Soups & Stews – The Fancy Pants Kitchen

Lentil Stew with Mushroom Gravy

Francine — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 17:41:26 +0000

This deeply satisfying Lentil Stew with Mushroom Gravy is the perfect comfort food for cold, winter days. It takes about 10 ingredients and 40 minutes of time, so no excuses to not make it! It’s vegan, as well!

It starts with sautéed shallots and mushrooms seasoned with coconut aminos, salt, and pepper for rich, deep flavor. Then come the lentils, thyme for aromatics, and vegetable broth. As that’s simmering away, start your mashed potatoes.

The mashed potatoes are easy to make as well. Simply peel (or leave skin on for more texture), boil until tender, and mash!

You can go 100 different ways with seasoning mashed potatoes, but we kept things simple: a little salt, pepper, and olive oil, with a few dashes of almond milk for creaminess.

To serve, transfer some mashed potatoes to a plate, top with lentil stew and then garnish with a little parsley. You are going to love this!

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Lastly, if you make Lentil Stew with Mushroom Gravy, be sure to leave a review down below at the bottom of this page (stars are also appreciated)! Above all, I love to hear from you and always do my best to respond to each and every review. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is one of my favorite things to do!

Lentil Stew with Mushroom Gravy

Makes: 4 servings (side dish)

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

Potatoes:

1 pound yellow potatoes, peeled and quartered evenly (I left on some skin for texture)
Sea salt & black pepper to taste
1-2 tbsp olive oil
2-4 tbsp unsweetened almond milk or vegetable broth (for added moisture)

Mushroom Lentil Stew:

1 tbsp water (or avocado or olive oil)
1/2 cup chopped shallot
2 cups sliced cremini (or button) mushrooms
1-2 tbsp coconut aminos
1 pinch each kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme (or rosemary)
2/3 cup dry green lentils, rinsed + drained (optional: soak overnight in cool water to improve digestibility)
2-3 cups vegetable broth
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp mashed potatoes (recipe above)

Garnish:

Fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

Heat a large rimmed pan over medium heat. Once hot, add oil or water and shallot and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add mushrooms and coconut aminos and increase heat to medium-high. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Add thyme, lentils, and 2 cups vegetable broth. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and cook on low for about 20 minutes, adding more broth as needed if the mixture looks dry.

In the meantime, add potatoes to a large pot and cover with water so they are just submerged. Bring to a boil on high heat and cook for 12-15 minutes or until they slide off easily when pierced with a knife.Once tender, drain potatoes and add back to pot or a mixing bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and a bit of olive oil and mash until tender and fluffy. For added moisture in place of oil, add unsweetened plain almond milk or vegetable broth.

Once lentils are tender, taste sauce and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt or coconut aminos for saltiness, pepper for spice, or tomato paste for more depth of flavor. Turn off heat and let the mixture rest so flavors can deepen. Add the 2 tablespoons of mashed potatoes to the lentil mushroom stew and stir in to thicken.

To serve, divide mashed potatoes between serving plates or bowls and top with desired amount of lentil mushroom stew. Garnish with fresh parsley, or more thyme, if desired.

Store leftovers separately, covered, up to 4 days in the refrigerator or in the freezer up to 1 month. Reheat on the stovetop or in a 350°F oven until hot.

Recipe from Minimalist Baker

Turkey Vegetable Soup

Francine — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 17:28:17 +0000

There is nothing better than using up your leftover turkey from Thanksgiving dinner in this Turkey Vegetable Soup. It’s hearty, but healthy, which is probably just what we need after this huge festive meal!

This flavorful soup has all the loving goodness you’d want in a soup: rich broth, flavorful veggies, tomatoes and tomato paste, kidney beans and of course, leftover turkey. Go ahead and make this now!

Add onions, carrots and celery to a large pot and stir until the onion is soft. Add canned tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Add dried pasta, kidney beans and turkey. Stir in thyme, salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 30 more minutes.

Once the veggies are tender and the pasta is cooked, stir in the tomato paste and any frozen vegetables and/or greens and cook until wilted or cooked through.

Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

I’m not sure if you noticed in my photos, but I didn’t add pasta. I’m not big on pasta in soup and I was out of it, but I really wanted to get this recipe to you all, so that’s why the pasta isn’t featured in these photos.

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Lastly, if you make Turkey Vegetable Soup, be sure to leave a review down below at the bottom of this page (stars are also appreciated)! Above all, I love to hear from you and always do my best to respond to each and every review. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is one of my favorite things to do!

