The Joy of Soup

Soup From Nothing

The Soup lady likes nothing more than to hear about soup that makes an impression on others. Here is a letter from reader Howard Summers who reminisces about two soups for hard times: Catsup Soup and Stone Soup.

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Dear Soup Lady,

You have a nice site and some good soups. Your complaints about Hickory Sup might be overdrawn so here is a real and necessary all-too-often soup that is a version of Tomato Soup. It is documented in the memoirs of Sid Ceaser, the early TV commedian. I have tried it and it tastes terrible but it is filling and demonstrates that Reagan was right, tomatoes are a vegetable.

There once was a chain of eateries in NYC called the Automat because they hd little staff, serving the food through little windowed boxes when the proper amount of coins were inserted. As an example, you could buy tea by finding a window with a tea bag and depositing a nickle. Open the the window, grab your tea and return to a counter where a pot of hot water, cups and ondiments were available and make your tea.

Many aspiring actors in the fifties (including myself) did not have many nickles at all. If you were hungry you could go to an automat, grab a cup, fill it a quarter full of Catsup, fill with hot water and stir. You have soup!

I also learned of Stone Soup at that time. It may be a myth but the story went that hoboes would go to a home and ask the wife for something to eat. If they were turned down they asked if they could have hot water to make Stone Sup. The housewife would be intrigued to learn how soup could be made with a stone and ask for a demonstration. As the water simmered with the stone in a pot the hobo would ask the woman if she had some spices to add flavor. Soon he was looking in the refrigerator and found some leftover meat, carrots etc. h would add to the soup to add flavor.

Eating the soup himself he would take the stone and leave the housewife with the rest of the pot to tell her unbelieving family at dinner about how the soup was made from a stone.

Twenty years ago my company laid off nearly all their Marketing Department so a great party was held for them all. Dress was to be poverty. I took a company shipping tag, labeled it "Soup Stone" and tied it to a rock from my garden to take to the party as my contribution to the pot luck dinner. I still have it and it still makes good soup.

Howard Summers

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The Soup Lady has a taste preference for anything with vinegar in it and as you know, vinegar is the secret ingredient in catsup so this first soup might just be right up my alley. My beloved family recipe for cabbage soup uses catsup as the base for the broth and there is no more pleasing taste to me in the world, but, as Howard advises, me: "Don't expect the vinegar to carry it." He would know.

Hustle on over to eBay and put in a bid on some green stripe restaurant bowls to create the amosphere necessary for serving these soups.

Hmmm .... eBay. I wonder if they have those star bowls listed there?

Gypsy Soup

Hello, dears! The Soup Lady has fallen into mid-summer torpor and not even a nice chilled soup could snap her out of it. But what have we here? Look what came into my mailbox: a soup that calls for fried bread!

Would it surprise you to hear that the Soup Lady is something of a carbohydrate addict? Let's just say that Elvis had nothing on me in the Foods-You-Think-Couldn't-Be-Fried catagory. You know this one's a keeper.

This letter came to me from faithful Friend Of The Soup, James Jackson who apparently wants us to belive he knows What's Going On. Let's make the soup and find out.

"Dear Soup Lady,
This is my stepmom’s recipe. She’s from Spain. Despite the geographical proximity to France, the Spanish seem to have gone the opposite route when it comes to food. Instead of 500 ingredients per dish/soup, the Spaniards seem to rely on three basic ingredients to accomplish everything food-wise – with the exception of Paella & this soup.
From what my stepmom tells me, this is one of those dishes that is so prevalent in Spain that there’s no “official recipe” for it, yet debate will be heated should two cooks discuss it – sorta like bbq here in the States, I guess.
I’ve made endless variations on the recipe, & all are tasty, but none as good as the first I tasted. This is another one of those soups, like your Vichyssoise recipe, that works best with just water instead of stock. I think the brilliant thing about this soup is that all flavors are present & accounted for. Stock seems to muddle the flavors in this soup.

Gypsy Soup (a.k.a. Peasant Soup) – 6 servings
[all notations in parentheses are via my stepmom; she always insists on “fresh” so where she notes “canned” or “frozen”... she’s backed up her ideas with taste tests.]

