Sunday Soups #126, #127, and #128: Louisiana Red Beans and Rice, Beer Cheese Potato Soup with Sausage, & African Peanut Soup

Yes, you are seeing that right... Three soups! I don't usually post multiple soups in the same post (have I ever?), but I think it is appropriate today, even though the three soups are very different from one another, as a means of getting the info out there to you. I have not been posting a lot lately (a hangover of my general social media malaise), but I have still been making soups, so I wanted to share them with you, even if it was quick and dirty. Enjoy!

SUNDAY SOUP #126: LOUISIANA RED BEANS AND RICE

Depending on who you talk to, Red Beans and Rice may not strictly be considered a soup, but I prefer brothier versions that are very soup-like, so this one was right up my alley. Let's see if this one delivered on the great Louisiana flavor that good red beans and rice is known for...

This recipe came from: https://diethood.com/red-beans-and-rice/

*Pic 1 - https://diethood.com/red-beans-and-rice/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I doubled the recipe, used smoked paprika, and left out the cayenne pepper (although it was only 1/8 tsp) because one of my guests had a low spice threshold.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

General Thoughts/Potential Improvements: This one was very hearty, tasty, and had a nice variety of textures. I made some mixed rice to go with it (as opposed to basic white), which also made for some interesting flavor and textural variations. But, it was also quite tasty without the rice. I found myself really missing the spice, and it was right on the edge of not salty enough, despite the andouille sausage. But, adding some Tabasco to my bowl was helpful, and some Tony Chachere's or Slap Ya Mama seasoning would have made it even better.

Polling the Fam: I liked this one and would definitely make it again. Becky thought it was only okay and was not a fan of the mixed rice, saying she would have preferred plain white. Hunter, in contrast, enjoyed it and really liked the mixed rice, but agreed it needed more spice and salt. Jayson liked it and said more salt would have made it perfect. And, Lisa added a bit too much hot sauce but liked it and thought mixing it with some actual dirty rice would have been even tastier (I think I agree!).

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)

SUNDAY SOUP #127: BEER CHEESE POTATO SOUP WITH SAUSAGE

I have been on the hunt for a beer cheese soup that is actually good... So many of them have been disappointing, failing to deliver on taste or consistency. How did this one do?

This recipe came from: https://midwestfoodieblog.com/sausage-and-potato-beer-cheese-soup/

*Pic 1 - https://midwestfoodieblog.com/sausage-and-potato-beer-cheese-soup/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I used regular spicy Italian sausage rather than turkey sausage.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

General Thoughts/Potential Improvements: I really liked this one, and I think (even though I gave it only 4 instead of 5 stars) this is the best beer cheese soup I've found so far (here are some previous examples: https://soupersleuth.blogspot.com/search?q=beer+cheese)! I enjoyed the textures, as the veggies (onion, celery, and carrots) were still a little firm. Unlike some other recipes of this type, there was actually a good beer flavor that I enjoyed, and it was very well-spiced (benefiting from the hot Italian sausage, as well as the depth of flavor provided by the oregano and thyme). The one thing I wish it had more of was cheese! It calls for 8oz, but it could have benefited from 50% more (so, 12oz overall).

Polling the Fam: Again, I liked this one. Becky thought it was only okay, as she did not like the firm veggies. Hunter gave it full marks and thought it was really good, admitting he was curious about how it would have tasted with the turkey sausage. Jayson was on the fence and did not go back for seconds, primarily because he thought it needed to be cheesier. And, Lisa liked it a lot, agreed that it could have been cheesier/creamier, suggesting that some sour cream would have helped, and opined that it should have been cooked a little longer (to soften up the potatoes and other vegetables).

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)

SUNDAY SOUP #128: AFRICAN PEANUT SOUP

I made this one after I was inspired by watching a cool food program on Netflix called "High on the Hog" (highly recommend), which explored the roots of traditional African and African American foods and their effects on cuisine in the US. While this recipe was given a very generic name, I encourage you to do some additional research on the complexities of African soup culture, if you have an interest. This one is similar to a soup I've made before (https://soupersleuth.blogspot.com/2017/08/sunday-soup-36-west-african-peanut.html), which was based on a tasty recipe from a friend, but I think this one was a little better.