Turkey Vegetable Soup

Makes: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour & 15 minutes

Ingredients

6 – 7 cups homemade turkey or store-bought chicken broth
1 (28 ounce) can diced canned tomatoes, or whole canned tomatoes hand crushed, with their juices
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, sliced or diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into thin slices or diced
1 cup dried pasta, small shells or macaroni work well
1 (19 ounce) can white or red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 & 1/2 – 3 cups cooked turkey, cut into bite-sized pieces
Thyme sprig, or a 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper

To Finish:

1-2 tbsp tomato paste, optional
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, spinach or kale and/or frozen peas
Additional salt and pepper, as needed to taste

Instructions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery and cook, stirring, until the onion has softened, about 5-6 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes, with juices and 6 cups of the turkey or chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Add the dried pasta, kidney beans and cooked turkey. Stir to combine. Stir in the thyme and season with some salt and pepper. Continue to simmer the soup for another 25-30 minutes or so, or until the vegetables are tender and the pasta is cooked. Taste test to be sure. If soup gets too thick near the end of cooking, simply add a bit more broth, stock or water to thin, as needed.

Near the end of cooking, stir in tomato paste, any frozen vegetables and chopped greens and stir in. Allow to cook until the frozen vegetables are cooked and/or the greens are wilted.

Taste soup and add additional salt as needed. A little freshly ground pepper is nice, as well.

Chef’s Notes:

If you have leftover cooked carrots (or any vegetable, really) that you’d like to use in the soup, wait and add them at the end of cooking the soup and simply allow them to warm in the soup for a few minutes.

Recipe from Seasons & Suppers

Traditional Chicken Soup

Francine — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 19:31:16 +0000

Traditional Chicken Soup is the soup I serve at all of the Jewish holidays. The richly flavored broth is augmented with pieces of shredded chicken, carrot slices and celery. Add a matzah ball or noodles or leave it plain…the broth is amazing and works well any way you want to serve it!

Begin making the broth by cleaning the chicken thoroughly. Place it in a large pot and add cold water. Bring it to a rolling boil. Remove it from the heat and skim off the foam that has accumulated on the top of the surface.

Add all of the remaining ingredients into the pot, bring back to a boil and cover and simmer for an hour or so.

At this point, once the chicken has cooked, I like to remove the chicken from the pot. I separate the chicken from the bones and throw the bones back into the soup and continue cooking another hour or so to get a rich, flavorful broth. Some people like a less flavored broth but if you like it deeper in flavor, cook it longer.

It’s best not to leave the chicken in the entire time as it will become rubbery.

Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it and set aside until the broth is ready.

I also like to “fancy” up the carrots by using a zester and cutting a line down the side of the carrot. I repeat this all the way around. When you slice the carrots, it looks like a little flower.

Strain the soup, once it’s done cooking, and put the carrots and sliced celery back into the broth along with the shredded chicken.

Serve while still hot.

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Lastly, if you make Traditional Chicken Soup, be sure to leave a review down below at the bottom of this page (stars are also appreciated)! Above all, I love to hear from you and always do my best to respond to each and every review. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is one of my favorite things to do!

Traditional Chicken Soup

Makes: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours & 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours & 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 (3-4 pound) Kosher chicken (see Chef’s Notes)
3 quarts cold water
2 medium onions
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into discs (see Chef’s Notes)
3 stalks celery with leaves
2 parsnips, peeled
1 medium tomato
4 sprigs fresh dill
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tbsp kosher salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Clean the chicken thoroughly. Place in a large pot with water. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove the pot from the heat and skim the foam off the top until the soup is clear.

Add vegetables, herbs and seasonings. Bring back to a boil. Cover, lower the heat, and simmer until chicken is tender (45-60 minutes).

Remove the chicken from soup and let it cool for a few minutes. At this point, if you feel the soup is not rich enough in flavor, put the chicken bones back into the soup and continue to simmer for another 30-60 minutes. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it into small pieces.

Strain the soup. Put the carrots, celery (sliced) and chicken back into the broth, if desired.

Chef’s Notes:

You can leave the chicken whole or cut into 8 pieces, whichever is more manageable.

If I have time, I like to “pretty up” the carrots by cutting lines down the side of each carrot with the side of a citrus zester. When you slice through the carrot, it makes little flowers.

I like a very richly flavored broth, so I typically add an extra hour of cooking time. I lower the heat and remove the lid. Watch that too much of the liquid doesn’t evaporate.

Split Pea Soup

Francine — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 17:35:04 +0000

This hearty homemade Split Pea Soup is the perfect soup to warm your insides. Richly flavored with smoky bacon and ham, this soup is a meal unto itself!

