In today’s post, Chef Deb Rankine, a.k.a. The Fridge Whisperer, shares recipes for two hearty seasonal soups that are quick to make and eat like a meal.
After a day of paddling, exploring trails, or hiking through forests awash in fall colours, who wouldn’t relish bowlfuls of goodness that warm mind, body and soul?
Here are a couple of hearty soups that do just that!
If you’re RVing, these recipes are a cinch to make in the kitchen. But they’re also fun to create on a campfire grill over burning embers (this will impart a smoky flavour to the dish!).
Want to make these quick and easy?
Prepare them in your own kitchen before you head out, and pack them in your cooler. Then all you’ll have to do it heat them up!
To take up less room, pack cooled soups in large zippered freezer storage bags, laying them flat to remove all the air before zipping them closed and adding them on the very top of the other items in your cooler.
However you choose to make these recipes, one thing’s for sure: you’ll satiate every appetite around your campsite.
Thai chicken curry soup (serves 6)
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 cup finely diced red onion
- ½ cup finely diced carrot
- ½ cup finely diced celery
- 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste (try Thai House brand)
- 1 ½ pounds mini purple potatoes, diced
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 can (400 mL) coconut milk
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
- Cilantro leaves and thinly sliced green onion for garnish (optional)
In a Dutch oven over medium heat, melt coconut oil, then add onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until onion is soft, about 10 minutes, stirring often.
Add curry paste and potatoes and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in chicken, stock, and coconut milk, cover, and cook until chicken is no longer pink inside and soup is thoroughly heated, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with cilantro leaves and green onion, if using, and serve immediately.
Hearty smoked salmon chowder (serves 6)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 large leek, white and light green part only, halved lengthwise, washed thoroughly, and cut crosswise into ¼-inch slices
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 4 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup heavy (35% MF) cream
- 1 pound skin-on parboiled mini potatoes, halved
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels (from about 2 cobs of shucked corn)
- 1 cup smoked salmon chunks
- 2 tablespoons chopped dill
- Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
In a Dutch oven over medium heat, add oil and melt butter, then add leek and cook until softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
Stir in thyme and stock, and cook 10 minutes.
Stir in cream and bring mixture to a boil. Gently fold in potatoes, corn, smoked salmon and dill, and continue cooking until chowder is heated through (about 5 minutes more).
Season chowder to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