2 quarts water
.5 tsp salt (adjusted down to compensate for sodium in the canned items below)
1 cup garbanzo beans (for simplicity, use canned, not drained)
1 cup white beans (for simplicity, use canned, not drained)
.5 lbs string beans (for simplicity, use frozen)
1 cup cubed pumpkin (depending on the time of year/mood substitute butternut or acorn squash, sweet potato – pumpkin really is best, though!)
3 small pears, peeled, cored, cubed (the firmer/less ripe, the better)

Jim's Real Deal Easter Soup

(also known as Edible Easter Soup or White Borscht)

An alert soup fan known only as "Jim" felt compelled to let the Soup Lady know that some versions of Easter Soup are not only edible but desirable. Here, he writes in to share with us a delightful recipe that is guaranteed to overcome the more disgusting versions also printed on this site.

Real Deal Easter Soup - Serves 6-8 people.
2 Rings Good Smoked Sausage (about 2lbs)
1 Large Smoked Ham
1lb Farmers Cheese , Cubed
6 Hard Boiled Eggs , Coarsely Chopped
Dark and Light Rye Bread , Cubed
8 ounces sour cream
1 Raw Egg
White Vinegar

Bake the ham according to directions, i.e., 15 minutes per pound. This can be done the night before. Retain the juice from the ham. Best if you cool the juice in frig and skim off the fat the next morning.

Cook sausage for 25-30 inutes in 10-12 cups water. RETAIN water. Add ham juice to sausage water. Just prior to serving stir the egg into the sour cream. Add a ladle of warm broth into sour cream egg mixture. While whisking, add sour cream/egg/broth mixture to the pot of broth. Bring just about to boil. Add about 4 tablespoons of vinegar.

Assembly of soup:
Add cubed ham, sausage, cheese, egg and bread into LARGE soup bowl. Pour broth over all. Add horseradish if desired. Enjoy.

Following day: unclog arteries.

Now the Soup Lady had never heard of Jim before this, but after careful scrutiny of the elements of this soup, she is willing to bet real money that this guy is Lithuanian. All the evidence is there: the pig parts, the vinegar, the sour cream. If that sounds iffy to you, then the real clincher is the horseradish.

The Soup Lady knows one when she sees one.

Sheila's Andouille and Potato Soup

The Soup Lady sends a big ladle full of thanks out to the talented and generous Sheila who spent many an hour designing and organizing this website. Cold weather combined with constant soup recipe exposure may be what prompted her to contribute this recipe:

Dear Soup Lady ... This recipe is from Emeril Lagasse's TV Dinners Cookbook....it's really easy, and requires very little prep work. I use his basic stock recipe, too. I served this with slices of crusty garlic bread. ... Sheila

Andouille and Potato Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onions
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 pound andouille (or other smoked )sausage,
- cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
2 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced
16 cups chicken stock, fresh or canned
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the sausage, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and bay leaves. Add the potatoes and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Season again if necessary. Add the parsely.

Remove the bay leaves and serve hot.

Mrs. Smith's Zippy Beet Soup

Turkey Soup? Get Real ... Haven't You Had Enough Turkey? Well, dears, haven't you had enough of the bird by now? Did you really come here expecting to find yet another way to consume the leftovers? Here is some free advice: if you have that much leftover, next time buy a smaller bird. You are wasting America's resources by firing up the ovens for so many hours, and your reward is turkey-based meals for four days.

Oh, sure - a repeat repast the next day is fine, and you can struggle through a few sandwiches over the long weekend, but can you really be looking forward all that much to a big simmering pot of turkey bones? The Soup Lady doubts it and says no to turkey soup. Instead, try this snappy little shot of sunshine. Well, sunshine if our Sol was a red dwarf, I guess. It is irresistable, even under a yellow sun.

Mrs. Smith's Zippy Beet Soup
Into a large mixing bowl, place:
canned red beets, cut into 1/2" dice - with the juice
two cucumbers -peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2" dice
one hard boiled egg, peeled and finely diced
3 Scallions, sliced into 1/4" rounds
4 cups of low-fat chicken broth or, for the timid, water
2/3 cup of white vinegar
fresh dill, chopped
salt and pepper
Mix all ingredients together and chill for at least four hours. When ready to serve, add 3/4 cup sour cream. Taste and adjust seasonings.

The Soup Lady likes extra vinegar. Act surprised.

P. S. Unlike Betty Crocker or Uncle Ben, there really is a Mrs. Smith, but not the one that makes the pies. This one has hair that is the same color as Lucy Ricardo's.

Dargie's Onion Soup

It must be getting cold in Chicago, because they are thinking about hot soup there. The inimitable Dargie ( whose motto is: "If life gives you lemons, squeeze those suckers hard enough to squirt life in the eye!") sends us a recipe anyone can follow -- Dargie's Onion Soup.

