Recipe Course: Soups & Stews

Velvety Mushroom Soup

  • Heat 1 tsp olive oil in large saucepan set over medium heat; sauté 1 cup button mushrooms until lightly browned. Transfer to small bowl; set aside and keep warm.
  • Add remaining olive oil to saucepan. Stir in leeks; cook over medium heat until beginning to wilt. Stir in remaining mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to release liquid. Increase heat to high. Stir in wine; cook until liquid is reduced by two-thirds. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are very soft. Remove from heat. Stir in 3 tbsp of the thyme.
  • Using immersion blender, carefully purée mushroom mixture until vegetables are in very fine pieces. Pour in evaporated milk; purée until soup is smooth and has consistency of heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide soup among four bowls. Top with reserved mushrooms and remaining thyme leaves. Serve immediately.

 

Tip: If soup is too thick, add more milk until desired consistency is reached.

 

Recipe provided by Chef Mary Ann Esposito

Zucchini Soup with Cheese and Eggs

  • Heat olive oil in large saucepan set over medium-high heat; sauté zucchini until lightly browned. Add chicken broth, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in small bowl, whisk eggs with cheese until combined. Pour egg mixture into saucepan. Stir well; stir in basil. Ladle soup over fried bread slices before serving (if using).

 

Tip: To make this dish gluten free, skip the bread.

 

Recipe provided by Chef Mary Ann Esposito

Tuscan Seafood Stew

  • In 6-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat; cook onion, garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until onion has softened.
  • Stir in wine. Increase heat to medium-high; simmer for 5 minutes or until alcohol has evaporated. Add tomatoes, all but 2 tbsp of parsley and salt. Bring to boil; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in water; simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Scrub clams (discard any that do not close when tapped); stir into tomato mixture. Cook for 2 minutes, or until shells begin to open. Gently stir in shrimp and halibut. Increase heat to high; cook for 2 minutes or until the liquid starts to bubble, clams open, and shrimp and halibut are opaque in the center. (Discard any clams that do not open.) Place one slice of bread in bottom of each soup bowl; ladle stew over top. Sprinkle with remaining parsley.

 

Tips:

  • Choose the freshest fish available. Use one type or as many as three or four, as long as the total does not exceed 2 1/2 lb. Sea bass, monkfish, cod, halibut, swordfish, shark, tilapia, turbot, catfish or red snapper are all good choices.
  • The tomato base may be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to two days before using in the fish stew.

Tuscan Bean Soup

  • Place beans in large bowl; pour in 3 cups cold water to cover beans and let stand overnight. Drain beans; transfer to 2-quart saucepan. Add 6 cups cold water to cover beans. Bring to boil; reduce heat and cook for 45 minutes or until tender. Drain beans and divide into two bowls, setting one aside. Purée remaining beans; set aside.
  • In Dutch oven or stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat; cook carrots, celery, onion, chili pepper and rosemary, stirring occasionally, over medium heat until vegetables begin to soften. Stir in kale, tomatoes, potatoes and zucchini. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in reserved whole cannellini beans.
  • Add water and reserved puréed cannellini beans; stir to combine. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Stir in green beans; cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in celery salt; add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Place one slice toast in each of 8 soup bowls. Ladle soup over bread. Serve with cheese and additional olive oil to drizzle over top.

 

Tip: If you don’t have time to soak beans overnight, substitute 1 can (15 oz) of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed.

 

Recipe provided by Chef Mary Ann Esposito

Turkey Sausage and Barley Soup

  • In large saucepan, cover barley with 2 1/2 cups cold water. Bring to boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes or until barley is tender. Drain well; transfer to bowl and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, heat olive oil in skillet set over medium heat; cook sausage, breaking up with spatula, for 5 minutes or until browned and no longer pink inside. Transfer to cutting board; set aside.
  • In Dutch oven or large saucepan, combine carrots, celery, potatoes, fennel, bell pepper and onion. Pour in enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to boil, then lower heat to medium; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
  • Stir in tomatoes with juices and 2 cups water. Return to boiling, then lower heat to medium; simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in zucchini, parsley and red pepper flakes; stir in kale. Cook for 2 minutes.
  • Stir in sausage and barley. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until soup is heated through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

  • Preheat oven to 375ºF. Place squash, cut sides down, on lightly greased baking pan. Roast for 45 minutes or until flesh is tender when pierced with fork. Remove from heat; let cool. Using large spoon, scoop flesh into bowl of food processor.
  • Add jalapeño, cumin and coriander to squash; pour in broth. Purée until smooth, adding water (if needed) to facilitate puréeing.
  • In Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and shallot; sauté for 2 to 3 minutes or until shallot is translucent.
  • Transfer squash mixture to Dutch oven; stir to combine with garlic mixture. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Tips:

  • If you do not have vegetable broth on hand, substitute equal parts V8 vegetable juice and water.
  • If desired, roast squash up to three days ahead of time; refrigerate until ready to use.

 

Recipe provided by Chef Jim Coleman

Pronto Pea Soup

  • In saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Stir in leek; cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted.
  • Add peas; reduce heat to low, cover pan and cook for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, in heatproof glass measure, dissolve bouillon cube in boiling water. Pour bouillon over leek mixture; simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
  • Using immersion blender, and being careful not to splash, purée mixture until smooth.
  • Stir in evaporated milk. Return saucepan to heat; cook, stirring occasionally, over low heat for 5 minutes or until heated through.
  • Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with croutons.

Minestrone

  • Heat olive oil in large saucepan set over medium-high heat; cook carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaf and thyme; cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are softened but not browned. Stir in beans, broth, water and tomatoes; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
  • Stir in kale and macaroni; cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand for 10 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

 

Recipe provided by Chef Sharon Sanders

Lentil Soup

Heat olive oil in large saucepan set over medium heat; cook onion, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add beef broth; bring mixture to boil. Stir in lentils, tomato sauce and Italian seasoning.

Cover; reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes or until lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Lentil “Bolognese” with Macaroni

  • Warm oil in Dutch oven set over medium-low heat; cook onion, carrot, celery, garlic and bay leaves, covered and stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until golden.
  • Stir in lentils, salt and pepper. Add broth, water and tomatoes. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook for 20 minutes.
  • Add pasta and 2 tbsp parsley; cook, partially covered, for 6 minutes or until pasta is almost al dente. If mixture is dry, heat 1/2 cup water, adding just enough to moisten sauce. Let stand for 5 minutes; discard bay leaves. Sprinkle with remaining parsley.

 

Recipe Provided by Chef Sharon Sanders