The cold days of winter call for warm soups

It is 30 degrees and the wind is howling. It is amazing how fast winter can appear. Sometimes, I wonder why I stay in this frozen climate. My nose is always freezing, my lips are always chapped, and I use hand cream by the gallon. I really just want to hibernate till the color green returns to the landscape! Not only does the cold change our wardrobe, but it also changes our food choices.

We’re back to winter foods — those stick-to-your-ribs dishes that people make in winter and avoid spring, summer and fall. Although I have never figured out why anyone would want food to stick to their ribs and not travel through their digestive track, I get the idea of eating heavy foods that take longer to digest and are steaming hot.

The joys of soup are countless. Soups soothe and warm. They comfort. They nourish the soul as well as the body and they fill us with warmth. They heal as well. Chicken soup is prescribed for upper respiratory infections. Vegetable soup is a healthful and perfect soup for anyone with a virus or anyone recovering from surgery as it is filled with healthful nutrients and is easy to digest.

Additionally, soup is the perfect diet food. Anyone on a diet knows that eating a bowl of light, broth-like veggie soup before dinner can help decrease the number of calories consumed in the meal.

We can’t change the season. It’s grey and cold and miserable — but we can make it more tolerable with some delicious, nutritious soup which just might soothe that first winter cold and help you avoid winter weight gain.

Here’s an idea for a winter party: Make a soup bar!

Have some delicious hot soups for your guests to choose from and accompany them with some great breads and dips, maybe a salad, and then a delicious dessert. It makes for a wonderful, warm way to ring in the new year.

Roasted Garlic, Leek and Potato Soup (Dairy or Pareve)

2 heads garlic or about 20 cloves

1/2 to 2/3 cup canola oil

2 to 3 large leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced, slices broken apart

1-1/2 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

3 to 4 cups vegetable broth

OPTIONAL: 1 cup milk, half and half or non-dairy substitute like rice, oat, or soy milk

Salt and pepper, to taste

Place the garlic cloves and the oil in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. The oil should cover the cloves completely. If it does not, add more oil.

Simmer until the cloves are golden and softened, about 20 minutes or more. When done, remove from the heat and let cool.

Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the oil in which the garlic was cooked in a soup pot. Add the sliced leeks and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir often to break up the slices.

Strain the garlic cloves over a container to reserve the oil. Add the garlic cloves to the soup pot and reserve the oil for another use. (It’s great in salad dressings.) Add the potatoes to the soup pot and mix well. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes have broken down and are mushy.

Use an immersion blender to emulsify the soup until it is creamy. Add the milk or cream and mix well. Heat until steaming but not boiling. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with snipped chives or scallions. Serves 4 to 6.

NOTE: You can add lots of ingredients to this to change it up. You can use buttermilk instead of milk for a little tang. You can also add sour cream or yogurt. Add some thyme or oregano, if you like, or add some carrots to the recipe while cooking for a bit of sweetness. You can also season it with some smoked salt or other seasonings like a bit of chili powder or tobacco sauce. The soup can be personalized to your family’s tastes.

Turkish Lentil Soup (Pareve or Dairy)

1/3 cup olive oil

2 large onions, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 qt. vegetable broth

1 lbs. dried red or mixed lentils (red, brown, etc.)

2 to 3 fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and quartered OR

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 potatoes, peeled and diced

3 ribs celery, diced

1-1/2 tsp. Kosher salt, to taste

1/2 tsp. pepper

Pour the olive oil into a large soup pot and add the onions and garlic. Sauté until lightly golden, about 7 minutes. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. Add all the ingredients and boil for 15 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 to 60 minutes more. Taste and adjust seasonings.

You can use an immersion blended and blend the soup to any consistency you like or leave the lentils and veggies whole. Makes about 4 quarts soup.

VARIATIONS: •Add cooked rice or macaroni. •Just before serving, add some freshly made large toasted croutons and/or sprinkle some parmesan cheese over the top. •Drizzle some mild chili oil in a design on the soup before serving. •Top with some toasted, chopped pistachio nuts.

White Bean and Kale Soup (Pareve or Meat)

This is an easy soup to make that can be varied easily to suit your family’s tastes.

3 to 5 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 large onions, chopped

6 to 10 cloves garlic, minced

3 to 6 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced

2 to 4 ribs celery, thinly sliced

2 large yellow gold potatoes, peeled and diced

2 bay leaves

2 to 3 qt. vegetable or chicken stock

2 to 3 cans white navy beans, rinsed and drained

1 large bunch kale, washed thoroughly, stemmed and cut into bite sized pieces

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (salt and pepper to taste)

1/4 cup chopped, fresh parsley

OPTIONAL: 1 to 2 cans red beans, rinsed, drained; 1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid.

