Hearty Winter Soup

I was looking for something to really fill me up, and keep me that way. Rustic soups and stews are my favourite for this. Since it's "cold" now (ok... it's not as cold for us as it is for many of you, but it's all about what you're used to), all the better. Also in the job description was something that could cook itself while I was at school. This is really perfect for a slow cooker. I did this in 3 steps, but if you are going to be at work all day it will work equally well using just two steps. If you have leftover turkey, use that instead. It'd be a fine substitute for chicken. Hope you enjoy!

1 onion, cut into large chunks
2 carrots cut into 1" pieces
1 cup wheat berries (I pre-soaked mine but you can just dump them in unsoaked and it'll be fine)
1 tomato cut into large chunks (or a small can of tomatoes)
1/2 bulb garlic, peeled and cloves left whole
5 cups chicken broth (homemade is ideal)
1 large raw boneless and skinless chicken breast (mine was still frozen when I put it in), ~8 ounces

1 slice dried galangal (if you don't have this, go ahead and use ginger. If you can find it, however, its flavour is better for this)
1 dried chile arbol
1 star anise
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon each: cider vinegar, pomegranate molasses
1/4 preserved lemon, cut into little bits
1 cup cooked appaloosa beans (sub: any kind of bean you like)
2 celery stalks cut into 1" chunks

3 cups shredded cabbage

Combine group one in a saucepan or slow cooker. Cook about two hours. Remove the chicken, cut it up and put back in the soup. Add group two (I put the anise, chile and galangal in a big tea ball for easy removal); cook another couple hours. Add the cabbage 30 minutes before you want to eat. Alternately, put all but cabbage in your soup pot and let it hang out. Add in the cabbage 30 minutes before you want to eat. Serves 4.

Comments

  1. Anonymous4:14 PM

    Dontcha just love slow cookers? Your soup looks great!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nate @ House of Annie5:22 PM

    Interesting ingredients: galangal, pom molasses, wheat berries. You must have a pretty neat pantry!

    Thanks for adding us as a friend on Foodbuzz. We welcome you to come visit our site!

    ReplyDelete
  3. The Cooking Lady9:24 AM

    I have wheat berries and have no clue what to do with them. I want to use them for more than just flour. (We bake our won bread with our own flour, from our own wheat berries)

    And it is definitely soup weather. so thinks for this recipe!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Cooking Lady9:25 AM

    OK, did I mention I will have to for go the chicken...we are vegetarians. Great soup all the same.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Allie10:23 PM

    Maryann,

    Slow cookers are the best! Take so little power and do all the work for you!

    Nate-n-Annie,

    Thanks! I have a lot of weird stuff in my pantry, you're right. Thanks for adding me too!

    Cooking Lady,

    You're welcome, and thanks for stopping by! Wheat berries are wonderful in salads, soups, all sorts of things. I figured a lot of people would need to take out the chicken, but I think this soup is hearty enough even without the meat.

    This post has my favourite whole wheat salad: http://seidhr.blogspot.com/2008/02/oh-henry.html

    Sometimes I also like to make them and put ratatouille on top in place of rice.

    ReplyDelete

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