Soupâ€™s Up

Recipes

Written by Elke Probkevitz

Thursday, 21 October 2010 11:57

Lamb, Beef, And Vegetable Soup With Noodles

When the weather begins to get chilly, there is something about a bowl of steaming hot soup that warms and comforts you from the inside out. Such a versatile dish with so many options and combinations to choose from, a good bowl of soup can be a great starter or a meal in itself.

Eating soup at the beginning of a meal can be an excellent way to help you save calories. It will fill you up so you eat less during the main course and you can load it up with endless healthy ingredients. Especially for the pickiest of eaters, throwing in an array of healthy vegetables, herbs, and proteins that your child might not eat otherwise will help you sneak some nutrition into their diet. You can puree the soup so the vegetables are unrecognizable, or even serve just the broth if a child refuses to eat their vegetables. By simmering for an extended period of time, all those great nutrients will be infused into the broth, even more so than the vegetables that have been cooking in it.

Aside from these benefits, a good soup will usually take very little effort to assemble. You can throw all the ingredients in a pot and leave it to simmer unattended, or take a little more time prepping the ingredients to impart a richer flavor. Here are some tips for making your soup even better:

SautÃ© or roast your ingredients first. Browning bones in the pot or oven and sautÃ©ing onions and other vegetables will give your soup an added depth of flavor. Although not necessary, it will noticeably enhance the flavors of your soups.

Using pre-made stocks and broths. You can basically make any type of soup by adding fresh vegetables and meats to store-bought stocks and broths. Using these products instead of water will give your soup a boost of flavor in a fraction of the time. Just make sure to use low-sodium broths so you donâ€™t over salt your soup. Add salt towards the end of cooking since a portion of the liquid will be evaporated and you might need less than you think. If the soup is too salty, you can add a peeled whole potato to absorb some of the salt, and then discard when finished cooking.

Make it a one-pot meal. To make a soup a complete meal in a bowl, add vegetables, protein, and carbs to fill you up. A vegetable soup can become more filling with shredded cooked chicken or beef, and/or pasta or rice. You can also top with toasted bread cubes and cheese or serve with a crusty bread to dip in.

Thicken soups by pureeing vegetables. Pureeing is not only for creamed soups. If you want to thicken any soup, remove some of the vegetables to a blender with a little of the broth and puree before adding it back to the soup. This is a lower-calorie alternative to making a roux, which consists of a fat combined with flour used as a base for thick, creamy soups.

Make your soup in advance. Some dishes are best eaten fresh and others are best made in advance. Making soup a day before you plan on serving it will give the ingredients a chance to meld together. The more times you reheat it, the stronger the flavors will be.

This soup was inspired by my husbandâ€™s grandmotherâ€™s cooking. It can definitely be a meal in itself and takes very little effort to make.

Lamb, Beef, And Vegetable Soup With Noodles

Ingredients:

2â€“3 Tbsp. canola oil
1 lb. meaty lamb bones
1 lb. beef stew, cut into cubes
2 large carrots, peeled and coarsely sliced
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 parsnip, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced into large pieces
1-lb. can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 large garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 bay leaf
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
8 cups beef broth
8-oz. can chickpeas, drained
2 cups cooked flat pasta
parsley for garnish, optional

Directions:

Heat oil in large pot on medium-high heat and brown bones and stew meat. Remove the bones and meat, and add carrots, onions, and parsnip to brown for 10 minutes.

Add potatoes and simmer for another five minutes. Add tomatoes and stir well, then add coriander, cumin, garlic, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Return meat to the pot and add stock and chickpeas. Stir well, then raise flame to bring soup to a boil. Cover and lower to a simmer; cook for 50 minutes. Serve with pasta and garnish with parsley.

Eating quality, delicious meals is easy when all the work is done for you. Hire a personal chef to prepare your dinners, Shabbos meals, or small parties. For more information, contact Take Home Chef personal chef services by calling 516-508-3663, writing to elke@TakeHomeChef.net, or visiting www.TakeHomeChef.net.