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GET CREATIVE
Drizzle some high-quality olive oil onto each serving.
If you like your tomato soup a little on the sweet side, add 1 to 2 teaspoons honey or brown sugar before the final simmer.
Garnish with additional minced fresh basil.
This soup pairs well with Caesar Salad (Chapter 2: Salads).
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cuban black bean soup
Makes 4 to 5 servings
Real, hearty black bean soup with a tangy edge of lime can be yours in under an hour (most of which is just the soup simmering while you do something else). The silver bullet here is canned beans, which, generally speaking, are perfect for soups and simmered dishes. To make a heartier meal, serve this soup spooned over rice.
This soup is vegan.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red or yellow onion, minced
2½ teaspoons ground cumin
Half a medium red bell pepper, minced
1 tablespoon minced or crushed garlic (about 3 good-sized cloves)
1½ teaspoons salt
Three 15-ounce cans black beans (approximately 4 cups cooked beans)
3 cups water
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
A big handful of cilantro leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Red pepper flakes
Lime wedges, for garnish
1. Place a soup pot or a Dutch oven over medium heat. After about a minute, add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the onion and cumin, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the onion softens.
2. Add the bell pepper, garlic, and salt, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are very soft.
3. Meanwhile, set a colander in the sink and pour in the beans; give them a quick rinse and allow them to drain.
4. Add the beans and the water to the soup pot, and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat all the way down to the lowest possible setting, partially cover, and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
5. Use a potato masher or the back of a slotted spoon to mash about half of the soup so it thickens. The soup will become somewhat chunky, not completely smooth. (You can also purée it, if you like, with a blender or immersion blender—see Chapter 1: Soups.) If at any point it seems to have gotten too thick, it’s okay to add a little extra water (about ¼ cup at a time) until it’s a consistency you like.
6. Add a tablespoon of the lime juice, and then taste to see if you think it needs the second tablespoon. Use scissors to snip in the cilantro (it’s okay if the pieces are a bit rough). Add about 8 grinds of black pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes, and then simmer and stir for another minute or two to let the flavors blend. Serve hot, with the lime wedges alongside.
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GET CREATIVE
Pair this soup with Wilted Spinach Salad with Hazelnuts, Goat Cheese, and Golden Raisins (Chapter 2: Salads).
Top each serving with sour cream or yogurt, and/or a whole cilantro sprig.
Garnish with a sprinkling of toasted cumin seeds (see Chapter 1: Soups).
Garnish with tortilla chips or plantain chips.
Top with a bit of diced mango, fresh or frozen.
Sprinkle some diced red onion and/or chopped hard-boiled egg (see Chapter 2: Salads) over each serving. (Very Cuban!)
If you like things hot and smoky, add a minced canned chipotle chile along with the bell pepper in step 2.
Finely chop a fresh jalapeño chile and sprinkle a bit on each serving. (Regarding both this point and the previous one, be sure to wash the knife, the cutting board, and your hands with warm water and soap after handing any hot chiles.)
Top with a spoonful of your favorite salsa.
Serve with warm flour or corn tortillas.
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corn chowder
Makes 4 to 5 servings
Classic, comforting corn chowder is simple to make—especially if you use frozen corn kernels. Look for sweet corn or a blend of sweet and yellow. You can defrost it by putting it in a large strainer or colander and rinsing it under running water. And if fresh sweet corn is in season, by all means use it. Just peel off the husks and silks, stand an ear on a cutting board, and holding the ear firmly, use a paring knife to cut the kernels off. You’ll need 3 to 4 ears to make the 3 cups called for in this recipe. Use either milk or heavy cream for the final enrichment, but not half-and-half, which curdles when heated.
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium red or yellow onion, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
1 teaspoon minced garlic (about 1 good-sized clove)
1½ teaspoons salt
4 cups water
2 or 3 medium-small waxy potatoes (about ¾ pound), cut into ¾-inch dice
1 pound frozen corn kernels (about 3 cups), thawed
½ cup milk or heavy cream (or a combination)
Freshly ground black pepper
1. In a soup pot or a Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, garlic, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the onion and celery begin to soften.
