A Year-Round Guide to Franklin and Nantahala

Soups Stuffed Baked Potato Soup Croom’s Potato Soup Roasted Fall Vegetable Soup Chicken & Rice Soup Chicken & Cabbage Soup Tomato Basil Soup Buttermilk Soup Sweet Potato-Tomato Soup with Bacon

Rosemary and Goat Cheese Strata

Soups Stuffed Baked Potato Soup Croom’s Potato Soup Roasted Fall Vegetable Soup Chicken & Rice Soup Chicken & Cabbage Soup Tomato Basil Soup Buttermilk Soup Sweet Potato-Tomato Soup with Bacon

27 Soup and Stew Recipes to Keep You Cozy All Winter Long



Soups

Stuffed Baked Potato Soup

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 8 servings.

1 pound thick-cut sliced bacon
½ cup chopped yellow onions
4 russet potatoes, baked and peeled
2⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
3 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
6 chives, chopped

In a skillet, cook bacon until crispy. Remove bacon from skillet and place on paper towels to drain. On medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons of bacon drippings to stockpot or Dutch oven. Stir in onions and sauté for 5 minutes.

Cut baked potatoes into 1-inch cubes and set aside. Chop cooked bacon and set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together flour and milk. Pour milk and flour mixture into hot skillet with cooked onions. Stir until milk thickens. Add chicken stock, salt, pepper, and 1½ cups of cheese. Whisk ingredients until cheese has melted. Add sour cream and stir. Add potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with bacon, cheese, and chives.


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Croom’s Potato Soup

Recipe by Recipes & Remembrances: Croom Family Cookbook

3 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth
2½ pounds potatoes, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 (10¾-ounce) can cream of onion soup
1 (10¾-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 (10¾-ounce) can cream of cheese soup
1 (3-ounce) jar bacon bits
½ teaspoon red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot over medium heat, bring chicken broth to a simmer. Add potatoes and onion and cook until tender.

In a large bowl, whisk together canned soups, and stir into potatoes and chicken broth. Add bacon bits and red pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer until creamy.


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Roasted Fall Vegetable Soup

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

3 parsnips, peeled and cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
3 carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
1 (2-pound) butternut squash or other winter squash, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
3 celery stalks, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces
2 shallots, peeled and quartered
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1½ tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 2 teaspoons dried
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5 cups vegetable stock
¾ cup dry white wine
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups Swiss chard, stems removed, chopped

Preheat oven to 425°. Line 1 or 2 shallow roasting pan(s) or rimmed baking sheet(s) with parchment paper.

Combine the parsnips, carrots, squash, celery, shallots, garlic, and thyme. Drizzle with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to evenly coat the vegetables. Spread vegetables in a single layer with space in between. (If vegetables are on top of each other, they will steam instead of roasting.) Roast the vegetables for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are golden-brown and crispy on the edges. Remove vegetables from the oven and set aside. Keep in mind that they will continue cooking in the soup.

In a large stockpot over high heat, bring the vegetable stock to a boil. Turn the heat to medium-low and add roasted vegetables and any bits from the baking sheet. Add the wine, red pepper flakes, and Swiss chard. Turn the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt if needed. Serve hot.


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Chicken & Rice Soup

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 6 servings.

1 tablespoon olive oil
Meat from 1 roasted chicken, chopped (approximately 2 cups)
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
½ teaspoon salt, plus more
1 cup basmati rice
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, coarsely chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
6 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

Heat the oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, and salt. Cook for 5 minutes or just until the celery is tender and the onion is translucent.

Add the rice, mushrooms, thyme sprigs, and chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until the rice is cooked through. Remove the thyme and discard.

Add the chopped chicken and lemon juice to the pot. Season with pepper and additional salt as needed. As soup thickens, add water to desired consistency.

Stir in the parsley and cook for a couple more minutes before serving.


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Chicken & Cabbage Soup

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 8 servings.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped into 3-inch chunks
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 sweet yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 medium sweet onion, diced
½ medium head green cabbage, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup frozen peas (no need to thaw)
Fresh parsley (optional)
Hot sauce (optional)

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add chicken to the pot and cook until golden brown on all sides, about 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside on a cutting board and let cool. Once cooled, shred chicken with two forks.

To the same pot add celery, carrots, yellow pepper, onion, and cabbage. Cook on medium heat until carrots and cabbage are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in shredded chicken, garlic, bay leaf, black pepper, and chicken stock. Stir well and cook for 15 to 20 minutes on low heat.

Stir in frozen peas. Allow soup to simmer for a few minutes more, just until peas are done. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve. Add a drop of hot sauce for added zing.


