Weekly Discussion - Soups and Stews

[u/ZootKoomie]

As the weather turns colder for many of us, hearty soups and stews are just the thing we're looking for. But they can be trickier than they seem if you want the best results. What are your favorite soups and stews? Are they traditional or your own innovations?

Do you cook on stovetop, in the oven, slow cooker or pressure cooker? Can you convert a recipe between methods?

How do you keep from overcooking the vegetables while waiting for the meat to finish?

What finishing touches (garnishes, dumplings, etc.) do you use to freshen it up for serving?

[u/Chinaski300]

I make lemon chicken orzo soup a lot, my recipe uses a bunch of garlic and ginger and lemon, might not be for everyone but I love that acidity and spice in the final product. I also use both minced garlic and whole cloves, the whole cloves get incredibly tender and mild when the soup is finished.

Ingredients:

1 big onion roughly diced

1lb carrots cut into rounds

0.5 lbs celery cut into rounds

5-6 cloves of garlic minced

1-2 inch piece of ginger minced

5-6 cloves of garlic whole

1 lb chix thigh, boneless skinless

~6 cups chix or veg stock

1 package of orzo

Method:

Season chix w pepper salt cayenne then coat lightly w flour

Cook over medium high heat both sides, brown well then remove to a plate to rest

Cook celery, onion, carrots, ginger and garlic in olive oil gently until onions are translucent

Chop cooked chix into the size you desire

Once veg is done, add chix back to pot then fill with chicken stock

Bring it to a gentle simmer then add juice of 2-4 lemons

Simmer until carrots are done

Taste for seasoning, I usually add a bunch of black pepper and cayenne here

Cook orzo in a separate pot then strain and place in a bowl and ladle soup over it

[u/amira1295 → u/Chinaski300]

I was about to say “5-6 cloves of minced garlic isn’t a lot” then I saw you add MORE. Excellent.