Category: Splendid Soup

Simply Splendid Soup, nutritious and full of flavour

Garlic Soup -Dracula’s Kryptonite ❤️

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Garlic or Allium sativum, is part of the Alium family. Other family members are onions, leeks, shallots and chives. This creamy goodness soup DOES NOT TASTE GARLICK-Y! 💖

Heals Your Gut!

“Raw garlic is most beneficial, since heat and water inactivate sulfur enzymes, which can diminish garlic’s antibiotic effects.” published by Lee Holmes, Heal Your Gut

Hot, Garlic Soup

Garlic has great flavour and health benefits. Garlic is used for building the immune system, fighting colds and flu! The famous Louis Pasteur first discovered that garlic kills bacteria. As a topical, garlic mixed with jojoba oil (or mineral oil) is used as an ointment for itchy, dry skin.

Marchand Lamarre, Ontario Garlic Farmer

Ask The Expert

Marchand highly recommends treating your garlic as a garnish. Garlic should be peeled and minced gently. Allow 5-10 minutes for the sulphur compounds to oxidize, this is when Allicin is formed. Allicin contains all the therapeutic and health benefits of fresh garlic. Avoid putting garlic directly in hot oil, this will destroy the Allicin. Instead add the garlic later in the cooking process. The garlic flavours will be enhanced and Allicin will not be lost.

We are proud Ontario farmers located in Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton.

We specialize in growing more than 25 varieties of premium seed garlic. All of our garlic is planted and harvested by hand.  This quality control measure ensures only the best product is available for our customers.

To lean more about locally farmed garlic and buy online: please go to garlicloves.com

Three Most asked Questions: Why did you start Garlic farming? 
Ans:  Garlic is a hardy plant that can withstand a wide temperature range, poor soils, and minimal inputs.  I also consider it a plant with some of the greatest health benefits you can grow in Ontario.  When considering the multiplier effects of planting garlic,  It is possible to grow a lot of garlic in a short period of time (if you don't eat it all).  Garlic is also a staple within so many cultures, thus appealing to so many target markets.
Q2: When should you plant garlic?
Ans:  It is paramount to start growing garlic from a reliable source, disease free, clean seed stock.  Garlic is usually planted in the fall, near the end of October.  Each bulb is 'cracked' into individual cloves.   Cloves are planted 3-5 inches deep and about 8-10 inches apart.  Cover with mulch and leave in the ground over winter.  The plants will sprout early in the spring and harvest comes late in July when half of the plants leaves have turned brown. 
Q3 Where is the best place to store my garlic?
Ans:  Garlic should never be stored in the fridge. This will only encourage the cloves to sprout. I recommend a cold storage room if you have one, lots of air circulation, consistent temperatures around 5 to 10 degrees Celsius and low humidity around 34 to 42%. In the kitchen, we usually keep a two-week supply of bulbs on the counter out of direct sunlight.  Extra stock is kept in the cold cellar.
Recipe

Thirty-Clove Garlic Soup (Vegan, Paleo)

This healing and nutritious roasted garlic soup is full of anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and gut-loving properties.

Thirty-Clove Garlic Soup

  • Servings: 2-3
  • Difficulty: medium
  • Print

INGREDIENTS

  • 30 cloves of medium size garlic (3-5 garlic bulbs): whole, unpeeled, garlic heads)
  • 2 tbsp. coconut oil (ghee or unsalted butter)
  • one large onion -chopped
  • 1 1/2 litre (50 fl oz/ 6 cups) vegetable stock + 1/2 cup of water
  • 1 potato
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar ( or lemon juice)
  • 60 ml (3 fl oz/1/4 cup/ 4 tbsp.) coconut milk** (optional)
  • 1 tbsp wheat-free tamari
  • 1 tsp sea salt -with added iodine (thyroid protection)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 175 C / 345 F.
  2. Slice off the tip of each garlic bulb to expose the cloves Drizzle olive oil. Wrap in tin foil, place on baking tray cut side up for 35-40 minutes. Note -oven timing: Every oven is different. Make sure you can easily slip the garlic cloves from the head. Blend garlic with some stock in a food processor until smooth). You may use raw garlic* instead of roasted. (Raw garlic is preferred.)
  3. Saute onion in coconut oil for about 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the stock , turmeric, pepper, cumin, vinegar (or lemon juice), tamari, red pepper flakes and blended garlic. Reduce heat to low-medium.
  4. Chop potato, add to blender ( magic bullet -or wand ) and puree. Hint: Add the lemon juice to the potato to prevent oxidization.Then, quickly add to your soup.
  5. Reduce the heat further to simmer, uncovered for about 15 minutes.
  6. Added coconut milk, salt and stir thoroughly. Serve immediately with croutons. Add your own toppings like mushrooms or crispy capers (my favorite).

GARNISH: Chives, parsley, croutons, crispy capers [ Submerge capers in oil and microwave about 5 minutes until dark in color for a crispy topping ].

The garlic flavour in the soup wasn’t overpowering. The flavour is mellow, sweet and nutty. Turmeric gives the soup its golden colour. (Add a pinch of saffron for a richer golden colour.)

* Raw garlic -mince gently and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, for sulphur to oxidize, before adding to the hot soup …garlic tip provided by Marchand Lamarre

** Coconut milk – If the spices are too strong, add the coconut milk until you find a good balance to your palate.

Variations

GARLIC TONIC SOUP

1 head of raw garlic. Once you have minced the garlic and let sit for 10 min. All that beautiful Allicin full of antibacterial, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties is ready for consumption.  It should then go directly into the blender with the rest of the of warm stock. Add salt, pepper and turmeric. You may want to add cayenne pepper (boosts metabolism), red pepper flakes or minced ginger. [Serves one or 2 people]. To your base garlic soup, add cooked vegetables such as carrots, pumpkin, cauliflower, broccoli or zucchini ( puréed or chopped). Any left over veggies would be welcomed. Be creative.

Garlic -Another Super Food!

Drinking raw garlic with warm water in the morning can bring such effects and gives a refreshing feel. It enhances the proper functioning of your metabolic system. 1. Aids in weight loss 2. reduces Cholesterol levels 3. Controls Blood sugar, 4. Eases digestion 5. Antibiotic properties 6. Detoxifier 7. Improves bone strength

Note: Chew parsley to get rid of garlic breathe.

Spicy Chick Pea Soup

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This is my new favorite soup! Have you ever had collards? Today, I am featurIng this neglected super food: collard greens!

If you are a Southerner (U.S.), you probably have ‘traditional’ collard greens and black-eyed peas on New Years day to bring abundance and good fortune 🍀 to your New Year! 🎉 Join me for a visit to Flavor Town in the soup factory!

COLLARD GREENS: Full of Energy! “Super Food”
RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 1-2 bunches of collard greens ( You decide how much you want – more is good)
  • 3-4 red onions
  • 5 cloves of garlic
  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tbsp. smoked paprika (heaping)
  • 2 tsp cumin seeds (smash, do not grind)
  • 1 tbsp. cinnamon (heaping)
  • 10-15 green or white cardamon pods*
  • 2-3 cans chick peas (drained: 14-16 fl oz)
  • 1 can crushed tomatoes** with 2 (tomato) cans of water
  • 3 tsp pink Himalayan salt
  • A handful of chopped cilantro ( or parsley) about 1/2 cup

DIRECTIONS

  • Assemble and mix your dry spices in one bowl Rinse and chop collards (Rip or cut out the hard center stem)
  • Add oil to your dutch oven (or heavy pot). Then add chopped onions, heat until translucent. Add chopped garlic and blend quickly.
  • Add spices and mix well with onions and garlic [ add more oil if ingredients start to dry up ]. You want to mix the spices with the onion for optimal flavor.
  • Add 2 cans of drained chick peas
  • Add chopped collards
  • Add 1 can of tomatoes + 2 cans of water. (more water if soup looks more like a stew)
  • Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Add pink salt and chopped cilantro in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
  • Optional: Add about 1 tsp. of fresh thyme, rosemary and/or 1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes for added heat Add these additional spices in the beginning with sauteed onions.
Chick Pea Soup With Collard Greens (Topped With Toasted Black & White Sesame Seeds). I sometimes sprinkle chia seeds.

VARIATIONS

  • More Vegetables:- Add 1, 2 carrots and/or a handful of mushrooms. I do add extra veggies (If they are in the house).
  • Chick pea substitute:- Use white navy beans, cannellini beans, lentils, or black-eyed peas or a blend of various beans.
  • Collard substitute:- Swiss chard or kale, (or spinach).
  • FLAVOR BOOST: 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of Maggi chicken powder, or 1 cup of homemade stock! I do add Maggi powder – I call it Maggi Magic!

Chick peas (garbanzo beans) are very high in protein. Good choice to reduce high blood pressure, reduce wrinkles, weight loss and much more.

