Soup Forgives

With a few exceptions, soup recipes do not have to be followed precisely. A little more or less of the ingredients prescribed, or the addition of something new, can often be an improvement. Remember, though, it is better to season soup when it is nearly done, because any salt you have already put in is intensified as it cooks down. Also, if you’re making a broth-based soup, the salt content of the broth (particularly if it is canned) is apt to vary greatly.

This celery soup with green and white beans will surprise you with its bold flavor and hearty texture. Celery has a delicate flavor and is a faint presence in many soups, but here it gets to stand on its own.

With soup, I like biscuits. This baking powder biscuit recipe makes a light, moist, golden biscuit that can’t be beat, so to speak. What makes these biscuits superior? There’s a higher proportion of liquid to flour, which makes for a stickier dough. They are messier to make than other biscuits, but just flour your hands often while kneading--they’re worth the mess. Serve the biscuits with butter and honey.

This biscuit dough also makes a fine shortcake or cobbler. Add 1/4 cup sugar to the dough (add the sugar to the dry ingredients in the beginning of the recipe) and don’t knead it. If making shortcake, drop the dough, using a large spoon, onto a greased baking pan. If making cobbler, drop the dough with a large spoon over sweetened cooked fruit and bake for 15 minutes.

CELERY SOUP WITH GREEN AND WHITE BEANS

8 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

1 large onion, diced

4 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups cooked Great Northern beans

2 cups frozen lima beans

Salt, pepper

Bring celery, onion and 3 cups chicken broth to boil in large pot. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

Drain and reserve liquid from vegetables. Put vegetables in food processor or blender and process until pureed, adding hot liquid as needed. Put pureed vegetables back in pot with hot liquid and remaining 1 cup chicken broth. Add beans and simmer until beans are heated through, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 4 servings.

Each serving contains about:

380 calories; 934 mg sodium; 1 mg cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 65 grams carbohydrates; 27 grams protein; 7.28 grams fiber.

BAKING POWDER BISCUITS

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup milk

Measure flour, baking powder and salt into large mixing bowl. Using fork, stir until well mixed. Flour hands and break chunk of shortening into 5 or 6 pieces. Rub flour and shortening together lightly, reaching down to bottom of bowl and including all loose flour at bottom.

When no big pieces of shortening are left, add milk all at once. Stir milk and flour mixture with fork or hands. It will be sticky. Scoop out of bowl and put on floured board.

Clean hands and flour them. Knead dough about 10 times. Pat into circle about 9 inches round or 3/4-inch thick.

Cut out biscuits with 2-inch cookie cutter. Place in greased baking pan. Place touching each other for tender sides. For crisp sides, keep biscuits separated.

Bake at 425 degrees until nicely golden on top, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve warm. Makes about 14 (2-inch) biscuits.

Each biscuit contains about:

112 calories; 269 mg sodium; 1 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 13 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 0.05 gram fiber.

caption