chunky legume soups

What’s a chunky legume soup? Well, it’s one in which beans are whole or coarsely mashed, and it probably numbers among your favorite soups. Many of those favorites will be found here. You’ve heard of the famous U.S. Senate bean soup, but have you ever made it? It’s one of the most satisfying you’ll ever have. If you go for spicy-hot then you’ll love the kick of an African peanut soup. And if gorgeous fresh greens and beans are your style, you’ll find great recipes for soups with those ingredients here, too.

u.s. senate bean soup

This famous soup is on the menu of the U.S. Senate dining room every day. The story of the soup has never been settled, and several tales compete for authority. According to the first, Senator Fred Dubois of Idaho introduced the soup to the menu at the beginning of the twentieth century. Another story suggests that in 1903 it was requested by Senator Knute Nelson of Minnesota, who was fond of bean soup. A third story is that it was introduced by Senator Henry Cabot Lodge of Massachusetts sometime between 1918 and 1924. Finally, one popular and colorful favorite is that it was Joseph G. Cannon, Speaker of the House, 1903–1911, who one day entered the dining room, looked at the menu, and exclaimed “Thunderation, I had my mouth set for bean soup! From now on, hot or cold, rain, snow or shine, I want it on the menu every day.” The Senate’s web site posts two recipes. The one attributed to Dubois includes mashed potatoes and makes a five-gallon batch. The recipe served in the Senate today does not include mashed potatoes, but does include a braised onion. Now, it should be admitted that most reports concerning the bean soup served in the Senate dining room suggest that it unfortunately leaves a lot to be desired, so I’ve taken some liberties to assure a delicious soup. [ Makes 8 servings ]

2 cups (about 1 pound) dried white navy beans, soaked overnight in cold water to cover and drained

2 quarts hot water

1¹⁄₂ pounds smoked ham hocks (1 or 2)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tablespoon salt or more to taste

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste

1. Place the beans in a large pot with the water and ham hocks, set over low heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the meat is falling off the bone, about 3 hours. Remove the ham hocks, and when they are cool enough to handle, cut off all the meat, dice it, and return it to the soup. Discard the bone, skin, and fat.

2. Meanwhile, in a skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat, then add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 6 minutes. Add the onion to the soup, bring to a boil over high heat, season with salt and pepper, and serve.

sixteen-bean soup

The sixteen beans for this popular American soup are now available in convenient packages of the appropriate proportions. Remember that anything between seven beans and sixteen beans is going to taste more or less the same, so don’t worry about exactness on that count. The prepackaged beans are a blessing—you don’t have to buy sixteen one-pound bags of different beans. I use both the smoked ham hock (although raw is fine too) and the pig’s ear for flavoring, but you don’t need the pig’s ear. The cooking time will depend on the age of the beans, so allow an hour more than described in the method even though you might not need it (in which case the soup can rest). [ Makes 6 servings ]

1 smoked ham hock (about 1 pound)

1 pig’s ear (optional)

One 1-pound package 16-beans soup

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon hot paprika

2 bay leaves

1 cup diced celery

1 cup diced onion

3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

1. Place the ham hock, pig’s ear, if using, and beans in a large pot, cover just barely with cold water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the salt, pepper, chili ­powder, paprika, and bay leaves, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, partially covered, until the ham hock is tender but not falling off the bone, about 2¹⁄₂ hours. Remove the ham hock and let cool.

2. Add the celery, onion, and garlic to the pot and cook, partially covered, until the beans are completely tender, about 1¹⁄₂ hours more. Remove the pig’s ear and discard. Remove the meat from the ham hock, dice it, and return the meat to the soup, discarding the bone. Check the seasoning, simmer for 20 minutes, then serve.

french canadian pea soup

It seems that every culinary culture has a great pea soup: the Berliners, the English, the Dutch, and we Americans, known for the split green pea soup with cut up frankfurters our kids grow up on. The French-Canadian soupe aux pois is Canada’s great pea soup, made with dried yellow peas. The best version comes from Quebec, where it is made with dried peas, a whole chunk of salt pork, and some herbs for flavor, often herbes salées (salted herbs). Traditionally, the soup is not puréed and is made with yellow peas—not green as it is in the United States. There is a version from Newfoundland that is similar, but with more root vegetables and, sometimes, dumplings. All the ingredients are put in a pot and cooked slowly until done, then the salt pork is removed and diced or sliced to be returned to the pot. The soup is excellent reheated. If you can’t find yellow split peas in your supermarket, they are always sold in Indian markets under the Hindi name, chana dal. [ Makes 4 servings ]

1 cup (¹⁄₂ pound) dried split yellow peas

¹⁄₄ pound salt pork, in one piece

1 small onion, chopped

2 tablespoons grated carrot

¹⁄₄ cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

1 small bay leaf

¹⁄₂ teaspoon dried savory

6 cups water

2 teaspoons salt

¹⁄₂ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more to taste

1. Place the dried peas, salt pork, onion, carrot, celery, parsley, bay leaf, and savory in a large pot, then pour in the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, partially covered, until very tender, about 3 hours. Add a little more water if it is becoming too thick, because it should always be soupy.

