Caribbean Chicken Stew

This rich, warmly spiced Caribbean Chicken Stew is – without question – one of the most delicious, satisfying, flavorful chicken stews you’ll ever eat!

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

This Caribbean Chicken Stew is one of our very favorite family meals! Not only is it easy to make and dependably delicious, but it’s economical too; making it perfect for a gathering of friends or a cozy family meal any night of the week.

A simple buttermilk-jalapeño marinade gives this rich, hearty stew has just the right amount of kick. The long, slow baking time mellows the pepper’s heat, resulting in a thick, savory, mildly spiced chicken stew. (It’s actually more like a nudge than a kick!) If you like things a little more spicy, add an extra jalapeño to the marinade mix.

One of the keys to this recipe is browning the marinated chicken before making the stew – that all adds some serious next-level flavor to an already amazing combination.

Recipe Updated July 2, 2020 (Originally published May 2, 2014)

5 from 5 votes

Caribbean Chicken Stew

This Caribbean Chicken Stew is rich, warmly spiced, and - without question - one of the most delicious, satisfying, and flavorful chicken stews you'll ever eat!

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time2 hrs

Marinating Time1 hr

Total Time3 hrs 30 mins

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Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Caribbean

Keyword: chicken, stew

Servings: servings

Calories: 577kcal

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Ingredients

Marinade

1½ ounces cilantro about 1 cup chopped; reserve a little extra for garnish
4 cloves garlic peeled and roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons brown sugar See Notes
1 medium jalapeno pepper rough chopped [Seeds=Spice; remove them if desired. Even with the seeds, the end result is a very mildly spiced stew.]
6 ounces buttermilk or plain yogurt
2 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoons kosher salt
¼ teaspoons turns freshly ground pepper

Stew Base

3 pounds chicken pieces bone-in chicken; skinless or skin-on I prefer to use legs & thighs for this recipe.
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion peeled and thinly sliced root to stem
1 can coconut milk
2 Tablespoons tomato paste ketchup works
½ cup white wine or water
½ ounce fresh ginger grated or minced; about 1½ Tbls
¼ teaspoons freshly ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Root Vegetables [Use a TOTAL of 3 lbs /1.3kg of any combination of the following.]

1 large sweet potato peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 large yam peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium carrots peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium plantain sliced in thick rounds

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken

Gather and prep marinade ingredients.
Combine cilantro, garlic, brown sugar, chopped pepper, buttermilk, oil, salt, and pepper in a blender cup.
Process until smooth.
Put the chicken pieces in a large, resealable bag.
Pour marinade over chicken and seal bag.
Squish everything around thoroughly to coat all chicken pieces.
Allow to marinate in refrigerator for at least one hour, and up to 24 hours.

Make the Stew

Preheat oven to 375°. Gather and prep stew ingredients.
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Use tongs to place chicken pieces in hot oil. Chicken should sizzle and pop immediately. If it doesn't, you need to heat the pan longer.
Brown chicken on two sides, 2-3 minutes on each side.
Brown chicken in batches; do not not crowd the chicken in the pan.
Remove browned chicken pieces from Dutch oven and set aside.
Reserve any marinade left in the bottom of the marinating bag.
Reduce heat to medium.
Add a little additional olive oil if the pot seems too dry.
Add the sliced onions to the hot oil in pot.
In Dutch oven, sauté onions until translucent in whatever is left in the bottom after browning chicken.
To the onions in the Dutch oven; add coconut milk, tomato paste, white wine, grated ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes more, then remove from heat.
Stir reserve marinade into the sauce.
Place chicken pieces back in Dutch oven on top of sauce.
Put the cubed vegetables on top of the chicken. Cover Dutch oven tightly and place in middle of preheated oven.
Cook for 2 hours at 325°F | 163°C. (See Cooking Times in notes)
Using tongs or a slotted spoon, carefully remove chicken pieces from stew.
(At this point, the vegetables should all be tender, and the chicken should be nearly falling off the bone.)
Carefully toss the cooked vegetables in the sauce at the bottom of the Dutch oven.
Replace the chicken in the stew and serve; alone or over rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Notes

Cooking Times: (Longer cooking time will result in more tender chicken and richer stew.)

325°F | 163°C -- 2 hours [Preferred]
350°F | 177°C -- 1½ hours

Root Vegetables: Use a total of 3 lbs /1.3 kg of any combo of potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams (orange or red sweet potatoes), carrots, and plantain.

I strongly suggest using both sweet potatoes and a yam, as they both bring unique properties to the plate.

For the stew pictured here, I used:

1 large sweet potato
3 medium Yukon Gold potatoes
1 medium yam*
3 medium carrots

Brown Sugar: Use an additional tablespoon of brown sugar if you do not use a yam.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

I’m sharing this Chicken Stew recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup.
Check it out for more great recipes!

DID YOU KNOW? If you live in North American, chances are you’ve never eaten a real yam!

True yams are almost impossible to find in North America! In fact, if you are an American, it’s very likely that you have never eaten a real yam! Real yams originated in and are now mostly commercially grown in Africa. The two top-producing sweet potato states in the nation are North Carolina and California.

If you’re looking for a light, easy side with a little Caribbean flare to serve alongside this incredibly tasty chicken stew, be sure to try out our Caribbean Mango Salad! (Find more delicious side dish recipes here!)

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Old-fashioned Navy Bean Soup with Ham {Slow Cooker}

April 16 By Renée 10 Comments

Easy to make and budget-friendly, this Old-fashioned Navy Bean Soup with ham makes a hearty, comforting meal. It’s also an excellent way to use that leftover hambone from your holiday dinner!

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

This Old-fashioned Navy Bean Soup recipe is easy, adaptable, and very forgiving. It’s budget- and pantry-friendly, too; to make it, you just need a hambone (and/or leftover ham), a few basic vegetables, and a pound of beans. With that, you can easily feed small crowd with leftovers to spare.

Serve Navy Bean Soup with fresh skillet cornbread, buttermilk biscuits, or a slice of sourdough for a simple, delicious, satisfying meal.

How to Make Old-Fashioned Navy Bean Soup in a Slow Cooker

[Scroll down for printable Recipe Card and step-by-step directions.]

Soak beans overnight, or do a quick soak.

Drain and rinse soaked beans, and combine with diced celery, grated carrot, and chopped onions in your slow cooker.

Using a Hambone in your Navy Bean Soup

If you are using a ham bone, put it in the slow cooker now, too.

When using a hambone (and I HIGHLY recommend that you do) DO NOT add any salt to your Navy Bean Soup until after the first 5 hours of cooking. Ham bones are notoriously salty, and it is easier to know how much salt to add once the ham bone has cooked out into the soup.

Ham Juice = Liquid Gold!

Pan juices (“Ham Juice,” in this case) is the liquid that collects in the bottom of your roasting pan when you are cooking or reheating a roast or other large cut of meat. It is also one of my favorite Secret Ingredients!

If you use pan juices in your soup, it’s best to refrigerate them for at least four hours, until very cold. Then, using a fine mesh sieve, strain the pan juices to filter out any fat solids and other bits you might not want in your soup. Add enough water to the pan juices to make a total of 2 quarts of liquid, and then add all the liquid to the ingredients in the slow cooker.

If you DO use pan juices as part of your liquid, hold off on adding any additional seasoning until after the first 5 hours.
If you DO NOT use pan juices as part of your liquid, add the brown sugar and black pepper from the ingredient list at this time.

