Soups Heaven

HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

CARAMELIZED BALSAMIC–RED ONION SOUP WITH CHEESE-TOPPED CROUTONS

CREAMY TOMATO-BASIL SOUP WITH PARMESAN FRICOS

CUBAN BLACK BEAN SOUP

CORN CHOWDER

WHITE CHEDDAR MASHED POTATO SOUP

HOT AND SOUR SOUP WITH FRESH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

CREAM OF SPINACH AND BROCCOLI SOUP

NORTH AFRICAN RED LENTIL SOUP

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND APPLE SOUP

The How of Soup

If you want to master the art of making a good home-cooked meal for yourself and the people in your life, soup is a perfect place to start. Soup fills your home with the welcoming smell of good things simmering, and in most cases it practically cooks itself, once you do a bit of initial ingredient prep. Why not just open a can? Well, when you’re pressed for time, there’s nothing wrong with that. But a little time making soup from scratch is a great investment that beats canned soup hands down.

Why?

• It’s tastier because you’re in control of the ingredients and the seasonings, and you can choose what’s fresh and in season for the raw materials. 
• It’s cheaper, especially when you consider that a big pot of soup can last for several meals or feed a crowd. 
• It’s likely to be healthier, because the ingredients are freshly prepared and less chemically “enhanced.” 
• It generally freezes and reheats well. 
• It’s filling and soul-satisfying. 
• And, best of all, it’s something wonderful you can take pride in having created—often from next to nothing. 

Soup is, generally speaking, ingredients simmered with water or broth—sometimes puréed, sometimes not—served hot (or sometimes cold). It’s about that simple. So, if you have a large heavy pot, a ladle, and something to purée with, even the tiniest apartment can be home to a great soup kitchen.

READ BEFORE YOU LEAP

There’s no single way to make soup, and some recipes involve a little more advance preparation than others. That’s why it’s important to read through any recipe in this chapter (and really, any recipe at all) before you start cooking—and especially before you decide to make it for the first time. That way, you’ll be able to gauge the timing, check what ingredients you need, and decide if this is one for tonight or something to try next weekend.

PURÉEING SOUP

Many soups are made by cooking ingredients like potatoes or vegetables in broth or water until they’re soft, and then puréeing them to achieve a thick, smooth consistency. A regular stand blender works well for the purpose, but an immersion blender is even better. Whichever way you go,

before you purée any soup, let it cool down a bit so you don’t get burned if any accidentally spills or splashes. Blender Ladle some of the soup into the blender, filling it no more than two-thirds full so the steam doesn’t blow the lid off when you turn on the motor. Put the lid on the blender, and then fold a kitchen towel in half and drape it over the lid (another very helpful safety measure to keep hot soup from splattering you). Put one hand on the towel and hold the lid down firmly before you turn on the motor. With the other hand, turn the blender on, setting it to its lowest speed (cranking it to “high” right away will probably pop the lid). Then increase the speed gradually to the highest setting. After a few seconds, turn off the blender and check to see if you’ve reached the consistency you’re looking for. If you want a chunky soup, it’s usually best to purée some of the soup completely and then combine that with the remaining unblended soup. (You can also simply purée all of the soup, “pulsing” the motor on and off a few times so the soup doesn’t get completely liquefied.) Because you’re puréeing in batches, you’ll need a large container, bowl, or a second soup pot to hold the blended soup as you work. When you’re done, pour everything back into the original cooking pot to reheat the soup; or for cold soups or ones you’re making in advance, let the soup cool in the container and then cover it and chill it in the refrigerator. Immersion blender Immersion blenders (also known as stick blenders) are among a handful of game-changing kitchen tools. So if you’re liking the idea of making soup a more regular part of your life, I highly recommend you rush out and buy one. They’re not that expensive, and they have several advantages over a conventional blender: There’s no second bowl or pot to dirty up, because the puréeing happens right in the soup pot. They’re easy and fast to use, because you don’t have to work in batches. They allow you to see just how puréed everything is getting, so you can stop the minute you’ve achieved the texture you want. And they’re easy to clean and don’t take up much space. Convinced?

To use an immersion blender, take the pot off the stove and set it somewhere stable. Submerge the business end of the immersion blender completely into the soup, holding it straight up with the base flat against the bottom of the pot. To avoid splattering and over-blending, turn on the motor to the lowest setting and then gradually increase the speed. Then simply move the blender around, always keeping the base flush with the

bottom of the pot and the blade submerged. Food processor You can use a food processor fitted with the steel blade attachment to purée some soups, but for very liquidy ones it really doesn’t do as good a job as a blender or immersion blender. If you do use one, work in batches and avoid filling the bowl of the processor more than two-thirds full. Potato masher Yes, the lowest-tech option of all works quite nicely when you want a somewhat puréed but still fairly chunky texture. Just mash (gently, to avoid splashing) until you like what you see.

