Lately, I have been all about soup. Raw, cooked, roasted, it doesn’t much matter; if I’ve daydreamt a recipe in the past few weeks, it has very likely been a soup.
It must be the frozen weather, kindling cravings for flavors more pronounced. I always enjoy adding spices of this and that to my soups, whether it be a chunky minestrone or lentil, or a creamy butternut squash or broccoli. Soup, I feel, should be an experiment.
curried leek and parsnip soup [coconut oil, leek bulbs and leaves, garlic, curry powder, coriander, parsnip, vegetable broth]
When you pour the mix into the blender, you take a risk. There is no possibility of eating around a flavor that doesn’t quite work, because every ingredient blends into one. More than perhaps any other style of cooking, soup-making truly has me feeling like an inventor, constructing an entirely new product from a few simple parts.
raw cauliflower soup [cauliflower, pine nuts, evoo, thyme, garlic, water, salt, pepper]
I’m afraid to say that packaged soups were actually a go-to meal for me a couple years ago. One of the few pre-made foods available in Prague grocery stores, I often stocked up on various vegetarian flavors, somehow transformed into a powder that became a thick cream with the addition of heat and water. The chemicals involved in that process frighten me a bit these days, but back then, I didn’t think much of it. Plus, it didn’t hurt that the cost per 2-serving packet was usually ten crowns [a pricey fifty cents].
mushroom, leek, and potato soup [evoo, leek bulbs and leaves, mushrooms, potatoes, garlic, fennel seed, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, parmesan]
I like that my soups now are homemade. Sure, I could buy a can or a box, but when I packed up my leftover mushroom-leek-potato blend to bring to work yesterday, it felt far more “me.” I got my hands dirty while making it; I scraped the dirt off the leeks myself; I doctored up the broth with my own blend of spices; I garnished it with parmesan to kick up the flavor a necessary notch. I cleaned up the mess I made pureeing it, cursed my blender for not being a Vitamix.
The creamy mix inside my tupperware – which was, in fact, cream-free – was one hundred percent mine. No recipe, only vegetables, an idea, a pot, and a blender. Simple enough.
How about a triple question day? What is your favorite kind of soup? Do you make your soups from scratch? And what was the last risk you took in the kitchen?
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I love all of your soups, they look incredible. I’ve been dying to get a Vitamix! Favorite soup: Chili (does this count?) I always make it from scratch. Last risk I took in the kitchen: oats in a jar this morning! Had no idea what it was going to be like, but ended up loving it. I like your idea of doing overnight oats in a jar. I loooove overnight oats so much! I hope you have a great day Leslie. Thank you for all of the supportive comments you’ve been leaving on my posts lately :)
i love how you experiment with soups- i never have but think it would be fun :) i lOVE butternut squash soup but i also really love the class chicken noodle.
xoxo
shelley
I love making soups, it so simple!I just cook some veggies, blend, add spices and milk, and voila! Can’t taste bad, right?
I love making soup. It’s the one thing I’m truly comfortable making on my own without a recipe. I would say corn chowder or tomato are in the running for my favorite.
It must be a soupy kind of week — I blogged about the same thing today. ;)
I generally don’t like creamy soups because they are too rich but occasionally have a nice tomato or potato one. Usually, I stick to hearty vegetable or lentil. Yum!
I have been on the BIGGEST soup kick since October!!! I never use a recipe – sometimes I’m “inspired by” them, but most of the time I just go by what tastes/smells/looks good together. The only constant is that it’s pureed – I hate chunky soups. My favorite creation thus far, I think, has been parsnip-apple. Just sauteed onion, simmered with the roots and apple, with nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste, and a squeeze of lemon juice or spooful of apple cider vinegar at the end to brighten things up. A sprinkle of parsley never hurts, either ;).
I.Love.Soup. Love it! My favorite is a chicken noodle soup recipe given to me by my Grandma – so delish. Biggest risk taken in the kitchen lately was cooking with tofu for the first time!!
soups are totally an interesting canvas to experiment with, since the field is so versatile and broad, you can do just about anything!
my mom makes a wonderful homemade tomato soup. It’s my favorite because it is so chunky and flavorful!
Soup sounds lovely. I picked up 2 cans of Amys soups…yes a can :)
Thanks for the lovely comment on my blog Leslie…it was thoughtful and got me thinking…thanks for reading…its great to hear your thoughts…like your blog a lot .
I love pumpkin and squash soups the most. I’m definitely into making homemade soups. I love making potato kale, but I often just through whatever veggies, beans, and grains I have available.
Soups are one thing that I rarely (if ever) make myself. I lack the courage (and creativity) to try some out. Yours look fabulous though, and I have a feeling if I included some really interesting ingredients, I’d come to love soup even more than I do :)