Just as the type of ham bone you use will determine the underlying flavor profile of your soup (i.e., sweet, smokey, etc.), so too will your pan juices. For example, we usually have a honey-glazed ham for the holidays, and then make either navy bean or split pea soup right after, so our post-holiday soups generally have a slightly sweet undertone.

After you have loaded everything in the slow cooker, give it all a quick stir. Add the crushed chili peppers at this time if you are using them. Set slow cooker to HIGH and cook for 5 hours. I usually stir the soup a couple of times during the cooking time.

After about 5 hours cooking time.

After cooking for 5 hours, the meat on the ham-bone should be falling apart. Reduce the slow cooker to LOW.

Using tongs or an extra-large serving spoon, carefully remove ham bone to a plate and set aside to cool. (Give it some time! I’ve burnt my fingers more than once trying to hurry the process.)

After you have removed the ham bone, taste the soup broth, and then salt and season to taste. Add fresh thyme if desired. (Or any other fresh herbs you choose to use.)

Allow soup to continue to simmer on low while ham bone cools, checking every 30 minutes until the beans are done to your liking. Beans are usually done in 6 to 8 hours.

For a creamier bean soup, when the beans are fully cooked, use an emersion blender to blend some of the beans a bit. (Be sure to do this BEFORE you add any ham back into the soup.)

When the beans are fully cooked and the hambone is cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the bone. Return the meat to the soup, and discard the ham bone. Add any additional ham to soup, taste again, and adjust the seasonings.

Violà! You’ve made this hearty, delicious Old-fashioned Navy Bean Soup for the whole family with only about 20 minutes of hands-on time!

Arugula sprouts are my new favorite micro-green! Use them to garnish your soups to add a little contrast of color, plus a fresh, mildly peppery accent.

As with most soups, Navy Bean Soup is always better the next day, when the flavors have had a chance to meld.

Beans, Beans!

I’ll bet I know what you’re thinking right now! (They are magical, aren’t they?!)

What kind of beans can I use for this recipe?

This recipe is technically for Old-fashioned Navy Bean Soup, and thus calls for using dried navy beans. Also known as “Boston beans”, these small, cream-colored oval beans are a standard in American cooking. Navy beans work well as a soup bean because they can be pureed, or cooked to a very soft consistency.

However, there is nothing to stop you from using an “alternative bean.” You could make this recipe into Old-fashioned Calypso Bean Soup, or Old-fashioned Great Northern Bean Soup, or even Old-fashioned West African Brown Bean Soup. All you really need is a pound of any small bean, or combination of beans.

(Note that changing the type of bean may affect the soup’s cooking time.)

To Presoak or Not Presoak

This recipe calls for you to presoak your beans before starting your soup. There are basically three way to do this:

Long Soak (Overnight): Rinse the beans under cool, running water and remove any stones or shriveled beans. Transfer beans to a large bowl, and cover with enough water so that there is 2 inches of water above the beans. Let sit overnight. Drain and rinse thoroughly before cooking.
Quick Soak (Stovetop): In a large saucepan, cover dried beans with triple their volume of cold water. Bring water to a boil and cook beans, uncovered, for 2 minutes over medium heat. Remove pan from heat, cover, and soak beans for 1 hour.
Quick Soak (Instant Pot): I’m not a big Instant Pot user; however, when I do presoak my beans in my Instant Pot (and I have a couple of times) these are the directions I follow.

Do I haf’ta presoak the beans?

No.

So, why should I presoak my beans?

There are a couple of good reasons to presoak beans. First, soaking can reduce overall cooking time considerably. Presoaked beans also tend to hold their shape better. On the down-side, dark-skinned beans, speckled beans, and mottled beans will loose color in a presoak; and soaking does leach out some nutrients.

However, reduced cooking time or improved texture is not the primary reason I presoak my beans before cooking them. No, the main reason I soak my beans first is because doing so helps remove some of the indigestible complex sugars in them that cause gas. In fact, if you have a difficult relationship with beans, you may find that presoaking all your beans before cooking changes that relationship noticeably for the better.

Let me translate that into the clearest possible terms: if you presoak your beans and thoroughly drain and rinse them before cooking, you and the people who eat your food will (probably) fart less.

(My mother would be doing somersaults in her grave if she knew I was writing about Gas.)

But it is a totally true, and I have years of anecdotal evidence to back it up. Which is to say, I live with people (not naming any names or anything) who have more trouble than some digesting those aforementioned “indigestible complex sugars.” (In other words, they are very gassy.) I have noticed that, after eating a soup or chili made with thoroughly presoaked beans, the incidence of button dropping (as Mr. B’s Granny used to call it; as in, “Oops! I dropped a button.”) does seem to be less than after eating, say, a bowl of canned chili.

Note that presoaking your beans does not mean an end to button dropping, as it were; rather, it means there will likely be less incidents if you do.

That’s probably all I need to say about that.

Hearty, comforting, easy, economical, and even pantry-friendly! Oh, and it's De-licious, too! There's a lot to love about this Slow Cooker Navy Bean & Ham Soup!

5 from 6 votes

Old-fashioned Navy Bean Soup {Slow Cooker}

Easy to make and budget-friendly, this Old-fashioned Navy Bean Soup with Ham makes a hearty, comforting meal. It’s also a great way to use that leftover hambone from your holiday dinner!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time6 hrs

Bean Soak (quick)1 hr

Total Time7 hrs 15 mins

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beans, budget recipe, slow cooker, soup

Servings: servings

Calories: 179kcal

Author: Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Slow Cooker
Fine Mesh Sieve

Ingredients

1 pound navy beans
1 meaty ham bone
1 cup ham More or less. Use meat from hambone, plus any additional ham you want to add.
1 ½ cups chopped onion about one large onion
1 cup grated carrots or finely diced
1 cup finely diced celery 2 stalks
1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar or honey
1 teaspoon salt or as needed
1/2 teaspoon white pepper or freshly ground black pepper
Pan juices from ham OPTIONAL; 16-24 ounces
2 quarts water* water + pan juices = 1 ½ to 2 quarts of liquid
½ - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
sprig fresh thyme optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Soak beans overnight, or do a quick soak.
Drain and rinse soaked beans.
Combine drained, soaked beans with diced celery, grated carrot, and chopped onions in slow cooker.

Using pan juices in your soup

If you are using pan juices (i.e.,ham juice from the bottom of the roasting pan):
Refrigerate pan juices for at least four hours, until very cold.
Using a fine mesh sieve, strain the pan juices to filter out any fat solids and other bits you might not want in your soup.
Use 16-24 ounces of pan juices in your soup; less if your ham was particularly salty or the juices very thick.
Add enough water to the pan juices to make a total of 1½ to 2 quarts of liquid, depending upon how thick you like your soup. (i.e., more liquid = thinner soup)
Add liquid to the ingredients in the slow cooker.
If you DO use pan juices as part of your liquid: Hold off on adding any additional seasoning until after the first 4 hours.
If you DO NOT use pan juices as part of your liquid: Add the brown sugar and black pepper at this time.
DO NOT add any salt to your Navy Bean Soup at this time. Ham bones are notoriously salty, and it is easier to know how much salt to add once the ham bone has cooked out into the soup.