Split pea soup is a classic soup that’s typically made from split peas and flavored with ham hocks. Since ham hocks are difficult to find these days, America’s Test Kitchen came up with a great hack to produce a pork-rich broth without the ham hock! Simmer thick-cut bacon slices and a ham steak in the broth to make the soup smoky and meaty!

Prior to starting this recipe, rinse the dried split peas under cold water and then lay them out on a sheet pan to pick out any small stones.

Begin making the soup by sautéing onions and garlic until soft. Add chicken broth, water, ham steak, bacon, split peas, thyme and bay leaves to the dutch oven and boil, stirring frequently so that the peas don’t stick. Simmer until the peas are tender, about 45 minutes.

Remove the ham steak and set it aside. Add the carrots and celery and continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender and the peas have broken down even further, about 30 more minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the ham into bite-size pieces. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs, bay leaves and bacon slices.

Add the shredded ham back into the soup and simmer. Add more salt and pepper if needed.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh croutons. If the soup has thickened up while sitting, thin it with a little water and adjust seasonings.

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Lastly, if you make Split Pea Soup, be sure to leave a review down below at the bottom of this page (stars are also appreciated)! Above all, I love to hear from you and always do my best to respond to each and every review. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is one of my favorite things to do!

Split Pea Soup

Makes: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour & 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour & 45 minutes

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 cups water
1 pound ham steak, skin removed, cut into quarters (see note)
3 slices (4 ounces) thick-cut bacon, left whole (see note)
1 pound green split peas (about 2 cups), picked through and rinsed
3 sprigs fresh thyme, plus more for serving
2 bay leaves
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium celery rib, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
Fresh croutons, for serving (optional; see instructions below)

Instructions

Heat the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and salt and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Do not brown.

Add the broth, water, ham steak, bacon, peas, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring frequently to keep the peas from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the peas are tender but not falling apart, about 45 minutes.

Remove the ham steak and place it on a plate; cover with foil and set aside. Stir in the carrots and celery and continue to simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender and the peas have almost completely broken down, about 30 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, shred the ham steak into small bite-size pieces with two forks. Cover with foil again.

Remove and discard the thyme sprigs, bay leaves, and bacon slices. Add the shredded ham to the soup and return to a simmer. Add a few grinds of pepper, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary (depending on the saltiness of the ham and bacon you used, you may need an additional 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt). Ladle the soup into bowls and top with fresh croutons, if using. (The soup will thicken as it sits on the stove; thin it with water and adjust seasoning as necessary.)

Chef’s Notes:

A ham steak is a thick slice of cooked ham cut from a whole ham roast. They can be found packaged in the refrigerated meat section of the supermarket, near the bacon.

Regular sliced bacon can be used, but the thinner slices are a little harder to remove from the soup.

To Make Fresh Croutons: Melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add 2 cups of cubed good-quality French or Italian bread and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and toasted, 3 to 5 minutes.

Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost the soup in the refrigerator for 12 hours and then reheat it on the stovetop over medium heat until hot. The soup will thicken once cool, so thin with water and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Recipe from Once Upon a Chef

Italian Chicken Pastina Soup

Francine — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 20:39:37 +0000

While there are many chicken soup recipes, this Italian Chicken Pastina Soup recipe can’t be beat! It’s so flavorful, textural and addicting! Hard to stop with just one bowlful!

It’s chalkful of diced carrots, celery and peppers as well as chunks of rotisserie chicken and tender tiny pasta. Sprinkled with fresh Parmesan, it’s the ideal soup for any time of the year!

It’s a pretty straightforward recipe. Begin by sautéing onions, shallot, celery and yellow bell pepper in olive oil and butter. After 4 minutes, add the garlic and cook.

Add the carrots, chicken broth and parmesan rind (I highly recommend using one even though the recipe says optional). Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Remove 2 cups of the diced veggies and set aside.

With an immersion blender, purée the broth mixture until it’s smooth.

Add the pasta and cook for whatever time the box says (I cooked it for 9 minutes). Then, add the chicken and reserved vegetables. Stir to combine and then cover the soup and allow it to rest for 20 minutes.

Serve the soup with additional grated parmesan cheese over and sprinkle with fresh rosemary or thyme leaves. Enjoy!

Share Your Thoughts...

Lastly, if you make Italian Chicken Pastina Soup, be sure to leave a review down below at the bottom of this page (stars are also appreciated)! Above all, I love to hear from you and always do my best to respond to each and every review. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is one of my favorite things to do!

