Cream of Mushroom Soup sans Cream

2 yellow onions, finely diced (about 3 cups)

1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 to 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, or 1 to 2 teaspoons dried thyme

3 cloves garlic, minced (or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder)

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste

15 ounces cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth

1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, or sherry, red wine, soy sauce or Worchestire sauce

Ground black pepper

Chopped parsley for garnish

Liberally mist a large pot with nonstick oil spray and warm over medium-high heat.

Add the mushrooms and leave them undisturbed for 4 minutes. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

As they cook, the mushrooms will generate a lot of liquid, and then naturally absorb it as they continue to cook down. The goal is browned and caramelized mushrooms without any remaining liquid. When they’re done, remove a few tablespoons and set aside to use as garnish.

Add the onions, oil, thyme, garlic, and salt and cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions are softened and slightly browned. Add the beans and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the broth and cook for another 5 minutes, reducing the heat to low when it starts to bubble.

Turn off the heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup in the pot, leaving lots of bits and pieces of mushroom for texture throughout.

Enchilada Soup

Ingredients

1 Cup diced onion

1 Cup diced bell pepper,

½ minced jalapeno pepper ( no seeds)

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste

4 c. vegetable broth

1 (15-oz.) can red enchilada sauce ( I used medium spicy)

1 c. frozen corn

1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes

1 (15-oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15-oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

6 oz. tortilla chips

1 c. shredded Mexican cheese blend

Black pepper, to taste

Sour cream and sliced avocado, for topping

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell peppers, minced jalapeño, cumin, garlic powder, and salt. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften and char in spots, 7 to 8 minutes.

Add the broth, enchilada sauce, corn, tomatoes, black beans, and pinto beans. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the soup is thickened and reduced slightly, 10 to 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Spread the tortilla chips in a single layer on a baking sheet and top with the cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes, rotating the baking sheet as needed to avoid burning.

Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among bowls and top with the chips, sour cream, avocado, and sliced jalapeño.

Cheeseburger Soup

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 lb pound lean ground beef

¾ cup chopped onion

¾ cup shredded carrots

¾ cup chopped celery

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley

4 cups cubed potatoes

3 cups chicken broth

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups whole milk

2 cups cubed Cheddar cheese

¼ cup sour cream

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large pot over medium heat; add ground beef, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook and stir until beef is browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in basil and parsley. Add potatoes and broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer until potatoes are tender, 10 to12 minutes.

Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk; simmer and stir until sauce is thick and smooth.

Stir sauce into soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and stir in cheese until melted. Add sour cream; stir until just heated through.

Close up view of cheeseburger soup with cheese and green onions in a bowl with a spoonful of soup

Spicy Chicken Soup

1 whole small chicken, 2 1/2 to 3 pounds ( see notes)

3 quarts water

4 ounces smoked ham, ham hock, or bacon

One 3-inch knob ginger, roughly chopped

4 whole garlic cloves, smashed

1 stalk fresh lemongrass, dry outer leaves, pale yellow/green section only, chopped fine

1 small bunch cilantro, leaves and stems reserved separately

1 small bunch mint, leaves and stems reserved separately

6 scallions, greens and whites reserved separately, greens sliced thin

1 medium yellow onion, finely sliced (about 1 cup)

2 medium carrots, finely sliced (about 1 cup)

1 small head Napa cabbage, finely sliced (about 2 cups)

1 Thai bird chile, very finely sliced (see note)

1 cup dried egg noodles or rice noodles or 8 ounces fresh ramen-style Japanese or Chinese wheat noodles

3 TBSP fish sauce

1/4 cup juice from 2 to 3 limes

1 TBSP soy sauce

1-2 TBSP gochujang sauce

Kosher salt to taste

Directions

Using a sharp knife and following the bone, remove the breasts from the chicken carcass. Discard skin and set breasts aside. Remove legs from chicken and set aside. Using a heavy knife or cleaver, roughly chop the body into fine pieces. Transfer the chicken body and legs to a large saucepan. Add ham, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, cilantro stems, mint stems, and scallion whites. Cover with water and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce to low and simmer, skimming scum from surface and topping up with hot water as necessary, until rich and flavorful, about 45 minutes total. Add chicken breasts to pot for last 10 minutes of cooking.

Strain broth through a fine mesh strainer into a 2 quart liquid measuring cup. Remove cooked chicken legs and breasts to a plate and set aside. Discard remaining solids. Add enough hot water to broth to equal two quarts. Rinse pot and return broth to it. Add onion, carrots, cabbage, and Thai chile and bring to a simmer. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes longer, adding noodles in for last 5 minutes of cooking time (or according to package directions).

Meanwhile, when chicken is cool enough to handle, roughly shred breast and leg meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding skin and bones.

When noodles and vegetables are soft, add fish sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, gochujang sauce, and shredded chicken to pot. Season to taste with salt (if necessary). Serve immediately, garnishing each bowl with fresh mint leaves, cilantro leaves, and scallion greens.