2. Remove the salt pork, dice small, and return to the soup. Discard the bay leaf, season with the salt and pepper, and serve hot.

dutch pea soup

The national soup of the Netherlands is erwtensoep or “pea soup.” The Dutch cook says it should be so thick that a spoon stands upright in it. This was how it was made in the Dutch navy and came to be called navy pea soup. It’s popular in cold weather, beginning in the fall when inns and restaurants start advertising their pea soup, usually eaten with frankfurters, bacon, or sausage. It is customarily served with rye bread (roggebrood) and cheese or butter. The meat may be put on the rye bread and eaten with mustard. It is not uncommonly seen in small cups at the so-called koek en zopie, outlets on frozen canals, where it is offered as a hearty snack to skaters. Typically, this pea soup would be served as a main course, but my recipe is written so that you can serve it as a first course, followed by a light main course. Double the recipe if you intend it as a main course. Nearly all markets sell pigs’ feet, and you probably wonder who buys them and what they’re for. Soup and stew makers buy them, for flavor—one does not eat them. Slow cooking releases the natural gelatin in pigs’ feet, providing a level of flavor not otherwise attainable. [ Makes 4 servings ]

³⁄₄ cup dried split green peas

6 cups water

1 pig’s foot, split

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

¹⁄₂ celery stalk with the top leaves, chopped

2 small potatoes (about ¹⁄₂ pound), peeled and diced

1¹⁄₂ teaspoons salt or more to taste

1 frankfurter or veal knockwurst, thinly sliced diagonally

1. Place the peas in a large pot with the water and pig’s foot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally and partially covered, until dense, about 3 hours. Add the onion, celery and its leaves, potatoes, and salt and simmer, stirring occasionally, for another 30 minutes.

2. Add the frankfurter and cook 10 minutes over low heat. Discard the pig’s foot and serve hot.

Eat Your Soup or Fade Away

Every German child knows the story of Suppenkaspar, the little boy who faded away because he refused to eat his soup.

berlin-style yellow pea soup

This famous soup is sold everywhere in Berlin, from cafeterias to restaurants. I haven’t been in Germany since the 1970s, but I well remember being in the dreary Berlin train station on my way to Leipzig on a cold February day and enjoying a hot, steaming yellow pea soup. There are two secrets to this soup, if one can call it that: first, use a nice mixture of what are known as pot vegetables, which give German soups and stews that typically rich fragrance and taste; second, finely dice or chop them—meaning not more than three millimeters across. Use whatever vegetables you can find from the list below: the more the merrier. The hard-to-find whole yellow peas are sold in Indian markets under the name toor dal or chana dal (a name also used for split chickpeas). Use yellow split peas if you can’t find the whole ones. This recipe is adapted from Mimi Sheraton’s German Cookbook (1965). [ Makes 6 servings ]

¹⁄₂ pound (1 cup) whole or split dried yellow peas, soaked overnight in cold water to cover

2 quarts water

¹⁄₂ pound smoked slab bacon, cut into thick strips

3 tablespoons rendered bacon fat or unsalted butter

1 medium onion, very finely chopped

1 large carrot, finely diced

1 celery stalk with leaves, finely chopped

1 small celery root (celeriac), peeled, rinsed, and finely diced

1 fresh parsley root, peeled and finely diced

1 small parsnip, peeled and finely diced

1 leek, white and light green parts, and three-quarters of dark green part, split in half lengthwise, washed well, and thinly sliced

3 fresh parsley sprigs, finely chopped

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 large boiling potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cubed small

¹⁄₂ teaspoon dried marjoram

¹⁄₂ teaspoon dried thyme

2¹⁄₂ teaspoons salt and more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

¹⁄₄ pound smoked sausage or frankfurters, cut in half lengthwise and sliced (optional)

1. In a large pot, add the drained yellow peas, water, and bacon and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or flame-proof casserole, heat the bacon fat over ­medium heat, then add the onion, carrot, celery stalk, celery root, parsley root, parsnip, leek, and parsley and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and stir until it is absorbed and browned.

