Soups

[Menolly]

My sister entered a family recipe for a cook-off at her workplace. She didn't win, but it's a recipe I hadn't thought of in years. Simple, simple, simple, and an easy one pot meal.

For anyone dieting, or who may be diabetic, it works fabulously with Splenda instead of sugar, if you are willing to eat Splenda.

Aunt Jean’s Cabbage Soup

1 can tomato juice
1 lb beef short ribs
1 head cabbage - cut into bite size pieces
1 whole onion
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 TBS sugar

Combine all ingredients. Simmer for 3 hours. Remove onion.

Menolly's notes:
I use granulated citric acid to taste. It is added after the other ingrdients come to a simmer.

[Zarathustra]

We make a chicken tortilla soup that is delicious, but not our own recipe. I'll look it up if anyone is interested.

However, I did create my own beef and vegetable soup that is amazing. It's tomato based, which is the best part. The flavoring comes from the sauce in which I cook the beef: soy, worsch., and liquid smoke. I don't measure, I just pour roughly equal parts soy and worsch. sauce until neither one dominates the aroma. (I get real close and sniff). Real scientific, huh! Then add a squirt or two of liquid smoke. Careful, that stuff can be overpowering. I cook my stew meat in this sauce (with salt/pepper/garlic powder), and then pour it along with the meat into the tomato soup base (made from tomato paste and water). Thus, I create my flavored broth to flavor the tomato soup base. The end result is a very meaty/tomato flavor combo that's amazing--neither flavor dominates. Throw in some veggies (I usually just go with frozen), and you've got soup!

[Prebe]

Garlic powder, citric acid, liquid smoke.....

What is it with you guys and quick fixes???

How difficult can it be to crush a clove of garlic, squeeze a lemon or add a couple of bacon cubes respectively?

Though I like your general idea Malik, I can honestly say that liquid smoke nauseates me. Ever since I ordered a "barbeque something" at a McD a couple of years ago, I've been unable to cope with the stuff!

I'd start by browning a few slices of bacon in a saute pan. Then add the beef (leave in the bacon) and brown it in a tiny bit of fat from the bacon. It doesn't have to be a lot of fat. That's not where most of the smoke taste resides anyway. Phenol is perfectly water-soluble (yes, phenol and derivatives are the main components of smokey flavour). And then I'd add the Worch. and soy to taste (or smell as you say).

[Menolly]

Garlic powder, citric acid, liquid smoke.....

What is it with you guys and quick fixes???

How difficult can it be to crush a clove of garlic, squeeze a lemon or add a couple of bacon cubes respectively?

Though I like your general idea Malik, I can honestly say that liquid smoke nauseates me. Ever since I ordered a "barbeque something" at a McD a couple of years ago, I've been unable to cope with the stuff!

I'd start by browning a few slices of bacon in a saute pan. Then add the beef (leave in the bacon) and brown it in a tiny bit of fat from the bacon. It doesn't have to be a lot of fat. That's not where most of the smoke taste resides anyway. Phenol is perfectly water-soluble (yes, phenol and derivatives are the main components of smokey flavour). And then I'd add the Worch. and soy to taste (or smell as you say).

Now, now, my chemical oriented friend.

Granulated garlic (never garlic powder, if I can help it) has a very different flavor than fresh garlic. I use both in my pasta sauce and on pizza. I don't believe one substitutes for the other.

If I have enough lemons in the house, I'll use that instead of the citric acid. The flavor is different, of course. But even here in Florida, lemons run three for $1.00. Considering I'm used to paying half that, sometimes I balk at using them. Sometimes.

As for the Liquid Smoke...
I don't think it's supposed to emulate a smoke house flavor, like bacon would. It's more a...flavor from being cooked over a grill taste, not a "smoked" taste, if that makes sense. That's why I am considering adding it to the simmer sauce for my bratwurst I cook in my rotisserie. The ease and texture of doing them in the rotisserie is perfection, but since the rotisserie is electric, the "grilled smoke" flavor is missing.

[Prebe]

As for the granulated garlic, I don't know. I've never used it. You are of course right that citric acid tastes different from fresh lemon. A buck for three you say?? They sell for a buck a piece here! Of course we have to import all of them unfortunately.

I will still have to disagree about the liquid smoke though. I've had my fair share of barbies AND smoked meats, and I truly think that liquid smoke emulates neither flavour in any way. But it could depend on the brand of course.

[Menolly]

As for the granulated garlic, I don't know. I've never used it.

It's basically fine ground dehydrated cloves of garlic. So, I guess the flavor is intensified maybe? I really don't know how to describe it. But, it is my most commonly used seasoning. Even more than salt.

