This is an updated version of the Irish vegetable soup recipe first posted in 2012.
St. Patrick’s Day is coming. It’s the one day a year when all of us Americans show our Irish pride, claim to be Irish, and drink ourselves stupid. We all also eat a boat load of corned beef & cabbage, because, you know, that’s all they eat over their really. Or so we all seem to think.
What I’m getting at is that I hope you don’t mind that I do this sometimes. You know, bombard you with 3 or 4 recipes in one post. This is how we eat, what we eat all together I thought it might be helpful for people trying to come up with dinner menus, weeknight meals and other combinations. Plus I also get really excited about some of these recipes and combos and want to share them all at once.
This collection of recipes seems a little off at first glance but I’m telling you all the pieces fall nicely into place. The croquettes were developed out of necessity I have an abundance of leftover chicken, and we are kind of getting sick of chicken soup these days. My step mom Miss Amy has made these same croquettes before with turkey so I figured the same could be done with chicken. Now what do you serve with such a thing?
Squash soup of course! Chuck just really wanted it, and I really wanted Maple Walnut Salad Dressing, which goes so well with the smoked cheddar and apples, so let put it all together. What goes better together than soup and salad anyway?
The croquettes need liquid, whether it be gravy, salad dressing or some other kind of sauce it‘s definitely required because they are kid of dry
without it. They are a pretty blank canvas which I like because I wanted to taste more of the dressing; however you can jazz them up by adding some chopped up veggies or spices to the mix.
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl or jar, then whisk or shake well to combine.
I’m really into simple lately.
It’s a new year so reflection, change, and all that. It’s just in the air right now, and I am soaking it in. All month I’ve been sharing a few of my favorite simple recipes, things that are simple, and good for both your body and your soul. This is another one of those recipes.
There is something about garlic that I simply cannot get enough of. I go through heads and heads of it weekly. I would take stock in it if there were such a thing, and I would be paying myself. Chuck and I have been known to roast a head of it just for eating, and I find so much pleasure in browning it in a pan. It is the best prize to find that wonderfully brown slightly crisp little clove hiding in the bottom of a soup or pasta dish for us. When I found this recipe I was in a state of shock. Why had I not made this already? How had I not thought of it or even heard of such a thing? I felt robbed, and proceeded to go home and make it without hesitation.
Though the ingredients are few the flavors in this dish are huge. There is depth and complexity here where with such a simple preparation you would not expect. With some good crusty bread toasted well to dip with it is pure unadulterated heaven and something that must be recreated as often as possible.
2 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp flour
4-5 cups vegetable stock
Salt & pepper to taste
2 additional cloves of garlic, sliced thin
2 eggs, whites and yolks separated
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
Chuck, my dad, work folk, and even I’m fighting off something.
When I am stressed or sick I almost always crave a blanket, my slippers and soup. I love soup so much. The only problem is that I rarely feel like making soup when I’m stressed or sick, and canned soup is not an option. Call me a snob if you want, but I firmly believe that real homemade soup is better by a LONG shot. The flavor, the health benefits, and the love. Oh the Love. How can you make soup and not put some love in it? I don’t think it’s possible. Maybe that’s why I like it so much.
One of the things I remember most is the minestrone. I swear Nona made it every. Single. Night. I mean she made it from scratch every night, not just made a bunch and served it all week. She said it tasted better that way, because that how it was supposed to be made. I learned how to make it from watching her, and her deft hands as they chopped, tossed, and stirred. It was so good, and filled with love; the perfect thing to pull me out of my funk, and nurture poor Chuck.
If I was ever on The Best Thing I Ever Ate: Cream of Soups, I would have to say that The House of Pizza in Gloversville, NY would take the cake. It’s a simple little place with a drive through take out window, owned by a delightful Greek family that also gave me the inspiration for my Perfect Broiled Haddock. They must just have the magic touch because for such a simple little place everything is so very good.
Now this wonderful soup I got it after the exclamations from a coworker, and she was on her mark. It was delightfully creamy, without feeling to heavy, perfectly seasoned, and green! Yes the soup is green because its packed with spinach, I’m sure the original recipe that I could not get is probably a little less healthy than mine, but I went with my gut, and made a pretty darn good soup if I do say so myself, that may not be completely clean, but is still a powerhouse of healthy.
One of the keys to making it rice and creamy is cooking the rice in the soup and stirring it alot, to make it startchy, similar to a risotto. The pureed spinach also helps to thicken it up, so you dont need to add alot of flower and cream. Also if left overnight it thickens up, and gets even more flavorful, so don’t be shy about cooking this ahead of time.