homage to Nancy: maryland crab soup

Birthday Homage to Nancy Siegel
Spicy Goodness!

Today's post features one of my favorite flavor cravings - Old Bay Seasoning.  We lived on the Chesapeake Bay during my adolescence so I am blessed with a trove of happy seafood memories ... pulling crab pots from the pier, chicken-necking in a quiet cove from a small boat, dragging our 'haul' up the hill, making a fragrant bath over the stove in our garden shed, laying newspaper on the picnic table, emptying a bushel of spice-covered crabs, cracking them open, pitchers of iced tea, packages of Saltines, busy fingers, the hum of happy conversation and debate ... I can almost taste it.

Later, while living in Baltimore, I developed a friendship with a remarkable woman, Nancy Siegel.  Nancy's vitality and passion made her a mentor for many and I have been blessed by knowing her and her family.  We shared heartfelt conversations and memorable moments, many taking place over a table covered in brown paper and the remnants of a happy meal of steamed crabs.  These outings were a kind of evolution from girl-time in college ... to what would be my adult version of 'girls' night out'. Intimate conversations over dinner with Nancy almost always began with a bowl of Maryland Crab Soup.

Channeling one of my most treasured friends on her birthday, I embarked on this Southern Maryland tradition and it was a great mood booster! Even though we live far away from each other and it has been years since we shared a meal of this regional favorite, our friendship is a foundation of the woman I am today.  So this post celebrates Nancy and the amazing stories we've shared together.  Happy Birthday, Nancy!


Maryland Crab Soup
adapted from Saveur

Ingredients:
1 yellow onion, peeled and diced
evoo
pinch of kosher salt
2 stalks celery, trimmed and diced
3 carrots, peeled and diced
2 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
1 c green beans, trimmed into 1" pieces
1/2 head of cabbage, diced
1 c frozen corn kernels
1 c frozen peas
1 package frozen lima beans
4 T Worcestshire Sauce
2 T Old Bay Seasoning
1.5 T dry mustard
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, crushed with your fingers
7+ c water (I filled the tomato can 3 times)
2 bay leaves
1 lb jumbo crab meat
s/p to taste


Directions:



1. Heat a large soup pot.  Drizzle evoo to cover the  bottom and saute the onion over medium heat with a pinch of kosher salt. While it softens, chop the remaining fresh vegetables and add to the pot as you go.

2.  Now add your frozen veggies and the seasonings: Worcestshire sauce, Old Bay, dry mustard, and pepper flakes.  Stir distribute and let the flavors meld (1-2 minutes) before adding the tomatoes.  I crush & tear with my hands. You could also use diced tomatoes.

3.  Add the water (you could use broth - but the soup has great flavor without it), bay leaves and bring to a boil.  Then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Taste - add salt and pepper as needed and make sure potatoes are cooked through.  Then add your crabmeat.

4.  Simmer for another 15 minutes or so and serve.  I like mine with a few Saltines.  Jeff likes his with some Goldfish floating on top.

5.  This batch is huge - share with friends! Enjoy!

tortellini soup

Tortellini Soup
flavorful broth & green veggies

Making a quick soup with tortellini and broth is a favorite weekend fix.  Cold winter weather is finally settling in to our New England town and this lunch satisfies a busy, hungry crowd. You can keep it simple with just pasta, broth and a handful of fresh herbs.  Or you can deepen the flavor and increase the nutritional value with extra veggies.  

This is a quick pantry meal you'll definitely repeat!

with these staples, soup is on!

Ingredients:

evoo
1 t butter
1 anchovie, minced (optional)**
1/2 onion, diced
1 shallot diced
32 oz chicken broth
3 c water
2 bay leaves
1/2 t salt
2 c chopped veggies (asparagus, broccoli, carrots, celery, green beans, pears)
1 package tortellini (pick your favorite)

mince your anchovies before adding to the pan

See how the anchovies melt and dissolve in the butter?!