[aliantha]

Per Balon's request:

Chilled Blueberry Soup

3 cups blueberries, divided
4 cups water
Pinch of salt
1 T. sugar
1/8 t. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. sour cream
3 T. flour

Boil 2 cups of the blueberries in the water 'til the water turns purple and most of the blueberries have popped. Stir in salt, cinnamon and sugar. Remove from heat.

Mix the flour and the sour cream together, then whip this mixture into the hot liquid. When well blended, return the pot to the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and stir until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in 1/2 blueberries, and chill in the fridge for a couple of hours.

When ready to serve, stir in the remaining 1/2 c. blueberries. 4 to 6 servings.

(I made this for the first time late Monday night; we had it for dinner last night. It was pretty good -- tart/sweet. I used reduced-fat sour cream. I would've tried fat-free sour cream but I wasn't sure what it would do to the consistency of the soup. Anyway, I will likely make this again.)

[Menolly]

Mmm...

Reminds me of a soup I serve as an intermezzo at the Passover seders.

Strawberry Soup

3 cups crushed strawberries
1 cup orange juice
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 TBS potato starch (you can use corn starch)
1/4 cup cold water
sliced fresh strawberries for garnish

Mix the crushed strawberries, orange juice, sugar, and one cup of water together in a saucepan. Simmer, stirring often until the sugar dissolves.

Mix together the potato starch with 1/4 cup cold water and then add the mixture to the soup. Cook, stirring until the soup thickens, about 2 minutes.

Chill the soup. Serve garnished with strawberry slices.

[magickmaker17]

Mmm...

Reminds me of a soup I serve as an intermezzo at the Passover seders.

Strawberry Soup

3 cups crushed strawberries
1 cup orange juice
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 TBS potato starch (you can use corn starch)
1/4 cup cold water
sliced fresh strawberries for garnish

Mix the crushed strawberries, orange juice, sugar, and one cup of water together in a saucepan. Simmer, stirring often until the sugar dissolves.

Mix together the potato starch with 1/4 cup cold water and then add the mixture to the soup. Cook, stirring until the soup thickens, about 2 minutes.

Chill the soup. Serve garnished with strawberry slices.

Mmmm! Ali, can we try this one?

[aliantha]

It does sound tasty....

I didn't pm Balon to tell him I'd posted the soup recipe -- do you think he'll find it on his own?

[Menolly]

Which thread did he request it in? I would post a link there...

[aliantha]

It was in Chatbane the other night. I'll just pm him.

[balon!]

It does sound tasty....

I didn't pm Balon to tell him I'd posted the soup recipe -- do you think he'll find it on his own?

I never would have. Thanks for the PM.

[stonemaybe]

I was feeling a bit miserable this week with a head cold, and as usual crave fish when I'm under the weather. Rummaging in the back of a cupboard, I found a can of soup that has been in the goodie bag we got at Burns' night back in January. Called 'Cullen Skink', it was a cream of smoked haddock soup. Thought I'd give it a go.

As I was heating it up, gf came into kitchen, had a smell, and ran out to bathroom, gagging.

I decided that nothing could taste as bad as the smell, so decided to give it a try. One mouthful, and it was poured into a plastic bag, quadruple wrapped, and put out into outside bin. BLEUCH!

I found a recipe here. Who knows, perhaps made from fresh would taste better? Or perhaps someone has their mother-in-law coming to stay soon?

Ingredients:
A large smoked haddock (weighing around 2 lb)
1 medium onion, finely chopped.
1½ pints (900ml) milk
2 tablespoons butter
8 oz mashed potato
Salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
Chopped parsley
Water
Triangles of toast (as an accompaniment)

Method
Cover the smoked haddock with water, in a shallow pan, skin side down. Bring to the boil and simmer for 4/5 minutes, turning once. Take the haddock from the pan and remove the skin and bones. Break up the fish into flakes, return to the stock and add the chopped onion, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer for another 15 minutes. Strain, remove the bay leaf but retain the stock and fish. Add the milk to the fish stock and bring back to the boil. Add enough mashed potato to create the consistency you prefer (don't be afraid to make it rich and thick!). Add the fish and reheat. Check for seasoning. Just before serving, add the butter in small pieces so that it runs through the soup.
Serve with chopped parsley on top, accompanied by triangles of toast.

This was the villain...

[Menolly]

Poor Stone.
To have a head cold, and then be subjected, willingly, to that...

[Prebe]

Cullen skink (when properly prepared) is one of the few positive Scottish contributions to the World Cuissine. When prepared correctly it is really delicious.

It can be freshened up by serving with a wedge of lemon and a sprinkle of chives or dill.