One day as I was looking over the produce section of the grocery and I found a 16-oz bag of riced cauliflower for 99 cents. Soup immediately came to mind but chowder sounded better. Truth be told, a reduced price bag of riced cauliflower doesn’t look that great – a little aged around the edges. But the perfect ingredient for chowder. The only indulgence here is bacon and cheese. Remember, you’re giving up starchy, carbohydrate-laden potatoes called for in traditional chowders.
I’ve always been a big cauliflower fan. Fresh and cut up for a crudité, it’s crunchy and filling. Riced, it’s also a good fresh ingredient in salads. My mother made it often because she usually found huge heads on sale at the grocery. She never incorporated cauliflower into other recipes, though. We ate it steamed with a healthy portion of Velvetta cream sauce. We all loved it and Mom was happy to see her picky children gobble it up.
Cauliflower is enjoying current culinary stardom. Look at the “VegNews” article titled “9 Unbelievably Awesome Uses for Cauliflower.” There’s the fashionable cauliflower crust pizza which everyone I’m around is raving about. Heck, they even use cauliflower in mac ‘n cheese and chocolate cake. And why not? Cauliflower is low-fat, loaded with fiber, high in antioxidants, and a fabulous low-carb alternative for grains and legumes. Take a look at this recipe from Caio, Caio, Bambina: Cauliflower Cake with Pecorino and Basil.
Having said all that . . .
(1-2) Heat a dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Cut 3-4 strips of bacon into lardons and brown. All those brown bits at the bottom will add amazing flavor to your chowder. Remove bacon onto a paper-towel-lined plate to drain and set aside. (3) Drain off some of the bacon fat. Return to stove and add 1 large onion, diced. (4) Cook until the onion is softened.
1) Add 4 cups of low-sodium chicken stock.
(2) Add 1/4 cup of brown rice. Stir to combine. Cover with a lid, reduce heat to simmer. Continue to cook for 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.
(3) Add 2-4 oz of processed cheese, like Velveeta, cut into chunks.
(4) Stir until all cheese is melted. Add more chicken stock or water if the chowder is too thick. Check for seasoning. Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped chives, and reserved bacon bits. I served mine with fresh, hot corn muffins and honey.
If you try this recipe, would you post a photo on my Instagram page? At Mimi’s Table. Thanks!
Yield: 6 servings
Cauliflower Cheese Bacon Chowder
A bag of riced cauliflower is transformed into a delicious, healthy bowl of steamy chowder without the potatoes. Treat yourself to a bowl garnished with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crispy bacon bits.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Ingredients
3-4 strips bacon, cut into lardons
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 - 160z bag of riced cauliflower
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots, shredded
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown rice
2-4 oz processed cheese, like Velveeta, cut into chunks
1/2 cup half 'n half or heavy cream, optional
Shredded cheddar cheese, low-fat sour cream, chopped fresh chives, crispy bacon - all for garnish
Instructions
Over medium heat, add one Tablespoon olive oil to a heavy-bottom pot or dutch oven. Add the bacon lardons. Stir occasionally and cook until the bacon has rendered its fat and is brown and crispy. Remove bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain. Remove all but 1 Tablespoon bacon drippings.
Add chopped onions. Stir and cook until onions are softened. Add cauliflower. Stir and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Add shredded carrot. Stir and cook for 5 minutes.
Add chicken stock and brown rice. Stir until combined. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes or until the rice is cooked through.
Remove lid. Add processed cheese chunks and half 'n half, if using. Stir until cheese is melted and the chowder is heated through.
Ladle into bowls. Garnish with shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped chives, and crispy bacon.
Notes
This recipe is almost like baked potato soup without using potatoes. Serve with hot corn muffins.
Doesn’t this split pea soup look yummy?? Especially when it’s finished off with crunchy cornbread croutons and a healthy dollop of sour cream. Very yummy!
