Soups and stews are simple to prepare and the fabulous homemade results far surpass any red-and-white canned imitations.  A great pot of soup is a perfect one-dish meal.  Perhaps the best part of homemade soup are the leftovers; what a relief to find a healthy lunch or supper ready to go the next day or later in the week.  There are many categories of soups that by their definition help us to identify their preparation method:

Soup - any number of combinations of vegetables, fruits, meats or fish cooked in a liquid; a broad term covering a lot of culinary ground.

Stew - vegetables and meat in a broth thickened by the natural juices and the partial breakdown of its components; distinguished from soup by its natural thickness.

Bisque - a thick, pureed soup with cream; originally a term used only for seafood preparations, it now describes poultry or vegetable-based fare as well.

Consommé - a broth prepared from a meat or fish base, strained and clarified.

Chowder - a thick, chunky soup; a term originally reserved for seafood preparations, chowder is now often used for any chunky soup.

Potage - a pureed soup thickened with cream and egg yolks; French in origin.

Mulligan Stew - a thick stew made with whatever meat, potatoes, and vegetables at hand.

Posole - a thick, hearty soup of Mexican origins made with pork or chicken, hominy, onion, garlic, dried chiles and cilantro.  Often topped with fresh chopped vegetables such as lettuce, radishes, onions, or with cheese.

Cioppino - a spicy Italian stew made with tomatoes and a variety of fish and shellfish.

Bouillabaisse - a seafood stew with fish, shellfish, onions, tomatoes, white wine, garlic, saffron and other herbs; French in origin.

Burgoo - traditionally made with game, now any combination of meats and vegetables ranging from potatoes, onions, cabbage, carrots, sweet green peppers, corn, okra, lima beans and celery; the term is originates from Kentucky.

Some soup titles belong to a single, specific dish all to themselves:  borscht, callaloo, gazpacho, vichyssoise, or any number of wonderful liquid-based dishes.

Starting the Soup -- It's hard to envision a hearty soup without starting with an onion.  Two parts onion, one part celery, and one part carrot all in a small dice and you have the classic mirepoix, or the "aromatics" for the flavor base of many soups, stocks, and stews.  A quick sauté of the mirepoix and any dried spices that need blooming, and the soup is started.

Stock - the liquid component to soups and stews, (water, prepared stock, or homemade stock) will define the flavor outcome.  Prepared stocks offer quick access to this essential ingredient.  Choose a low sodium variety for soup making as the liquid concentrates during preparation.  Homemade stocks are easier to make than you might think.  America's Test Kitchen has trialed umpteen methods for homemade chicken and beef stocks in their latest cookbook, The New Best Recipe.  They note that the secret to great beef stock is good browning of the meat prior to adding any liquid.  The fond, (brown bits), contain a huge amount of flavor that are necessary for a good-tasting beef stock.

Ingredients - Additions to the flavor base and liquid component include all possible meat, fowl, vegetables and fruit choices.  Not too many rules at this stage!  In general though, do make pieces spoon-size.  Add ingredients according to their cooking times.  For example, add root vegetables early, leafy greens at the last and fresh herbs at the very end.

Finishing - Before serving adjust the seasonings.  Add any milk or cream at the end of soup preparation.  Allow the soup to reheat, but not boil, after the addition of the milk or cream.  Many fine soups will have a finishing step of pureeing.  A blender will produce the most consistent puree, but a food processor will also suffice.  An immersion blender is our favorite for this task because it avoids (1) the transfer of hot liquid, (2) the dilemma associated with processing multiple batches, and (3) the extra clean-up.

Presentation - Soup's pleasure lies not only in its taste and filling character, but also in the steamy aromas that lead us to the bowls waiting to warm our hands.  Choose bowls intended for soup.  Shallow bowls, sometimes known as soup plates, allow soup to cool quickly and are appropriate for the smaller quantities of a first course.  Deep, thick-walled bowls are well-suited for entrée soups.  Consider garnishing your soup, especially pureed soups, with a dollop of sour cream, chopped fresh herbs, or crunchy croutons.  Soup tureens and ladles add a necessary level of elegance when serving soup at the table or on a buffet.

