Soup’s On

STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY NATALIE FINDLAY

There is nothing like a chill

in the air to start us craving a bowl of warm, comforting, hearty soup. It’s time to reach into your cupboard and pull out your stockpots, anticipating the delectable savouriness of that first spoon of soup that will warm you down to your toes.

Making soup is easy. You sauté your base flavours, add your favourite herbs and spices, pile in the heavy hitters and top with water or stock, and then let them mingle with each other until the flavours come together and you have a home run! Most of the cooking is hands off. If you can wait about an hour you can have a hearty soup that will fill you up, tastes great, and warms you up. Everything you want as the temperature dips outside.

Chicken and Mushroom Wild Rice Soup

Serves 4

3 Tbs (45 mL) olive oil ¾ cup onion ¾ cup carrot ¾ cup celery 1 tsp salt ½ tsp pepper 6 cloves garlic 2 tsp dried thyme ½ tsp dried rosemary 2 tsp dried oregano 40 g dried mushrooms 100g fresh mushrooms 1 chicken breast or 2 thighs 1/3 cup (80 mL) Madeira wine ¾ cup wild rice 2 cups (500 mL) mushroom stock (reserved) 4 cups (1 L) chicken stock Parsley for garnish

1. In a medium bowl, add dried mushrooms and 2 cups (500 mL) boiling water. Cover and let steep until mushrooms have softened. Reserve liquid for soup. 2. In a medium sized pot, over medium heat add the olive oil. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook 4 minutes. 3. Add salt and pepper as well as garlic, and continue cooking another 2 minutes. Add the herbs and stir together and cook another 3 minutes. 4. Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add to pot, cook 4 minutes. Deglaze the pot with Madeira wine and let reduce to half. 5. Add the wild rice. Add the stocks and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let cook 40 minutes or until rice is cooked through. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. 6. Garnish with finely chopped parsley.

Note:

if you don’t have any dried mushrooms, you can use all fresh mushrooms and all chicken stock.

Oven-Baked Pear Crisp and Pear Compote

Herby Vegetable Soup

Serves 4

4 Tbs (60 mL) olive oil ¾ cup onion, small dice ¾ cup carrot, small dice ¼ red pepper, small dice ¾ cup celery, small dice ½ tsp salt ½ tsp pepper 6 cloves garlic 1 tsp dried thyme ½ tsp dried rosemary ½ tsp dried oregano ½ tsp dried sage ½ cup (120 mL) white wine 6 cups (1.5 L) vegetable or chicken stock ½ small sweet potato, medium dice 1 cup cauliflower florets 1 cup broccoli florets ¾ cup zucchini, small dice ½ cup corn ½ cup peas 2 leaves swiss chard (or other leafy green) Lovage or parsley to garnish

1. In a medium sized pot, over medium heat add the olive oil. Add onion, carrot, red pepper and celery and cook 4 minutes. Add salt and pepper as well as garlic and continue cooking another 2 minutes. 2. Add the herbs and stir together and cook another 3 minutes. Deglaze the pot with white wine and let reduce to half. 3. Add the stock and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let cook 5 minutes. 4. Add the sweet potatoes and let cook 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. 5. Add the cauliflower and broccoli and cook 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook 5 minutes. Add the corn, peas and swiss chard and warm through. 6. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Garnish with finely chopped lovage or parsley.

Moroccan Lentil Soup

Serves 2 -3

3 Tbs (45 mL) olive oil ½ cup onion, small dice ½ cup carrot, small dice ½ cup celery, small dice 1½ tsp salt 4 cloves garlic, rough chop 5 cm ginger, grated ½ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp dried turmeric 1½ tsp paprika 1½ tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 3 Tbs (45 mL) tomato paste 5 cups (1.25 L) chicken or vegetable stock ½ lemon, zested 1½ cup dried red lentils Mint, almonds and lemon zest for garnish

1. In a medium pot over medium heat add the olive oil. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook 3 minutes. 2. Add salt, garlic and ginger and continue cooking another 3 minutes. Add the spices, stir together and cook another 3 minutes. 3. Add the tomato paste, stir and cook 3 minutes. 4. Pick through and wash the lentils. Add lentils and stock. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. 5. Cook 35 minutes or until lentils break down and the soup thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. 6. To garnish - combine finely chopped mint, crushed almonds and lemon zest together and sprinkle on top.

Natalie is a freelance writer, photographer and pastry chef. A graduate of Cordon Bleu’s pastry program, she manages her own business too to create custom-made cakes.

Serves 6