Lenten Soup Supper

[Shane R]

It has been the custom of my Anglican church to hold Evensong with a soup supper as a midweek event in Lent. Typically, I make the soup at least half of the weeks. Though there is no support for the event this year, I will continue the custom of making soup each Wednesday in my home. Week by week, I will be posting the recipe I prepare; possibly with a few extras for soups I have made in years past (my kids don't like the Hungarian fish soup and only one of them will eat squash or pumpkin soup).

This week, Ash Wednesday, I will be making Pasta Fagioli.
Ingredients:
1 can cannellini beans
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce (or diced tomatoes for a thicker soup)
1/2 of an onion, chopped
2-3 handfuls of fresh spinach
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp each of oil and butter
3 Cups of broth (vegetable or chicken)
3/4 Cup of small pasta
salt
Parmesan cheese and herbs to garnish (rosemary or basil are good)

1. Combine the oil and butter and allow to warm. Sautee the onions and garlic until the garlic is fragrant.
2. Add the liquid ingredients and bring to a boil.
3. Add the pasta, reduce heat to simmer, and leave the pot uncovered for about 8 minutes.
4. Add the salt, beans, and spinach and simmer uncovered 5 more minutes.
5. Serve and garnish with parmesan and herbs.

Picture to follow at supper time.

 

[Michie]

I look forward to the picture. A blessed Lent to you! Will this be made with vegetable broth since it is Ash Wednesday?

 

[Shane R]

Vegetable broth would be more traditional in Lent but since my daughters are both young enough to be exempt from fasting I compromised and used chicken broth. This recipe is kid approved.

 

[Michie]

Looks very good Shane!

 

[Shane R]

I probably won't make this soup this year because my kids won't eat it but here is a very simple recipe for Hungarian Fish Soup.

1 1/2-3 lbs of white fish (whole if possible)
2 medium onions, quartered
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 pepperoncini
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 6 oz. can of tomato paste/ 1 large tomato, diced
1 Tbsp paprika (heaping)
salt and pepper
sopping bread
Optional: 1/2 Cup of white wine

1. If you have whole fish, take the heads, fins, and skins and make fish stock with two medium onions (quartered), salt, and enough water to cover. If you don't have whole fish, sub chicken broth (2-3 Cups minimum) and add the skin of the fish and any large bones with the two onions to make some stock. Boil the stock for a while, until the onions and fish bones soften. Strain the stock and toss the onions and fish skin/bones/heads.
2. Chop the fish filets into bite sized pieces. Add all ingredients except bread to stock and simmer for at least 20 minutes.
3. Serve with sopping bread (something hearty, not Wonder bread). Pepper to taste when serving. There is a variant that includes noodles so you could use egg noodles instead of bread.

* This is working folks' food. It's supposed to be made with freshwater fish. It's not significantly different with saltwater fish but Hungary has no saltwater access. Back to my point; buy some cheap fish. Carp is a Hungarian favorite.

 

[Shane R]

French onion soup
1 large onion, halved and sliced thick
1 packet onion soup mix
2 cups water
2 cups beef broth
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
3 or 4 splashes of Worcestershire sauce

Topping: thick round slice of cheese; crusty toast or croutons

1. Bring liquid ingredients to a boil. Whisk in onion soup mix.
2. Sweat down the onions. Add to soup.
3. Add seasonings. Simmer for ~10 minutes.
4. Add toast/croutons. Top with cheese and allow to melt.

 

[Michie]

Check out this variation after Lent Shane.
Ultimate Ribeye French Onion Soup

 

[Shane R]

Creamy Crab Soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream style corn
8 oz crab meat or (2) 6 oz cans of shelf stable
½ stick of butter, salted
¼ Cup of Ricotta cheese
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 carrots, grated
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp seafood seasoning
juice of ½ lemon

1. melt butter, sautee garlic until lightly brown
2. add in the can of soup and creamed corn, bring to low boil
3. add cheese and seasonings, stir until well incorporated
4. add crab and lemon juice, turn off heat
5. add carrots and cover for about 10 minutes

* Serve with oyster crackers or croutons

 

[Michie]

That looks quick and easy!