A good soup pot not only makes a great soup, it becomes a modern icon imbued with all the connotations of hearth and home in the contemporary kitchen. We know of some soup pots that are designated heirlooms!  A good soup pot is large, but not so large to challenge handling of the pot; we think a 5-8 quart size is good for the home kitchen. A thick-walled pot is important to distribute heat evenly and prevent scorching at the heat source.  A well-fitting lid will keep liquids from escaping too rapidly.  Two handles that provide a solid grip, even with potholders, are a must for moving a full pot. The choices for a good soup pot fall into some basic categories:

Ceramic and Clay Pots - Clay pots, also known as ceramic (fired clay), have a natural insulating character that retains heat very well.  This insulating capability increases cooking times slightly while the pot initialing warms up.  Clay-based pots have a sturdy glaze that seals the clay, provides a nearly non-stick surface, and bestows wonderful color in the kitchen and on the table.  Most ceramic cooking pots are safe for the oven, dishwasher, freezer, and microwave.  Check to see if your pot is safe for the direct heat of a gas, electric, or halogen stovetop.  We recommend Emile Henry's "Flame" series for stovetop cooking.  Originating in the Burgundy region of France, Emile Henry cookware is known for its rich colors, scratch-resistant glaze, and for developing the first ceramic cookware to be used with direct heat.

What barbequing is to grilling, slow cookers are to the stovetop pot - a slow and easy-does-it approach to applying cooking temperatures to food.  Slow-cookers apply low temperature while retaining high moisture levels.  This slow-and-low method mixes flavors and turns tough meats into tender morsels with very little preparation or effort.  Maintaining a low temperature consistently without scorching required near constant monitoring for our grandmothers.  This changed in 1971 when Rival introduced the Crock-Pot®, an instant hit with home cooks everywhere.  What a great feeling to come home after a long day at work and be greeted by the aromas of a ready meal.  Over the years, the slow cooker has become an even more valuable, effective, and energetically smart kitchen appliance.  A typical slow cooker uses the same amount of energy as a 75 watt light bulb, much less than a stovetop burner's consumption.  Today's slow cookers easily surpass early versions with additional features, while still maintaining simplicity. When looking for a slow cooker, consider the following features:

(1)     Programmable timers allow the machine to switch to a "warm" mode at the end of the cooking cycle to prevent overcooking a meal; a handy feature for those of us with irregular schedules.

(Click here for a printable version of the recipe in PDF format).

White Bean and Kale Tomato Soup

Warm your body and soul with a generous portion of White Bean and Kale Tomato Soup that is a nutritional powerhouse and high in flavor.  Kale is a sturdy green that fits well into soups.  A leafy, easily digestible relative to the cabbage, kale is considered to be one of the most highly nutritious vegetables.  A powerful antioxidant with anti-inflammatory powers, kale is very high in beta carotene, Vitamins K, A, C, and serves as a good source of calcium.  Wash kale well prior to chopping.  Kale will reduce to about one quarter of its volume when cooked.  This soup may be made on the stovetop in your favorite soup pot, or in a slow cooker.

(3) 14-oz. cans vegetable stock
(1) 15-oz. can tomato puree
(1) 15-oz. can White Cannellini Beans or Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup rice
1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 pound kale, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
1 pound Italian sausage, (optional) sautéed thoroughly and drained of any fat

For Serving:
Parmesan cheese shavings
Olive oil for drizzling on top

Slow Cooker Instructions:

(1) Combine the broth, tomato puree, beans, rice, onion, garlic, and basil in the slow cooker, season with salt and pepper, and stir to blend.  Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 7 hours.

(2) Stir in the kale and sausage, and continue to cook on LOW until the kale is limp and tender, another 20 to 30 minutes.  When you add the kale, it will fill the cooker at first; you can add it in batches if you need to.

(3) Ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot with Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.

Excerpted from Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook, by Beth Hensperger & Julie Kaufmann. (c) 2005, used by permission from The Harvard Common Press.

Stovetop Instructions:

(1) Sauté sausage (if using) until cooked thoroughly.  Drain any excess fat. 

(2) Sauté chopped onion in a small amount of olive oil until translucent.  Add minced garlic and cook for one minute.

(3) Add vegetable stock, tomato puree, beans, rice, dried basil, and salt and pepper to the pot.  Heat, then let simmer on the lowest heat possible for 30-40 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

(4) Add chopped kale, in batches if necessary.  Cook until wilted and tender, about 10 minutes.

(5) Correct seasonings and serve with the Parmesan cheese shavings.