I’ll admit that I didn’t grow up eating split pea soup. My mother and grandmothers never made it in my memory. My first experience with split pea soup was when my college roommates and I went to dinner at The Magic Pan, a restaurant housed inside the Glendale Town Center Mall at 61st and Keystone in Indianapolis. The Magic Pan was a popular creperie and Cindy, Beth and I loved frequent evening meals there. We ate our fair share of creamy chicken & mushroom crepes and their spinach souffle crepes – fabulous! Beth always ordered a bowl of split pea soup topped with either sour cream or sherry to begin her meal. I was curious. Honestly, I thought split pea soup looked rather disgusting, but one evening I gathered up the strength and tried it myself. OMG – my soup world was transformed! After our dinner outings came to an end and after The Magic Pan closed, I made this soup often and still do. It’s a staple on our winter-time menu. Creamy, without any added cream or half-n-half, and steamy, this soup is perfectly flavored with hints of onion, garlic, and carrots. A delightful spoonful with a little silver of sour cream – perfect.
Are Split Peas and Split Pea Soup Healthy to Eat?
Yes! Seriously healthy! Split Peas are gluten-free – you can replace the cornbread croutons in this recipe for gluten-free ones if you like. Split peas are high in fiber, low in fat, and are protein powerhouses! Instead of a dollop of sour cream, how about a heaping tablespoonful of low-fat Greek yogurt? Split pea soup can be made with low-sodium chicken broth (homemade is great, if you have it on hand) or water, and a variety of diced or cubed healthy vegetables. Sweet potatoes, carrots, and/or celery is what I’d recommend. And there’s no need to thicken the soup with flour and butter or with heavy cream. The peas thicken up enough that you may need to add additional broth or water to thin it out. One recipe I came across suggested squeezing a quarter lemon over a bowl and stirring it into the soup before eating. I contemplated that. I think it would brighten the flavors. And you don’t have to use ham, if you prefer a vegetarian version.
According to the website Speedy Remedies: 7 Health Benefits of Split Peas, these sweet little legumes can help regulate blood sugar, lower cholesterol, reduce cancer risks, promote weight control, improve heart health, help to relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, and may be helpful in reducing hot flashes.
Get out your soup pot and let’s make up a hearty and healthy batch!
Dice one large yellow onion and mince two cloves garlic. Warm a 5-quart, heavy-bottom dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and bring to temp. Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent and fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon dried oregano.
Stir and saute for another minute. At this point, you can add three peeled and diced carrots and/or celery, if using. I’m using sweet potatoes this time (see below).
I used diced ham sold in packages at the grocery. But, this is an excellent time to use up leftover ham or you could substitute smoked ham hocks – one or two hocks or a smoked ham shank. If that’s the route you choose, add them to the broth just before you bring everything up to a boil. I like to put diced ham in with the onions and garlic and saute the ham a bit until the meat becomes slightly caramelized to add flavor. And, for this pot, I cut the russet potatoes into large chunks to give the soup a different texture. You can dice the potatoes into smaller pieces or use a couple of cupsful of frozen diced potatoes.
OK – add the potatoes, stir, and then 1/2 pound split peas. Stir all the ingredients.
Add four cups of low-sodium chicken stock (or homemade) and two cups of water. I had a leftover baked sweet potato so I peeled it and cut it into big chunks. If you’re using ham hocks or a shank instead of diced ham, now is the time to add those to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for 45 minutes. After the initial simmer, stir in the remaining split peas. Stir and continue to simmer for another 45 minutes or until the peas are soft. If using, remove ham hocks or ham shank, remove the meat from the bones, and add it back into the soup.
As the soup cooks, foam will rise to the surface. Just take a large spoon and skim off the foam. I’ve learned that the peas foam because of a water-soluble protein in the peas. It won’t hurt anything of you stir it back into the pot and eliminate the skimming step.
Really, there are no hard and fast rules for split pea soup. Once the cooking is complete, you can make the soup as thick (let it simmer a little longer) or as thin (add more broth/water) as you like. Use potato chunks like I’ve done here, or dice them. If you want a soup that looks homogeneous, mash the vegetables or use an immersion blender to break them down to make the soup smoother. You can add 1/2 – 1 cup of half-n-half to make the soup creamier.
While the soup is cooking, it’s time to make the croutons. Croutons are better made with day-old crusty bread like a baguette. My cornbread was leftover from the day before and is perfect to transform into buttery, crunchy bites. Cut the cornbread into large chunks. In a heavy skillet over medium-high heat, melt 2 Tablespoons olive oil and 3 Tablespoons butter.