Dear Soup Lady, This is the way I cook. Measurements are for baking where they matter. Slice up a lot of white and/or yellow onions or a combination thereof (I don't like red ones in this soup because of the color, and I don't like very strong ones in my soup either. BTW, for anyone who doesn't know, the rounder an onion is, the stronger it will be. Flatter onions are sweeter. ) I don't know how many. What's a lot for you? Good, that's how many you slice up.

Throw a nice-size lump of butter into your soup pot, and add some olive oil. When the butter is melted and swirling around, making nice with the oil, throw your onions in and caramelize them. Sprinkle them with a bit of sugar (not much, this isn't dessert you know. Just a teaspoon or so to help with the caramelization. Don't hurry this part because it takes time - as much as half an hour - to make the onions beautiful and golden, and to get them to release their sugars.

Once they've achieved this pinnacle of onion perfection, fill the pot with stock. How much you use depends on the balance of onion to broth you like. I like a bowl loaded with onions, but you may prefer a bowl of broth with onions as a kind of condiment. Either way, add stock accordingly. I like to use a combination of stocks because I think it adds depth to the soup. Try a combo of beef and chicken. If you're really daring, a touch of fish stock really is wonderful. Just a touch. This isn't bouillibaise. Be careful not to make the stock too salty.

Bring to a boil and add a tot of wine. I kind of like port because it's got some body to it, but any good red or white will do. Again, not a lot, but just enough to add to the complexity. This would be a good time to add a bouquet garni, or a few herbs. Whatever you like. I'm partial to a bit of thyme in this, or a Provencale mix. Reduce heat. Simmer for an hour or so, until the onions are lovely and tender, and all the flavors have had a chance to blend.

While it's cooking, you want to toast some slices of French or Italian bread, and grate some cheese. A mix is best. I like parmesan and swiss, but I've used romano, cheddar or anything that's been at hand (No, not cottage cheese or Velveeta! Behave yourself.) and it's all been great. Put a slice or two of bread at the bottom of your bowl. Sprinkle generously with cheese, and ladle the hot soup over it. You could do the whole bowl-under-the-broiler thing if you want a toasted effect, but I like my cheese gooey, so I never bother. If you do broil it, be sure you've got your soup in ovenproof bowls, and put the bread and cheese on top of the soup, not under it. Eat it. Stop when you've had enough or the soup runs out.
Best regards,
Dargie

Oh, that Dargie! I do belive this is the first recipe posted here that calls for a tot of wine.

Joellen's Italian Wedding Soup

For this, you don't even need a bride.

The very best version of this classic soup that I have ever had was made by my friend Joellen, a redhead of the I Love Lucy variety, who claims to be Italian. If this soup could be used as evidence, it must be true. She says the secret is in the broth and often spends 2 or 3 days getting it just right. When she is satisfied, she moves on to the rest.

Italian Wedding Soup

1. The chicken stock:
2 pounds chicken parts
2 large onion s
3 stalks celery, including leaves
3 large carrots
3 cloves of garlic
2 teaspoons salt
4 - 5 peppercorns
3 whole cloves
12 cups water

Quarter the onions. Chop scrubbed celery and carrots into 1 inch chunks. Place chicken pieces, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, salt, and cloves in large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1- 2 hours. Remove chicken and vegetables. Strain stock through cheesecloth to remove solids. Skim fat off the surface.

2. The meatballs:
Combine 1/2 pound lean ground beef, 1 egg (slightly beaten), 4 tablespoons bread crumbs, 2 tablespoons parmesean cheese, and 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil. Shape into 3/4 inch balls. Drop into boiling water and cook until they float to the top. Drain and set aside.

3. The escarole: In a large pot of boiling water, add 2 heads of escarole which has been cleaned and chopped. Blanch for 3 minutes to remove the bitterness from the greens. Drain. When cooled, squeeze out all extra liquid.

4. Put it all together: Bring stock to a boil; add chopped escarole, 1 1/2 cups acini de pepe, and 3 eggs (slightly beaten) combined with 1 cup of parmesean cheese. Stirring
continuously until the egg is fully cooked and the pasta is al dente. Add the
meatballs, adjust seasoning and heat through.

For those less dedicated to authenticity, canned chicken broth and frozen chopped spinach can be substituted. The acini de pepe floating around gives it the look of the real thing. And looks, as you all know, are half the battle.

Suzie Q's White Chicken Chili

HELP ME SOUP LADY!
Oh, you poor dears! So chilly now that autumn is here and dampness is in the air! Chilly? Chili? Hey, that's a good idea ... Here is a recipe for White Chicken Chili from Suzi Q, who lives in the north country and knows about cold.

