MARCH IS SOUP TIME

March is such an ‘iffy’ month. It comes in like a lion, but doesn’t always leave like a lamb. It can be cold, windy and wet, which is frustrating when people are eagerly looking for signs of spring, as shown by their changing food choices. Large roasts, bracing stews and spiced desserts have lost their appeal. People crave lighter, more easily digestible meals, with spring vegetables, if not fresh, then frozen. They want ‘seasonal’, even if Mother Nature is late on delivering locally and, with an eye on summer ahead, ‘less fattening’.  

A tall order for the family weekly menu planner, especially if it’s still cold outside.  My solution would be soup; one of the largest recipe categories in any cuisine, encompassing traditional and classic to new and innovative. Soups, and sometimes a single one, can be served hot or cold. Soup recipes are easy to make in quantity, covering multiple meals, with no extra effort  and keep well, allowing flavors to meld. Many freeze beautifully. 

Perhaps the biggest advantage to serving soup is that, basically nutritious in itself, it welcomes the addition of a salad and/or bread product to increase its value or make it more filling as a full meal .I’ve written several posts on side salads and bread products accessible through the site’s Archives or Home Page panorama. Asa start, for suggestions, see  Soup and Salad   Jan.3, 2014, Colorful Salads Dec. 22, 2016, Fruit Salads  Dec. 26, 2024,  Greens June 1, 2017, Dressings July 29, 2015,  ., Muffins and Rolls, next week  Mar.20,2025, and  Jan. 14, 2014 Using Frozen Bread Dough May 26, 2015,  and Biscuits Mar. 14,2019.

Below are 9 soup recipes to help you plan menus during the early spring.

RECIPES

Half Moon Spinach, Rice Soup:  Serves 4
(1) 8 oz. box Jambalaya or Creole rice mix
10 oz. package frozen spinach
2cups chicken broth
2 Tbs. Soy sauce
2 Tbs. Teriyaki sauce
1 clove garlic-chopped
Grated Parmesan
Make rice according to box directions and keep warm. Thaw spinach in hot broth for 5 min. then add sauces, garlic, ham and heat through. Filling one soup bowl at a time, spoon rice into ½ the bowl, Using a slotted spoon, fill other half of bowl with solids of spinach mixture. Gently pour spinach broth over all and garnish with Parmesan. Serve immediately.

 Lilly’s Chicken Noodle Soup: Serves 4

2 chicken thighs-with bones and skin

2 quarts chicken stock

(1) 10 ½ oz. can condensed chicken broth

1 bunch fresh parsley hopped or 3 Tbs. parsley flakes

Fine egg noodles-about ½ a bag
Salt as needed

Boil the chicken in the stock about 20 min, until tender.  Discard skin and bones and dice chicken for soup. Return meat to pot with stock, add broth and parsley and bring to a simmer. Add the noodles by hand, crushing each fist full as you go. Cook noodles for maximum directed time, lower heat and cook that amount of time again. Taste for salt and serve hot.

Quick Mexican Tortilla Soup: Serves 4-6

1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey

1 qt. chicken broth

(1) 3 oz. can chopped mild green chilies

2 medium onions –halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

12 corn tortillas cut in strips

1 cup grated Monterey Jack or< optionally, Pepper Jack cheese

In preheated 350 deg. oven, bake tortilla strips on a cookie sheet until crisp-bout 5 mins.

In a stockpot, over medium heat, fry bacon and onion until bacon is crisp and onion is soft. Add meat, chilies and stock and stir to incorporate while heating through. When very hot, ladle into bowls, top with tortilla strips and garnish with cheese. Serve at once.

Nana’s Pennsylvania Dutch Vegetable Soup: Serves 4-6 —NOTE: The standard version of this soup for the serving amount calls for about 1 ½ lb. cubed beef to be boiled for about 2 hrs. with a couple of marrow bones, in water to cover as well as using fresh vegetables.  For economy and efficiency, I use 2 quart containers beef broth and 2 1lb. bags frozen mixed vegetables for the peas, carrots, corn, beans and limas. To save money, pork can be substituted for half the beef. Original ingredient amounts given here.
1 ½ lb. cubed, lean meat
2 qt. beef broth
1 ½ cups  peas- frozen is fine
3 large raw carrots sliced
2 medium onions—halved, then quartered
2 ribs celery sliced
3 medium potatoes, skins on-diced or (1) 15 oz. can small, whole potatoes quartered –with liquid 
1 cup cut green beans-frozen is fine
1 cup corn-frozen is fine
(1) 15 oz. can lima beans -juice included
(1) 28 oz. can whole tomatoes-undrained
½ bag of frozen okra-sliced
2 envelopes beef bouillon
Marjoram, rosemary, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper to taste
@ 1 cup instant oatmeal
Simmer the meat in the broth until tender, about 1 hr. Add the carrot, celery, onions, potatoes at 3 minute interval, in that order. Add the other vegetables, tomatoes herbs and cook about 8-10 min. Add the bouillon, allow to dissolve and then add half the  oatmeal. Cook until soup has a stew-like consistency, adding more oatmeal if needed. Adjust seasonings, adding salt if needed. This soup is better the next day….