3. Add the flour-vegetable mixture to the soup, along with the potatoes, marjoram, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer until the peas are softened but retain their shape, about 1 hour. Do not strain or purée. Remove the bacon, cut into small pieces, and return to the soup. If you want to use smoked sausage or frankfurter as a garnish, slice and heat in the soup.

fava bean and chickpea soup from andalusia

Dried beans are popular everywhere in the Mediterranean. They also have a flavor a tad different than the fresh bean, which means they are ideal in earthy and deeply flavorful soups such as this Spanish one from Granada in Andalusia called potaje de habas secas, which means, very simply, dried bean soup. Although this is easy to make, there is some long simmering involved, to extract all the wonderful flavor that makes the soup so rich and delicious. To get that richness you will need to use the pork parts listed in the ingredient list, although you don’t eat them. You can save the spinach stems for Spinach Stem Soup of the Turkish Jews. [ Makes 8 servings ]

1 cup (about ¹⁄₂ pound) dried fava beans, soaked in water to cover for at least 6 hours, drained

¹⁄₂ cup (about ¹⁄₄ pound) dried chickpeas, soaked in water to cover for at least 6 hours, drained

2 onions (1 small and halved, 1 medium and cut into 1-inch squares)

1 carrot, peeled and halved (¹⁄₂ in one piece, ¹⁄₂ chopped)

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon salt and more to taste

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

8 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 ounces slab bacon, diced

2 teaspoons sweet paprika

¹⁄₂ teaspoon ground cumin

¹⁄₂ teaspoon dried thyme

1 smoked ham hock

1 pig’s ear (optional)

1 pig’s foot, split

12 cups beef broth

1 link (6 ounces) Spanish- or Portuguese-style linguiça sausage, mild Italian sausage, or fresh Polish kielbasa, casing removed and meat crumbled

1 pound spinach, heavy stems removed, washed well, and ripped into smaller pieces

Pinch of saffron threads, crumbled

¹⁄₂ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and more to taste

4 large hard-boiled eggs, shelled and halved

8 toasted French or Italian country bread slices, lightly smeared with olive oil

1. Place the fava beans, chickpeas, small halved onion, whole carrot half, and 1 bay leaf in a large pot and cover with cold water by 4 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium, season with 1 tablespoon salt, and cook until tender, about 1¹⁄₄ hours. Don’t worry if the fava beans begin to split apart. Drain the fava beans and set aside. Discard the onion, carrot, and bay leaf.

2. In a large flame-proof casserole or pot, heat 5 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat, then add the cut-up medium onion, chopped carrot half, garlic, and diced bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the paprika, cumin, thyme, and remaining bay leaf and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the ham hock, pig’s ear, if using, and the pig’s foot, then pour in the beef broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the meat is falling off the bone, about 3 hours. Remove the ham hock, ear, and foot. Remove any edible meat from the ham hock, cut into small pieces, and return it to the soup. Discard the remaining ham hock, ear, and foot.

3. In a skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat, then cook the sausage, breaking the meat up further with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to the soup, using a slotted spoon to leave the fat behind, and add the spinach, reserved fava beans, and saffron. Season the broth with more salt, if needed, and the pepper. Continue to simmer the broth for another 15 minutes. Serve with the hard-boiled eggs and bread slices as garnishes.

hungarian bean and ham hock soup

This rich, rib-sticking soup is a perfect foil for cold weather. Perhaps you can imagine yourself in Hungary in the winter, in a small pub with a fire roaring, as you sip this bableves csülökkel. Typically, dried speckled beans are used, but you can use any dried red or white bean. Parsley root is unfortunately not carried in all supermarkets, so feel free to use celery root (celeriac) instead. You can soak the ham hock and beans together. I usually make this soup on a weekend when I have the time to cook leisurely. The recipe is from János Mohácsi of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics. [ Makes 4 to 6 servings ]

1 pound smoked ham hock

6 ounces (about 1 cup) dried speckled beans or pinto beans

1 whole small onion

1 large garlic clove

8 cups water

Salt to taste

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

1 small fresh parsley root or celery root (about ³⁄₄ pound), peeled, quartered, and sliced

1 tablespoon pork lard (preferably) or unsalted butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

¹⁄₂ teaspoon hot paprika

1 cup sour cream

1. Soak the ham hock and beans in water to cover for 8 hours, then remove the ham hock.

2. Place the ham hock in a large pot with the whole onion and garlic and cover with the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, partially cover, and cook until the skin is tender, about 2¹⁄₂ hours. Remove and discard the onion and garlic and season with salt if necessary (taste first, as you probably will not need to as the ham hock is salty).