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Tomato Basil Soup

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 6 cups.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sweet onions, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
1 (35-ounce) can whole plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons brown sugar
¼ cup basil pesto
Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
Croutons (optional)

In a stockpot over medium heat, add olive oil and stir in onions; cook onions for 5 minutes. Stir in chicken stock, tomatoes, and tomato paste, and bring to a boil. Add garlic, salt, and brown sugar. Cover pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Working in small batches, add soup to a blender and blend to smooth consistency. Return soup to the pot and stir in basil pesto. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve immediately. Garnish with freshly grated parmesan and croutons.


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Buttermilk Soup

Recipe by Rhubarb restaurant in Asheville

Yield: 4 servings.

Peanut oil
⅓ cup chopped leeks
⅓ cup chopped celery
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
2¼ cups chicken stock, plus extra if needed to thin out soup
½ cup crumbled day-old cornbread, plus extra for garnish
1 cup buttermilk (see note on buttermilk)
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Add enough peanut oil to coat the bottom of a medium soup pot or Dutch oven. Place over medium heat. Add leeks and celery, and reduce heat to medium-low; sweat, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until vegetables become translucent. Add garlic and cook for another minute, then add chicken stock and cornbread. Bring to a low simmer, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir buttermilk and heavy cream together in a large bowl. Add the hot soup very slowly to the milk mixture, stirring constantly. Puree soup until smooth in a blender or with an immersion blender. Taste and season with salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick for your liking, add a touch of extra chicken stock.

Return the soup to the pot and heat very gently over low heat until warmed through. Serve with crumbled cornbread on top as a garnish. It’s also quite delicious served chilled.

A note on buttermilk: The better your buttermilk, the better this soup will be. When I don’t have Cruze on hand, I look for whole-milk buttermilk without stabilizers or additives. Smaller local dairies sometimes have this, and the organic buttermilk found in natural-food groceries is often good, too.


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Sweet Potato-Tomato Soup with Bacon Croutons

Yield: 4 servings.

3 tablespoons olive oil
4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds), peeled and sliced 1 inch thick
1 onion, sliced
½-1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Kosher salt
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes
3 cups water or chicken stock
Small bundle of sage leaves or pinch of dried thyme
1 tablespoon bacon grease
1½ cups stale bread, diced
1 garlic clove, smashed (not chopped)
Freshly ground black pepper
Cream or crème fraîche (optional)

In a large, heavy saucepan, heat olive oil. Add sweet potatoes, onion, crushed red pepper, and 1½ teaspoons salt, and sauté over medium heat, stirring often, until onion softens, 4 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, water or stock, and sage or thyme. Cover and simmer until sweet potatoes are completely tender, about 20 minutes.

While sweet potatoes cook, heat bacon grease in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss bread cubes in a bowl with smashed garlic clove. Remove garlic and discard. Sauté bread cubes until golden brown on all sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Remove sage from sweet potatoes and discard. Puree soup in saucepan with an immersion blender and season with salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer a very smooth soup, you can strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve. Garnish each bowl of soup with a scattering of croutons and a drizzle of cream or crème fraîche, if desired.


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Sweet Potato & Ginger Soup

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 8 servings.

4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons salted butter
1 cup onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cardamom
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons salt
5 cups chicken stock
1½ cups heavy cream (or whole milk)
Greek yogurt or sour cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 400°. Place sweet potatoes on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

Cook sweet potatoes for 30 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.

In a stockpot, heat butter and remaining olive oil. Stir in onions. Cook onions for 5 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, nutmeg, cardamom, honey, and ginger. Stir onion-spice mixture and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in sweet potatoes, remaining salt, and chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes.

In small batches, blend soup in a blender until smooth. Add soup back to pot and stir in heavy cream. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. Serve hot and garnish with Greek yogurt or sour cream.


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Zesty Pumpkin Soup

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 8 cups.

¼ cup salted butter
1 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup heavy cream (or whole milk)
Toasted pumpkin seeds (optional)
Sour cream (optional)

Melt butter in a heavy-bottom saucepan. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, allspice, salt, coriander, and cayenne pepper. Add chicken broth and pumpkin, and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes. Add cream and stir. For a smoother consistency, add soup mixture to blender (in small batches), and blend until smooth. Garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds and sour cream.


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Fresh Carrot & Ginger Soup

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 4 servings.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon white pepper, plus more to taste
3 cloves garlic, smashed
10 medium carrots (about 1½ pounds), peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 cups vegetable broth
½ cup plain Greek yogurt (optional, for garnish)
4 teaspoons maple syrup (optional, for garnish)

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and carrots to the pot and cook about 8 minutes more, stirring occasionally.

