In the realm of culinary artistry, there exists a tale as old as time itself—the legend of stone soup. It is a story that has been passed down through generations, inspiring chefs and home cooks alike with its tale of resourceful cooking and the transformative power of sharing. Stone soup is a testament to the fact that even the simplest ingredients, when combined with creativity and a dash of serendipity, can create a dish that is both nourishing and soul-satisfying. This article embarks on a journey to uncover the secrets behind this legendary dish, exploring the variations and adaptations that have emerged over time, and providing a step-by-step guide to crafting a stone soup that is both delicious and deeply satisfying.
Here are our top 9 tried and tested recipes!
CHILLED TOMATO AND STONE FRUIT SOUP
Provided by Michael Anthony
Categories Soup/Stew Tomato Appetizer No-Cook Vegetarian Lunch Cherry Peach Cucumber Summer Chill Vegan Bon Appétit Pescatarian Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher
Yield Makes 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Pulse tomatoes in a blender until finely chopped and transfer to a large bowl. Pulse cucumber, peach, jalapeño, garlic, and cherries in blender until finely chopped and add to bowl with tomatoes. Mix in vinegar, 1/4 cup oil, 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 cup cold water; season with pepper. Cover and let sit at room temperature 1 hour, or chill at least 12 hours.
- Season soup with kosher salt, pepper, and more oil and vinegar, if desired. Serve soup drizzled with oil and seasoned with sea salt and pepper.
- DO AHEAD: Soup can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
OL' FASHIONED STONE SOUP
There are so many versions of stone soup AND the story of stone soup, but preparation of it is a group affair, & ingredients can be anything that works for you! This particular recipe comes from familyfun.go.com, & it's a great group activity. Two versions of the story can be found online, one at http://stonesoup.esd.ornl.gov & another one at www.thatsmyhome.com . Reading the story to the group is part of it all! The FIRST INGREDIENT--which I'm unable to list properly--should be "1 LARGE stone, preferrably quartz, because it won't break down during cooking."
Provided by Sydney Mike
Categories Vegetable
Time 25m
Yield 8 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Get someone to wash & rinse the stone, scrubbing thoroughly, then put it in the bottom of a pot of water to boil while preparing the rest of the soup [OR in a pinch, use a LARGE potato as a sybolic 'stone'].
- If making the soup WITH A GROUP, be sure that each person has brought together one or more of the ingredients.
- In another LARGE pot, melt butter or heat the oil, then saute onion on medium-high for 2-4 minutes. Stir in celery, carrot, potatoes & bell pepper, sauteeing 6-8 minutes.
- Add garlic & saute about 30 seconds, then pour the broth into the LARGE pot.
- Use tongs, ladle or large spoon to fish out the hot 'stone' & put it into the LARGE pot.
- Heat to boiling.
- Add zucchini, squash, corn & pasta, cooking another 8 minutes or until the zucchini is the desired softness.
- Season to taste with salt & pepper.
- Before serving, sprinkle on cheese & croutons, then ladle--minus the stone--into individual bowls.
GRANDMA'S STONE SOUP STEW
A typical dinner at grandma's house often seemed like the work of magic. Just like in the fairy tale, she could conjure up a hearty stew out of almost any cut of meat and whatever root vegetables were on hand. The long, slow braising made even the most affordable pieces of meat taste delicious. And by leaving the skins on the vegetables, she managed to add even more flavor, while avoiding waste.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 1h25m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large Dutch with a lid oven over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the meat generously on all sides with salt and pepper and, working in batches if necessary, add to the pan. Sear the meat until it is well browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Use tongs to help rotate the pieces of meat and remove them to a plate as they are seared. Set meat aside.
- Add the onions and peppers to the same Dutch oven and cook until the vegetables start to become tender and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the grated tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, the onions and peppers have softened completely and most of the moisture has evaporated, another 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the garlic, paprika and 2 teaspoons salt and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
- Return the seared meat to the pot along with the root vegetables and sliced salami; stir well. Add the chicken broth and increase the heat to high to bring the stew to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the meat and vegetables are tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Stir in the cauliflower and red-wine vinegar, and continue cooking until the meat is tender enough to pull apart with a fork and the cauliflower is cooked, about 15 to 20 minutes more.
- Season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve with toasted rustic bread brushed with olive oil and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
PORTUGUESE STONE SOUP
Steps:
- Combine all ingredients in large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until soup is thick, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.)
