SOUP AND SALAD WITH A TWIST June 16, 2004 Susan Noble Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent

Meat and potatoes . . . basil and tomatoes . . . rice and gravy. Some foods just seem destined to go together. To separate them would be like Fred without Ginger or the Lone Ranger minus Tonto. Or even worse, grits without butter. Who could commit such heresy?

Another classic food duo is soup and salad. Whether prepared at home or ordered out, this pair is a menu standard. But standard doesn't have to mean boring. Check out the recipes in today's column for some new twists on old favorites.

The Reuben Salad recipe comes from my Elizabethtown friends, dedicated connoisseurs of low-fat eating. However, we do occasionally hanker for a nice, fatty Reuben sandwich as we enjoyed in the days before fat became a concern for us. So on my last visit with them, they converted the sandwich to a salad, losing some calories in the transition.

The next time you have to take a salad to a covered dish meal, try this one. Sauerkraut in a salad will get you noticed.

The Tomato and June Cup Soups are served cold making them great choices for hot, summer weather. These recipes came from a friend of my Elizabethtown friends who was famous for her entertaining. I never met Bunny, but her recipes have been devoured by many of my guests.

Cold soup is probably more of a ladies' luncheon dish than hearty man fare. So pull out your prettiest wineglasses and use them to serve either soup as an appetizer before the actual meal. If you use bowls instead of wineglasses, chill them before using for an extra nice touch.

Black Bean Soup may be more "mainstream" to many folks, but my first experience was unsettling. Many, many years ago when my brothers and I were children, mother accidentally bought a can of black bean soup instead of bean and bacon soup. She served it to us anyway, much to our disappointment. Thank goodness my taste buds have grown up.

A coworker shared the black bean soup recipe with me. To test it, I only prepared half of a batch. After my first taste, I wished I had prepared the whole batch - and more. I think even men would like this soup.

When testing the soup, I used a can of black beans I had on hand. My can was larger than the can size called for in the recipe. This resulted in a thicker soup which I found very pleasing.

Try serving the black bean soup as a starter for a Tex-Mex meal. Garnish your soup bowls or mugs with a wedge of lime dusted with paprika.

This recipe is just a guide - adjust ingredients to fit your family's taste buds.

Combine salad greens, tomatoes, and croutons in a large serving bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss lightly.

Yields 4 servings.

Adapted from Kraft Food and Family, Spring 2004.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add carrot, onion, garlic, and cumin. Sauté till lightly softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in beans, with liquid, and broth. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool 5 minutes. Puree soup in small batches in blender or food processor. Return to saucepan and reheat; stir in lime juice. Divide soup among bowls and top with sour cream and cilantro, if desired.

Yields 6 one-cup servings.

Combine all ingredients with a whisk to blend well. Chill well before serving.

Yields 6-8 servings.

Combine all ingredients. Chill well before serving. Just before serving, stir soup gently - do not shake.

Yields 4 servings.

The use of brand names in this column does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service of the products or services named or criticism of similar ones not mentioned.

E-mail address: Susan_Noble@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 6/25/04