Bring on the soups and stews!

Autumn is quickly approaching which means it’s time to get those large sauce pots out and get those soups and stews boiling!

Slow-Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup

https://tasty.co/recipe/slow-cooker-tuscan-white-bean-soup

Ingredients

• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 4 stalks celery, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 4 cups chopped kale
• 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
• 2 cans white beans
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 6 cups vegetable stock

Instructions

1. In a slow cooker, combine the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, kale, tomatoes, beans, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, and vegetable stock. Stir to combine.
2. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours, until the vegetables are tender.
3. Serve hot.
4. Enjoy!

Creamy Leek Soup

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/creamy-leek-soup-238442

Ingredients

• 8 medium leeks (3 pounds), trimmed, leaving white and pale green parts only, and chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 1 small boiling potato (6 ounces)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups chicken stock or reduced-sodium chicken broth (24 fluid ounces)
• 3 cups of water
• 1 Turkish bay leaf or 1/2 California
• 1 1/2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chilled heavy cream

Instructions

1. Wash sliced leeks in a large bowl of cold water, agitating them, then lift out and drain well in a colander.
2. Cook leeks, onion, carrot, celery, salt, and pepper in 4 tablespoons butter in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Peel the potato and cut into 1/2-inch cubes, then add to onion mixture along with wine, stock, water, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
3. Stir in parsley and simmer soup, uncovered, 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf and keep soup at a bare simmer.
4. Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, then add flour and cook roux, whisking, until golden, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add 2 cups simmering stock (from soup), whisking vigorously (mixture will be thick), then whisk mixture into remaining soup and return to a simmer, whisking.
5. Blend soup in 4 batches in a blender until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids), about 1 minute per batch, transferring to a 3- to 4-quart saucepan. Reheat if necessary, then season with salt and pepper.
6. Beat cream in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until it almost forms soft peaks. Serve soup topped with cream.

The Best Beef Stew

The Best Beef Stew

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups dry red wine
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1-1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, divided
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cups cubed peeled potatoes
• 3 cups coarsely chopped onions (about 2 large)
• 2 cups sliced carrots
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 2 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
• Additional fresh rosemary, optional

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, toss beef and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a large bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of flour and paprika. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and toss to coat.
2. In a Dutch oven, brown beef in oil over medium heat. Stir in tomato paste, herbes de Provence, and garlic; cook until fragrant and color starts to darken slightly. Add wine; cook until mixture just comes to a boil. Simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, 1 teaspoon rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until meat is almost tender, about 1-1/2 hours.
3. Add potatoes, onions, and carrots. Cover; simmer until meat and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes longer.
4. Discard bay leaves. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon rosemary, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 2 tablespoon flour. Add cold water and vinegar; stir until smooth. Stir into stew. Bring to a boil; add peas. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. If desired, top with additional fresh rosemary.