Add the cornbread cubes to the skillet and brown on all sides. Drain on a paper towel to absorb the excess fat.
Voilà! Your beautiful soup is all ready to serve. Top bowlsful with your gorgeous crunchy croutons and a nice dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt and sprinkle with black pepper. Happy, Happy, Happy! Enjoy!
Hearty & Healthy Split Pea Soup with Ham and Cornbread Croutons
Mimi's Split Pea Soup with Cornbread Croutons is an old-timey and satisfying bowl of steamy comfort. This recipe is a good way to use up leftover ham. Add chunks of russet and sweet potatoes and top off the bowl with crunchy cornbread croutons for a filling wintry meal.
Recipe type: Soups & Stews
Cuisine: French American
Serves: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 stalks celery, diced (optional)
3 carrots, peeled & diced OR sweet potatoes peeled & cut into chunks or diced
2 medium to large russet potatoes, cut into chunks or diced
1 lb diced ham OR 2 smoked ham hocks or 1 large smoked ham shank
1 pound green or yellow dried split peas
6 cups any combination low-sodium chicken broth and water
½ - 1 cup half-n-half (optional)
Croutons
Day old cornbread cut into large cubes OR day old bauguette cut into large cubes crust on
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons butter, salted or unsalted
Instructions
Over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Once hot add onions & garlic and celery & carrots (if using). Stir and saute until the onion is translucent. Add oregano. Stir. Add ham, stir, and saute until the meat just begins to brown on the edges.5-7 minutes.
Add potatoes, sweet potatoes (if using) and ½ pound of split peas. If you're using ham hocks or a ham shank in place of diced ham, add to the pot. Cover with chicken stock/water. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook uncovered for 45 minutes. Skim off the foam that rises to the top of the soup or stir the foam back into the soup Stir the pot every once in a while to prevent vegetables from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
At the end of cooking time, add the remaining split peas. Stir and continue to simmer uncovered for another 45 minutes or until all the vegetables are soft.
Remove ham hocks or shank. Stir. If the soup is too thick, add more chicken broth/water. If it's too thin, continue to simmer longer to the desired thickness. Remove meat from the hocks or shank and add back to the soup.
Leave the potatoes in chunks or mash them with a potato masher or use an immersion blender to make a creamy soup. Add half-n-half if using. Stir. Check for seasoning.
Ladle soup into deep bowls. Add croutons, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and sprinkle with ground black pepper.
For Croutons
Heat olive oil and butter in a 10" skillet over medium, medium-high heat. Once the butter begins to brown, add the cornbread cubes and brown on all sides - less than 5 minutes total. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.
If you’re like me, we scour the internet looking for delicious recipes that take us out of our comfort zone. Sometimes I get stuck in a rut of making the same dishes over and over again. It’s not like the meals aren’t delicious. But sometimes we just need to rock the boat a bit. I just love Pinterest and visit every day looking for inspiration. Pinterest is a great resource for me where I find great food bloggers and recipes of all sorts like this one:
I was looking around one afternoon and my eyes lit up when I landed onA Pinch of Yum and this wonderful recipe for Spicy Peanut Soup with Sweet Potato & Kale. Why don’t I ever think about combinations like this? I’m in the Midwest. I don’t think this way. Sweet potato simmered with sweet curry and turmeric in coconut milk and broth finished with kale – seriously flavorful. There are even chopped peanuts in the recipe that gives this soup a little crunch – awesome!
And healthy! Look at all the good stuff it’s made from. Lindsay’s soup is thickened with creamy peanut butter instead of the usual roux of butter, flour, and milk. I didn’t miss it a bit. Many of us serve soup as a first course to a holiday meal and Spicy Sweet Potato Soup with Peanuts and Kale would be a stellar beginning.
And quick! Forty minutes from cutting board to table. I always have sweet potatoes on hand during fall and winter, so that was a cinch. I bought a package of frozen, chopped kale at the grocery to make prep even easier.
I didn’t have jalapeno, so I substituted crushed red pepper flakes. Lindsay calls for two cups of water. I used chicken stock instead. She likes to leave her sweet potatoes in bite-sized chunks, and I mashed mine up a bit to make the soup thicker. Try it. You’ll love it!