Italian Chicken Pastina Soup

Makes: 10 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large onion, diced small
1 large shallot, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, diced small
1 large yellow bell pepper, diced small
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth, maybe more
1 pound carrots, diced small
1 2-3″ parmesan rind (optional)
1 & 1/2 tsp kosher salt more to taste
1/3 cup uncooked pastina tiny pasta, double if you like a lot of pasta
2 & 1/2 -3 cups rotisserie or leftover chicken
grated Parmesan for serving
finely chopped fresh rosemary and/or fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

Heat a large Dutch oven or soup pot or medium heat. Add the oil, butter, onion, shallot, celery and bell pepper and stir to combine. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, stir well and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the broth, carrots, parmesan rind (if using) and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to a steady simmer and cook for 20-25 minutes (uncovered) or until the veggies are nice and tender.

With a slotted spoon, removed 2 cups of the diced veggies and set aside.

With an immersion blender (or a regular blender) purée the broth/veggie mixture in the pot until smooth. If you use a regular blender, be sure to let the mixture cool down a bit before blending. Also, remove the center cap on the blender top and cover it with a clean kitchen towel or several thicknesses of paper towels. This will allow the heat to vent and prevent it from building up.

Add the pasta, bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook, uncovered for whatever the time on your bag or box of pastina instructs. (Acini de pepe takes 9 minutes.)

Add the rotisserie (or leftover) chicken and the reserved veggies. Stir to combine. Cover and allow the soup to rest for 20 minutes.

Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt if needed.

Serve with grated parmesan, a scatter of finely chopped fresh rosemary or fresh thyme leaves (or both) and fresh ground black pepper. Enjoy!

Recipe by The Cafe Sucre Farine

Roasted Tomato Carrot Bisque

Francine — Sat, 18 May 2024 23:13:14 +0000

Tomato soup is an all-time favorite but elevate it with roasted vegetables and you’ll be in heaven with Roasted Tomato Carrot Bisque. The extra step of roasting cherry tomatoes, carrots and bell peppers is so worth it. The flavor is deep and rich and works beautifully with the swirl of heavy cream on top.

To roast the vegetables, combine the carrots, tomatoes and bell peppers on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with spices and toss to coat the veggies evenly.

Put the garlic cloves on a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Bring the edges of the foil together to make a tightly sealed packet. Place the packet in the middle of the vegetables.

Place the pan in the oven and roast for about 40 minutes, flipping the peppers after about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven.

While the vegetables are roasting, add the chopped onion to a stockpot with some olive oil. Once soft, add the tomato paste and cook for another few minutes.

Add the broth, potatoes and salt and bring to a medium boil. Cook for about 20 minutes or until soft.

Add the roasted vegetables (squeeze the garlic from their skin) and basil leaves to the stockpot and use an immersion blender to purée until smooth.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls, top with halved cherry tomatoes, a drizzle of cream and some fresh basil leaves.

Share Your Thoughts...

Lastly, if you make Roasted Tomato Carrot Bisque, be sure to leave a review down below at the bottom of this page (stars are also appreciated)! Above all, I love to hear from you and always do my best to respond to each and every review. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is one of my favorite things to do!

Roasted Tomato Carrot Bisque

Makes: 10 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Roasted Vegetables:

3 pints cherry (or grape) tomatoes (use all red or a combination)
12 ounces carrots, roughly chopped (or use baby carrots)
1 large bell pepper, cut into large chunks (I like to use yellow or orange for a pretty color.)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tsp Italian seasoning
1 & 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Soup:

1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large (about 8 ounces) sweet onion, roughly chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus extra if needed
2 medium-large yellow or Russet potatoes (about 12 ounces), peeled and roughly chopped
1 tsp kosher salt

To Finish:

roasted veggies
1/2 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves
2-4 tbsp heavy cream, optional
fresh basil leaves for garnish
small red and/or yellow tomatoes halved, for garnish
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled

Instructions

Roasted Vegetables:

Line a sheet pan with foil, for easy cleanup. Preheat the oven to 425 ˚F.

Combine the tomatoes and carrots and bell pepper on a sheet pan and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with the Italian seasoning, garlic salt, sugar and pepper. Toss with your hands to evenly distribute the oil and seasonings. Place the 6 cloves of garlic on a small piece of foil. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and bring up the edges of the foil to make a tightly sealed packet. Push some of the veggies away from the center of the pan to make a place for the garlic packet and nestle into place.

Place the pan in the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes. Shake the pan gently to rotate the carrots and tomatoes. Flip the pepper pieces to the opposite side. Roast for another 20-25 minutes or until most of the juice from the tomatoes has evaporated. Remove from the oven.

Soup:

While the veggies are roasting, heat the 1 tablespoon of butter in a large soup or stockpot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the tomato paste deepens in color.

