Category: Soups & Stews

Servings: —
This smooth yellow soup is seasoned with fresh ginger, cumin, and lemon.

The peas benefit from being soaked at least 2 hours – they will break down more quickly and absorb less liquid when cooked.

Ingredients
THE STOCK

Use water or the Stock for Curried Soups and Dishes (page 67).

THE SOUP

2 tablespoons clarified butter or 1 tablespoon each butter and olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced into 1¼ -inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cumin seeds or ground cumin
3 cloves
1 2/3 cups yellow split peas, soaked 2 hours or longer
1 celery heart or 2 outer stalks, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into small squares
7 cups water or stock
Grated peel and juice of lemon
Spiced Yogurt (see below)
Cilantro or parsley, chopped, for garnish

Directions
Warm the clarified butter, or butter and oil, in a soup pot and add the onion, garlic, ginger, bay leaf, and salt. Grind the cumin seeds and the cloves in a spice min, and add them to the onion. Stir everything together and cook over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the peas, and add them to the onions along with the celery, carrots, and 7 cups water or stock. Bring to a boil; then simmer until the peas have completely fallen apart, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Pass the soup through a food mill or purée it in a blender; then return it to the stove. Add more water or stock, as needed, to achieve the consistency you like. Season to taste with additional salt, the lemon peel, and the lemon juice. Serve the soup in warm bowls with a spoonful of spiced yogurt and a sprinkling of cilantro or parsley.

Servings: 6
recipeNotes: This soup always reminds me of a trip I made with some friends to Carrara to see the marble mines. It was winter, the sky was white and gray with fog and clouds, and the mountains of exposed marble were also white. None of us felt thrilled by all this cold and damp paleness; we were chilled and hungry, and there didn’t seem to be a place to eat. Finally we found a restaurant where some men were eating. There were no lights on, which should have told us it wasn’t open to the public, but we went in. In fact it wasn’t open, except to the mine workers, but we were graciously taken care of and served bowls of soup something like this one. Green Tuscan oil and crusty bread were placed on the table, as well as a bottle of Chianti, and it was one of those meals for which you are grateful from the bottom of your heart. It was exactly what we needed-warmth and nourishment, served with kindness and without pretension. When we returned to the street, we all suddenly became excited by the layers of whites and grays and the immense presence of the marble mountains.
The beans in this soup remain whole, the potatoes thicken the broth, and the herbs and vegetables contribute a splash of color. The vegetables can be prepared while the beans are cooking. This is the kind of soup that tastes better as it ages, and a bowlful can make a meal.

Ingredients
1 cup cannellini or other dried white beans, soaked 6 hours or overnight
2 quarts cold water
2 medium-sized white or red potatoes
8 large sage leaves or I teaspoon dried
2 teaspoons rosemary leaves or I teaspoon dried
3 garlic cloves
2 celery stalks
2 medium-sized carrots
1 small onion
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 cup dried pasta, a short tubular variety
salt
freshly ground pepper
extra-virgin olive oil, to finish the soup

Directions
Drain the beans, put them in a soup pot, and cover them with the water. Slowly bring to a boil; then boil vigorously for 5 minutes. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface; then lower the heat to a simmer.
While the beans are cooking, scrub the potatoes and cut them into cubes. They need’nt all be the same size-smaller pieces will break down to provide a creamy background, while large ones, say ½ inch square, will hold their shape. Chop the sage, rosemary, and garlic together. Dice the celery, carrots, and onion into small squares, no larger than ¼ inch.

Warm the olive oil in a small skillet and add the herbs, and vegetables, then salt lightly. Cook them over gentle heat for 3 or 4 minutes. After the beans have cooked for 30 minutes, add the herb-vegetable mixture to the pot. As the soup cooks, add more water in small amounts to keep it as thick or thin as you like.

Bring some water to boil for the pasta. Add salt and the pasta and cook until the pasta is barely done. Drain and set aside. When the beans are tender, stir in the pasta. Serve the soup with a cruet of extra-virgin olive oil to stir into each bowl and, if you like, a piece of hard cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, to grate over the top.