This dish is a warm and comforting, healthy, gluten-free, bowl of happiness. Lindsay at a Pinch of Yum says she was inspired to make this soup based on a West African recipe for groundnut soup. It would be fabulous as a first course for a holiday meal.
Author: A Pinch of Yum, Lindsay
Recipe type: Soups & Stews
Cuisine: American
Serves: 6
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small to medium onion, diced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1-14 oz can fire roasted or petite diced tomatoes
1-14oz can light coconut milk
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sweet curry powder (I use Penzey's)
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ cup unsalted peanuts, chopped
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1-10oz bag frozen chopped kale
Instructions
Put olive oil in a heavy soup pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until lightly browned.
Add sweet potato cubes and stir until they become lightly browned - 3-5 minutes.
Add garlic, stir and cook until the garlic becomes fragrant - 1 minute.
Add the curry powder and turmeric to the sweet potatoes. Stir and cook until the spices are fragrant, a minute or so.
Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, chicken stock, salt, and chopped peanuts. Stir everything together.
Bring the soup to a simmer and continue to cook uncovered for 20 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
Add peanut butter and kale. Stir and continue to simmer until the soup is thick and creamy.
It’s that time of year! Here in central Indiana, we’re having the coldest winter of any I remember here in quite a long time. In fact, it’s been warmer in Billings, Montana, my former home. Temps reached -16°F last night. No weather for man nor beast. But a perfect time to warm up with a steaming bowl of Mimi’s Favorite Chili.
(Uh, don’t be put off by the green stuff mixed in with the sour cream in the above picture. I served Mexican dinner on Christmas Day and my husband mixed the guacamole and sour cream together. It looks questionable, but was delicious!)
I’ve made this chili recipe for as long as I can remember, seriously forty years or more. Sometimes we eat as pictured. Sometimes I’d make up some macaroni and serve the chili over that. A friend of mine used to serve her chili over cooked rice – another option.
Funny. Richard and I were in Costco the day before I made the chili pot. A customer overheard us talking about making chili, and immediately invited himself over. Our conversation wandered to the topic of what to serve with chili. This fella said he insists that his chili is served with a peanut butter sandwich. “Well, of course!” I said. Our new friend and chili connoisseur told us he was having a difficult time winning over his wife to the idea.
In the mid-century olden days, the school cafeteria always served chili with peanut butter/honey sandwiches and carrot and celery sticks. We settled it must be an Indiana thing.
Any way you like it, a hot bowl of chili, mild or spicy, is a surefire way to warm up your bones!
Let’s make some!
First, brown your meat in a heavy 6-qt dutch oven or other heavy pot. Oh, and don’t forget to add a Tablespoon or so of cooking oil to the pot, bring up to medium-high heat, then add the meat. Even though there’s fat in the meat, the oil helps the process along. You may use ground beef or ground turkey, as long as it’s pretty lean. I normally use 90% lean ground beef, but don’t be afraid to use turkey. It’s delicious and we really can’t tell the difference once the chili is finished.
While the meat is browning, dice up a nice large yellow sweet onion, set aside. Mince 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, set aside. Measure the chili powder, cumin, black pepper, cinnamon, and paprika into a small bowl, set aside. Open up your cans of tomatoes and beans. The goal is to have everything at the ready so the dish comes together quickly.
Chili 101
Now’s the time to have a discussion about heat – like hot peppery heat. Not everyone shares the same enthusiasm for peppery spicy food. I, myself, like the heat from peppers or Tobasco sauce or ground cayenne, but enjoy the flavors in moderation. I like the simple spike of heat, but not so hot that’s it’s uncomfortable to eat.
If you like the flavor of pepper but not the heat, add one diced green pepper, or throw in a stalk of diced celery, or both.
Need to add a little extra heat? Add 1-2 finely diced jalapenos or 1-2 finely diced serranos, which are hotter than jalapenos. Set them aside with the minced garlic.
What I do is add a finely diced jalapeno, a finely diced serrano, and add dry ground cayenne to the dry spices. A couple shakes of red pepper chili flakes goes in there, too. And a couple shakes of Tobasco sauce as the chili cooks.
