Soup (Allergy and Vegetarian Friendly)
I make this in bulk and freeze it, as it is handy to have when I dont feel like cooking or I am sick and just cant be bothered but my son is starving (he is always starving). I also give it to my elderly mother who taught me this recipe but it is not worth her cooking it anymore. If my daughter comes over I have some to give her as well, as she loves it.
I make this in bulk and freeze it, as it is handy to have when I dont feel like cooking or I am sick and just cant be bothered but my son is starving (he is always starving). I also give it to my elderly mother who taught me this recipe but it is not worth her cooking it anymore. If my daughter comes over I have some to give her as well, as she loves it.
- 1 large onion diced
- 750 grams boneless chicken thighs defatted and skinless, cubed and optional or
- 600 grams shin beef cubed and optional
- 1 parsnip diced
- 1/4 sweede diced
- 3 large carrots diced
- 4 stems celery diced
- pumpkin diced
- 1 small head broccoli cut into sections
- 1/4 cauliflower cut into sections
- 1/2 cup peas optional
- parsley optional
- salt & pepper to taste (optional)
- 15 cups water
- soup mix or pearl barley, lentils, rice, pasta or 2 minute noodles
- Carbohydrate 9.35367477314542 g
- Cholesterol 72.75 mg
- Fat 9.73535034164699 g
- Fiber 3.02190554538428 g
- Protein 20.7101227951594 g
- Saturated Fat 3.53820969979831 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (325g)
- Sodium 117.389439959662 mg
- Sugar 6.33176922776113 g
- Trans Fat 1.49000110363292 g
- Calories 208 calories
Step-by-step
- If using chicken, cube and place into a large stockpot then rinse once with water and discard the rinse water, after rinsing cover with the 15 cups of water and bring to a boil then turn heat to low and allow to simmer gently while preparing vegetables.
- If using beef, do not rinse.
- If using the same knife and chopping board as the chicken or beef, wash well before using again.
- Peel and wash the onion, parsnip, sweede, carrots and wash the celery, then place on a plate ready for them to be diced in the order given above, adding to the stockpot as you dice them.
- Stir soup after each addition of an ingredient.
- When the above vegetables have been added, leave to simmer for at least an hour before adding any of the following ingredients ( If you add the other ingredients too soon it will turn to mush and not soup. )
- If using soup mix, pearl barley, lentils, large pasta or rice these can now be added and simmer for 20 minutes more, while you peel and wash and dice the pumpkin, then wash the cauliflower and broccoli and cut into sections and add to the soup, after the extra 20 minutes of simmering and continue to simmer for 5 minutes more, if using peas or 2 minute noodles then they can be added also.
- Turn heat off and leave on the stovetop until ready to serve.
- I dont add the salt, pepper or parsley until at the table as everyone has thier own tastes but they can be added at the very last if desired.
Standard clear broths rely on a short, high-heat infusion of aromatics and a singular protein source to keep flavors distinct. This formulation takes the opposite path, dumping root vegetables, brassicas, optional starches, and dense cuts of beef or chicken into fifteen cups of water simultaneously. Without careful management, that chaotic density produces either raw-tasting brassicas or completely disintegrated starches swimming in grey water. Achieving clarity and structural integrity from this mountain of produce requires understanding how different cellular walls break down under sustained heat.
Root vegetables like parsnips, swede, and carrots contain dense pectin networks that require extended simmering to soften without releasing excess starch into the liquid. By starting the aromatics and dense roots early while holding delicate elements back, you allow the Maillard reaction to develop savory depth from the meat while the root vegetables release natural sugars into the broth. Broccoli and cauliflower florets possess delicate cellular structures containing sulfur compounds that turn bitter and sulfuric when exposed to heat past seven to ten minutes, which explains why adding them late prevents structural collapse.
Staggering the introduction of ingredients dictates whether the final pot holds distinct textures or turns to absolute mush. Add dense grains like pearl barley or large pasta twenty minutes before the tender vegetables go in, ensuring the starches hydrate fully without absorbing all fifteen cups of liquid. Cool leftover portions rapidly within two hours before transferring containers to refrigeration, where the broth will keep safely for up to four days.
