If you can't stand leftovers or eating the same thing (or something similar) a few times a week, and you have plenty of money to just let that go, then skip this post. If, on the other hand, you either don't mind the aforementioned OR you simply don't have enough grocery money to entertain your every whim, then I am writing this for you. Because, my friend, simple soup is one of some very important arsenal that you can use to stretch those grocery dollars further and further. We've talked about some of the other ways before.
So how is this? Well, if you throw on a big ol' pot of "simple soup" on a Sunday, eat a bowl of it for lunch with a crust of bread, then you still have plenty left to eat two or three or even more meals later in the week. For one, time is money, so cutting back on planning time, buying time, and cooking time is a good thing. But more to the point, it's just cheaper to make a big amount (the cost-effectiveness of mass production we are not going to discuss at this moment, it is well known) of a cost-effective thing (the cost-effectiveness of soup we are not going to further discuss at this moment; it is well known) and then supplement it with just a little bit of this and a little bit of that to round out your meals and give you a bit of fun.
The idea of eating the same soup over and over wig you out? It's not quite as terrible as it sounds (although, for some of us, times are desperate enough to warrant it) since it is super easy to make soup seem different every day of the week. Let's face it: people all over the world eat the same thing day after day after week after month after year. The key for us persnickety Americans is to do it different every time. Par example:
(Assume that I am referring here to soup which you have reheated on the stovetop and with only the amount of soup you need for the present meal.)
-Add grain to a simple soup. Cook ahead rice, pasta, or any other grain (couscous? quinoa?) and stir it in once you have re-heated the soup. You can also add the dry pasta right to the soup and time it. This also works to serve the soup over a grain, in some instances.
-Puree your soup.
-"Cream" your soup by adding cream, milk, or sour cream.
-When soup is already hot, pep it up with butter, fresh herbs, salt (always), and/or an acid, like vinegar, wine, or a squeeze of citrus.
-Serve gratineed; topped with bread or croutons and cheese and broiled until melted.
-Serve with an entree of an appropriate, roasted or sauteed meat.
-Serve with bread, toast, croutons, crostini.
-Serve with appropriate pickles and olives.
-Top with a dollop of sour cream, yogurt, pesto, or combined butter... or whatever seems right.
-Top with shredded cheese and watch it melt.
I will now share with you the soup recipe that I used today, taken mostly from Julia Childs. Still piping in the stock pot, we had lunch with a spread of olives and pickles and buttered, crunchy French bread. I can still get two more meals from it. The first will be pepped up with lemon and salt and warmed with small pasta. The second will be pureed and creamed. Minimal time in the kitchen, and savings in my pocketbook.
(For more soups to start with, Google lentil soups, see Mastering the Art of French Cooking's Potato Leek, or reference the soup section of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone...)
French Ham and Cabbage Soup
-In a large soup pan or stock pot, bring 3 1/3 quarts of water to boil with 3-4 cups peeled, quartered, boiling potatoes and 1 1/2 pounds ham, diced roughly.
-Start chopping and adding to the pot: 3 quarts rough-sliced cabbage, 2 medium, diced onions, 4-6 peeled, quartered carrots, 4 peeled, quartered turnips, 2-3 sliced celery stalks, generous crushed pepper, 6 chopped parsley sprigs, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon marjoram, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 2 cloves, 4 cloves pressed garlic, and generous salt.
-Cover partially and reduce heat. Simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours.
-Add a can or two of white beans if using*, about 15 minutes before done.
-Taste for seasoning. Eat. If you get the bay leaf or clove, just do as the Irish do and claim longevity, wealth, or a year of good luck.
-Now for the future servings. The first time, you can go with toasted French bread, optional butter, or a tray of pickles and olives. Switch to the other option the next day. Later, stir is some pasta (like orreciete) and sprinkle with parmesan. This soup would also be great topped with croutons and grueyerre and broiled until cheese melts, or pureed and laced with cream, finished with butter. So five meals later, move on to your next pot of soup.
*Remember, beans don't keep very long in the fridge, so either freeze portions, or eat within a few days.
