An English lady of mature years resides by the coast in southern Spain. She has often visited this blog and left comments that reveal her genuine and thoughtful engagement. She is known widely as Coppa's Girl though her real name is Carol.
Anyway, just last week, she planted the seed of an idea in my mind when she justly derided my consumption of packeted instant "soup in a cup". Carol said she regularly makes a big pan of nutritious homemade soup which she stores in her fridge and consumes over several days. As you can tell, she is not just thoughtful but sensible too.
The seed was planted and like most seeds it grew. Yesterday, I roasted a chicken for our family Sunday dinner and instead of throwing the used carcass out on the back lawn for the foxes, I retained most of it for soup making. I didn't want to utilise the rather grim inner body cavity of the unfortunate bird so at least the foxes got that.
The rest of the body - legs, wings, skin and breast leftovers went into a big pan of seasoned boiling water. Then, after a few minutes, I added yesterday's leftover gravy, one large chopped carrot, a chopped onion, a handful of dried red lentils, chopped garlic, a bay leaf and a tablespoon of chicken seasoning.
I allowed it all to simmer for an hour before carefully removing bones, gristle and shreds of floating skin with the help of a sieve.. Then I added an "Oxo" cube and little pieces of broccoli as well as a handful of grated strong cheddar cheese.
Naturally, along the way, I kept tasting the soup before more salt and pepper was added.
At first, my concoction was watery so I mixed a little "Bisto" powder in cold water with some cornflour and poured that into the saucepan just to thicken the liquid slightly. I would have liked to use double cream but Shirley told me that that was fattening. Who knew?
And then the soup was done. I had a bowl for my lunch and it was most wholesome and delicious. There's half a gallon left in the saucepan. In Carol's honour I shall call my soup - Coppa's Soup which sounds, somewhat ironically, like Cup-a-Soup! Ah, well.
Simmering the broth for longer will concentrate the flavour and you can use the entire carcass to make the broth. The bones add nutrients. Then I strain the broth and add back in what I want.
ReplyDeleteWho says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?
Sit Pixie! Sit! ...Who's a good girl?
DeleteVery funny old man:)
DeleteYes, no commercial soup can match the taste of homemade!
ReplyDeleteSounds like an advertising strapline.
DeleteI made vegetable beef soup yesterday and it gets better every day! I love soup season.
ReplyDeleteI was so glad that Carol had nudged me like this. I will have soup again for my lunch tomorrow.
Delete* Bad Day at Black Rock - Spencer Tracy 1955. * YouTube.
ReplyDeleteFunny how you get things wrong. I could have sworn Tracy had soup.
Nope. Chilli. My Dad looked like Tracy and he liked every soup except mushroom.
Yet he liked mushrooms with his bacon and eggs and black pudding.
I was a bit surprised at your cup-o-soup, too.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter collects every bone and every vegetable scrap to make soup with. Its always good soup!
Like Carol, I also make soups in large pots but instead of keeping it in the fridge I portion it into containers in the freezer and it's easy to just get one out in the morning and have a lovely bowl of soup for dinner after heating it. And because I freeze, I don't feel I have to have the same soup every day until it is used up.
ReplyDeleteI love making soup but usually don't use meat, unless I make goulash. Yours sounds tasty. Another way to thicken a soup is to add a potato. Its starch does the trick, when boiled long enough, and if it's just the one, the soup won't taste of spuds.
ReplyDeleteJust be careful with all those added stock cubes and seasonings. Too much salt is not good for high blood pressure.
ReplyDeleteYes, cup of soup with a northern accent, coppa soup.
ReplyDeleteBlood pressure + salt = bad. Wean yourself off salt. I did many years ago with both added sugar and added salt.
Well done YP, I'm so glad you took my advice! You really can't beat home-made soup and yours looks delicious. Not being a great meat-eater I normally stick to veggie soups, which I count towards my five a day.
ReplyDeleteJaycee is right to caution you on the over-use of stock cubes and seasonings - they aren't good for your high blood pressure. I usually add a small amount of cumin, which is a healthy spice, but tends to give the soups a yellowish tinge.
I'm off now to make another batch of veggie soup!
Instead of Oxo- or other cubes try lovage, It has a lovely strong flavour.
ReplyDeleteIt is soup and stew season. Soup is easy to make and oh so good on a cold day.
ReplyDeleteI often make soup for our suppers. Canned and dried beans add a lot of fiber and nutrition. The more vegetables the better! Cabbage and greens of all kinds are good. Celery and of course carrots and onions, just as you did. I am quite certain that Bosch has many, many good and nutirtious soup recipes!
ReplyDeleteSoup is one of my favorite things to make and really is so easy.
ReplyDeletePlus, it tastes better every day after you make it.
Definitely lay off the cream!! Your soup above looks very appetising. Whenever I buy a chicken to roast (which is rare these days as I can never get through a whole one all on my own) I always boil up the carcass and either freeze the stock or use it straight away for soup. You can add whatever you like to give it bulk and by and large it is a very healthy option.
ReplyDeleteSoup tastes better after a couple days after all the flavors have had time to blend. Such a winter comfort food.
ReplyDeleteI make soup all of the time. Just last night I made homemade tomato soup. It takes a bit of time, but it is worth the effort.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your first attempt. Man, everyone seems to have some healthful advice, don't they? Must be trying to keep you alive!
ReplyDeleteYour soup looks great!
ReplyDeleteI'm interested to know that you leave chicken out on the lawn for the foxes. I remember you feeding Fred but didn't realize you'd continued with others. do that very rarely and I've often wondered whether it's really good for them. Maybe it makes the foxes too trustworthy, or maybe human food is too fatty or salty? But then again, they eat garbage! How bad could it be? I'll probably keep slipping them treats now and then.