3. Add the drained beans, carrot, and parsley root and continue to simmer until they are tender, 1¹⁄₂ to 2 hours. Remove the ham hock, cut the meat off and chop, then return the meat to the soup and discard the bone.

4. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt the pork lard over medium-high heat, then stir in the flour for about a minute to form a roux. Stir in the paprika, then stir in the sour cream. Transfer this to the soup and bring the soup to a boil. Serve hot.

harıra

Harīra is a traditional soup made in Morocco to observe the breaking of the daily fast during Ramadan, the ninth and holiest month of the Muslim calendar, which celebrates the first revelation of the Quran. It has been said that the soup was originally a Berber dish and that it is known in Algeria, too. In tenth-century Tunisia, even, the soup known as samāsāhiyya was essentially this recipe.

There are many variations of this soup, not only because there are many families of many different economic classes but also because the Islamic calendar is lunar, so Ramadan falls during different times of the year, and thus the seasonality of the ingredients changes. A summer Ramadan soup will be different from a winter one. This soup is made when Ramadan falls between October and December.

The first decision is whether you want a version with or without meat. The cooking should be slow and long. I usually buy a six-rib rack of lamb loin chops, remove the sirloin (which will yield the ³⁄₄ pound of meat you need for this recipe), and add the rack to the soup for extra flavoring. Both are traditional.

Harīra is found throughout the Maghrib, but it is this Moroccan version which seems to be the most famous. Traditionally, one eats dates and elaborate honey cakes called shabā’k (or shabā’kiyya) or mahalkra along with it. Some cooks add pasta or rice, chicken liver or gizzards, dried fava beans, or yeast (in which case the flour mixture in Step 4 is not used) in addition to the elements below. Also added are rare spices such as boldo (Peumus boldus syn. Boldea fragrans, ­Peumus fragrans), called balduh al-faghiya in Arabic, the berry of a slow-growing evergreen that is used in place of caraway. The tomato mixture in Step 2 and the flour and water mixture used in Step 4 is known as the tadawīra in Morocco.

A great souvenir of Morocco are the little earthenware bowls used to eat harīra. Soups in Morocco tend to be supper dishes, heavy and filling, and not a first course. When soup is served as a first course, it most likely reflects a French influence. [ Makes 8 to 10 servings ]

¹⁄₄ cup clarified butter (preferably) or butter

³⁄₄ pound lamb sirloin, fat removed, cut into ¹⁄₂-inch cubes

1 pound onions, finely chopped

2 celery stalks with their leaves, finely chopped

1¹⁄₂ cups finely chopped cilantro (fresh coriander, from about 2 bunches)

1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley (from about 1 bunch)

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

2¹⁄₂ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2¹⁄₂ quarts water

2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut in half, seeds squeezed out, and grated against the largest holes of a standing grater down to the peel, or one 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

¹⁄₂ teaspoon saffron threads, lightly crumbled in a mortar

One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained

¹⁄₂ cup brown lentils

2 tablespoons salt and more to taste

¹⁄₃ cup fine semolina flour

Juice from 2 lemons

2 large eggs

1. In a large stockpot or flame-proof casserole, melt the clarified butter over medium-high heat, then add the lamb and cook, stirring, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the onions, celery, 1 cup of the cilantro, the parsley, paprika, pepper, turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon and continue cooking, stirring, for 4 ­minutes.

2. Pour in the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and saffron, stir, and simmer for 10 more minutes.

3. Add the chickpeas and lentils to the soup, season with 2 tablespoons salt, add the remaining cilantro leaves, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are ­tender, about 40 minutes.

