Sunday Soup #106: Andouille-Shrimp Cream Soup

This past Sunday, I got the itch to make a seafood soup... I had a bag of shrimp in the freezer that was just begging to be put into a soup! I have made a soup similar to this one before (Cajun Shrimp Stew: https://soupersleuth.blogspot.com/2019/08/sunday-soup-86-cajun-shrimp-stew.html), but this one was intriguing because it promised "creamy," so I figured I'd give it a shot. How did it measure up? Let's see...

This recipe came from: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/andouille-shrimp-cream-soup/

*Pic 1 - https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/andouille-shrimp-cream-soup/

Variations from the Recipe as Written: I actually made a few modifications to this one, for various reasons... My market was all out of Andouille sausage! I know, terrible luck when I had already committed to making this one... So, I used a smoked kielbasa instead (and 14oz instead of 8oz). I used pre-cooked (tail-off) shrimp because, as I mentioned, it was what I had in the freezer. And, to give it a little more of a flavor punch (to compensate for the lack of Andouille), I added half of a serrano chile (diced) and about a tablespoon of Cajun seasoning (Tony Chachere's).

General Thoughts: Be prepared (hehe) because there is a fair amount of prep work with this one. There is a lot of slicing and chopping, as the sausage, onion, celery, green pepper, red pepper, jalapeño pepper, and tomatoes all need to be chopped, and (if you aren't using pre-cleaned shrimp) the shrimp need to be shelled and de-veined. If your knife skills are good (mine are only fair), it shouldn't take you very long, but if chopping bothers you, find yourself a prep chef to help out (*he says, missing soup-friend Lisa during this COVID quarantine).

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

The soup was creamy and chunky, each bite brimming with a nice variety of textures (sautéed veggies, corn, sausage, and shrimp!). The corn was an especially pleasant surprise for me... I usually prefer my corn in only one-of-two forms: on the cob or in my cornbread. But, the corn in this soup was a terrific addition to both taste and texture, leaving me wanting more.

As for the taste, it was delicious! The soup was creamy and spicy, with a rich, savory flavor imparted by the shrimp and smoked sausage. As I mentioned above, I kicked it up another notch with a little Tony Chachere's and half a serrano chile, and it was perfect! One word of warning, however... Thyme, while common in Cajun cuisine, can taste like... dirt... to some people, and it is certainly a pronounced flavor in this dish. So, if thyme is not your jam, you may want to dial that spice back just a bit.

And, btw, it was delicious leftover, too!

Potential Improvements? When I make this one again, I think I'd do everything the same, except I would do my best to use real Andouille sausage (still 14oz, of course!).

Polling the Fam: I thought this one was great and will definitely make it again! Hunter, however, thought it was only okay because he was overpowered by the thyme ("It tasted like dirt."). Finally, Fox didn't care for it, saying he thought it needed more meat (but, quite frankly, I am not sure more would have fit).

Verdict: Loved it! (5 stars)

Sunday Soup #95: Corn Soup with Chipotle Sour Cream

A second dinner engagement this past weekend led me to search out a soup that could be paired with a nice, slow-cooked pork loin, seasoned to perfection by a masterful grill cook. The majority of soups I choose are not intended to be a side dish, served as a complement to a more substantial main course. However, this week's selection seemed like it would work equally well as a vegetarian main dish or (in smaller portions) alongside the meatier main course, which is what I prepared it for, this weekend.

This recipe came from: https://www.littlethings.com/fall-soup-recipes/14 (go to recipe #14 on the webpage)

*Pic 1 - https://www.littlethings.com/fall-soup-recipes/14

Variations from Recipe as Written: I doubled the recipe, and I puréed the soup using an immersion blender (more on this later). That's it!

General Thoughts: Both the prep and the cooking on this one were pretty simple, making this soup an ideal choice for a weekday night meal or quick dinner party side dish. The onion and chipotle peppers needed to be chopped, but that was about it. You could use fresh corn cut off the cob if you desired (I used bagged frozen kernels), but that would certainly take a larger time investment on your part. Cooking was also a snap, as it took less than 20 minutes total on the stove to finish this one up!

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

The soup shown in the picture from the website is a bit lighter (whiter?) than mine looked when I made it, but I may have been able to achieve the same color using white corn instead of yellow. They were also a bit more artful with their sour cream/adobo swirls on top, but (*shrug*) I'm just a dude, not a professional food stager, and I think mine came out looking okay. :-) So, what did it taste like?