Servings: 2-3
Source: The Savory Way by Deborah Madison
You could call this a failed fisherman’s soup; it has all the elements of bouillabaisse except, of course, the fish. It was Joseph Wechsberg’s chapter on bouillabaisse from his delightful gastronomic memoir, Blue Trout and Black Truffles, that prompted this recipe. His listing of ingredients before you get to the fish-fennel, potatoes, saffron, orange, and tomato-sounded absolutely delicious on their own, strong and aromatic. And they are. The classic accompaniment to fish soups, the bold rouille (a garlic mayonnaise with the fiery addition of crushed cayenne) is equally good here.

This stew can be cooked entirely on top of the stove, or it can be started on the stove and finished in the oven. This is the kind of food that cooks beautifully in earthenware and looks wonderful served directly from the baking dish. Make this just before dinner or hours before. The flavors will merge as the stew sits, but it’s delicious both ways.

Ingredients
THE STEW

1 ½ pounds red oryellow-fleshed potatoes
2 fennel bulbs
1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded, juice reserved or 2 cups whole canned tomatoes salt
3 to 4 tablespoons virgin olive oil
1 large leek, white part only, finely diced
1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges 1½ inch thick
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
2 to 3 pinches of saffron threads
a large strip of orange zest, about 2 inches long
2 bay leaves
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
12 Nicoise, Gaeta or oil-cured black olives, pitted

THE ROUILLE

3 to 5 garlic cloves
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1 to 2 teaspoons ground red chili or cayenne pepper
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
½ cup light olive oil
virgin olive oil

Directions
Peel the potatoes and slice them lengthwise into quarters or, if large, into sixths. Trim the fennel, remove the outer leaves if they’re scarred, and cut into wedges ½ inch thick or a little wider. Leave some of the core so that the pieces stay intact. Cut the tomatoes into large, neat pieces.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, add salt to taste and the potatoes, and boil for 5 minutes. Remove the potatoes, but save the water.

While the potatoes are cooking, warm the olive oil in a wide pan. When hot, add the leek, onion, garlic, herbs, a little salt, saffron, orange zest, and bay leaves. Cook slowly over medium heat until the onions have begun to soften, after 6 or 7 minutes; then add the wine. Let it reduce by approximately half, then add the tomatoes and their juices, the potatoes, fennel, half the parsley, and the olives. Pour in enough of the reserved potato water to cover, bring to a boil, and lower the heat. the stew aside and finish it later, either in the oven or

At this point you can set the stew aside and finish it later, either in the oven or on cook top of the stove. If cooking on top of the stove, cover the pan and cook slowly until the vegetables are tender, about 35 minutes. If cooking, in the oven, preheat it to 375ºF, cover loosely, and bake for about 1 hour or until done. Garnish with the remaining parsley and serve with a bowl of garlic mayonnaise or the rouille below

The Rouille

Pound the garlic in a mortar with salt until it is broken down into a smooth paste; then work in the ground chili and egg yolk. Gradually add the light olive oil, drop by drop at first and eventually in a small stream. Stir in the virgin olive oil to taste and add a few spoonfuls of hot water to thin the sauce to the consistency of thick cream.

Servings: —
Preheat: 450°
Source: Savory Pear catering – cooking classes, Sonoma, CA

Ingredients
1½ to 2 lb. buttenut squash
1 lb. bosky or bartlett pears
½ c. red onion, diced finely
6 c. homemade chicken stock
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

½ c. crème fraîche
2 tbsp. heavy cream
1 bunch chives, cut into ¾ inch batons

Directions
Cut the top and bottom off the squash. Working carefully, cut the squash in half lengthwise. Rub with enough olive oil to coat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side down up on a baking sheet.
Cut the pears in half lengthwise and scoop out the core with a melon baller. Rub with enough olive oil to coat and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place cut side down on baking sheet. Roast in oven 45-60 minutes or until a skewer punctures skin easily. Remove from oven and let cool.

Once the squash and pears are cool, scoop the flesh from the skins, discarding the skins when finished. Put in a bowl and set aside.

In a large saucepan or small stockpot, heat olive oil over high heat Add onions and let sauté- for 4 minutes or until translucent, stirring every once and a while. Once onions are tender, add the pears and squash, stirring constantly until the mixture is homogenous, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of stock at a time, until fully incorporated into mixture. Turn heat down to medium and let simmer 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Puree soup to desired consistency. You may need to add more stock or water. Add heavy cream, sat and pepper and simmer 5 minutes. Add cider vinegar here if the soup needs it (which is the “key to flavor”).

