Fabulous Winter Soups To Warm You Up

There is nothing quite like home-made soup to help warm you up. Many of our soup recipes begin with a good basic stock.  Stocks form the backbone for most soups and sauces. A good stock is the difference between an ordinary soup and a fabulous soup. Today you can get pretty decent stock from the grocery store, but home-made is always preferrable. Commercial stocks are sometimes high in sodium and MSG, read the label. Below are the four basic stocks, beef, chicken, vegetable and fish. These stocks can be frozen until ready to use. Read More for easy stock recipes

Beef Stock

Preheat oven to 415F (210C). Place bones in a baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, turning occassionally. Add tje carrot and onion and cook for an additional 20 minutes.  Allow to cool.

Put the bones, carrot and onion in a large heavy pan (I like my enameled cast iron pot) Drain the excess fat from the baking dish and pour 1 cup (250ml) of water into the dish. Stir to dissove the pan juices and little bits. Add to the beef mixture in the pan.

Add tomato paste ,celery and 10 cups (2.5 liters) of water. Bring to a boil. Skim the foam off the top as needed. Add the bouquet garni and peppercorns. Reduce heat and simmer 4 hours. Occasionally skim the foam off the top and give it a little stir.

Discard the bones and veggies. Ladle the stock in little batches into a fine sieve over a bowl. Press the solids down with the back of the ladle to get all the liquid out. Set the stock aside to cool. Refrigerate until cold and spoon off any fat that has risen to the top. Use within 48 hours or freeze for up to 6 months.

Chicken Stock

Put the chicken bones, onion, carrots, celery and 14 cups of water in a large heavy pan. Bring to a slow boil. Skim the foam off the top as needed. Add the bouquet garni and peppercorns. Reduce heat and simmer 3 hours. Occasionally skim the foam off the top and give it a little stir.

Discard the bones and veggies. Ladle the stock in little batches into a fine sieve over a bowl. Press the solids down with the back of the ladle to get all the liquid out.

Set the stock aside to cool. Refrigerate until cold and spoon off any fat that has risen to the top. Use within 48 hours or freeze for up to 6 months.

Fish Stock

Place the fish bones, celery, onion, carrot and leek and 8 cups (2 litres) of water in a large heavy pan. Bring to a slow boil. Skim the foam off the top as needed. Add the bouquet garni and peppercorns. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Occasionally skim the foam off the top and give it a little stir.

Discard the bones. Label the stock in little batches into a fine sieve lined with cheesecloth over a bowl. To keep the stock clear, do not press the solids. Just allow the stock to strain.

Set the stock aside to cool. Refrigerate until cold and spoon off any fat that has risen to the top. Use within 48 hours or freeze for up to 6 months.

Vegetable Stock

Heat the oil in a large heavy pan.  Add onion, leeks, carrot, parsnips and celery. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.  Add 12 cups (3 litres) of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer.  Add garlic, bouquet garni and peppercorns.  Simmer for 1 hour, skim as needed.

Discard the veggies. Ladle the stock in little batches into a fine sieve over a bowl. Press the solids down with the back of the ladle to get all the liquid out. Set the stock aside to cool. Refrigerate until cold and spoon off any fat that has risen to the top. Use within 48 hours or freeze for up to 6 months.

Enjoy,

Liz Barna

For more information on soups and stews we recommend this cookbook.

All About Soups & Stews upholds that standard. While keeping the conversational and instructional manner of the flagship book, All About Soups & Stews is organized into ten chapters that cover stocks and broths, chowders, fish and seafood soups and stews, fruit soups, and more. This book incorporates more than 130 of Joy's best-loved recipes -- Chicken Stock to Irish Stew to Melon Soup. You'll also find recipes for a dozen or more condiments and quick breads, as well as techniques for straining and storing stock. Add to that more than 150 original photographs, specially commissioned for this volume, presented in the most easy-to-use design imaginable. Purchase today at RecipeDirect.Net's Amazon Store.