With the frost already appearing on pumpkins, the answer to warm the cooler days is homemade soups and chowders.
A favourite cookbook from years ago provides this week’s recipes. They may be adapted for personal tastes and ingenuity.
• • •
Cauliflower Chowder
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 green pepper, diced
3 cups chopped cauliflower
2 cups water
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
In a large saucepan, cook onion, green pepper and cauliflower in the two cups of water until vegetables are tender.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 2-3 minutes or slightly longer. Serve immediately. Makes about 4 1/2 cups.
• • •
Beet Borscht
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
8 cups vegetable broth
3 cups peeled and diced beets
1/4 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 tsp. dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup peeled and diced potato
1 cup shredded cabbage
small can of tomato paste
2 tsps. lemon juice
Cook onion in vegetable oil until softened. Do not brown.
Stir in vegetable broth, beets, carrots, celery, dill weed and seasonings. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes.
Add potatoes, cabbage and tomato paste. Simmer for about 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir occasionally.
Stir in lemon juice. Ladle into bowls and add a dollop of sour cream to each bowl.
• • •
Beef Barley Soup
4 lbs. beef bones
12-14 cups water
6 celery stalks, halved
1 medium carrot, halved
10 peppercorns
2 cups peeled potatoes, diced
3 1/2 cups crushed tomatoes, peeled
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup diced carrot
2/3 cup pearl barley
salt and pepper to taste
Boil the bones in the water for 5-10 minutes. Skim and discard foam
Stir in celery stalks, carrot halves and peppercorns. Simmer on low for about 4 hours, stirring occasionally until meat begins to fall off the bones.
Remove from heat and remove all meat from the bones. Chop and set aside.
Drain stock through a sieve into a separate pot. Discard vegetables.
For the soup, add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Add the meat, reduce heat to medium and simmer, with lid partially on, for 45 minutes until barley and vegetables are tender.
Taste and season as necessary to taste.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net.
