If you’re in need of a winter warm-up, a steamy bowl of soup could be just the ticket.
Soothing both body and spirit, soup never goes out of style and is the perfect comfort food this time of the year (January is National Soup Month).
Yes, Americans love soup — consuming more than 10 billion bowls of it yearly, according to Campbell’s Soup.
People love soup not just because it tastes good, but also because it can be easy to prepare.
For Lorraine Wallace, author of “Mr. Sunday’s Soups” (Wiley, $19.95), soup was the way to bring her busy family members together and feed them “in a timely and nourishing manner.”
Wallace, the wife of “Fox News Sunday” anchor Chris Wallace, writes that “the answer for us was soup — it was quick, easy, delicious and good for you — and I served a different one each week.
But there are other benefits as well.
In 2011, Megan Whitmore turned to soup for the new year as a way to cook healthier.
Whitmore says she tries to make soup at home once a week.
“I think it’s a healthy alternative, and it’s easy to freeze,” says Whitmore, a fifth-grade teacher.
As a kid, Whitmore says, she always had soup out of a can.
“So it’s kind of a new adventure to make it from scratch,” she says. “There’s nothing wrong with the can every once in a while, but homemade always seems to taste better.”
When Whitmore makes soup, she buys the broth or stock. But she makes sure the other ingredients are as fresh as possible.
Her favorite soup is French onion, but she hasn’t tried making it yet.
“I think it will be difficult to get the right flavor and to get the cheese to melt on the top,” Whitmore says. “But ... I will have plenty of opportunity to practice.”
Classic Hot And Sour Soup
Makes: About 8 cups
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
For the marinade:
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon brandy
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
For the soup:
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water
8 cups vegetable broth or less-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper or to taste
1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce such as sambal oelek
6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, sliced
1 package (14 ounces) firm tofu, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil, optional
2 tablespoons sliced green onion for garnish
To make the marinade: In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, brandy and cornstarch. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Set aside for 15 minutes.
To make the soup: Meanwhile, in a glass measure, combine the cornstarch and cold water. In a large stock pot, add the vegetable or chicken broth, soy sauce, vinegar, white pepper and garlic sauce. Blend in the cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil. Add the chicken, reduce heat to low and simmer 20 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and tofu. Continue cooking about 10 minutes.
Just before serving, stir in the sesame oil. Serve garnished with a sprinkling of green onion.
Source: Adapted from several recipes. Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.
Nutrition (per 1 cup): 157 calories (20 percent from fat), 3 grams fat (1 gram sat. fat), 12 grams carbohydrates, 20 grams protein, 474 mg sodium, 26 mg cholesterol, 1 gram fiber.
Tortellini Meatball Soup
Serves: 10
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
2/3 cup fine plain dry bread crumbs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and sliced about 1/3-inch thick
6 garlic cloves, peeled, minced
2 quarts (8 cups) low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth, homemade or store-bought
1 cup water
3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 packages (9 ounces each) fresh four-cheese tortellini
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 roasted red peppers from a jar, drained and chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
6 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves, washed and drained
To make the meatballs, combine the sausage and bread crumbs in a large bowl, and add a pinch each of salt and black pepper. With clean hands, mix together and form meatballs about 3/4 inch in diameter. Set aside (the meatballs are not precooked).
Place a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the oil. Add the onion and carrots and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more.
Add the broth, water, salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil.
Add the meatballs and cook for 6 minutes, adjusting the heat so that the broth simmers, but doesn’t boil furiously. Add the tortellini and Italian seasoning, and cook for 4 minutes. Add the basil, roasted peppers and lemon juice, and simmer until the tortellini are tender, about 3 minutes more.
Gently stir in the spinach and remove from the heat. Cover the pot and let stand until the spinach is wilted, but still bright green, about 2 minutes. Taste for seasoning.
Ladle into warm bowls and serve immediately.
Source: From “Mr. Sunday’s Soups” by Lorraine Wallace (Wiley, $19.95). Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.
Nutrition: 311 calories (31 percent from fat), 11 grams fat (3 grams sat. fat), 34 grams carbohydrates, 22 grams protein, 783 mg sodium, 41 mg cholesterol, 6 grams fiber.
Quinoa Vegetable Soup
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced green or red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 cups water or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt, optional
1/4 cup chopped chives
Fresh chopped parsley, optional
Note: Quinoa (KEEN-wa) has the highest percentage of protein of all grains and is a good source of nutrients. It’s best to rinse it before cooking. It’s found in most grocery stores and health food stores.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the quinoa, carrots, celery, pepper and garlic; saute until golden brown. Add the water or broth and bring to a boil. Simmer 20-30 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender and the quinoa is cooked. Season with salt to taste and sprinkle with chives and parsley, if desired.
Source: From “Essential Eating” by Janie Quinn (Azure Moon Publishing, $24.95). Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.
Nutrition (per 1 cup): 49 calories (44 percent from fat), 2 grams fat (1 gram sat. fat), 6 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram protein, 27 mg sodium, 5 mg cholesterol, 1 gram fiber.
Schuler’s Swiss Onion Soup
Serves: 12
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Total time: 3 hours
1/2 cup butter
2 pounds onions, peeled, thinly sliced
1-1/2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
6 cups reduced-sodium, fat-free canned beef broth or beef stock
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon celery salt
12 slices French bread
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
8 ounces dark beer
Salt and pepper to taste
12 slices Gruyere cheese
In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook until the onions are brown, about 30 minutes. Stir regularly.
Sprinkle in the paprika, then add the beef broth or stock, and bring to a boil.
While the onions are browning, make a roux by whisking the oil and flour in a saucepan. Cook, while whisking, over medium heat until the mixture is browned.
Watch carefully that it does not burn. The roux will develop a popcorn smell first, then slowly turn brown. If the roux burns, toss it and start over.
When the roux is done, stir it into the soup and add the celery salt. Cover and simmer for at least 2 hours.
Shortly before serving, sprinkle the slices of bread with the Parmesan and toast them in the oven. Remove and set aside.
Add the beer to the soup and let it return to serving temperature. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into bowls or serving crocks. Top with a toasted bread slice and a slice of Gruyere. Place the bowls under the broiler for just a bit, watching carefully, until the cheese is melted, bubbly and slightly brown.
From “Schuler’s: Fresh Recipes & Warm Memories” by Hans Schuler and chef Jonathan Schuler (Huron River Press, $35). Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.
Nutrition analysis (per 1 cup): 413 calories (60 percent from fat), 28 grams fat (11 grams sat. fat), 26 grams carbohydrates, 14 grams protein, 851 mg sodium, 55 mg cholesterol, 2 grams fiber.
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