Winter Recipe Soup By Martha Rose Shulman

MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN'S TORTILLA SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and the chili powder and stir together for a minute, then add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring, for another minute, until fragrant. If the pan seems dry and the ingredients look like they may scorch, add the remaining oil. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add salt to taste. Add the garlic broth, bring to a simmer, cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes.
• While the soup is simmering, toast the tortilla strips in the microwave. Place as many as will fit in a single layer on a plate and microwave at full power for 1 minute. Turn the strips over and microwave for another minute. Repeat if necessary for 30 seconds, or until crisp and light brown. Set aside. Repeat with remaining tortilla strips.
• Using an immersion blender, blend the soup until smooth. Bring back to a simmer and stir in the cilantro. Simmer for 1 minute. Taste the broth and adjust salt. Add cayenne if you want more heat. Stir in the lime juice.
• Distribute the toasted tortilla strips among soup bowls and top with the grated or crumbled cheese. Ladle in the soup. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

ORANGE-SCENTED WINTER SQUASH AND CARROT SOUP

Steps:

• Cut a square piece of cheesecloth to make a bag for spices, herbs and orange peel. Place allspice berries, cardamom cloves, bay leaves, thyme sprigs and strips of orange zest on cheesecloth. Fold two ends over, then roll up the cheesecloth like a burrito and tie tightly with kitchen string.
• Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven and add onion and carrots. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add winter squash and garlic and cook, stirring, until the mixture smells fragrant, about 1 minute. Add water or stock, potato, spice bag, and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour, until squash is very tender. Remove spice bag but first press it against side of the pot to extract liquid.
• Using a hand blender, or in batches in a regular blender, purée the soup. If using a regular blender cover the top of the jar with a towel pulled down tight, rather than airtight with the lid. Return to pot and whisk in the orange juice (or additional stock or water). Taste, adjust seasonings, and heat through.
• Toss quinoa with 1 teaspoon of the pistachio oil. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with some of the quinoa. Drizzle a little more oil over each bowl and serve.

HEARTY WINTER-VEGETABLE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Cook leeks, celery, carrots, garlic, red-pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon salt, stirring occasionally, until leeks are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add stock and water, and bring to a boil.
• Add squash and potatoes. Return to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in escarole and chickpeas, and return to a boil. Stir in lemon juice and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.

ANDEAN BEAN STEW WITH WINTER SQUASH AND QUINOA

Steps:

• Place the beans and soaking water in a large pot. Add water if necessary to cover the beans by about 2 inches, and bring to a boil. Skim off foam, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer gently for 60 minutes, or until the beans are tender but intact. Add salt to taste.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy nonstick frying pan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes, and add the paprika. Stir together for about a minute, and add the garlic. Cook, stirring, for a minute or two, until the garlic and onions are very fragrant but not brown, and stir in the tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly and smell fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and scrape the contents of the pan into the pot of beans.
• Bring the beans back to a simmer, add the bay leaf and winter squash, and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the squash and beans are thoroughly tender. Add the quinoa and simmer for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the quinoa is translucent and displays an opaque thread. Taste and adjust salt. Add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper. Stir in the basil or parsley, simmer for a couple of minutes more, and serve, with cornbread or crusty country bread.

WINTER VEGETABLE SOUP WITH TURNIPS, CARROTS, POTATOES AND LEEKS

Steps:

• In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, combine the leeks, garlic, carrots, celery, turnips, potatoes, bouquet garni, 1 1/2 quarts water, 2 to 3 teaspoons salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 40 to 45 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft.
• Pass the soup through the coarse blade of a food mill (or purée using a blender or an immersion blender).
• Return soup to the pot and whisk in 1/4 cup crème fraîche (or more, to taste). Heat through, taste and adjust seasonings (be generous with salt and pepper). To serve, garnish each bowl with a spoonful of crème fraîche and a sprinkle of parsley or tarragon.

WINTER RECIPE SOUP BY MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

Steps:

• 1. Pulse the tomatoes to a coarse puree in a food processor. Heat the olive oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat and add the onion and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is very soft but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down slightly, about 10 minutes. Add the bulgur, water, and salt to taste and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 to 45 minutes, until the bulgur is soft and the soup thick and fragrant. Add pepper to taste and adjust salt. 2. Ladle the soup into bowls and sprinkle with mint and feta. Drizzle on a little olive oil if desired. Serve hot.