It was yummy! The supporting flavors, such as all the spices, the garlic, and the lime juice, shined through and were (surprisingly) not completely dominated by the corn flavor. This was an important thing for me, as too many corn soups are so corn-forward that you might as well just be eating creamed corn (read: BORING!). It was even better when I dolloped the chipotle-sour cream mixture into my bowl, resulting in a creamy, spicy, interesting corn soup that went very well with my host's southwest-spiced pork loin. (*If you aren't so keen on spicy food, you might want to stick with plain sour cream rather than the chipotle mixture; however, that would be cutting out a key ingredient, so maybe just lighten up on the chipotle a little.)

A quick note about the consistency of the soup... The recipe instructed, "Working in batches, purée soup in blender until smooth." I was going for speed, so I used an immersion blender dropped straight into the pot on the stove. In hindsight, I think that was a mistake, as the soup was not quite as smooth as I would have liked.

Potential Improvements? When I make this one again, the only thing I'd do differently is purée it in a highspeed blender to give it a smoother texture.

Polling the Fam: I liked this one and thought it was perfectly suited as a side dish for this meal. I'd have given this soup 3.5 stars as a main course, and 4.5 stars as the side dish it was, so 4 stars seemed perfect overall! I did not get specific reactions from all of the other diners, but several mentioned that they enjoyed it and everyone seemed fairly happy with it overall, so I'll call that a win!

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)

Sunday Soup #83: Jalapeño Popper White Bean Soup

Helloooooooo, Souper Troopers! This past weekend, my wife and I were camping in one of the most beautiful natural settings in the U.S., the majestic California redwoods in the national/state parks near the CA/OR border... I wasn't sure I was going to make a soup, but I found something that looked simple, so I decided to give it a go, and I am SO glad I did!

Before I get to the recipe itself, let me share with you Ryan's Soup Triangle... There are three key characteristics that primarily affect my opinion of any soup, all of which can make a difference in whether or not I decide to make a particular recipe again: Taste, Ease of Prep, and Cost.

While Taste is the most important factor in how I score a soup (and whether I would make it again), if a soup takes too much trouble to prepare or costs more than I like to spend on a single meal, it can limit my enjoyment and make me question whether it should be considered a recipe to repeat in our house. But, when a soup nails it in all three of these categories (i.e., it tastes great, was easy to make, and uses inexpensive ingredients), I believe it needs special recognition (like previous Sunday Soup #66: https://soupersleuth.blogspot.com/2018/08/sunday-soup-66-slow-cooker-chicken-and.html).

Such was the case with the soup I made on Sunday... I normally save my opinion until the end of the post, but I'm just going to tell you upfront on this one: it tasted great, it was super easy to prep, and it called for only simple inexpensive ingredients! AND, the icing on the cake was that this soup is relatively healthy and nutrient-dense, coming as it did from a recipe collection that nutrition outfit Stronger U (https://strongeru.com/) makes available to its members!!

This recipe came from: The Stronger U Recipe Book (available to Stronger U members)

*Pic 1 - Picture from the Stronger U Recipe Book

My Version of the Recipe: (made about 22 servings of 1/2-cup each*)

32 oz chicken stock
14 slices smoked bacon
6 fresh jalapeño peppers
2 cans (15 oz each) white kidney beans
1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix
8 oz Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese

1. Dice the bacon. De-seed and dice the jalapeños. Take the cream cheese out of the fridge to soften (and slice into smaller cubes, if desired, to facilitate melting).

2. Cook the bacon in a large soup pot, THEN add the jalapeños to sauté. (*If using pre-cooked bacon, add the peppers and diced bacon to the pot simultaneously.

3. Sauté over medium-high heat until the peppers have softened (about 5 minutes).

4. Add remaining ingredients (except for the cream cheese) and bring to a boil, stirring often.

5. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 10 more minutes.

6. Add the cream cheese and stir until fully melted or incorporated.

7. Remove pot from heat and serve immediately.

*Each 1/2-cup serving is 15g carbs, 7g protein, and 3g fat.

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

General Thoughts: So, not much mystery here, since I gave you the BLUF (i.e., "... it tasted great..."), but I'll expand just a little... There were not any exotic ingredients in this soup (unless you count the packet of ranch dip mix), just stuff you will find in literally every grocery store at reasonable prices. And, other than dicing the jalapeños and bacon (which you could probably both buy in pre-diced form, if you were feeling particularly "lazy"), there really is no prep time required for this soup. Yeah, you have to sauté the bacon/peppers and stir a bit while it is coming up to a boil, but it took very little attention, as I stirred with one hand and played cell phone games with the other. ;-)

One of my favorite things about this soup was how well-rounded it was. The taste was rich, salty, smokey, and hit the savory target perfectly. I personally would have liked a little more spice, but that is just a function of how spicy the jalapeños are from shopping trip to shopping trip. The texture was spot-on, giving me a nice creamy broth to go with the hearty beans and corn and the chewiness of the bacon; every spoonful was heaped with goodness! I am not usually a fan of corn in my soups, but I can't imagine this soup without it.