You can always add more hot peppers to the mix if you like spicier chili or include the pepper membranes and seeds into the dice, which adds another level of heat. Remember, however, to add peppers to the browned meat when you dump in the diced onions. If you decide to ladle the chili into serving bowls over macaroni or rice, keep in mind that will lower the heat level, too.
If you’re serving children, look out. In my experience, they don’t tolerate peppery heat at all – enter macaroni or rice and lots of cheese.
Now the meat is nicely browned. Add the onion and peppers (hot or mild). Stir over medium-high heat until the onions begin to soften. Add diced celery, if you’re using.
Add the garlic. Continue to cook until you smell the aroma of garlic, about one minute.
Add the dry spices: chili powder, cumin, Mexican oregano, cayenne, crushed red chili peppers, and cinnamon. Stir all the spices together and heat until you can smell the spices, 1-2 minutes max. (Adding the spices this way intensifies their flavors.)
Dump everything else into the pot: diced tomatoes, whole tomatoes, dark red kidney beans. Add 2-3 cups of liquid: beef or chicken stock or just plain water if you don’t have stock in the pantry. Stir and bring to a simmer. Turn down the heat to continue the simmer. Cover with the lid not quite covering the pot so steam is able to escape.
After 45-60 minutes, your chili is ready! See how much liquid was evaporated?
Ladle generous portions into deep bowls and add your toppings: Monterey jack or cheddar cheese, sour cream, guacamole, additional finely diced hot peppers, finely diced sweet yellow onion.
On this particular night, I had some leftover tostada shells and we used them to break into our bowls instead of crackers.
Chili Thoughts
I think chili is one of the first dishes beginning cooks learn to make. It’s easy. The ingredients are inexpensive. Everyone enjoys a hearty bowl.
Serve with peanut butter sandwiches or cornbread.
Don’t be afraid to mix up the ingredients. You can add corn. Use canned pinto beans, light red kidney beans, or black beans.
Try a can of beer in place of some of the stock/water. If so, you’ll want to add the beer to meat/spice mixture before you add tomatoes, beans, etc. Let it cook a bit after adding to burn off some of the alcohol.
Cinnamon is uncommonly used in chili unless you’re in Cincinnati. Just 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon is all you’ll need. Cinnamon evens out the flavors.
If you need to thicken your chili, add a Tablespoon of cornmeal stirred into 1/4 cup of water. Add to the chili after the cooking is finished and stir to incorporate.
I would love to know how you make your chili special! What tips and tricks do you have up your sleeve?
It's that time of year when a steaming bowl of Mimi's Favorite Chili warms us to the very core. Learn Chili 101 and how to make my easy and satisfying recipe along with a couple of hints.
Author: Mimi
Recipe type: Chili
Cuisine: American
Serves: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
2 pounds lean ground beef or ground turkey
1-15oz can of dark red kidney beans drained, or pinto, light red, or black beans, drained
2-14oz cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes.
1-28oz can whole tomatoes
2-3 cups of beef or chicken stock, or water, or a combination
Over medium-high heat, add 1 Tablespoon cooking oil into a heavy 6-quart dutch oven
Add ground meat. Brown until there is no pink visible.
While the meat is cooking, chop onion, mince garlic, dice peppers. Set aside.
Measure dry spices into a small bowl. Set aside.
When the meat is ready, add chopped onion and hot peppers. (Add green or red pepper and celery if using.) Stir and continue to cook until the vegetables are softened.
Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, one minute.
Add dry spices, stir to distribute and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes max.
Add all the tomatoes, beans and stock &/or water. Stir to distribute.
Bring the chili to a simmer. Cover the pot, but not completely so steam escapes and thickens the chili.
Turn down the heat. Simmer for 45-60 minutes.
Check for seasoning. Add 1-2 shakes of Tobasco sauce, if using.
Serve with peanut butter sandwiches or cornbread.
This chili can also be served over cooked macaroni or cooked rice.
Notes
1. You can substitute one can of beer to replace an equal volume of stock/water. Add the beer to the meat mixture before adding tomatoes. Let the mixture cook for a bit to allow the alcohol to cook off. 2. To thicken chili, if needed, add 1 Tablespoon cornmeal to ¼ cup of water, mix. Add the slurry to the chili while stirring.
