Soup is the ultimate winter comfort food, and the most versatile. Take your pick of local ingredients, add global flavourings and you’ll soon have a pot of soup hearty enough for a main course.
Start with Creamy Roasted Mushroom Soup. Ontario mushrooms are always in season, and roasting brings out their flavour. Evaporated milk adds a velvety texture to this French classic while keeping the fat content low.
Infusing local chicken breasts with authentic Thai flavours takes our Spicy Thai Chicken and Cabbage Soup to a new level with the addition of tasty shiitake mushrooms and crinkly Ontario savoy cabbage.
Warm spices and fibre-rich lentils plus diced local sweet potato make Indian Spiced Red Lentil Soup a recipe you’ll make again and again. Make a double batch and freeze for busy nights when you don’t feel like cooking.
And the winner for heartiness is our Italian Beef and Bean Soup. Simply fry up some Ontario ground beef, sauté onion, garlic and mushrooms, add a can of beans and tomatoes and a hint of red pepper flakes and you’ve got a healthy meal the whole family will love.
Stock your pantry and stay warm with nourishing fare grown close to home.
Recipes:
Creamy Roasted Mushroom Soup (pictured above)
The extra prep is worth the effort for this company worthy soup. Dress it up by garnishing with sliced cooked mushrooms and fresh herbs.
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 to 35 minutes
Roasting Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients:
- 8 oz (250 g) each Ontario Shiitake, Button and Cremini Mushrooms
- 3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh Ontario Thyme
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 Ontario Leeks, white part only, chopped
- 1 Ontario Onion, chopped
- 3 cloves Ontario Garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) dry white wine
- 4 cups (1 L) sodium-reduced chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 large Ontario Potato, peeled and diced
- 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) cayenne pepper (approx)
- 1 can (370 mL) 2% or fat-free evaporated milk
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) balsamic vinegar
Preparation Instructions:
Remove stems from shiitake mushrooms; half or quarter all mushrooms depending on size. In medium bowl, toss mushrooms with 2 tbsp (25 mL) of the oil, half of the thyme, and pepper to taste. Spread evenly in single layer on baking sheet. Roast in 450°F (230°C) oven until tender, for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, in large pot, heat remaining oil and thyme over medium heat; add leeks and onion and cook until softened, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, roasted mushrooms and wine; cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
Add broth, potato, salt, bay leaves and cayenne; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until potato is tender, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly; remove bay leaves.
Purée in batches in blender; return to saucepan and stir in milk and balsamic vinegar. Season with additional freshly ground pepper, if desired. Reheat gently until hot.
Spicy Thai Chicken & Cabbage Soup
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients:
- 4 cups (1 L) sodium-reduced chicken broth
- 8 oz (250 g) boneless skinless Ontario Chicken Breast, cut into bite-size strips
- 3 cups (750 mL) coarsely chopped Ontario Savoy Cabbage
- 2 cups (500 mL) sliced stemmed Ontario Shiitake Mushrooms (about 5 oz/150 g)
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped fresh gingerroot
- 1 Ontario Onion, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
- 1 Ontario Carrot, cut into julienne strips
- 3 tbsp (45 mL) fish sauce or soy sauce
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) Thai red curry paste
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) fresh lime juice
- Fresh Ontario Coriander
Preparation Instructions:
In large pot, bring broth and 2 cups (500 mL) water to boil. Stir in chicken; cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.
Add cabbage, mushrooms, ginger, onion, carrot, fish sauce and curry paste; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in lime juice. Serve garnished with coriander.
Indian Spiced Red Lentil Soup
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) vegetable oil
- 1 Ontario Onion, chopped
- 2 cloves Ontario Garlic, minced
- 2 tsp (10 mL) grated fresh gingerroot
- 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin
- 1 tsp (5 mL) ground coriander seed
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) turmeric
- 4 cups (1 L) sodium-reduced vegetable broth
- 1 cup (250 mL) red lentils, rinsed
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) tomato paste
- 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) black pepper
- 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) cayenne pepper
- 1 large Ontario Sweet Potato, peeled and diced (about 2 cups/500 mL)
- Plain yogurt, chopped fresh Ontario Coriander or Parsley (optional)
Preparation Instructions:
In large pot, heat oil over medium heat and cook onion until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander seed and turmeric; cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add broth, lentils, 1-1/2 cups (375 mL) water, tomato paste, salt, pepper and cayenne; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add sweet potato; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook until lentils and potato are tender, about 15 minutes. Serve topped with yogurt and chopped coriander, if desired.
Italian Beef & Bean Soup
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 6 to 8
Ingredients:
- 1 lb (500 g) lean Ontario Ground Beef
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
- 3 cloves Ontario Garlic, minced
- 2 Ontario Carrots, diced
- 1 large Ontario Onion, chopped
- 8 oz (250 g) Ontario Mushrooms, quartered
- 1 can (28 oz/796 mL) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) white kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups (1 L) sodium-reduced beef broth
- 2 tbsp (25 mL) tomato paste
- 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) dried Italian herb seasoning
- 1 tsp (5 mL) dried basil
- 1 tsp (5 mL) salt
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
Preparation Instructions:
In large pot, over medium-heat, brown beef in 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the oil, breaking up with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Drain off fat; place meat in bowl.
In the same pot, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add garlic, carrots, onion and mushrooms and cook until onion is softened, about 4 minutes.
Return meat to pot along with tomatoes, beans, broth, 1 cup (250 mL) water, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, basil, salt, red pepper flakes and bay leaves; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes. Discard bay leaves before serving.
src: foodlandontario