Green Cardamom – Mild, Aromatic Spice. A Perennial Plant In The Ginger Family
  • * TIP1: Gently pound dry cardamom with a mortar and pestle. Then, remove most of the pod casing with a sieve or by hand. Keep pod casings for stock or when boiling rice.
    ** TIP2: Use POMI tomatoes (or San Marzano tomatoes). Order online or check at Costco, your supermarket or Italian grocery stores.

PRECAUTION: Eating chick peas, may make you bloat or get a stomach ache. Instead, use white navy beans or broad (fava) beans. Fava beans are good for the immune system and improves bone density. (Info provided by my biologist neighbor)

SALT TIP: When salt is added to food early in the cooking process, it tends to break out the water in the vegetables being cooked. To retain moisture and flavour from the spices, salt is added at the end. Also, adding salt early tends to make the chick peas hard.

If you like this recipe and make it, snap a photo send it to me, or, share it on your social media. I can check it out and leave a comment! 😀

Hungarian Goulash ~ A Taste of Hungary

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Hungarian Goulash (Gulyás) is easy to make! A few simple ingredients are transformed into an incredibly flavored soup.
The word Gulyás means Herdsman or COWBOY. Simmering soup over the camp fire became a standard herdsman’s dinner in Hungary.
This authentic recipe is from my Hungarian neighbor. It was handed down to her from her grandmother.
Print Recipe
INGREDIENTS
  • 2 lbs stewing beef, cut into bite size 1 inch cubes
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 large cooking onions chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic cut in half – remove inside stem
  • 2 table spoons of caraway seed (dissolves in the soup)
  • 2 big ripe Roma tomatoes halved
  • 2 red bell peppers quartered
  • 1.5 inch tomato paste from tube, OR 1 teaspoon of canned tomatoes paste
  • 2 tsp. Hungarian paprika
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 1/2 tsp. Ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. Chilli pepper flakes
  • optional 6 carrots: 2 yellow, 2 orange 2 purple. Cut into cubes.
Red carrots contain lycopene (another form of carotene), a pigment also found in tomatoes and watermelon.
INSTRUCTIONS
  • In a cast iron pot brown onion ‘half way’ in the oil (lightly limp). Then add 4 garlic halves. Brown until golden colored.
  • Add caraway seeds (a must have!) and stir.
  • Add beef cubes. Stir until beef is brown and caraway seeds are nicely distributed.
  • Add 2 cups of water
  • Add: tomatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes paste, Hungarian paprika, salt, black pepper, and or chilli pepper.
  • Add water so that it covers the beef by 2 inches. Cover the pot and cook at medium heat (barely boiling) for 2 hours. (Note: You can place the dutch oven directly in the oven at low heat: 325°F, 160°C.)
  • Check after 1 hour and stir. Cook until beef is tender. Approx. 1 more hour.
  • Add water if the level of the liquid falls an inch.
  • Put in carrots and cook for 20 mins. 2.5 hours cooking time in total.
Tri-Coloured Carrots (The Yellow Carrots Look Like Potatoes)
Grass Fed Veal Makes A Difference In Flavour

Food Tips

Alternative cooking methods:
(1) Pressure cooker: Time: 1 hour 10 min.
(2) Slow cooker: Cook Time: 8 hours.
Storage: Frig. : 5 days, Freezer: 3 months.
OPTIONS: Serve over noodles, mashed potatoes, rice or spatzle.

Hungarian herdsmen enjoying their gulyás soup (left side). Added to the soup were wild onions and caraway that grew on the fields. Paprika was added in the 1800’s.
This makes a very large pot of soup!
If you’d like to freeze some of it,
do it before adding the carrots (vegetables)!

The Hottest ‘New’ Turkey Soup

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TURKEY  SOUP ~ ASIAN STYLE
This Asian-inspired soup is so delicious for your Thanksgiving leftovers.  A hearty soup that is  bursting with flavour and coconut creamy.  Perfect for a quick dinner.

print_recipe

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup sliced portobello mushrooms or shitake mushrooms
  • 1 cup of sliced carrots (about 1 large or 2 small)
  • 2 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass or puree
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound of cubed turkey (or chicken)
  • 1 quart (4 cups) turkey or chicken broth
  • 1 ~ 5 1/2 oz. can regular (not light) coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce or reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 0.25 pounds (4 oz.) udon noodles, thick spaghetti or kamut noodles

