Courier Cookbook Soups and Stews

During these cold months, nothing beats a cozy body-warming soup or stew. Try one of these favorites and cuddle up.

THE CENTRAL CAFE'S IRISH STEW

Submitted by Jesse Murphy

"My great-grandparents owned a restaurant in Rock Port, Missouri, called The Central Cafe. It was open for about 50 years until sometime in the 1970s. During the Great Depression, they would give out free stew and soups to anyone who was hungry.

From those times to WW-II, meat was often scarce, so this stew was a special treat when they could add the beef to it.

My grandmother, who is now 88, has always said this recipe was brought over with the family when they i

emmigrated from Ireland during the potato famine.

I hope you enjoy this stew as much as our family does and appreciate the history behind it!"

Ingredients:

2 lbs stew meat

2 cups carrots (1/4 inch sliced)

2 large potatoes (1 in. diced rough size)

1 white onion (diced)

3-4 stalks of celery (1/4 inch sliced)

2 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 large can of diced tomatoes

1 large can of tomato juice

1/2 head of white cabbage (cut in roughly one inch pieces)

Salt and black or white pepper (to taste)

Directions:

In a large stew pot, heat enough olive oil and cook onions, garlic and stew meat until it is rare.

Add tomatoes, tomato juice, carrots, celery and potatoes. Add more tomato juice if not enough liquid.

Let simmer at a low-medium temp for at least an hour.

Add cabbage, let cook for 10-15 more minutes and it's ready to enjoy!

*If desired, crushed red pepper can be added for some spiciness.

*If desired, stew meat can be marinated in Worcestershire sauce in the fridge overnight for added tenderness and flavor.

*Best served with a dense toasted bread, like rye or sourdough. Add some good Irish butter to make it even better.

SLOW COOKER BEEF STEW

Adapted from https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/moms-slow-cooker-beef-stew

Perfect for those cold evenings.

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 pounds beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1 inch pieces

Freshly ground salt and pepper

1 ½ cups beef broth (or beef bone broth)

1 cup dry red wine (or extra beef broth)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

Lots of freshly ground black pepper

6 minced garlic cloves

1 large yellow onion, cut into chunks

4-5 large carrots peeled and cut into 1/2-inch diagonal slices

1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, diced into ½ inch cubes

¼ cup all purpose flour

1 cup frozen peas

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add beef, season with salt and pepper and brown in batches for about 5 minutes, so that the meat has room to sear. Transfer to large 6 or 8-quart slow cooker.

Add beef broth, dry red wine, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, thyme and salt and pepper. Stir together with the beef until combined, then add in garlic, onion chunks, carrots and diced potatoes. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours.

Remove 1 cup of beef broth from the slow cooker and transfer to a medium bowl. Whisk in ¼ cup flour until there aren't any lumps. Add back to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Add in frozen peas and cook uncovered on HIGH for 10-15 more minutes until beef stew thickens. Serve immediately with toasted french bread, cornbread, crackers, or biscuits. Serves 6.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

It is a classic. Good for whatever ails you.

Adapted from https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/chicken-noodle-soup/

Ingredients:

1/2 tablespoon butter

2 stalks diced celery

3-4 large diced carrots

1 clove minced garlic

10 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more

1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary or more

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

4 cups dry egg noodles, farfalle or other bite-size pasta

3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon

Directions:

Place butter, diced celery and carrots in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Saute for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

Add chicken stock and season the broth with rosemary, sage, crushed red pepper, and salt, and pepper. Taste and add the bouillon.

Bring broth to a boil. Add noodles and cook just until noodles are al dente.

Remove pot from heat as soon as they are just barely tender. The noodles will continue to cook once you remove the pot from the heat, and you don't want them mushy.

Add chicken meat from the rotisserie chicken. Taste the broth again and add more seasonings, if needed.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Nothing says fall and winter like that sweet warm taste of butternut squash.

Adapted from https://www.loveandlemons.com/butternut-squash-soup/

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large chopped yellow onion

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 (3-pound) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed

3 chopped garlic cloves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage

½ tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

3 to 4 cups vegetable broth

Freshly ground black pepper

Chopped parsley

Toasted pepitas

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, salt, and several grinds of fresh pepper. Sauté until soft, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the squash and cook until it begins to soften, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the garlic, sage, rosemary, and ginger. Stir and cook 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant, then add 3 cups of the broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the squash is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Let cool slightly and pour the soup into a blender, working in batches if necessary, and blend until smooth. If your soup is too thick, add up to 1 cup more broth and blend. Season to taste and serve with parsley, pepitas, and crusty bread.

CORN CHOWDER

This recipe uses pureed corn rather than cream. But nothing beats a good cream in a soup. Adapted from https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/corn-chowder.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

4 scallions, white bulbs and green tops chopped and divided between green and bulbs

1 chopped red bell pepper

4 chopped stalks of celery

3-4 potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 6 to 8 ears) (In a pinch, frozen corn works)

1 bay leaf

1 (32-ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sour cream, for serving (optional)

Directions:

In a large saucepan, melt butter over moderately low heat. Add scallion bulbs, bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes.

Stir in potatoes, 2 cups corn, bay leaf, broth, and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

In a food processor, puree remaining 2 cups corn with milk.

Stir puree into soup along with black pepper. Simmer until soup thickens slightly, 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove bay leaf. Stir in scallion greens. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.