Fall Soups

[BEAVERMAN]

Ive been waiting for this time of year to get the kitchen fired up and start making some VATS of soup to divide and freeze up for the couple months ahead, been cool enough here yesterday and today to start, made some Beef Veg with  Barley , Split Pea and Ham today, and tomorrow going to try something a little different, making chicken veg soup, but instead of using noodles or rice, going to try adding some gnocchi to it, Ill let you know how it turns out, then later in the week some 13 bean soup with ham hocks, man I like eating this time of year, should be able to put up enough hardy soups for the next 3 months ( I have a 4 gallon stock pot), so what are yall's favorite soups for fall and winter?

[jbullard1]

My wife just made a hearty chicken veggie soup and a beef venision stew will be cooking in a week or so. We cook about 3 gallons at a time and freeze the leftovers if the clan isn't here

What is gnocchi??

[Bigsmoke]

I really like tortelinni soup.
2 pkgs frozen tortellini, whatever kind you like
12 cups chicken broth
1 pkg frozen spinich
1 pound mushrooms-sliced
1 yellow onion chopped medium
1 chicken breast - diced and fried
1 large can tomato sauce
1 large can tomato paste
oregano, basil to taste
crushed red chilis to taste
1 large can stewed Italian tomatos
1 cup red wine plus 1 glass of same to drink while cooking the soup -  or 2
I usually saute the onions and the mushrooms in olive oil prior to adding to soup mix
Serve with some good parmesan cheese and French bread.  Mama mia, thatsa nicea zoupa.

[BEAVERMAN]

What is gnocchi??

Jerry, gnocchi is an Italian potato dumpling thats about the size of the last section of your thumb and half as thick, its made then dry and sells in the pasta section of some stores back east especially in Italian neighborhoods, I have to have it shipped from my sister in Chicago, cooks quick, tastes like potato but hold together well, has a nice soft texture and a shelf life of forever! I threw some in a stew we made this year at a rondy and it was great, real good just boiled till it floats, cooks in 3 mins, then browned in some butter and onions!

  John, going to try that tortellini soup

[Three Hawks]

Almost any soup with animal bits of some kind in it can be improved by tossing in a quarter or half cup of pearl barley depending on how much soup there is.

My mom would make soup almost every Wednesday and if someone showed up for supper unexpectedly, she'd just put another quart of water and a generous handful of pearl barley in the soup pot.   It takes less than half an hour to cook and will stretch a pot of soup a loooong ways.  Not only that, it really tastes gooood!

Three Hawks

[Roaddog]

I made a pot of wild rice and squirrel with some hen of the woods mushrooms in it the other day. I got one bole out of two gal. I don't know how let the cat out of the bag, but next time I'll get the 32 qt. pot out.

[Riley/MN]

That sounds great, 'dog. Let me know when "next time" is.

[Bigsmoke]

Three Hawks, right on regarding the barley in soup, although I seem to prefer it in beef base soups rather than chicken.

Jim, yeah, you will like the tortelinni soup for sure.
Strangely enough, my family never got that excited about gnocci.  I can probably count on one hand the number of times that was served during my youth.  I like it pretty well, although I just never think to try any.
 Here is another one for you that I made last night.  it is one of my favorite rendezvous pot luck meals.

1 Polish Kilbasa cut into 1/2" pieces
1 head cabbage cut into small pieces
1 yellow onion sliced and diced
6 medium potatoes diced
1 cup and 1 glass white wine - pour the cup of wine into the soup and the glassful into the cook (repeat if necessary)
4 cups water
garlic powder, basil, parsley, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste

Actually this is not really a soup as the liquid isn't all that plentiful, but it'll do.  What you wind up with is a real nice, rich broth in the bottom of your bowl that is a delight to smash your potato pieces into or sop up with a piece of French bread.  And I sautee the onion and the kilbasa in olive oil before adding it to the pot.

At rendezvous, I cook this in a Dutch oven but at home, I use a cast iron Le Creuset soup pot.  Bring up to a boil then let simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the potatos are done.  Stir frequently to avoid sticking.