Red Cabbage Soup: Serves 6

4 cloves garlic minced

2 red onions thinly sliced

1 quart beef stock

1 ¾ -2 lb. lean pork –or beef-diced for soup-leftover roast works

½ head of green cabbage-shredded

3 cups Burgundy

(1) 14 oz. can diced tomatoes with juice

8 oz. tomato sauce

1 medium red cabbage shredded

¼ cup red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

½ tsp. dried marjoram

Sliced mushrooms for garnish-optional

Place first 8 ingredients in a deep pot, bring to a boil and simmer, partially covered for 1 hr. (1 ½ hr. if using raw meat) Add rest of the ingredients and simmer an additional hour, until cabbage is tender. Serve hot garnished with mushrooms.

 Fast Salmon Chowder: Serves 6

2 tsp. oil

2 lb. skinless salmon fillets-packaged frozen is fine. Lightly poached in oil and 1 inch water, reserved

2 cans condensed tomato soup

2 cups milk

(1) 16 oz. can cream style corn

¼ tsp. EACH curry powder and ginger

1 lime sliced

Cut cooked salmon fillets in half lengthwise and gently shred meat into soup size pieces, Combine salmon, reserved liquid and all the other ingredients but the lime, in a deep pot. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth and heated through. Serve at once with sliced lime.

Pea Soup with Floating Salmon: Serves 4 – A good choice summer or winter- A winter option is to use a bag of dried spit peas in place of the frozen ones.

1 Tbs. butter

1 Tbs. oil

1 medium onion, chopped 

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp. parsley flakes

2 lb. frozen green peas

(2) 14 oz. cans chicken or vegetable broth

½ cup water

1/2 cup half and half

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch dried dill weed or dab sour cream per portion for optional garnish

Melt butter in oil over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 6 min. Add garlic and parsley; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 10 sec. Stir in peas. Add water and broth; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until very tender, about 3 min. Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth. Stir in half-and-half, salt and pepper.

Note: Can be made ahead. Cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

SALMON

Poach, or bake (at 350 deg. for 18-20 min. in 1 Tbs. oil and 1 Tbs. lemon juice-total) 4 skinless salmon fillets-frozen packaged is fine- or 1 per serving. Chill if soup is served cold, otherwise serve at once garnished as desired.

Bookbinder Soup: Serves 6 – This soup was a famed Philadelphia institution for over 100 years

3 Tbs. butter

1 large onion –thinly sliced

1 green pepper –diced

3 stalks sliced celery

2 tomatoes peeled and chopped

1 quart fish stock=1/2 clam juice will do

1lb. red snapper fillets cut in 1 inch strips-alternately use sea bass or tilapia

1 ½ cups tomato sauce

1 cup sherry

Buttered croutons

Melt butter in a large stockpot and sauté onion, pepper and celery until tender. Add tomatoes and fish and cook, stirring, 3-4 min. Add stock and tomato sauce, bring to a boil, reduce heat and add sherry. Simmer 4-5 min. and serve hot with croutons.

Shrimp Bisque: Serves 6

1 ½ lb. raw shrimp, shelled and deveined

5 Tbs. butter

1 small onion-minced

1 stalk celery sliced

1 carrot sliced

3 cups chicken or vegetable stock

¼ tsp. dried thyme

1 cup heavy cream

4 Tbs. dry sherry

Unsweetened whipped cream –optional garnish

Chopped chives-optional garnish

Chop shrimp. Melt butter and sauté vegetables until tender, Add shrimp and cook 5 min. stirring constantly. Add stock and thyme, partially cover and simmer, partially covered 30 min. Puree soup until smooth. Add cream and sherry and gently reheat. Serve hot with optional garnishes.