Creamless creamy soups
Nothing kicks off a perfect winter supper like a cup of steaming hot, flavourful, creamy soup. Working on the assumptions that I’m not the one trying to shed holiday pounds, and as the days get longer everyone wants to spend less of them in the kitchen, I’m offering up two delectable, guilt-free recipes.
Creamy Mushroom Soup
Don’t even try to compare this to the gluey, salty version that comes in a can. You need a little more time and more tools than a can opener but the result is worth it.
Ingredients are scarce so you have to make the most of each one. The key to developing maximum flavor is browning the mushrooms and the onion mixture, so don’t shortcut those steps.
Dairy is not necessary and rice is the thickener, so this soup is both vegan and gluten free. Serve with crisp croutons or garlic toasts, or a green salad if you’re being really good, to about 8.
6 cups fresh sliced mushrooms, preferably mixed varieties
½ tsp. each salt
1 tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
¼ cup rice, preferably short grain but long grain is fine 2 fresh or 3 dried bay leaves 1 large bunch parsley, stems and leaves divided
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup dry sherry, optional In a large heavy bottomed pot, fry mushrooms and salt in half the olive oil over medium heat until thoroughly browned, stirring often. The mushrooms will release quite a lot of moisture. Allow it to cook off and they will start to sizzle again. Be patient. Remove and set aside.
Add remaining olive oil to pot and fry onion over low heat until golden brown. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add broth, rice, bay leaves and parsley stems and bring to a boil.
Remove ½ cup of the cooked mushrooms. Set aside a few nice slices for garnish and coarsely chop the rest. Reserve both the garnishing slices and the chopped mushrooms for later. Add remaining cooked mushrooms to the pot.
Cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour. Fish out and discard the bay leaves and any stringy parsley stalks. Don’t worry if a few slender stalks are left behind. Cool about 15 minutes then puree in a blender or food processor or using a hand blender. I like this mixture to be quite smooth so you can’t tell
there is any rice in the soup.
Return to pot and add black pepper and sherry. Stir in chopped mushrooms. Chop and add the parsley leaves, setting aside a few for garnish. If mixture is too thick, add a little more broth or water and bring back up to serving temperature.
Serve in mugs or bowls with a few mushroom slices and parsley leaves on top.
Butternut Squash, Celery, Carrot and Ginger Soup
Count on these classic ingredients
to deliver a punch of flavour for a satisfying lunch or soup course.
This mixture is a little sweet and a little spicy, but you can adjust both by increasing or decreasing the amount of apple and jalapeno you use.
A small spoonful of plain yogurt enriches the soup for serving but without it this dish, like the last, is both vegan and gluten free. Also like the previous recipe, the key is caramelizing the ingredients.
Squash and apple have builtin thickeners so you need add nothing else to get that creamy consistency that makes this feel so rich without added fat and calories.
Serve 8 with this amount, but it freezes perfectly.
1 small butternut squash 1 tbsp. olive oil
4 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 medium carrots, washed, trimmed and quartered
1 large yellow onion, peeled and quartered
2 jalapeno peppers, halved, stems and seeds removed
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 apple, any variety you like, peeled and coarsely chopped
¼ cup grated or minced fresh gingerroot
½ tsp. each salt and white pepper
6 sprigs fresh thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out and discard the seeds and stringy bits. Rub the cut surfaces with a small bit of the olive oil and place, cut side up, on a foillined baking tray.
Toss celery, carrots, onion and jalapenos with remaining olive oil and spread around the squash on the baking tray.
Roast 1 hour at 375 degrees F. When the squash is cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out of the skin and put in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Scrape the rest of the roasted vegetables, along with any brown bits left behind on the foil, into the pot.
Add broth, apple, ginger, salt, pepper and thyme and bring to a boil. Simmer 30 minutes, until everything is tender. Add oregano and cook another few minutes. Fish out and discard the thyme stalks.
Puree the hot soup with a blender or food processor until it is as smooth as you like. I want a silky texture so I blend it completely and strained it through a fine sieve.
Return to pot and reheat. If you find it too thick add a little more broth or water. Serve in small mugs or bowls with a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves on top and a dollop of yogurt if you wish.