Category: Soup

Homemade Chicken Stock.

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I spent the last few weeks saving and freezing all our leftover chicken bones, carrot peelings, celery leaves and bottoms, and any carrots, onions, or celery that were close to spoiling. I make a lot of dishes that require stock, so it made sense to figure out how to make my own–it’s so much cheaper than buying it pre-made, and it’s a great way to use up the odds and ends you’d otherwise throw away.
Note: the difference between “stock” and “broth” is that stock is made with bones, and broth is made with meat. Stock tends to have a more robust flavor, but as ingredients in recipes, they’re pretty interchangeable.

INGREDIENTS

bones and leftover pieces of 2 chickens
1 1/2 cups carrot, washed and cut into thirds
1 1/2 cups celery stalks, washed and cut into thirds
1 onion, skin-on, washed and halved
4 cloves garlic, skin on
any saved carrot peelings, celery leaves and bottoms, and onion skins or root ends
salt, peppercorns, thyme, and parsley to taste (I use about a palmful of each)
cold water

DIRECTIONS

Place chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and seasonings in a large pot.

Fill pot with water and bring to a boil. Then immediately reduce to a simmer.

Simmer uncovered for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more water throughout the process, keeping the veggies and chicken bones submerged at all times.

After 4 hours, remove from heat and strain out the pieces. Chill overnight and remove any fat that collects at the top.

If you plan to use the stock right away, keep it refrigerated. To use at a later date, freeze the stock in ice cube trays and then transfer the frozen cubes to a bag, to use whenever you need it! Stock should last in the freezer for 3-4 months.

Czech Goulash (Old recipe).

Published on by KellyInTheKitchen2 Comments

For the updated Czech Goulash recipe, click here.

This is my original recipe for goulash. I’ve since updated it, and I really like the new version much better – it’s more potently paprika-ed and also more authentic, in that it’s less like a chunky vegetable stew and more like the slow-cooked, warming, fortifying dish I ate in Prague. I recommend checking out the updated recipe instead, but in case this one tickles your fancy a little more, I didn’t want to delete it!

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp olive oil
3 medium onions, chopped
2 lb stew beef, cubed
3 cloves garlic
4-6 celery stalks, chopped
4-6 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp paprika
2 tsp caraway seed
3-5 tbsp flour, depending on desired thickness (I use all-purpose, but potato flour works just as well, for those with gluten allergies)
8 oz canned crushed tomato
3-5 cups cold water or stock
salt, pepper to taste
marjoram or parsley, sour cream for garnish
2 medium potatoes, boiled and cubed (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil over medium in Dutch oven or other large soup pot. Add onions and cook until transparent. Then add the beef and cook until browned.

Add garlic, paprika, caraway seed, salt, pepper, and flour, if you’re using it. Stir and cook about 2 minutes, careful not to let the seasonings burn. Then toss in the carrots and celery and cook another two or three minutes, until the seasonings coat the veggies and they start to soften.

Add tomatoes and some of the cold water or stock, adding more as needed throughout the process (goulash can be stew-ier or soup-ier, however you like it).

Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally. I go for 3 hours whenever I can, and it’s worth it!

Serve with sour cream and parsley or marjoram for garnish. If you’re using potatoes (which we keep separate to avoid making the soup too starchy) add them to your bowl just before serving.

Roasted Root Vegetable Soup.

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As I mentioned in my post on Irish Brown Bread, Irish cooking isn’t the most sophisticated of world cuisines. Their bread is one exception, and their soups are another. This five-step root vegetable puree is perfect for chilly weather and involves more waiting than actual preparation/tending — very low maintenance. It’s a yummy, healthy soup that will warm you from the inside out!

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INGREDIENTS

4 parsnips, peeled and sliced

4-6 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 onion, sliced

1 sweet potato, cubed

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp dried thyme

3 tbsp olive oil, divided

2 large leeks, thoroughly washed and sliced (just the white and light green parts)

1 bay leaf

5-8 cups vegetable broth

salt and pepper

Just the Recipe link: Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, combine parsnips, carrots, onion, sweet potato, garlic, ginger, cumin, thyme, and 2 tbsp olive oil. Toss to coat. Spread a single layer onto foil-lined pans and roast until starting to caramelize.

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Heat the last tbsp of oil on medium low in a Dutch oven or other large pot and add leeks and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft.

Add the roasted veggies and broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender.

Remove bay leaf, puree in batches, and enjoy. “Enjoy” is best done with lots of buttered Irish Brown Bread!

Minestrone

Published on by KellyInTheKitchen2 Comments

I love any recipe with a mirepoix, and minestrone soup is no exception. A tasty Italian classic with a simple country elegance, minestrone is as easy as it is beautiful. It’s a fairly basic vegetable soup in a tomato broth,  but packs a vegetable punch and is a healthy way to warm up on a chilly day!


INGREDIENTS
1 large onion, chopped
4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped (leaves included)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large potato, cubed
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves chopped
14 oz canned crushed tomato
5 cups vegetable broth
1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
olive oil
herbs de Provence
salt
pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a large pot, heat oil on medium and add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic.

When onion is soft, stir in potato. Top mixture with chard and herbs de Provence and cover. Allow the chard to cook until beginning to soften.

Then add tomato and broth and stir. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

In a food processor, puree beans with 1/4 cup water until smooth. Stir bean puree and Parmesan cheese into soup and season with salt and pepper. Cook 10-15 minutes more.

Remove from heat and serve with bread or over pasta.