4. Blend 1 cup cold water with the semolina flour until smooth. Add this mixture to the soup in a slow stream, whisking out any lumps. Cook for 5 minutes while stirring. Add the lemon juice and cook for 5 minutes. Beat the eggs in a bowl and add them to the soup, stirring constantly, slowly, and very gently to create ribbons and not pieces, and cook until they congeal, about 5 minutes. Check for salt and serve hot.

black-eyed pea and coconut soup

African soups tend to be more like stews and are usually eaten as the main course. This soup from Tanzania called supu ya maharage na nazi (soup of beans and coconut) shows typical Swahili influence in its use of coconut. The recipe is adapted from Bea Sandler’s in The African Cookbook. She made the preparation thinner than is typical, and I’ve followed her there. The use of curry powder reflects the influence of the Indian community in East Africa. I recommend the garam masala from www.penzeys.com; it is a bit more authentic tasting than supermarket curry powder, which tends to be heavy on the turmeric. [ Makes 4 servings ]

1 cup dried black-eyed peas

3¹⁄₄ teaspoons salt

¹⁄₄ cup long grain rice

3 tablespoons unsalted clarified butter (preferably) or unsalted butter

³⁄₄ cup chopped onion

³⁄₄ cup chopped green bell pepper

1 teaspoon garam masala or curry powder

¹⁄₄ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup chopped, peeled, and seeded tomato

2 cups coconut milk

3 cups water

4 teaspoons shredded unsweetened coconut

1. Place the black-eyed peas in a pot of cold water to cover by 4 inches and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 1 teaspoon salt and boil until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain, saving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

2. Bring ¹⁄₂ cup water to a boil in a small pot, then add the rice and ¹⁄₄ teaspoon salt and boil until the rice is softened or the water is absorbed. Turn the heat off, drain if any liquid is left, or set aside if absorbed.

3. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat, then add the onion, bell pepper, garam masala, 1 teaspoon salt, and cayenne and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the cooked black-eyed peas and reserved 1 cup of cooking liquid, the coconut milk, and the water and cook until it returns to a bubble, about 10 minutes. Add the cooked rice and 1 teaspoon salt and serve with the shredded coconut on top of each bowl.

peanut soup

Peanut soup is famous throughout West Africa and is the African soup that shows up most often in American venues, probably because here one just dumps in peanut butter. The real thing is a little more involved, as you will make your own “peanut butter,” which is roasted and mashed peanuts without any additions. But don’t fret, I’m not going to send you out on a mission here, just to a local whole, natural, or organic foods market that has its own peanut grinder. If you must buy commercial peanut butter, read the label and make sure it only contains peanuts. The soup, which should be thick and smooth, is usually eaten as a main course, like a stew, with fufu made from mashed plantains or African yams. If using commercial peanut butter, add it during the last five minutes of cooking. Red palm oil is essential for West African food, so for a true African taste you should make every effort to get it. You can buy it online at www.jbafricanmarket.com or www.afrikan-food.com. [ Makes 4 servings ]

14 ounces cassava (yucca or manioc), ñame, malanga, or sweet potato

3 cups vegetable or chicken broth

2 tablespoons red palm oil or walnut oil mixed with ¹⁄₄ teaspoon paprika

1 cup unsweetened peanut butter

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped

1 small carrot, peeled and finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 habanero chile, finely chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¹⁄₂ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Place the cassava in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then boil until tender, about 40 minutes. Drain and mash in a food processor or with a potato masher and set aside.

2. In a pot, add the chicken broth and red palm oil, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Add the peanut butter and simmer, stirring occasionally to break it up, for 15 minutes. Add the onion, bell pepper, carrot, garlic, ­habanero chile, cassava, salt, pepper, and cayenne and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 40 minutes. Serve hot.

Famous Peanut Soups of Africa

Pépé supi is a spicy peanut and chile soup with fish—one of many peanut soups in Africa—eaten from the Ivory Coast and Ghana to the Congo. West African cooks usually use beef or tripe in this soup. In Guinea this soup is really nothing but a very hot fish bouillon given to an invalid. But everywhere it is known as an excellent antidote to a hangover. There are several traditional ingredients that go into making the soup, some quite impossible to find in North America. The first, pébé or pépé, is no problem: this is simply peanut butter. The mongongo nut (Ricinodendron rautanenii) is called njansau and has a thin, edible flesh and pleasant tasting fat- and protein-rich kernel contained in a hard pit. It comes from a large, dioecious, deciduous tree that grows wild on sandy soils in southern Africa and plays a central role in the diet of the Kung San, food gathering and hunting people of the Kalahari desert. It is also used in the cooking of Gambia, Ivory Coast, Congo, and Cameroon. Esèsè (Tetrapleura tetraptera Taub) is the fruit shell, fruit pulp, and seed, containing varying amounts of protein, lipids, and minerals, of a plant used in Nigeria and elsewhere in West Africa. In the eastern parts of Nigeria, the fruits are used to prepare soups for mothers from the first day of delivery to prevent postpartum contractions, while in the southern parts it is used in the preparation of pepper soup. In the Ivory Coast and the Congo cooks use this spice for pépé supi. It is served with rice or a semolina fufu and chiles. The soup can be made with chicken, guinea hen, or another meat if desired.

