Cheap, easy and oh, so good
You know it’s a great day for soup in Bermuda when the wind starts whistling down the chimney and the school crossing guards appear wearing ear muffs and woolly hats. In the financial doldrums of January, soup also has the added benefit of being a cost saver. Soup is easy to take to work for lunch, and it usually lasts for several days in the refrigerator. Here are three yummy soups to try.Celery Lovers SoupIngredients1lb fresh celery or celery root1 medium potato2 tbsp unsalted butter1 onion, peeled and chopped1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed½ cup dry white wine1 qt vegetable stockpinch of salt and pepperMethod:Cut celery into even size pieces. Peel the potato and cut it into pieces about the same size as the celery. In a large pot, heat the butter over low-to-medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and celery and cook for two to three minutes or until the onion is slightly translucent, stirring more or less continuously. Add the wine and cook for another minute or two or until the wine seems to have reduced by about half. Add stock and potato. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the celery and potatoes can easily be pierced with a knife. Don’t let them get too soft, though. Remove from heat and purée in a blender, working in batches if necessary. Use care when processing hot items in a blender as the hot steam can sometimes blow the blender lid off. Start on a slow speed with the lid slightly ajar to vent any steam, then seal the lid and increase the blending speed. Return puréed soup to pot and bring to a simmer again, adding more broth or stock to adjust the thickness if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle some toasted croutons on top and serve immediately. It makes about six 8oz servings.Cheaters Chicken SoupIngredients3 to 4lbs precooked rotisserie chicken5 carrots, peeled4 celery stalks8 cups of chicken broth¼ cup of dry white winepasta stars1 large onion, quartered2 ½ teaspoons saltPepper to tasteCroutons optional.Method.Get a large pot and fill with eight cups of chicken broth and the wine. Cut carrots and celery stalks into one-inch pieces. Quarter the onion. Shred the chicken. Add the cut vegetables, and chicken to the pot with the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer. After five minutes add the pasta stars. Continue to cook until the pasta and vegetables are cooked through, about another ten minutes. Serve. Add croutons for an extra touch.Portuguese Red Bean SoupIngredients2 large onions, thinly sliced2 tbsp good olive oil1lb chourico sausage, skinned, chopped4 potatoes, peeled and diced2 cups dry red wine4 cups low-salt chicken brothtwo 19oz cans of red kidney beans1lb fresh kale, trimmed, rinsed well, chopped fine (2 pkgs frozen)1 bay leafgenerous pinch of cayenne pepper2 tsp sugarMethodIn a heavy-bottomed pot large enough to hold all the ingredients, sauté the onions and chourico in the olive oil until the onions are softened and glazed. Pour off most of the fat. Stir in the potatoes and sweat them for a few minutes with the lid on. Add the wine and scrape up any clinging bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the chicken broth, beans, kale, bay leaf, cayenne and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer 1 ½ hour or longer, until the vegetables are tender. Skim fat occasionally. Remove bay leaf before serving hot with crusty bread and sweet butter.