We have a big Giants fan in our house, too, so Sunday was also a happy day for him! Kendall wrote about her family's Giants celebration in the previous blog entry.
But I was mostly inspired by Kendall's soup description to share my own version of homemade soup here. It's a favorite meal for our whole family.
I cooked up a pot while my children were home from college and graduate school for the holidays. (Alas, they have gone back now and the house seems emptier).
I start with a chicken (yes, a whole chicken) put in it pot covered with water and simmer it for a long time - several hours during which the house has a homey smell not reproducible by Glade or Yankee Candle.
When it's done I remove the meat, strain the soup through a very fine strainer, return it to the pot, throw in carrots, a whole onion, and celery and let it simmer again until the veggies are tender. I also add some seasoning and a little salt.
To serve, in individual soup bowls I add the chicken (which I clean and cut up), cooked pasta (gluten free or not depending on choice) or cooked rice (brown or white). I make everything in big batches so there is plenty for seconds or for lunch and/or dinner the next day.
There is really not a lot of work because simmering on the stove is the bulk of the cooking. The rice and pasta are easy to make and set aside. They don't even have to be hot as the hot soup in each bowl warms them really fast. (I never put the pasta or rice in the soup pot. If I am using rice or pasta that has been refrigerated, I warm it a bit in the microwave before putting it in the bowl and let the hot soup do the rest of the work.)
It's a great time of year for soup. For readers who don't have the time or inclination to make soup from scratch, our next issue will have a story with details on the ready-made gluten-free soups and soup mixes that are increasingly available.
No matter how you prepare it, from scratch, partially from scratch or from a carton or can, this is the perfect time of year to say, "Soup's on."
Amy Ratner
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