Soup-er Bowl Recipes
Gearing up for your Super Bowl celebration? Don't forget the soup. Here are some savory one-pot wonders hearty enough to be served as the main entrée at your football fete from Chris Fennimore of "QED Cooks."
Hot Sausage Soup
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. Hot Italian sausage
1 large onion
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 28-ounce can water
4 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
bay leaf
2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans
1 bunch greens (escarole, mustard, kale, etc.)
Directions:
Over medium high heat, sauté the sausage in one-half cup water in a large sauce pot until the water dissolves and the sausage is browned on all sides. While they are frying, pierce the sausage in several places with a fork to release some of the fat. Remove the sausage and cut into one-half inch rounds. Chop the onion and peppers into one-half inch chunks and fry in the same pan until they are tender. Put the sausage rounds back in the pot and use a food mill to strain the crushed tomatoes into the pot. Add 1 can of water and the garlic cloves and bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Cook uncovered for about 1 1/2 hours. Add one can of the beans, drained and rinsed. Puree the other can of beans and add to the soup along with the greens, washed and chopped into bite-size pieces. Simmer for another 15 minutes until the greens are tender and serve with hunks of crusty bread. It's also nice to sprinkle each serving with a generous helping of grated Romano cheese.
Submitted by: Chris Fennimore, WQED
Buffalo Chicken Chili
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons cayenne pepper sauce (Red Devil, Franks, Texas Pete, etc.)
3 chicken cutlets
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
3 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup cayenne pepper sauce
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 can beer
2 cups cooked beans (cannellini, great northern, pinto)
Directions:
Marinate the chicken cutlets in 3 tablespoons of the hot sauce over night. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Cut the chicken into half-inch cubes and dredge in the flour. Saute them until golden brown in the butter. Add the celery and continue to simmer for 2 or 3 more minutes. Add the hot sauce, mayonnaise, beer and beans. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese.
Submitted by: Chris Fennimore
Butternut Squash Soup
Ingredients:
4 strips bacon
1 medium onion, diced
1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
4 cups chicken broth
salt and pepper
croutons
toasted hazelnuts
sour cream
Directions:
In a 3-quart saucepan fry the bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon and add the onion, stirring often until lightly browned. Add the diced squash and saute for about 10 more minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes until squash is very tender. Puree the soup in a food mill, blender or food processor. Return the soup to the pot and bring back to a simmer adding the crumbled bacon. Put about 2 cups into each soup bowl. Garnish with the croutons, put a dollop of sour cream in the center and top that with a sprinkling of chopped, toasted hazelnuts.
Submitted by: Chris Fennimore
Italian Wedding Soup
Ingredients:
Meatballs:
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground beef
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
parsley
oregano
basil
salt
pepper
Parmesan cheese
Soup:
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup boneless cooked chicken breast (baked or boiled), chopped into shreds
1/4 cup finely chopped carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 cups escarole, cooked and torn into small pieces
2 bay leaves
garlic powder
season blend
1/2 cup pastina or acini di pepe pasta
Directions:
Meatballs: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together, using the spices and cheese to taste. Form into small balls. Bake about 30 minutes, until the meatballs have browned but are still soft. Remove from oven and drain on paper towel.
Soup: Place all of the ingredients into the Crock-Pot with meatballs. Cook for several hours (all day). Serve with cheese.
Note: The meatballs must be prepared before being put into the Crock-Pot. Make them the night before and put them in the refrigerator, or even keep a batch in the freezer.
Submitted by: Nancy Polinsky, Squirrel Hill