 

[Shane R]

That looks quick and easy!

20-25 minutes. This is a hybrid of She-crab soup (a delicacy along the coast in the Mid-Atlantic and South) and a chowder without potatoes. I have had a version of She-crab soup which has a splash of brandy in it and that might be an interesting substitute for the lemon juice.

 

[Michie]

20-25 minutes. This is a hybrid of She-crab soup (a delicacy along the coast in the Mid-Atlantic and South) and a chowder without potatoes. I have had a version of She-crab soup which has a splash of brandy in it and that might be an interesting substitute for the lemon juice.

If you get a chance, post the recipe.

 

[Shane R]

If you get a chance, post the recipe.

I don't have the recipe. It was served to me at an upscale restaurant in Charleston, SC. I've also had She-crab with a splash or two of hot sauce in it. There are several variations.

 

[Michie]

I don't have the recipe. It was served to me at an upscale restaurant in Charleston, SC. I've also had She-crab with a splash or two of hot sauce in it. There are several variations.

This is something I want to try this Lent.

 

[Shane R]

This should be pretty close; sub brandy for the sherry. It's from Paula Deen magazine.

½ Cup Unsalted Butter
¼ Cup Sweet Onion, minced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
½ Cup All-Purpose Flour
3 Cups Seafood Stock
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 lbs Jumbo Lump Crabmeat or blue crab meat, picked
2 tsp Kosher Salt, divided
1 tsp Ground Mace
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
¼ Cup Sherry
2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley

1. In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat; add onion and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until tender. Whisk in flour, and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in stock, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened. Stir in cream, half of crab, 1 teaspoon salt, and next 3 ingredients; cook until heated through.
2. In a medium bowl, gently stir together sherry, parsley, remaining crab, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Ladle soup into serving bowls, and top with crab mixture.

 

[Michie]

Thank you Shane! I’ve been looking it up as well. Lol! Friday is fast approaching.

 

[Michie]

Creamy Crab Soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream style corn
8 oz crab meat or (2) 6 oz cans of shelf stable
½ stick of butter, salted
¼ Cup of Ricotta cheese
2 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 carrots, grated
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp seafood seasoning
juice of ½ lemon

1. melt butter, sautee garlic until lightly brown
2. add in the can of soup and creamed corn, bring to low boil
3. add cheese and seasonings, stir until well incorporated
4. add crab and lemon juice, turn off heat
5. add carrots and cover for about 10 minutes

* Serve with oyster crackers or croutons

View attachment 295729
View attachment 295730

Guess what we are having today @Shane R? Will have a side salad with it. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

 

[Michie]

We made it and it was very good. Filling too! Thanks for the recipe.

 

[Shane R]

This week is more about technique than recipe. I am going to explain how I make an elegant and wholesome bowl of ramen. This is a cook time of 4 minutes total. First, I must briefly explain how to make some shrimp stock.

I cooked one pound of shrimp for supper last night. I usually buy shrimp with the shell on. The shells are going to be the source of flavor for the shrimp stock. 1 lb of shrimp yields enough shells to make about 2 cups of stock. Throw 2 cloves of garlic, halved into a small sauce pot. Put in half of an onion, halved again, into the pot. Add the shrimp shells and add 2 1/4 Cups of water. Bring to a slow boil and add 1/2 tsp of sea salt. When the shells have turned pink and soft, turn off the heat. Allow to cool naturally, strain and set aside (I store stock in little Mason jars).
​

Respectable Ramen
1 packet of Ramen noodles
1 egg, thoroughly beaten
1 Cup of shrimp stock
1/2 Cup of water
Mixed Ruffage (small pieces)
Soy, Worcestershire, or hot sauce according to personal preference
Garnish (green onions/scallions are the classic choice)