Tips: ** A word about anchovies.  Not everyone cares for them.  My recipes work without them but when I have them in the refrigerator, I use them.  No one in our family likes to eat them whole - so I use them when I can make them 'disappear' into a sauce, a soup or a dip.  They add another flavor dimension.

Directions:

1. While you warm a soup pot with the evoo and butter inside, mince one anchovie filet (if using) and dice your onion and shallot.  Add both the onion and shallot to the pan, saute for 5 minutes over medium heat, until the onion is translucent. You're not looking to brown them.

2. If you are using carrots and celery, add them at this time.  Chop your veggies while you watch the saute pan. I prefer bite-size pieces (1" or so).  I used broccoli and asparagus today because they were in the crisper.  I've also used green beans, frozen peas, carrots and celery.

3. Once the onion is translucent, (and your carrots and celery have softened) add the broth, water and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil.

4. Check your tortellini package for cooking time.  My package said 4-6 minutes.  (You'll want the soup to be finished when the tortellini are cooked through.  My broccoli and asparagus need a little extra time so I added them first.)  Add the veggies, turn down the heat to simmer.  I gave my veggies 2 minutes and then added the tortellini.

5.  I use this time to prepare small salami sandwiches.  A little cheese on top and a couple minutes under the broiler - yum!

6. Once the tortellini are cooked - you are ready to serve.  Warm, comforting, yummy!

Soup with salami sandwiches - Delish!

roasted winter squash soup

I've got sunshine ... on a cloudy day ...

Don't you miss Oprah?  I know - she's got her own network - but I enjoyed our dates at 4pm.  One of the first soups I ever made was inspired by a broadcast that showcased her personal chef (at the time), Rosie Daley.  Her book, In the Kitchen with Rosie, was an instant success and graces my own cookbook collection.

I think the secret to this soup isn't the apple - it's the chili powder.  You can start small - with just one teaspoon - and season to your taste.  I adapted Rosie's recipe to what I have in the kitchen but will note changes.  This soup is a feast for the senses - smooth, warm, sunset-orange, with a kick.

Roasted Winter Squash Soup
adapted from 'In the Kitchen with Rosie', by Rosie Daley

Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 2" pieces
(you can use buttercup, kabocha, etc. - looking for about 2 1/2 lbs)
2 onions, peeled and quartered (I used 1 white onion + 1 shallot; I've used red onions, too)
5 cloves garlic, peeled (she calls for 3)
3 tart apples, peeled and chopped into a large dice (she calls for 2 but mine were small)
2 T evoo
1 T chili powder (timid taste buds? start with 1 t!)
2 t kosher salt
4-5 c water (I use water but the original calls for vegetable stock)


Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees while you chop.

2. On a large rimmed baking sheet (or roasting pan), toss everything but the water together and spread in a single layer.

3.  Roast for 40 minutes. Every 10 minutes (or so) give veggies a quick toss to ensure they cook evenly and don't stick to the pan.

4.  Remove when the veggies are fork-tender and slightly browned.  Puree in batches - I did two; each time with half the veggies and 2 c water.

5. Pour into a large soup pot and reheat.  Add additional chili powder, salt or pepper to taste.  If the soup is too thick for your liking - add more water.  I often find it thickens while stored in the refrigerator.

Soup to-go!

Enjoy!

black bean soup

slightly smokey, creamy, yummy

I'm so excited to make this soup today.  'Turtle Beans' are my favorite and another staple in our pantry.  Remember my DF Claire? She makes an amazing Black Beans and Rice recipe that I serve like a chili.  And I always swap out the refried beans for black when we eat out.  Black beans are antioxidant-rich and a powerful addition to your diet.

