Crappy Soup
So I wasn’t gonna write about this not so delicious kale and white bean soup I made, but since I just got back from a weekend visiting my 21 year old sister in her mountainous college town, this soup will have to do, as I mostly just ate breakfast sandwiches while there. (I will also blame the lame title on my recent lack of sleep and any other mistakes in this post.)
Now, the soup isn’t bad enough to be featured on Friday Fuck Ups, but it just wasn’t that amazing either. I’m really blogging about it so I can hopefully have some soup pros tell me how I could have made this better.
It started by sauteing half a diced onion. When the onions were soft and translucent, I added in chicken broth, kale (red russian variety bought at the Mt. P farmers market – and don’t even get me started at how much I’m going to miss it when it closes this month), great northern beans and a few springs of dried thyme. And then added in salt and pepper and a few dashes of Maggi seasoning sauce. But I just didn’t love. While I was trying to figure out how to spruce it up, 80 called me during a break from class and suggested adding crema Mexicana (akin to creme fraiche.)
(first phase of soup)
With that new idea, I decided to pour about 1/3 to 1/2 of the soup into another bowl, added in cooked brown rice and a few spoonfuls of the cream and immersion blended the fucker. I then added it back to the rest of the soup and let it finish heating through. And then I tried it and added more salt and pepper. And then I tried it again and added more salt and pepper. And then I realized how late it was getting and decided I’d just eat it as is. It was fine. I had some for dinner, poured one portion into tupperware for lunch and threw the rest in the freezer to bring home to my mom over Thanksgiving. She loves all soups.
And I have to give this blog some credit. I’m sure her’s turned out much better.
OH MY GOD this reminds me. Last Thanksgiving my brother made an amazing soup – so amazing I cant remember if it was squash or pumpkin or tomato, but it was to diiiie.
Anyway, the consistency was so incredibly thick and creamy my entire family was raving and scared for our arteries – surely it must have been made up of pure lard and cream.
SECRET OF THE DAY: the consistency was made of RICE! He said his trick is to always grind down the rice for any of his thicker soups. You obviously can’t tell it’s rice bc it’s been made into such a fine consistency and takes on whatever flavors you’ve incorporated into the soup.
You’re welcome.
No way! Rice, that is crazy. gonna have to try this. anyone gots a recipe?
OMG, you just make me laugh so hard: “immersion blended the fucker.” The fact that you wouldn’t give up and you’re so intent on eating it must be a generational difference between us. I think my frustration would have take over and immersion blending of the fucker would have taken place in the garbage disposal. Don’t ever give up.
LOL -is it bad that I didn’t even think that “immersion blended the fucker” was a weird thing to say?
A few thoughts about making the soup tastier:
Sometimes a bit of spiciness adds a lot of flavor, as it “wakes up” the taste buds; so adding a roasted Anaheim or poblano pepper, or some pepper flakes could help.
Also, kale is a lot like spinach, so it might benefit from either marjoram or nutmeg.
Good luck!