[BEAVERMAN]

John, wanna try a little different taste to that?, omit the basil and replace with a teaspoon of caraway seed like us Pollocks back in Chicago make it

[Stryker]

Favorites? I like them All.
Potato soup
Chicken and dumplings
Beef and dumplings
Beef vegetable
Tomato and basil

Just to name a few

[Uncle Russ]

Hummmm....Chicken and Dumplings, a great "oldie but goodie" that seems to have somehow got lost in today's kitchens.

My dear old Grandma surely thought Chicken Soup was the Holy Grail when it came to the common cold and sniffles, but Chicken and Dumplings would fix about anything wrong witcha, including the mending of broken bones!

Uncle Russ...

[ManyVoices]

The one with the cabbage & sausage can be spiced with coriander, whole allspice & peppercorns (put those last 2 in a tea-strainer, cheese-cloth bag, or just tie 'em up in a square of muslin)  1 bottle of hefeweizen can be added, too (though, some would debate if it should go in the cook or the pot )  Guess that's the "suburban Chicago" version (sorry for the shudder I know that'll produce, Jim!)

A super easy curried pea soup is:
Saute some garlic &/or onion in olive oil
Add:
2 quarts chicken broth
1 1/2 Tbsp curry powder (or, we've used the Trader Joe's yellow curry sauce, too)
1 1/2-2 cups yellow peas

Bring to boil, simmer 'til peas are all mushy (about an hour).  Crock pot works well, too.  Recipe can be cut in half.  Optional diced ham or turkey ham is a nice addition, too.

I've had folks who aren't keen on either pea soup or curry like this one.  The curry isn't "in your face" (though, you could make it stronger).  And, for those of us whose docs have told to make some diet changes, it's heart healthy plus tasty.  (Don't cha hate it when health gets in the way of food???)

[pathfinder]

Gnoccci is the Italian version of Perogie's,and Beverman,from one Pollock to another,caraway seed is a MUST anytime there is kapusta involved! Bigsmoke,Try your recipe with a little slivovitz instead of wine,1/4 cup at most, My Polish grandparents used it instead of wine in some dishes. Slivovitz is a Serbian plumb brandy,@90 proof. Cooking relives the broth of alcohol.

[BEAVERMAN]

Gnoccci is the Italian version of Perogie's,and Beverman,from one Pollock to another,caraway seed is a MUST anytime there is kapusta involved! Bigsmoke,Try your recipe with a little slivovitz instead of wine,1/4 cup at most, My Polish grandparents used it instead of wine in some dishes. Slivovitz is a Serbian plumb brandy,@90 proof. Cooking relives the broth of alcohol.

Make sure you pour a glass for yourself!, gnocchi id a bit diff, all potato,  no stuffing in the inside like a good perogie! My favories are potato and cheddar  cheese and plum and cheese, then theres my favorite meat version we call petehieze, finely chopped pork and onion in the perogie, boil till they float then brown the outsides lightly in buter and onion, man thats NIRVANA!, of course you need a good polish style kraut to go with it!

Chicago style Kielbasa and Kraut

1 full ring of a good  smoked Kielbasa, non of that Hilshire farms crap, any private brand from Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, or Bobaks brand from New Jersey will do!

32 oz. of kraut
1 medium size onion chopped small
2 red or golden apples grated or 1 1/2 C applesauce
2 T Pearl Barley
4T butter or margarine (or oleo for you old timers)
1 heaping t Caraway seed
brown beef or pork gravy, brown gravy mix will do in a pinch

Ina colander or sieve, drain kraut and rinse twice, squeeze all excess water from it, set aside

Chop onion small
In a 12 to 14" skillet with a lid, melt butter and saute onions till translucent, add kraut, finely grated apple or applesauce, barley and caraway seed to skillet, stir well, place ring of sausage on top of the kraut and simmer low till sausage splits open and releases some of those fine juices into the kraut, when ready to serve, remove sausage from kraut, add a ladle full of gravy or 1/2 pkg of brown gravy mix over kraut, stir and serve! Enjoy, kraut can be made ahead of time and travels well to a rondy or hunt camp , this dish is VERY good in a dutch oven!

[Roaddog]

Riley I'll bring some to the rondy next year.