Recipes by Dan Clapson. You can find him on Instagram and TikTok.
Spaghetti Soup with Herb Pistou
Dan’s edible homage to the Heated Rivalry finale
Serves 5–6
There’s something deeply comforting about a bowl of tomato soup that leans a little pasta-adjacent. It feels nostalgic without being juvenile, and just substantial enough to turn a simple soup into a proper dinner. This version takes its cues from the classic tomato-and-noodles combinations many of us grew up with, but finishes things a little more thoughtfully, with a bright green herb purée and a generous snowfall of aged Gouda. If you know, you know.
Ingredients
Soup
- 1-2 Tbsp canola oil
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 4 cups canned crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups good quality vegetable broth
- 120 g dried spaghetti, broken once or twice by hand
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Garnish: 2 cups finely grated aged gouda
Herb Pistou
- ⅓ cup fresh basil leaves
- ⅓ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 Tbsp fresh thyme
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp salt
- Canola oil, enough to emulsify
Directions
- Heat canola oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, season lightly with salt, and cook for 5–7 minutes, until softened and lightly translucent.
- Add 6 roughly chopped garlic cloves and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1–2 minutes, letting it darken slightly and coat the onions evenly.
- Pour in ½ cup dry white wine and let it reduce for 2-3 minutes, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom of the pot, adding an extra splash or two of water (or wine) to help with excessive browning.
- Add 4 cups canned crushed tomatoes and 6 cups vegetable broth, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to medium heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- (Note: If you prefer a smoother soup, use an immersion blender to partially or fully blend before adding noodles, though keeping some texture works particularly well here.)
- Add dried spaghetti, broken once or twice by hand, and continue cooking for another 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender.
- Season as desired with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- To make the herb pistou: combine herbs and salt in food processor or blender. Pulse while slowly drizzling in 2-3 tablespoons canola oil, until a vibrant, spoonable green paste forms.
- To serve: Ladle the soup into bowls, gently dollop or swirl in the herb purée, and finish with plenty of freshly grated aged Gouda.
Smoked Lake Fish Chowder
Serves 4
I’ve had delicious chowders across the country, from Tofino to Halifax, and it is always inspiring to see chefs working with their local, sustainable seafood options to find delicious success. We may not have the diver scallops of the East Coast or the fresh-off-the-shore mussels of Vancouver Island, but trust me when I say that a Prairie lake fish chowder can still hold its own. The somewhat unorthodox and “secret” ingredient in this recipe is beef jerky. Please don’t omit it! I’ll tell you why: The jerky provides a nice depth of flavour, adds subtle smokiness to this soup, and when it slowly cooks and tenderizes it mimics the texture of bacon.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 2 yellow onions, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 4½ cups peeled, diced russet potatoes, divided
- 4 cups good-quality vegetable broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 pinch salt, plus more for seasoning
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced turnips
- ½ cup finely chopped beef jerky
- ⅓ cup minced sour pickled pearl onions
- 2 Tbsp pickled onion brine
- 4½ oz (125 g) chunk of brie, with the rind
- 1 cup coarsely chopped smoked fish (trout or other smoked lake fish like pike or goldeye)
Directions
- Heat the oil in a large pot on medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the butter, reduce the heat to medium, and continue to cook for 5 more minutes to allow the onions to deepen in colour.
- Add 3 cups of the potatoes, the broth, water, and salt and allow to come to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 12 minutes.
- Use an immersion blender to purée the contents of the pot until silky smooth. Add the remaining 1½ cups diced potatoes, the carrots, turnips, beef jerky, pickled onions, and brine to the pot. Return to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- Add the brie to the pot. After 2–3 minutes, the interior of the brie will have dissolved completely into the broth, but the rind will still be whole. Remove and discard the rind.
- Reduce the heat to low, gently stir in the smoked trout, and cook for another 5 minutes or so before seasoning to taste with more salt and serving.
Wine-Braised Onion, Mushroom, and Root Vegetable Soup
Serves 6
This is my root-veg-heavy spin on French onion soup that involves deeply caramelized onions, a serious red-wine backbone, sliced mushrooms for added umami, and grated winter vegetables that quietly melt into the broth.
