Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with soup

Can has Chili's Baked Potato Soup at Home?

Xuff — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:32:07 -0800

Anyone know how to replicate Chili's baked potato soup at home? My girlfriend and I both love the stuff and were hoping to find a recipe that comes close, but Googling and searching previous questions has come up empty. So, any suggestions or recipes?

Mmm Soup!

SarahElizaP — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:17:50 -0800

Tomato Soup Recipes... I've looked through previous soup threads, but I would love to get your favorite tomato soup recipes. I'd prefer something more along the lines of a bisque, nothing too chunky.

Any fancy grilled cheese recipes would be appreciated as well! Thanks.

Catfish Tikka Death

sully75 — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:02:00 -0800

I may be my own personal typhoid Mary. Food safety questions inside. 1) If I make a big pot of soup, lately this is Mark Bittman's African Chicken Peanut soup (which is friggin awesome), sometimes I make about 1.5 gallons of soup in a big pot. So, when it's done, it's usually hot (duh) and it's at night. So rather than decant it into tupperware things, I leave it in the pot on the stove to cool. In the morning I pour it into tupperware and put it into the fridge.

So question: is it ok that it's sitting out at night, probably after it's cooled down, for a couple of hours? If that's not ok, what should I do differently?

And how long can I eat this tasty soup for? Last time I froze half. After I unfreeze it, how long would it still be good for?

2) I'm going to try to do a chicken-tikka-masala recipe but using catfish instead of the chicken. Again, I will be making several portions, maybe 3-4 meals worth. Can I store this in the fridge or freezer? What's my best practice for not poisoning myself or my friends?

How do I remove the fat from chicken broth?

esprit de l'escalier — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:19:08 -0800

How do I remove the fat from chicken broth? I boiled 5 pounds of chicken backs and necks for 3 hours. The last couple times I did this, I put the broth in the fridge, and was able to remove a thick layer of fat. This time I made a lot more broth than usual, so maybe it cooled more slowly in the fridge? The result is that the broth is very fatty, but so homogenized that I can't skim any fat off of it.

I tried reheating some of the broth and putting it in the freezer, but I couldn't figure out if I was skimming fat or gelatin.

When did people stop being ok with soup just being itself?

Lutoslawski — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:27:42 -0800

When, why and where did people start putting crackers in their soup? Oyster crackers, saltines, and more exotic varieties of crackers are now ubiquitous and 'traditional' companions to a bowl of soup at diners everywhere. Why did this start? Where? When? Was there some sort of culinary evolution - like people used to put bread crumbs in their stew and now we have this oyster cracker skeuomorph? Answers or directions to good resources regarding the history of crackers and soup are very welcome.

Know about soup/ice cream/donuts? Worked there?

bystander — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 08:12:13 -0800

Know about soup/ice cream/donuts shop? Worked there? I am intrigued by soupbox.com, since this previous ask.me.
I'm thinking of duplicating the idea, possibly with all year round hot cinnamon donuts. Got any advice?

Can you help me translate my soup instructions so that I may enjoy these delicious soups?

Meagan — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 08:28:46 -0800

Chinese market filter: can you help me translate my soup packages so that I can enjoy them? I have purchased two soup mixes from my local Chinatown. Of course, there are no English instructions. I have taken photos of the instructions: here are the shark fin and whelk soup mix instructions and here are the mushroom soup mix instructions.

My Japanese skills could be combined with brute force it if need be, but I figured I would ask the hive mind before embarking on such a quest.

Thanks for any help, your contribution will be put to great culinary use :)

Lettuce out!

mkb — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:28:05 -0800

I joined a CSA program for the summer and or first pickup has so much lettuce I don't think I cold possibly eat it all this week. What can I do with it besides make salads and put it in sandwiches? Preserving counts! I just don't want to waste anything.

Help me shellac my matzoh balls

andoatnp — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 01:54:57 -0800

I dumped a substantial portion of matzoh ball soup on a canvas. After it dries I'm going to glue the larger chunks down, and then I need to varnish/shellac/something the canvas. What would work best? The biggest chunks are the matzoh balls themselves, and some big pieces of carrots and zucchini. Is there something I can spray or paint on that will keep it from smelling so that I can hang it up? This only needs to last for a couple of weeks, so it doesn't have to be long term. Thanks!

Halp save my oyster stew!

thatbrunette — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 13:16:02 -0800

The milk in my oyster stew boiled over. Is it salvageable? I've got an oyster stew on the stove, ingredients are half and half, a tonne of butter, oysters, shallots and celery. I left it (I know, I know) in the care of a roomate for two minutes, and it boiled over. Now the milk is a little clotty. Is there a fix, or has this been ruined?

