Soup or stew?
It's finally spring! There has been gorgeous days with endless sunshine balanced with dreadful rainy ones that are unseasonably chilly. For days where I happily stay indoors with Luna, I enjoy one of my homemade soups (that always turn out more like a stew) while watching lightning storms.
I have two stewy soup recipes to share with y'all. The first one is actually a special case of red beans leftovers remade with lots of local veggies, such as okra and kale. The second is my rendition of cabbage soup. I used my tomato sauce as a base, so it's a little reminiscent of Chinese style borscht soup. And though I didn't make it to the parades this year to catch my own cabbage, I think I made up for it by serving with homemade flax Irish soda bread.
Soups/stews are easy because once you prepare everything, you just toss it all together in a pot and let it do its own thing while you can do yours. I'm all about the low maintenance cooking. I hope you enjoy these hearty recipes to get you through until the rain clouds part and the sun shines brightly again!
Red beans okra kale stew (serves 4)
1 cup cooked red beans (feel free to use a can of Blue Runner beans)
4 oz chicken, sliced into chunks
4 oz chicken sausage, sliced uinto chunks
1 cup kale, chopped
1 cup okra, chopped
1/2 cup kitchen vegetable scraps, chopped (I used carrots, celery, tomato, and onion)
1 cup vegetable / chicken broth
2 oz canola oil
1/2 tsp Slap Ya Mama
1. In a saucepan, sautee chicken and sausage in canola oil until browned.
2. Add the vegetable scraps and kale.
3. Once everything is sizzling, add the okra, red beans, and broth.
4. Bring to a low boil and allow to simmer for at least thirty minutes to an hour. Add Slap Ya Mama.
5. If stew is too thick, add more water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat once desired consistency is reached.
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Creole cabbage soup (serves 4-6)
1/2 head of cabbage, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
4 red potatoes, chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
2 cups vegetable broth
2 tbs ghee (clarified butter) or regular butter
3 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp Slap Ya Mama
1. In a pot, allow butter to melt. Brown garlic.
2. Toss in cabbage and mix thoroughly.
3. Once sizzling, stir in tomato sauce and vegetable broth. Bring to a low boil.
4. Add carrots, potatoes, and bay leaves.
5. Allow soup to simmer for at least 2 hours. Mix once every 20-30 minutes.
6. If soup is too thick, add more water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat once desired consistency is reached.
7. Serve with a side of Irish soda bread!
