We were having mild weather - for Winnipeg - during the past months.
But since mid January it has been back to normal.
Translation: COLD.
Salads and quick meals just won’t satisfy.
Nope… it’s time to make pots of soup.
Lots of Soup.
Mediterranean soups have something for every taste, schedule and budget.
Stracciatella Soups are light and can be put together quickly.
The leftover meat soup makes good use of a roast and helps the budget.
The Seafood Soup, also known as Zuppa di Pesce, is a filling meal that is usually made for Christmas Eve, the Feast of the Seven Fishes.
The traditional fish choices include baccalà (salt cod), shrimp, clams, mussels, squid, scallops, smelts or sardines, eel and lobster or crab.
Zuppa di Pesce includes five of the above.
Add another two items from the list and you’re all set for Christmas Eve.
You’d also be ready for a cold night anytime.
Hints:
Parmesan rind has long been used to give extra flavour to soups.
If you buy Parmesan by the piece cut the leftover rind into 3 inch pieces, bag them, and store in the freezer.
You can also use a rind from other hard, aged cheeses like Pecorino Romano or Asiago.
A tablespoonful or two of Worcestershire Sauce could replace the rind.
If you want to make it totally vegan, use a spoonful of nutritional yeast instead of the rind.
About the Parmesan Pasta Soup…
This would also be good with a can of sliced mushrooms added.
This soup’s leftovers thicken. Add broth or milk when you're warming leftovers.
About the Stracciatella Soup…
You could stir in some finely chopped spinach before adding the eggs.
Ma usually served a light soup, such as this, as the first course for a Sunday meal. Ma believed that, if she took the edge off everyone’s appetite, there’d be more leftovers.
About the Orzo Soups…
The orzo will absorb the broth overnight. Just add stock or water when you're warming leftovers.
About the Creamy Meatball Soup …
You can make the meatballs in advance and freeze them. Allow 4 hours, or overnight, to thaw before preparing the soup.
Use any size can of diced tomatoes, depending on how thick you want your soup.
Instead of the spinach, you can garnish the soup with grated Parmesan or fresh parsley or basil.
About the Leftover Pork and Potato Soup…
You can use any leftover meat and any vegetables, fresh, frozen or canned.
If you’d like the soup to be a bit spicier, add sage, thyme or basil to taste.
About the Seafood Soup…
This soup is more like a stew. The traditional Italian recipe has been adapted to make use of fish available in North America. The only rule is to add each seafood at the right time so that nothing overcooks.
Squid needs a long, gentle simmer to turn tender.
Cod cooks more quickly, but holds its shape well in the broth.
Shrimp cooks quickly and goes in last.
Clams and mussels are steamed separately so that you can remove each as soon as it opens.
If you don’t have passata use tomato purée. You can also use tomato paste (which is thicker) or crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce.
The tomato base can be made a day ahead. Refrigerate it in an airtight container, then pour into a Dutch oven and simmer before proceeding with the recipe.
Sautéing shrimp shells in oil gives the oil a stronger seafood flavour.
Don’t worry about it if you don’t want to do it, or have shelled shrimp.
4–5 servings
Finely dice
1 small onion
3 garlic cloves
Place in a dutch oven
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Heat over medium heat.
Add the diced onion.
Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add
the diced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon thyme
Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add
4 Cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
Bring to a boil and add
1 1/2 Cups small shell pasta
Cook until just tender, about 8 – 10 minutes.
Lower the heat and gently stir in
1 Cup milk or half-and-half
1 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
While it simmers, stir until the cheese melts and the soup turns creamy.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot, garnished with
fresh parsley, chopped
extra Parmesan cheese
Stracciatella Soup
4–6 servings
Place in a small bowl
3 large eggs
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (or 1/2 Tablespoon dried)
A pinch of nutmeg
Whisk together.
Place in a dutch oven
8 Cups chicken or vegetable stock
Bring it to a gentle boil over medium high heat.
Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium low.
While stirring the broth in a circle, slowly pour in the egg mixture.
After all the egg mixture has been added, stop stirring and let it simmer for 1 minute.
Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serve hot with extra Parmesan cheese.
Stracciatella Soup with Spinach and Pasta
4–6 servings
Thinly slice
4 scallions (green tops only)
Place in a small bowl
5 large eggs
A pinch of nutmeg
Whisk together.
Place in a dutch oven
8 Cups chicken or vegetable stock
Bring to a boil.
Add
1 Cup ditalini or other tiny shape pasta
Cook until al dente, about 8 – 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Lower heat to a gentle simmer.
While stirring the broth in a circle, slowly pour in the egg mixture.
After all the egg mixture has been added, stop stirring and let it simmer for 1 minute.
Add
a pinch of salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (or 1/2 Tablespoon dried)
the sliced scallions
5 ounces fresh baby spinach
Simmer just until spinach wilts, about 1 – 2 minutes.
Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese.
Orzo Spinach Soup
6 servings
Finely dice
1 small white onion
1 Cup carrots
1 Cup celery
6 garlic cloves
Place in a dutch oven
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Heat over medium high heat.
Add
diced onion, carrots, and celery
Sauté for 5 – 7 minutes, until softened.
Add
diced garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Add
6 to 8 Cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 (14 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 1/2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
Bring to a gentle simmer.
Stir in
1 Cup orzo
Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until just al dente, about 8 – 10 minutes.
Add in
2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach or kale
Simmer until wilted.
Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Serve hot, garnished with
Grated Parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh basil
Lentil Orzo Soup
4-5 servings
Finely dice
1 onion
2 celery stalks
2 carrots
2 garlic cloves
Place in a dutch oven
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Heat over medium high heat.