2. Add the water and the diced potatoes. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat all the way down to the lowest possible setting. Partially cover and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes become completely soft. (It’s okay to err on the side of their becoming falling-apart tender.)
3. Add the corn and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the milk or cream and heat the soup very gently for a minute longer. Season to taste with pepper, ladle into bowls, and serve.
* * *
GET CREATIVE
Pair Corn Chowder with a green salad featuring a very sweet red bell pepper and dressed with Raspberry-Shallot Dressing (Chapter 2: Salads).
For a smokier flavor and a bit more substance, at the beginning of step 1 replace the butter with 2 slices of bacon, cut into thin strips. When the bacon is lightly browned, add the onion and proceed as directed.
Stir a small handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley into the soup just before serving for a little extra color.
Use scissors to snip some chives and/or cilantro over each serving, and/or garnish with a sprig of cilantro or flat-leaf parsley.
Serve with crusty sourdough or any rustic-style bread.
Turning this soup into Clam Chowder is easy. Just reduce the corn to ½ pound and add two small (6.5-ounce) cans chopped clams, with their juice, when you add the corn.
* * *
white cheddar mashed potato soup
Makes 5 to 7 servings
If you’re fond of the flavor of rich, cheesy baked potatoes, this creamy soup will be right up your alley. For a soup made with this much potato, use russets rather than a waxy variety, which can turn gluey when puréed. A medium-sharp white Cheddar is the perfect complement to the potatoes, but you can use any kind of Cheddar or jack cheese.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 good-sized cloves)
1½ teaspoons salt
3 cups water
4 medium-large russet potatoes (about 3 pounds), cut into small chunks
1½ cups milk
¾ cup (packed) grated white Cheddar cheese
Red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Place a soup pot or a Dutch oven over medium heat. After about a minute, add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the onion and cumin, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until the onion softens.
2. Stir in the garlic and the salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 10 minutes.
3. Add the water and the potatoes. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat all the way down to the lowest possible setting. Partially cover, and s
immer gently for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes become completely soft.
(It’s okay to err on the side of their becoming falling-apart tender.) Turn off the heat, stir in the milk, and let the soup sit, uncovered, to allow it to cool down a bit.
4. Use a blender or immersion blender (see Chapter 1: Soups) to purée the soup until it is smooth. (If it seems too thick, add a little extra water.)
5. Reheat the soup very slowly over medium-low heat, being careful not to let it boil. When it is hot, stir in the cheese and season to taste with red pepper flakes (a pinch or two) and black pepper (6 to 10 grinds). Serve hot, passing around the pepper mill and extra red pepper flakes.
GET CREATIVE
For a hearty soup-and-salad supper, serve this with All-American Three-Bean Salad (Chapter 2: Salads).
Add up to 3 tablespoons Roasted Garlic Paste (Chapter 1: Soups) along with the fresh garlic.
Top each serving with some salsa (any kind you love), some extra grated cheese, and/or a scattering of roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley.
Garnish each serving with a dollop of sour cream and some thinly sliced scallion greens or snipped chives.
Cook a few strips of bacon (see Chapter 8: Party Snacks, figuring on one strip per serving), let cool, crumble, and sprinkle over each serving.
hot and sour soup with fresh shiitake mushrooms
Makes 4 to 5 servings
You’ll be amazed at how doable this classic Chinese restaurant soup can be—in your own kitchen, and with no fancy technique or mysterious ingredients. Fresh shiitake mushrooms are easy to find these days, and very rewarding to cook with. You only need a few to get a major flavor and texture impact. Same with the toasted sesame oil: Here’s your front-row seat to witness how a mere teaspoon works exponential magic, infusing an entire batch of soup with its inimitable flavor.
Make this vegan by omitting the eggs.