1. Ditch the seasoning packet in the Ramen noodles, you don't need that salt bomb.
2. Bring the shrimp stock and water to a rolling boil (you could use all stock but the stuff tends to have a strong, somewhat offensive smell; I cut it with water to mellow that characteristic).
3. Create a whirlpool in the center of the pot. Add the beaten egg. Cover and leave it alone for 1 minute. (This technique yields a wonderfully fluffy egg that falls apart with a soft touch. Try it for scrambled eggs sometime.)
4. Turn off the heat. Add the noodles and whatever ruffage is firm. I added carrots and mushrooms at this stage. Cover for 2 minutes.
5. Stir the noodles, add any remaining ruffage. I added spinach at this stage, peas would also be good here. Cover for 1 additional minute.
6. Add sauce of choice to taste, garnish. (I like some fresh ground black pepper here as well as the green onions).
​

 

[Michie]

This week is more about technique than recipe. I am going to explain how I make an elegant and wholesome bowl of ramen. This is a cook time of 4 minutes total. First, I must briefly explain how to make some shrimp stock.

I cooked one pound of shrimp for supper last night. I usually buy shrimp with the shell on. The shells are going to be the source of flavor for the shrimp stock. 1 lb of shrimp yields enough shells to make about 2 cups of stock. Throw 2 cloves of garlic, halved into a small sauce pot. Put in half of an onion, halved again, into the pot. Add the shrimp shells and add 2 1/4 Cups of water. Bring to a slow boil and add 1/2 tsp of sea salt. When the shells have turned pink and soft, turn off the heat. Allow to cool naturally, strain and set aside (I store stock in little Mason jars).
​

Respectable Ramen
1 packet of Ramen noodles
1 egg, thoroughly beaten
1 Cup of shrimp stock
1/2 Cup of water
Mixed Ruffage (small pieces)
Soy, Worcestershire, or hot sauce according to personal preference
Garnish (green onions/scallions are the classic choice)

1. Ditch the seasoning packet in the Ramen noodles, you don't need that salt bomb.
2. Bring the shrimp stock and water to a rolling boil (you could use all stock but the stuff tends to have a strong, somewhat offensive smell; I cut it with water to mellow that characteristic).
3. Create a whirlpool in the center of the pot. Add the beaten egg. Cover and leave it alone for 1 minute. (This technique yields a wonderfully fluffy egg that falls apart with a soft touch. Try it for scrambled eggs sometime.)
4. Turn off the heat. Add the noodles and whatever ruffage is firm. I added carrots and mushrooms at this stage. Cover for 2 minutes.
5. Stir the noodles, add any remaining ruffage. I added spinach at this stage, peas would also be good here. Cover for 1 additional minute.
6. Add sauce of choice to taste, garnish. (I like some fresh ground black pepper here as well as the green onions).
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View attachment 296059

That looks wonderful!

 

[Shane R]

This one is somewhere between what my grandmother calls End of the Garden soup and some of the old recipes you might run across for weight loss soup. The American heart association used to publish a recipe for a low sodium and low carb soup that was part of a weight loss diet.

Low Carb Vegetable Soup

1 can of tomatoes (I like stewed)
1/2 of a cabbage
1 pint of beef broth or water
Miscellaneous vegetables (3 Cups)
Salt and pepper​

1. Combine tomatoes and broth, bring to simmer.
2. Slice the cabbage rather thin. Add.
3. Add other vegetables as one has available. (I had carrots, broccoli, celery, garlic, leeks, onion, zucchini, and mushrooms today). They should all be roughly the same size.
4. Let this go, covered, for a bit until everything starts to get warm. Some of the vegetables will release a lot of liquid.
5. Add water as needed (about 1/2 Cup at a time) to reach the desired consistency. Check about every hour and season and/or add water.
6. This should never reach a boil and takes about 2 hours to come to a finish.

​