Brrr, it’s freezing cold this winter in the southern states. Cutting down on high energy bills means less heating around the house. Time to keep warm with some comforting, bone-warming meals. Something like hot porridge for breakfast, hot soup and a melting cheesy something for lunch, and a hearty meat and veggies dish for dinner.
What are the meals that keep you warm on a cold day?
Thank you to all participants of the June challenge.
Congrats to @Gwen@anpc7767@tim3@redeye
for the food champions award.
We use both hocks and bacon bones about 1 to 2 kg depending on the amount of meat on the bones (we like more meat than less) wrapped in a muslin cloth (this saves getting bones in the soup mix), a packet of dried green split peas (rinsed and soaked overnight then rinsed again), 1 litre of chicken stock, water to cover all ingredients, 1 or 2 chicken stock cubes according to your desire for more or less salt, 2 largish carrots (chopped or halved as preferred), 2 bay leaves (can be 3 or may be avoided entirely if you don’t like them)…they don’t need to be removed after the cooking but can be if desired, often 2 potatoes peeled and cubed but not always added, 2 onions (fairly well chopped but can be rough as they break down), and roughly chopped celery (2 to 4 sticks).
Bring to the boil then a medium to rapid simmer for about 2 hours. Stir often enough to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot, if it gets too thick it will stick and burn (avoid this by adding more liquid and ensuring it is well stirred) Clean the scum off as needed while it is cooking. If the level of the liquid gets too little and thick during the cooking add more water. When the peas have broken down, remove the muslin bag with the meat and blitz the liquid and add pepper to taste and if needed a little more salt (shouldn’t be needed as the bones will have added a fair amount of saltiness). If you like you can take the meat off the bones, break it up a bit, and add it to the soup after the blitz or serve them on a plate for those who like to eat the meat off the bones.
If any of the soup remains, freeze it in a container/containers that suit your requirements as to amount. When reheated the soup goes great with crunchy croutons or served with toasty garlic bread.
Our butcher has chicken frames for $1. It is a bit fiddly removing the meat after cooking and my first attempt was a Jamie Oliver recipe which included the vegetables with the carcass. Picking tiny rib & neck bones out of that was tedious. Now I simmer the carcasses on their own (with a little minced garlic), strain and let cool. Skim the fat off the liquid (there’s not much as there is no skin on the chook) and pick the meat off the bones.
You could stop there and have a light chicken soup and 250g of meat (from 2 frames) or chop up vegetables - pumpkin, potato, cauli, onion; and simmer with the liquid. You can puree in a blender, but I just let it fall apart, then add the meat. Hot & satisfying.
Cost is low as most veg I grow myself, meat $2, potato $1.50 kg; plus low gas for 2 hours. Had it for lunch and there are 3 more double serves in the fridge/freezer.
Porridge has been my go to brekky for many yrs, l add sultanas & cinnamon.
Made a big pot of chicken soup last weekend, had a bowl last night with home baked bread, toasted - yum
Am also a big fan of slow cooked food - lamb shank stew, beef bourguignon and curries etc…l love winter
I make up some Bubble “n” Squeak to warm me up at dinner . Campbells Irish Stew soup and a good stir fry for tea . Supper, a couple of Pattie’s Party pasties . I wish I could find my mother’s recipe for Minestrone .On a cold day warmed the cockles of my heart .
Even as I type, a silverside is cooking in my slow cooker. It won’t last long, it was a really small one, befitting the size of the cooker. Last week I made 6 L of soup in the same cooker. Yummy. Next week it will be something like beef stew and dumplings.
My lunch time meals over winter are home made soups such as leek and corn chowder, beef and vegetable soup, chicken and vegetable soup and lamb shanks and vegetable soup. Sunday is usually soup making day and I make enough for the week. They are much more satisfying than a sandwich on a cold day.