Add the chicken broth, potatoes and salt. Increase the heat and bring to a medium boil. Cover and cook for 20 minutes until potatoes are nice and soft.

To Finish:

Add the roasted veggies (just squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins) and fresh basil leaves to the stockpot and blend until smooth, using an immersion blender. You can also transfer the mixture to a regular blender, add the roasted veggies and blend until smooth. (If using a regular blender, be sure to leave the center cap of the cover off and cover the opening with a sieve, kitchen towel or several thicknesses of paper towels to prevent heat build-up and possible explosion.)

Add 2-4 tablespoons of cream (optional) and stir to blend. Taste and season with more kosher salt, if needed. If you prefer a thinner soup, add a bit more chicken broth.

Serve the soup bowls, garnished with halved cherry or grape tomatoes and/or a drizzle of cream or balsamic vinegar and fresh basil leaves. Refrigerate any leftovers and enjoy within 3-4 days or freeze for a delicious dinner on a busy day!

Recipe from The Cafe Sucre Farine

Herb Matzah Balls

Francine — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 19:55:21 +0000

Herbed Matzah Balls are a wonderful addition to chicken soup, whether it’s at the Passover seder or any time of the year. These matzah balls are just the right combination of fluffy along with some chewiness. It’s hard to accomplish that and often they turn out so fluffy that they fall apart or so dense that they are like a lead balloon! These are just perfect!

The addition of dill and parsley gives them a lovely flavor and appearance, so give them a try!

A lot of people struggle with making the perfect matzah ball but I’m here to tell you that the struggle is over! This is a simple recipe that you’re going to put on “repeat” year after year.

Begin by whisking the eggs well. Add olive oil and sparkling water and continue to whisk for another 30 seconds or so.

In a small bowl, combine the matzah meal, salt, baking powder and pepper. Add that to the whisked egg mixture, along with the herbs and blend well. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

Bring the stock or salted water to a boil. While you are waiting for it to boil, roll the balls. Using damp hands, roll the balls to an inch and a half diameter and place on a baking sheet.

Once the stock is boiling, lower the temperature and gently add the matzah balls. Don’t crowd them as they will grow. If necessary, cook in two batches.

Simmer them for 50 minutes and give them a try. If they are still firmer than you like inside, simmer for another 10 minutes or so.

You can make these in advance. You can remove them from the boiling water and place them on a sheet pan to cool and then pop into the refrigerator.

You can also freeze them once they get to room temperature. Leave them on the sheet pan and place them in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag and store them until needed. Place the frozen matzah balls directly into simmering soup and heat until the centers are hot (this could take about 20 minutes).

Share Your Thoughts...

Lastly, if you make Herb Matzah Balls, be sure to leave a review down below at the bottom of this page (stars are also appreciated)! Above all, I love to hear from you and always do my best to respond to each and every review. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is one of my favorite things to do!

Herb Matzah Balls

Makes: 18 matzah balls

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour plus chill time 4 hours minimum

Ingredients

4 eggs
4 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup sparkling water, seltzer or club soda
1 cup matzah meal
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp baking powder, optional
1/4 tsp black pepper, ground
1/4 tsp white pepper, ground
2 tbsp chopped parsley and dill
Water, vegetable or chicken stock for boiling the matzah balls (approx 2 quarts)

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs vigorously. Add olive oil and sparkling water and continue to whisk for about 30 seconds.

In a small bowl, combine matzah meal, salt, baking powder (if using), and peppers. Add to egg mixture, along with herbs, and blend well. Refrigerate for a few hours (can refrigerate over night).

Bring stock or salted water to a boil in a large stockpot. While the stock is coming to a boil, roll the matzah balls. Using dampened hands, roll balls to 1 1/2-inch diameter and place on a parchment-lined tray. Once the stock is boiling, reduce it to low and add the matzah balls. Do not crowd them as they will grow. If necessary, cook in two batches.

Simmer covered for 50 minutes. Once cooked, remove from boiling liquid and add to soup bowls.

Chef’s Notes:

If not using right away, remove from boiling liquid, cool on a small sheet pan, and store in fridge. You can reheat them directly in the soup you will be serving them in.

Roasted Tomato Lentil Caprese Soup

Francine — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 15:27:30 +0000

This delicious Roasted Tomato Lentil Caprese Soup is a wonderfully healthy and filling soup! It’s chunky texture, deep flavor and superb toppings make it a go-to soup any time.

It’s reminiscent of a caprese salad with tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and fresh basil leaves but in soup form.

Thickened with lentils, there’s also a protein component to it so that it’s perfect on its own for a light lunch or dinner.

