Satisfying Soups for Wintertime
When the snow begins to pile up outside, many of us crave a steaming bowl of stick-to-your-ribs soup. No delicate infusions here: we’re dreaming about hearty helpings with chunks of vegetables, flavorful meat or mushrooms, and a thick, nourishing broth.
If you are a frequent Saratoga Farmers’ Market shopper, and stock up on winter vegetables, you probably have the beginnings of this delicious soup right in your cupboards and pantry already: celeriac or celery, onions, garlic, and potatoes. Add a few more ingredients, let the soup pot simmer, and you are ready to eat!
As with all soups, the flavors will blend over time and the soup may taste even better on the second day. Shop on Saturday, cook on Sunday, and then enjoy easy suppers during the following week.
If you enjoy accenting your meals with meat, ask the farms about the chorizo and sausage they craft. Each farm has something unique to offer. If you prefer a vegetarian soup, substitute some of the market’s wonderful mushrooms to add depth to your soup instead of using the meat.
Depending on the flavor profile of your meat or mushrooms, you may want to add some additional spices to this soup, such as smoked paprika and thyme. Taste as you go—that’s part of the fun of cooking at home—and see what magic develops to chase away winter’s chill.
Sweet Potato & Sausage Soup
*Items can be purchased at the market
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
10 ounces (roughly) sausage* or chorizo*
2 medium onions*, chopped
2 large garlic cloves*, minced
1 cup finely chopped celery or celeriac*
2 pounds sweet potatoes*, peeled and cut into ¼” slices
1 pound white-skinned potatoes*, peeled and cut into ¼” slices
6 cups low-salt broth (either chicken or vegetable broth)
4 cups loosely packed fresh spinach* or kale*, coarsely chopped
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add meat of choice (or mushrooms); cook until brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes. Transfer meat to paper towels to drain and pour off most of fat in pan. If using mushrooms, reserve them in a bowl to collect the juices that will accumulate.
Add onions, garlic, and celery or celeriac to pot and cook until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. (Celeriac may still be firm at this point, which is fine.) Add all potatoes and broth; bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Using potato masher or immersion blender, mash some (not all) of vegetables in pot to thicken broth.
Add browned meat or mushrooms and their juices to soup. Stir in spinach or kale and simmer just until wilted, about 4 minutes for spinach and 8 minutes for kale. Season with salt and pepper, and any other desired seasonings. Let soup rest or simmer gently for 15 minutes before serving.
