Post by Clipper on Dec 6, 2014 17:22:01 GMT -5
I will not be posting a recipe for this, as it is a Progresso canned soup. I am only posting about it because it is spicy, high in protein, and delicious. It is not a Progresso variety that I have ever seen before. For those not familiar with Andouille sausage, it is a moderately spicey, double smoked and cased sausage, originating in Cajun country. It is made from a well smoked pork butt, coarsely ground, spiced, and cased before smoking a second time. The soup is quite spicey and very smoky, with onion, celery, the diced andouille, and lots of lentils. If you can find it there, it is well worth trying. If you like lentils, you will love this soup. I have always made my home made lentil soup with a smoked ham hock, but I will be trying it with the Andouilli in the future for that extra zing factor. I am providing a recipe below for a simple home made lentil soup. Nothing fancy, but also quite good on a cold and damp day for a tummy warming supper or lunch.
I don't think I ever saw Andouille when we lived in Utica, although it probably can be found there now. I know here in late years, they have devoted entire sections of the meat case to assorted sausages, such as Louisiana hot links, Chorizo, various chicken sausages, bratwursts, Polish sausage, and plain southern smoked sausage. No matter the variety of sausage used, one of my favorite sandwiches is a sausage of any variety, with sauteed onions and peppers on a crusty kaiser roll. While sausages may have everything but the hide included in them, along with some unhealthy amounts of sodium and other chemicals, I absolutely LOVE sausages of all kinds.
As for a recipe for lentil soup, I make the lentil soup with a ham hock using a large onion, finely diced, a couple of large cloves of garlic, finely chopped or pushed through a garlic press, one 16 ounce bag of dried brown lentils, rinsed in a colander, but not soaked prior to cooking, two quarts of water, a good sized smoked ham hock, and black pepper to taste. I cook it for several hours over low heat until the hock is cooked down tender, and the lentils are done, but still whole. When it is done cooking, I take an immersion blender and blend it just enough to break down some of the lentils to thicken the soup somewhat. If I don't have a smoked ham hock, I use 2 quarts of prepared beef stock, or home made stock if we have some in the freezer, in the place of the water.
Kathy's recipe for home made beef stock:
Three or 4 lbs of beef soup bones (the more bones roasted and used with the two or three quarts of water, the heartier the stock), two or three carrots, cut in 2 inch lengths, three ribs of celery cut in 2 inch lengths, 2 medium onions quartered. Line a roasting pan with the carrots, celery and onions. Distribute the soup bones on top of the veggies. Roast at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes or so. Place in a dutch oven, cover with about 2 1/2 quarts or so of water, bring to a boil, turn down and simmer for a couple of hours on low heat, seasoning to taste as it cooks. Strain the stock through a strainer or colander lined with cheese cloth, and refrigerate over night to congeal the fat on top of the stock. Skim off the fat and your stock is ready to use or to freeze. We freeze it for two or three months and it still tastes as good as the day we made it. She often makes a double recipe so that she has more stock to freeze for future stews and soups.
I don't think I ever saw Andouille when we lived in Utica, although it probably can be found there now. I know here in late years, they have devoted entire sections of the meat case to assorted sausages, such as Louisiana hot links, Chorizo, various chicken sausages, bratwursts, Polish sausage, and plain southern smoked sausage. No matter the variety of sausage used, one of my favorite sandwiches is a sausage of any variety, with sauteed onions and peppers on a crusty kaiser roll. While sausages may have everything but the hide included in them, along with some unhealthy amounts of sodium and other chemicals, I absolutely LOVE sausages of all kinds.
As for a recipe for lentil soup, I make the lentil soup with a ham hock using a large onion, finely diced, a couple of large cloves of garlic, finely chopped or pushed through a garlic press, one 16 ounce bag of dried brown lentils, rinsed in a colander, but not soaked prior to cooking, two quarts of water, a good sized smoked ham hock, and black pepper to taste. I cook it for several hours over low heat until the hock is cooked down tender, and the lentils are done, but still whole. When it is done cooking, I take an immersion blender and blend it just enough to break down some of the lentils to thicken the soup somewhat. If I don't have a smoked ham hock, I use 2 quarts of prepared beef stock, or home made stock if we have some in the freezer, in the place of the water.
Kathy's recipe for home made beef stock:
Three or 4 lbs of beef soup bones (the more bones roasted and used with the two or three quarts of water, the heartier the stock), two or three carrots, cut in 2 inch lengths, three ribs of celery cut in 2 inch lengths, 2 medium onions quartered. Line a roasting pan with the carrots, celery and onions. Distribute the soup bones on top of the veggies. Roast at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes or so. Place in a dutch oven, cover with about 2 1/2 quarts or so of water, bring to a boil, turn down and simmer for a couple of hours on low heat, seasoning to taste as it cooks. Strain the stock through a strainer or colander lined with cheese cloth, and refrigerate over night to congeal the fat on top of the stock. Skim off the fat and your stock is ready to use or to freeze. We freeze it for two or three months and it still tastes as good as the day we made it. She often makes a double recipe so that she has more stock to freeze for future stews and soups.
