Ingredients:
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped (seeds removed)
5 stalks celery, chopped
5 carrots, cut in ½” slices
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into cubes
1 (14-ounce) can pinto beans
1 cup leftover rice (we happened to have it around, but you can also dump about ½ cup of raw rice into the pot of soup to cook up while the soup simmers)
1 bottle beer (any kind…we used our last pale ale)
1 cup dry vermouth (or white wine)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (28-ounce) can enchilada sauce (we used “medium” heat)
2 hot dogs, cut into ½” pieces (optional)
A few thick cut, pre-cooked pieces of ham, cut into cubes (optional)
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt, to taste (we used about 1 teaspoon, but didn’t add it until the end)
Olive oil
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish

Directions:
1. In a large soup pot heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.

2. Add onions, celery, carrots, bell pepper, and a pinch of salt and saute for about ten minutes then add garlic.

3. Add vermouth and beer to the pot and stir. Then add potatoes, pinto beans and rice. Allow to cook for 5 minutes or so.

4. Next, add the chicken broth, enchilada sauce, hot dog, ham, and spices.

5. Allow soup to come to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes (or until potatoes are tender and rice is cooked).

6. Stir in cilantro and simmer for another 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.

To serve: Scoop warm soup into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Note: We froze some of our leftovers in quart containers so that we could easily pull it out for a future dinner in the next few months. Love that!

Cheers!

Here is our guide to throwing a Soup Swap Party!

Does anyone have any Soup Swapping plans? Share them with us!

** More information on a Soup Swap

1. Chipotle Corn Chowder – Ok yummmm. We love the smoky flavor that chipotle peppers add to any meal.  This recipe looks simple to follow and quick to make.

2. Broccoli Potato Leek Soup – A wonderful combination of flavors! This soup also has mushrooms in it for an added earthy tone and taste. Plus, you can’t forget about the cheese (which makes everything taste better)!!

3. Spicy Black Bean Soup – This looks to be a simple recipe to follow using easy-to-find ingredients and kitchen tools. I love black beans too. They are so hearty and good for you!!

4. Chicken Soup for the Soul – New in the Kitchen’s wonderful chicken soup!! It is so tasty and comforting.

5. Easy Mexican Shrimp Stew – Oh wow! Only five ingredients needed for this great looking soup! Gotta love that!

SOUP TIPS & TRICKS:
- Great Soup Tips
- Broth is Beautiful
- Tips on Freezing, Storing & Reheating Soup

Everyone brings six quarts of their own homemade soup (plus the recipe) to swap with other party goers, competing for the title of Best Soup! Interestingly, no guests will sample any other soups until they are at home after the party.  The soup that is voted “The Winning Soup” will be the one who’s chef can tell the greatest story about it and therefore be the first soup chosen during the swap; the more funny, serious, sarcastic, or outlandish, the better!  There are other winning titles in this party as well, for full instructions, see “The Fun” section of this guide.  The wonderful thing about this party is that every couple that brings soup also walks away with soup…six quarts of it! For more information about soup swapping click here.

This party is a GREAT chance to try lots of different types of soup!

The Food: Keep the appetizers simple…cheese, crackers, and fruit will do the trick.  You as the host will actually make two different types of soup, one to serve during dinner and one to put in 1-quart containers to have as your “contestant” in the Soup Swap.  Therefore, check out the Soups & Stews section of this site for many great options.

The Drinks: Red and white wines are wonderful with soup; as is a straight up martini with a lemon twist.

The Décor: Elegant but casual will have guests relaxed and loose enough to tell hilarious soup stories!  Try candles and other warm/dim lighting or start up your fire place! Other casual decorations are nice as well but keep it simple!  Remember to setup a table where guests can line up their soups.  Leave small tent cards out for guests to label their soup.  Also instruct guests to bring plenty of copies of their recipe so that other party-goers can take it home and try making the soup!

The Fun: Each couple should be given a number (pick numbers out of a hat or a bowl).  There should be one number for each couple who has brought soup to swap.  Starting with the couple who chose the number 1, go around sharing soup stories, this is called the “Telling of the Soup”. After all stories have been shared, the couple with the number 1 picks the first 1-quart container of soup that they would like to take home based on the stories they have just heard.