This soup was part of last week's menu for the tree lighting with friends.  Typically, I make it to accompany grilled cheese sandwiches or salads.  Like many other 'repeat offenders' (recipes I go to time and again), I have a formula and sometimes vary the aromatics depending on what's in the veggie bin.  (See variations after the ingredient list.)  Because I'm remaking it today, I'm using canned beans.  With a little more prep, you could easily begin with dried beans, too.


Black Bean Soup

makes a big batch - could easily be reduced by half


Ingredients:
2-4 T evoo
1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, chopped  
6 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1/4 c dry sherry, optional
2 T cumin
1 T dry mustard
1 chipotle pepper, for smokey heat

4 15.5-oz cans black beans, I didn't rinse them

1 28 oz can tomatoes, I used whole

28 oz water, I used the tomato can to measure

salt and pepper to taste

Variations: red or white onion instead of yellow; any color bell pepper, chili powder or smoked paprika instead of the chipotle pepper

 Directions:

1. Heat a large soup pot.  Drizzle enough evoo to cover the bottom.  Saute the onion over medium heat to soften, while you chop the rest of the veggies.

2.  Once you have the carrots, red pepper and garlic ready, add them all to the onions with a pinch of salt to help them sweat.  Saute for about 6 minutes to soften, stirring occasionally to help the veggies cook evenly.

3.  Add the sherry and scrape the bottom for any bits.  Add the seasoning - cumin, mustard and pepper (either dried chili or chipotle).  Stir and let the seasoning soak in to the veggie base.  Approximately 2-3 minutes.

4.  Add the beans, tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer.  I let everything come together for about 20-30 minutes.  Then blitz in batches in the blender to finish.  This is a big recipe - so I did about 3 batches, filling the blender half-full each time. I use a big batter bowl to hold the soup that has been pureed.

5.  Then I return it to the pan to rewarm and season to taste.  Add salt, pepper and even some hot sauce if you like your soup with more heat!  While it is rewarming in the pan I prepare any toppings.  Today it is only some crumbled feta.  Simple and so yummy!

red lentil soup

red lentil soup over basmati

Last year I made a delicious discovery at our local library, Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen. It is a love letter to vegetable soups and a terrific resource.  This particular soup, a mix of vegetables and red lentils, brings a wonderful aroma to my winter kitchen. I love to serve it over basmati rice (prepared in advance in my rice cooker) with some additional toppings. As with most recipes, I've tailored it a bit to things I stock in my kitchen.

This post is especially for Jean - who has been so enthusiastic and supportive of my family's cookbook blog.  She and her granddaughter are trying to increase their repertoire of vegan meals.  My version of the recipe is vegetarian and can easily be made vegan by substituting safflower oil for the butter.  I hope you'll make a bowl of this sunny soup this winter - it is satisfying and just makes you feel good.  When friends or family are under the weather, this is the recipe I reach for.


Ingredients:
adapted from 'Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen'


2 T butter (can substitute safflower oil)
1 onion, diced
4 carrots
1-2 celery stalks
1 zucchini
3 T (1/3 of a bunch) cilantro stems (reserve leaves for garnish)
1 t kosher salt
2 t turmeric
3 t cumin
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
1 c red lentils, rinsed well
7 c water
2 bay leaves
1 pinch of red pepper flakes (if you like a little heat)
1 lime


dressing it up:
basmati rice
additional lime wedges
cilantro or chives
diced avocado

chop veggies roughly
the same size

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a soup pot.  Add the onion and saute over medium heat while you finish your chopping. Dice your carrot into small rounds.  Split the celery in half lengthwise then dice.  Quarter the zucchini lengthwise then dice. Mince the cilantro stems.  (Seems strange? Gives great flavor and they all but disappear into the soup.)

2. Add the carrots, celery, zucchini and cilantro stems to the pot.  Season with salt, turmeric and cumin - stir to coat.  Cook for 5 minutes or so, till the vegetables begin to soften.