Roasting the tomatoes with onions, balsamic vinegar, olive oil and garlic creates a deep rich flavor. Once roasted, add the tomato mixture to a soup pot or Dutch oven.

Add lentils, broth, tomato paste and bay leaves to the tomatoes. Cook for 20 minutes and then remove from the heat.

Remove the bay leaves and add fresh basil to the pot. Using an immersion or stand mixer, blend the soup until combined but still chunky. Be sure to leave a corner of the lid of the stand mixer open (if you are using a stand mixer) so that steam can escape. I also cover that opening with a dish towel so that soup doesn’t go everywhere.

If you need to add a bit more salt, do so now.

To serve the soup, top it with halved mozzarella balls, cherry tomato halves and fresh small basil leaves. Drizzle with olive oil and a good crush of black pepper! Enjoy!

Share Your Thoughts...

Lastly, if you make Roasted Tomato Lentil Caprese Soup, be sure to leave a review down below at the bottom of this page (stars are also appreciated)! Above all, I love to hear from you and always do my best to respond to each and every review. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is one of my favorite things to do!

Roasted Tomato Lentil Caprese Soup

Makes: 10 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour & 5 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour & 25 minutes

Ingredients

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 pounds plum or roma tomatoes, washed and halved lengthwise
1 large sweet onion, peeled, halved and cut into wedges
6 medium cloves garlic, crushed (with the back of a knife) and peeled
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 cup red lentils (about 7 ounces)
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (7-ounce) can tomato paste
2 medium bay leaves
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the Topping:

8 ounces fresh mozzarella balls (try to get the Ciliegine or Bocconcini or cut into 1/2″ chunks)
1 pint yellow and red cherry tomatoes or use one color
small fresh basil leaves for garnish
extra-virgin olive oil for garnish
fresh ground black pepper for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450˚F. Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar in a large bowl. Stir gently with a large spoon or spatula to coat. Turn mixture out onto a rimmed sheet pan and arrange tomatoes cut side down. Nestle garlic cloves in the center of the pan. Be sure to scrape out all the good oil and juice in the bowl.

Bake for 30 minutes, then flip tomatoes to opposite side and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until most of the liquid has been evaporated. Depending on the size of your tomatoes, cooking time can vary a bit so keep an eye on them at the end.

Remove from oven and transfer the tomato mixture (and any liquid left in the pan) to a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the lentils, broth, tomato paste, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a steady low simmer. Cook for 20 minutes then remove from heat.

Remove bay leaves and add basil to the soup. Allow the mixture to cool a bit before blending and then blend with an immersion blender or stand blender. It’s also a good idea to leave the center cap of the blender lid off and cover it with several layers of paper toweling. (If too much heat builds up in the blender container, it can cause an explosion.) Leave the soup a bit chunky, not super smooth.

Taste and add a bit more salt, if needed. Serve soup hot topped with halved mozzarella balls, cherry tomato halves and small fresh basil leaves. If your basil leaves are large, just slice them thinly. Drizzle each serving with a teaspoon of olive oil and a shower of fresh ground black pepper.

Recipe from The Cafe Sucre Farine

Short Rib Onion Soup

Francine — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 21:55:18 +0000

This hearty Short Rib Onion Soup is the perfect antidote to cold winter days. One taste of this will warm your insides and have your tastebuds jumping for joy! It’s rich, flavorful and filling. Top this delicious soup with a gruyère toast and you’ll be in heaven!

This is not a quick recipe but having a bit of patience will pay off. You need the time to braise the short ribs and to caramelize the onions.

Once your broth is made, after hours of simmering it in the oven, and you’ve added the caramelized onions, stirring in short ribs chunks makes it almost a stew. You can thin it if you want it more soup-like but either way, the flavors are insanely good!

Begin by searing the short ribs on both sides. You’ll have to do this in batches. Make sure the ribs are nicely browned, almost crispy, in order to get the best flavor from them.

Remove the ribs and pour off some of the fat and then add carrots and onion and cook until the veggies start to brown. Add tomato paste and red wine and cook until the wine is almost evaporated.

Return the ribs to the pot along with garlic, thyme, bay leaf and broth. Cover with a lid and braise in the oven for a few hours or until the meat is falling off the bone.

Meanwhile, caramelize the onions by adding them to a skillet with melted butter in it. Cover the pan and over a medium-low heat, let the onions slowly steep for about 15 minutes. Uncover the pan and add salt. Continue to cook, stirring every 5 minutes or so until caramelized to a deep brown color. This can take 40 minutes or 90 minutes! Personally, I prefer raising the heat just a touch so that they caramelize quicker but be careful…you don’t want to burn them!

