Blackbird Café’s Sweet Potato Pear Soup
Serves 6
This is a simple recipe so the ingredients you use are very important. We use locally grown organic items every time we can. If you do not have access to locally grown, buy the best ingredients you can afford. It really does make the difference.
1 tbsp. butter
1 medium white onion, chopped
2 lbs. sweet potatoes
3 pears – the riper the better
3 c. vegetable stock
Optional – 1 c. heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Chop the onion and sweat them in the butter. While they are sweating, peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1 inch cubes. Core and peel the pears. Cut them into 1 inch cubes, as well. Put the chopped sweet potatoes and the pears into a large stock pot. Add your favorite vegetable stock. The best thing is to make your own, but there are some great stocks now available in the grocery store. Add enough stock to cover the potatoes and the pears. Add the sweated onions. Allow to come to a boil and cook until the sweet potatoes are soft and fork tender. In small batches, transfer the soup into a blender. Because the soup is hot, it is very important that you do not fill the blender more than half way full to avoid it overflowing and potentially burning you. Continue to blend the soup until it is smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
OPTIONAL: If you enjoy a very creamy soup, you can add a cup of heavy cream. This will give the soup a very smooth mouth feel. When you add the cream, you do not want the soup to boil again, which could cause it to separate. Simply bring the soup to a simmer and turn down the heat.
We serve this soup with a hearty piece of sourdough bread – great for sopping up the last bits your spoon can’t quite get.
Milda’s Corner Market Sauerkraut Soup
Serves 4 to 6
1 ham bone
1 carrot chopped
1 jar or bag of sauerkraut
1 bay leaf
½ c. ketchup
Water (enough to cover bone)
Salt & pepper to taste
Place ham bone in pot and add water to cover. Add carrot and bay leaf and simmer for 3-4 hours. Strain, reserving broth and bone. When cool enough to handle, remove remaining meat bits from bone and add to stock. Add sauerkraut and ketchup (increase amount of ketchup if you like your soup a little sweeter). Season to taste and simmer for 20 minutes more. Remove bay leaf before serving.
Optional: You may add bacon, Polish or smoked sausage. Some like it with a dollop of sour cream.
Milda’s Corner Market Roasted Squash Soup
Serves 4 to 6
1 butternut (or other winter) squash
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 qt. water
1 c. heavy cream
Salt & pepper to taste
Cut squash in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Brush with olive oil and bake, skin side up, in 350-degree oven (knife should insert easily into squash). When cool enough to handle remove skin. In batches, puree in food processor or blender, adding water until desired consistency is reached. Place in a saucepan and add cream (if desired). Simmer until heated through. Do not allow to boil as cream may break. Season to taste.
Variations: In place of butternut squash, you may use pumpkin, acorn, spaghetti or other firm squash. You may also add a tbsp. of curry powder, dry or fresh ginger, fresh herbs, or grated cheese.
Indiana Deli’s Steak and Potato Soup
Serves 8-10
1 medium onion, chopped
3 stalks celery
3 carrots
1-2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. steak seasoning
½ tsp. rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 ½ lb. rump or shoulder roast
3 lb. baby red potatoes
1 sm. can diced tomatoes
1 bag frozen peas
4 c. beef broth
4 c. water
Chop vegetables and sauté in olive oil until soft (about 10 minutes). Add 2 tbsp. steak seasoning and other seasonings. Cut roast into bite size cubes and add to veggies. Cut potatoes into cubes and add to pot along with beef broth, 4 cups of water, and can of diced tomatoes. Simmer for about two hours. Before serving add 1 bag frozen peas for color. Simmer ‘til peas are cooked through and serve.