Potential Improvements? I am not sure I would change a thing, particularly since keeping it a little more mild has broader appeal, and I can always add hot sauce to my personal bowl in the future.

Polling the Fam: I loved this one (duh!), and I can't wait to make it again. Becky was the only other guest for this dish. She liked it but thought there was too much bacon (is there such a thing?!) and that it could have used even more beans and corn.

Verdict: Loved it! (5 stars)

Sunday Soup #75: Vegetarian Lentil Tortilla Soup

I know what you're thinking... Are eyebrows considered facial hair? After that, though, you may have had the same thought as me... As a meat-a-saurus, could I really like a vegetarian tortilla soup? My Spidey-senses usually tingle any time someone suggests that I cook a vegetarian dish, but my family is one of hundreds of thousands affected by the US Government shutdown, and money is tight right now. So my wife (Becky) suggested this vegetarian soup as a way to save a little on the grocery bill, and (I guess?) to be healthier or whatever. ;-) Let's see how it went...

This recipe came from: https://peasandcrayons.com/2017/02/vegetarian-lentil-tortilla-soup.html

*Pic 1 - https://peasandcrayons.com/2017/02/vegetarian-lentil-tortilla-soup.html

Variations from Recipe as Written: Not really a variation, since it was listed as "Optional" in the recipe, but we did not add heavy cream.

General Thoughts: Becky and I worked to prep this one together, so it went quickly. There was some dicing to be done, quite a few cans to open, beans to drain and rinse, etc., but considering that it was all going to be cooked in the Instant Pot (seal it, cook it, done!), it didn't feel that onerous. It looked a little brothy in the pot, but given the black beans, pinto beans, and (most importantly) dried lentils, I figured it would thicken up as it cooked.

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

When the soup was ready, it smelled delightful! It had a rich aroma of (surprise, surprise) tortilla soup, which I think is quite important. The consistency was also a pleasant surprise. It wasn't too brothy and it wasn't too thick... Like Baby Bear's bowl of oatmeal for Goldilocks, it was JUST right! It was chocked full of legumes and veggies, all of which combined to give it a great mouth-feel, and made it come across as warm, hearty, and satisfying.

The taste was so surprising to me that I almost couldn't believe it... How could a vegetarian tortilla soup (in which I have always been accustomed to having meat protein) not make me miss chicken or other cooked animal flesh? I really enjoyed the flavors imparted by the veggies and spices, and the beans and lentils were perfect. Even the corn, of which I am not generally a fan in my tortilla soups, was tasty and not too overpowering. As it came out of the pot, it was a little bland for me (remember, Ryan = Fire Eater), but some sliced raw jalapeño as a garnish kicked it up to the right level for me. Also, I highly recommend (if you are so inclined) a dollop of sour cream, as well, as it gave the soup a great finish.

As an aside, I am not always eager to try tortilla soup recipes because they all taste the same to me. However, this one was just different enough (being vegetarian and so rich and hearty) that it held my interest.

Also, this one was TERRIFIC left over... A little thicker, but with the same wonderful taste and tummy-filling yumminess!

Potential Improvements? Not much to improve on here... I might like to try it with the heavy cream and see how that differs from the sour cream I used as garnish, but that is more out of curiosity than something I actually think could make it better. And, unless I had a reason to keep it vegetarian, it might benefit from some roasted chicken, but that is certainly not a requirement.

Polling the Fam: I really liked this one and would definitely make it again. Becky thought it was tasty and filling. Hunter thought it was good but opined that some chicken in it would be great. Fox (our picky one) even thought it was good and couldn't think of a way to improve it.

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)

Sunday Soup #62: Bacon, Shrimp, and Corn Chowder

My best buddy, Jayson, and I both enjoy seafood soups, but our normal family dinner crew includes others that are anti- anything that comes from the water. This weekend, though, those that normally object were either missing or eating something different, so I was free to pick a seafood soup that looked yummy. But, how did it go?

This recipe came from: https://theblondcook.com/bacon-shrimp-corn-chowder/

*Pic 1 - https://theblondcook.com/bacon-shrimp-corn-chowder/

Variations from Recipe as Written: I actually make a few alterations to this one... I made 1.5 times the recipe. I used an extra slice of bacon. I used an extra half-pound of shrimp. I used "Better Than Bullion" to supplement the chicken stock (because I needed 4.5 cups, but stock is normally sold in 4-cup sized boxes). I added two tablespoons of Lawry's Seasoned Salt to the pot to kick up the flavor. And, instead of adding the bacon and the shrimp to each bowl as it was prepped, I just added the shrimp and bacon back to the pot once the rest of the broth/soup was finished.