Cooking the Soup

Give everything in the slow cooker a quick stir. Add the crushed chili peppers at this time if you are using them.
Set slow cooker to HIGH and cook for 5 hours. I usually stir the soup a couple of times during the cooking time.
After cooking for 5 hours, the meat on the ham-bone should be falling apart. Using tongs or an extra-large serving spoon, carefully remove ham bone to a plate and set aside to cool.
Reduce the slow cooker to LOW.
After you have removed the ham bone, taste the soup broth, and then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add fresh thyme if desired. (Or any other fresh herbs you choose to use.)
Allow soup to continue to simmer on low while ham bone cools, checking every 30 minutes until the beans are done to your liking. Beans are usually done in 6 to 8 hours.
For a creamier bean soup, when the beans are fully cooked, use an emersion blender to blend some of the beans a bit. (Be sure to do this BEFORE you add any ham back into the soup.)
When the ham bone is cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the bone.
Stir ham from bone into soup. Add any additional reserved ham at this time.
Discard the ham bone.
Season to taste.

Notes

Ham bone: The type of ham bone you use will determine the underlying flavor profile of your soup. If you use a honey or glazed ham bone, your soup will be slightly sweeter. If you use a smoked hambone (or ham hock), your soup will taste more smokey.

Three Ways to Presoak Beans

Long Soak (Overnight): Rinse the beans under cool, running water and remove any stones or shriveled beans. Transfer beans to a large bowl, and cover with enough water so that there is 2 inches of water above the beans. Let sit overnight. Drain and rinse thoroughly before cooking.
Quick Soak (Stovetop): In a large saucepan, cover dried beans with triple their volume of cold water. Bring water to a boil and cook beans, uncovered, for 2 minutes over medium heat. Remove pan from heat, cover, and soak beans for 1 hour.
Quick Soak (Instant Pot): I'm not a big Instant Pot user; however, if I were using an Instant Pot to cook my beans, these are the directions I would follow.

As with most soups, Navy Bean Soup is always better the next day, when the flavors have had a chance to meld.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Cooking Navy Bean Soup in an Instant Pot

While personally, I prefer cooking soups in my slow cooker, I am certain that you can cook this entire soup in an Instant Pot. So, if you successfully make this soup in your Instant Pot, please take a minute to share your settings in the comments below! I know that many of our readers would love to know!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. ? Be sure to PIN this post!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Smoked Salmon Chowder {with Leeks & Fresh Tarragon}

January 5 By Renée 15 Comments

Creamy Smoked Salmon Chowder is a rich bowl of comforting decadence; each ingredient carefully chosen to complement the delicate, smoky salmon and allow it to shine.

Soups are a specialty of mine, and I think this Smoked Salmon Chowder may be one of the best soups I’ve ever created.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Ingredient Notes: What You Need to Know

I spent a lot of time and care developing this rich, decadent salmon chowder recipe. Each ingredient was chosen specifically because it works to highlight the star of the show.

For this reason, you won’t find any bacon, or corn, or cream cheese (seriously people?!?), or added thickeners like cornstarch or flour, or anything else that could eclipse the sweet, smoky, delicate flavor of the salmon.

There are the six key ingredients that set this amazing chowder apart:

1. Hot Smoked Salmon [The Star!]

Smoked salmon is a blanket term for salmon of any origin (wild, farmed) or cut (fillet, steak) that is cured with hot or cold smoke.

For this smoked salmon chowder recipe, you want to use hot-smoked salmon. Hot-smoked salmon is smoked basically like meat, resulting in a firm, flaky piece of fish. The flavor and texture will be similar to grilled salmon, with smoky undertones.

Be sure to use as high-quality smoked salmon as you can find/afford. Good-quality smoked salmon should still look like fish. If at all possible, avoid using the rock-hard, vacuum-packed bricks o’salmon sitting in the fish section cooler. Also, for the purposes of this recipe, do not use “flavored” smoked salmon (i.e, teriyaki, peppered, lemon, etc.).

Scroll down past the recipe card to learn more about the different types of cured and smoked salmon, what works best for this recipe, and where to find the best smoked salmon ever.
(Hint: It’s in Oregon!)

2. Leeks

The base for this chowder is riff on the French classic, potage parmentier, or potato leek soup. I chose leeks for this recipe instead white or sweet onions because they have a milder, more delicate flavor than their onion cousins, so they complement the smoked salmon flavors instead of overpowering them.

Leeks, which look like giant green onions, are notorious for having hidden sand and grit in between their tightly packed leaves. In the recipe below, I’ve included basic information on how to prep the leeks, but if you need a detailed tutorial, you may find this post – “How to Clean & Cut Leeks” – very helpful.

3. Potatoes, Potatoes, Potatoes (Why you need three varieties for this chowder)

Each of the three types of potatoes in this chowder serves an important role.

Russet potatoes have a neutral flavor and high starch content, resulting in a creamy, soft texture that breaks down easily. This all makes them the perfect choice for making a creamy soup, as they act as a natural thickener.
Yukon Golds are a cross between a North American white potato and a wild South American yellow-fleshed one. Their golden flesh is richly flavored and fairly firm and moist, with medium starch content. They hold their shape a better than Russets, and contribute to the chowder’s classic chunkiness.
White Sweet Potatoes add a mild sweet component to the mix that complements and highlights the natural sweetness of the salmon. They also help to thicken the chowder.

4. Fresh Tarragon

Tarragon is often described by French chefs as the king of herbs. Its delicate flavor pairs perfectly with the smoked salmon in this French-inspired chowder.

In my experience, fresh tarragon has a completely unique flavor; one that is noticeably changed by the drying process. If you must use dried tarragon (which I do not recommend) keep in mind that it has a much more concentrated, intense flavor than that of fresh. As a rule, use 1 scant teaspoon of dried herb for every tablespoon of fresh.

If possible, use fresh French tarragon (as opposed to Russian tarragon, which can be bitter) for best results.

5. Grated Carrots

You may not think that something as simple as grating a carrot (versus dicing it) would have any significant impact on a recipe, but in this case it really does. Coarsely grating the carrots allows them to cook faster, meld with the other chowder components more readily, and (bonus!) it gives your soup some lovely color in the process.

6. Heavy Cream vs. Everything Else

If possible, use full-bodied, heavy cream. Smoked salmon chowder is something special: treat it that way.

And Yes, in case you’re asking, you can make it with half & half, or even straight-up milk for that matter, but it won’t be the same. Trust me.

5 from 5 votes

Creamy Smoked Salmon Chowder

Creamy Smoked Salmon Chowder is a rich bowl of comforting decadence; each ingredient carefully chosen to complement the delicate, smoky salmon and allow it to shine.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Steeping Time30 mins

Total Time1 hr 20 mins

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American, Comfort Food, Pacific Northwest

Keyword: salmon, seafood

Servings:

Calories: 220kcal

Author: Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

10-inch Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons light olive oil
3 medium leeks
2 cloves garlic minced
2 stalks celery diced
2 medium carrots coarsely grated
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes (about 16 ounces) peeled & cubed 1/2"
1 medium Russet potato peeled & cubed 1/2"
1 medium white-fleshed sweet potato peeled & cubed 1/2"
8 ounces clam juice
2 cups mild vegetable stock or chicken stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3/4 cup white wine I use a Reisling
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4-1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
8 ounces hot-smoked salmon divided
1 cup heavy cream
1 large sprig fresh tarragon

