It’s soup season! Stir up something warm and comforting.
Beef, Shiitake & Barley Soup
From “The Woman’s Day Everyday Cookbook” (Filipacchi). Serves 6.
Ingredients
3 teaspoons oil, divided
12 ounces lean beef chuck for stew, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, diced
12 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps sliced
2 teaspoons minced garlic
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
½ cup barley (not quick-cooking)
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Directions
Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a 5-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add beef, cook 4 to 5 minutes until browned. With slotted spoon, transfer beef to plate.
Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to pot. Sauté onion and carrots 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, sauté 3 minutes more.
Return beef to pot. Add broth, water, barley, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 30 minutes or until meat and barley are tender. Season to taste with salt.
Per serving: 206 calories, 2 g saturated fat, 37 mg cholesterol, 640 mg sodium, 19 g carbohydrates, 5 g dietary fiber, 15 g protein.
Lentil Soup
From “Almost Meatless,” by Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond (Ten Speed Press). Serves 4.
Ingredients
1 teaspoons oil, divided
4 ounces hot Italian sausage, casings removed
1 small onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 red bell pepper, cut into ¼-inch dice
2 stalks celery, cut into ¼-inch dice
2 carrots, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 small fennel bulb, cut into ¼-inch dice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1½ cups brown lentils
6 cups water
3 Parmesan cheese rinds (2-inches each)
1 bay leaf
1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, plus extra for serving1 tablespoon balsamic vinegarGood-quality bread for servingExtra virgin olive oil for drizzling
Directions
Put the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook for about 10 minutes, until the fat is rendered and the sausage is well browned. Remove the sausage bits and set aside.
Add the onion, bell pepper, celery, carrot, fennel and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for at least 10 minutes or until the vegetables are softened.
Add the tomato paste, stirring well to coat the vegetables, and cook for about 2 minutes to melt the paste. Add the garlic, tomatoes, lentils, water, cheese rinds and bay leaf. Turn the heat to high, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf and cheese rinds.
Place the 1 cup cheese in a blender. Add about one-third of the soup and puree the soup and cheese, making sure your blender is less than one-third full. Return the puree to the pot, add the reserved sausage bits, stir to combine, and add the balsamic vinegar. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper if desired. Serve with bread, additional cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.
