Tagged:  soup

Here’s a delicious soup that’ll keep you warm in the next few months. This meatball and spinach soup is made with ground turkey but you can use beef, lamb or pork. Fresh spinach and some carrots are added to the broth – this makes it low-cal and healthy.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1 pound ground dark turkey meat, beef, lamb or pork
1/2 cup grated onion (brown or white)
1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 large carrot, peeled and minced
1/3 cup finely chopped flatleaf, Italian parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
Dash grated nutmeg (optional)
8 to 10 cups chicken broth
6 cups chopped, fresh spinach or chard (or a combination of both)
Salt, to taste

Directions:
1. In a large, glass or porcelain bowl, combine the ground meat, onion, egg, 3 tablespoons of the minced carrots, parsley, salt and nutmeg.

2. Mix with a fork or with your hands (you can use plastic cooks’ gloves to mix with hands) until mixture is uniform.

3. Shape and form meatballs to measure 1-1/2-inches in diameter; set the meatballs aside on a large platter.

4. Meanwhile, in an 8-quart sauce pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil.

5. When the broth boils, gently drop the meatballs into the broth, taking care to avoid hot splatters.

6. Bring the meatballs to a boil and cook them on medium-high heat for approximately 20 minutes.

7. After 20 minutes, cut into one meatball to check doneness. If meat is still pink, cook the meatballs for an additional 5 to 7 minutes.

8. When meatballs are cooked through, add the spinach and carrot pieces to the soup.

9. Cook the soup for an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until the carrots are crunchy-tender.

10. Taste the broth. If needed, add salt, to taste.

11. Serve the soup with your favorite bread.
Text and Photograph ©2016 Nancy DeLucia Real

Make this Basic Chicken and Vegetable Soup in no time. It’s so easy and also tastes better than any readymade soup from a restaurant. All you need is one chicken, carrots, zucchini, potatoes and seasonings. When the soup is done, you won’t have to cook for the next three days.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Makes: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (about 2-1/2 to 3 pounds), skin removed
3 bay leaves
1 brown or white onion, peeled and halved
4 zucchini, tips discarded
4 medium carrots, peeled with tips discarded
4 medium potatoes (any variety)
1 chicken bouillon cube
Salt (to taste)

1. Place chicken, bay leaves and onion in an 8-quart saucepot. Cover chicken completely with cold water.

2. Set sauce pot with chicken and water, covered, on a stove burner and bring to boil.

3. Meanwhile, cut the zucchini into 1-inch circles and transfer them to a 6-quart bowl filled with cold water.

4. Cut the carrots into 1-inch pieces and transfer them to the bowl with zucchini.

5. Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1-inch chunks. Transfer potatoes to the bowl with zucchini and carrots; set aside.

6. When chicken soup boils, remove cover and add bouillon cube.

7. Cook on medium-high for about 45 minutes to one hour or until chicken is done.

8. After 45 minutes, test doneness of chicken by cutting into the thickest part of the breast meat with a fork and knife.

9. If the meat is completely white, it is done. If it is still pink, cook chicken 10 to 15 minutes longer.

10. When chicken is done, using thongs and an extra large fork or spoon, transfer the chicken to a large glass or porcelain bowl or platter. Set aside to cool.

11. Meanwhile, strain the broth into an 8-quart bowl. Return the broth to the sauce pot.

12. Bring the broth to a boil. When broth boils, add the zucchini, carrot and potato chunks.

13. Boil for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are crunchy-tender (test by inserting a fork in potato). If needed, cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.

14. Meanwhile, as soon as the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones. Discard the bones.

15. Tear the chicken into bite-size pieces.

16. Add the chicken pieces to the soup and heat through.

17. Taste the soup and, if needed, adjust the salt level. Serve immediately with fresh bread.

Text and Photograph ©2014 Nancy DeLucia Real

In this quick recipe, beaten eggs, cheese, nutmeg and parsley are transformed into a gourmet Roman soup.