Lime wedges for serving (optional)
Cilantro for serving (optional)
🌶️ 🌶️ Hot chili peppers – to taste (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Heat the olive oil in a 3 to 4 quart sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 3 to 4 minutes just until the mushrooms begin to brown.
  2. Add the carrots, curry paste, lemongrass, ginger, garlic and stir together. Add the cubed turkey (add chili peppers  here  -optional) and cook, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Stir in the chicken broth, coconut milk and fish sauce or soy sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes and then add the noodles and cook for 5-7 minutes more, until the noodles are tender. Add the frozen or fresh peas. They will heat up sufficiently to serve without turning brown or overcooking.
  4. Divide between 4 bowls. Serve with lime wedges and cilantro leaves for garnish.
  5. Add salt and pepper to taste.


FOOD TIP
The best turkey stock  from your Thanksgiving turkey will blow away the winter chill. Make this stock yourself with veggies, onions and end of season garden herbs right after you finish your Thanksgiving dinner. Throw the turkey carcass right into a pot of boiling water.  You will guard yourself from those sniffles and colds with home made turkey soup.

What a perfect way to keep healthy. Turkey and chicken soup have the same benefits.  A proven anti-inflammatory effect, causing a reduction of chest congestion! Plus, with turkey soup, you have the added benefit of triptophan to help calm and sooth; providing the perfect relief for the day when you need the warmth and comfort only hot soup can provide.

. . . MY FIRST COLD OF THE WINTER SEASON

YESTERDAY MORNING, I woke up with a scratchy throat and a slight cough. Visions of chicken soup danced in my head. Off to the market I go! I needed more stock. Grain fed organic chicken bones with no added hormones and a local fowl would be my soup base.  After I made my stock, I had a hot cup of clear broth before going to bed and a big bowl of spicy curry turkey  soup for lunch the next day, with all the goodness of garlic, ginger,  carrots and more.   I was already feeling better!

This is the chilly season and that spells S-O-U-P!

How nice of Arthur to send pictures of his  ‘HOT’ Turkey Soup! (makes enough for two more lunches  – for a single guy)

Chicken Mulligatawny Soup

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THE STORY BEHIND THE SOUP
The origins of this Indian inspired soup comes from SRI LANKA (formerly Ceylon). Peasants would eat this soup with water and pepper. Decades later, more spices were added to what you see today. The name originates from the Tamil words millagai / milagu and thanni (மிளகாய்த்தண்ணி / மிளகுத்தண்ணி) and can be translated as “pepper-water”. Today, mulligatawny bears little resemblance to the original.


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print_recipe
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.INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup butter (or olive oil for vegan)
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, peeled and diced
  • 1 celery stick, diced
  • 1 red jalapeno, seeded and diced
  • garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons peeled and minced ginger root
  • small firm apples, peeled, cored and diced
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 cup red lentils (uncooked)
  • 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 cup cooked shredded chicken or 1 skinless boneless chicken breast cut into cubes
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream or canned unsweetened coconut milk
  • and black pepper to taste

GARNISH
Roasted cashews
Chopped parsley, cilantro and/or scallions

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion, carrot, celery and jalapeno, then saute for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the onions have softened.
3. Add the garlic, ginger, apples, chicken and diced tomatoes to the pot. Saute for another 3 minutes, then add in all of the spices and toss to coat.
4. Add in the lentils and broth and let the contents come to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
5. Puree about 75% of the ingredients using either an immersion blender or by transferring a portion of the contents to the bowl of a standard blender.
6. Leave some of the chunks whole, as it adds a nice texture and consistency to the soup.
7. Return the soup to the pot if needed, then stir in the coconut milk.
8. Taste, and adjust salt and black pepper as needed.
9. Serve topped with cashews and scallions along with naan bread for dipping.


Elaine orders Mulligatawny soup at the Soup Natzi “No soup for you!

This is a soup with many variations.  A spicy, soup with huge flavor and usually includes beef, chicken or lamb.  My version of Mulligatawny reminds me of the wonderful colours of Autumn.

VARIATIONS
Apples and the lovely Indian blend of spices is heart warming. I use lentils for my soup.  No lentils today? Use barley, rice, sweet potatoes or more onions.  BTW,  gram-for-gram, lentils have more protein than beef. You can add the chicken or not. It is optional. Tastes as good without it. A great soup for leftover chicken or turkey! You can add the cooked ‘hot’ chicken to some bowls as requested and leave other bows as vegan -style. We don’t have to follow the recipe verbatim.