Heat the oil in a heavy stock pot. Add onions and garlic and heat until translucent, 5 to 9 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, and potatoes, and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir frequently. Add the bay leaves and mix well.

Slowly add the stock and beans and simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Add the kale and simmer for another 30 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Simmer an additional 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with minced parsley. Serves a crowd.

NOTE: If you hate kale, use baby spinach leaves for the last 5 minutes of cooking time.

VARIATION: For an added calcium boost, add some broccoli florets to the soup during the last 5 to 8 minutes of cooking. (You can add any vegetables or beans you like. I have used frozen lima beans and frozen cut green beans instead of the white beans and kale.)

Butternut Squash Soup with Apples, Orange and Ginger (Pareve)

1 large butternut squash, halved and seeded

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, diced

1 large or 2 medium apple(s) such as Honeycrisp or Fuji, peeled and diced

1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, finely minced

1/2 to 1 tsp. ground cumin*

1/2 to 1 tsp. curry powder*

1/3 cup freshly squeezed or not-from-concentrate orange juice

1 qt. vegetable broth

1 to 2 cups water, as needed

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

OPTIONAL FOR GARNISH: Pure maple syrup, 1 apple, peeled and finely minced

*OPTIONAL: You can leave these spices out, if your family does not like these flavors.

Line a large, rimmed baking sheet or large roasting pan with foil and lightly grease the foil. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Carefully cut the squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds and place the cut side down on the pan. Place the pan in the oven and pour water into the pan so it is about 1/2-inch deep.

Roast for about 1 hour, until a spoon easily indents the squash, adding more water as needed to keep a bit of water in the pan.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, heat a skillet and add the olive oil. Sauté the onions until lightly golden and softened. Add the apples, ginger, cumin, curry powder, and orange juice. Simmer for 10 to 13 minutes, until the apples are very soft. Most of the juice will have evaporated. Remove from heat.

Scoop the squash out of the skin and discard the skin. Place in a large soup pot and add the vegetable broth and the onion-apple mixture. Simmer until just bubbly and turn off the heat. Use an immersion blender and process until smooth. If too thick, add some water. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Garnish each bowl with a drizzle of pure maple syrup and/or thinly sliced apples. Serves 6 to 10

Joni’s Signature Zucchini Leek Soup (Pareve)

This is one of the easiest soups I have ever made and has become my most requested. It is thick and creamy yet has nothing fattening in it. Serve with some frizzled leeks or croutons as a garnish.

NOTE: Use enough veggies to fill the size pot you are using about 2/3 full.

1/4 to 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

6 to 10 long leeks white/light green part should be about 7 to 12 inches long

6 to 10 zucchinis about 7 to 8 inches long

2 to 3 carrots

2 to 3 stalks celery (Optional)

3 to 4 qt. boxes Vegetable broth (Imagine No Chicken-Chicken Kosher)

1 to 2 Tbsp. Kosher Better than Bouillon vegetarian paste, to taste

Discard the dark green part of the leeks. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, discard the first layer, and cut the leeks into thin slices, so you have half-round pieces. Place in a large bowl of cold water and swish to clean thoroughly. If you like, reserve about 1 cup for frying for garnish.

Heat a large soup pot over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Add the leeks, stir and cover. Peel the carrots and cut into thin slices. Add to the pot and stir. If using, add the celery. Wash the zucchini and trim the ends. Cut into thin slices and add to the pot. Remember, the veggies should fill 2/3 or a bit more of the pot.

Add enough vegetable broth to cover the veggies and then cover the pot. Simmer for 45 to 60 minutes until all veggies are really mushy. Add more broth if too much evaporates. Turn off heat and let cool for 10 minutes.

Use an immersion blender and emulsify the soup until very smooth. Soup will be thick. Add a generous tablespoon of the bouillon paste and mix with the immersion blender. Taste and adjust bouillon paste. Add more to taste. Add salt and pepper if you like.

FOR THE GARNISH: Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add about 1/4 inch of canola oil and heat for about 20 seconds. Separate the reserved leeks into half circles and fry until deep golden and crispy. Place on a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with a bit of salt.

Serve soup and garnish with a few frizzled leeks, pumpkin seeds or croutons. This recipe serves a crowd. Freezes well.

Write: Columnist@TheJewishStar.com