The soup that is chosen is the first winner of a prize (see prize guidelines below), they are the Winning Soup.  Next, the number 2 couple chooses their first 1-quart container of soup.  This goes on in a rotation through the numbers until soups have been taken and each couple who brought six quarts of soup then has six quarts of soups.

- Prizes should be given to liven up the party (if there are not enough prizes for each couple attending your party, plan on having a few “runner up” type prizes as well so that everyone walks away with something):

o Winning Soup – the first soup chosen after the Telling of the Soups.

o Most Popular Soup – as determined by the first soup to have all six quarts selected by other couples.

o Last but not Least Soup – the last soup standing after the soups have all been taken.

o Most Original Soup – based on the story about the soup; as determined by hosting couple.

o The Best Story – based on the story about the soup; as determined by hosting couple

o Most Appetizing – based on the story about the soup; as determined by hosting couple

o Most Intimidating – based on the story about the soup; as determined by hosting couple

o Most Accessorized – meaning, the soup that came with little toppings (such as croutons or cheese, etc); as determined by hosting couple

10 Great Soup Swap Prize Ideas:

1. Large wooden spoons (you could even use a permanent marker to write “Soup Swap” with the year on it to personalize it)

2. A soup cookbook

3. Soups ladles

4. A pepper mill and whole peppercorns

5. Potholders

6. Loaves of French bread (to be enjoyed later with soup, of course!)

7. Trivets (used to protect surfaces from hot dishes, such as a soup pot)

8. Ceramic soup spoon bowl (to avoid the a soupy counter while cooking)

9. An Emersion Blender (“stick blender”); used for pureeing soup

10. An interesting spice blend

Absentee Soup Swappers: Guests who are not able to attend the party but are still want to participate in the soup swap are welcome to do so! They must bring 6 quarts of soup to the party location and then select someone to tell about their soup and pick their soups. Guests participating in this manner will automatically be given the last number and therefore last choice of soups.

]]> http://newinthekitchen.com/2010/01/02/soup-swap-party/feed/ 0 New in the Kitchen potato leek soup article http://newinthekitchen.com/2009/10/14/5-easy-ways-to-thicken-soup/ http://newinthekitchen.com/2009/10/14/5-easy-ways-to-thicken-soup/#comments Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:31:48 +0000 newinthekitchen http://newinthekitchen.wordpress.com/?p=1071 ]]> Yes, there are many ways.

It can be a real bummer when you have worked hard on making a soup but it turns out with the wrong consistency.  Here are five easy ways to thicken just about any soup.

1. Cook your soup with the lid off to let excess water evaporate.

2. Stir mashed potato flakes into the soup.

3. Add heavy cream or half & half into the soup.

4. Add a roux (a mixture of butter and flour that has been sautéed for several minutes over medium-high heat).

5. Add a cornstarch mixture (equal parts cold water and cornstarch whisked together).

**Do you have any other thickening suggestions?  Share them with us!

* Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
2 (14-ounce) cans coconut milk
4 cups chicken broth
10-12 slices of ginger (about the size of a quarter each)
2 large stalks of lemon grass, cut in 1-inch pieces (lemon grass can be found in most grocer’s produce section)
2 pounds chicken breast, cut into small cubes
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 teaspoon granulated chicken bouillon
1/4 cup fresh lime juice, plus 1 teaspoon zest
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup chili paste (available in the Asian section of your local grocery store)
* For less heat, add only 2-3 tablespoons chili paste and then taste                         before adding remainder.
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions:
1. In a medium pot combine coconut milk, chicken broth, ginger, and lemon grass.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together lime juice, zest, fish sauce, sugar, and chili paste. Taste and adjust flavors as needed.

3. Add chicken, mushrooms, and lime juice mixture to pot with coconut milk.

4. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.

5. Stir in cilantro and serve warm.

Note: there are a few components to this recipe which can be used even after you have made the soup. For example, the Santa Fe Dry Rub can easily be used to season a steak before grilling, and the Spicy Cilantro Sauce is wonderful when served on top of a quesadilla, nachos, or any meat dish.