So how is this? Well, if you throw on a big ol' pot of "simple soup" on a Sunday, eat a bowl of it for lunch with a crust of bread, then you still have plenty left to eat two or three or even more meals later in the week. For one, time is money, so cutting back on planning time, buying time, and cooking time is a good thing. But more to the point, it's just cheaper to make a big amount (the cost-effectiveness of mass production we are not going to discuss at this moment, it is well known) of a cost-effective thing (the cost-effectiveness of soup we are not going to further discuss at this moment; it is well known) and then supplement it with just a little bit of this and a little bit of that to round out your meals and give you a bit of fun.
The idea of eating the same soup over and over wig you out? It's not quite as terrible as it sounds (although, for some of us, times are desperate enough to warrant it) since it is super easy to make soup seem different every day of the week. Let's face it: people all over the world eat the same thing day after day after week after month after year. The key for us persnickety Americans is to do it different every time. Par example:
(Assume that I am referring here to soup which you have reheated on the stovetop and with only the amount of soup you need for the present meal.)
-Add grain to a simple soup. Cook ahead rice, pasta, or any other grain (couscous? quinoa?) and stir it in once you have re-heated the soup. You can also add the dry pasta right to the soup and time it. This also works to serve the soup over a grain, in some instances.
-Puree your soup.
-"Cream" your soup by adding cream, milk, or sour cream.
-When soup is already hot, pep it up with butter, fresh herbs, salt (always), and/or an acid, like vinegar, wine, or a squeeze of citrus.
-Serve gratineed; topped with bread or croutons and cheese and broiled until melted.
-Serve with an entree of an appropriate, roasted or sauteed meat.
-Serve with bread, toast, croutons, crostini.
-Serve with appropriate pickles and olives.
-Top with a dollop of sour cream, yogurt, pesto, or combined butter... or whatever seems right.
-Top with shredded cheese and watch it melt.
I will now share with you the soup recipe that I used today, taken mostly from Julia Childs. Still piping in the stock pot, we had lunch with a spread of olives and pickles and buttered, crunchy French bread. I can still get two more meals from it. The first will be pepped up with lemon and salt and warmed with small pasta. The second will be pureed and creamed. Minimal time in the kitchen, and savings in my pocketbook.
(For more soups to start with, Google lentil soups, see Mastering the Art of French Cooking's Potato Leek, or reference the soup section of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone...)
French Ham and Cabbage Soup
-In a large soup pan or stock pot, bring 3 1/3 quarts of water to boil with 3-4 cups peeled, quartered, boiling potatoes and 1 1/2 pounds ham, diced roughly.
-Start chopping and adding to the pot: 3 quarts rough-sliced cabbage, 2 medium, diced onions, 4-6 peeled, quartered carrots, 4 peeled, quartered turnips, 2-3 sliced celery stalks, generous crushed pepper, 6 chopped parsley sprigs, 1 bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon marjoram, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 2 cloves, 4 cloves pressed garlic, and generous salt.
-Cover partially and reduce heat. Simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours.
-Add a can or two of white beans if using*, about 15 minutes before done.
-Taste for seasoning. Eat. If you get the bay leaf or clove, just do as the Irish do and claim longevity, wealth, or a year of good luck.
-Now for the future servings. The first time, you can go with toasted French bread, optional butter, or a tray of pickles and olives. Switch to the other option the next day. Later, stir is some pasta (like orreciete) and sprinkle with parmesan. This soup would also be great topped with croutons and grueyerre and broiled until cheese melts, or pureed and laced with cream, finished with butter. So five meals later, move on to your next pot of soup.
*Remember, beans don't keep very long in the fridge, so either freeze portions, or eat within a few days.
Here's a thought... When I cook the chicken for Daisy, I cook it by itself, then add the broth to the vegetables and cook them. If it looks like I have more broth than I need, I save some for a mexican chicken soup or a chicken noodle soup later, maybe even pulling aside a half of the breast. If you made the ham without the cabbage, you could divide the broth and the ham into two or three containers, cook the cabbage in one, and something else in the others...
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