Sandra's Kitchen Studio

Soothing Soups

 
I love soups--seriously. It is a guilty pleasure that I indulge in when I'm craving a dose of comfort. The truth is that on chilly days when I am able to enjoy precious free time by myself, you will most probably find me curled up on the sofa with a mug of soup and a good book.

To me, those few moments before a meal, signal the time to slow down and to contemplate. A bowl of soup stretches my ritual. I take the time to sip slowly, to enjoy each taste of elixir. I contemplate each second, from the instant that its steamy aroma hits my nostrils to the moment when my taste buds embrace its flavor. By the time I feel the warm liquid settle within me, healing waves of comfort have already done their job.

At home, we treat soups with a bit of reverence. We typically eat in silence, as if trying to beckon the quasi magical powers hidden within each piping bowl of bejeweled liquid. Were you to join us at our table, you would probably be pulled in by the aura of silence interrupted only by the clincking of spoons against bowls, a few escapee slurps, and privately satisfying gulps. Once satiated, the conversation would flow freely.

Today, I share with you my recipe for lentil soup. I like to serve it over scoops of brown rice but it is just as satisfying when enjoyed on its own. I like the flavor of chicken broth but this can just as easily be made with vegetable stock.

Take the time to savor some soup this season and let yourself get lost in the moment. Discover pure comfort in a bowl.

Lentil Soup with Brown Rice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup minced onion

1/4 cup minced celery

1/4 cup minced carrots

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)

1/2 cup white wine

3/4 cup dried lentils

5 cups chicken broth

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 1/2 cups cooked brown basmati rice

In a large stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots; saute for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, bay leaf, and thyme and saute for 2 minutes. Add wine and cook for 1 minute or until it has almost evaporated. Add the lentils, broth, salt, and pepper. Bring liquid to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer gently for 40 minutes. Remove bay and discard. To serve, place a scoop of rice on each bowl and ladle the soup onto it.

Yield: 4-6 servings.

©Copyright Sandra A. Gutierrez, 2010: All Rights Reserved. The content of this blog, recipes and photographs in whole or their parts may not be copied, distributed, taught or disseminated by any means without the express written consent of the author.

Sopa de Garbanzos (Chick Pea Soup)

   Sopa de Garbanzos

The calendar tells me it's Spring but you wouldn't really know it by the temperatures outside which are more on the nippy side than normal. On days like today, a bowl of hot, steamy soup makes me feel warm and happy all over. Spring soups tend to be a bit lighter than those you would offer during the winter months--think, less cream, less starch but more brothy bases.

Beans and legumes are often found in Latin and Spanish soups and I love to include them in mine too. If you are among the many home cooks who keep stocks and broths in your freezer, feel free to use whatever you have for this soup. Even though I made mine with chicken stock, you can substitute it with beef or vegetable soup and obtain just as delicious a soup as this one. I have nothing against canned or boxed broths and stocks and in fact keep boxes of ready-made stocks in my pantry at all times in case I run out of my own.  My only recommendation is that you try to purchase organic, low-sodium varieties (there are many wonderful brands out there).  Not only is buying organic worth every penny--think of the hormones you won't miss in your soup--but also low-sodium brands allow me to add as much or as little salt as I like.

I am a huge fan of sea salt, not only for the natural flavor it imparts but also for it's healthier balance. If you want to learn more about this precious ingredient and all other types of fascinating salts, visit my friend Mark Bitterman's website at www.saltnews.com and discover the wonders of salt. Mark is the Salmelier of The Meadow, a Portland-based salt boutique founded by Mark and his wife, Jennifer. I recently met Mark at a writer's conference and was fascinated by his expertise on the subject.

The broth of my Sopa de Garbanzos is seasoned with delicious tomatoes, wine and a bit of smokiness imparted by a simple addition of hot Spanish paprika and cumin. It takes only 20 minutes to make and is low in fat. 

Sopa de Garbanzos

1 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomato with juices (I prefer Muir Glenn organic)

3 1/2 cups organic chicken broth

1/2 cup dry white wine (such as Chardonnay)

1  1/2 cups cooked garbanzos (chick peas)

1/2 teaspoon hot Spanish paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1  teaspoon sel gris or sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons light sour cream or yogurt

1 small jalapeno, seeded, deveined and julienned

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat; add the onions and saute for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, wine, garbanzos, paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. Bring the soup to a boil; lower the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. To plate: serve hot onto 4 soup bowls; top each with a dollop of sour cream (or yogurt) and garnish with jalapenos.  Yield: 4 servings.

Copyright© Sandra A.Gutierrez, 2008; All Rights Reserved.

Corn Chowder

1 cup bacon, cubed

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

3 cups chopped sweet onion

2 Tbsp. flour

2 (14ounce) cans creamed corn

4 cups milk

2 cups peeled and cubed Yukon gold potatoes

2 egg yolks

2 cups heavy cream

Salt and Pepper to taste

Grated Nutmeg

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until it begins to crisp.  Add the butter and the onions; sauté for 4 minutes.  Add the flour and stir well for 2 minutes. Add the corn, milk and potatoes and bring the mixture to the boil—stir often so the roux does not stick to the bottom of the pan.  Simmer the chowder for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.  In a separate bowl, combine the egg yolks with the cream; whisk together to blend.  Add 1cup of the hot liquid from the chowder directly into the egg mixture and mix vigorously.  Then add the egg mixture into the pot of hot chowder in a thin stream, mixing well.  Season the chowder to taste with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle with nutmeg and serve immediately.  Serves 6-8

©Copyright Sandra A. Gutierrez 2007. All Rights Reserved.