It's been a cold winter season across the country, and even Mississippi has felt the effects of Jack Frost.
While we wait for the mercury to rise in the thermometer, warm up your insides with a nice bowl of soup. The result could be more than just a tasty meal.
When chef Robert Gillespie of Delta Bistro thinks about his favorite soup, he says he has "about a thousand." But the one that immediately pops to mind is his mother's refrigerator soup.
He describes the soup as having a vegetable base with turnip greens and whatever else is in the refrigerator that day.
"It is made with leftovers," Gillespie said. "I had it all my life ... It brings back memories of my childhood."
Growing up, Gillespie's first memories of making a bowl of the warm stuff was watching his grandparents and parents in the kitchen.
"The smell, the taste, there is something about soup," he said.
These days, Gillespie enjoys coming up with his own soup recipes. Two of his favorites are black bean soup and crawfish and corn chowder.
When he created his black bean soup recipe, Gillespie wanted something that would taste similar to a taco soup - with something special.
"I didn't want something you would normally find," said Gillespie. "So I decided to give it a bean base."
He also gives his soup a little kick by adding some cumin.
"It's not a lot," said Gillespie. "It's something you wouldn't normally see."
Gillespie is also influenced by flavors and foods he already enjoys together.
"I love sweet corn, crawfish and a good cream base," said Gillespie. "I took two things that I love and turned them into a soup recipe."
Gillespie recognizes that he is not the first or only person to create a crawfish and corn soup.
"I feel like it's mine though," he said. "I made it up as I went one day."
Whether you, like Gillespie, love creamy soup, a roux or a traditional broth, the secret to a good soup starts with the stock.
"It is the base for every soup," he said.
To make your own stock is economical and easy. It starts with ham shanks or the bones from another meat source, such as a chicken. You can also use just vegetables for a vegetarian stock.
Some of the basic ingredients for stock include carrots, celery, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.
You boil the meat or vegetables in water - add spices and chopped vegetables as you feel necessary - until you have created a flavorful mixture.
Strain the stock and refrigerate.
Gillespie says as it cools it should take on a gelatin consistency. When you heat it later, it should turn back into a liquid.
Another important step for having a great homemade soup is using high-quality ingredients.
"It will be fresher and more flavorful," he said.
For a vegetable soup with turnip greens, Gillespie recommends cooking the greens with a ham hock or another cured meat.
"It will add a lot of flavor and depth to the dish," he said. "The trick to a good roux is getting it as dark as possible before it burns."
Each soup has it own little secret or trick for getting the most out of the ingredients.
Gillespie's soups will be two of the recipes featured at the Taste of Soup and Art Exhibition in Carrollton.
The fifth annual event is a fundraiser for the Carrollton-North Carrollton Library. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Carrollton Community House. The cost is $10.
"This year we asked our local chefs to give us some of their favorite recipes," said Pam Lee, coordinator for the event. "We wanted to do something a little different to give it a twist."
Recipes provided by local chefs for this year include Belinda's Chili from Miss Sippys, Broccoli and Cheese Soup from the Kozy Kitchen, Charlie Ray's Vegetable Soup, Crawfish and Corn Chowder and Spicy Black Bean Soup from Gillespie and Beef Vegetable from Johnny Ballas of the Crystal Grill.
As is tradition, the two most popular soups from the previous year will return. Last year's winners were Chicken Cheese and Peaches and Cream, a cold soup.
"All the recipes look very good," said Lee.
Since this is a fundraiser for the library, the theme is "Reading is Beary Important."
All proceeds will be used to purchase items for the library.
Past purchases have included books, racks for audio books, chairs and special tables for computers, time management software for the public access computers and much more.
There will also be an art exhibition featuring Carroll County artists.
"The purpose is not to sell the art, but to make the community aware of the artists in our county," said Lee.
Artists include Brandi Jaudon, David Ross, Don Felts, Eddie Moore, Jacie Waldo, Melanie Woods, Ruth Woods and Parker Weems. They will have artwork, woodwork, glass items and more.
Advanced ticket purchase is recommended.
"For the last few years, we haven't had many, if any, tickets to sell at the door," said Lee.
For more information or to purchase tickets, call (662) 237-6268 or talk to any Friend of the Library.
•Contact Andrea Hall at ahall@gwcommonwealth.com.
Recipes:
Ingredients:
1 pound black turtle beans, soaked overnight in cold water
¾ ounce olive oil
4 ounces onions, small dice [approximately 1 ¾ cups]
2 cloves garlic
1 ounce Jalapeno pepper, chopped [approximately 1]
2 tablespoons chili powder
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon ground coriander
1 small bay leaf
2 ½ quarts chicken stock
½ pound canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of hot sauce
Drain beans. Heat oil in heavy pot. Add onions, garlic, and jalapeno and cook until almost tender.
Add spices and stir to mix with vegetables. Add stock and drained beans.
Cover and simmer until beans are just tender.
Add tomatoes and continue to simmer until beans are completely tender and flavors are will blended.
Add salt, pepper and hot sauce.
Garnish with fresh chopped avocado and tomato.
Makes 12 servings
Peaches ‘N Cream Soup
16 oz. frozen peaches, thawed w/juice
1 oz vanilla extract
16 oz sour cream
4oz half & half milk
8 oz powdered sugar
Mix peaches and sour cream.
Beat to break up peaches.
Add vanilla and sour cream & beat until blended. Add half and half last, mixing only until well blended.
Add sugar to taste, if desired.
Chill. Stir well before serving. May garnish with spice of your choice (nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice) and whipped topping.
Makes 6 servings
