My Hearty Soup

This is soup the slow, old-fashioned way, built on a stock you make yourself rather than a can. The payoff is a deep, clean flavor you simply can’t buy.

It starts by simmering meat, aromatics, and bay leaves low and slow for hours, the way a stock should be coaxed, never boiled hard, which keeps it clear instead of cloudy.

Straining and chilling the stock to lift off the fat is the step that separates a great homemade soup from a greasy one. A few minutes of skimming pays off in every spoonful.

Once the stock is clean, the vegetables go in: carrots, celery, onion, green beans, potatoes, and mushrooms, along with pasta, all cooked just until tender so they keep their shape.

Then the pulled, deboned meat returns to the pot. Thicken it if you like a heartier, almost stew-like bowl. Serve with fresh rolls or crusty bread for mopping.

Kitchen Tips

• Keep the stock at a bare simmer, never a hard boil, so it stays clear instead of turning cloudy and greasy.
• Chill the strained stock to solidify the fat, then lift it off for a cleaner-tasting soup.
• Add the pasta toward the end so it doesn’t overcook and go mushy in the broth.

Variations

• Use chicken, beef, or whatever meat you have; bone-in cuts make the richest stock.
• Add barley, rice, or beans in place of pasta.
• Stir in a handful of chopped greens or peas at the end for color.