Stir Up a Pot of Creamy, Cool Weather Soup!

By Wendy Gordon

A thick, hearty soup makes for premium comfort food, especially as cold weather sets in. Fortunately, you don't need to rely on high fat additions like butter and cream to provide that satisfying richness.

One of the great features of soup is that it isn't recipe dependent. Master the basic principles of soup making and you can create delicious and economical soups utilizing whatever you have around in the refrigerator or pantry. To create a thick, low fat soup, you can puree some or all of the vegetables and then add them back to the broth, as in two of the recipes featured below. For a less "bisquey" feel, add a thinly sliced raw potato or a half cup of rice or barley to the pot early in the cooking process. As the soup cooks, the starch from the potato, rice, or barley helps bind and thicken the soup, giving it a creamy texture.

Other tricks also boost a soup's flavor. Aromatics such as onions or garlic are almost always good. Instead of dumping the vegetables directly into the broth, sauté them first in a small amount of flavorful fat. Olive oil is definitely the healthiest choice, but, depending on the soup, you could also splurge on a little butter or bacon fat. Use goodquality broth. I like the aseptic varieties, especially the "Imagine" brand. Spice the soup generously but not excessively: f lavors such as curry and ginger often work well, and don't forget basic salt and pepper. If you are making a puréed soup, keep it from tasting like baby food by reser ving chunks of cooked vegetables or adding proteins like shredded chicken or bay shrimp. Once the soup is ready for serving, garnishes add flavor and textural interest. Try fresh herbs such as parsley or chives, garlic croutons (a great way to use up stale artisan bread), or a splash of balsamic vinegar, lemon or lime juice, or wine.

HEARTY PRETTY CHICKEN SOUP

This variation on chicken soup was born when my husband requested a noodlefree version but I still wanted to give it body. We all liked it so much I've incorporated it into my regular repertoire. The color is really attractive, too.

• 1 fryer chicken, giblets removed, preferably free-range
• 1 large onion
• 4 carrots, peeled and sliced into three or four pieces
• 4 celery stalks, sliced into three or four pieces
• A cheesecloth bag filled with fresh herbs (try dill, parsley, and a sprig of rosemary)
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

1. Put the chicken and bag of herbs into a large cooking pot with water to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower to simmer.
2. When the chicken has cooked for about an hour, add the vegetables.
3. Once the chicken is cooked through, but not yet falling off the bone, remove from soup and let cool.
4. Remove about two-thirds of the vegetables with a slotted spoon, along with the cheesecloth bag of herbs. Puree the vegetables with a small amount of broth in a blender or food processor. Add back to the soup.
5. Skin the chicken and remove from bones. Chop meat into bite sized pieces and add back to soup.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with minced fresh dill and parsley.

BROCCOLI BOTTOMS SOUP

This soup tastes way better than it sounds and uses up a part of the broccoli that might otherwise be discarded.

• 2 quarts water
• 1 /2 lb. pasta (shells work well)
• 11/2 tsp kosher or sea salt
• 3 cups broccoli stalks, trimmed and sliced crosswise into thin slices
• 2 cups cooked white beans (cannelloni, navy, great northern, lima)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T olive oil salt and pepper to taste
• fresh parsley, minced
• lemon slices
• grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring the water to a boil, add pasta and a sprinkle of salt, and cook for about 8 minutes. Pour off approximately 2/3 of the water and return pan to heat.
2. Add broccoli and beans. Reduce heat to simmer and cook an additional 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, lightly saute garlic in olive oil. Remove from heat.
4. You can puree this soup in the blender or food processor if you want a smooth texture or if you like some texture, leave it as is.
5. Pour soup into serving bowl and drizzle garlic/oil mixture over the top.
6. Garnish individual bowls with parsley and lemon slices; serve with Par mesan cheese.

RICE AND POTATO SOUP WITH PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO RIND

This interesting (and economical) soup gains thickness from not only the rice and potatoes, but from the rinds of Parmesan cheese. This is a great way to use up those rinds that accumulate in the refrigerator (at least our refrigerator). I've given a very basic recipe here; feel free to add additional vegetables, such as zucchini or green beans.

• 3 T olive oil
• 2 large potatoes (russet or Yukon gold), peeled and cubed
• 2 carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 10 cups hot chicken broth
• 2 or more 2-inch squares Parmigiana Reggiano rind, exterior scraped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup long grain white rice
• 1 /2 cup minced Italian parsley
• salt and pepper to taste

1. In a deep, heavy saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Add carrots, celery, and any additional vegetables, and saute another 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to coat vegetables.
2. Add broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. ADD cheese rinds and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Cover pot and cook until potatoes begin to fall apart (about 40 minutes).
3. Stir in rice and cook until tender but still firm (around 15 minutes).
4. Remove bay leaves, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Remove rinds and cut them into small pieces. Return to soup and serve.