Servings: 6
Though the ingredients are ordinary, this bean and summer vegetable stew has an intricate balance of flavors. The inspiration for it came from a book on Pueblo Indian cookery t goes well with the Potato Gordas, but if made a little on the dry side, it can be eaten in tortillas with Salsa Picante.

Ingredients
1¼ cups pinto beans, soaked overnight and drained
1 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound tomatoes, fresh or canned, peeled, seeded, and chopped; juice reserved
2 ancho chilies
1 pound mixed summer squash
4 ears corn (about 2 cups kernels)
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
2 tablespoons corn or vegetable oil
2 yellow onions, cut into 1¼ -inch squares
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons red chili powder, or more, to taste
8 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
4 ounces jack or muenster cheese, grated
½ bunch cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
Whole cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions
Cook the pre-soaked beans for about 1½ to 2 hours in plenty of water with the salt, bay leaf, and oregano. Remove them from the heat when they are soft but not mushy, as they will continue to cook in the stew. Drain the beans, and save the broth.

Prepare the tomatoes, or use puréed charcoal-grilled tomatoes. Open the chili pods and remove the seeds and veins; then cut the chilies into narrow strips. Cut the squash into large pieces; shave the kernels from the corn. Grind the cumin and the coriander seeds into a powder in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle.

Heat the oil in a large skillet, and saut6 the onions over high heat for 1 to 2 Minutes. Lower the heat, add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and coriander, and stir everything together. Add a little bean broth, so that the chili doesn’t scorch or burn.

Cook until the onions have begun to soften, about 4 minutes, then add the tomatoes and stew for 5 minutes. Stir in the squash, corn, green beans, and chili strips along with the cooked beans and enough broth to make a fairly wet stew. Cook slowly until the vegetables are done, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning. Stir in the cheese and chopped cilantro, and garnish with whole leaves of cilantro.

Servings: 8
Source: Fine Cooking, May 2007
Yields about 8 ½ cups; serves eight.

This recipe looks long, but half of the ingredients are for making a quick vegetable broth. Look for carrot juice in the produce section of your supermarket. (I suspect you could skip the broth and use 5 cups of chicken broth with good results too).

Ingredients
FOR THE BROTH:
¼ cup medium-diced peeled carrots
½ cup medium-diced dark green leek tops (from 1 to 2 leeks; rinse thoroughly after dicing; save the white and pale green parts for the soup)
½ medium onion, cut into medium dice (about ¾ cup)
¼ fennel bulb, cut into medium dice (about ½ cup)
¼ celery stalk, cut into medium dice (about 2 Tbs.)
1 small clove garlic, smashed and peeled
1 small bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig parsley

FOR THE SOUP:
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
5 medium shallots, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
¾ cup thinly sliced leeks, white and pale green parts only (from 1 to 2 leeks; rinse thoroughly after slicing)
2 small cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
Kosher or sea salt
3¾ cups medium-diced peeled carrots (about 1½ lb.)
2 Tbs. granulated sugar
2 cups carrot juice, either homemade or store-bought
1 Tbs. peeled finely grated fresh ginger
Freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 small Fuji apple

Directions
Make the broth: Put the carrots, leek tops, onion, fennel, celery, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, and parsley in a 4-qt. (or larger) saucepan. Add 10 cups cold water and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 1 hour. Strain the broth into a heatproof bowl and discard the solids. Measure out 5 cups of broth for use in the soup; save the remaining broth for another use. Rinse and dry the saucepan and return it to the stove.

Finish the soup: In the saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the shallots, leeks, garlic, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the carrots and sugar. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are soft, 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the 5 cups broth and the carrot juice. Bring to a simmer, uncovered, over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Wrap the ginger in a small square of cheesecloth and use the cloth to squeeze the ginger juice into the soup (discard the squeezed-dry ginger). Remove the pan from the heat.

Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Pour each batch of the pursed soup into a medium-mesh sieve set over a clean heatproof container. Use a rubber spatula to help the soup pass through, but don’t press on the solids yet. Once the last batch has drained through the sieve, press lightly on the solids (but don’t mash them through the sieve) to extract the remaining liquid. Discard the solids. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and 1 to 2 tsp. of the lemon juice.

When ready to serve, peel and core the apple and cut it into medium dice. In a small bowl, toss the apple with 2 tsp. of the remaining lemon juice. Reheat the soup, if necessary, and ladle it into individual serving bowls or cups. Serve immediately, garnishing each bowl with a small spoonful of the diced apple.

