayenne pepper
  
• 1/4 t ground cumin
• 1/4 t cinnamon
• 1/4 t nutmeg
• 2T Olive oil
  
• 1T butter
  
• 2 C pumpkin puree
  
• 1 can (7 oz) green chiles
  
• 2 cans (14 oz) low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
  

Dice onion.  In large stock pot heat butter and add onion when the butter begins to sizzle.  Add salt, pepper to taste. Add sage and thyme.  Cook over medium heat stirring often until onions are clear and beginning to caramelize (about 10 minutes).  Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer.

Transfer onions to blender.  Add can of chiles, do not drain.  Blend on high slowing adding chicken stock until only tiny bits of onion remain.  Return to pan, add pumpkin, cayenne pepper, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg and stir in until uniform.  Simmer 20 minutes.  Check salt and pepper before serving. 

Serve with warm bread, green salad and you are in cool weather heaven.  

Using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth will give you a vegetarian soup which is equally tasty.

Chili Corn Chowder

Not exactly a cool winter day but I'll grab those soup nights while I can as soon enough it will be blazing hot.

Tonights soup is an adaptation of a very healthy soup from the Cooking Light Magazine. This one has a nominal bit of fat for flavor and to aid in the sautee at the beginning. I tend to like things with a bit of a kick so I do add in some chili powder and cayenne. Not enough so it burns out the back side, just enough so you feel a little heat at the back of the mouth.

Chili Corn Chowder

• 2 c fine diced cooked chicken breast
• 1/4 t Chili powder
• 2-3 pinches cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 pound frozen corn
• 1/2 C fine diced celery
• 1/2 C fine diced onion
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t fresh cracked pepper
• 1 T butter
• 1 can chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 c each finely sliced green onion and cilantro.

Toss chicken with chili powder and set aside.

In a large nonstick stock pot melt butter and add the celery, onion, salt and pepper. Cook until soft and just starting to carmelize, about 10 minutes. Stir often. Add 1 lb corn and broth. Over low heat cook about 15 minutes until corn is heated through. Remove from heat.

Take mixture and put in blender whizzing it on high until smooth. Pour soup back into your pan, add remaining 1/2 lb corn and reserved chicken. Heat over low about 10 minutes until warmed through and just starting to bubble. You may have to add 1/2 c or so of water at the end to get it to the desired consistency. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve hot garnished with the green onion and cilantro.

There you go a pretty easy and low fat soup. Just enough butter to brown and give it a little smoothness. Unlike typical chowders that are thickened with a roux and milk, cream or half-and-half this soup get's its thickening from the whizzed corn....a natural thickener. The end result is a very low fat chowder that is extremely tasty. Also, added bonus if you substitute vegetable broth and a clear cooking oil you'd be pretty close to vegan which helps when you are on a pipe cleaning diet.

Chunky Potato Soup with Dill

Gourmet Magazine arrived over the weekend and an entire section was dedicated to meals in minutes. My kind of meals. One that got my attention right away was a simple soup recipe that reported belonged to one of the staff members Polish Grandmother that everyone wolfed down fast. Worth a try. It was actually quite tasty and reminded me of the dilled new potatoes my Mom would make when I was a kid. The recipe:

Chunky Potato Soup with Dill

• 2 large carrots - cut into 1/2 inch chunks
  2 celery stalks - cut into 1/2 inch chunks
  1 1/2 los Russet potatoes (about 4 large) cut into 1/2 inch dice
  
• 1/2 stick butter
  
• 4 c water
  
• 2 T fresh chopped dill (I used dry as fresh is rarely in stock in my fridge)
  
• 1 1/2 t salt
  1/2 t pepper
  
• 1 c WHOLE milk

Heat butter in large stock pot. Add vegetables and 1/2 t salt. Cook over medium hit for 10-15 minutes stirring occassionally until the vegies begin to brown and stick to bottom of the pot.

Add water, remaining salt and pepper. Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for 15 minutes until vegies are cooked through and easily pierced with fork.
Ladle off 2 cups of soup into blender. Add Milk. Process until smooth. Use caution when blending hot liquids, put a towel over the lid to catch any steam or liquid released while blending.

Return puree to the soup and heat through. Add Dill.

All in all it was a pretty tasty soup. It would work as a vegetarian meal but not vegan because of the dairy. Regardless with a simple salad and a glass of milk it made a good winter meal.

I think next time I make it I will use chicken stock instead of the water for a fuller depth of flavor. I would probably add another carrot or two for that added sweetness in the back. I'd consider garnishing the bowl with some fresh parsley and sour cream (bacon bits?) and still keep its simple flavor.

Soupa Toscana (Tuscan style potato soup)

Back in the day when I was a cube dweller in Glendale our Fun Friday lunch where took a lot of extra time we'd walk down to the Olive Garden and do the all you can eat Soup n Salad. My favorite soup was the "Soupa Toscana". Of course they don't give out the recipe but I figured out most of the ingredients and put together my own version pretty close to what they have.

The recipe....
Soupa Toscana (Tuscan style potato soup)

• 1 lb pork sausage links – cut into ½” pieces
  
• ½ white onion chopped
  
• 1T chopped garlic
  
• 1 large russet potato cubed into ½” square pieces (about 2 cups)
  
• EVOO
  
• ½ t celery seed
  
• 1 T fennel – lightly crush
  
• 1 t white pepper
  
• 1-2 t sea salt to taste
  
• 4 cans chicken broth
  
• 1 C instant mashed potato flakes
  
• 1 bunch escarole (can substitute regular spinach)
  
• 3T fresh chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
  
  Lightly coat stock pot with EVOO. Heat to shimmering add pork sausage and stir often. When starting to brown add onion. Lightly grind celery seed and fennel, add to meat. Add white pepper. When onion translucent and starting to caramelize add garlic and potato. Stir and brown another 5 minutes.
  