Add dry sherry and scrape up any stuck onions. Keep cooking until the sherry evaporates.

When the short ribs are cooked, remove them from the broth and transfer to a plate to cool. Strain the broth. If it looks fatty, you can degrease them using a fat separator or spoon it off the top.

Pull the meat from the bones and pull it into bite-sized pieces. You can also get rid of any fat chunks.

Place the caramelized onions into the pot with the de-fatted broth and the short rib chunks. Simmer it all together for about 15 minutes.

To make the toasts, under the broiler toast the bread until semi-firm. Rub each piece with cut garlic clove. Divide the cheese between the toasts and return the tray to the oven until the cheese has melted and started to brown. Watch it so that it doesn’t burn!

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with a cheese toast. Sprinkle with chives and serve hot.

Share Your Thoughts...

Lastly, if you make Short Rib Onion Soup, be sure to leave a review down below at the bottom of this page (stars are also appreciated)! Above all, I love to hear from you and always do my best to respond to each and every review. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is one of my favorite things to do!

Short Rib Onion Soup

Makes: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours & 15 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours & 45 minutes

Ingredients

Braise:

3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp olive or vegetable oil
1 large carrot, chopped (about 1 & 1/2 cups)
2 large yellow onions, or 1 large onion plus 1 large leek, chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
8 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup red wine, any variety but ideally a dry one
8 cups beef broth or stock

Caramelized Onions:

6 tbsp unsalted butter
2 & 1/2 to 2 & 3/4 pounds yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry sherry

Toasts & Assembly:

6 to 8 (one per bowl) thick slices sourdough or country bread
1 small garlic clove, peeled and sliced in half
1 cup coarsely grated gruyère cheese
Chopped fresh chives, for serving

Instructions

To braise the short ribs, heat oven to 325°F. Generously season the ribs on all sides with salt and pepper. In a large (5 to 6-quart) Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Brown half of short ribs on all sides; don’t skimp on the color. Set aside and repeat with the second half of ribs, then set them aside too.

If there’s a lot of fat in the pot, pour it off until you have 2 tablespoons left. Add carrot, onion, leek (if using) and cook on medium-high heat until lightly browned at edges, about 5 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes; it will get a little darker. Add the red wine and cook until it has reduced to just a puddle, about 3 minutes.

Return the short ribs and any juices that have collected to the pot. Add garlic, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf, then pour broth over ribs and vegetables. Cover with lid, transfer to the oven, and braise until the short ribs are falling off the bone, about 2 & 1/2 to 3 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the onions. [If you have another large Dutch oven (fancy!) you can use it here. A large soup or stock pot will do, too. Or, you can use a large, deep frying pan for just the onions and finish the soup in the short rib’s pot later.]

Melt butter over medium heat. Add the onions, toss to coat them in butter and cover the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let them slowly steep for 15 minutes. They don’t need your attention.

Uncover the pot, raise the heat slightly and stir in salt–I start with 2 to 3 teaspoons of kosher salt. Cook onions, stirring every 5 minutes (you might be fine checking in less often in the beginning, until the point when the water in the onions has cooked off) for about 40 to 90 minutes longer. Onions are caramelized when they’re an even, deep golden brown, sweet and tender. Add sherry and scrape up any onions stuck to the pan, then simmer it until the sherry evaporates.

When the short ribs are cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove them from the broth and transfer to a plate to cool slightly. Strain the broth, discarding the vegetables. If the broth looks fattier than you prefer, you can use a fat separator to remove it, or carefully spoon it off the surface. Discard the short rib bones and pull the meat into large bite-sized chunks. You can de-fat the ribs a bit here, too, if there are easily-removed pieces.

Place the caramelized onions in the final soup pot, if they’re not already there, and rewarm over medium-high. Add broth and bring it to a simmer and season to taste with more salt and pepper. Add short ribs to broth and gently simmer everything together for 10 to 15 minutes.

To make the cheese toasts: Heat your oven’s broiler (or turn it to its top temperature). Coat a large baking sheet with foil, for easiest cleanup. Gently toast the bread until semi-firm and dry to the touch. Rub each with the raw garlic clove. Divide cheese between the toasts and return the tray to the oven until the cheese has melted and the toasts are browned on top.

To serve, ladle ribs and broth into bowls and sink a cheese toast halfway in. Sprinkle with chives.