Add
diced onion, carrots, and celery
Sauté for 5 – 7 minutes, until softened.
Add diced garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
Add
6 Cups vegetable broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
Bring to a gentle simmer.
Stir in
1 Cup red lentils
Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.
Stir in
1/2 Cup orzo
Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until just al dente, about 8 – 10 minutes.
Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed.
Serve hot, sprinkled with
Chopped fresh parsley
Mediterranean Orzo Soup
4 servings
Finely chop
1 medium yellow onion
1 large carrot
2 ribs celery
3 garlic cloves
1 1/2 Cups curly kale, stems removed
Quarter
6 ounces cherry tomatoes
Place in a dutch oven
3 Tablespoons olive oil
Heat over medium heat.
Add
diced onion, carrot, and celery.
Sauté for about 5 minutes until soft.
Add diced garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
Add
5 Cups vegetable or chicken stock
3 inches Parmesan rind (optional)
the quartered cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
Bring to a gentle simmer then stir in
3/4 Cup orzo
Cook for 6 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking.
Stir in
the chopped kale
Cook until kale is wilted, then discard Parmesan rind.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
If the soup thickens too much add stock or water.
Serve hot with
a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Chopped fresh basil
Grated Parmesan cheese
Creamy Meatball Soup
6–8 servings
For the meatballs: place in a bowl
1 pound ground beef (or mix with turkey or chicken or pork)
1/4 Cup breadcrumbs
1/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 Tablespoon dried parsley (optional)
Combine gently and roll into 1 inch balls.
Set aside.
Dice
1 small onion
2 celery stalks
Place in a dutch oven
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Heat over medium heat.
Place a few meatballs in the pot and stir to brown the balls.
Remove balls to a plate and repeat with remaining balls until done.
Set aside.
Place in the same pot
diced onions and celery
Sauté over medium heat until soft, about 4 minutes.
Add
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
4 Cups chicken or beef broth
1/2 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon oregano or basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Stir well, then add the browned meatballs. Simmer gently for 15 minutes.
Stir in
1 Cup elbow macaroni or pasta
Simmer until tender, about 8 –1 0 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Lower heat and stir in
1/2 Cup heavy cream
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan
Let it warm through, about 3 minutes.
Add for garnish (optional)
1 Cup fresh spinach, chopped
Stir just until wilted.
Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Leftover Pork and Potato Soup
6–8 servings
Dice
2 onions
4 celery ribs
4 large carrots
4 medium potatoes
Cut into cubes 1/2 inch or smaller
2 Cups leftover pork
Place in a dutch oven
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Heat over medium heat and add
diced onions, celery and carrots
Cook on medium until the onions just start to turn translucent.
Add
1 can mushrooms, undrained
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
Cook until the vegetables start to become soft.
Add
diced potatoes
2/3 Cup barley
2 900 mL containers chicken stock (or 2 quarts homemade)
2 Cups water
the cubed pork
1/2 Cup frozen green beans
1/2 Cup frozen corn
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Simmer, cooking until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
6–8 servings
Place in a bowl of salted cold water
1 pound littleneck clams
Let stand for 30 minutes. Lift out clams. If there is no sand in the bowl, they're ready to be scrubbed and used.
If there is sand, remove the clams, drain and rinse the bowl, fill with fresh salted water, and return clams for 30 minutes. Repeat this process until the water is free of sand.
Peel and devein
8 ounces large shrimp
Place shrimp in a bowl and reserve the shells in another bowl.
Sliced crosswise into 1/2 inch thick rings, leaving the tentacles whole
1 pound squid
Pat dry.
Cut into 2 inch by 1 inch pieces
1 pound skinless cod fillet, 3/4 to 1 inch thick
Scrub and debeard
8 ounces mussels
Finely chop
1/2 medium yellow onion
1 bulb fennel (Save the fronds for garnishing)
4 medium garlic cloves
Place in a dutch oven
1/4 Cup olive oil
Heat over medium high heat.
Add
the shrimp shells
Cook, stirring frequently, until shells begin to brown.
Using a slotted spoon remove and discard shells.
Add
Chopped onion and fennel
1/4 teaspoon salt
Stirring occasionally, cook until beginning to brown, 7 - 9 minutes.
Stir in
Chopped garlic
1 teaspoon oregano
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Cook about 1 minute.
Stir in
3/4 cup white wine
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Cook until wine is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes.
Stir in
1 8 ounce bottle clam juice
1 24.5 ounce bottle tomato passata
Stirring occasionally, simmer until reduced by about half, about 20 minutes.
Reduce heat to low, place prepared squid in pot, cover, and gently simmer for 15 minutes.
While the squid is cooking, place in a 12 inch skillet
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 Cup dry white wine
the cleaned littleneck clams
Bring to a boil, covered, over high heat. Steam until clams just open, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove clams to a plate.
Add to the skillet
the prepared mussels
Cover and cook over high heat until mussels have opened, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove to same plate.
Place prepared cod in tomato sauce in dutch oven, cover, and simmer 8 minutes.
Add and push the peeled shrimp into the sauce. Cook, covered, 2 minutes.
Remove from heat.
add the opened clams and mussels and the cooking broth to the tomato sauce and simmer to warm through.
Stir in
1/4 Cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide seafood among bowls, making sure each contains a bit of everything.
Ladle broth over seafood and drizzle each with olive oil.
Garnish with fennel fronds, if desired, and serve with crusty bread.
It could also be served over linguine.
