A couple other soup ideas, just for grins and giggles, from one of my cookbooks, oh, and if a protein stock is specified in the recipe, sub it out with veggie, or mushroom stock/broth:
Havarti with Tomato, Tofu, & Herbs Soup
Ready to try something new? I thought so. I'm going to introduce you to an ingredient that you would normally wouldn't eat. But when you use it in this soup, you will have a new appreciation for it.
But before I tell you what it is, I'm going to tell you something about it. It's high in protein, vitamins, minerals, isoflavones, and a host of other nutrients. Though it isn't fat free, it is low fat. It tends to capture the flavor of ingredients used with it. It has a rather bland flavor of its own, but is great for thickening creamy soups and fruit smoothies.
What is this miracle ingredient? I'm glad you asked. It is Silken-Firm Tofu. Now before you move on to the next recipe, remember, tofu has very little flavor of its own. In this soup, it is used as a thickening agent. The cheese, herbs, spices, and tomato provide all the flavor this soup can handle. Try it. Taste it and make your own decision. You just might be surprised.
Ingredients:
1 cup Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, halved
1 cup Silken Firm Tofu
2 cups Chicken Stock or Broth
2 cloves Fresh Garlic, minced
2 tsp. Sweet Basil
1/8 tsp. Oregano
2 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Thyme
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
8 oz. Havarti Cheese, cubed into bite-size chunks
Heat the broth over a medium flame until simmering. Add the garlic herbs, and spices. Blend in the tofu with a wire whisk or immersion blender until smooth. Add the tomatoes and let simmer for 15 minutes.
When the soup is served, add the cheese cubes to the bowls.
Southwestern Tomato/Tortilla Soup (adapted from one of my cookbooks)
I am going to give you a list of ingredients that will go well in this soup, and let you decide which ones and how much of each ingredient to add. I'll also give you tips about how to add ingredients in a way that will almost guarantee success.
Ingredients:
#10 Can whole Tomatoes with juice
1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro
1/2 tsp. Pepper Sauce (Tabasco or Frank's)
3 Fresh, chopped Jalapeno Peppers (seeds and membranes removed)
1/2 cup Diced Bell Peppers (red, green, yellow, and orange)
2 tbs. Chili Powder
1 stalk Celery, sliced
1 Chopped Onion
2 Carrots, peeled and sliced
5 Fresh Corn Tortillas cut into 1 inch squares
2 Haas Avocados, cubed
1/2 cup Whole Kernel Corn
1 tsp. Salt
1 tbs. Pepper
1 tsp. Cumin
2 tsp. Paprika
3 cloves Minced Garlic
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Okra
1 cups dark red Kidney Beans
1 cup Pinto Beans
Chopped Spinach Leaves
Let's think about what this soup is supposed to do. It's supposed to refresh, and warm us, while at the same time, satisfy our taste buds. And remember, this soup is a great way to use up good vegetables from the garden.
Then there are other spices and herbs you can add, and other ingredients such as mushrooms, capers, olives, etc. All I can say is put together the various flavors in your mind. Try to imagine what each addition will add to the overall flavor. Then, add what you think will work. Season sparingly. You can always add more. But once its in, you can't get it out.
Enjoy.
For another option, change the above recipe by eliminating the corn tortillas, and making masa dough, as for tamales, and forming the dough into balls around a favorite cheese, then cooking the in the soup. It might be better to steam the tamale balls first, before adding to the soup.
Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