Stir in ginger, then add balsamic vinegar and broth. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the carrots are soft, about 30 minutes.

Let soup cool. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer soup to a blender or use an immersion blender to blend until smooth. Pour blended soup back into the pot and simmer until ready to serve. Depending on preferred consistency, add additional broth or water if soup is too thick. Add a dollop of yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup, if desired.


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Butter Bean Soup

Courtesy of Sweet Potatoes (Well Shut My Mouth!) restaurant in Winston-Salem.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

1 pound dried butter beans, rinsed
1 or 2 ham hocks, depending on your taste
12 cups chicken stock, divided
½ pound collard greens, cleaned and chopped
1 tablespoon rendered bacon fat
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup green bell pepper, diced
1 cup celery (including leaves), diced
1 cup carrot, diced
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

In a medium pot, add butter beans, ham hock, and 8 cups of the chicken stock. Bring to a boil for about 30 minutes. Reduce to a simmer and add greens. Cook until the beans and greens are tender, about 1 hour.

Heat skillet on low and add bacon fat, onions, pepper, celery, and carrots. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook for an additional minute.

Add vegetable mixture to the pot of greens and beans. Add remaining stock and simmer for 30 minutes. Add water if beans become too thick.

Remove the ham hock from the pot, cut the meat off the bone, and add it back into the pot. Serve with cornbread for a one-pot meal.


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Smoky Tomato Soup

Courtesy of Papi Queso Food Truck in Charlotte.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

¼ pound unsalted butter
1 bay leaf
1½ tablespoons fresh minced garlic
1 tablespoon crushed fennel seed
1½ teaspoons coriander seed
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
½ tablespoon crushed Aleppo pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
1 small onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 tablespoons kosher salt
4 cups organic crushed tomatoes
5 cups water
2 cups heavy cream
3 fresh tarragon sprigs
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Slowly melt butter in a large soup pot over low heat. Add bay leaf, garlic, fennel, coriander, paprika, crushed Aleppo pepper, and sugar. Stir frequently for 4 to 5 minutes. Add onions, carrots, celery, and kosher salt. Cook 4 minutes or until softened.

Add crushed tomatoes and water, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and cook on low heat for about 2 hours. Puree mixture in a blender or with an immersion blender until the soup becomes bright orange and silky smooth.

Return pureed soup to a clean pot. Add heavy cream and whole tarragon sprigs, and bring to a low simmer for 5 minutes to infuse the flavors. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Strain finished soup through a sieve and serve.


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Vegetable Beef Soup

1 pound ground chuck
2 cups onions, diced
1 cup celery, chopped
2 (32-ounce) boxes beef broth
3 cups red potatoes, quartered
1 (14½-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup green beans
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground red pepper

Cook beef, onion, and celery in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until beef is browned and onion is soft. Drain and return to Dutch oven. Add broth, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, green beans, salt, pepper, cumin, and red pepper. Bring soup to a simmer, and cook uncovered for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Soup can be made ahead of time and frozen up to 1 month.


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Red Lentil Soup

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 6 servings.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large sweet onion, chopped (1½ cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
1½ cups red lentils
5 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In stockpot or Dutch oven, sauté onion, garlic, celery, and apples in olive oil for about 10 minutes. Add lentils and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, uncovered.

Stir in cumin, thyme, brown sugar, and salt. Add pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes, covered.

Stir in lemon juice. Puree ½ of the soup in a blender, then return to the pot. Serve hot.


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Beans & Greens Soup

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 8 servings.

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups onions, chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons salt
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 cups collards, destemmed, washed, and chopped
1 ham hock
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
3 cans white beans, drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

In a large stockpot, add olive oil, onions, carrots, and garlic. Cook on medium-high heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken stock, salt, pepper, collards, ham hock, bay leaves, and thyme. Cook, uncovered, on medium heat for 30 minutes. Stir in beans and tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes. Remove sprigs of thyme and bay leaves before serving. (For a vegetarian version, omit the ham hock and substitute vegetable stock.)


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White Bean & Chicken Soup

2 cups (dry) navy or northern beans
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1½ cups cooked chicken, chopped
3 cans (14.5oz each) chicken broth (substitute fresh stock if available)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon ground thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Wash and sort the beans, then soak them overnight.

Melt the butter or margarine in a non-stick skillet. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and sauté until onion begins to turn translucent.

Transfer vegetables to a Crock-Pot. Add the chicken, beans, bay leaf, and thyme. Stir to mix, then add the chicken broth.

