(recipe developed by Jennifer Kornegay)
If you’re hungry for a home-cooked dish but basically all cooked out after the holidays, consider whipping up a big batch of soup. These liquid meals are one-pot wonders that you can usually put together pretty quickly, easily make enough to freeze for later and clean up in a jiffy. While there are almost endless options to choose from, below are two healthful favorites. Both are versatile, so you can add or delete ingredients to suit your tastes (and what’s currently in your fridge and pantry), and both are sure to deliver the soothing comfort that comes from cradling a hot bowl in your hands and slurping savory sips from your spoon. If it’s nice and chilly outside, soup will warm you from the inside out. And, if we happen to be suffering through a mid-winter hot streak (as we sometimes do in Alabama), just crank up the AC and stick with your soup plans!
The soup is a heartier rendition of a classic Italian recipe. You can add or delete any veggies you like and even sub meatballs for the sausage and ground beef or leave out meat completely. The two things you can’t mess with are the pancetta and the Parmesan rind. Without these ingredients, this soup will fall flat. Oh, and if you don’t gobble it up all at once, it’s even better the next day.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrots
3 to 4 small sweet peppers, chopped
3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped
½ pound ground beef
½ pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound Swiss chard, kale or collards stems trimmed, leaves coarsely chopped
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 fresh rosemary sprig
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained, rinsed
2 (14-ounce) cans beef broth
1 ounce piece Parmesan cheese rind
Salt and pepper
NOTE: Remember to save the rind next time you use up a wedge (or block of Parmesan) so you’ll have it for this recipe. Just put it in a ziplock bag and stash it in the freezer. It will be good there for 6 to 8 months.