  Add chicken broth and bring to boil. Test for salt and add sea salt to taste. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add 1/2 instant mashed potato slowly, stir in well to prevent lumping. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Add additional instant potato in 1 T increments to get a thick soup consistency.
  
  Add chopped parsley. Rinse escarole well. Chop to bite size pieces. Add to soup. Simmer 5 minutes until escarole wilted. Stir in to soup.
  
  Serve with fresh parmesan and cracked black pepper.
  

I do prefer the escarole when I can get it as it has a bit sweeter taste and nicer texture than the spinach. More of a firm bite than the spinach, but either is quite tasty.

The most important step is adding the instant potato to thicken. Stir constantly to avoid lumps. After the first 1/2 you do need to be careful in adding the potato as the various brands don't absorb water the same and you do run the risk of having a pot of mashed potatoe instead of soup if you over do it or do it too fast. If you do over thicken you can add some additional stock to thin it down.

Barley Soup

Barley Soup was one of those winter staples when I was a kid. My Mom had it growing up in the Section 30 area outside of Ely MN. She learned it from her Mom, a great cook in her own right who was born and raised on a farm in South Dakota. This like almost all comfort food has its start in the simple and humble foods put together from what was available on the Farm. In this case it is the left over ham bone from a holiday dinner, barley and a few vegies that is much greater sum than the ingredients would suggest. It is so filling and comforting when there is a chill in the air.

This soup is pretty much what my Mom's version was when I was a kid. A bit more vegies and visible chunks of vegies to suit my tastes. My Mom's version bless her soul, wasn't as rich in vegies as too many of my siblings would just not eat it if they could see a carrot, celery or horrors, a bit of onion. I ask you, what the hell kind of soup doesn't have veg of some sort in it?

Now for the recipe:

Barley Soup

• 1 large ham bone, meat cut off as close to bone as possible, coarse chopped about 2 cups
• 1 yellow onion, coarse chopped
• 1 c diced celery
• 1 c chopped carrots
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 c barley
• 2 c water
• 2 - 3 cans low sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 T chopped fresh parsley

In large stock pot add oil and heat to shimmering. Add the celery and onion, stir and salt to taste. Pepper to taste. Saute about 5 minutes until starting to turn clear. Add ham bits and cook another 5 minutes or so until the onions are clear and bits are starting to brown. Stir in barley and cook for another minute until all barley is coated and bits are starting to brown.

Add 2 c water, 2 cans chicken broth and bay leaf. Add ham bone. Cover and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the ham bone, cut off remaining meat bits and return to soup. (Toss the bone over the fence to treat the neighbors dog if you don't want to bin it). Adjust seasoning. Add the additional can of broth to bring the soup to right thickness. Barley unlike some other grains can vary on how much water it takes to cook al dente so it can take 1 2- cans of additional broth at the end to get the right soup like consistency. Add chopped parsley and bring back to simmer, approx 5 minutes. Serve hot with crusty bread or simple bread and butter.

There you go one of my family favorites for you to enjoy. Total comfort food, total peasant food, but good food is good food no matter the historical source. Long live leftovers!

Tuscan White Bean Soup

This started out life as a soup I saw on FoodTV's Molto Mario several years ago. I think. It was one of those I picked up while napping during a show and got the idea for it. It has gone through several variations but this is the most consistent one. Since I think it was Molto Mario it has always been called Tuscan White Bean Soup, and here is the recipe:

Tuscan White Bean Soup

Olive Oil

1 white onion diced

2 carrots cut into chunks (about 1 1/2 cups)

Chopped celery, including tops (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 T chopped garlic

1/4 t red pepper flakes

1 lb cooked diced chicken

1 T dried basil (use 2T if using fresh chopped)

2 bay leaves

1/2 C fresh chopped parsley (no excuse for not having that on hand)

1 bunch kale, escarole or spinach (pic what looks best at the market)

3 15 oz cans Cannellini Beans, substitute white beans if needed.

2 quarts (32 oz) Chicken stock (canned broth is fine get low sodium if possible)

Get the biggest fricken kettle you have as this makes A LOT. Heat the pan and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add onion and season with black pepper to taste. Cook about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring often until the onions begin to become translucent. Add carrots and celery, cook another 5 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic, stir and cook 1 minute.

Add chicken, stock, beans, basil and bay leaves. Heat to boil over high then turn back to low and simmer 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. At this point taste for seasoning and add salt as needed. Add the parsley and whatever greens you are using. Simmer additional 10 minutes. Test seasoning. Serve with additional fresh cracked pepper and grated Parmesan.




The major greens really come down to what is freshest when you are in the market. Spinach is easy to find year round. My favorite is escarole that tends to be around more in the spring, kale's and chard's are found this time of year. Regardless all are good. I tried it with beet greens once, quite tasty with a sweeter finish. The problem is that it turned the soup bright red!

This is one of my go to meals when it is cold and rainy out. Serve it with hot garlic bread on the side. Sometimes a simple salad rounds it off nicely too.

I've done this as a vegetarian style soup too. I substituted out Vegetable stock (trader joe's has a really good one) for the chicken stock. I deleted the chicken and added one more can of beans and 1 bunch more of the greens. Hey...I may be a carnivore but all vegie meals hit the spot and help keep the cholesterol down and the pipes clean!

A couple of things to think about. Since a few of the ingredients are canned get low sodium where possible. If using canned stock watch your salt as some are very high in sodium and you could wind up over salting.