dehydrating soup

[rustmd]

Made a Sweet Potato, Corn & White Bean Soup yesterday, came out very good. Following the recipe, I used the food processor on the sweet potaotes and other little veggies after cooking; corn & white beans were added as is, all heated and served.

Today, thinking about dehydrating this soup, I poured everything back into the food processor and processed it very quickly, only enough so that the corn & white beans were "cut up". I'm thinking that the soup will then dehydrate better--more evenly--than if the corn & beans were left whole.

Results in about 12 hours.

dottie

[medicjimr]

Sounds good should dehydrate and rehydrate well .

[Navy Salad]

I've made soups very similar to what you describe and agree about buzzing up the corn (at least), since corn doesn't rehydrate very well.

The disappointing part of this for me is that, at least in my experience, soups seem to lose a lot of their flavor after rehydrating. I'll be very interested to hear how your rehydrated soup turns out.

[Sickmont]

Wait, couldnt you just eat it dehyrdrated kind of like one would eat a fruit roll-up?

[rustmd]

my trays look good so far. i agree that rehydrating soup can be touchy. i'll bring some to work, rehydrate there first, much less risky than first time on the trail.

not sure about eating soup like a fruit roll up, although i agree that it certainly looks like that.

dottie

[Amberalicia]

Just take along your fasvourite seasonings combined together for ease and that should help the soup back on its feet. Sounds like a nice soup. Soups are great on the trail. I made a soup out of Jacobs Cattle beans today on the wood stove. Squished it up with a potato masher and began slurping.

[Amberalicia]

favourite (sp) me Canadian, oui

[rustmd]

ahhh, yes, fill up the seasoning jars, thanx, great suggestion! basil is the primary seasoning in this soup.

so far those trays look really good.

dottie

[rustmd]

Soup results? EXCELLENT! 7 hours in the dehydrator, took it all off this a.m. (after shoveling the snow). I rehydrated a bit and it tasted very good. Rehydration was less than 5 minutes.

Key step was to put it through the food processor the second time to cut up the corn & beans, make those uniform.

It's a keeper.
dottie

[Wise Old Owl]

Rustmd, although it works and that is no surprise, How did you address the lack of flavor? Unless it was loaded before with flavor enhancements, I can turn out somewhat bland.

[Kermitt]

I love soups on the trail, I add chicken or beef flavor bouleon packets & Italian seasoning.

[scope]

Sounds like everything you did should work just fine, but to be sure, please send me some to try and I will let you know how well you did.

[rustmd]

funny, scope!

i was surprised that the soup rehydrated w/ flavor, really. i gave some to my husband, he said it tasted very good!

nevertheless, i do bring some seasonings w/ me on my hikes, the boullion idea is a good one.

right now i am making curried carrot & apple soup. i think it will dehydrate just as good as the sweet potato.

BTW, this spring's hiking partner for my next section hike has some digestion issues, possible left over from her bout w/ lyme's disease. this information has sent me in search of dinners other than the spicy beef/chili types which i favor. and i can always add some dehydrated beef to these soups for myself.

dottie

[ric2hunt]

Where can I find the recipe? Sounds great.

[rustmd]

The Soup:

Sweet Potato, Corn & White Bean Soup--serves 6
from "365 Ways to Wok", recipe #50)

3 T. veg. oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1-2 celery ribs, chopped
3-4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & chopped
3-4 c. chicken broth--I always have a bit extra ready, esp. if I am using more veggies
1 T fresh basil, chopped
1 bay leaf--remember to remove before food processor step
2 medium carrots, chopped--about 1 cup
1X8 oz. can corn kernels, undrained
1x16 oz. can white beans—undrained or not, your preference
salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in soup pot. Add onion & celery, cook, stirring till softened, 3-5 min.
2. Add sweet potatoes, carrots, chicken broth, basil & bay leaf. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cook, covered, until sweet potatoes are soft, 15-20 min. Remove that bay leaf!
3. With slotted spoon, remove onion, celery, sweet potatoes & carrots to food processor or blender (or carefully strain into big bowl via colander). Add 1 cup cooking liquid (more if needed) and puree until smooth. Return to soup pot.
4. Stir to mix all, add corn & white beans, salt & pepper. Reduce heat, cover, cook till heated through.
5. Serve, good w/ crusty bread.

TO DEHYDRATE SOUP: run through food processor again to chop corn & beans. Spray tray liners and carefully spread soup on trays. Dehyddrate @135 for 7-9 hours. Remember to write down amount of each tray so you’ll know how much water to add for rehydrating.

dottie