Traditional-schmaditional

owtytrof — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:49:42 -0800

RecipeFilter: Seafood stew stumper! A local Italian restaurant serves a fantastic bowl of cioppino, which I would like to try to replicate at home. The problem is that the dish I'm trying to make is not cooked in the traditional tomato and garlic broth, which is all I can find via Google, but a creamy lemon butter version.

I'm fairly handy in the kitchen, and not afraid of improvisation, but I need a starting point. Any tips, ideas, or actual recipes for this apparently rare version of cioppino would be greatly appreciated!

Soup oh la la

barrakuda — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:41:02 -0800

What are some impressive fancy-schmancy soups? I know that a super-soup thread already exists, but here I am looking for something a bit different. I am looking for recipes for fine-dining soups that are not heavy or too filling but yet they are very flavorful and elegant. Something that can be served as a delicious appetizer instead of constituting the entire meal. so, give me your best.

hot ham water?

arianell — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 01:07:01 -0800

I need recipes for tantalizing soups that freeze well. Bonus points for creativity. I've been invited to one of those nifty Soup Swap parties, and I want to knock everyone's socks off with 6 quarts of really interesting and delicious soup.

Ideally, I'd like to find a recipe that:
1.) doesn't require blending of any kind - I don't have an immersion blender, and I haven't had good luck with pureeing soup in the "normal" blender.
2.) is meatless - not a requirement, but I know there will be lots of vegetarians in attendance.
3.) is still delicious after freezing/thawing - obviously.

Thanks in advance!

Recipe for truly succulent, traditional Jewish brisket?

roxie110 — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 19:01:41 -0800

How do you make truly tender, succulent Jewish-style brisket? I've had a craving for brisket-like-my-grandmother-used-to-make for about a year now. I finally got the meat and my mother's recipe and cooked it today. The taste is great and the thin end of the meat turned out close to what I was hoping for; the thick end is cooked through but not moist and falling apart like brisket in my world should be, and when I stick a fork in it gives a lot of resistance. I don't know if I over- or undercooked it. I should mention that my "dutch oven" (really a stockpot) was too narrow so I used a Calphalon deep covered 13" nonstick skillet instead--maybe a big mistake? I am such a brisket novice.

Below is a quick recap of how I cooked it. I've looked up a ton of recipes but each one is slightly different, and life's too short to try every one. My question is this: who has a foolproof (mostly) recipe for truly tender, traditional Jewish brisket!? And just as important, how do you know how long to cook it and when it's done? (Can you overcook a brisket, as long as there's still liquid in the pan?)

Recipe I used for half a first-cut brisket, about 3 pounds, fat trimmed:
Preheat oven to 350. Place thickly sliced onions, carrots, and a couple chopped garlic cloves in bottom of Dutch oven. Rub ketchup, ground pepper, paprika, and one envelope onion soup mix on all surfaces of brisket. Add liquid to 3/4 inches deep (I used 1.5 cans low-sodium beef broth; most of liquid was absorbed by the end of cooking). Place chunks of potato around meat. Cover tightly and roast for 2.5 hours. Baste two or three times during cooking. Remove from heat, cool meat, and slice across the grain.

Help! And thank you!

Soup Me Up.

lpsguy — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:42:08 -0800

Soup Me Up. Can anybody tell me how to make killer chicken soup? Okay, so a day or so ago I have the best bowl of chicken soup I can remember (from a cafeteria at that). As it's pretty damn cold here in Philly this time of year, it was just about the best thing. So I think I should be able to make some myself. But, wow, chicken soup is everywhere and there's a bajillion (okay, a gadzillion) chicken soup recipes out there and it's overwhelming. And by experience, some just tastes, well, chickenier than others and I don't know why.

So, Hive Mind, I need your experiences with chicken soup. Who has a great recipe they can endorse? Who has the secrets for making killer chicken soup for this man's soul?

Porkless and Pea Green

oflinkey — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 16:25:58 -0800

Looking at the earlier soup post, I thought I might make a nice split pea soup. Alas, I have no ham bone. I then thought I might like to try a good vegetarian version, but one of my favorite parts of the split pea experience is the salty smokey part of the soup-- which it gets from the ham. Does anyone have a good meatlovers vegetarian split pea soup recipe (if that makes sense)?

