Chicken Gumbo

Make broth: Cover 1 large chicken with water. Add salt, pepper, onion, carrot, celery. Bring to boil, then lower heat and let simmer until meat comes off bone. Remove chicken from pot, let cool, and remove meat from bones. Strain broth. 

In the meantime, put 1/4 cup bacon fat in a large skillet. Add 1 large onion, diced; 2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced. Cook 5-10 minutes until very slightly browned. Add 1/4 cup flour to make a rue. Add 1 quart of the chicken broth; 28 ounces diced tomatoes (or use fresh, deseeded and diced); 1/2-1 lb okra, sliced. Add salt, pepper, bay leaf, chili powder, and hot sauce to taste. Bring to boil, then lower heat and let simmer for about an hour, until vegetables soft. Add meat back to pot during last several minutes of simmering. 

Cardoon Soup

I found this recipe when I googled "Traditional Italian Christmas Dinners" this past Christmas.  I had never heard of cardoons before.  They are related to the artichoke and are native to Italy and other areas along the Mediterranean.  The hardest part of this recipe is cleaning the cardoons!  The soup itself is pretty easy to make. 

1 bunch of cardoons (also called cardones), 2 to 2 1/2 pounds
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 large onion, cut into large pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream

Add the lemon juice to a large bowl of cold water.

Clean and trim the cardoons.  You need to remove the leaves along each side as well as the "strings" along the back.  There are several videos on YouTube that show you the best way to clean cardoons.  Cut the cardoons into 2-inch pieces, immediately putting the cut pieces into the acidulated water.

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onion pieces and sprinkle them with 1/4 teaspoon of the kosher salt.  Cook until the onions are translucent and begin to soften, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Drain the cardoons and rinse them slightly.  Add the cardoons to the pan and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt.  Give the pan a good stir to mix everything up and then add the chicken broth.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to maintain a steady, lively simmer.  Partially cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour, until the cardoons are very tender.

Remove the pot from the heat and, working in batches, puree the soup in a blender (I tried to use an immersion blender the first time I made the soup but ended up getting on the regular blender, which worked much better).  The cardoons are very fibrous, so after each batch is pureed, pour it through a sieve into another large pot. Using a large spatula, press down on the fibrous strings to extract all the liquid and then discard the fibers.  Continue pureeing and straining the soup until it is all finished.  The soup can be made up until this point and stored in the refrigerator or even frozen.  When ready to serve, proceed as follows.

Return the strained broth to the heat.  Stir in the heavy cream and heat over medium heat just until the soup is hot (do not let it boil).  Serve immediately.

Sauerkraut Soup

This is Lisa Joy's recipe. She says it is best reheated 1-2 days later.

4 liters water                                       

2 lbs sauerkraut                                                        
2 handfuls dried mushrooms                                     
4 chicken bouillon cubes                                           
1 Tbsp paprika  (imported is best)                                                      
10 black peppercorns                                               
salt to taste  
1 lb kielbasa, cut into small disks
5 - 6 potatoes 
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp flour                                     
1/2 cup cold water
sour cream for garnish

Add water, sauerkraut, mushrooms, bouillon cubes, paprika and salt (I added 2 tablespoons of parsley) to a large pot and bring to a boil. Simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.
Add kielbasa and potatoes and simmer another 10-15 minutes.
Meanwhile saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onion is golden. Sprinkle flour in and combine, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Add cold water and stir until smooth. Add to soup.
Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are fork-tender.
serve with a dollop of sour cream

Nana Stella's Escarole Soup

2 heads escarole
2 14 oz. cans chopped tomatoes
1 lb. small meatballs
Salt, pepper, garlic, onion, parsley, oregano, basil, bay leaf

Chop escarole and cover with water in large pot. Add remaining ingredients (seasonings in your desired amounts) and simmer for 1 hour. Serve with grated cheese.

Cioppino (Fish Stew)

In Mom's version of this recipe from Nana Stella, she excludes the green pepper and sugar. Squid and/or mussels may be added. The recipe card includes "Suggested Sides" for this meal: Tomato-Onion Bread and Marinated Vegetable Salad. Bim likes this dish for Christmas Eve, as you can get in your seven fishes.

TOMATO BASE:
1/4 c. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
1 c. finely chopped onion
1 c. finely chopped green pepper
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, ends trimmed (halved if large)
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes with basil
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 c. dry white wine
16 oz. clam juice
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. fresh minced parsley
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. each dried oregano, basil
1/2 tsp. each salt, pepper
1 tbsp. sugar

Heat oil and butter over medium heat in large dutch oven. Add onion, green pepper, garlic, mushrooms. Cook, stirring until onions are limp, about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and heat to boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 1 hour. Stir occasionally. Base can be refrigerated (covered) for up to 48 hours.