Instructions

Prepare leeks: Slice off the root and the tough green top. Slice leeks lengthwise. Turn leeks so that their flat sides are facing down. Slice leeks into thin half-moons.
Heat an enameled cast iron Dutch oven or other heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, butter, and prepared leeks to the soup pot.
Stirring almost constantly, sauté leeks until they wilt and become translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add minced garlic to leeks and continue sautéing until garlic is fragrant.
Add diced celery and grated carrots to the leek mixture and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-5 minutes, until celery begins to look slightly translucent.
Add clam juice, vegetable stock, tomato paste, white wine, water, paprika, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and hot sauce.
Stir in all of the diced potatoes and bring mixture in pot to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the diced potatoes are tender but not mushy.
Remove from heat.
OPTIONAL: If you like your chowder extra creamy, use a potato masher to break up potatoes just a bit before moving on. Remember though, this is a chowder: you want it to be chunky!
You can also use an immersion blender to break down the mixture, but don't get carried away.
Using your fingers (or a knife), flake the smoked salmon into small pieces. You want it to be roughly the same size and texture as flaked chunky canned tuna.
Add 3/4 of the salmon (6 ounces) to the soup mixture, reserving 2 ounces to finish the soup.
Prepare Tarragon: Separate a few small springs of tarragon from the larger stem to use later for garnishing chowder. Set aside.
Option 1: Remove a small handful tarragon leaves from the stem. Using the palm of your hand, roll the leaves on the counter or cutting board to bruise, and then coarsely chop. Add about 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh tarragon to chowder mixture.
Option 2: Leave tarragon on stem, and stir entire stem into chowder. If you choose to leave the tarragon stem whole, you can remove it just before serving, or leave it in the soup pot and work around it as your serve.
Add fresh tarragon and heavy cream to the leek mixture and give it a good stir.
Allow the chowder to steep in its own heat (i.e., off the stove) for at least a half an hour. This will give the smoky salmon and fresh tarragon flavors time to infuse themselves into the mixture.
I usually make this chowder a day ahead of time, and let it rest overnight in the fridge.
When ready to serve, return the chowder to the stovetop and heat on low to bring it back up to temperature. DO NOT BOIL!
Serve in bowls: Finish chowder with a splash of heavy cream, a generous sprinkling of the reserve flaked smoked salmon, and a small sprig of fresh tarragon.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup.
Check it out for more great recipes!

Types of Cured Salmon (and which kind works best for this recipe)

For best results, you should use Hot-Smoked Salmon when making this chowder. With that in mind, I thought it might be helpful to do a brief run-down of the major types of cured salmon to avoid any confusion.

**For best results, use hot smoked salmon for this recipe!**

A perfect hot-smoked salmon steak! (Robba Gumps Smoke’n Fish Co., Depoe Bay, Oregon)

Cured salmon can be broken down into two basic categories: brine-cured salmon, and smoked salmon (hot & cold).

Smoked Salmon

Smoked salmon is a blanket term for salmon of any origin (wild, farmed) or cut (fillet, steak) that is cured with hot or cold smoke.

Hot-Smoked Salmon <<< THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT TO USE FOR CHOWDER!
- Hot Smoked salmon is smoked basically like meat, resulting in a firm, flaky piece of fish. The flavor and texture will be similar to grilled salmon, with smoky undertones.
- Use as high-quality smoked salmon as you can find/afford, and look for smoked salmon that still looks like fish, as opposed to a hard brick. (See “Where to Get the Best Smoked Salmon” below.) Also, for the purposes of this recipe, avoid “flavored” smoked salmon (i.e, teriyaki, peppered, lemon, etc.).
Cold-Smoked Salmon is smoked significantly longer and at a lower temperature than hot-smoked, which results in a texture that is similar to lox, but with an infused smoky flavor.

Brine-Cured Salmon {Delicious for brunch, but not for chowder!}

Lox is salmon that has been cured in a salt-brine. Authentic lox traditionally comes from the belly of the salmon, and is sliced very thin for serving. Lox are salt-cured, but unlike smoked salmon, does not go through a smoking process.

Lox & Bagels at Meridian, Headlands Coastal Lodge & Spa | The Good Hearted Woman

We had these beautiful lox for breakfast when we visited Meridian at Headlands. {Pacific City, Oregon}.

Gravlax is like Lox, in that it undergoes a curing process, and it isn’t smoked afterwards. The difference between lox and gravlax is in the brining spices: gravlax is cured with sugar, salt, and dill, rather than a salt brine.

Where to Get the Best Smoked Salmon Ever!

(Before you read this section, it’s important you know that this is Not A Sponsored Post. No one is paying me in any way for what I’m about to write.)

Mr B and I both grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and we’ve eaten a lot of salmon in our day. So it is no small thing that we both agree on this point: in our experience, the best commercially available fresh smoked salmon in the world (yeah, that’s what I said – THE WORLD) can be found at a place called Robba Gump’s Smoke’n Fish Co., in the tiny tourist town of Depoe Bay on the Central Oregon Coast.

Mr B and I first stumbled into Robba Gump’s a few years ago. Back then, the shop was a tight, narrow space, wedged between a beach-themed candy shop and a whale watching tour kiosk on the far south end of town. Owner Rob Jacobs greeted us at the door with a plate full of generous samples, and we walked away with a pound of the most delicious smoked salmon I’ve ever eaten.

Rob tells us he “double-smokes” his salmon. I’m not sure what that means, but the final product is perfect: moist and sweet, with just the right amount of smoke to allow the flavors of the salmon shine. And, since Rob’s fish is not “overcooked” (as is the case with the majority of mass-produced smoked salmon), it retains its fresh, flaky texture, making it the ideal choice for this Smoked Salmon Chowder recipe.

Recently, Robba Gump’s moved to a new location on the north end of town, into what feels like ten times the space of their previous digs. The new place even has tables where you can relax and enjoy a snack, and visit with Rob and his wife. Business is good. It should be: like I said, Rob makes the best smoked salmon in the world.

Robba Gump’s Smoke’n Fish Co.
~~488 N Highway 101~~
~~Depoe Bay, Oregon 97341~~

~~(541) 614-4296~~

UPDATE 1/18/2020 – It appears that Rob is in the process of making another move. We hope to connect with him again in the spring, and I’ll update this post with new contact info when/if I do.

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Smoked Salmon Recipes from GHW

Smoked Salmon Pastry Cups {Appetizer}

These Smoked Salmon Pastry Cups with mascarpone & fresh dill are a breeze to throw together and perfect for any gathering.

Smoked Salmon Chowder {with Leeks & Fresh Tarragon}

Creamy Smoked Salmon Chowder is a rich bowl of comforting decadence; each ingredient carefully chosen to complement the delicate, smoky salmon and allow it to shine.

Elegantly Easy: Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict

This beautiful Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict is rich, delicious, and deceptively easy to make.

Smoked Salmon Crustless Quiche

A new twist on an old standby, this "impossible" quiche is perfect for any meal of the day. It goes together in less than 15 minutes, and is ready to serve – start to finish – in about an hour.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup {with a Sweet Surprise!}

October 7 By Renée 13 Comments

Loaded Baked Potato Soup is one of my top five favorite “30-minute Meals.” Fast, economical, and super-easy, this recipe has a sweet surprise that elevates the flavors and results in a perfectly balance bowl of comforting deliciousness.

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Loaded Baked Potato Soup is one of my top five favorite “30-minute Meals” – and this one I’ll even serve to company!

“Oh, you’ll be here in half an hour? And you’re starving? No problem!”

The first time I made this soup was when my girls were young and they unexpectedly brought home a few extra friends for dinner. We never turn away a hungry kid, but I had barely enough potatoes to begin with, and so I wasn’t sure we would have enough soup to go all around. I did, however, have a sweet potato, so I threw that into my baked potato soup instead.

Oh, my! What a difference that little sweet potato made! I’ll never make baked potato soup without one again!

Fast, economical, and straightforward, this delicious, easy-to-make Baked Potato Soup has a chowder-like consistency and a sweet surprise on the ingredient list. Check it out!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup: Ingredient Notes

Russet Potatoes

It is important to use and Idaho, Russet or other “starchy” type potatoes for this soup. The Russet has a neutral flavor and high starch content, which gives it a creamy, soft texture that breaks down easily. This all makes them the perfect choice for making a creamy soup like this one.