Fufu

Fufu, a West African dish, is nothing but a glutinous mass of starchy food pounded into a sticky ball that is then used as a kind of utensil to eat other foods. There isn’t one fufu, but many, made from fermented cassava flour, plantains, African yams, semolina, rice, and a few other starchy foods. Fufu is always bland, because the foods you eat with it are highly spiced and very piquant. This recipe is for plantain fufu. The plantains must be very ripe, meaning the skins must be black. If you buy plantains in the market and their skins are yellow, it may take up to two weeks sitting in your kitchen for them to reach the proper ripeness, so make sure you buy the ripest available. [ Makes about 2 cups ]

2 very ripe plantains, peeled and sliced

2 tablespoons red palm oil

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil over high heat, then add the plantains and cook for 10 minutes. Drain well, place the plantains in a food processor, and blend with the red palm oil until completely smooth. Serve hot or reheat later.

congolese peanut vegetable soup

One of the most surprising things I found when I was in Africa was just how often food is cooked out of doors. Not just street food like kebabs and fritters, but everything from soups to couscous, and not always for public consumption. I imagine this is because of the heat and the lack of well-ventilated indoor kitchens. I can easily imagine this spicy-hot nourishing soup from the Congo being cooked on the banks of the river described by the anonymous ­author in the Afropop Worldwide Cookbook (found on www.afropop.org), from which the recipe is adapted. As he or she relates, “This was one of my favorite soups while I lived on the banks of the Kwilu river, in the Congo (formerly Zaire). It is a quick (20 minute or less) soup that is different each time.” The red palm oil will give the soup a distinctly African taste; you can order it from www.jbafricanmarket.com or www.afrikan-food.com. The hot sauce is called ­pili-pili in the Congo, but Africans in America will tell you that there are plenty of good hot sauces made here, such as Melinda’s Habanero XXXtra Hot Sauce found in many supermarkets. Start with a teaspoon and then work up to a tablespoon, because it is very piquant. [ Makes 4 to 6 servings ]

3 tablespoons red palm oil or peanut oil

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

6 cups chicken broth

¹⁄₂ cup unsweetened smooth peanut butter

¹⁄₂ pound kale or collard greens, heavy stems removed and chopped coarsely

¹⁄₂ pound Swiss chard or mustard greens, heavy stems removed and chopped coarsely

2 teaspoons salt or more to taste

1 to 3 teaspoons habanero chile–based hot sauce or to taste

1. In a pot, heat the oil over medium heat, then add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

2. Add the chicken broth and peanut butter and cook, stirring to blend and dissolve the peanut butter, for about 3 minutes. Bring to a boil over high heat, add the kale, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and continue cooking until all the greens are softened and tender, about 15 minutes. Add the salt and habanero sauce, stir well, and serve.

fava bean soup

This soupe de fèves is one that Odette Cocula, a neighbor of my father’s when he lived in his adopted village of Frayssinet, near Cahors in the Lot department of France, would prepare for him occasionally in the springtime. It’s a hearty soup typical of the region. You’ll need about 4 pounds of fava bean pods to yield 3 cups of double-peeled beans. [ Makes 8 servings ]

3 tablespoons rendered duck fat (preferably), chicken fat, or unsalted butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 leeks, white part only, split lengthwise, washed, and sliced

3 large garlic cloves (2 whole, 1 cut in half)

1 tablespoon tomato paste or 1 ripe plum tomato, peeled and finely chopped

2 medium russet potatoes (about ³⁄₄ pound), peeled and diced

10 cups chicken broth

3 cups double-peeled fresh fava beans (see Note)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

8 slices French or Italian country bread

1. In a large pot or flame-proof casserole, melt the duck fat over medium-high heat, then add the onion, leeks, and 2 whole garlic cloves and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 15 minutes.

2. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the potatoes and chicken broth and simmer for 1 hour. Use a potato masher to slightly crush the vegetables. Add the fava beans and cook for 5 minutes, then season with salt and pepper.

3. Toast the slices of bread in a preheated broiler or a countertop oven. Rub the bread on both sides with the cut side of the remaining garlic clove. Place a slice of bread in a soup bowl and ladle the soup on top. Serve hot.