3. Add the diced tomatoes, lentils, water.  Also, add the bay leaves and red pepper flakes if you choose.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer, partially covered, until the lentils soften - approximately 20 minutes.  Remove the bay leaves, season with salt, pepper and the juice of one lime.  Be sure to taste - your palate will guide you!

the turmeric colors this soup a sunshine gold

swiss chard soup

Swiss Chard Soup & a glass of Nebbiolo

I mentioned in Friday's post that the Goose Fair lunch features a Swiss Chard Soup, made by a small swarm of dedicated volunteers.  Try to imagine a group around a large industrial-type kitchen, all chopping away and making the building blocks of a soup that will nourish so many.  It is truly a labor of love.  My recipe is inspired by this and by a traditional bean and chard soup from Italy.  There is still some chopping and plenty of yummy vegetables - but can easily be put together for a family of 4+ (with extra for leftovers - this soup reheats well).  This batch will be lunch for me this week as we prepare for the holidays and our annual pilgrimage to NH.

Swiss Chard Soup


Ingredients:
EVOO to cover the bottom of your soup pot
1/2 onion, chopped small
2 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 stalk of celery*, diced (yikes - I was out so used a dash of celery salt)
1/2 t kosher salt
1/4 t fresh rosemary (can substitute dried)
2 anchovy fillets
1 t Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves
1 bunch of swiss chard (can substitute kale)
1 can red kidney beans
8 c of chicken broth
1 c of dried, small pasta (I use Ditalini)
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan Cheese, grated for serving


Directions:

1. Prepare your veggies - rinse the chard, chop your onions & carrots. I also took a moment to chop the chard stems in half-moons and the chard in short ribbons.  Drain your beans.

2. Heat your pot and cover with EVOO.

3. Add onions, carrots, garlic cloves and *celery to the pot. I use 1/2 t kosher salt here to help them 'sweat'.  Saute for several minutes until the onions are translucent.

4. While waiting, mince the anchovy fillets and rosemary together to almost a paste.  Add to the saute with the bay leaves.  Leave on med-low heat to soften further, 5 minutes or so.

5. Add your chard and beans - I covered to help the greens wilt a bit.  Once the leaves had reduced by almost half, I remove the garlic and bay leaves.  (If you minced your garlic, I think it is perfectly fine to leave it in the soup.)  Add the broth. Bring to a boil.  If your soup needs more liquid (some ingredients are not exact - it should be to your liking) then I recommend adding water or more broth.

5 Add the dried pasta, return to a simmer and let cook for 6 minutes more.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve with grated parmesan.


Great reheated the next day!

Totally Classic - Tomato Soup

This is a classic pantry soup that I go to over and over. Growing up it was Campbell's all the way but I remember one afternoon in Sheila Kalmus' kitchen, hunched over a steaming bowl of her mother's amazing homemade version. I love food memories and the way aromas can awaken long forgotten meals and celebrations. I'm sure you have your own that continue to inspire.

Our take on the classic tomato soup is inspired by two pantry recipes - a Tuscan Tomato soup published years ago in Cooking Light and another version on a recent episode of Mad Hungry. (Love that Lucinda Scala Quinn!)

Ingredients:

2 T EVOO

1 shallot, minced (onion can be substituted here)

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1-2 carrots, peeled and chopped

2 t kosher salt

1 t Italian Seasoning

2 - 28 oz whole tomatoes

28 oz broth/ stock (I fill 1 of the tomato cans with my own stock or broth from a box)

1 piece Parmesan rind

1-2 T balsamic vinegar

cracked black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat 2 T EVOO in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Saute the aromatics: shallot, garlic and carrot with the salt for 5 minutes or so, until soft.

2. Add the tomatoes (I like to break them up a bit), the italian seasoning and the broth. Bring to a simmer and add the rind. Let simmer for 30-45 minutes. Season to taste.

3. Puree in blender. (I did 3 batches)

4. I rewarm with the balsamic and serve with extra grated Parm. Keeps in the fridge, can be frozen for future use.

Great with Grilled Cheese!