cdkitchen > cooking experts > amy powell
"Good soups I hold in as high regard as great breads and together they make some of life's sublime moments." -- Anna Thomas
Soup, I believe, in all its simplicity, can be one of the most transcendental foods. Its instantaneous warmth on the palate and down into the belly has the healing powers that are the stuff of old wives tales and legendary Seinfeld episodes. And this time of year, a few months into the bitter winter, what chilled bones couldn't use a bowl of steaming goodness to take us far away from our snowy surrounding?
Although institutions such as soup kitchens and stories like Stone Soup have paired the word with poverty for years, soup is not just a poor man's food. In fact, it is remarkably versatile. It can feed from four to forty. It can be as inexpensive as combining what is already in one's pantry to create a hearty minestrone or as decadent as a heavy cream reduction with truffles for a truly sinful cream of mushroom.
Many people shy away from making their own soups due to a perception of lengthy cooking time. Although a soup such as French Onion will indeed be an all-afternoon affair to achieve the desired level of caramelization, many soups can be made in the time it takes to heat the ingredients through and whiz a blender.
Stock and broth are the cornerstone to quality soup. Although homemade is wonderful if your first name is Martha, in the real world we will almost always reach for what can be found on the supermarket shelves. I am a realist; therefore I am in no way opposed to the pre-made goods. But buyer beware! Not all stocks are created equal. Look at labels to ensure there is no MSG and an unusually high level of sodium could indicate that salt is the main seasoning and is being used to mask a bland product. You should also buy low-sodium whenever possible so you can control the level of seasoning in the finished soup. And these days, lots of quality stocks come in boxes with re-sealable spouts so you can easily store in the refrigerator whatever you don't use.
When I think of the hearty soups I love, the ones that are suited to be a meal in themselves, one of my favorites is the classic English Bubble and Squeak. Okay, I know that is not traditionally a soup, but it can be! Some extra broth, and a combination of sausage, cabbage, and potatoes, this stew-like classic becomes a pauper's feast and an Eskimo's salvation on a frigid February evening. Served with a hunk of fresh baguette and you have the makings of a sublime evening spent with a bowl full of salve to warm the chilliest soul.
©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
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Soup for the Soul
"Good soups I hold in as high regard as great breads and together they make some of life's sublime moments." -- Anna Thomas
Soup, I believe, in all its simplicity, can be one of the most transcendental foods. Its instantaneous warmth on the palate and down into the belly has the healing powers that are the stuff of old wives tales and legendary Seinfeld episodes. And this time of year, a few months into the bitter winter, what chilled bones couldn't use a bowl of steaming goodness to take us far away from our snowy surrounding?
Although institutions such as soup kitchens and stories like Stone Soup have paired the word with poverty for years, soup is not just a poor man's food. In fact, it is remarkably versatile. It can feed from four to forty. It can be as inexpensive as combining what is already in one's pantry to create a hearty minestrone or as decadent as a heavy cream reduction with truffles for a truly sinful cream of mushroom.
Many people shy away from making their own soups due to a perception of lengthy cooking time. Although a soup such as French Onion will indeed be an all-afternoon affair to achieve the desired level of caramelization, many soups can be made in the time it takes to heat the ingredients through and whiz a blender.
Stock and broth are the cornerstone to quality soup. Although homemade is wonderful if your first name is Martha, in the real world we will almost always reach for what can be found on the supermarket shelves. I am a realist; therefore I am in no way opposed to the pre-made goods. But buyer beware! Not all stocks are created equal. Look at labels to ensure there is no MSG and an unusually high level of sodium could indicate that salt is the main seasoning and is being used to mask a bland product. You should also buy low-sodium whenever possible so you can control the level of seasoning in the finished soup. And these days, lots of quality stocks come in boxes with re-sealable spouts so you can easily store in the refrigerator whatever you don't use.
When I think of the hearty soups I love, the ones that are suited to be a meal in themselves, one of my favorites is the classic English Bubble and Squeak. Okay, I know that is not traditionally a soup, but it can be! Some extra broth, and a combination of sausage, cabbage, and potatoes, this stew-like classic becomes a pauper's feast and an Eskimo's salvation on a frigid February evening. Served with a hunk of fresh baguette and you have the makings of a sublime evening spent with a bowl full of salve to warm the chilliest soul.
Bubble and Squeak Soup
Made with salt and pepper, vegetable oil, onion, green cabbage, fresh rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, red bliss potatoes, chicken stock, chicken sausages
Made with salt and pepper, vegetable oil, onion, green cabbage, fresh rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, red bliss potatoes, chicken stock, chicken sausages
Serves/Makes: 6
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion
- 1/2 green cabbage
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 red bliss potatoes
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 3 chicken sausages, rosemary or other variety
- salt and pepper
Preheat oil in a large soup pot.
Cut onion into quarters and slice thinly. Add to pot and saute until softened.
Meanwhile, remove core from cabbage. Cut lengthwise into six equal pieces. Slice each segment thinly crosswise. Add to onion in the pot.
Remove leaves from rosemary and thyme and chop finely. Add to pot along with bay leaves and stir to combine.
Wash potatoes and cut into eighths then cut each segment into four smallish pieces. Add to stock pot along with stock. Cover with lid and bring to boil.
Meanwhile cut each sausage into 1/2 inch rounds. Add to boiling soup. Reduce to simmer.
Simmer for 15 minutes until potatoes are cooked. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and serve.
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©2026 CDKitchen, Inc. No reproduction or distribution of any portion of this article is allowed without express permission from CDKitchen, Inc.
To share this article with others, you may link to this page:
https://www.cdkitchen.com/cooking-experts/amy-powell/229-soup-for-the-soul/