Super bowls

Soup for Dad 1947, a.k.a Lamashka

1 medium onion, diced

45 ml (3 tbsp) butter

30 ml (2 tbsp) flour

1.5 L (6 cups) chicken stock

2 large potatoes, cubed

5 ml (1 tsp) dried parsley

Salt and pepper, to taste

Spaetzle

1 egg

2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) salt

1 ml (1/4 tsp) baking powder

125 ml (1/2 cup) milk

60 ml (1/4 cup) flour or more

To make soup base, add onion and butter to a small pot and fry over medium heat until golden brown. Stir in flour to make a roux. Slowly add 500 ml (2 cups) of stock, stirring constantly. Set aside.

In a separate stockpot, bring remaining stock to a boil. Add cubed potatoes and cook until potatoes are about half done. Stir in parsley and onion roux. Reduce heat to a simmer.

To make spaetzle, beat egg in a small bowl. Add salt, baking powder, milk and enough flour to make a thin batter.

Increase heat and drizzle batter from a spoon into soup until the spaetzle floats. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with fresh bread and butter.

“When I was nine, I created a soup that my dad enjoyed and even gave a Ukrainian name. We lived on a farm in Moose Bay. Mom was an hour away in the Dauphin hospital, waiting to deliver my brother, John. She’d be away for two weeks so dad and I had to batch cook.

“While dad was out doing chores, I decided to make soup for supper to surprise him. I often helped mom in the kitchen so I had a few ideas from watching her.

“When it was done, I set the table and waited for him impatiently. After he washed up and sat down, I presented him with a big bowl of my soup.

“He ate it all, glancing up at me now and again, eyes twinkling. He loved it! He said it was the best soup he ever ate, and named it ‘Lamashka.’ Every so often he would order Lamashka and it made me so happy.”

— Marie Szport-Sedor

Salmon and Corn Chowder

45 ml (3 tbsp) butter

1 large onion, diced

3 medium red potatoes, cubed

45 ml (3 tbsp) all-purpose flour (optional)

1 L (4 cups) low-sodium chicken broth

500 ml (2 cups) corn kernels, fresh or thawed from frozen

250 ml (1 cup) heavy cream or cream cheese

1 ml (1/4 tsp) paprika

4 salmon fillets, skinned

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Fresh lemon juice, to taste

15-30 ml (1-2 tbsp) fresh dill and parsley, chopped

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and potatoes and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.

Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add broth, reserving some for later, and bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Transfer most of the soup to a blender. Add heavy cream or cream cheese, paprika, salt and pepper and blend until combined.

Return mixture to the pot. Add corn and reserved stock, let simmer for a few minutes.

In a separate pan, fry salmon fillets for a few minutes on each side. Break up into bite-sized pieces and stir into the soup.

Serve with lemon juice, fresh herbs and additional salt and pepper, if desired.

“Before I retired as an operating-room nurse at the Victoria General Hospital, I remember asking a colleague what she was planning to make for dinner that night. I am always on the lookout for something new and interesting for meals and she said ‘Salmon chowder’ and gave me a few hints. I have tweaked the ingredients and method over the years and this is the final edition.”

— Joan Wilton

Roasted Sweet Potato Soup

2-3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

30-45 ml (2-3 tbsp) olive oil

30-45 ml (2-3 tbsp) balsamic vinegar

2 large onions, peeled and quartered

1 whole head of garlic

1.5 L (6 cups) chicken or vegetable stock

2-3 bay leaves

5 ml (1 tsp) brown sugar or maple syrup

5 ml (1 tsp) mild curry powder, or curry paste to taste

2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) dried oregano

2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) ground cinnamon

1 ml (1/4 tsp) ground nutmeg

Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Fresh grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Place sweet potato, onion and garlic head on a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar over vegetable mixture and mix well to coat. Roast, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft and browned slightly, about 30 to 45 minutes.

Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Add the roasted sweet potatoes and onions to a food processor. Cut the top off the garlic head and squeeze the cloves into the mixture. Add some stock, if needed, and purée until very smooth.

Transfer puréed vegetables to a stockpot and stir in broth. Add bay leaf, brown sugar or maple syrup and the rest of the seasonings. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Remove bay leaf before serving. Top individual bowls with freshly grated Parmesan, if desired.

Note: This soup freezes well and tastes even better the following day.

“Roasting the sweet potatoes brings out the natural sweetness and gives great depth of flavour to this soup. It’s wonderful on a cold winter day. I love giving this soup as a gift, and I always include the recipe because it is always requested!”

— Enid Barnes