STONE SOUP
This recipe my mother told me about when I was 5 years old and I am passing it down to you all. The key ingredient is the scrubbed stone which is to be placed in the boiling water. Zaar won't recognize the ingredient so when you scrub yours along side the river bank, just plop it into the pot of boiling water. ONCE UPON A TIME,,, there were two unemployed and very poor men who decided to become beggars so they shouldn't starve to death. 'Well', they thought,'this will be easy'. They were turned down at every door and tavern and were shooed out of town. 'Eureka! I have an idea' said one fellow and he proceeded to fill his pot with water from the nearby river. He asked his companion to find a large rock and to scrub it on the rivers edge. The companion did just so and brought it to his friend just as the townspeople were drawing water from the river. The friend put the stone into the boiling water. 'Hey there, you two, just what are you cooking"? The fellow shouted across the river. "Why it's just stone soup! Please my friend, have a taste." So the new friend waded through the water and dipped his spoon into the stone soup. ''Gracious me, this is the best stone soup I have ever tasted! But you know, I have some onions and some beans in my kitchen that would make your stone soup taste spectacular. Would you mind?" ' Why no kind sir if you think it would help my meager soup'. Soon the laundress came over with an apron full of potatoes. 'Excuse me sir but if you are going to put his onions into your stone soup you surely would want my new potatoes to sweeten the taste." ''Well yes, we would...'' One by one the villagers dropped in their offers, a pheasant plucked clean, celery and radishes, rutabagas and turnips and even a haunch of beef. Finally after adding a bottle of fine wine the pot was filled to the top. "Patience dear villagers. As you all know stone soup cannot be rushed, It must simmer the full two hours''. While they waited some went home for honey cakes and loaves of bread and some went for cheese and fruit and even tables and chairs. Soon the hour arrived and the villagers dined on Stone Soup to their hearts content. No one could recall ever eating such delicious stone soup. As dark fell upon them they asked the beggar-men if they would serve stone soup again next midday. No, they lamented, they would be making coin soup and they would love to invite the villagers to dine. Hu-rah! They would bring coins, meat, fowl and cockles and perhaps bread for the coin soup and went home sated and content that they would dine better the next day.
Provided by Secret Agent
Categories Poultry
Time 4h
Yield 1 village full
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Put everything into the boiling water and simmer for at least two hours.
- Serve to villagers.
CROCK-POT MEATBALL STONE SOUP
In the child's story, Stone Soup is literally made with a stone plus other soup ingredients neighbors might have and a delicious soup is made. In this version, the stone is omitted but you still end up with a delicious soup, and one that is easily made as well.
Provided by Lorraine of AZ
Categories Vegetable
Time 12h15m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Combine all ingredients in a 4-quart crockpot.
- Cover and cook on LO heat 9-11 hours or until vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the frozen vegetables which have been thawed. Cover and cook on HI heat 1 hour.
- Serve with Parmesan cheese.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 222.6, Fat 3, SaturatedFat 0.2, Cholesterol 2, Sodium 2046.8, Carbohydrate 42, Fiber 9.4, Sugar 9.3, Protein 12.3
SNAP-DRAGON'S "STONE SOUP"
Steps:
- Put the stone in a large sauce pan. Add water to cover it by 3 inches. Boil for 1 minute. Add the beans, celery, parsley, tomatoes, splash of olive oil, garlic and carrot. Cook on a low heat for 30 minutes. Put a ladleful of soup in a blender and whiz for 10 seconds. Pour back into the pot. Add the salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes more. Boil up the tiny pasta in lots of salted water. When it's cooked (not too soft), drain it and add to the soup. If it looks too thick, add a bit of pasta cooking water so it's soupy. Put the basil in blender. Whiz for 10 seconds with 1/4 cup of olive oil and a teaspoon of salt. To serve: Ladle the soup into warm bowls and dribble on some basil oil and a sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese.
STONE SOUP
Steps:
- Bring water to a boil, adding salt. Add beef, barley, onion, and garlic. Cook 30 minutes or until fork tender. Cut vegetables into large bite-sizes, and add to pot. Return to boil and simmer 20 minutes or until vegetables and barley are tender. Add milk/cream. (optional) Finish with sprigs and pepper. Let stand covered 10 minutes. Serve optionally with bread, a roast, and cider! Cook's note: I usually do not add milk because the soup tastes the same plus it looks milky. Cook's note 2: I like to add barley or Mexican rice because it adds more flavor.
SLOW-COOKER MEATBALL STONE SOUP
Simmer this hearty main-course meatball soup in the slow cooker, and make it a fuss-free, delicious dinner.
Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens
Categories Entree
Time 10h10m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- In 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix frozen meatballs, broth, tomatoes, potato, onion and garlic-pepper blend.
- Cover; cook on Low heat setting 9 to 11 hours or until vegetables are tender.
- Stir in frozen mixed vegetables. Cover; cook on High heat setting 1 hour.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 375, Carbohydrate 27 g, Cholesterol 120 mg, Fiber 7 g, Protein 31 g, SaturatedFat 7 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 1670 mg
Tips for Enjoying Stone Soup:
- Choose fresh, seasonal vegetables. The fresher the vegetables, the more flavorful your soup will be. Look for vegetables that are brightly colored and free of blemishes.
- Don't be afraid to experiment. There are many different ways to make stone soup, so feel free to add your own personal touches. Try different types of vegetables, herbs, and spices to create a unique and delicious soup.
- Use a variety of textures. A good stone soup should have a variety of textures, from soft and creamy to crunchy and chewy. Add some chopped nuts, seeds, or croutons to your soup for a bit of extra texture.
- Season to taste. Be sure to taste your soup as you're making it and adjust the seasonings as needed. You may want to add more salt, pepper, or herbs to taste.
- Serve hot or cold. Stone soup can be served hot or cold, depending on your preference. If you're serving it cold, be sure to chill it thoroughly before serving.
Conclusion:
Stone soup is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It's a great way to use up leftover vegetables and it's also a very affordable meal. With a little creativity, you can make a stone soup that is both flavorful and satisfying. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal, give stone soup a try. You won't be disappointed!
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
#time-to-make #course #main-ingredient #cuisine #preparation #occasion #north-american #soups-stews #beans #poultry #american #easy #diabetic #dietary #comfort-food #inexpensive #northeastern-united-states #meat #taste-mood #3-steps-or-less #4-hours-or-less
You'll also love