Tastes just like Chicken Soup!

Winter staple gone vegetarian

This time of year always means two things to me:  Sweater weather and soup.  As I get older, the pretty pull over sweaters of my youth have given way to cardigans (for fast removal during those pesky hot flashes!) and my soups have become more complex.

I have always loved soup.  I could eat it for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  When I was a kid, I would go on soup jags.  Everyday, for weeks, I would eat either chicken noodle or tomato soup for lunch.  Of course, these soups all came from the familiar red and white can and you just added a can of water.  That was how soup was made in our house.  Being a kid and never having tasted real home made soup, I didn’t know what I was missing. 

When I grew up (stop laughing, those of you who actually know me!) and started cooking for my own family, I made several attempts at home made soup.  I will admit that a lot of them were bland and lacked flavor.  Soup stocks were still a mystery to me so suffice it to say, my soups were pretty watery. 

Years fly by (calendar pages fly by in rapid succession, like in the movies) and my love affair with soup has blossomed into a comfortable relationship.  I can whip up a soup in no time flat.  Good soup. Hearty soup with lots of flavor and enough heat to coax the chill out of your bones at this very cold time of the year.  When I owned Naked Baker I made two types of soup every day.  I made my own vegetable stock.  My customers loved my soups.  I only wish that this recipe I am about to share with you had existed when I had my little shop.  I know it would have been a favorite. 

Six years ago I cut a recipe out of the food section of the newspaper.  It was for a chicken soup.  Now, being a vegetarian, I would never make chicken soup.  But I love to do a redux of nonvegetarian dishes and make them veggie friendly.  This soup became an instant hit with family and friends.  It is velvety in texture, chunky with bits of goodness and pure comfort food. 

TASTES JUST LIKE CHICKEN SOUP! 

  

8 OZ CHICKENLESS STRIPS (Trader Joe’s or Morningstar Farms) 

2 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL 

3 TABLESPOONS BUTTER 

1 MEDIUM ONION, FINELY CHOPPED 

3 STALKS CELERY, FINELY CHOPPED 

2 LARGE CLOVES OF GARLIC, MINCED 

1 TEASPOON DRIED TARRAGON 

1 TEASPOON DRIED OREGANO 

2 TEASPOONS HUNGARIAN PAPRIKA 

2 TEASPOONS KOSHER SALT 

½ TEASPOON FRESH GROUND PEPPER 

½ CUP PLUS 2 TABLESPOONS FLOUR 

8 CUPS NO CHICKEN BROTH (Imagine Brand) 

1 14.5 OZ DICED TOMATO IN JUICE 

¾ CUP HEAVY CREAM 

2 CUPS THINLY SLICED FRESH SPINACH 

Hot sauce to taste!

 Cut chickenless strips into bite size pieces.  Heat a small amount of oil in sauce pan.  Add chickenless pieces to hot oil, sprinkle with salt, poultry seasoning and dried garlic or garlic powder to taste.  Saute until pieces are lightly browned, about 3 – 4 minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside. 

Heat olive oil in large soup pot over medium high heat.  Add butter and melt.  Sauté onion and celery until the onions are translucent, about 7 – 8 minutes.  Add the garlic, tarragon, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring, for 3 or 4 minutes.  Add the flour and stir until well combined.  Slowly whisk in the no chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Add the tomatoes, with juice, and cream.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the “chicken” pieces and simmer another 10 minutes.  Stir in the spinach just before serving.  Serve with extra hot sauce to help warm you up!

 

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Yet another recipe using green tomatoes…..

 

Cream of Green Tomato Fall Harvest Soup

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 stalks celery, including leaves, finely chopped

1/3 cup Wondra or all purpose flour

2 pounds green tomatoes, chopped

1 fresh habanero, minced

1 fresh jalapeno, minced

2 tbsp oregano

2 tbsp basil

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 quart “no chicken” chicken broth (for vegan and vegetarian soups)

2 cloves garlic, crushed through garlic press

½ cup heavy cream (omit this if you are making a vegan soup or substitute soy creamer or soy milk)

4 medium red potatoes

2 carrots, peeled and diced

½ cup peas, fresh or frozen

 

Heat oil and butter in large pot over medium high heat.  Saute onions and celery until soft and the onion just starts turning golden.  Whisk in Wondra or flour and cook about 30 seconds.  Add chopped green tomatoes, peppers and spices.  Cook until tomatoes soften.  Add stock and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes.

While soup in simmering, place whole red potatoes in a separate pan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and then lower to medium.  Cook until potatoes pierce easily with a sharp knife, about 10 – 12 minutes.  About 7 minutes before the potatoes are done, add diced carrots to the potato pot.

Using an emersion blender, puree green tomato soup in pot, leaving it a little chunky.  Add the crushed garlic.  Add heavy cream, if desired.  You can use a blender or food processor if you don’t have an emersion blender.

When potatoes and carrots are done, drain in colander.  Add carrots to the soup pot.  When potatoes are cool enough to handle, dice in bite size pieces and add to the soup pot.  Add fresh or frozen peas.  If using frozen peas, rinse well before adding to the pot.  Heat through and serve.

I like to garnish my soups.  You can keep it simple and just add a bit of grated cheese, any type you prefer.  Or you can make a pico de gallo.  I used fresh garden ripe tomatoes, yellow tear drop tomatoes, red onion, and jalapeno finely chopped the day I made the soup pictured in this post.  I really like the contrast of the crunchy fresh veggies with the creamy, hot, spicy soup.  Serve this soup with some fast, homemade beer batter bread for a perfect fall meal.