A Simple Soup for Winter

A Simple Soup for Winter

Words, recipe, and photos by Charles Hunter III
Headshot by Austin Lord Photography

“Writing is a lot like making soup. My subconscious cooks the idea, but I have to sit down at the computer to pour it out.”

― Robin Wells

It's the season of warm blankets, warm mugs full of tea, and bonfires surrounded by the laughter of friends. It’s also the season for soup-making, and if there is one thing my palate will never deny, it’s a bowl of soup. I like to consider soup the epitome of comfort foods.

There are so many variations that can be birthed from the ingredients in your fridge. A simple chicken noodle soup could be a hearty vegetable soup the next day and a creamy concoction the next. It is simply your perspective on the ingredients that you have to work with. I find it rather annoying when someone feels they have to run to the store to create something exactly the way they think it should be. I say, put radishes in if you don’t have any celery. Add some bok choy if you don’t have cabbage. Soup is forgiving, it’s not demanding, and it won’t ask you to be someone who you’re not—so don’t stress about the lack thereof. 

This recipe is pretty similar to how I enjoy chicken noodle soup, which is with a copious amount of green onions if they are available. I simply enjoy the bright tangy bite that it adds to the rich chicken broth. So this whole bowl of soup is essentially less than five ingredients, because why complicate something simple like a good winter soup? 

Simple Turkey Soup:

1 quart chicken broth
1 cup pulled turkey meat
2 green onion stalks sliced
3 dashes of Texas Pete or Tabasco
fresh ground black pepper

Method

Heat the chicken broth until it comes to a rolling simmer. Then, I add dashes of Texas Pete and taste it to see if it's to my liking, and adjust. Pour yourself a bowl of the hot broth, then add your pulled turkey meat. It’s up to you if you want to heat the meat prior to adding it to your broth. I put the meat in cold and allow the broth to warm it through.

I like to finish it with a generous portion of the green onions, and that’s it. Enjoy.

NOTE: The next day you could add some frozen vegetables to this soup for a heartier version, as well as some noodles, barley, orzo, or rice. You could even add some heavy cream or crushed tomatoes to completely transform it into something different. Just adjust your salt and pepper accordingly.

 

Charles Hunter III is a personal chef, recipe developer and food blogger based in Nashville, Tennessee. His company, The Salted Table, prepares seasonal-inspired meals for clients’ in-home gatherings. Find him on social media at @thesaltedtable.