Easy Winter Comfort Soups

BEST DAIRY MUSHROOM SOUP

INGREDIENTS:

2 small onions diced

1 1/2 (6 ounces) stick butter

2 tsp lemon juice

2-3 10 oz box mushroom

2/3 cup flour

10 cups water

6 tsp pareve chicken soup mix

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 cups milk

DIRECTIONS:

Saut’e onions in butter, add juice

Add mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes

Add flour- mixing well

Add rest of ingredients except for milk

Cook for one hour then blend with hand blender

After blended, add milk and cook for 15 minutes

CREAMY CURRIED CAULIFLOWER LENTIL SOUP (1 POT!)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tsp avocado oil (or sub water for oil-free)
• 1 medium white or yellow onion
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced (optional)
• 1 ½ tsp minced fresh ginger
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-size pieces (~4 cups as original recipe is written)
• 2-3 tsp curry powder
• 1 pinch cayenne (optional)
• 4 cups vegetable broth (or sub chicken broth if not vegan or vegetarian)
• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1/2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
• 2 Tbsp coconut cream (or sub 1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk as the recipe is written // adjust amount if altering serving size)

DIRECTIONS

• Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, onion, carrots, and celery (optional) and sauté for 4-5 minutes — stirring occasionally. Then add ginger and garlic and sauté for 2-3 minutes more or until fragrant.
• Add cauliflower, curry powder, cayenne (optional), broth, lentils, and salt. Bring to a low boil over medium heat and then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until lentils and cauliflower are tender.
• Add coconut cream and blend with a blender until creamy and no bits remain.
• Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more curry powder for spice, cayenne for heat, or salt for overall flavor. Continue cooking for a few more minutes over medium heat.
• Serve as is or with garnish of choice fresh cilantro and an additional swirl of coconut milk). Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month.

Recipe from the Minimalist Baker

ASPARAGUS-PEA SOUP

INREDIENTS:

1 pound (450 grams) frozen asparagus

–1 large bay leaf

-black pepper, to taste

–2 tablespoons butter

-pinch cayenne pepper

–1 stalk celery, chopped (optional)

–1/4 cup half-and-half or cooking cream

–2–3 cloves garlic, chopped or 2-3 cubes Gefen Frozen Garlic

–1 teaspoon lemon juice

–1 tablespoon oil

–1 large onion, chopped, or leek equivalent

-large handful fresh parsley

–1 pound (450 grams) frozen peas

–1 teaspoon Kosher Salt 

–1–2 tablespoons pareve chicken soup mix, dissolved in some of the water

–1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

–5 cups water

–2 teaspoons Baron Herzog Chenin Blanc or other dry white wine, or to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oil and butter in a four to five-quart pot. Add onion and celery and sauté over medium heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and sauté an additional minute.

2. Add asparagus and peas and continue cooking for five more minutes. Add water, chicken soup mix, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and remove bay leaf.

3. Using a slotted spoon, remove about 2/3 cup asparagus and 1/4 cup peas from the pot and set them aside for the garnish. Puree soup with an immersion blender. Stir in cooking cream, wine, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Heat for one to two minutes just until all flavors are absorbed. Taste and adjust seasoning, if desired.

4. Add the reserved asparagus and peas and stir for one minute, or just add them as garnish when serving the soup.

Notes: For a pareve version, use all oil and pareve cooking cream or pareve whipping cream. For a fleishig version use all oil, four cups chicken soup + one and 1/4 cups water (no cooking cream or whipping cream). Add meat or soup bones when adding the liquid. Cook for at least half an hour instead of 20 minutes.

Editor’s Note: In order to properly inspect asparagus for any kind of infestation, the tips and triangular side leaves must be shaved off, which is why only those sold with a reliable hechsher (primarily) frozen are recommended for use.

Recipe from Kosher.com