Do Ahead:

I love making this a day ahead of time; short ribs are fantastic the second day, even better, you could argue, plus any excess fat in the broth will be easier to remove once chilled. You can make everything but the cheese toasts early, or just a component or two (the short rib braise, the caramelized onions). Rewarm over medium-high heat until simmering to serve.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen

Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Puff Pastry Croutons

Francine — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 16:29:46 +0000

Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Puff Pastry Croutons is a wonderful way to warm your belly without all of the heaviness of an actual chicken pot pie. All the components that you adore with chicken pot pie shine beautifully in this cold-weather soup: leeks, fennel, carrots, peas, pearl onions and chicken. And instead of the traditional puff pastry topping, you get small pretty stars made of puff pastry to get the crunch that you love in a pot pie.

Give this soup a try this season…you will love it!

Make the stars (or circles or scallops) by unfolding a sheet of pff pastry and cutting out shapes. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, brush the tops with egg wash, salt and pepper and refrigerate them until a bit later. Once you are ready to bake them, they only take 8-10 minutes in the oven!

Next up is the chicken…rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast them for about 30-35 minutes. When you can handle them, cut the breasts into 1-inch diced pieces.

In a Dutch oven or large pot, melt the butter and add the leeks, fennel, and carrots and sauté until the leeks are tender but not browned. This will take 10-15 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and tarragon and then sprinkle the Wondra flour and cook for 2 minutes.

Why use Wondra flour? Unlike all-purpose flour, it is higher in protein and therefore with become more finely ground. Because of that, it dissolves nicely into liquids vs clumping up.

Add the cream sherry, chicken stock and parmesan rind. Cook for 20 minutes and then add the chicken pieces, frozen peas and pearl onions. Simmer for another 5 minutes.

Off the heat, remove the parmesan rind ad add some more cream sherry and chopped parsley.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and top with two puff pastry croutons.

Share Your Thoughts...

Lastly, if you make Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Puff Pastry Croutons, be sure to leave a review down below at the bottom of this page (stars are also appreciated)! Above all, I love to hear from you and always do my best to respond to each and every review. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is one of my favorite things to do!

Chicken Pot Pie Soup with Puff Pastry Croutons

Makes: 6 servings

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour & 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour & 50 minutes

Ingredients

All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, such as Pepperidge Farm, defrosted (see note)
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon heavy cream, for egg wash
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 chicken breasts, skin-on, bone-in, 2 & 1/2 to 3 pounds total (see Chef’s Notes)
Good olive oil
6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
5 cups chopped leeks (about 3 leeks), white and light green parts (see note)
4 cups chopped fennel (about 2 bulbs), tops and cores removed
3 cups (1/2-inch) carrots, scrubbed and diced
1 tbsp minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1/4 cup Wondra flour
3/4 cup cream sherry, divided (see Chef’s Notes)
7 cups good chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 (2- × 3-inch) piece of Italian Parmesan cheese rind
1 (10-ounce) box frozen peas
1 cup frozen whole pearl onions
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Lightly dust a cutting board and rolling pin with all-purpose flour. Unfold the sheet of puff pastry on the board, dust it lightly with all-purpose flour, and lightly roll the pastry just to smooth out the folds. With a star-shaped or fluted round cookie cutters, cut 12 stars or rounds of pastry and place them on the prepared sheet pan. Brush the tops with the egg wash, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and refrigerate until ready to bake.

Place the chicken on a sheet pan skin side up, rub the skin with olive oil, and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until a thermometer registers 130°F to 140°F. Set aside until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Remove and discard the skin and bones and cut the chicken in 1-inch dice. Increase oven temperature to 400°F.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium (11- to 12-inch) heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the leeks, fennel, and carrots, and sauté over medium-high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are tender but not browned.

Stir in the garlic and tarragon and cook, stirring often, for 1 minute. Sprinkle on the Wondra flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the sherry, the chicken stock, 4 teaspoons salt, 1 & 1/2 teaspoons pepper, and the Parmesan rind. Bring to a boil over medium-high, lower the heat to low, and simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.

While the soup simmers, bake the puff pastry croutons for 8 to 10 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.

After the soup has simmered for 20 minutes, add the chicken, peas, and onions. Return to a simmer over medium. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes more. Off the heat, remove the Parmesan rind and add the remaining 1/4 cup of sherry and the parsley. Serve hot in large shallow bowls with two puff pastry croutons on top of each bowl.

Chef’s Notes:

You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts if you prefer. Cut the time down to 20-25 minutes to cook them, double-checking that the internal temperature is 130-140°F. The chicken won’t be quite as flavorful, but the soup has plenty of flavor to make up for using boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

If you don’t have cream sherry, you can create a fairly close version by adding 2 teaspoons of dark brown sugar to 1/2 cup dry sherry.

Recipe by Ina Garten