She says: " I based this on the white chicken chili that they serve at Ruby Tuesday's, and I use inexact measurements, and lots more veggies, as you can see! I like a lot of peppers - you can use less.You can used dried navy beans if you soak overnight, discard water and then simmer for 1 hour per package directions. Serve with a dollop of FF sour cream and thinly sliced green onions. Tortilla strips are good for garnish, too -- but I can hardly find them in MN. Experiment with the seasonings you like the best........... and a variety of white beans. ENJOY!!"

Low Fat White Chicken Chili
4 or 5 cans of white beanswith their liquid (navy, white, butter,etc)
1 can stewed or chopped tomatoes
1 each red, yellow, and green pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 large cans of chicken broth (fat free)
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
lots of celery leaves
add chopped jalapenos to taste
Seasoning to taste:
coarsely ground pepper
salt
bay leaf
celery salt or beau monde
Tabasco
rosemary
parsley
Garnish: a dollop of fat free sour cream thinly sliced green onions

In large soup pot, Simmer chicken breasts 15 mins. or until done, in 1 cup of chicken broth and the seasonings you prefer. Remove from liquid, cut into bite sized cubes, and set aside. If you are using frozen chicken breasts, it is easier to cube them prior to cooking. To the liquid in the pan, add the garlic, peppers, and onions. Simmer about 10 - 15 minutes, adding more liquid (chicken broth) if needed. Don't let them get all mushy -- just translucent and juicy. Add the canned or pre-cooked beans, carrots, celery, tomatoes, cubed chicken and remainder of seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for about 20 mins. stirring if needed. Remove about 2 cups of mostly beans from the pot and mash them with a fork, then return to the pot and simmer for about 15 more minutes -- this thickens the chili. Adjust seasoning to taste.

ONGOING RESEARCH
The Soup Lady can't help but notice that there is no actual chili in this chili recipe. By great good fortune, I had the
opportunity to have the White Chicken Chil at another mall-linked chain restaurant called Dick Clark's American Bandstand Grille. The White Chicken Chili very, very spicy (maybe it has chili in it!) and quite tasty, too.

Ava's Cream Garden Soup

While the Soup Lady was away, the mailbag has been filling up.

Here is a letter from Ava South, for a soup that is her particular favorite: Dear SL, Here is a recipe that was originally in my Mama's church group cookbook, but I modified for my own use. I love it, but I don't make it too often because I tend to overindulge, if you know what I mean.

Cream Garden Soup

3 cups of peeled, diced potatoes, preferably red or Yukon gold
1 cup water
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, sliced
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1 chicken boullion cube
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper
1 1/2 cups skim milk
2 tsp. flour
1/2 cup lof-fat Velveeta, cubed

Combine first 9 ingredients. Mix well. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or till tender. Gradually add milk to flour, stirring till smooth. Add milk mixture to vegetables. Cook till thickened. Add cheese. Stir till melted. Serves 6 to 8.

Note: I also add frozen green beans and green peas. When I made the most recent batch I made the recipe about half again. It made a BIG pot of soup. Ava South

Nice touch with the low-fat bit at the end there, Ava. As if.

D's Lime Steak Soup

ToTo, I don't think we're in Kansas anymore.

Soup Fever sweeps through Europe as the ultra-talented web-design genius, D. writes from the U.K.about a soup he frequently mentions: Souplady, O Souplady, Here is my recipe for lime steak soup. I no longer remember where it came from or what it is really called. Best regards, D.

Lime Steak Soup

Ingredients :
6 cups water
1 pound of .steak sliced or diced into thin strips or cubes
1 chopped onion
4 pounded cloves
garlic
8 sliced dried red chilies
1 stalk of sliced lemongrass
1-inch of galangal
1/2 cup lime juice
4 tbsp fish sauce
3 tsp brown sugar
4 tbsp vegetable oil
4 tbsp coriander, chopped
4 tbsp spring onion, chopped

Directions :
1. Heat oil in pot and fry garlic and onion till golden.
2. Add beef and fry for 1 more min.
3. Add water, lime juice, fish sauce, chilies, galangal, lemongrass and sugar, and simmer for 20 mins or until beef is tender.
4. Garnish with coriander and spring onion. Serves 4-6.

It sounds like a major flavor experience, doesn't it? The Soup Lady likes the looks of this and will produce it for the panel of judges as soon as they can all be rounded up into the test kitchens. (I wonder if he really meant 8 chilies?)