All of this helps give it body without turning it into just another “vegetable soup.” It’s something all it’s own…and you’ll be all the cozier for sipping on it, I promise!
Roasted garlic gets stirred in at the end for sweetness and depth, and the soup is happily made complete with a topping or cheesy crostini.
Ingredients
Soup
- 2 heads garlic, peeled (cloves separated)
- 2 Tbsp canola oil, plus 1 Tbsp reserved
- 3 yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 cups sliced white or brown mushrooms
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 3 cups dry red wine, divided
- 1 1/2 cups grated rutabaga (approximately 1 medium rutabaga)
- 1 cup grated carrot (approximately 2 medium carrots)
- 3/4 cup grated turnip (approximately 1 medium turnip)
- 6 cups good quality vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1–3 Tbsp pickle brine, to finish (start small and add to taste)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crostini topping
- 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
- 2 Tbsp half and half
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
- 1-inch slices of white baguette (enough to cover each bowl)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Place the peeled garlic cloves on a sheet of foil. Drizzle with the canola oil, seal tightly, and roast until golden and tender, about 35 minutes. Carefully open the foil and let the garlic cool. If desired, reserve the garlic oil for brushing the baguette or stirring into the soup at the end of recipe.
- Heat the canola oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt, and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the onions begin to brown too quickly, add a small splash of water to slow things down.
- Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until they release their moisture and begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the butter and continue cooking, stirring often, until the onions and mushrooms are well softened and starting to caramelize, about 5–10 minutes more.
- Begin adding the red wine a splash at a time, letting it reduce between additions and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Continue until most of the wine has been used and roughly 1 cup remains in the pot.
- Add the remaining red wine, then stir in the grated rutabaga, carrot, and turnip. Pour in the vegetable broth and add the bay leaf, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer, reduce to medium heat, and cook uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Using the back of a knife or a fork, mash the roasted garlic into a smooth paste and stir it into the soup, along with the reserved garlic oil if using. Remove the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper, then finish with pickle brine, adding gradually until the soup tastes bright and balanced to you. (Definitely a persona preference here!)
- To make crostini topping: In a small bowl, combine the mozzarella, half and half, and parsley. Top each with baguette slices, then spoon the cheese mixture generously over top. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Then switch to a low broil and cook until lightly browned, about 3–4 minutes, watching closely. Ladle soups out into bowls, top with cheesy crostini and enjoy!
Smoked Chicken, Kale and Barley Soup
Serves 4–5
This soup takes its cues from classic beef and barley, a classic I grew up eating for lunch (canned variety, of course!) but here I swap in smoked chicken for a lighter, and cheaper Prairie-leaning spin that still delivers depth and comfort. Smoked chicken (using drumsticks and thighs) can be found at European grocers and it is such an underrated, flavour-bomb ingredient.
Barley keeps it heartier, kale adds a pop of colour in an otherwise bland, albeit tasty, colour scheme and a splash of malt vinegar at the end brings everything together. It’s the kind of soup that eats like a meal without feeling too heavy.
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced yellow onion (approximately 1 medium onion)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups diced white potatoes, skin on, cut into ½-inch cubes (approximately 2 medium potatoes)
- 3 cups loosely packed green kale, stems removed and chopped
- 1 cup uncooked pearl barley, rinsed well
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 (12.5-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes
- 6 cups good quality chicken broth
- 1 cup roughly chopped smoked chicken meat
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons Saskatchewan-made malt vinegar
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Drizzle canola oil into a large pot and heat over medium heat. Add diced yellow onion and cook for about 5-7 minutes, until softened. Add minced garlic cloves and cook for another minute or so, just until fragrant.
- Stir in diced potatoes, along with 1 tablespoon tomato paste, letting it coat the vegetables briefly.
- Add uncooked barley, canned fire-roasted tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, then reduce to medium heat and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add chopped smoked chicken meat and chopped kale). Continue to simmer for another 15–20 minutes, until the barley is tender and the potatoes are cooked through.
- Stir in heavy cream, malt vinegar, and butter. Reduce heat to low and let the soup gently cook for another 5 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper before serving.