I have also successfully made this Baked Potato Soup with Yukon Gold potatoes, but the soup required a little more “mashing” than usual to achieve the desired consistency. (See Recipe Notes)

DO NOT USE waxy potato varieties (e.g., red potatoes, new potatoes, fingerling, etc.) for this recipe. Waxy potatoes have a low starch content and have a creamy, firm flesh that holds its shape well after cooking. They do not break down easily when cooked, resulting in a thin, bodiless soup.

White Sweet Potatoes

Bottom Line: Use white sweet potatoes for this recipe.

What’s the difference between orange and white sweet potatoes anyway? (And my Gramma told me the orange ones were yams. Are you contradicting my Gramma?)

I don’t know about you, but I grew up calling orange fleshed sweet potatoes “yams.” However, as I have since learned, it is nearly impossible to find true yams is the United States. Most of the tubers we were fed as children and told were yams were really sweet potatoes. It’s true.

OK, now that we’ve cleared that up, here’s the scoop on the differences between orange and white sweet potatoes.

While sweet potatoes around the world come in many different colors – brown, red, yellow, white, even purple – in the United States, nearly all of our sweet potatoes fall into two categories: [1] golden skin with creamy white flesh, and [2] brown or copper skin with an orange flesh.

Orange sweet potatoes are the heroes of holiday side dishes everywhere. They have a sweet, smooth, soft texture. White sweet potatoes, on the other hand, have a milder flavor and crumblier texture when cooked.

FYI Classroom Teachers: While I was preparing this post, I ran across these nifty (and free) Sweet Potato related STEM resources offered by the The North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission.

Garlic

This is for all you cooks who habitually double the garlic in a recipe (I see you). You (i.e., We) are the reason this recipe recipe only calls for one clove of garlic instead of two. One large or two average-sized cloves are perfect, but if I put “2 cloves of garlic” in the ingredient list, someone is going to make this soup with four cloves instead, which is way too much – it simply overpowers everything.

All that being said, if you like a garlicky soup, you can safely add one more clove, for a total of two cloves of garlic.

5 from 4 votes

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This Loaded Baked Potato Soup is fast, easy, and de-licious!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time30 mins

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bacon, onions, potatoes

Servings: bowls

Calories: 217kcal

Author: Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

10-inch Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven

Ingredients

1 large sweet onion chopped 1/4"
4 ounces raw bacon chopped into 1/4" pieces
1 1/2 - 2 pounds russet potatoes about 3 large, peeled and cubed 1/2"
8 ounce white sweet potato peeled and cubed 1/2"
3 cups chicken broth
1 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
1 cup half & half
dash hot sauce
freshly ground pepper

Garnish | Serve on Side

additional bacon bits
sliced green onions
freshly chopped tomatoes
grated cheddar cheese
sour cream

Instructions

Heat a cast iron Dutch oven or other heavy stockpot over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles on the surface. Add the chopped bacon pieces and stir with a wooden spoon to distribute in the pot. Cook bacon pieces over medium heat until bacon pieces are crispy. Turn off heat.
Remove bacon from pot using a slotted spoon and set aside.
Turn heat up to medium-high. Add the chopped onions to the hot bacon fat and sauté until translucent. Add minced garlic and sauté for an additional minute.
Add chicken broth, chopped potatoes, salt, ground pepper, and hot sauce (optional). You should have just enough liquid to barely come to the top of the potatoes. (Add a little more broth or water if you need to.)
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender but not too mushy.
Add half & half and reserved bacon bits. Stir over low heat until soup is heated through. Remove from heat.
To thicken the soup slightly, use a potato masher to break up potatoes just a bit. Remember though, this is Baked Potato Soup, not Mashed Potato Soup, so don't get carried away!
Serve with green onions, grated cheese, bacon bits, grated cheese and sour cream on the side.

Notes

Baked Potato Soup is delicious directly off the stove, and can be eaten immediately. However, as with most soups, it's even better the next day!

Vegetarian Option

Substitute:

+ 2 Butter (for bacon)
+ 3 cup vegetable broth (for chicken broth)

Start at Step 2.

TIP: Bacon is way easier to chop small if it is slightly frozen.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

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^{Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!}

Originally published November 9, 2012.

Old-Fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup {Slow Cooker}

June 6 By Renée 32 Comments

It may not be the prettiest of soups, but Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup is always dependably hearty, comforting, and easy on the budget. Oh, and it’s delicious, too!

Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup & Sweet Skillet Cornbread

As you may have noticed, at least half the recipe content here on GHW is devoted to what I like to call “reasonably healthy and/or slightly lighter comfort food.” Within that category, if there is one thing I am known for making well, it is Soup.

When my kids were growing up, I made soup almost every week (Souper-Tuesday, anyone?!), and got quite adept at creating new and unique combinations. Soup – always an easy, economical way to repurposed leftovers – was also often the way I introduced new cuisines and foods to my kids.

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When you create a soup using the “handful of this, pinch of that” seat-of-your-pants method, you sometimes make a dud now and then, but the real problem arises when you make something wonderful, because it can be almost impossible to replicate it.

THEM: “Hey Mom, remember that new soup you made last month? The one with the eggplant and the weird licorice onions? Can you make that again?”

ME: “Um… Sure???”

So I’ve been working harder at documenting my soup recipes, starting with the traditional soups I’ve adapted from my mother’s kitchen.

Hearty, comforting, and always delicious, Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup has been one of my favorites since I was a child, when my mom used to make it for us in the week following every “ham holiday” (i.e., Easter, Christmas, etc.). I make this split pea soup in the slow cooker four or five times a year, every year, and I have the recipe nailed down pat!

I won’t call this recipe Completely fool-proof, because there is always that one cook… However, barring anyone who might try to substitute Skittles for split peas, this recipe is as close to fool-proof as you’re ever going to find.

How to Make Old-Fashioned Split Pea Soup in a Slow Cooker

[Scroll down for ingredients and printable recipe]

1. Rinse peas and combine with remaining ingredients in slow cooker.

2. Give everything a quick stir, and then set slow cooker to HIGH and cook 4-6 hours. (I usually stir it about halfway through.)

3. After cooking for 4-6 hours, the meat on the ham-bone should be falling apart. Reduce the slow cooker to LOW. Using tongs or an extra-large serving spoon, carefully remove ham bone to a plate to cool.

4. When the ham bone is cool enough to handle, remove any ham and return the meat to the soup. Discard the ham bone.

5. Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.

That is literally all there is to it! If you follow the directions and use the ingredients as directed, this recipe is virtually fool-proof.

IMPORTANT INGREDIENT NOTE: The type of ham bone you use will determine the underlying flavor profile of your soup. If you use a honey or glazed ham bone, your soup will be slightly sweeter. If you use a smoked ham bone (or ham hock), your soup will taste more smokey. Personally, I prefer my split pea soup on the sweet side, but it really is just a matter of personal preference.

5 from 8 votes

Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup

Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup is always dependably hearty, comforting, and easy on the budget. Oh, and it's delicious, too!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time4 hrs

Total Time4 hrs 15 mins

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: split pea soup

Servings: servings

Calories: 194kcal

Author: Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

Slow Cooker

Ingredients

1 pound green split peas about 2 1/4 cups
1 meaty ham bone
1 1/2 cups chopped onion about one large onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons honey (or agave; or brown sugar)
1 cup diced celery 2-3 stalks
1 cup diced carrots 2 large or 3 medium carrots
1 dash hot sauce optional
2 quarts water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Rinse peas, and combine with remaining ingredients in slow cooker.
Give everything a quick stir, and then set slow cooker to HIGH and cook 4-6 hours. (I usually stir it about halfway through.)
After cooking for 4-6 hours, the meat on the ham-bone should be falling apart. Reduce the slow cooker to LOW. Using tongs or an extra-large serving spoon, carefully remove ham bone to a plate to cool.
When the ham bone is cool enough to handle, remove any ham and return the meat to the soup. Discard the ham bone.
Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.