Turn Crock-Pot to low setting and allow soup to simmer for 8 to 10 hours. Remove the bay leaf and serve.

It’s even better the second day.


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Cream of Mushroom Soup

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 6 servings.

4 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 pounds fresh mushrooms*, coarsely chopped (baby bella, white button, shiitake, or oyster)
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups chicken stock
1 cup light cream
¼ cup dry Marsala wine or sherry
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Fresh thyme sprigs for garnish

Melt butter in large saucepan or Dutch oven over low heat. Add onions and celery; sauté until transparent. Add mushrooms, salt, pepper, and garlic; sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add flour and stir until well blended. Increase heat to medium high and gradually add chicken stock and cream, stirring constantly. Stir in wine and nutmeg. Cook on low heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Check seasoning; add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh thyme sprig.

*Use one or more different varieties of mushrooms for added interest and flavor.


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Roasted Red Pepper Tomato Soup

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped green onions or shallots
4½ cups chicken stock
2 cups jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
2 (14 ½-ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons dried basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Sour cream, for garnish

Warm the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the green onions, and sauté until soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, red peppers, tomatoes, sugar, and basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Remove the tomatoes and peppers with a slotted spoon, and transfer to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, and then return to the liquid. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into soup bowls, and garnish with a dollop of sour cream.


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Stews

North Carolina Brunswick Stew

Recipe adapted by Lynn Wells

1 whole chicken, approximately 5 pounds
2 cups corn, frozen
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 cups lima beans, frozen
2 cups sweet onion, chopped
1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 pound chopped barbecue
2 cups cut okra, frozen
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Saltine crackers (optional)

Place whole chicken in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add 8 cups cold water or enough to just cover chicken. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium. Cook chicken until bones can be easily removed, approximately 45 minutes. Remove chicken from stock and place in a large bowl to cool. Reserve stock.

Remove bones from chicken and discard. Pull or chop chicken into bite-size pieces and return to stock.

Add corn, tomatoes, lima beans, onion, and potato to stock. Cook on medium heat for 20 to 30 minutes. Add barbecue, okra, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Continue cooking for another 10 to 15 minutes or until stew thickens. Add more water if stew is too thick. Serve with saltine crackers.


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Hearty Chicken Stew

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch chunks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 medium carrots, sliced into ½-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
5 cups chicken stock, divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 bay leaf
4 fresh thyme sprigs
6 fingerling potatoes, quartered
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.

Add carrots, celery, and onion to the Dutch oven and cook until onion begins to soften, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly to keep garlic from burning. Add ½ cup chicken stock while stirring and scraping bottom of pot to loosen browned bits.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour and ½ cup stock; add to the pot. Stir in chicken and remaining 4 cups stock. Add bay leaf and thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 minutes, partially covered.

Add potatoes and cook, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in parsley and discard bay leaf before serving.


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Wrightsville Beach Oyster Stew

Recipe by Community Cookbook Series

Yields: 10 to 12 servings.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
4 small onions, chopped
1 bunch celery, chopped
8 ounces sliced mushrooms
¼ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 (2-ounce) jar pimientos
1½ teaspoons thyme
1½ teaspoons pepper
1¼ teaspoons salt
8 cups milk
8 cups heavy cream
1 gallon shucked oysters with oyster liquor

Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, celery, mushrooms, and garlic, and sauté until tender. Reduce heat to low. Add flour, undrained pimientos, thyme, pepper, and salt. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add milk, cream, and undrained oysters. Simmer for 30 minutes or until the edges of the oysters curl. Do not boil. Ladle into soup bowls.


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Oyster Stew with Melted Brie

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 4 servings.

1 quart select North Carolina oysters
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup sweet onion, diced
Juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups seafood broth
½ cup cream sherry
6 ounces Brie cheese, rind removed, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup whole milk
1 cup whipping cream
Salt and white pepper
Fresh chives (for garnish)

Drain oysters, reserving liquor. Set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in onion and lemon juice; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Sprinkle with flour; cook and stir 1 minute more.

Add broth and sherry; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 20 minutes.

Add Brie to soup; stir to melt. Stir in reserved oyster liquor, milk, and cream; season to taste with salt and pepper. Heat until very hot. Remove from heat just before liquid starts to boil.

Add oysters. Cover and let stand for 1 minute. Serve in soup bowls and garnish with fresh chives.


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Eastern Carolina Fish Stew

Recipe by Vivian Howard

Yield: 12 servings.