Serve with any variety of toppings: shredded Monterey Jack &/or cheddar cheese, sour cream, guacamole, diced sweet yellow onion, diced jalapeno or serrano peppers.
Anyone who grew up in the vintage mid-century years remembers creamy tomato soup from a well-known soup canner. What a satisfying and hearty lunch or dinner served with a grilled cheese sandwich. I remember my mother would make us tumblers of tomato soup and grilled cheese to eat at our picnic table in the fall. One of my favorite childhood memories. Fifty years later, I can still taste and smell that soup served in Tupperware mugs and dunking the sandwich quarters.
Cincinnati- based Tom & Chee, a tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich restaurant attracted Shark Tank investors Mark Cuban and Barbara Corcoran, who invested $600,000 in the franchise idea. Who woulda thunk? I mean, it’s tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich. The lesson goes to the fact that tomato soup is a gastronomic bomb and a Midwestern staple.
Serve hot Creamy Fresh Tomato Soup with your favorite accouterments and
you’ll have a beloved memorable quintessential comfort meal in no time.
I like this recipe because it’s loaded up with other vegetables, not just tomatoes. You can control the salt which is always a good thing. You can control fat content depending on how creamy you want your soup to be. And if you don’t have fresh tomatoes on hand, you can substitute canned tomatoes (Salt-free if you roll that way.)
My goal for this batch was to use up tomatoes I already had on hand. I used three fresh tomatoes from the Farmers’ Market, a half-quart of heirloom grape-sized tomatoes leftover in the fridge, and a 15oz. can of salt-free petite diced tomatoes. So, it really doesn’t matter the source of your tomatoes.
Love tomato soup, but tired of the canned variety? Make up a homemade batch from simple and healthy ingredients. It's easy!
Author: Mimi
Recipe type: Soup
Cuisine: American
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1½ cups onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
2 stalks celery, trimmed and roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
4-5 pounds of fresh tomatoes, or any combination of fresh and canned(with juices)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 Tablespoons dried basil leaves
1 bay leaf
1 Tablespoon salt or salt substitute (optional)
2 teaspoons black pepper
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
3 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup whole or 2% milk
Instructions
In a large heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add onions, carrots, and red pepper. Reduce heat to medium. Put a lid on the pot, and allow the vegetables to steam for 10 minutes until they're soft.
Add minced garlic and crushed red pepper, basil and bay leaf. Stir and saute for one minute.
Add tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir.
Add chicken stock. Stir. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer.
Cook for 30-40 minutes.
In small batches (3-4), use a blender to liquefy the soup. Pour the liquefied soup into a large bowl until everything is blended.
(CAUTION: The contents are hot. When blending anything hot, always cover the blender jar top with a kitchen towel. If you use the blender lid, the heat generated as you're blending will blow the lid off and you'll have hot tomato soup all over you and your kitchen. Not good.
OR use an immersion blender.
Pour the soup from the bowl into your cooking pot. Add the heavy cream and milk. Over medium heat, bring the soup to temperature.
Check for seasoning.
Finish soup with a Tablespoon of unsalted butter to add some sheen. (Optional)
Serve
Notes
Accouterments: Oyster Crackers, Croutons, Any sandwich especially Grilled Cheese, Garlic Bread, Hot Rolls, Cornbread.
Garnish with a dollop of Sour Cream, a sprinkling of Grated Cheddar Cheese, or finely Chopped Basil.
If you want a creamier soup, add more heavy cream and less milk. Or you could use half-n-half instead. At Mimi's Table
Are Split Peas and Split Pea Soup Healthy to Eat?
Now’s the time to have a discussion about heat – like hot peppery heat. Not everyone shares the same enthusiasm for peppery spicy food. I, myself, like the heat from peppers or Tobasco sauce or ground cayenne, but enjoy the flavors in moderation. I like the simple spike of heat, but not so hot that’s it’s uncomfortable to eat.
What I do is add a finely diced jalapeno, a finely diced serrano, and add dry ground cayenne to the dry spices. A couple shakes of red pepper chili flakes goes in there, too. And a couple shakes of Tobasco sauce as the chili cooks.
Chili Thoughts
I would love to know how you make your chili special! What tips and tricks do you have up your sleeve?
At Mimi's Table