General Thoughts: This soup was fairly simple to put together... Lisa helped me by dicing the bacon and chopping the onions, but that was only real pre-prep work required. The rest was just the usual cooking steps...

I noted that this was one of those recipes that came out looking much less "polished" than the pictures from the website. It did come out very chowder-y, which was good, but it wound up looking a bit rougher and more stew-ish than the pristine bowl of chunky, creamy perfection they depicted in the staged photos. I think this was partly due to the use of the immersion blender, which made the corn and onions a little ragged. But, as with most soups (imho), the taste was more important than how it looked...

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

When I first tasted a spoonful of the soup out of the pot, it was actually a bit bland. That surprised me, as I thought the amount of bacon I'd fried up would have added more salty, savory flavor to the mix. I could taste the paprika and the thyme (the most forward flavors were the thyme and the shrimp), but it definitely needed a kick... Ideally, I would have preferred a cajun seasoning or some Old Bay, but I had Lawry's Seasoned Salt to hand, and that did the trick.

This soup turned out a little thinner than I expected, but it was still hot and hearty. Each bite was savory (thanks to the Lawry's) and had a piece of tender, yummy shrimp (which reinforced my choice to add the extra half-pound of shrimp). I was also a bit worried about textures and consistency, but those fears were unfounded, as it wound up close to feeling like a chunky shrimp stew that went down easy.

Potential Improvements? I think substituting Old Bay seasoning or something like Tony Chachere's creole seasoning would have been better than Lawry's. Adding potatoes would definitely have been a plus, as well as some Italian sausage or chicken (to make it a meat trio - shrimp, bacon, and sausage or chicken) and provide some additional bulk and flavor.

Polling the Fam: For me, this was another of those soups that would have wound up at 3.5 stars, but I am confident with the improvements I suggested it would be a solid 4. I'd definitely make it again. Jayson thought it was good but thought it was missing a little something too, suggesting potatoes and some chicken or sausage to help flesh it out. Hunter also liked it overall, and agreed on the potatoes, but said it wasn't his favorite soup I've ever made.

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)

Sunday Soup #20: Mexican Street Corn Soup

This recipe came from: http://stripedspatula.com/2016/07/28/mexican-street-corn-soup/

*Pic 1 - http://stripedspatula.com/2016/07/28/mexican-street-corn-soup/

My Variations from Recipe as Written: I took several big liberties with this recipe... I doubled the recipe. I used olive oil (when it gave me a choice between olive or vegetable oils) and chicken stock (when it gave me a choice between chicken or vegetable broth). I used frozen corn instead of fresh, for the sake of pure expediency (and, as such, did not follow the instruction regarding the corn cobs). And, I added 1/2 pound of shredded chicken and 1/2 pound of shredded turkey, because I felt like the soup needed more bulk and certainly some protein.

General Thoughts: The flavor of this soup was deceptively deep and complex; helped by its garnishment, certainly, but very flavorful on its own. The addition of the protein (the shredded chicken and turkey) was a huge positive! It made the soup feel really substantial, as well as adding greatly to the overall flavor profile.

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

The soup was fairly simple to make, helped out by using frozen instead of fresh corn and buying pre-cooked, pre-shredded chicken and turkey from the deli section. Overall, it was pretty straightforward, so I have no tips or commentary regarding the prep, really, other than what I have already shared.

I garnished with the recommended corn mixture, but felt like mine needed to be a little spicier (what else is new?!), so in addition to the other recommended garnishes (cilantro and cotija cheese), I used sour cream, Sriracha, and jarred jalapeños (which gave it a vinegary twang that I felt like the soup was missing). Finally, I crumbled tortilla chips into my bowl, which finished it off nicely.

Polling the Fam: I made this one for a large crowd again, so some good opinions.  I thought this was a solid addition and would make it again, in the form described above as a main dish or without the chicken/turkey as a nice soup course for a Mexican meal. However, the soup needs more spice (without garnishment) to make it "great". Becky thought it was good, and she would eat it again, although she thought it needed a bit more spice. Hunter felt similarly, saying he really liked it and that it was flavorful, but not as spicy as desired, and the tortilla chips were a "must". Jayson liked it very much and was very glad it had chicken/turkey, adding that he was happy he added a bit of Tabasco to his bowl. Andrew said "Really good. Quality, quality, quality." He said the meat was his favorite part of the soup and that it worked very well; he thought the broth acted like a very rich sauce for the meat. Finally, Lisa thought it was good but that it was missing some flavor note, although she couldn't put her finger on what specifically; she suggested some canned mild diced green chiles. She also added that the pieces of shredded chicken were too big so dicing a traditionally cooked boneless chicken breast or shredding it smaller would have helped.

Verdict: Liked it. (4 stars)