Makes ~ 8 quarts of soup

Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds tri-tip steak
2 large sweet yellow onions, sliced
4-6 shallots, sliced
2 red bell peppers
2 green bell peppers
1 poblano (or pasilla) pepper
3 ears of corn
4 cloves of garlic, whole
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons)
2 fresh bay leaves
Juice and zest of 3 limes
1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
½ cup dry sherry
½ cup brandy
1 ½ cups chardonnay
1 bottle of your choice Mexican beer
8 cups beef stock
4 cups chicken stock
4 tablespoons Mexican hot style tomato sauce
4 tablespoons Spicy Cilantro Sauce (recipe follows)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 batch Santa Fe Dry Rub (to be used on steak, veggies, and in soup) (recipe follows)
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups queso fresco (Mexican cheese), crumbled

Directions:
1. Rub tri-tip, bell peppers, Poblano pepper, and ears of corn with Santa Fe Dry Rub. Grill veggies until they have a nice black char on the outside (about 10-15 minutes). Grill the tri-tip over high heat to sear the outside edges, then remove from the grill (the meat will finish cooking in the soup). Allow veggies and meat to sit covered by foil for 15 minutes and the allow juices to settle.

2. While veggies and meat are cooling, begin building the soup. First, put 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot and heat over medium heat. Add sliced onions and shallots and stir. Then add whole garlic cloves, fresh bay leaves, salt, and butter. Cook for about 15-20 minutes until onions are translucent and soft.

3. While the onion mixture is cooking, prepare the veggies and meat. Begin by scraping off most of the charred skin on the peppers. Then take seeds out. Slice bell peppers into small cubes or strips, your choice. Cut the Poblano pepper very finely so that it will just blend into the broth of the soup. Shave the kernels off the corn cobs and put them in a bowl. Put chopped peppers into the bowl with the corn and reserve. To prepare the meat, cut it into cubes (retaining all meat juices that come out while cutting). Save the steak and its juices in a bowl on the side to add to the soup later.

4. Add one teaspoon of Santa Fe Dry Rub and freshly ground black pepper to the onion mixture and stir. Then add grilled veggies. Allow to cook together for about 10-15 minutes.

5. Next, turn up the heat on your stove to about Medium-High. Add Brandy and then stir. Allow mixture to cook for about 2 minutes; then add Sherry and Mexican hot style tomato sauce. Stir. Next, add Chardonnay and bottle of beer. Stir. Continue to cook this mixture uncovered and semi-frequently stirring for 15 minutes.

6. Add lime juice and zest; then stir. Next, add cubed tri-tip, chicken stock, beef stock, and another teaspoon of Santa Fe Dry Rub. Allow soup to cook, covered and over medium heat, for 20 minutes.

7. Add Spicy Cilantro Sauce and a teaspoon of ground cumin. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes; then add black beans.

8. Continue cooking soup for about 1 hour to allow flavors to combine and become amazing.

Just before serving, stir chopped cilantro into the soup (reserving 1-2 tablespoons for garnish). Top each serving with queso fresco crumbles and remaining chopped cilantro. You should serve this soup warm.

Spicy Cilantro Sauce
Not only is this sauce great in this soup, it is also delicious as a topping on any meat. We keep it pre-made in a jar in our fridge and use it regularly (it will last in the refrigerator for about 1 to 1 ½ weeks)

Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh cilantro
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 jalapeño, roasted
3 tablespoons walnuts, roasted and roughly chopped
3 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
½ cup lime juice, or to taste
8 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, or to taste
½ teaspoon sugar

Directions:
1. Puree all the ingredients in a food processor or blender until a paste or sauce is formed.

2. Adjust the amount of olive oil you use depending upon the consistency that you desire.

3. Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper or lime juice if needed.

Santa Fe Dry Rub
We like to use this dry rub when we bbq because it has no salt in it! It also makes a great seasoning for this soup, quesadillas, sandwiches, scrambled eggs, etc. We keep it in a shaker in our cupboard and use it frequently. The mix will last for about 3 months in an air-tight container. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon crushed dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Combine in a coffee or spice grinder. Blend until well mixed.