FISH:
8-10 clams
1 lb. medium shrimp
1 1/2 lbs. boneless fresh fish
1/2 lb. scallops (1 lb. if sea scallops)
1/2 lb. lump crabmeat
fresh ground pepper

Scrub clams clean. Shell and de-vein shrimp. Cut fish into cubes. Rinse scallops. Pick over crabmeat to remove shells.

Heat tomato base to simmer. Add cubed fish. Cook until fish is nearly flaky, 10-15 minutes. Add clams, shrimp, scallops and crabmeat. Cover and simmer over low heat until clams open, about 10 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open.

Spoon into large, flat soup bowls. Sprinkle with crushed pepper and serve.

Hamburger Soup

This is a Grandma Chalifour recipe.

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped fine

28 oz can whole tomatoes

2 cups water

3 cans beef consomme

1 can tomato soup

4 carrots, chopped fine

1 bay leaf

3 sticks celery, chopped fine

2 Tbsp parsley

1/2 tsp thyme

1/8 tsp pepper, or to taste

8 Tbsp barley

Brown meat and onions. Drain well and return to pot. In large bowl mash up whole tomatoes with your hand. Combine all ingredients in pot with beef. Simmer, covered, at least two hours. Serves 10. Freezes well.

Tortellini Soup

This recipe comes from Paul's mom. If I don't have Italian Seasoning in I just use a combination of dried oregano, basil and parsley.

8 oz. bunch fresh spinach

2 Tbsp. olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 medium onion, finely chopped

9 cups chicken broth

2 tsp. dried Italian Seasoning

1, 12-ounce package of tortellini, fresh or frozen, any filling

2, 14 1/2 ounce cans diced tomatoes, including juice

Sea salt to taste

Ground black pepper to taste

Parmesan cheese, grated

Wash spinach, drain and dry. Remove any tough stems. Tear leaves into pieces 2 - 3 inches big. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add garlic & onion. Sauté until barely brown. Add chicken broth and herbs. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Stir in tortellini. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes. Stir in tomatoes. Simmer 5 minutes longer. Add spinach and simmer an additional 3 - 5 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.

Minestrone Soup (with meat)

1 lb meatballs
1 lb shin bone
4 stalks celery
3 carrots
1 lg onion
2 lg (or 4 small) potatoes
1 c. green beans
1 can stewed tomatoes
Parsley
Fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
Grated cheese
1 c. ditallini
1/2 c. peas
1 can kidney beans undrained

Cook shin bone in 3 quarts water for 45 minutes. Remove bone (you may want to strain soup water). Brown meatballs. Add to shin bone water.

Add celery and cook 15 minutes. Cut up veggies and add carrots, onion, potatoes, green beans, stewed tomatoes, parsley, basil and garlic. Cook 1 hour, adding grated cheese while cooking. Add ditallini 5 minutes before hour is up.

Turn off heat and add peas and kidney beans (juices, too). Serve with grated cheese.

Ginny's Tuna Broccoli Chowder

1/2 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. chopped celery
1/2 stick butter or margarine
2 1/2 tbsp. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. tarragon
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 c. milk
10 oz pkg frozen chopped broccoli
6 1/2 oz canned tuna
8 oz sour cream

Saute onion and celery in butter or margarine. Stir in flour, salt, tarragon and pepper. Add milk, broccoli and tuna. Cover and bring to boil. Simmer 15 minutes (30 minutes if using fresh broccoli). Stir in sour cream and heat through. Thin with additional milk if necessary.

Aunt Dottie's Bean Soup

This recipe comes from Joey and Vince's Great Aunt Dottie. At the end, she writes, "Serve with cornbread, toast or crackers. Enjoy Mmm Mmm Good!"

20-24 oz mixed dried beans
1-1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
ham hock
lg onion, sliced or diced
1 cloved garlic, minced
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 tsp. chili powder
1-2 bay leaves
28 oz can whole or diced tomatoes
Juice of 1 lemon

Rinse beans, cover with water and soak for 6-8 hours. After soaking, add baking soda and bring to boil (watch out for foam!). Strain and rinse in collander.

Return beans to pot and cover with fresh water. Add ham hock and onion and cook 1 1/2-2 hours. Remove ham hock and let cool. Add remaining ingredients to beans and simmer about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaves.

Cut meat from ham hock and return meat to the soup. Heat through and serve.