Between the cold breeze and the early evenings, fall is already starting to make her appearance. What does that mean for the food world? Some good old-fashioned soup. Or stew. Or maybe even chowder? While the dictionary might differ, they are all actually the same: slop. A hot bowl of perfectly cooked veggies, flavorful, herb-filled broth, and tender cuts of meat. And this slight chill in the air means fall, but also slop season. Whether it’s in soup form, or chowder form, or even stew form, at the end of the day slop is the cozy go-to for a cold evening. Maybe you like to sip from the lip of the bowl. Or even use a thick cut of bread as your spoon. Or maybe, just maybe, you sprinkle some potato chips on top of that creamy soup. Regardless, there is nothing heartier than a bowl of fresh, tasty slop on a near winter day.
Join me as we explore the unknown differences between these delicious comfort foods and a couple examples of some of the best slop around. Because, ultimately, if it’s in a cute bowl, with some toasted bread on the side, and a cloud of hot steam, I don’t care whether it’s called soup or chowder or stew. I just know it’s going to be delicious.
The Stew
When talking about soup, it is important to acknowledge its predecessor: stew. In the early days of cooking and civilization, people didn’t have much more than maybe some meat, vegetables, and a fire. It only made sense to throw it all in a pot and let it cook all day.
The best part of making a stew is the laziness of it. You cut up your ingredients, throw them in a pot, and half a day later you got yourself dinner. One stew that is a must this fall is Stobhach, also known as Irish stew. Irish stew is great for those days when cooking a big, complicated meal is the last thing on your mind. It’s not only easy to make, but makes fantastic leftovers too. You can reheat it for lunch or dinner the next day, or even add a couple new vegetables or seasonings for a different flavor profile.
Start with a stock of your choice. Great, the first step is done. Then, get a couple of potatoes, maybe a few carrots and stalks of celery, and chop them up into chunks. As for the meat, you could use chicken, or beef, or lamb, or nothing. Lastly, toss in a handful of herbs or spices like rosemary, thyme or garlic. Let it sit on low heat for a couple hours, and you’ve got yourself a stew. While stew is one of the simpler forms of slop, it has a lot of options in terms of ingredients. When paired with a fresh roll of buttered bread, it might be the best part of fall.
This chicken stew recipe explores an alternative recipe, while showing just how versatile stew is.
The Chowder
Chowder often gets a bad reputation. Whether it’s seafood haters or corn haters, I’ve come to rescue you from what might be a lifetime without delicious chowder. Just like stew, anything could be a chowder. It’s rich and creamy and filling and so, so necessary on a cold fall day when anything other than a bowl of hot food sounds exhausting. But what makes it different from a stew? The answer is usually cream or a dairy substitute of some kind. This could be cheese, milk, heavy cream, or even a pureed starch, like potatoes. While the definition of chowder usually just refers to a rich soup base, it is the ingredients in most chowder recipes that indicate the necessary inclusion of dairy.
While lobster bisque is a personal favorite and rests somewhere along the lines of a chowder, I understand that not everyone believes seafood belongs in soup. Lucky for you all, there are many alternatives.
Let me introduce you to corn chowder. While corn’s peak season might be over, corn chowder can be made from fresh corn, frozen corn, and even canned corn, making this easy and affordable for the coming season. There are only a couple ingredients, and all of them are simple and attainable, both in and out of season. For an extra creamy recipe, check out recipe number 20 in this article.
The Soup
When most people think of fall comfort food, soup often comes to mind. It’s easy, warm, and filling — the three requirements for cooking in cold weather. While there are thousands of different soup recipes out there, and plenty of new one’s yet to come, this weather calls for a deliciously timeless recipe.
The answer? Butternut squash soup.
Now don’t panic. It sounds trickier than it is. The first step is to roast the butternut squash. A little oil and an hour or so in the oven should do the trick. Then, you blend. You can use a blender, or a handheld one, to puree the squash once roasted. Here you add some cream and some herbs. The cream gives it that perfect level of thickness, while the herbs are up to you. Want it more savory? Maybe some rosemary and a little lemon. A little spicy? What about cayenne pepper and some paprika for the top. Or maybe you want it a little sweet? Then throw in some nutmeg and a pinch of cinnamon!
Just like chowder and stew, this soup has many alternatives. Fresh out butternut squash? Try spaghetti squash or tomatoes or even pumpkin!
At the end of the day, it’s not about whether you like soup or chowder or stew better. They all are the same. It’s hot slop to sip on during a cold fall day. And lucky for us, slop comes in so many mouth watering options. From cheeses to broths and meats to roasted veggies, there’s an option for all.