Note: Double-peeled fava beans means that the bean is taken out of its pod and its skin is pinched off after being dropped in boiling water for a couple of minutes to loosen it.

chickpea and swiss chard soup

This quick and simple soup is called potaje de Carteya, which means nothing more than that it is a soup from Nueva Carteya, a small town of about five thousand people in the province of Córdoba in Spain’s southern region of Andalusia. Swiss chard is probably the Córdobans’ favorite leafy green vegetable and chickpeas their favorite legume, and in this soup they form a perfect marriage. It is best to mix everything together at the last minute. The soup is meant to be thick. [ Makes 5 to 6 servings ]

Two 15-ounce cans cooked chickpeas (3 cups), with its liquid

1 pound Swiss chard, heaviest part of stem removed and washed well

³⁄₄ pound spinach, heavy stems removed and well washed

4 large garlic cloves, 3 finely chopped, 1 sliced

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

¹⁄₄ pound white part of Italian or French bread, cut into small cubes

1 long mild green chile (such as peperoncino or Anaheim chile), seeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

Salt to taste

3 tablespoons good quality sherry vinegar

1. In a pot, cook the chickpeas in a cup of salted water and their own liquid over medium heat until softened, 20 to 30 minutes. Keep warm.

2. In another pot, place the Swiss chard and spinach with only the water from their last rinsing, cover, and turn the heat to high. Once the water is bubbling and the greens are a little wilted, cook for 2 minutes. Drain the greens, chop coarsely, mix with the sliced garlic, and set aside.

3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the chopped garlic, bread, chile, and paprika and cook, stirring, until the bread is golden, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pour in the vinegar. Once the vinegar has evaporated, mix the chickpeas, greens, and cooked bread together and serve.

sicilian beans and greens soup

The Vucciria, with its close-quartered warrens and noisy hustle-bustle, is the old street market of Palermo. Although it’s something of a tourist attraction, all kinds of foods can be found in the Vucciria, from local vegetables such as giri (a leafy Sicilian green), Swiss chard, ­sparacelli (broccoli), and dandelion to sweet Tunisian eggplants, swordfish, and pine nuts. Since vegetables are popular in Sicily, they find their way into many soups, such as this ­minestra di ­verdure e legumi (soup of greens and legumes). I usually serve this soup during the winter or early spring and will do so at a dinner party. [ Makes 8 servings ]

2 quarts lightly salted water

¹⁄₂ cup (about ¹⁄₄ pound) dried fava beans, soaked for 8 hours in water to cover, drained

¹⁄₂ cup (about ¹⁄₄ pound) dried white beans, soaked for 8 hours in water to cover, drained

2 medium onions, cut into eighths and layers pulled apart

1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped

1 bay leaf

1 fennel (bulb, stalks, and some leaves), coarsely chopped

3 green cabbage leaves

2 large Swiss chard or beet leaves

3 Belgian endive leaves

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup Arborio rice

Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling (optional)

1. Bring the water to a boil over high heat in a large pot. Add the dried beans, onions, carrot, celery, and bay leaf. After the water returns to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer until tender but not mushy soft, 1 to 1¹⁄₄ hours, but keep checking.

2. Add the fennel, cabbage leaves, beet leaves, and endive. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 25 minutes, uncovered.

3. Add the rice. Cover and cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Serve with a generous amount of olive oil with each serving. You can sprinkle some Parmesan cheese on top, too.

vegetable soup

The Italian word minestra today refers to soup or to a first course, but in the fifteenth century it was an elemental food, almost like a stew, that also could contain pasta. At sea, rice was reserved for meatless days, and made into minestra with fava beans and chickpeas moistened with vinegar and olive oil. Fifteenth-century Sicilian documents referring to military rations confirm that fresh vegetables were substituted for meat on Sicilian galleys. This was totally opposite of the Spanish galleys, which had only meat and no fresh vegetables. Although no longer associated with seamen, this soup slowly evolved into recipes such as this, from which a simple list of ingredients elicits an extraordinary taste. Because every cook makes minestra di verdure in a different way, there is no standard recipe. [ Makes 6 servings ]

3 quarts water

1 cup (about ¹⁄₂ pound) dried fava beans

1 cup (about ¹⁄₂ pound) dried white beans (such as navy, cannellini, or great northern)

2 medium onions (about 1 pound total), finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1 small Savoy cabbage (about 1 pound), cored and chopped

1 Belgian endive, chopped

1 head Boston lettuce, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the fava beans and boil for 5 minutes. Remove the fava beans with a slotted spoon or skimmer and, when cool enough to handle, pinch off the skin of the fava beans. Return the fava beans to the boiling water again with the white beans, onions, carrots, and celery and cook, partially covered, until the beans are half cooked, about 30 minutes.