Bean me, Soup Nazis.

dinger — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 05:30:36 -0800

Winter's here, and I have a hankerin' for some good bean soup. Help me out. I have:
1. A craving for some decent, homemade bean soup.
2. A magnificent ham bone from Christmas frozen in the fridge.
3. A decent stock pot.

I do not have:
1. Much soup-making prowess, although I am a marginally talented cook.
2. A dependable recipe.

I once experimented, with questionable success, with the ubiquitous Senate Bean Soup recipe, thickened, as I recall, with mashed potatoes. I'd like to try something different, or hear about your treasured recipes, innovations, and variations. To give you a starting point I will somewhat abashedly admit that I find the Campbell's concentrated version not bad on an occasional basis. I'd like to make it better.

What are your favorite bean soup concoctions, and your best homemade soup-making tips, techniques, and secrets?

When has good stock gone bad?

leahwrenn — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:44:02 -0800

How do I tell whether beef or chicken stock/broth, that has been refrigerated, has gone yucky? I usually just give it no more than a week, like the box says (say, if I've opened a carton of broth but only used half of it), but is there a way to tell if it's gone bad, if it still looks/smells ok? (and what would not looking ok be, anyway, absent, say, mold?)

Leftover turducken ideas

josher71 — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:37:19 -0800

I have a few pounds of turducken left over. What can I do with it that isn't sandwiches? Soup? Casserole? Recipes and other ideas welcome. I am unemployed so willing to spend a lot of time if needed on something. I'm worried that having three different types of poultry might make things weird cooking wise.

po-tay-to, po-tah-to

kidsleepy — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 07:37:20 -0800

Pimp my potato soup! I've successfully managed to make potato soup. It's yummy, but the most basic recipe I could find: potatoes, onions, salt, pepper, water, and a little bit of milk. What are your favorite potato soup variations? Cheese, spices, vegetables, and/or weird ingredients welcome!

Pasta e Fagioli

dawson — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 10:30:20 -0800

Pasta e Fagioli, I simply must have your recipe, my dear. I have a few good Italian cookbooks and Google, but I'd really love to have your 'secret' Pasta e Fagioli recipe, as I'm still searching for the perfect homemade bowl. Minestrone recipes very welcomed as well.

Why should I never boil my stock?

jedrek — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 06:38:42 -0800

Why should I never boil my stock? Reading Anthony Bourdain's "Les Halles Cookbook", there's a couple page at the beginning about making stocks. One of the key points - as it's repeated twice - is to never bring my stock to a boil. Why is that? Does it affect the taste? The clarity?

Any other stock-related hints would be great as well, thanks!

Tonkotsu Ramen search: calling all London ramen fans!

0bvious — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 03:59:36 -0800

Ramen Filter: I live in London. I desperately crave tonkotsu ramen, the pork-based variety popular in Japan's Kyushu region (sometimes known as Hakata ramen). I have found NOWHERE in the UK that makes or sells it. Have I missed somewhere? Is there anywhere online I can buy Tonkotsu soup stock? Help! I can get shoyu, miso and chicken based ramen real easy in London, but not Tonkotsu.

I have found recipes that teach you how to make it, but I live with vegetarians who wouldn't take too kindly to a house smelling of pork offal.

How can I fill my tonkotsu void?! Why has this perfect food source not made it overseas yet?

Double-boil chicken stock?

nitor — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:23:39 -0800

Boiled some stock on Monday, stock sat out for 2 days. Can I salvage it? I bought a BBQ chicken on Monday night. After picking it to pieces, i threw the bones, skin, and whatever else was left in a pot with some hot water and boiled it to make stock. I forgot about it. Yesterday (tuesday) came and went, and it is still sitting on the stove. Today is Wednesday. If I boil it again for a bit of time, will it be ok to eat? Have I waited too long to salvage it?

Nurse, get me 50cc's of miso onion soup, STAT!

kaseijin — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 10:36:45 -0800

I need the recipe for Whole Foods' miso onion soup. Like... now. Seriously. I had this soup for the first time today, and it is like unto a drug. I do not think I will be able to function properly this fall if I can not make a giant pot of it. It was quite possibly the best vegetarian onion soup I have had.

What I remember from looking at the ingredients on the placard: miso, vegetable stock, onions, bay leaf, salt, black pepper, flour, bay leaves. There were some smaller leaves in it, too. Parsley or thyme would be my guess.

I could experiment and experiment around these ingredients and maybe come up with something passable, but it is my hope that somebody, somewhere out there, has this recipe.

Please hope me, hive mind!