Dan Barber is the chef and co-owner of two restaurants: Blue Hill in New York City and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Pocantico Hills, New York.

Servings: 4
Source: The Savory Way. Deborah Madison

Ingredients
1 29-ounce can hominy
¾ pound banana squash, approximately
2 to 3 tablespoons light olive, safflower, or peanut oil
1 medium onion, diced into ½ -inch squares
1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
salt
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons ground red chili, preferably New Mexican
1 tablespoon flour
3 ½ cups water
1 green bell pepper, diced into ½-inch squares
½ cup or more sour cream or plain yogurt, at room temperature
chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions
Drain the hominy, rinse it briefly, and set it aside. Peel the banana squash, cut it into ½ strips, and cut each strip into pieces about ½ inch wide.

Warm the oil in a 12-inch skillet or cast-iron pot and add the onion, squash, and oregano, then season lightly with salt. Cook over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, ground chili, and flour, and stir well to distribute the flour. Add the hominy and the water, lower the heat, and simmer for about 45 minutes. Add the green pepper and continue to cook until the squash is completely tender and the pepper is cooked, another 15 minutes or so. Taste for salt. Just before serving, stir in the sour cream or yogurt and garnish with the cilantro.

Servings: 4
This is a ridiculously easy soup to make. It’s tasty and durable, and it gets even better overnight.

Ingredients
6 tbsp/75 g butter
1 small onion, thinly sliced
12 ounces/340 g button mushrooms
4 cups/900 ml light chicken stock or broth
1 sprig of flat parsley
Salt and pepper
2 ounces/56 ml high-quality sherry (don’t use the cheap grocery-store variety; it’s salty and unappetizing and will ruin your soup)

Directions
Method
In the medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons/28 g of the butter over medium heat and add the onion. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, then add the mushrooms and the remaining butter. Let the mixture sweat for about 8 minutes, taking care that the onion doesn’t take on any brown color. Stir in the chicken stock and the parsley and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat and simmer for about an hour.
After an hour, remove the parsley and discard. Let the soup cool for a few minutes, then transfer to the blender and carefully blend at high speed until smooth. Do I have to remind you to do this in stages, with the blender’s lid firmly held down, and with the weight of your body keeping that thing from flying off and allowing boiling hot mushroom purée to erupt all over your kitchen?
When blended, return the mix to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and bring up to a simmer again. Add the sherry, mix well, and serve immediately.

Improvisation
To astound your guests with a Wild Mushroom Soup, simply replace some of those button mushrooms with a few dried cèpes or morels, which have been soaked until soft, drained, and squeezed. Not too many; the dried mushrooms will have a much stronger taste, and you don’t want to overwhelm the soup. Pan sear, on high heat, a single small, pretty, fresh chanterelle or morel for each portion, and then slice into a cute fan and float on top in each bowl.
And if you really want to ratchet your soup into pretentious (but delicious), drizzle a few tiny drops of truffle oil over the surface just before serving. Why the hell not? Everybody else is doing it.

Servings: —
Source: Fine Cooking #60, pp. 81
Don’t throw away the neck and giblets that come with your turkey. They can be turned into a tasty broth that makes a classic pan gravy. There’s no need to simmer the broth for hours, either. Sweating the meat and onion in a little oil before adding water jump-starts flavor extraction, so your broth is ready in just about an hour. You can make the broth up to three days ahead. Yields about 3-1/2 cups.

Ingredients
Turkey neck, gizzard, tail, and heart
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large onion, cut into 2-inch chunks
Kosher salt
1 small carrot, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 rib celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 bay leaf
2 large sprigs each fresh thyme and flat-leaf parsley
8 to 10 black peppercorns

Directions
Chop the turkey neck into three to four pieces with a cleaver. Chop the gizzard in half. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the turkey neck, gizzard, tail, and heart (don’t use the liver) along with the onion and 1/2 tsp. salt. Stir to coat with oil, cover, and cook gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally; the meat will release lots of juice.
Add 4 cups cold water and the carrot, celery, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover, and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer until the broth is flavorful, 30 to 40 minutes. Strain the broth and use immediately or let cool. Pick the meat from the neck and tail to add to the gravy along with the chopped gizzard and heart, if you like.