Notes

As with many (if not most) soups, this split pea soup is always better the next day, when the flavors have had a chance to meld.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

SERVING SUGGESTION: Serve with my Sweet Skillet Corn Bread {with Pan-fried Maple Corn}.

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter of The Good Hearted Woman. ❤ Be sure to Pin this recipe!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Happy National Homemade Soup Day!

January 29 By Renée 17 Comments

February 4th is National Homemade Soup Day – let’s all lift a spoon in celebration!

Many years ago, a dear friend told me this story and since then, whenever I make soup (particularly from leftovers) I think of her. Let’s call her Kate. (Note: It is possible that I have embellished this inside my head over the years, but I tried to stay as close to Kate’s original telling as possible.)

It seems that when Kate was newly married, her sweet husband came home one night from a long day at work. Sitting down at the table, he asked her what was for dinner. She replied, “We’re having soup.” As Kate tells it, the look that fell across his face when she uttered the word “soup” was somewhere between disgust and the acceptance of impending doom, but he said nothing, and just waited for his dinner like a man anticipating the flip of an electric chair switch.

When she set his bowl of soup down in front of him he barely looked at it, instead spooning in the first bite like an automaton. Kate looked on expectantly, unable to decode the strained expression that barely masked his revulsion.

And then something marvelous happened. As the soup hit his tongue, his taut expression softened immediately, widening into one of genuine surprise and pure satisfaction. After finishing his bowl and asking her for seconds, he explained why.

“When I was a kid, we were very poor, and we kept a little bucket in the refrigerator. After every meal, anything that didn’t get eaten got thrown into that bucket. Then, about once a week, Mom would dump the whole thing into a pot and add water, and that was soup. And that was what I was expecting.“

(Did anyone else just reflexively make a face? Because when I first heard this story, I sure did! Ewww! Refrigerator Bucket Soup is certainly not ever going to be on my menu!)

For the record, Kate and her sweetheart are still married, and I’m certain that she still makes him soup on a regular basis.

Here are a few of my favorite Soup recipes from posts past – none of which involve a bucket. Why not choose one and make some homemade soup tonight?

Stove to Table in 10 minutes:

Wonton Egg Drop Soup

Serve it up in 30 minutes:

Loaded Baked {Sweet} Potato Soup

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Colonial Cream of Peanut Soup

Chili’s Chicken Enchilada Soup {Vegetarian-friendly}

Love takes time:

French Onion Soup

Pop’s Vegetable Soup

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

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Share with us in the comments below! What’s your favorite homemade soup?

Colonial Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Topping Ideas}

November 21 By Renée 14 Comments

Cream of Peanut Soup, a mainstay at Colonial Williamsburg’s King’s Arms Tavern, is oddly scrumptious. We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original.

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The first time I ever tasted peanut soup was at the Kings Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. I was seventeen, traveling with my high school history class on our much-anticipated “East Coast American History Tour.” We had been studying, planning, and saving our pennies for three long years to travel from Oregon to the East Coast, and Williamsburg was one of our most anticipated stops.

Colonial Williamsburg, as you may know, is a full-scale working village that recreates the town of Williamsburg during the time period leading up to the American Revolution. The King’s Arms Tavern first opened there in 1772.

That me on the left with my lifelong friend Julie B, waiting in the Portland airport to take off on our East Coast adventure. From an era long before selfies, it is one of only two pictures I have of myself from the entire trip. The image on the right is a shot of Colonial Williamsburg.

As my classmates and I settled in for dinner, I vaguely remember an older lady in Colonial costuming reviewing our prix fixe menu with us, adding colorful little stories and historical context about each dish as she went. Reading ahead, I noted that one of our courses was to be “peanut soup.” I’d never heard of such a thing and was intrigued. Peanut soup? It sounded oddly scrumptious.

Peanuts, the Colonial lady continued, were thought to have been brought to America by Portuguese slave traders. Along with black-eyed peas and yams, peanuts were carried on slave ships to feed enslaved Africans during their passage to the New World. Peanut soup itself is most certainly an adaptation of the peanut soups brought from Africa.

Soon after our hostess completed her introduction of the menu, our peanut soup arrived, accompanied by a sweet potato roll. The soup was creamy and smooth as silk, and the sweet potato rolls were warm and crusty. The two created a perfect pairing, and were very satisfying all by themselves. I was full before the end of the soup course, and though I don’t remember the rest of the meal, I do remember buying a cookbook for my mom before we left the King’s Arms Tavern.

That trip was eons ago, and the cookbook is now mine. So it was to the Williamsburg Cookbook that I first referred when I set out to recreate the memory of that long-ago peanut soup. However, after making a test batch per the directions, I was a little disappointed in the outcome: it was simply too bland for my 21st century tastes, so I decided to make some adjustments.

The first thing I did was cut the recipe in half, for two reasons: first, the original recipe makes almost four quarts of peanut soup! Unless you have a very large family or are running a Colonial tavern, you do not need four quarts of peanut soup. Which leads me to the second reason I decreased the recipe: this is a Very Rich Cream Soup. You simply won’t need as much peanut soup as you might need, say a lighter, brothier soup like chicken noodle or beef barley.

Peanut soup is very much like a thin satay sauce, but less sweet. To the original list of ingredients, I added lemon juice for brightness, hot pepper for kick, brown sugar (because it is the secret to almost everything), and kosher salt because – Holy-Low-Sodium-Diet, Batman! – did this recipe ever need it!

Savory Cream of Peanut Soup {with 21 Toppings} - We’ve updated the historical recipe with 21st Century tastes in mind, while retaining the rich, satisfying essence of original. (Inspired by the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, WIlliamsburg, Virginia. | The Good Hearted Woman

5 from 7 votes

Colonial Cream of Peanut Soup

Inspired by the Peanut Soup at the King's Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course: Main dish or side

Keyword: Peanut Soup

Servings:

Author: Renée ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely diced celery
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup smooth peanut butter (I use Skippy)
1 cup light cream or half-and-half
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 - 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Finely chopped salted peanuts for garnish

Instructions

In a heavy saucepan or stockpot over medium heat, sauté onion and celery in butter until soft. (Do allow them to brown.)
Sprinkle flour over sautéed vegetables and stir to combine. Stir to saute for one minute.
Add chicken or vegetable stock to vegetables. Bring mixture to boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
Allow the vegetable mixture to cool to a temperature that is safe to work with before proceeding to the next step.
Option 1: Puree the cooled soup in the saucepan with a hand blender until smooth.
Option 2: Puree the cooled soup in a blender and return to saucepan.
Into the pureed soup in pan, add the peanut butter and half & half. Stir until peanut butter has completely dissolved into the soup.
Stir in lemon juice, kosher salt, hot pepper sauce, and brown sugar.
Return pan to heat only to warm to soup to serving temperature. (DO NOT BOIL!) Garnish as desired.

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SERVING:

Peanut soup can be served hot or cold. (Mr B and I both prefer it warm.) Pair it with a green salad and you’ve got yourself a seriously satisfying meal.