One of my favs, Stracciatella Soup derives from the Italian word “stracciato” or torn. It’s made by beating eggs with Pecorino Romano cheese and then whisking the mixture into simmering chicken broth. As the egg mixture cooks, it turns into “stracciatelle” or torn shreds. Together with the cheese’s sharp flavor, these simple ingredients turn into a soup that’s perfect on a cold, winter night.

How’s that for Roman comfort food?

Prep time: 7 to 8 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
2-1/2 quarts chicken broth (preferably homemade)
5 large eggs
2/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Dash ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons finely chopped, fresh, flat leaf Italian parsley
Crusty Italian bread, sliced

1. In an 8-quart stockpot, bring the chicken broth to a boil and keep it simmering (this is a light boil).

2. Meanwhile, in a 3 or 4-quart mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until mixture is uniform.

3. Gradually whisk in the cheese and mix well.

4. Pour the egg mixture in a thin stream, constantly whisking, into the simmering chicken broth. In minutes, the egg mixture will turn into little torn shreds.

5. Add a dash of nutmeg and the parsley.

Serve immediately with crusty bread and chilled white wine.

Note: We recommend imported Pecorino Romano cheese because of its sharp bite. When purchased by the piece, the flavor of the cheese is sharper, especially when grated just prior to use.

Text & Photograph ©2011 Nancy DeLucia Real

As soon as my sweet tooth took over last month, my conscience immediately started dreaming up some lean menus for January 2011. Returning to the Santa Monica Canyon steps, telepathy has restored my dieting power (I know I’m not the only one who chowed down chocolates and gingerbread cookies). Once more, healthy and tasty soups are high on my recipe list. For this one, all you have to do is cut up a fresh carrot, a yam and some chard. Sit down, enjoy your home cooked meal and get right back on track!

Prep time: 20 to 25 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
3 quarts (12 cups) vegetarian or chicken broth
1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
1 medium yam, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 bunch fresh chard (green, red or Rainbow variety), coarsely chopped
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
1. In a 5 or 6-quart saucepot, bring the broth to a boil.

2. Add the carrot and yam pieces and cook on medium-high heat for 3 minutes.

3. Stir in the chard; cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

4. Serve as a chunky, leafy soup.

5. Alternatively, cool soup to warm and purée in batches. Return to pot and heat through.

Serve immediately with cheese toasts, bagel toasts or bread.

Wine pairing: Chilled Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio (white).

Text and Photographs ©2011 Nancy DeLucia Real

Before moving to LA I thought I was coming to the tropics. I arrived in the month of May and asked, “Where is all the sunshine?” Somebody answered, “Here in LA, this is sort of our winter.”

These days, while waiting for the May and June fog to burn off in the City of the Angels, I’m soooo cold and need some soup to warm up. I don’t want to be in the kitchen for hours either. I just want to eat my hot delicious soup now – it’s easy, quick and vegan, too!

Prep time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
1 celery stalk, peeled
1 small carrot, peeled
1/2 brown or white onion
4 tablespoons extra virgin or vegetable oil
3 cups vegetable broth combined with 4 cups cold water
1 zucchini, julienned
1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
2 to 3 yellow sunburst squash, julienned
1 potato, peeled and julienned
1 vegetable bouillon cube
Salt, to taste

1. In a food processor, grind together the celery stalk, small carrot and onion; set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a 5 or 6-quart saucepot, heat the oil. Saute the ground vegetables in the oil until onion is translucent, about 1 minute. Add the broth-water mixture and bring to a boil.

3. Stir in the remaining vegetables. Bring to a boil and stir in the vegetable bouillon cube.

4. Let bouillon cube dissolve and taste the soup. If needed, add a little salt.

5. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are crunchy-tender.

Serve immediately with any type of warm bread: Italian or French; flour or corn tortilla; lavash, naan or pita.

Variation: Add other favorite vegetables such as a thinly sliced leek (white parts only), 2 cups shredded cabbage and/or 1 cup cooked beans (kidney, white or garbanzos). You may also add 1 cup frozen corn, peas, fava beans or edamame.

Additionally, you may add cooked pasta (small variety) or cooked rice (brown, white or wild).

Note: To julienne veggies, see the Tips and Tricks page.

Text and Photographs ©2010 Nancy Real