GET THIS SOUP SUPPLIES

Keep these staples around so you can make soup any time by rounding up a few good vegetables:

• Broth in boxes (various vegetable broths, plus maybe some chicken)
• Bouillon cubes
• Canned beans
• Canned tomatoes
• Tomato paste
• Dried thyme, oregano, cumin, and red pepper flakes
• Olive oil
• Garlic and onions
• Soy sauce
• Toasted sesame oil
• Parmesan cheese
• Rice
• Soup pasta (such as orzo or little stars)

STOCK OPTIONS

When a soup calls for stock or broth, I recommend using the kind that comes in boxes because it tastes much better than canned. Look for a good organic brand. They’re all quite different, so shop around until you find one you like. For those emergencies when you run out of broth, keep some bouillon cubes on hand.

STORING SOUP

To store soup, let it cool, transfer it to an airtight container, and put it in the refrigerator. Stored in this way, most soups will keep for 3 to 4 days. Most soups also freeze well. A handy way to do this is to let the soup cool and then put individual portions in resealable plastic freezer bags. That way you can put one in the refrigerator to thaw in the morning (never thaw soup, or anything, at room temperature—it’s not safe, bacteriologically speaking) and it will be ready to heat up when you come home from work. Press most of the air out of each bag and lay it flat in the freezer until it has frozen solid. You can also freeze soup in plastic containers with airtight lids. Liquids expand when they freeze, so leave about half an inch of space at the top. Always label bags or containers with the kind of soup and the date (permanent markers work best). If a soup has lived in your freezer for more than 6 months, throw it out. Soups that tend to be freezer-challenged are those made with dairy, eggs, and/or lots of puréed potatoes. Freezing tends to make them break apart and take on a mealy or watery consistency. So don’t freeze these.

STYLE IT

The aesthetic and psychological impact of a simple garnish can’t be overstated. Set aside some of the herbs used in making a soup to top each serving. Or add a dollop of sour cream, yogurt, crème fraîche, or salsa, or a drizzle of good olive oil. Grated Parmesan or crumbled feta or goat cheese works well with many soups. And for crunch, sprinkle a few croutons or crumbled tortilla chips on top.

GO-WITHS ROUNDING OUT A SOUP MEAL

Soup can definitely be a one-bowl meal. But depending on your appetite and your mood, you might want to add a little something to round out the menu.

• SALAD Match the dressing to the style of the soup. I’ve given you some recommendations with the recipes (kind of like wineand- food pairings, except it’s soup-and-salad pairings), and you can take it from there.
• For a filling, nutritious, and inexpensive dinner, simply ladle some soup over a bowl of cooked rice. 
• A vegetable or potato side dish
• SLICED TOMATOES Drizzle with olive oil, feta, olives, and herbs.
• GREAT BREAD Warm or toast a few slices of crusty bread or cornbread—store-bought or homemade (see Chapter 4: Vegetarian Entrées).
• Sliced deli meats
• Some good cheese

roasted garlic paste

A GREAT INGREDIENT FOR SOUP

Makes 6 tablespoons

This recipe is vegan.

Roasting garlic completely transforms its flavor. It’s still pungent, but the sharpness is greatly softened. Use Roasted Garlic Paste for mashing into soups, potatoes, sauces, or dressings—also for spreading on crackers or little toasts as an appetizer; topping grilled chicken, fish, or steak; or tossing into cooked vegetables. This will keep well (packed into a small, tightly covered container and topped with a slick of olive oil) for up to 3

weeks in the refrigerator—or indefinitely in the freezer. (Never store it at room temperature—it needs to stay cold.) 3 whole heads of garlic 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus a little extra

1. Adjust the oven rack to the center position (if using a full-size oven) and preheat the oven (or toaster oven) to 375°F. Line a small baking pan with foil.

2. Slice off and discard the very topmost tips of each garlic head. Stand the heads, cut side up, on the foil. Carefully pour about 1 teaspoon of the

olive oil onto the cut surface of each head. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the bulbs feel soft when gently pressed. (Larger bulbs will take longer.)

3. When cool enough to handle, break each bulb into individual cloves and squeeze the pulp onto a plate. Use a fork to mash the garlic, gradually adding the remaining olive oil as you mash. Use right away, or refrigerate or freeze with a little olive oil until use.