This recipe came from: https://themodernproper.com/african-peanut-soup

*Pic 1 - https://themodernproper.com/african-peanut-soup

Variations from Recipe as Written: None.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

General Thoughts/Potential Improvements: This one was SUPER hearty, and I was immediately struck by how thick it came out. It is extremely stew-like, rather than brothy, and it was wonderful to scoop up with a good piece of olive bread or naan. It was filled with amazing textures, and the taste was rich and creamy. The sweet potatoes (not yams!) and chickpeas were particularly yummy, having soaked up the general flavors and spices from the rest of the mix. For me, personally, I would want to kick the spice level way up the next time I make it. To that end, using three or four jalapeños or, even better, a scotch bonnet pepper or two (which, I think, would be a bit more reflective of this dish's West African roots), would be great!

Polling the Fam: I enjoyed this one but, sadly, I forgot to record my guests' reactions. However, they all generally responded well to it. Jayson, in particular, really liked it and asked to keep some of the leftovers, so it was definitely a winner.

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)

Sunday Soup #109: Smoked Pork Bayou Soup

As we continue to labor under quarantine, states in the U.S. are more or less free to "do their own thing" with regard to shelter-in-place, restrictions, and what-not... But, if you are anything like me and my family, your activity level (i.e., going to the office, going out to eat, and generally being social) has gone way down since the Coronavirus arrived on the scene. But, also like us, you may have developed a group of friends or family (8-10 folks or less) in whose judgment and behavior you trust enough to have small get-togethers or gatherings to maintain your face-to-face relationships and (maybe) share a meal. Whatever your situation, above all, I hope that you stay safe, healthy, and happy!

Luckily for us, our good friends Lisa and Jayson have been quarantining, staying safe, and are as in need of real human contact as we are, so we felt comfortable enough to share a Sunday dinner, which (more often than not) means soup!! Go figure, right? ;-) Lisa had two smoked pork shoulders in her freezer that she needed to use, so I found this Cajun soup that looked like it had some promise...

This recipe came from: https://www.nibblemethis.com/2015/02/smoked-pork-bayou-soup.html

*Pic 1 - https://www.nibblemethis.com/2015/02/smoked-pork-bayou-soup.html

Variations from the Recipe as Written: I made 1.5x the recipe and, though I did not measure exactly, I likely used a little over double the pork called for.

General Thoughts: This one took a bit to prepare... I used fresh peppers, which the recipe said was an option (since it would have been even more work to make the dried), so I spent a little time dicing. There was also some time involved in making the roux and baking corn muffins (which I burnt a little because I am not a baker!). But, the most time-consuming task was trimming all of the smoked pork off the bone. It took a bit of nimble knife work, and it was well worth it in the end, but it still took a bit of effort.

*Pics 2 & 3 - Pictures from when I made it

The first thing I noticed was that the soup was super hearty (which was good)! However, the meat, veggies, and rice combined to make it almost "heavy" and, as time passed, it got more so (which was not as good). The dirty rice soaked up most of the liquid. When we all took our first bowls, I would have characterized the soup as a thick-ish chowder, but by the time people got around to seconds, it was more like a jambalaya with very little broth.

The flavor was very good! The taste of the smoked ham was present in every bite and there was a delightful Cajun flavor throughout. That was likely a result of the dirty rice mix (I used Zatarain's), which also made the soup surprisingly spicy. I added just the amount of hot sauce called for by the recipe (I chose a medium-spicy Cajun-style sauce), but the soup turned out quite spicy overall. It was at the perfect level for me, but the heat built over time, which pushed some of my guests past their spice thresholds. Despite that, all of my diners, even the picky ones, thought it was delicious!

Potential Improvements? Next time I would add more broth (maybe even double) and leave the hot sauce out to make it more palatable to all diners (I can always sauce my bowl to taste after-the-fact!).

Polling the Fam: I think this one definitely needs to be made again, with the above changes; only its consistency and spice kept it from being 5 stars. Becky said she'd give it 5-out-of-5 but wished it was a bit milder. Jayson, likewise, really liked it but was kept from getting seconds by how spicy it was, and he thought it needed to be brothier. Lisa really liked it and was fine with the spice level but said it could have used less rice and more broth/meat/veggies. Andrew said it was a "home run," with good spice and texture. Hunter said he'd give it a perfect score and wouldn't change anything. And, Fox said it was good despite getting too spicy for him by the end.

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)