Curried butternut squash soup

Ladypants has a tooth issue and can't chew, so I made her a soup she can eat through a straw. Soup is easy, throw a bunch of things in a pot and simmer for about half an hour, puree and eat it. Couldn't be simpler. For this soup, I boiled the the things to the left.

I used the core and leaves of the cauliflower but took them out before pureeing because I didn't like the look of their texture. So to speak. I'll serve it with a dollop of plain yogurt.

It was sweet with a good balance of spice. I didn't add any sugar, so the sweetness must have come from the butternut squash. I used Madras curry powder; very mild, floral and aromatic. I wasn't a huge fan of the balkan yogurt I used. It turned all grainy and it looked like my soup curdled.

Chicken Soup for the Sick

Ladypants is not feeling well so I made her some soup.

2 full chicken legs, separated, leg nubs discarded, thighs halved, fat chunk separated
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 inch nub of ginger, minced
5 cloves garlic
10 sprigs thyme, bouquet
~1 tsp tumeric
1 jalapeno, split down the middle
2 bay leaves
1 beer
8 cups water
1 cup brown rice
half red pepper
half head of cauliflour
small handful of cilantro, chopped, stems minced
salt and pepper

Preheat soup pot, add fat chunks to melt. Once a layer of fat covers bottom of pan, brown chicken parts. Add onions, carrots, ginger and garlic. When onions have softened, add tumeric, bouquet of thyme, jalapeno, bay leaves beer and water.

Bring to simmer and add rice. Simmer for 35 minutes, add red pepper and cauliflour. Simmer for 10 more minutes while discarding chicken skin/fat/jalapeno and removing meat from the bones. Adjust seasoning, add cilantro, serve hot, eat and enjoy.

Chopping through the nubs of the drumstick allows marrow flavour to escape into the soup, creating a more flavourful broth. I made this kind of soup because ginger, garlic, chicken and tumeric are all health promoting ingredients that work very well together.

Minestrone Soup

1lb lean ground pork
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion
2 carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 head broccoli, stem peeled and chopped with small florets separated
1 can tomatoes
3 small potatoes
1 jalapeno pepper, split down the middle but otherwise whole
6 cups water
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp tumeric
1 cup dried pasta
salt & pepper
parmesan cheese, fresh grated

Brown pork in olive oil, add vegetables, tomatoes, and water. Save broccoli heads for a bit later as they will go mushy but chop up the core of the stems and put them in. Add dried dill and turmeric. Simmer for 20 minutes or until veggies have only a little bite to them. Add broccoli heads and 1 cup pasta and simmer until pasta is done. Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese, eat & enjoy. It should get better overnight.

This was pretty good but not great. Next time I could use chicken stock instead of water, and definitely no potatoes along with the noodles. One or the other. Fresh herbs such as a thyme bouquet would have enhanced the flavour and complexity of the broth. Add parmesan rinds to the broth to give it body and flavour. Brown the pork more, and caramelize the onions. Butter would have tasted better than olive oil but isn't has healthy. The broccoli got a bit mushy despite adding it at the end, so did the pasta (would have happened overnight anyways). Put them in after you turn off the heat instead of simmering through. That might preserve a better texture. I was in a bit of a rush this time, but those steps would have made a great soup. I like my soup really thick, without much broth at all. Stew like. If you want lots of broth, add more water. For a tasty vegetarian dish, omit meat and use vegetable stock.

Other ingredients that would have worked:
Butternut squash, cauliflower, zuccini, beet greens, spinach, roasted red or orange bell pepper, celery, white wine, sausage, rice instead of pasta, beans, pretty much any meat or produce you have in your fridge it seems.

*Update*
Ladypants has advised that I was too critical, that this soup is delicious, and that I really should have not added the potatoes. Next day magic! Also, this: