Wine & Dine

Episode #4 - Country Soups

Easy Oven Roasted Stew
Ham and Black Bean Pumpkin Soup
Salmon Potato Chowder
Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup

Stock

Easy Oven Roasted Stew

2 lb. lean stew meat
1 onion, in large chunks, or 1 bag frozen pearl onions
3 stalks celery, cut in ¾” chunks
3 carrots, cut in ¾” chunks
4 red potatoes, cubed
1 large can whole tomatoes, undrained
2 bay leaves
½ cup semi-dry red wine or Stoney Ridge Marechal Foch
6 T. Minute Tapioca
Fresh or dried thyme
Garlic powder
Sea salt
Pepper

Season stew meat with garlic powder, sea salt, and pepper, then combine all ingredients in large roaster pan. Cover and bake in 200º oven for 8-12 hours.

Ham and Black Bean Pumpkin Soup

1 large red onion, chopped
1 T. olive oil
4-5 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 T. plus 2 t. cumin
½ t. cinnamon
¼ t. cayenne pepper
2 15 oz. cans chicken or vegetable broth
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice
3 15.5 oz. cans black beans, undrained
8 oz. cooked, diced ham
¼ cup dry white wine or Stoney Ridge Pinot Grigio
2 T. apple cider vinegar

Sauté chopped onion in olive oil. Add garlic, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne pepper. When onion is barely golden brown, add broth, pumpkin, tomatoes, black beans, wine and vinegar. Bring to a boil, turn heat down and simmer for 15 minutes. Very nutritious.

Salmon Potato Chowder

¼ cup butter
½ cup flour
2 cups milk
6 red potatoes, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cup yellow onions, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 15 oz. can salmon, bones and skin removed

Prepare rue by adding the flour to melted butter over low heat. Stir, add milk, and cook until thick. Cook the diced vegetables until tender in enough water to cover. Add salmon to cooked vegetables. Blend rue (milk mixture) with the cooked vegetables and water. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add instant mashed potato flakes to soup if thicker consistency is desired.

Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup

1 Rotisserie chicken, de-boned (save carcass for stock if desired)
2 32 oz. cans chicken stock
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 leeks, diced
2 carrots, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 pkg. old fashioned wide noodles
1-2 t. dried sage
2 T. thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook all vegetables in stock until tender. Add chicken and noodles. Simmer until noodles are done. Season to taste.

Stock

1 chicken or turkey carcass, or beef bones
Onions, carrots and celery (large chunks)
Garlic (whole)
Sea salt
Whole peppercorns
Herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme)

Place all ingredients in large crockpot or stockpot and cover with water. Simmer on low heat for several hours. Drain, using a colander or strainer. Discard bones and vegetables and use the broth within a few days or freeze for future use.

Soup Trouble Shooting Ideas

Too salty?

Add large raw potato slices to the soup to absorb some of the salt. Remove before serving.

Too thin?

Solution #1 – In a cream-based soup, sprinkle instant mashed potato flakes into soup until it reaches desired consistency.
Solution #2 – Add a cornstarch paste made of 1 part cornstarch to 1 ½ parts cold water. Stir until paste is smooth and add to hot liquid. Simmer until thicker consistency.

Too much oil/fat on top?
Place lettuce leaves on surface of soup to absorb fat.

Need more flavor quick?
Generously add more herbs, garlic, pepper and sea salt (if not already too salty).