Many people reserve peanut soup for the holidays, like stuffing or cranberry sauce. If it is your plan serve peanut soup as the first course of a larger meal, we suggest offering it in small bowls or demitasse cups, no more than 4-5 inches across. Serving small portions will make a satisfying transition to the main course without ruining your guests’ appetites.

Peanut soup can be served as is, but if you want to make things interesting, offer toppings in small cups or bowls and give your guests the opportunity to create their own flavor combinations. My favorite combo so far is bacon, pine nuts, pomegranate pips, and a dash of harissa.

Peanut Soup Toppings

NOTE: The word “topping” is actually a bit of a misnomer. While this is a very rich soup, it isn’t as thick as you might imagine, so heavier toppings tend to sink to the bottom of your bowl. (Don’t tell anyone, but I had to use a little blogger magic to keep those banana chips floating on the surface.) Anyway, that’s what spoons are for.

This list of topping ideas is intended to get you started, but there are dozens of other choices that would work just as well. Just look through your pantry and/or fridge and pick out something fun!

Choose topping/add-ins that give the soup crunch, and bite, and really enhance the flavor of the soup itself. Fresh, citrusy flavors and little crunchy bites work especially well.

apple slices
popcorn
Gold Fish Crackers
peanuts
bacon bits
tortilla cut-outs
parmesan crisps
green onions
banana slices
pomegranate pips
Orange slices
dill pickle
cilantro
granola
poached egg
honey
toast points
pepitos
red pepper flakes
harissa
whole grain croutons

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Garden Fresh Gazpacho

September 11 By Renée 31 Comments

Classic Spanish Gazpacho is the perfect summer soup – chilled, savory, and full of rich, robust, garden-fresh goodness.

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I remember the first time I ever ate gazpacho: I have to admit, I was dubious. Cold tomato soup? Really? I was twenty and I’d never eaten cold soup of any kind before. I wasn’t sure that I wanted to either, but I was at a luncheon hosted by a friend’s mom, and you remember what your mama always told you when you went to eat at other peoples’ houses, right? Anyway, when I tasted it, I found it to be surprisingly rich and savory, with slightly sweet overtones and more body than I expected from a purely vegetable-based soup.

Since then, I’ve worked to perfect my own gazpacho recipe, one little batch at a time. At this point, I think it’s pretty darn awesome.

Garden Fresh Gazpacho Recipe | The Good Hearted Woman

Gazpacho Starter Kit 😉 For reference, the big tomato on the right side (at 3 ‘o clock) is about five inches across.

As far as I’m concerned, there is only one good time of year (in the Northern Hemisphere) to make traditional tomato-based gazpacho: in the waning months of summer and through September, when the gardens and farmers markets are overflowing with warm, fat, vine-ripened tomatoes and shiny sweet peppers.

The picture above shows a single day’s harvest from our garden last week. Thanks almost entirely to Mr B’s dedicated gardening skills, we are flush with a wide variety of tomatoes, cukes, and peppers! In an effort to use everything at its peak of freshness, I decided to make a big batch of gazpacho to get us through a busy week. (Gazpacho will keep about a week in the fridge.)

Garden Tip: We plant marigolds in our garden as part of our organic pest control plan. You probably already know that they repel a number of creepy-crawlies, but did you know that they are edible? Marigolds have a slight citrus flavor, and can range from spicy to bitter, tangy to peppery, making them great for salads or as a pretty garnish on any savory dish.

Garden Fresh Gazpacho

Prep Time1 hr

Cook Time2 hrs

Total Time3 hrs

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Course: Soup

Servings: Servings (1 cup each)

Calories: 120kcal

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

Tomato Mix 1

4 lbs. vine-ripened tomatoes peeled & diced 1/4"
1 lb. cucumbers peeled, seeded & diced 1/4"
1/2 lb red orange, yellow or green bell peppers, seeded & diced
1-2 jalapeno peppers seeded and diced 1/8"
1/2 lb. onion diced 1/4"
15-20 large fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1-3 teaspoons Sriracha or other hot sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder optional **
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Tomato Mix 2

1 lb tomatoes roughly chopped (or cherry tomatoes)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 lime - juice & zest
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine Tomato Mix 1 ingredients: diced tomatoes, cucumber, bell pepper, jalapeno, onion, basil, garlic, salt, cumin, oregano, Sriracha, and pepper. Toss thoroughly to combine.
In a blender jar, combine Tomato Mix 2 ingredients: Rough chopped tomatoes, olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, balsamic, and Worcestershire sauce. Puree mixture until smooth.
Pour Mix 2 into bowl with Mix 1 and stir to combine.
Using a hand-blender, puree the two mixtures together until it reaches the desired consistency. If you like your gazpacho very chunky, you don't need to do this step. (See Blender Note below)
Refrigerate 2 hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend.
Garnish with additional diced veggies, avocado, and/or sour cream. Serve cold.

Notes

This recipes lends itself easily to halving or doubling.

Nutrition

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

Serve with hearty, rustic bread on the side.

** In my most recent batch of gazpacho, I subbed in a teaspoon of my Spicy Rockfish Dry Rub for the chili powder. Totally awesome – I highly recommend it!!

Blender Note: Some people like their gazpacho very chunky, while others prefer it completely pureed: the choice is yours. If you don’t have a hand-blender, you can definitely do the last step in your regular blender jar: just puree about half the total mixture in the blender and then remix everything together. That said, I prefer the hand-blender method because I think it allows for better control of the final product.

Final Thoughts: Like biting into the perfect BLT, for most of us there is only a narrow window of opportunity each year to enjoy truly great gazpacho. Certainly you can make it year round, but don’t try making gazpacho in February with my recipe. (How often do you read about bloggers expressly advising you not to use their recipe?) If you want great garden-fresh gazpacho, and you have a bunch of ripe, sweet tomatoes, then this is your gazpacho recipe. However, if all you have are those hard little red balls they sell in the grocery stores in the winter months, then look for a recipe that uses canned tomatoes, tomato sauce, or tomato juice. Hot house tomatoes and the like simply do not have the depth of flavor or sugar content to make it worthwhile. (Nor do they taste like actual tomatoes.)

Some things are worth the wait.

^{Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they will help us keep this site up and running – and (relatively) ad-free!! Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!}

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Slow & Easy White Chicken Chili {5 Ways!}

November 8 By Renée 3 Comments

Today I’m sharing a simple, belly pleasing, stick-to-your ribs recipe that will take all of 20 minutes of your time to prepare. You can let the slow cooker do all the work for the other approximately 20 hours (for the Slow Version) or 2 hours (for the Lightning Version) that it takes to cook.

As written, this White Chicken Chili is relatively mild, but you can spice it up by leaving the seeds in the jalapenos and/or adding more of them to the mix.

Depending upon which approach you take to making this White Chicken Chili, it will take you between two and 24 hours to prepare, but your actual hands-on prep time remains constant – about 20 minutes. All five versions listed produce delicious, savory results:

Slow: 20 hours – recipe as directed: overnight soak, then slow cooker on low.
Moderate: 18-19 hours – recipe as directed: overnight soak, then slow cooker on high.
Moderately fast: 10-12 hours – “Fast Soak” beans. (See Fast Soak Instructions at the bottom of the post) Continue with recipe as directed, with slow cooker on low.
Fast: 5-6 hours – “Fast Soak” beans. Continue with recipe as directed, with slow cooker on high.
Lightning: 1 1/2 – 2 hours – Use canned beans. Continue with recipe as directed. Cook in slow cooker on high for at least one hour.

