The surest way to make someone think you’ve upped your culinary game is to create toppers for soups. I think toppers are the key to building what I call “culinary muscle memory.” The nine toppers below (with a few variations thrown in) can be mixed and matched with soups throughout the book. Once you know the taste and texture preferences of those you’re cooking for, don’t be surprised if you find yourself experimenting with these toppers. It’s like accessorizing an outfit or, as my friend describes it, putting edible makeup on a soup. Nut creams, crumbles, gremolatas, drizzles, salsas—you’ll find them all here, waiting to adorn your next bowl of yum.
my favorite combinations
chermoula
makes 1¼ cups | prep time: 5 minutes | cook time: none
Normally, Moroccan chermoulas are used as a marinade with meat or fish. But a little tinkering yields an extraordinary drizzle that works mighty fine on top of a soup. Mint, parsley, cumin, paprika, olive oil, and lemon juice all combine to create a chermoula with some serious zing!
1 cup tightly packed chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ cup tightly packed fresh cilantro or basil leaves
6 fresh mint leaves
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
1 clove garlic, chopped
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and process until well blended. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
crispy shiitake mushrooms
makes 1 cup | prep time: 5 minutes | cook time: 20 minutes
I swear people mistake these for bacon all the time, which isn’t really as strange as it sounds. Mushrooms are loaded with savory umami taste, as is bacon, and baking shiitakes leaves them crispy, just like you-know-what. The smell of the shiitakes baking is absolutely intoxicating. Make sure that they’re lined up single-file on the baking sheet and not piled on top of each other, otherwise they’ll steam instead of bake.
1 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the shiitakes in a bowl, drizzle with the olive oil, and sprinkle with the salt and paprika, then toss until evenly coated. Arrange the mushrooms in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet and roast until crisp and browned, about 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
crunchy kale crumbles
makes 6 cups | prep time: 5 minutes | cook time: 10 minutes
This recipe is incredibly easy to make: just some torn-up kale coated with olive oil and salt that gets popped into the oven. The alchemy of the cooking takes away the kale’s bitterness, leaving you with an irresistible garnish that’s perfect atop a bowl of soup.
1 large bunch kale, stemmed and torn into 2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Put all of the ingredients in a large bowl and toss until the kale is well coated. Spread the kale on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes, or until nice and crisp. (If it isn’t crisp after 10 minutes, bake in 5-minute increments until it crisps up.) Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Crumble the crispy kale into small pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
many herb drizzle
makes ½ cup | prep time: 5 minutes | cook time: none
Drizzles are designed to brighten up everything they touch, and they can be found in nearly every culture’s cooking. France? It’s a pistou. Italy? Pesto. Morocco? Chermoula. They’re all made similarly: herbs, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt go into a food processor, and what comes out is a fine dining refinement, if you will, for everyday soup.
1 cup tightly packed chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ cup tightly packed fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and process until well blended. For a thinner drizzle, add 1 tablespoon of water. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
variation: For an infusion of Asian or Latino flavor, substitute cilantro for the parsley.
kale gremolata
makes ¾ cup | prep time: 5 minutes | cook time: none
Here I am, getting all fancy again. Gremolatas are garnishes—usually made of chopped parsley, grated lemon zest, and garlic. Me being me, I just have to tinker with things, so sometimes I swap cilantro for parsley and orange zest for lemon zest and, what the heck, throw some basil into the mix. Don’t worry: it works.
1 small bunch kale, stemmed and finely chopped
⅓ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, minced
Put all of the ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
silken nut cream
makes 2 cups | prep time: 5 minutes | cook time: none
I’ve been making and using nut creams since I first realized that they offer all the richness of butter but have a far better nutritional profile. They give an incredible mouthfeel to soup; it’s like a luscious hit of yum that you’re not expecting. I play with cashew, almond, pistachio, and walnut creams, as each has a slightly different taste.
1 cup raw nuts, such as cashews, pistachios, walnuts (see Cook’s Note), or almonds
1 cup water
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and process until creamy smooth, about 1 minute. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
variation: For an herbaceous note, add ½ cup chopped fresh basil or mint.
cook’s note: If using walnuts, add ¼ teaspoon of maple syrup to counteract any bitterness that might come from the skins.
fresh soup salsas
Salsa, whether you’re talking dance or food, is a mix of styles that when you put them together is, frankly, hot. Typically, salsa fresca is made from tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, lime juice, and salt. But salsa was made for improvisation; sometimes I forego tomato and make radish the star—or avocado. As a sauce (and salsa is Spanish for “sauce”), salsa just makes me want to riff. It will have the same effect on you.
heirloom tomato salsa
makes 2 cups | prep time: 10 minutes | cook time: none
1½ cups finely diced fresh heirloom or Roma tomatoes
¼ cup finely diced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or basil
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon sea salt
In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, or for up to 3 days.
avocado and cucumber salsa
makes 3 cups | prep time: 10 minutes | cook time: none
1 cucumber, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, or for up to 3 days.
fresh radish, fennel, and herb salsa
makes 2 cups | prep time: 10 minutes | cook time: none
12 radishes, coarsely chopped
1 fennel bulb, finely chopped
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, or for up to 3 days.
parsnip chips
makes 2 cups | prep time: 15 minutes | cook time: 25 minutes
Sometimes you just want some crunch on top of your soup, and, boy, do these parsnip chips deliver. I use a mandoline to slice the chips paper-thin, then give them a quick coating of olive oil, salt, and curry powder. Into the oven they go, and then comes the hard part: letting them cook slowly. I’m talking 300°F instead of 450°F, which is the difference between getting a perfect chip versus one that’s charbroiled.
These chips are like cookies: let them cool for a few minutes and you won’t believe how crunchy and yummy they become. Place them on top of the Silk Road Pumpkin Soup for a truly transcendent taste.
2 parsnips, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon curry powder
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and toss until well combined. Arrange the parsnips on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer, making sure they don’t overlap, and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Check the chips at 20 minutes to prevent burning. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
variation: Replace the curry powder with your favorite spice to suit your taste buds.
polenta croutons
makes 2 cups | prep time: 10 minutes | cook time: 25 minutes
Bread croutons are so yesterday, but these are a fantastic update, especially if you can’t eat gluten and are normally crouton-deprived. In the old days, I used to stand by the stove stirring polenta forever. Now it’s so much easier, as precooked polenta logs are available in just about any supermarket. Cube ’em; add olive oil, salt, and spices; and toss—then bake. In 25 minutes you have croutons. Best of all, you can make a lot because they freeze and reheat well.
9 ounces or ½ log precooked polenta, cut into ½-inch cubes (see Cook’s Note)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, or rosemary (optional), finely chopped
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a bowl, toss all of the ingredients together until the polenta is well coated. Spread the polenta cubes on the prepared baking sheet, making sure they aren’t touching. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp on the outside. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
cook’s note: Precooked polenta logs can be found in most grocery stores. I like Trader Joe’s organic polenta and Food Merchants organic traditional polenta.
