January, known for its snowy days, is the perfect time of the year to celebrate one of most basic yet wonderful culinary creations: soup.
January is National Soup Month, time to fill a pot with whatever stray vegetables are hanging out in the crisper drawer or pantry, and add any last pieces of chicken, turkey, ham or other leftovers that might not otherwise have a use.
Soup, in all its various forms, is consumed worldwide, and I imagine it wasn’t too long after man discovered fire that soup was born.
Archaeologists believe our Neanderthal ancestors likely began boiling meat to render fat from animal bones, resulting in a meat broth that they would have drunk as soup.
Interestingly, the popularity of bone broth has surged over recent years because of its impressive nutritional benefits.
Celebrities, wellness coaches, food bloggers and others have been touting the anti-aging benefits and low-calorie nutrition found in bone-broth, which is a clear soup made from any animal bones with connective tissue and some meat.
The longer the bones are simmered, the greater the concentration of collagen in the broth. It’s an excellent way to extract any last bits of protein and nutrition from the parts of the animal you can’t eat.
Bone broth is so popular that there are a number of subscription services that will ship their own version of bone broth right to your front door.
Of course, it’s incredibly easy to make at home, too, which allows you to customize the flavor. The possibilities and combinations of ingredients you can use is only limited by your imagination and access to ingredients.
Once you’ve made (or purchased) some broth, you have a delicious foundation for a soup.
Bone broth makes a rich base for a variety of delicious soups.
Janine Lademan
Chicken Bone Broth
3 pounds of bones from roasted chicken
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 onion, peeled and cut into quarters
3 carrots, peeled and halved
2 ribs of celery, halved
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1 gallon (18 cups) water
Add the ingredients to a stock pot and add the water, then set over medium high heat and bring to a boil.
Set heat to low, cover and simmer for 4 to 5 hours. Remove the pot from the stove and allow the broth to rest overnight.
Return the pot to the stovetop, bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for an additional 4 hours, for a total of about 9 hours of simmering.
Pour the broth through a strainer and serve.
Chicken, Spinach and Black Forest Ham Soup with Beans
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 medium sweet onion, peeled and chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 cups Black Forest ham, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
8 cups chicken stock or bone broth
2 (14-ounce) cans white beans
10-ounce package frozen spinach
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Add the olive oil to a stock pot and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is warmed, add the garlic, onion, celery and ham. Sauté the mixture until the vegetables are softened and the ham begins to brown. Add the carrots, chicken stock, beans, salt, pepper, onion powder and Worcestershire sauce. Turn the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
2 cans red beans, such as Central American Reds, drained and rinsed
6 cups chicken bone broth or stock
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup Parmesan crisps, crushed, if desired for serving
Add the olive oil to a stock pot and set it over medium-high heat. When the oil is warmed, add the onion, garlic, celery and sausage, and sauté for 7 to 10 minutes or until the sausage is cooked throughout.
Add the carrots, kale, potatoes, beans, chicken broth, paprika, salt, pepper and garlic powder and bring the mixture to a boil. Then lower the heat to medium low.
Cover and simmer the soup for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and cooked throughout.
Top with Parmesan crisps before serving, if desired.