White Chicken Chili

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Servings: quarts

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

1 lb small white beans or 2 - 15oz can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 large onion chopped
2-3 cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoon olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lime
2- 4 oz can diced green chilis
1 - 2 jalapenos minced (for mild chili, removed seeds)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 lb shredded chicken
6 cups chicken broth
1 lb cooked shredded chicken
Toppings: avocado slices lime wedges, sour cream, tortilla strips, and chopped cilantro

Instructions

Soak beans for 4-8 hours, or overnight. Drain and rinse.
In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, sauté onions and garlic in the olive oil over medium high heat. Cook until the onions are translucent and just beginning to turn brown.
Combine sautéed onions and garlic, soaked beans, and all of the remaining ingredients except the chicken in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours (or high for 4-5 hours), or until the beans are very tender. (Add additional broth or water if necessary.)
When beans are very tender, use an immersion blender or potato mashed to mash some of the beans up. This will slightly thicken chili. (Don’t overdo it though or you will have bean puree!)
Add chicken about thirty minutes before the chili is done.
Serve with toppings on the side: avocado slices, sour cream, lime wedges, tortilla strips, and chopped cilantro are all good choices.

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How to FAST SOAK beans:

In a medium saucepan, cover the beans with enough water so that it is at least an inch above the top of the beans. Bring the beans to a boil over high heat. Cook for one minute, and then remove from heat. Cover pot and allow beans to soak for one hour. Drain and rise beans before proceeding.

“To win the people, always cook them some savoury that pleases them.”
― Aristophanes, The Knights

Skinny Cincinnati Chili with Spaghetti Squash

March 19 By Renée 4 Comments

Cincinnati Chili is basically a sweet, mild chili con carne traditionally served over spaghetti noodles – a combination that is both surprisingly and delicious. My lightened-up version, served over spaghetti squash, is (loosely) based on the recipe for the most famous variation – Skyline Chili.

The closest I’ve ever gotten to Cincinnati is watching WKRP as a kid, but it was love at first bite as far as their chili is concerned.

Cincinnati Chili (in my admittedly limited experience) is basically a mild chili con carne made with seasonings from the sweet side of the spice shelf: cinnamon, cloves, allspice and (sometimes) chocolate. It usually a little “saucier” than most chili, and traditionally served over spaghetti noodles. There are many well-known variations, most often associated with Cincinnati restaurants, including Empress Chili, Gold Star Chili, Dixie Chili, and the one I am most familiar with – Skyline Chili.

Usually made with ground beef, I’ve lightened my version up with ground chicken. I love to serve it over spaghetti squash, which lends an additional sweetness to the dish and offers a lovely presentation as well.

Skinny Cincinnati {Skyline} Chili | The Good Hearted Woman

Skinny Cincinnati Chili with Spaghetti Squash

A milder, lighter version of Cincinnati's famous savory-sweet Skyline chili, traditionally served over spaghetti noodles. For an even lighter meal (and a cool presentation) serve over spaghetti squash.

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

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Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Renée B. ♥ The Good Hearted Woman

Ingredients

Boats:

2 small spaghetti squashes Or just use spaghetti noodles - it's your call!

Chili Ingredients

1 lb ground chicken or turkey I use Isernio Ground Chicken
3 cloves garlic minced
1 large onion chopped
2 cans stewed tomatoes Italian style (I use petite cut tomatoes with garlic & basil)
1 14- ounce can small red beans canned (I use seasoned piquintos)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tbs brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp fresh nutmeg
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Prepare Chili:

Brown ground chicken or turkey with onion and garlic. Add all the other ingredients. Simmer at least 1/2 an hour. (I usually make this in a slow cooker, on low for 4-6 hours.)
Vegetarian-friendly Chili option:: Simply replace the ground chicken with additional small red beans.

To Serve in Spaghetti Squash Boats:

Choose small spaghetti squashes. Each squash will make 2 boats.
Preheat the oven to 375°. Sprinkle squash with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the cut side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and roast for 25-35 minutes, or until tender.
Allow cooked squash to cool for about 10 minutes, and then use a fork to scrape out the insides and separate strands.
Replace threads in squash shells, and top with chili and Parmesan cheese.

Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

This rich, warmly spiced Caribbean Chicken Stew is – without question – one of the most delicious, satisfying, flavorful chicken stews you’ll ever eat!

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Recipe Updated July 2, 2020 (Originally published May 2, 2014)

Caribbean Chicken Stew

Equipment

Ingredients

Marinade

Stew Base

Root Vegetables [Use a TOTAL of 3 lbs /1.3kg of any combination of the following.]

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken

Make the Stew

Notes

Nutrition

I’m sharing this Chicken Stew recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup. Check it out for more great recipes!

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Easy to make and budget-friendly, this Old-fashioned Navy Bean Soup with ham makes a hearty, comforting meal. It’s also an excellent way to use that leftover hambone from your holiday dinner!

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

How to Make Old-Fashioned Navy Bean Soup in a Slow Cooker

[Scroll down for printable Recipe Card and step-by-step directions.]

Using a Hambone in your Navy Bean Soup

Ham Juice = Liquid Gold!

Beans, Beans!

To Presoak or Not Presoak

Old-fashioned Navy Bean Soup {Slow Cooker}

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

Using pan juices in your soup

Cooking the Soup

Notes

Three Ways to Presoak Beans

Nutrition

Cooking Navy Bean Soup in an Instant Pot

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Creamy Smoked Salmon Chowder is a rich bowl of comforting decadence; each ingredient carefully chosen to complement the delicate, smoky salmon and allow it to shine.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Ingredient Notes: What You Need to Know

1. Hot Smoked Salmon [The Star!]

Scroll down past the recipe card to learn more about the different types of cured and smoked salmon, what works best for this recipe, and where to find the best smoked salmon ever. (Hint: It’s in Oregon!)

2. Leeks

3. Potatoes, Potatoes, Potatoes (Why you need three varieties for this chowder)

4. Fresh Tarragon

5. Grated Carrots

6. Heavy Cream vs. Everything Else

Creamy Smoked Salmon Chowder

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

Nutrition

I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup. Check it out for more great recipes!

Types of Cured Salmon (and which kind works best for this recipe)

For best results, use hot smoked salmon for this recipe!

Smoked Salmon

Brine-Cured Salmon {Delicious for brunch, but not for chowder!}

Where to Get the Best Smoked Salmon Ever!

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Loaded Baked Potato Soup is one of my top five favorite “30-minute Meals.” Fast, economical, and super-easy, this recipe has a sweet surprise that elevates the flavors and results in a perfectly balance bowl of comforting deliciousness.

“Oh, you’ll be here in half an hour? And you’re starving? No problem!”

Loaded Baked Potato Soup: Ingredient Notes

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Equipment

Ingredients

Garnish | Serve on Side

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

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It may not be the prettiest of soups, but Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup is always dependably hearty, comforting, and easy on the budget. Oh, and it’s delicious, too!

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

How to Make Old-Fashioned Split Pea Soup in a Slow Cooker

[Scroll down for ingredients and printable recipe]

Old-fashioned Ham Bone Split Pea Soup

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutrition

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February 4th is National Homemade Soup Day – let’s all lift a spoon in celebration!

I’m sharing this Chicken Stew recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup.
Check it out for more great recipes!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. ? Be sure to PIN this post!

Scroll down past the recipe card to learn more about the different types of cured and smoked salmon, what works best for this recipe, and where to find the best smoked salmon ever.
(Hint: It’s in Oregon!)

I’m sharing this recipe on the Weekend Potluck Recipe Linkup.
Check it out for more great recipes!

**For best results, use hot smoked salmon for this recipe!**

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. ? Be sure to PIN this post!

THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. ? Be sure to PIN this post!