2. Add the cabbage, endive, and lettuce, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the beans are fully tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a tureen or individual serving bowls, sprinkle with some cheese, and drizzle with olive oil before serving.

persian greens and barley soup

There is a lot of soaking in this Persian recipe called aash-e jo. You can soak the rice and barley together, and all the peas and beans can be soaked together, but separately from the rice and barley. The kashk (or kishk) can only be found in Middle Eastern groceries, or you can order it from www.sadaf.com. Kashk is a thickened milk or yogurt product made from the whey left over from cheese-making mixed with wheat flour or bulgur and fermented. It is popular in the Middle East and comes as a thick liquid or in a dried powdered form. The liquid form is used in this soup, and it can be approximated by mixing 2 cups of sour cream with 2 tablespoons of tahini, for a less authentic taste. The so-called Persian chives, also used in Korean cooking, are simply thicker and heavier chives, and are sold mostly at farmers markets or ethnic markets. There is a lot of chopping involved in this recipe, so feel free to use a food processor, but if you do make sure you process in short pulses and not continuously. The leaves of the herbs should amount to about 5 ounces each. [ Makes 6 to 8 servings ]

¹⁄₂ cup (about ¹⁄₄ pound) dried chickpeas, soaked 8 hours in water to cover, drained

¹⁄₂ cup (about ¹⁄₄ pound) red kidney beans, soaked 8 hours in water to cover, drained

¹⁄₂ cup (about ¹⁄₄ pound) dried brown lentils, soaked 8 hours in water to cover, drained

4 quarts cold water

¹⁄₂ cup (about ¹⁄₄ pound) pearl barley, soaked 8 hours in water to cover, drained

¹⁄₂ cup (about ¹⁄₄ pound) long grain rice, soaked 8 hours in water to cover, drained

¹⁄₂ pound fresh spinach leaves, rinsed well and finely chopped

2 bunches fresh parsley, leaves only, finely chopped

2 to 3 bunches cilantro (fresh coriander), leaves only, finely chopped

3 bunches Persian chives (preferably) or 8 bunches regular chives, chopped

2 bunches fresh dill, finely chopped

2 cups kashk (see above) or sour cream mixed with 2 tablespoon tahini

2 tablespoons salt or more to taste

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper or more to taste

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

4 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon dried mint

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1. Place the dried chickpeas, kidney beans, and lentils in a large pot and cover with the water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low and simmer for 1 hour. Add the barley and rice and continue to cook, partially covered and stirring ­occasionally, for another 30 minutes.

2. Add the spinach, parsley, cilantro, chives, and dill, and cook, stirring occasionally, until all the ingredients are tender, well blended, and looking very mushy, about 3¹⁄₂ hours. The soup should now be thick like a minestrone and not watery.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the kashk, salt, and pepper. Stir and keep warm.

4. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat, then add the onions and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Stir in the mint and turmeric and cook for 1 more minute. Serve the soup hot, garnished with the seasoned fried onions.

Note: If the soup sits a while before serving or if you are eating leftovers, you may want to add a little hot water before serving if it has become too thick.

lentil and mint soup

In Turkey, soups are favorite preparations during winter. One forgets how cold it gets in the Mediterranean, and these soul-satisfying soups are quite perfect for warming up and feeling good about exorcizing that piercing chill. In this recipe, called ezo gelin çorbası and known as the bride’s soup because it is made for the soon-to-be-married young maiden, red lentils, thought of as “soup” lentils by Turkish cooks because they disintegrate rapidly, are balanced by the earthy taste of cracked wheat and the mellow hint of mint. [ Makes 4 to 6 servings ]

1 cup red lentils, rinsed

2 quarts vegetable broth or veal and chicken broth

1 medium-large onion, grated

¹⁄₂ cup medium or coarse bulgur (#3 or #4), rinsed

¹⁄₄ cup unsalted butter

1 tablespoon tomato paste diluted in ¹⁄₄ cup water

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon hot or sweet paprika

1 tablespoon dried mint

In a large pot, add the lentils, broth, onion, bulgur, butter, tomato paste, and salt. Bring to a very gentle boil over high heat, about 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to very low and cook until the lentils and bulgur are tender and the soup has a creamy consistency, about 1 hour. Stir in the paprika and mint, cook for 5 more minutes, and serve.