Heart-warming Winter Soups
Delta Magazine shares three soups guaranteed to cure the winter blues.

Ham and Cheese Chowder

“My mother makes this heart-warming chowder—easily one of my all-time favorites—on blistery winter weekends. Comfort food that’s best eaten by the fire.” – Melissa Townsend

2 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons flour
Freshly ground pepper
3 cups milk
1 1/2 cups diced cooked ham
6 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, 
shredded (1 1/2 cups)
Fresh thyme, for garnish

In a medium saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water with a dash of salt to a boil. Add potatoes and reduce heat; simmer for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain potatoes, reserving liquid. Set potatoes aside. Add enough water to potato liquid to measure 1 cup and set aside.

Melt butter in a 3-quart Dutch oven; add onion and sauté until softened, about 6 minutes. Blend in flour and season with pepper. Stir in milk and potato liquid; cook over medium heat until mixture is bubbly and slightly thickened. Add cooked potatoes and ham; heat gently. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until well blended. Garnish with fresh thyme. Serves 6 to 8.

Turnip Green Soup

Chef Kenny Paschall serves this seasonal soup at Turnrow every Monday throughout the winter with Mockingbird Bakery’s cheddar green chile cornbread made by Donald Bender. 

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped 
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 / 14.5-ounce cans of chicken broth
3/4 pound smoked, baked, or country ham cubed
2 cans Glory brand turnip greens, undrained
2 / 15.5-ounce cans great northern beans
2  red potatoes, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Cajun seasoning to taste
2 tablespoons of sugar

In a soup pot, sweat olive oil, onions, garlic, and ham on low heat. Add turnip greens, beans, potatoes, chicken broth, and bring to boil on high heat. Once boiling, turn down to medium heat. Add salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning and sugar.  Simmer for approximately 30 minutes. This recipe makes a large quantity and can be easily cut in half. Serve with cornbread and you have a really great meal. Great for cold winter days!

A Good Gumbo

Roux is primarily a thickening agent but can easily burn or turn into paste. Try making gumbo without it. –– Julian Brunt

4 chicken thighs
8 ounces smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 pounds peeled jumbo shrimp
2 cups sliced okra
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped celery
6 to 8 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pinch red pepper flakes
Black pepper to taste
Cajun seasoning to taste

Sauté the chicken thighs that have been seasoned with salt and black pepper in oil until brown; add 10 cups of water and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken and debone; save the stock. Sauté the okra for about 15 minute over medium heat, then add all of the vegetables and the sausage and sauté for 15 minutes. Season as you go with black pepper, red pepper flakes and Cajun seasoning to your taste. Add the chicken and the stock and simmer for  30 minutes over low heat. Season the raw shrimp with the Cajun seasoning. Heat a little oil in a heavy pan; when just starting to smoke, add the shrimp and cook very quickly, stirring often. Cook the shrimp for two minutes. Add the shrimp to the gumbo and remove from stove. Deglaze the pan you cooked the shrimp in with a little stock from the gumbo and add it back to the pot. Let the gumbo rest for at least thirty minutes. Serve with white steamed rice.