1 pound sliced smoked bacon
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
3 pounds white or red potatoes, peeled and sliced into ½-inch rounds
2 pounds yellow onions, peeled, halved, and cut into ¼-inch slices
6 garlic cloves, sliced (optional)
3 pounds fish steaks, about 3 ounces each, with bones intact (red drum, rockfish, or sheepshead are good options)
1 fish head, rinsed well (optional)
2½ tablespoons salt
1½ teaspoons chili flakes
1 dozen eggs
1 loaf white bread

Cut the bacon slices into 1-inch squares. Brown it in the bottom of an 8- to 10-quart Dutch oven or cast-iron pot. Once it’s crisp, remove it and reserve. Whisk the tomato paste into the bacon fat, making sure you scrape up all the bits left from browning the bacon.

With the heat off, begin layering the ingredients. Keep in mind you want to end up with three layers. Start with a layer of potatoes, followed by a layer of onions and of garlic, if using, followed by a layer of fish. Top the fish with a third of the salt and a third of the chili flakes. Repeat with two more layers. Fill the pot with enough water to just barely reach the top of the fish. If there’s a little fish peeking out over the top, that’s ok — better than if it’s swimming in water. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and bring it to a boil slowly over medium heat. Once it starts to boil, reduce the heat and let it cook at a high simmer for about 15 minutes. Check the potatoes for doneness. They should be barely tender, not falling apart.

Taste the broth and add more salt if needed. Then, with the stew at a good simmer, add the eggs one by one in a single layer over the top of the stew. I like to crack the eggs into a small cup before I drop them in. What you’re trying to do is cook whole eggs in the broth. Once the eggs are cooked through, use a large ladle to portion the stew. A proper serving is at least one piece of fish, two potatoes, some onions, and an egg swimming in broth. Shower each bowl with some bacon and set it up with a slice or two of white bread.


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Beef & Barley Mushroom Stew

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 6 servings.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds beef chuck, cut into chunks
Salt
3 cups chopped yellow onions
1 pound button or cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 quart beef broth
3 cups water
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
2 cups pearl barley, uncooked
1 cup carrots, chopped
4 stalks celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Black pepper
Fresh chopped parsley (for garnish)

In a large, thick-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add enough pieces of the beef to sear without crowding the pot. Salt the meat liberally and use tongs to turn the pieces so all sides get brown. Once the beef chunks are seared on all sides, remove and set aside in a bowl.

Use a wooden spoon to scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the onions and cook on medium-high heat. Sprinkle a little salt over the onions as they cook. Lower the heat to medium and cook the onions until they begin to brown, 5 to 6 minutes.

When the onions have lightly browned, mix in the mushrooms and celery. Increase the heat to high. Cook the mushrooms and celery until they release their water, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Return beef to pot and stir in marjoram, thyme, and garlic. Add stock and water, scraping any bits from the bottom of the pot. Cover the pot and simmer on low for 1 hour.

Stir in barley and carrots and continue to simmer, covered, for 40 to 50 minutes. Top each serving with black pepper and fresh parsley, or stir in these ingredients just before serving.


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Chicken and Peanut Stew

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 8 servings.

2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 cups roasted chicken, shredded
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
6 cups chicken stock
3 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 (16-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, with liquid
4 cups chopped kale
1 cup crunchy peanut butter

Heat the peanut oil in a large pot over medium-high heat; cook and stir the onion and ginger in the hot oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and add garlic, crushed red pepper, salt, and cumin. Cook for an additional 2 minutes. Pour the chicken stock over the mixture and add the sweet potatoes. Bring the mixture to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover the pot partially with a lid, and cook at a simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir the tomatoes, kale, chicken, and peanut butter into the soup. Partially cover the pot again and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for another 15 minutes. Garnish with chopped peanuts (optional).


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Potato & Fish Stew

Recipe by Lynn Wells

Yield: 6 servings.

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 green onions, sliced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
3 cups seafood stock
1 cup water
3 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 pound cod, catfish, or halibut fillets, cut into chunks
1 cup whole milk
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Hot sauce (optional)
Celery leaves (for garnish)

Melt butter in a 5-quart stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and garlic, and cook, stirring, until onion is tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add green onions and stir.

Stir flour into the vegetable mixture until vegetables are evenly coated. Pour clam juice, stock, and water into the saucepan; whisk until smooth. Add potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, and cayenne pepper to the mixture. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook at a simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Place fish into the soup. Cover soup pot and cook until fish is flaky, about 8 minutes, depending on type of fish used.

Pour milk into the soup and stir. Simmer soup until hot, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Remove bay leaf to serve. Add hot sauce, if desired, and garnish with celery leaves.


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