No matter who you’re rooting for this Super Bowl Sunday, the big game gives us an excuse to break up the winter season and celebrate with good food. Why not incorporate seasonal goodness into your game day celebration with one of these warming soups? Make any of these a day ahead and reheat them in a crockpot for when your guests arrive. You get to enjoy the game along with your friends. How easy is that?
French onion soup
Nothing warms you up like French onion soup. Surprisingly, it’s difficult to find French onion soup on local menus, so we make it at home. The NYT says that the caramelization process can take 45 to 60 minutes. It’s a time commitment, but well worth it. Jammy, mahogany-hued onions can serve as the base or addition to many dishes. Cookbooks and cooking blogs all say the same thing: they take time. Go low and slow. Cook in a heavy, wide pot to give the onions room and plenty of surface area to brown. Start with butter and cook on medium-low. Deglaze the pan with broth or water to help the onions brown without sticking. Make a big batch and use in winter recipes.
After the onions are rich, dark, and jammy, this soup recipe is smooth sailing and comes together in under 30 minutes. Add flour to make a roux once the onions have cooked down. Use a good beef broth or vegetable broth for a vegetarian soup. A bouquet garni with fresh thyme and rosemary, or even dried herbs, seeping into the broth adds aroma and floral notes. Top with a slice of toasted bread and an obscene amount of grated gruyere cheese, or any cheese you have on hand. Pop under the broiler and impress your dinner companions. If you’re making ahead, serve the soup in a crockpot. Make cheese toasts or croutons to have on the side.
How to store root vegetables
When stored properly, potatoes and other root vegetables can last for months. They like cool and well-ventilated spaces. Store in a ventilated bag at 32-40°. Do not wash potatoes until you’re ready to use them, the moisture can cause them to mold or sprout. Root vegetables do not like to be stored with onions, garlic, or bananas which release ethylene gas that can cause potatoes to ripen.
Baked potato soup
We haven’t tried this Guy Fieri recipe. Let us know if you do. https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/fully-loaded-baked-potato-soup-recipe-3381409
Kid-friendly black bean soup
This kid-friendly vegan black bean and tomato soup is a great way to get your kids to eat more plants, It can be made as mild or spicy as you like just by how much chili powder you choose to add.
Texas style-chili
Nothing screams Superbowl like a crockpot of chili. King County DNRP’s social media manager has won numerous awards for her chili. She won both the Judge’s and People’s award in the 2017 King County Chili Cookoff for her Texas-style chili. Many ingredients like garlic and onion can be locally sourced. This recipe can be made a day ahead and reheated.
Marie Tweedy’s Texas Style Red Chili (A Chili With No Name)
- Preparation time: 40 minutes
- Cook time: 2 hours
- Servings: 5-8
This recipe takes elements from recipes from Epicurious and NYT.
- 3-4 lbs. beef chuck (get a good quality meat, trim off excess fat)
- 3 pasilla peppers (make sure they’re bendy, which means they’re fresh)
- 3 Ancho peppers
- 3 guajillo peppers
- 3 chili arbol
- 1 head of Garlic
- 1 can of chipotle in Adobe Sauce (I added 2 cans this year and it was too spicy for me! Be careful with the chipotle)
- 2 chopped Onion
- 1 can of tomato paste
- 1 can of tomatoes
- 1-2 bottles Pacifico beer
- 5 tbs. high quality unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 quart of good quality beef stock
- 5 tbs cumin seed
- 3 tbs coriander seed
- A few tbs. brown sugar
- Salt to taste
- Apple cider vinegar to taste
Cube beef chuck to bite size pieces, season with salt. Put off to the side.
To make the chili paste: roast the peppers in a cast iron skillet until the peppers change color. Be careful because roasted chilis release a gas that isn’t nice. Do this with the windows open. Remove from pan and let cool. In the same pan roast the garlic with the skin on for a few minutes. Slice the chilies and remove the seeds and stems. Place in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let soak for 30 min. Do the chili arbol in a separate bowl. After the chilies become soft, place in a food processor or blender. Add the can of chipotle along with the adobe sauce. Peel the garlic and add to the chili mixture. Add some of the hydration liquid, stopping before you get to the gritty liquid at the bottom. Blend until smooth. I recommend putting the mixture through a sieve. Add salt to taste.
Toast the coriander and cumin seeds. Grind with a pestle and mortar on in a food processor (my food processor got the job done but it was a mess. A coffee grinder works best).
Sear the beef in batches in an oiled heavy pot on medium high heat. You need to be patient with this step! Be sure to brown the beef so that it gets caramelized. The beef shouldn’t burn, just get a nice sear. Remove the last batch and set the beef aside.
In the same pot sauté onions until soft. Be sure to season with salt as you go. Add the tomato paste and cook until the tomato paste browns. Add the chili paste and the cumin and coriander. Add the cocoa powder and brown sugar, mixing well.
Add the beef along with any juices to the pot. Add a beer. Top off with a can of tomatoes (if you use whole tomatoes like I did, puree the tomatoes). Add as much broth as you think you need. You want the beef and ingredients covered. The liquid is going to reduce considerably, so don’t be worried if it’s a little watery at this point.
Place the Dutch Oven in a 350-degree oven and cook for at least 1-2 hours with the lid on. You want the meat tender but not mushy – so don’t overcook.
Season to taste. Add a little apple cider vinegar to brighten up the chili. This chili is best if it sits to rest before you serve. Serve along with tortillas or rice. Top with cilantro, lime, and a little green or pickled red onion.