2 eggs
10 medium-sized (about ½ pound) fresh shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons canola, soy, or peanut oil
1¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
5¼ cups water
¼ cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ pound firm tofu, cut into thin strips
1 to 2 tablespoons light brown sugar (optional)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 scallion, green part only, very thinly sliced on the diagonal
A handful of cilantro leaves, torn or coarsely chopped
1. Lightly beat the eggs in a small bowl until you no longer see any bits of egg white. Leave the bowl on the counter or somewhere warm, so the eggs can come to room temperature while you make the soup.
2. Clean the mushroom caps by wiping them with a damp paper towel. Use a paring knife or scissors to cut off the stems. Discard the stems, and then thinly slice the caps and set them aside.
3. Place a soup pot or a Dutch oven over medium heat. After about a minute, add the oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the sliced mushrooms, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and the red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms are golden brown.
4. Add the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt, 5 cups of the water, and the vinegar, soy sauce, tofu, and, if desired, a tablespoon of the brown sugar. (Then taste the soup, and if you think it needs more sweetness, add the second tablespoon of brown sugar.) Bring to a boil, then turn the heat all the way down to the lowest possible setting. Partially cover, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
5. Add the sesame oil and about 10 grinds of black pepper, and stir to combine.
6. Put the cornstarch in a small bowl with the remaining ¼ cup water, and mix until smooth. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the hot soup. Continue simmering for a minute or two, stirring once or twice. The soup will become glossy and will thicken slightly.
7. Slowly drizzle the beaten eggs into the simmering soup, stirring as you go. Cook for just 1 minute longer, until the eggs are set. Serve hot, topping each bowl with a scattering of scallion greens and cilantro leaves.
GET CREATIVE
Pair this soup with Chinese Chicken Salad (Chapter 2: Salads) for a great little dinner.
Use chicken or vegetable broth in place of some or all of the water for a richer-tasting soup. Taste before adding the salt in step 4; you may not need it all.
Add ½ cup frozen peas, thawed under running water in a strainer, at the end of step 4.
Add 8 uncooked peeled, deveined prawns in step 4. They will cook directly in the soup.
Add 1 cup of cooked chicken, cut into strips, in step 4.
Add an 8-ounce can of sliced water chestnuts, an 8-ounce can of sliced bamboo shoots, and/or a 15-ounce can of straw mushrooms at the end of step 4. (Drain and discard the liquid from any of these.)
Garnish each serving with a few drops of additional toasted sesame oil.
Pass some chile oil or additional red pepper flakes at the table.
cream of spinach and broccoli soup
Makes 4 to 6 servings
A bright green soup belongs in every cook’s repertoire, and I hope this one will become yours. Garlic appears twice in this recipe, in two forms—fresh and roasted. This adds layers of flavor that make the soup multidimensional (a good thing in a soup—or in anything you cook, for that matter). Peeling the potato is optional; if the skin looks fresh and tight and the potato is organic, you can simply give it a rinse and a quick scrub with a vegetable brush. The peel will then add some nice subtle texture to the soup. Prewashed spinach, packed in a bag or box, makes this easy. You can also use frozen chopped spinach (defrost it first), but avoid using frozen broccoli—its flavor just won’t come close to fresh here.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons butter
1 medium red or yellow onion, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 good-sized cloves)
4 cups water
1 medium russet potato, cut into small dice
10 ounces fresh baby spinach (can also be frozen, defrosted)
3 heaping cups chopped broccoli
1 heaping tablespoon Roasted Garlic Paste (Chapter 1: Soups)
¾ cup milk
30 basil leaves, minced (about ¼ cup)
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Place a soup pot or a Dutch oven over medium heat. After about a minute, add the olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Toss in the butter, and swirl until it melts into the oil. Add the onion and salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent. Stir in the fresh garlic, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 5 minutes longer.
2. Add the water and the diced potato. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat all the way down to the lowest possible setting. Partially cover, and simmer gently for about 15 minutes, or until the potato becomes completely soft. (It’s okay to err on the side of its becoming falling-apart tender.)
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