The Jewish Women’s Circle Piping Hot Soup Bar
To all of you who wanted the recipes for the soups served at the
“Parenting & Communication Workshop”, enjoy making these and think of the warm and caring atmosphere of our Jewish Women’s Circle as you sip your warm soup!
Happy Cooking!
Love, Chana
Creamy Tuscan White-Bean Soup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion
4 cloves fresh garlic, sliced
½ teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 (15 oz) cans small white beans or
Cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
6 cups water or chicken stock
2 teaspoons dry sherry or cooking sherry
fine sea salt
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) margarine or butter
fresh parsley or fresh chives chopped for garnish
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent and shiny, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add the coriander, cumin and cayenne pepper. Allow the spices to cook for 1 minute and begin to toast; they will be aromatic.
Add the beans, water or stock, sherry, and 2 teaspoons of salt.
Using an immersion blender right in the pot puree the soup until smooth. Cool the soup for 10 minutes longer to allow the flavors to develop. Whisk in the margarine or butter.
Taste and season with more salt if necessary. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with parsley or fresh chives.
Chana’s Note: For health purposes I left out the margarine/butter - and the taste was still wonderful! To add an even “whiter” look, I added some almond milk at the end – Soymilk would have the same effect.
Creamy Thai Sweet Potato Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 (40 oz) can sweet potatoes, drained
1 cup coconut milk, NOT cream of coconut
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1½ tablespoons teriyaki sauce
½ teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco
Juice of 1 lime
fine sea salt
Chive blossoms or whole cloves, for garnish
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes until shiny and translucent. If they start to brown, lower the heat.
Add the sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and stock. Bring to a simmer.
Using an immersion blender right in the pot, puree the soup until smooth. Mix in the teriyaki sauce, hot sauce, and limejuice. Add the salt to taste. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Ladle into bowls. Garnish each bowl with 2 chive blossoms, or chives
Chana’s note: The coconut milk was not included in the soup served at the Women’s Circle, however, it does add lovely flavor.
Hearty Lentil Barley Soup
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion
2 cloves fresh garlic, coarsely chopped
2 carrots cut into ¼ inch dice
2 stalks celery, cut into ¼ inch dice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (10 oz) box frozen chopped spinach
½ cup dried red lentils
½ cup dried green lentils
¼ cup dried pearl barley
8 cups chicken or vegetable
stock, plus more for thinning
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until shiny and translucent. If they begin to brown, reduce the heat.
Add the carrots, celery, oregano, basil, and thyme. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and frozen spinach. Stir, although the spinach will be in a solid block; it will defrost and separate as the soup cooks.
Add the red lentils, green lentils, and barley. Add stock.
Cover the pot and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes. Thin with extra stock as needed. If you have no more stock, you can use bouillon powder dissolved in water. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Ladle into bowls.
Chana’s note: I added fresh baby spinach when the soup was almost finished to add an extra “fresh” element. The soup tends to thicken overnight and may need additional water.