The Southwest Voice

By: Betty Chicca

I like to think of my mom when it comes to making soup. I don’t think she ever followed a recipe when she made soup, she just made it up as she went along. Her soups were never the same, and never duplicated. She basically just checked what she had in the refrigerator or in the pantry and put her magic to work in her large stock pot.

On a brisk cool day, there is nothing like a nice bowl of piping hot soup to make you feel warm and cozy. Another good reason to turn to soup is when you are feeling sick and want some comfort food to take away the aches and pains.

Soup making is very simple. All you need is a large stock pot and a simple blend of soup liquids, along with your favorite meats, fresh vegetable, beans, pasta or rice. Using your own good taste and understanding what flavors mesh well together, you can even prepare a hearty soup that can be a meal.

Starting out with a rich homemade stock is the key to having a wonderfully flavored soup, but who has time to make homemade stock? I like using Swanson’s chicken broth for the base of all my soups. By the time you add all your ingredients to the pot and the flavors start to blend, I don’t think homemade broth is really missed.

Experiment with your soup recipes. You can always omit ingredients that you know are not the family’s favorites and substitute with other ingredients that will win your family over.

If the soup recipe makes a large quantity, just freeze it in containers for later use. Leftover soup is great for when the kids come home famished after school — it should be enough to hold them over until dinner time.

Tortilla Soup
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 4-ounce can chopped chilies
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 can beef broth
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cup tomato juice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons steak sauce (A1)
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tomato, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
• 6 corn tortillas
• 1 avocado, chopped
• Shredded jack and cheddar cheese

Saute onions, chilies and garlic in olive oil.  Add broths, juice, water, spices tomato and cilantro. Mix. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover pot and simmer for one hour. Meanwhile, cut tortillas into strips.

Heat oil and fry strips for one to two minutes in batches. Drain on paper towel. Lightly salt.

Right before serving, cube avocado and add to tortilla strips and grated cheese as garnish.

Zucchini Soup
This soup can be served warm or cold. For a unique presentation, serve this soup in martini glasses. Dip the rim of your martini glasses in lemon juice, then dip into chopped parsley. Garnish the soup with some chopped chives.

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 6 zucchini, sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 small yellow onion, sliced
• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened and cubed
• Salt and pepper

In a large stock pot, add chicken broth along with the zucchini, carrots and onion. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Blend soup in food processor in small batches at a time until it is smooth.

Return soup to pot and stir in the cheese, cook until the cheese has melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves six.



Minestrone Soup
As with many classic dishes, there is no set recipe for minestrone, and in Italy every region has its own version. You can play with this recipe and add  many vegetables of your choice. 

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 celery ribs, sliced thin
• 3 zucchini, sliced thin
• 3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 head of green cabbage, sliced very thin
• 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
• 1 14-ounce can white cannelloni beans
• 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon pesto (optional)
• 1 48-ounce can chicken broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

In large stock pot heat olive oil and sauté onion, garlic and celery until the onion is transparent. Add zucchini, potatoes, carrots and cabbage and continue sautéing, about 10 minutes. Add more oil if it tends to stick.

Add the rest of the rest of the ingredients as listed. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for one hour over medium heat, partially covered.

Add water if you feel it is too thick. I like to add some rice or  pasta shells to my soup and cook  for an additional 15 minutes, it makes your soup heartier and  more of a meal. When serving, sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serves eight.



Anderson’s Pea Soup
Anyone who has ever traveled on a long trip up I-5, has seen the billboards for Anderson’s Split Pea Soup Restaurant, featuring the cartoon chefs Hap-Pea and Pea-Wee trying to split a pea in half with a mallet and chisel. I am sure many of you have stopped for that split pea soup. Well, no need to travel any further than your closest market to pick up some green split peas. Here is the famous split pea recipe that you can make.

• 2 quarts water
• 2 cups of green split peas
• 1 branch celery, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredients to a stock pot. Boil vigorously for 20 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer for an hour or until the peas are tender. Puree and reheat to boiling point.  Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Remove bay leave. Serves eight.