It is winter time and the mind and body begin to crave warm and hearty comfort foods. What could be better than a lovely soup? Filling and delicious, these three recipes will please every palate.
Hearty Mushroom
2lbs mushrooms, chopped coarsely
4 T butter or olive oil
1/2 cup white wine or cooking sherry
4 cups broth (beef, chicken or vegetable)
salt and pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup cream (or milk)
Melt butter in a dutch oven or other suitable big pot and sauté the mushrooms over medium high heat. Turn the heat up to evaporate all the released liquid once the mushrooms have reduced by at least half. Pour in 1/2 cup of white wine or sherry and boil for a minute or two. Add in 4 cups of broth (I used beef for extra robustness but chicken or even vegetable would be acceptable) and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Ladle 2/3's of the mushrooms into a blender or food processor and puree. Return to the pan and add a bay leaf. Simmer for at least 1 hour. Five minutes before serving, stir in 1/2 cup cream. Fish out the bay leaf and serve.
Baked Potato
4 large baking potatoes or left over mashed potatoes
2/3 cup butter
2/3 cup flour
6 cups milk
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
Wash, dry and prick potatoes with fork. Bake in 400-degree oven for 1 hour or until done. Let cool. Cut into half lengthwise and scoop out pulp; set aside. Use skins for something else, such as stuffed potato skins.
Melt butter in heavy pot over low heat; add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Don't walk away--this step takes a while but only constant stirring will keep a skin from forming on the top and the milk from scorching on the bottom of the pan.
Add potato pulp, salt, pepper, bacon and the cheese, stirring well between each addition. Cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in sour cream. Serve with extra bacon and cheese.
Ham and Bean Soup
1 lb. dried great northern beans, rinsed, drained & picked over
2 ham hocks or scraps & pieces from leftover ham
1 large onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 Bay leaf
Salt and Pepper to taste
In large soup pot combine beans and 2 quarts water. Discard any beans that float to the surface. Bring to a boil. Cover and continue to boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow pot to stand, covered 1 hour. Add ham hocks, onion and celery; cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and toss in the bay leaf. Simmer 2 hours.
Remove ham hocks, separate meat from fat and bones. Dice meat and return to soup. Discard fat and bones. Remove and discard bay leaf. Remove about 1 cup of the beans and a little bean liquid. Mash to a paste and stir this into the pot to thicken soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy!
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